Elden Ring DLC Lance Build Guide: Mastering Invasions with a Classic Strength Weapon
This guide breaks down the build, gameplay strategies, and real invasion examples that demonstrate why the lance remains a deadly choice for both newcomers and veteran PvP players.
Why the Lance Remains a PvP Favorite
The lance is one of Elden Ring's most underrated weapons. Available early in the game and easy to build around, it offers an exceptional balance of range, speed, and power. Its moveset provides multiple tools for pressure, mix-ups, and punishment.
One of its strongest features is the jumping light attack. This move is fast, covers significant distance, and excels at roll-catching fleeing opponents. When enemies panic roll, a well-timed jump light can secure easy damage and maintain momentum.
Equally important is the crouch attack. This quick thrust comes out faster than most players expect and can be used reactively rather than predictively. Unlike many weapons that require guessing when an opponent will roll, the lance allows skilled players to punish rolls on reaction, making it incredibly oppressive in skilled hands.
The heavy attack adds another layer of deception. With strong hyper armor and an animation similar to the light attack, it throws off timing and forces opponents into bad trades. Many enemies misjudge when to dodge, leading to consistent damage in close-range duels.
Customization Through Ashes of War
One major advantage of the lance is its compatibility with Ashes of War. Unlike certain unique weapons, it can be infused and customized to fit different playstyles.
Some of the most effective options include:
Flaming Strike-Adds burst damage and a temporary buff, perfect for punishing aggressive enemies and turning trades in your favor.
Storm Stomp and Stormcaller-Area-of-effect tools that compensate for the lance's lack of horizontal swings. These are especially useful in group fights or tight spaces.
Raptor of the Mists-A defensive option that avoids damage and sets up counterattacks, ideal for baiting reckless players.
By switching between these Ashes, players can constantly adapt their approach, keeping opponents guessing and preventing predictable play.
Stat Allocation: Simple but Effective
This build focuses on raw strength and survivability. It doesn't rely on complicated stat spreads, making it accessible for most players.
Core Priorities
Strength:
The primary damage stat. After meeting weapon requirements, most remaining points should go here to maximize damage.
Endurance:
Only invest enough to avoid heavy rolling with your chosen armor. Mobility remains essential for invasions.
Vigor:
High health is critical for hyper armor builds. Trading hits is part of the playstyle, and a large HP pool ensures you win those exchanges.
Neglecting vigor is one of the most common mistakes with heavy weapons. Without enough health, trading becomes too risky and undermines the entire build.
Optimal Talisman Setup
Talisman selection depends on your chosen Ash of War, but several options consistently perform well.
Shard of Alexander
Mandatory if using damaging Ashes like Flaming Strike, as it significantly boosts skill damage.
Spear Talisman
Increases counterattack damage, making trades far more rewarding.
Two-Handed Sword Talisman
Provides a flat 10% damage boost when two-handing, which synergizes perfectly with this build.
Retaliatory Cross-Tree
Enhances crouch attacks, one of the lance's most important tools.
Bull-Goat's Talisman
Boosts poise, making hyper armor trades more reliable against aggressive opponents.
These talismans together maximize damage, poise, and consistency.
Armor and Fashion Choices
While function matters, this build also maintains strong visual identity.
Poise remains the most important armor stat. Enough poise allows you to tank lighter weapons and maintain offensive pressure, which is crucial for invasion success.Invasion Strategy: Controlling the Battlefield
The lance excels in chaotic invasion scenarios. Its range, speed, and armor allow it to thrive against multiple opponents.
Focus One Target First
One of the most important principles is targeting phantoms before hosts. Phantoms have similar healing resources to invaders, and eliminating them ends the session faster. Reducing enemy numbers simplifies fights and limits flanking pressure.
Abuse Roll-Catching
With jump lights and crouch attacks, the lance punishes panic rolling better than most weapons. Constant pressure forces mistakes, which can be exploited for free damage.
Use Terrain Wisely
Many invasion encounters take place in narrow tunnels, staircases, and cliffs. The lance's thrusting nature thrives in these environments, allowing players to control space and force opponents into bad positions.
However, elevation changes and ledges require caution. Heavy attacks can push enemies-or yourself-off cliffs, so spacing remains critical.
The solution is constant pressure.
Jump attacks close distance quickly, while Flaming Strike discourages reckless spell spam. Using terrain for cover and forcing casters into close quarters removes their main advantage.
Area-of-effect Ashes are especially valuable here, as they punish clustering and interrupt casting animations.
Managing Latency and High-Ping Matches
Not all invasions are smooth. High latency can make reaction-based gameplay difficult, especially for roll-catching.
In these situations, predictive play becomes necessary. Instead of reacting, players must anticipate rolls, heals, and attacks. AoE abilities gain extra value, as even partial trades favor the lance's high damage.
Patience is key. Overcommitting against laggy opponents often leads to unnecessary losses.
Highlights from the Invasions
The gameplay showcases numerous strengths of the build:
Consistent roll catches with crouch attacks
Effective crowd control using Stormcaller
High-damage trades against colossal weapons
Successful stamina pressure on shield users
Punishment of heal attempts and panic rolls
Despite frequent outnumbered situations, the build remains competitive through smart positioning and controlled aggression.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Excellent range and pressure
Strong hyper armor trading
Flexible Ash of War options
Reliable roll-catching tools
High damage scaling with strength
Weaknesses
Limited horizontal coverage without AoE
Vulnerable to heavy spell spam
Requires good stamina management
Less effective in open areas without terrain
Understanding these limitations helps players adjust their playstyle and avoid unfavorable engagements.
Why Movesets Still Matter
One of the central themes of this build is the importance of strong base movesets. While Ashes of War offer flashy damage and utility, they cannot replace solid fundamentals.
The lance's natural attacks-jump lights, crouch thrusts, and heavies-form the backbone of the build. Ashes simply enhance what already works.
This philosophy emphasizes skill-based PvP over gimmicks, rewarding players who master spacing, timing, and positioning.
Future Builds and Seamless Mode Potential
This opens new opportunities for large-scale battles and experimental setups using items unavailable in standard invasions.
Lance builds could thrive in these modes, offering frontline pressure and crowd control in multi-player scenarios.
Final Thoughts
The lance strength build proves that traditional weapons still hold immense power in Elden Ring's evolving PvP landscape. With its versatile moveset, customizable Ashes of War, and strong trading potential, it remains one of the best choices for aggressive invaders.
This setup rewards intelligent play, situational awareness, and mechanical skill. It isn't about spamming abilities or relying on overpowered mechanics-it's about mastering a well-rounded weapon and adapting to every encounter.
For players seeking a reliable, stylish, and highly effective invasion build, the lance remains a top-tier option. Whether facing spellcasters, gank squads, Elden Ring Runes or seasoned duelists, this classic weapon continues to deliver consistent results.
As always, experimentation, patience, and practice are the keys to success. With the right setup and mindset, the lance can carry you through even the most chaotic invasions in Elden Ring's DLC.
