Are you ready to dive back into the world of Elden Ring with the latest patch update of Version1.09 ? With this new update comes a plethora of powerful ash options for players to explore and build around. In this article, we will be discussing the top 10 powerful and versatile ash of war available right now. Whether you're looking to specialize in strength, intelligence, dexterity, arcane, faith, or a combination of them, we've got you covered. So please sit back, relax, and let's delve into the exciting world of Elden Ring's latest ash options. 

 

• Top 10. Unsheathe
• Top 9. Spectral Lance
• Top 8. Royal Knight's Resolve
• Top 7. Ice Spear
• Top 6. Flaming Strike
• Top 5. Eruption
• Top 4. Storm Blade
• Top 3. Seppuku
• Top 2. Giant Hunt
• Top 1. Blood Blade

 

 

↖ Top 10. Unsheathe

Let's start our guide with number 10, focusing on the early game. One of the most useful and straightforward Ash of War abilities is the Beast of Unsheathe. As a samurai, you can begin your journey with this simple yet effective ability that deals great damage and staggering power, making it a reliable source of damage in the open world and boss fights alike.

Although it lacks the magical aspect of Moonvale Ash of War, Beast of Unsheathe is still incredibly strong and deserves recognition as one of the best universal Ash of War abilities available. It's also easy to obtain and use with your katanas or other Elden Ring weapons.

 

If there is one thing missing from Beast of Unsheathe, it would be a magical ranged aspect, which is found in the form of Moonveil Ash of War. But even without it, Beast of Unsheathe is a solid choice for players looking to deal heavy damage in the early game.

 

↖ Top 9. Spectral Lance

Let's talk about the Spectral Lance, which is a highly useful weapon despite its seemingly unimpressive appearance. With a low cost of less than 10 fp peruse and high poise per hit, this weapon is well-suited for any build that can accommodate it. Its versatility is a key advantage, as it can be used from long range with the arrow talisman to extend its reach even further. It is an excellent option for boss fights or open-world scenarios where the range is crucial.

The Spectral Lance's tracking is also impressive, making it easy to land hits even at extended ranges. Furthermore, it allows for weak spot targeting and can cause knockdowns and staggers, which is particularly useful against certain enemies or in specific situations.

 

While the Spectral Lance has some limitations, such as the inability to buff its damage with the black flame blade buff, it is still an incredibly useful tool. It is specifically designed for use with spears and halberds, which may make it difficult to acquire, but it is well worth the effort for its utility alone.

 

Overall, the Spectral Lance is best used as a utility weapon to supplement a build rather than as the primary source of damage. It excels as long-range harassment, staggering, or knockdown creator, making it a valuable asset in any open-world game.

 

↖ Top 8. Royal Knight's Resolve

The Royal Knight's Resolve is an excellent choice for those who seek to deal a lot of damage in a single hit. It is a versatile option that can benefit any heavy hitter. Upon activation, the user gains a damage buff for the next eight seconds, which can amplify the effectiveness of high-impact attacks like the Giant's Crusher's unique heavy attack.

This makes it an ideal choice for any build that focuses on enhancing a single hit. It is a popular choice in PvP and a consistent performer in PvE for strength Elden Ring builds. In summary, the Royal Knight's Resolve is an efficient and reliable option for anyone looking to maximize the impact of their heavy hits.

 

↖ Top 7. Ice Spear

The Ice Spear is a potent ice-based attack that deals significant damage. It is an excellent choice for use with the Clayman's Harpoon, as we discussed recently on the channel. This attack has a unique point-blank hit that deals some ice damage and chips away at any enemies close to you. Following that, you can use the main event of the attack, thrusting forward to send out an ice spear.

Although it has a medium to close range compared to Spectral Lance, it still delivers a nice burst of damage, thanks to the buildup of ice. While it's not wise to rely solely on Ice Spear for damage in PvE, it can be useful in PvP trading, particularly against opponents with lower poise. It may even catch someone off guard and finish them off. Overall, it's a reliable option, and it pairs exceptionally well with the Clayman's Harpoon.

 

↖ Top 6. Flaming Strike

Flaming Strike has emerged as a powerful attack, surpassing the once-popular Flame of Redmanes, which was heavily nerfed in the Fire Ashes of War update. Flaming Strike is now a popular choice in PvP battles due to its effectiveness. The attack involves a double combo where you release a medium to close-range fire spread, followed by a strike that dashes forward and deals damage to your weapon, which is now ignited with fire.

This fire damage source is great in any build since many enemies are vulnerable to fire damage or can be easily crowd-controlled with it. In version 1.07, Flaming Strike was buffed to increase its attack power and duration of the buff and reduce the delay between actions, making it more satisfying and smooth to use. With this update, there are now a total of seven ice and fire Ashes of War options available for players to consider.

 

↖ Top 5. Eruption

The fifth fire option is an eruption, a move that is often overlooked but is actually quite powerful. Since it's buff in version 1.07, we have created a build with eruption as the core. This move involves a downward and upward slam that leaves behind a pool of lava, and with the increased range and duration of the lava in version 1.07, it has become even more effective.

Additionally, there is now a hitbox associated with the attack, making it very deadly up close. The timing of poise during the activation has also been fixed, giving the user excellent hyper armour for trading. The eruption is best used with a big, heavy-hitting weapon for maximum poison, stagger, and trading opportunities. Great axes, hammers, and swords are all excellent options for running this move effectively.

 

Our build combines a great axe, the Omenkiller Cleaver, with eruption and the Blood Flame Blade for massive damage dealing, raw damage bleed, and fire damage. The weapon buff and the lava combined make for a devastating combination that is further benefited by the very high poise, allowing for back-to-back use of eruption with incredible trading potential. The improved speed, range, and recovery of axes make this combination even more effective.

 

↖ Top 4. Storm Blade

At number four on our list is the Storm Blade, which can be compared to the Beast Roll that also deserves a place on this list. However, with the 1.07 buff, Storm Blade wins out over Beast Roll. The buff increased the motion, speed, and range of the blade, making it come out quickly and go further. This makes it a very effective weapon that deals great range damage while also being cheap and easy to spam.

Additionally, the weapon now has damage detection, which means that it can be used point-blank to double up as an ashing and a weapon hit. If you have any status or buildup that benefits from this, it becomes even more effective, especially when buffed up with the Blood Flame Blade. Furthermore, the delay between the end of various actions has been reduced, making it smoother and less time-consuming.

 

With its fast combo potential and compatibility with a good number of weapons, the Storm Blade is effective up close and far, making it an enjoyable weapon to use in both PVE and PVP. In fact, while gathering footage, We often rely on it the most because it is so straightforward and effective. Overall, the Storm Blade is a fantastic weapon that deserves a place at number four on this list, but of course, there are still greater weapons out there, such as the Giants.

 

↖ Top 3. Seppuku

Seppuku, also known as Harakiri, remains a powerful move Ash of War. Although it takes time and significant health to buff and no longer provides as much power as it used to, its damage potential is still remarkable. With the use of power stances and weapons, players can stagger and stab their opponents for devastating results.

While the move is still effective for blade builds, its downsides make it more balanced, reducing the prevalence of Seppuku spam in PVP battles. However, it remains a popular choice for PVE battles, where players have more time to prepare for fights and heal up afterwards. Overall, Seppuku is still a potent move in Ash of War, but its adjustments have made it more fair and effective for players to use.

 

↖ Top 2. Giant Hunt

If you're looking for a reliable alternative to speak with fewer downsides, Giant Hunt is an excellent choice. It's comparable to Lion's Claw in terms of use, but we prefer Giant Hunt due to its high poise damage. In PvE, it's especially effective against bosses, as it can cause staggers and deal heavy hits. Whether you're in PvE or PvP, Giant Hunt hits like a truck and can easily deal over 1,200 damage with a single use of Ash of War. 

This makes it a great option for taking down squishy builds or nearly killing most builds with just one button press. Although you need to time and aim it carefully, Giant's Hunt has a mini gap closer aspect that allows you to jump forward and strike. It works well with any big weapon, including spears. Overall, Giant Hunt is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a powerful and versatile weapon.

 

↖ Top 1. Blood Blade

The Blood Blade is considered the best option for bleed-based damage output among universal offensive ashes. It received a significant buff in patch 1.07, increasing its power and damage while also adding a damage detection feature to the weapon part. This allows for double hits up close and reduced delay between actions, resulting in smoother combos. 

The bleed buildup is also impressive. With the damage detection feature, it is possible to press oneself against an enemy with a bleed weapon hit and quickly inflict bleed status on the opponent in just one or two uses in PvP. The only other ash that outperforms the Blood Blade in terms of bleed potential is a unique weaponar of Roduvius called the Bloodblade, which offers the same benefits without costing health per use. 

 

Despite this disadvantage, the Blood Blade is still a highly effective option for bleed-based DPS with the Sasha wall and is compatible with various bleed-based builds, such as those utilizing daggers or katanas. It is a versatile option and highly recommended. Although there are many other ashes of war that could have been discussed in this video, this list covers the top 10 universal ashes of war. Stay tuned for future tier lists, and thanks for watching.