Elden Ring has 14 new sorceries introduced in Shadow of the Erdtree, ranging from vanishing spells to finger-type sorceries, many of which can deal serious damage. This guide ranks all the new sorceries from S to D tier, offering a clear view of their effectiveness in PvE.
In Elden Ring, sorcery is a form of magic primarily scaling with the Intelligence stat, requiring staff to cast spells that consume Focus Points (FP). Players can acquire sorceries from merchants, hidden locations, and complete quests, with spells ranging from offensive projectiles to defensive and utility effects. Different schools of sorcery, such as Glintstone and Carian, offer thematic variations, and players can enhance their spellcasting by managing FP, selecting appropriate staff, and balancing their spell slots for diverse combat situations. The Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree has added 14 new sorcery spells, though these are fewer compared to the new incantations introduced. Despite the limited number of new intelligence-based options, some of these new sorceries are particularly powerful. Here we are going to rank all 14 new sorceries from S tier to D tier to help you pick the most OP one for your build!
1. Impenetrable Thorns (S Tier)
Impenetrable Thorns is a top-tier sorcery, costing only 15 FP. It releases three thorn-based projectiles that track enemies and explode on impact, dealing massive damage and inflicting up to 400 blood loss buildup. The spell's range is impressive, and using it at point-blank range guarantees maximum damage. It's boosted by gear like the Staff of the Guilty and the Alur Set, making it incredibly efficient and deadly.
2. Blades of Stone (S Tier)
This gravity-based spell does pure physical damage, making it effective against enemies resistant to magic. For 18 FP, it spawns gravity rocks beneath enemies, with a fully charged state hitting three times for substantial damage and approximately 25 stance damage. Its tracking capabilities and cost-effectiveness make it a formidable choice, despite a high intelligence requirement and taking up two slots.
3. Fleeting Microcosm (S Tier)
Fleeting Microcosm summons a black orb that travels towards the player and then explodes in a large AOE. It deals significant damage and can be fully charged for even more impact. Costing 26 FP, it excels in crowd control, hitting multiple enemies effortlessly. The spell's straightforward usage and high damage make it one of the best options for handling groups of enemies in the DLC.
4. Gravitational Missile (S Tier)
Gravitational Missile shoots a gravity bolt that pulls enemies in before exploding. For 18 FP, it offers three waves of damage while stunning enemies, making it highly effective for controlling enemy positioning. When aimed at the ground, it acts like an automatic grenade launcher, adding versatility to its already impressive utility. This unique interaction significantly boosts its value, making it a strategic choice for both damage and crowd control.
5. Glintblade Trio (A Tier)
Glintblade Trio is an upgraded version of Magic Glintblade, shooting three delayed projectiles that effectively hit dodging enemies. While it consumes slightly more FP, it offers increased damage and stance damage, making it a reliable and spammable option. Its ability to bypass enemy defenses with its delayed hit mechanism makes it a consistent performer in various combat scenarios.
6. Glintstone Nails (A Tier)
Glintstone Nails fires multiple magic nails with aggressive tracking, dealing more damage and stance damage (24 stance damage if fully charged) than similar spells. Its efficiency and tracking make it a solid choice for consistent damage output. While not the highest DPS option, it ensures reliable hits on agile targets, making it a practical choice for sustained engagement.
7. Rings of Spectral Light (A Tier)
Rings of Spectral Light is a ghost flame spell with a faith requirement, costing 14 FP and dealing solid damage with frost buildup. Its delayed projectile is effective against dodging foes, and despite its faith requirement, its efficiency and range make it valuable. The spell's ability to hit targets at a distance while also applying frost makes it a versatile and powerful tool.
8. Vortex of Putrescence (B Tier)
Requiring 26 Faith and costing 29 FP, Vortex of Putrescence creates a ghost flame AOE attack that deals magic damage and procs frost quickly. It offers excellent crowd control but is held back by its high FP cost and slot requirement. While effective in certain scenarios, other spells may provide similar benefits with less resource expenditure.
9. Glintstone Nail (B Tier)
A basic yet highly FP-efficient projectile sorcery, GlintstoneNailconsumes only 10 FP and offers good damage and tracking. It's ideal for consistent, long-range damage, although it falls short in DPS compared to other options. Its efficiency makes it a reliable choice for conserving FP while dealing steady damage.
10. Mass of Putrescence (C Tier)
Similar to Canon of Himr, this spell launches a lobbing attack that explodes in an AOE. Despite its high FP cost and long casting time, it can proc frost. However, other spells achieve similar effects more efficiently, making it less desirable. Its niche use case and resource demands limit its overall effectiveness.
11. Cherishing Fingers (C Tier)
An AOE spell costing 20 FP, Cherishing Fingersguaranteesdamage even when the caster is staggered. However, its short range, low damage, and lack of hyper armor make it less effective compared to other spells that offer more damage or range for a similar FP cost.
12. Rellana's Twin Moons (D Tier)
This spell makes the caster airborne, shooting moon projectiles in a three-hit combo. Despite decent damage, it suffers from a lack of hyper armor, short range, high FP cost (47 FP), and taking up two slots, making it impractical in most scenarios. The combination of these drawbacks significantly hampers its usability.
13. Miriam's Vanishing (D Tier)
For 9 FP, Miriam's Vanishing provides a dodge with extended iframes. However, its long startup frames make it unreliable for reactive dodging. While it allows for quick spell casting during the dodge, its situational use limits its viability in PvE. Its specific utility is overshadowed by more versatile defensive options.
14. Mantle of Thorns (D Tier)
Mantle of Thorns covers the caster in thorns, dealing minimal damage (around 5 points) when rolling into enemies. Despite stacking with Brier armor for increased damage, its overall effectiveness is negligible, making it an impractical choice for serious combat scenarios. The low damage output and limited application reduce its combat value.
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