Elden Ring PvP Guide: Mastering Builds, Buffs, and Strategy

Elden Ring has taken the gaming world by storm with its expansive open world, complex combat mechanics, and an immersive multiplayer experience. While the PvE aspect of the game offers an enormous variety of bosses, dungeons, and world-building, Elden Ring’s PvP (Player vs. Player) community continues to thrive due to the intricate builds and fast-paced action that it offers. Among these builds, one stands out as possibly one of the best and most versatile for PvP: the Naga Kiba katana build, which combines the benefits of powerful buffs, precise timing, and massive damage potential. In this article, we’ll dive deep into this build, breaking down how it works, the items and talismans you need, and strategies for Elden Ring Runes mastering PvP combat in Elden Ring.

 The Naga Kiba Build: A Brief Overview

The core of this build is centered around the Naga Kiba, a katana known for its superior range and versatility in combat. The Naga Kiba is the longer version of the Uchigatana, boasting extra reach and solid damage scaling. This build uses the katana in combination with buffs like Golden Vow, Exalted Flesh, and Ash of War: Unsheathe, resulting in devastating attack power capable of deleting opponents with ease.

One of the key advantages of this build is how well it synergizes with the Ranni's Darkmoon or Moonveil Katana if you want a magical variant of the setup. When paired with certain talismans and buffs, this build can achieve damage output so high that even veteran players will be shocked by how quickly it can melt through enemy health bars. Let’s break down how you can achieve this kind of power in PvP.

 Patch 1.14: The Buff to Ranni's Cameo

In Elden Ring's patch 1.14, one of the most notable changes was the buff to Ranni’s Cameo, a talisman that used to increase damage by 15%, which was already useful in certain builds. However, after the update, it now boosts your damage output by a staggering 45%. When combined with your buffs and a weapon like the Naga Kiba, this talisman becomes a must-have in PvP battles.

For instance, with Golden Vow (which increases both attack and defense), Exalted Flesh (which temporarily boosts physical damage), and Ranni’s Cameo active, players can see attack ratings (AR) spike to as high as 1182 AR with just a single Unsheathe attack. That’s an incredible amount of burst damage, especially considering that the Naga Kiba's length makes it easier to catch opponents off guard.

 Talismans and Buffs: Maximizing Your Potential

For this build, selecting the right talismans is crucial to getting the maximum damage output while also maintaining survivability. Here’s a breakdown of the ideal talismans to use:

1. Shard of Alexander: This talisman is essential for anyone using weapon skills like Unsheathe, as it boosts the damage of weapon skills by a significant margin. Given that this build relies heavily on the Unsheathe skill, this talisman will help ensure your attacks hit harder.
   
2. Ranni's Cameo: As mentioned earlier, this talisman received a massive buff in patch 1.14, increasing your damage by 45% under certain conditions. This is an essential part of the build’s insane burst potential.

3. Bull-Goat's Talisman: This talisman is swapped in when you need additional poise. Elden Ring PvP can get hectic, with multiple players swinging at you from all directions, so maintaining your poise and avoiding stagger is key to survival, especially when wielding a two-handed weapon like the Naga Kiba.

4. Radagon's Scarseal or Shard: While this talisman comes with the downside of increasing the damage you take, it boosts all of your primary stats, which is useful for scaling weapons like katanas that benefit from dexterity and strength. The extra damage taken can be mitigated by careful positioning and awareness in PvP scenarios.

 Buffs and Flask Setup

Your flask setup should include a Lightning-Shrouded Cracked Tear for an extra damage boost, particularly against opponents who are using high resistance builds or shields. This tear can be combined with another that offers damage negation for survivability.

In PvP, timing your buffs is critical. Starting a duel or invasion with Golden Vow and Exalted Flesh gives you a significant advantage in terms of damage output and defense. Remember that Golden Vow increases both your attack and defense, making it a staple for this build. Additionally, maintaining Starlight Shards in your inventory helps you recover FP without needing to use too many blue flasks, allowing you to use Unsheathe more frequently.

 Combat Strategy and Approach

With this build, one of the core strategies is to use Ash of War: Unsheathe to outplay your opponent. Unsheathe is a quick-drawing slash that deals significant damage and can catch players off guard due to its speed. You want to play reactively, dodging an opponent’s attack and then punishing them with Unsheathe.

Against shield-users, your katana's quick slashes and wide range give you the upper hand in breaking guard counters. By two-handing the Naga Kiba, you’ll ensure that you’re dealing maximum damage while also giving yourself the option to parry with precise timing. The katana’s L2 move (Unsheathe) also comes out fast enough to hit players who are trying to roll away, giving you a great tool for punishing defensive play.

For large-scale invasions, especially in co-op areas, be mindful of enemy positioning and use the environment to your advantage. Many fights in Elden Ring’s PvP turn into chaotic battles, but with a strong sense of spacing and the Naga Kiba’s range, you can safely engage multiple foes. If you find yourself being ganked by several enemies, use Ash of War: Bloodhound Step for mobility, or Bloodhound's Fang for a wider, crowd-control-oriented weapon option.

 Drip and Style: The Ninja Samurai Look

When it comes to aesthetics, this build leans heavily into the ninja-samurai style. The all-black armor set gives off a sleek, deadly vibe while still providing decent poise, so you can tank through some hits without staggering. Some players prefer the Black Knife Set for its agility and sleek look, but if you find the poise lacking, feel free to swap into a heavier armor set like Bull-Goat's.

In PvP, your armor's appearance may not impact your performance directly, but the "drip" is important to many players as part of their identity in the game. Whether you prefer a traditional samurai aesthetic or something more modern and edgy, balancing style with functionality is key. Keep in mind that poise matters a lot in PvP—choosing an armor set that looks cool but offers no protection may get you staggered out of your combos frequently.

 Final Thoughts: The Power of the Naga Kiba Build

The Naga Kiba build in Elden Ring is an extremely powerful and versatile setup for PvP combat. Its range, damage output, and ability to utilize buffs make it a dominant force in both duels and invasions. With the right talismans, buffs, and strategy, you can easily overwhelm opponents while maintaining control of the battlefield.

Mastering this build requires a good understanding of Elden Ring’s mechanics, such as spacing, timing, and buff management. However, once you get the hang of it, you’ll find yourself dishing out massive damage and securing victories with Elden Ring Items buy  style. Happy hunting, Tarnished!