Morning Star: A Complete Guide to Elden Ring's Best Weapon

Introduction

The Morning Star is a legendary weapon in Elden Ring, renowned for its devastating damage and unique move set. With its formidable weight and serrated blades, this colossal flail excels in crushing the defenses of even the most resilient enemies. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the intricacies of the Morning Star, exploring its attributes, combat effectiveness, and optimal usage strategies.

Attributes and Statistics

The Morning Star boasts impressive base attributes, making it a formidable choice for melee combat:

• Physical Damage: 147 + 100
• Attack Speed: Medium
• Weight: 14.0
• Strength Requirement: 24
• Dexterity Requirement: 12

Combat Effectiveness

The Morning Star wields tremendous power in close combat. Its heavy swings deliver devastating blows, capable of shattering through enemy defenses with each strike. The weapon's serrated blades inflict additional bleeding damage, further enhancing its lethality:

Unique Moves:

• Spinning Strike: Hold the left bumper (L1) to execute a spinning strike that deals multiple hits in rapid succession.
• Ground Slam: Hold the left trigger (L2) to perform a powerful ground slam that generates an area-of-effect shockwave.

Usage Strategies

To maximize the effectiveness of the Morning Star, consider these combat strategies:

• Close-quarters Engagements: The Morning Star excels in close-quarters battles due to its short attack range. Engage enemies within striking distance to unleash its full potential.
• Crushing Heavy Armor: The weapon's high physical damage and slow attack speed make it an ideal choice for breaking through the defenses of heavily armored foes.
• Bleeding Buildup: Inflicting bleeding damage passively with each strike, the Morning Star synergizes well with other weapons or skills that enhance bleeding effects.

Customization and Upgrades

The Morning Star offers various customization options to enhance its performance:

Ash of War:

• Giant Hunt: Replace the weapon's default skill with Giant Hunt, an Ash of War that increases damage and inflicts hyperarmor during the charge-up phase.
• Heavy Slam: Swap to Heavy Slam for a powerful jumping strike that deals massive damage to a single target.

Enhancements:

• Smithing Stones: Upgrade the Morning Star using Smithing Stones to increase its base damage and scaling attributes.
• Enchantment: Infuse the weapon with various elemental enchantments, such as Fire, Lightning, or Blood, to further enhance its combat effectiveness.

Locations and Availability

The Morning Star can be obtained in several locations throughout Elden Ring:

• First Encounter: Obtained by defeating the Night's Cavalry boss at Limgrave's northwest watchtower.
• Looted from Enemies: Occasionally dropped by Runebears and other heavy-hitting enemies.
• Weapon Arts Manual: Purchased from the Isolated Merchant in Liurnia of the Lakes (requires 3,000 Runes).

Build Recommendations

The Morning Star complements various character builds, particularly those focused on Strength and endurance:

• Barbarian Berserker: Build around high Strength, using two-handing the Morning Star for maximum damage output.
• Paladin Tank: Combine Strength, Faith, and endurance to create a resilient character that can wield the Morning Star effectively while providing support spells.
• Bleed Specialist: Focus on Dexterity and Arcane to enhance the Morning Star's inherent bleeding effects, maximizing passive damage over time.

Legendary Weapon Variants

In addition to the standard Morning Star, there are two legendary variants available in Elden Ring:

• Troll's Golden Sword: A golden variant dropped by the Troll Knight bosses.
• Black Knight Sword: A black variant dropped by the Black Knight bosses.

Both legendary variants possess unique aesthetics and additional attribute bonuses.

Conclusion

The Morning Star stands as a formidable weapon in Elden Ring, catering to melee combat enthusiasts with its devastating damage, unique move set, and versatile customization options. By understanding its attributes, combat effectiveness, and optimal usage strategies, players can harness the full potential of this legendary flail to conquer the most challenging encounters in the Lands Between.