Optimising a build is not about squeezing out theoretical maximum damage — it is about making sure every rune level you spend actually improves your character. A well-optimised build feels effortless because nothing is wasted; a poorly optimised one carries dead points that could have been survivability or scaling. This guide collects practical optimisation tips you can apply directly in the build planner.
None of this requires advanced maths. Optimisation in Elden Ring is mostly about respecting a few principles: hit soft caps, meet requirements exactly, and never let a single stat's flat tail crowd out something more valuable. Get those right and your build is already ahead of most.
Meet requirements exactly, then decide
Every weapon and spell has a requirement — the minimum stat to use it without penalty. Meeting a requirement is a hard gate, so invest exactly enough to clear it, then make a separate decision about whether to keep investing for scaling. The common mistake is drifting a few points past a requirement without meaning to, spending levels on scaling you did not intend to buy.
When you check a build, look at each stat and ask: is this meeting a requirement, scaling my damage, or doing nothing? Any point in the third category is a point to reclaim. The planner's per-stat breakdown makes these easy to spot.
Respect the soft caps
The single biggest optimisation lever is stopping your damage stat at its efficient soft cap rather than pushing into diminishing returns. The points just before a soft cap are the most valuable in the build; the points just after it are the least. Reallocating flat-tail points into Vigor or a second useful stat almost always improves the character. The soft caps guide maps where the windows are.
This applies to every stat, not just your main scaler. Mind, Endurance and even Vigor have softening returns, so the goal is to hit each stat's efficient level and no higher unless you have already covered everything else.
Use two-handing to save Strength
For Strength builds, remember that two-handing multiplies your effective Strength by 1.5. If you plan to two-hand your main weapon, you can meet high requirements at a lower actual stat, freeing points for Vigor or Endurance. The Strength guide covers the maths.
Optimise the whole level budget
If you are building to a capped rune level for PvP or co-op, optimisation becomes a zero-sum game: every point you add somewhere must come from somewhere else. Start by listing your non-negotiables — a Vigor floor, your weapon requirements, a workable Mind — then spend what remains on your primary damage stat up to its soft cap. If you overshoot the level, trim the least valuable points first.
Starting-class efficiency matters here too. Testing your target spread across candidate classes and picking the one that reaches it at the lowest level can free up several points, as the starting class guide explains.
Compare variants before committing
The planner lets you save multiple builds, so optimisation becomes a matter of comparison. Build two or three versions of the same character — a leaner one, a tankier one, a higher-level one — and line up their stat spreads and rune levels. Seeing them side by side makes the trade-offs obvious and helps you commit to the version that best fits your goals.
Optimisation is ultimately a habit: meet requirements, respect soft caps, cover survivability, and reclaim wasted points. Apply it consistently and every build you make will punch above its rune level — not through tricks, but through spending each point where it does the most good.
A quick optimisation pass
Before you finalise any build, run a fast three-point audit. First, check every stat against its purpose: is it meeting a requirement, scaling your damage, or doing nothing? Reclaim the third category. Second, confirm your main damage stat sits at its soft cap, not past it. Third, verify Vigor is at a safe floor for your content. Those three checks catch the vast majority of wasted points.
This pass takes a minute in the planner and pays off every time. Most builds that feel underpowered are not missing some secret — they are carrying a handful of dead points and a damage stat pushed into its flat tail. Fixing those two things, without raising the rune level at all, is the most reliable upgrade available to any character.
Optimising for feel, not just numbers
Efficiency is not the only goal. A build should also feel good to play, and sometimes a slightly less optimal choice — a bit more Endurance for a comfortable roll, a touch more Mind for a smoother spell rotation — makes the character far more enjoyable. Optimisation gives you the room to make those quality-of-life choices without guilt, because you have already trimmed the genuine waste.
The best-optimised build is the one that spends every point on something you value, whether that is damage, survival or comfort. Use the planner to eliminate the truly wasted points, then spend the freed budget on whatever makes your character play the way you want. Efficiency serves enjoyment, not the other way around.
Plan this build for real
Load these numbers into the free planner and watch your rune level, rune cost and roll type update as you go.
Open the build planner