Bleeding Thorns Mage in Elden Ring
The Bleeding Thorns Mage is a unique and powerful hybrid build in Elden Ring that combines the magical prowess of a sorcerer with the deadly bleed effect from thorn-based weaponry. This build is perfect for players who enjoy casting potent spells while applying pressure with bleed damage, creating an effective blend of ranged and melee combat.
Why Choose a Bleeding Thorns Mage?
Bleeding damage causes enemies to rapidly lose a large chunk of their health once the bleed meter fills up, making it highly effective against tough bosses and PvP opponents alike. Combining this with sorcery allows the mage to control the battlefield, weaken foes from a distance, and close in for devastating melee strikes with thorn weapons that cause bleed buildup.
Core Build Components
1. Stats Focus
Intelligence: Primary stat for increasing sorcery damage.
Arcane: Boosts bleed buildup and enhances the power of bleed-inflicting weapons.
Mind: To increase FP pool for more spell casts.
Vigor: For survivability.
Dexterity (optional): Some thorn weapons scale with Dexterity, so a modest investment can be helpful.
2. Weapons
Thorn Weapons: Weapons like the Flail, Morning Star, or Thorned Whip that naturally inflict bleed damage.
Magic Staff: A high-scaling staff like the Carian Regal Scepter or Academy Glintstone Staff to cast sorceries effectively.
3. Sorceries
Glintstone Pebble / Glintstone Comet: Reliable offensive spells for general use.
Loretta’s Greatbow: A powerful long-range sorcery to weaken foes before closing in.
Magic Shield: For extra defense.
Comet Azur: For burst damage during boss fights.