Most of the weapons in FromSoftware games depend on what build you are using. But the Sword of Night and Flame is so good that you can easily want to build specifically around it. Although the post-patch nerfs affected the sword’s outpu, it is still a worthy weapon for any sorcerer. Thanks to its Night and Flame Stance, you can use the powerful spell Comet Azur that deals devastating single-target damage or do a sweeping Flame attack that can melt the health bars of even the strongest bosses in close range.
To summarize things for you before going into details, this is how the setup for the best Sword of Night and Flame build in Elden Ring will look like:
- Flask Usage: Mostly FP
- Class: Confessor (due to 12 str and 12 dex). Astrologer or Prophet after that.
- Shield: Any Shield with 100% Physical Defense and No Skill
- Armor: Royal Remains Armor Set
- Talismans: Carian Filigreed Crest and Radagon’s Soreseal
- Skills: Ashes of War: No Skill (For shield if required), Night and Flame Stance
- Summon and Spells: Mimic Tear, Comet Azur, Ancient Death Rancor, Magma Shot, Rykard’s Rancor
Sword of Night and Flame Location
If you still don’t have the weapon, you should go to Caria Manor to acquire it. We have a handy guide on getting Sword of Night and Flame in Elden Ring, which you can check for more details.
Stats Requirements and Priority
For the Sword of Night and Flame build, the stats requirements and base scaling are as follows:
| Stat Requirements | 12 Strength, 12 Dexterity, 24 Faith and 24 Intelligence |
| Base Scaling | Strength (E), Dexterity (E), Intelligence (D), Faith (D) |
Without the above stats, you won’t be able to wield the sword, meaning there won’t be any build to work on. We recommend that you level your Vigor stat and take it to 20+. By doing so, you can survive in the early stages of the game until you can use the sword.
Once you get your hands on the sword, make sure to upgrade your Mind to at least 15 to have enough FP for the weapon skill, Night and Flame Stance. This skill is the main thing that keeps the Sword of Night and Flame build relevant even after Nerf.
Depending on the class you started with, level up your Faith or Intelligence first so your spells are good enough to last you until you get the sword. In the case of the Astrologer, give priority to Faith, and in the case of the Prophet, go for Intelligence.
One of these stats will be your primary damage dealer, while the other will be beneficial in carrying out the spells and incants you have in your build. So, at level 100, your stats should look similar to the ones below (INT and FTH are interchangeable according to your priority)
- Vigor: 27
- Mind: 15
- Endurance: 15
- Strength: 12
- Dexterity: 12
- Intelligence: 60
- Faith: 24
- Arcane: 9
Recommended Armor
The best armor you should get for Sword of Night and Flame build is the Royal Remains Armor Set. You get this after you defeat Ensha in the Roundtable Hold invasion. This armor keeps on increasing health when you hit critical levels, and this effect stacks for each piece of the armor. In terms of resistances, it has pretty decent Robustness and Poise, providing your character a strong defense against Hemorrhage and Stagger.
Another good armor choice is the Spellblade Set, which increases the magic beam skill of the Sword of Night and Flame in Elden Ring. Sorcerer Rogier drops it at the Roundtable Hold.
Best Talismans
The Carian filigreed Crest is a great Talisman for Sword of Night and Flame build. The Talisman lowers FP consumption from weapon skills, which is very useful for Night and Flame Stance.
Another recommended Talisman is Radagon’s Soreseal, which increases attributes but also increases damage taken. You shouldn’t worry much about the damage taken effect of this Talisman as it’s a Glass Canon build, and we are focusing on nuking enemies as quickly as possible. If you don’t like Radagon’s Sorseal, you can replace it with Shard of Alexander, as it increases the spell damage.
Best Spirit Ash Summon
Mimic Tear will always be a great option; however, if you are looking for something that can tank for you while you deal damage with Sword’s spells from a distance, Spirit Ash summons like Luthel the Headless is recommended. It will be situational, though, as you might have to shift your summons based on the type of enemy you are facing.
How to Play Sword of Night and Flame Build
As you must already know, Sword of Night and Flame Build revolve around Night and Flame Stance.
You can do two attacks with the Night and Flame Stance. If you hold the sword level, you can follow it up with the Comet Azur Sorcery (R1) or a Sweep Flame attack (R2). The former has a longer range where a powerful beam is directed toward the enemy. The flame covers a wide area and has less range than the magic beam. Both attacks are excellent for destroying enemies, but the Comet Azur is where this sword shines. Simply keep in mind the distance between you and your opponent in combat, as it will allow you to decide if the magic attack will work or if the flames will do the deed better. This is a two-in-one build; you’re in for a win if you know how to function your weapons with spells!
Dual-wielding is also a viable method when you’re going for a tough boss fight. In fact, keeping the Sword of Night and Flame in one hand and Prince of Death’s staff in the other can drastically improve your build’s battle performance. This staff increases the power of Death Sorceries by 10% and also compliments this build as it scales with both INT and FTH.
As far as spells are concerned, we are going to focus on two schools of Sorcery, both of which have dual Faith and Intelligence requirements. As our sword has lower Dexterity and Strength, it is wise to use spells that don’t depend on these two stats. The first spell is Ancient Death Rancor, which deals high stagger damage in later game stages. The Prince of Death’s staff also boosts it, making its blows even stronger.
The second spell is Magma Shot, which fires a lump of magma and explodes on the target to deal massive damage (especially when charged). Rykard’s Rancor is also a good Magma spell, which works well against fire-vulnerable foes.
Finally, don’t forget to equip the Carian Filigreed Crest and Radagon’s Soreseal in your fights. The FP cost for Night and Flame Stance is quite high after the nerf, so using the Filigreed Crest is essential if you want to use the skill repeatedly.
The Sword of Night and Flame build is great for PvE scenarios. It will easily carry you through a whole run and into the New Game+. In PvP, it is still good for invasions, duels, and three vs threes. However, when it comes to 1v1, the sword mostly lets you down. The problem is that your opponent sees through your attack as soon as you go into the Stance, making it difficult for you to catch them.
