Mastering Two-Handed Weapons in Elden Ring: A Guide

Mastering the art of wielding a weapon with two hands in *Elden Ring* can significantly enhance your combat effectiveness, allowing you to decimate your foes with greater force. In this guide, we'll delve into the mechanics of two-handing weapons, explore the advantages and potential drawbacks, and recommend the best weapons to use for this technique.

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How to Two-Hand Weapons in Elden RingWhy You Should Two-Hand in Elden RingThe Downsides of Using a Weapon in Two-HandsBest Weapons to Two-Hand in Elden Ring How to Two-Hand Weapons in Elden Ring

To two-hand a weapon in Elden Ring, you'll need to hold down the E key on PC, the triangle button on PlayStation, or the Y button on Xbox, and then press the attack button corresponding to the weapon you wish to wield with both hands. It's crucial to verify your control settings if you've customized them, as they might differ from the default configuration.

This method also applies when you're on horseback, enabling seamless weapon switching between melee and magic. Remember, if your weapon requires two hands due to Strength requirements, you must start two-handing it before mounting your horse. Once mounted, you won't be able to initiate two-handing unless it was already active.

Related: How to Get Out of Roundtable Hold in Elden Ring

Why You Should Two-Hand in Elden Ring

Screenshot by The Escapist. Two-handing weapons in Elden Ring offers several compelling benefits. Primarily, it boosts your Strength by 50 percent, significantly increasing the damage output of Strength-scaling weapons. This boost can turn your attacks into devastating blows.

Moreover, two-handing often alters the weapon's move set, potentially changing the damage type and offering new combat strategies. It also allows you to wield heavier weapons that you might not be able to use otherwise, maintaining a balanced Strength stat while still handling powerful weapons like greatswords.

Additionally, two-handing your right-hand weapon grants direct access to its Ash of War, enhancing your combat versatility without the need to equip a No Skill Ash of War to bypass shield skills.

The Downsides of Using a Weapon in Two-Hands

Screenshot by The Escapist. While two-handing is advantageous for Strength builds in Elden Ring, it's not without its drawbacks. The change in attack patterns can require an adjustment period, and in certain scenarios, a different attack might be more effective, even if it means sacrificing some damage.

If you're focusing on a Dexterity or another type of build, two-handing might not be the optimal choice. It's essential to experiment and find what works best for your playstyle.

Best Weapons to Two-Hand in Elden Ring

Screenshot by The Escapist. For two-handing in Elden Ring, large weapons that scale with Strength are ideal. With the Shadow of the Erdtree update, consider equipping the Two-Handed Sword Talisman to further enhance your damage output when wielding swords with two hands.

Recommended weapons for two-handing include Greatswords, Colossal Swords, Great Hammers, and other Colossal Weapons. Specifically, the Greatsword, Zweihander, Fire Knight's Greatsword, and the Giant-Crusher are excellent choices, depending on your preference for swords or other weapon types.

And that's how to effectively two-hand weapons in Elden Ring.

Elden Ring is available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

Update: This article was updated on 1/27/25 by Liam Nolan to provide more insight into how to two-hand weapons in Elden Ring.