Best Sorceries In Elden Ring (2024)

By Sam Pape on April 19, 2022 at 12:56PM PDT

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Magic has always been a viable strategy in From Software games, and Elden Ring is no exception. Whether you want to take down enemies with spells from a distance, or reap the benefits of sorcerous weapons like the Moonveil or Dark Moon Greatsword, the incentive is there more than ever to dump points into Intelligence. It's important for any mage to wield a well-rounded arsenal of spells to take on any situation. These are the must-have and best Sorceries to get you through Elden Ring from start to finish.

Glintstone Pebble

Astrologers will start the game with Glintstone Pebble right out the gate, which is wild, because it's easily one of the best spells in the game. At only 7 FP, you can easily mow down most enemies from a safe distance. The magic projectiles can even be chained together, provided you have the stamina to do so. With incredible range and one of the quickest windups in the game, you'll be using Glintstone Pebble from Limgrave to Miquella's Haligtree.

For non-Astrologers, you can still pick up the spell early. Head to the Waypoint Ruins in Limgrave to buy it from Sorceress Sellen for only 1,000 Runes.

Glintstone Icecrag

The frosty counterpart to Glintstone Pebble, Glintstone Icecrag is a spell you'll want in your inventory as soon as possible. It's a bit more expensive and slower to cast, but it applies Frostbite buildup on its targets--just a few hits should be enough to fill the meter on most enemies. This is especially useful in boss fights, since Frostbite lowers enemies' damage absorption. Glintstone Icecrag can get the enemy vulnerable from a distance so you can run up for the finishing blows once the shields are down.

You can get the spell from Preceptor Seluvis at Seluvis' Rise in Liurnia of the Lakes.

Adula's Moonblade

Another powerful Cold Sorcery, Adula's Moonblade is the best "magic sword" in Elden Ring. After only a brief windup, the spells slashes a large sword before the caster and fires off an icy projectile a considerable distance ahead. Both the slash and the projectile deal damage and accumulate Frostbite buildup. For maximum effect, get close enough to your target before casting so they get hit by both. You can even chain the spell together to shorten the length of time between casts!

To get your hands on Adula's Moonblade, you'll need to take down the Glintstone Dragon Adula outside the Cathedral of Manus Celes in Liurnia of the Lakes.

Carian Phalanx

Carian Phalanx is one of the best defensive Sorceries in Elden Ring. The spell summons an arc of nine magic swords overhead that shoot at the enemy when they get too close. It not only deals hefty damage, but is also capable of breaking the enemy's stance, opening the door to a follow-up attack. Carian Phalanx is also an effective tool in PvP. It's hard to dodge, and forces your opponent to approach with caution and be prepared for whatever attack you might follow up with.

Like Glintstone Icecrag, Carian Phalanx can be purchased from Preceptor Seluvis.

Loretta's Greatbow

If you're looking for the best long-range sorcery in Elden Ring, look no further than Loretta's Greatbow. Charge up the spell and release a magic Great Arrow capable of connecting with targets huge distances away. You can also rapid-fire without charging up to keep an enemy off balance as they try to close the gap. This spell remains useful well into the late game, and negates the need to ever invest precious smithing stones into leveling up a physical bow.

To get Loretta's Greatbow, you'll need to beat the boss of Caria Manor, Royal Knight Loretta.

Terra Magica

Terra Magica is one of the most powerful magic buffs available in the game. The spell creates a sphere around the caster that increases magic damage by a whopping 35% as long as the user remains within it. It is especially effective against the larger bosses in Elden Ring; just cast Terra Magica and stay put, firing off powered-up ranged spells from a safe distance for huge damage.

The spell is found at the top of an elevator behind the boss room in the Academy Crystal Cave.

Explosive Ghostflame

Even the most cautious of mages can sometimes find themselves overwhelmed and surrounded by a swarm of enemies. For moments like this, Explosive Ghostflame is a devastating fail-safe. The spell sets the whole surrounding area ablaze, dealing massive amounts of both physical and magic damage. It's a bit slow to cast, but if you can get it off, you'll likely come out of the fog surrounded by corpses.

Gaining access to Explosive Ghostflame is no easy feat, however. It's dropped by a Death Rite Bird near the Apostate Derelict in the Consecrated Snowfield. It is one of the toughest encounters in the game.

Ranni's Dark Moon

Ranni's Dark Moon is a haymaker spell that every Intelligence build will want access to. Casting it sends a full moon floating toward the enemy. When it connects, it deal magic damage, inflicts Frostbite, and decreases the target's magic negation. If you manage to get the Frostbite meter filled, any follow-up magic attacks will deal 30% more damage. Firing off Ranni's Dark Moon is a great way to kick off most boss fights.

The spell is located in a chest at the top of Chelona's Rise on the Moonlight Alter Plateau. This area is only available near the end of Ranni's questline, after beating Astel, Naturalborn of the Void.

Rock Sling

One of the earliest spells you can acquire in Elden Ring, Rock Sling will put it work until the credits roll. The spell sends three gravity boulder projectiles hurling at the enemy, dealing huge physical damage capable of breaking an enemy's stance and opening them up for a critical hit. Locking onto an enemy's head and casting Rock Sling from a distance will make short work of dragons, giants, and other massive threats. It's cheap, quick to cast, and even buffed by the Meteorite Staff, which is found mere steps away from the spell itself.

You can find the spell in a chest beneath the Streets of Sages Ruins in Caelid. The Meteorite Staff will be on a corpse hanging in a window on ground level. To gain access early (and you'll want to), you can teleport to the Sellia Crystal Tunnel from the Dragon-Burnt Ruins in Limgrave. Keep going straight out of the entrance to find Streets of Sages Ruins.

Comet Azur

Behold, the most broken Sorcery in all of Elden Ring: Comet Azur. After a relatively brief startup animation, simply holding down the "cast" button will release a wide magic beam that only stops when you either release or run out of FP. The spell is powerful enough on its own, capable of dealing huge amounts of damage--albeit at the cost of huge amounts of FP--in seconds. However, it is also part of some of the sickest known combos in the game, the most notorious of which being its interaction with Cerulean Hidden Tear. When mixed in your Flask of Wondrous Physick, this Crystal Tear eliminates all FP consumption for a brief time. Follow this up with a Comet Azur cast, and you can easily bring even some late-game bosses from full health to dead in seconds. It also pairs wonderfully with Terra Magica.

Interact with Primeval Sorcerer Azur near Hermit Village in Mt. Gelmir to receive the spell.

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