This Samurai Build Guide for Elden Ring is tailored for newcomers and veterans alike and is meant to help you get started with the game. The Samurai Class is a versatile and well-rounded choice, offering a harmonious blend of melee and ranged capabilities, making it an ideal starting class for those embarking on their journey through the Lands Between.

Ultimate Elden Ring Samurai Build Guide

The Samurai class stands out as a powerful choice for players due to its balanced approach to combat, combining melee skills with effective ranged attacks. This guide will will help you optimize your Samurai build from the get-go.

We have over 110 Elden Ring Builds now, for all classes and playstyles. This Samurai Build is recommended for beginners.

Beginner Builds	Level 50 Builds	Level 100 Builds	Level 150 Builds	Level 150-200 Builds	All Game Builds
Samurai	Moonveil Samurai	Moonveil Shinobi Blazing Bushido	Sanguine Samurai Blackflame Bushido Serpent Samurai	Waterfowl Warrior Soul Samurai Dragonscale Daimyo	Rime Ronin Supreme Samurai

Introduction to the Samurai Class

Class Overview: The Samurai excels in both close and long-range combat, and comes armed with an Uchigatana for slicing through foes and a Longbow for picking off targets from a distance.

Starting Equipment: In addition to the Lands of Reeds Set, you are equipped with a few arrows, allowing you to engage in ranged combat immediately.

Stat Alignment: While the class leans towards Dexterity, incorporating Strength will allow versatility in weapon choices.

New Player Tip: If this is your first foray into Elden Ring or the Souls series, select the Golden Seed during character creation to gain an extra healing or mana flask, providing a crucial advantage in early survival.

Beginner Samurai Build Attribute Recommendations

Strategically distributing points in attributes is crucial for maximizing the Samurai’s combat effectiveness.

Early Game Focus:

• Vigor: Increases health for survivability in close-range encounters.
• Mind for FP Management: Invest in Mind to sustain ability usage, balancing between healing and mana flasks.
• Dexterity: Enhances damage output with the Uchigatana and improves bow efficiency.
• Strength: While Dexterity is a priority, adding some points to Strength allows for a broader weapon selection.

Of these 4 stats you will likely focus the most on Vigor and mind near the beginning of the game, because until you upgrade your weapon a bit you will not get much from STR or DEX. However, if you do use the Nagakiba you will need to get to 22 DEX & 18 STR as quickly as possible.

Combat Strategy: When to Use Bow vs. Uchigatana

Mastering the Samurai involves knowing when to engage enemies from a distance with your Longbow and when to close in for melee attacks with your Uchigatana. Soften up bosses from a distance before engaging in melee combat, and use your Longbow to thin out groups of enemies from afar. Mighty Shot is a powerful weapon skill for taking down or weakening foes before they can close the gap. It’s high damage with minimal FP cost, so be sure to use it.

The Uchigatana is not just a sword; it’s an extension of the Samurai’s lethal grace, complemented by the Longbow’s precision. It’s ideal for close-range combat with its swift and deadly moves, and it causes additional damage through bleed buildup.

The Unsheathe ability is key for high damage, but also enemy stagger. Unsheathe features an L2/R2 attack perfect for initiating combat, and lets you play defensively before quickly switching to an offensive style of fighting where you try to stagger and then trigger Bleed.

Resource Management: Arrows and Crafting

Initially, Samurai players will find arrows a scarce resource. Effective management and acquisition of arrows are crucial for maintaining ranged combat effectiveness. You may want to craft arrows, which requires you to unlock the crafting menu. You will need a Crafting Kit, purchasable from Merchant Kalé for 300 Runes at the Church of Elleh, Limgrave [Map Link] and bones to create bone arrows. You can see a full list of arrow types and locations here.

• Crafting vs. Buying: Initially, craft arrows using bones from animals. Later, as runes become more abundant, purchasing arrows in bulk becomes more cost and time-effective.
• Farming Locations: Early on, a good location for farming materials for arrow crafting is near the Gatefront Ruins, particularly around a clump of trees where sheep roam to the south.

Combat Tips and Techniques

Understanding enemy patterns and adapting your combat strategy is essential for the Samurai, who must switch between aggression and defense based on the situation.

Aggressive vs. Defensive Play:

Your first goal will be to learn whether to pressure enemies with aggressive melee attacks or to pull back and use ranged tactics. When engaging in close range combat, make sure to use the Uchigatana’s Unsheathe ability to deal high damage and possibly trade hits favorably.

Mounted Combat:

You can use both the bow and Uchigatana effectively on horseback, maintaining mobility while dealing significant damage. It’s important to learn to master the timing and reach of the Uchigatana’s attacks while mounted for efficient field and boss battles, and this can take some time.

Equipment and Upgrades

Maintaining your gear, understanding when to upgrade, and knowing what to keep is vital for the evolving Samurai.

Weapon Priorities:

Elden Ring is a game about upgrades, not level ups. Make sure you upgrade the Uchigatana and Longbow regularly to enhance your damage output, while leveling up the stats that these weapons scales with as a secondary priority.

Keep an eye out for Smithing Stones found throughout the Lands Between to ensure your weapons keep pace with increasingly challenging foes. Some are found in Stormhill where the Trolls roam, or Limgrave Tunnels is another good place for an early abundance of Smithing Stones.

Optimizing your Armor:

While the starting Samurai armor is good enough, be open to switching out pieces for better protection or effects as you progress. Keep an eye out for Equipment with Special Effects, and make sure your equip weight never makes you “fat roll”.

Additional Tips for Samurai Builds

Improving your gameplay involves more than just swinging your Uchigatana or loosing arrows; it requires tactical thinking and resourcefulness.

• Bleed Arrows: Incorporate bleed arrows once available to complement the Uchigatana’s bleed effect, optimizing your damage output against tougher foes.
• Nagakiba: Consider switching to the Nagakiba if you want an even more effective weapon with the same playstyle due to its immense reach.
• Stat Balancing: Aim for a healthy balance between Vigor, Dexterity, and Mind, ensuring you can withstand hits, deal significant damage, and use abilities frequently.
• Combat Readiness: Learn to switch between aggressive and defensive tactics based on your adversaries and the terrain, adapting your strategy for each unique encounter.

Final Words on the Samurai Path

Playing a Samurai Build in Elden Ring offers a fulfilling blend of tactical ranged combat and intense melee action. Whether you’re silently taking down enemies with precise arrows or you prefer the aggressive approach of the blade, the Samurai playstyle has it all, which makes it perfect for beginners in Elden Ring, and why it’s the most popular Class in the game.

Are you prepared to walk the way of the Samurai? Share your plans, experiences, and any questions in the comments below, and let’s forge a community of warriors ready to face the challenges of Elden Ring together.