Best New Builds For PVP After Elden Ring Patch 1.14

In, the recently released Balance Patch 1.14 has shaken up the current PVP meta. As with any patch, it's always good to review the most notable changes in order to assess the current PVP meta. With the Backhand Blades dominating since Shadow Of The Erdtree's release in June, their damage has been nerfed to bring them in line with other weapon options.

Dual-wielding spears have been a huge threat since the release of, having undergone many changes in the past. FromSoftware has just nerfed the damage of dual-wielding spears again, likely to combat against the new Bloodfiend's Sacred Spear. However, the biggest changes Patch 1.14 has provided involve a massive buff to the effectiveness of Medium/Small shields, as well as a buff to an unsuspecting Talisman.

The New Game + Cycles of Elden Ring can be brutal and demanding and as such, the build the player uses will shape their entire experience.

While Patch 1.14 has been given most of its attention due to the nerfs to Shadow Of The Erdtree's final boss, it has also included attack speed changes to several weapons types by increasing the speed of various heavy attacks. The most notable examples for PVP include Straight Swords, Great Swords, Colossal Swords, Katanas, Great Katanas, Axes, Hand-to-Hand Arts, and Beast Claws.

Colossal Swords have also obtained an increase to their light attack speed. Considering that they have fallen behind over time, these buffs might be just what Colossal Swords need to climb back to the top of the meta. However, shield poking just got a whole lot easier.

This patch also buffed both the damage negation and guard boost of many small and medium shields in order to give them more practical use. This has allowed Medium Shields' effectiveness to skyrocket, providing an incredibly high guard boost while also using substantially less weight than a Greatshield. While Greatshields will still be better for general blocking purposes, as more attacks will bounce off of them than Medium Shields, Parry