Dark Souls 3 Best Strength Builds: Pure, Pyro, Mage & More [2024]

This guide will cover Best Dark Souls 3 Strength builds. These builds emphasize the Strength stat. From melee builds to Strength Pyro hybrids, I got you covered. For more Dark Souls, check out Thief Builds and Sellsword Twinblades Guide.

Strength Build Requirements

While every build in this guide will have different requirements, the one constant is Strength. When going for Pure Strength or Strength-focused builds, you should have a Strength level of at least 40 (preferably 50). I also recommend a vitality level of at least 40 and an endurance level of at least 25. Intelligence, Faith, and attunement can vary depending upon the build.

Pure Strength Build

Best Strength Build for Melee Combat.

Pure Strength builds in Dark Souls 3 focus on melee combat and rely on physical attacks with Strength weapons. To create an effective Pure Strength build, consider the following:

1. Stats and Attributes:

   • Aim for a high Strength level of around 60 to maximize damage output.
   • Maintain a decent Endurance (around 30) as Strength weapons are often heavy and consume stamina.
   • Consider investing in Vitality for better equipment load and defense since you’ll be in close combat.

2. Armor:

   • While no specific armor is required, Heavy Armor sets complement Strength builds well. Choose from the best Heavy Armor sets available.

3. Weapons:

   • Opt for weapons that scale well with Strength and infuse them with a Heavy Gem for additional scaling.
   • The Fume Ultra Greatsword (FUGS) is an excellent choice, obtainable in the Catacombs of Carthus after defeating Knight Slayer Tsorig. It requires at least 50 Strength and deals significant damage.
   • Alternatively, consider the Dragonslayer Greataxe, which deals high damage, has impressive scaling, and inflicts lightning damage. You can obtain it by transposing the soul of the Dragonslayer Armor. It requires 50 Strength and scales with both Strength and Faith.
   • For beginners or those seeking a quicker weapon, the Heavy Broadsword is a solid option. It can be acquired early in the game and, when infused with a Heavy Gem, becomes an effective Pure Strength weapon.

4. Rings:

   • Havel’s Ring and Ring of Favor are beneficial for increasing your equipment load and overall performance.

5. PvP Option:

   • If you’re focusing on PvP, consider the Butcher’s Knife. It’s quick, powerful, lightweight, and offers an L2 buff for weapon damage and HP recovery. You can acquire it after defeating an NPC wielding it in the Road of Sacrifices.

Pure Strength builds are formidable in close combat and deliver high damage with the right weapons and stats. Adjust your playstyle and weapon choice to suit your preferences, whether you prefer heavy, hard-hitting weapons or quicker, more versatile options.

Strength Pyromancer Hybrid

Best Strength Build for Pyromancy Spells.

This build is one that emphasizes Strength and melee weapons with a little pyromancy to hep along the way. For this build, I recommend a Strength level of at least 40, Intelligence and Faith of 20 each. All other levels can go to Vitality, Endurance and attunement in whatever order you want them to.

To create a Strength Pyromancer build in Dark Souls 3, you’ll need a flame and a melee weapon, along with a suitable armor mix. Here’s a breakdown of this build:

Weapon:

• Use a buffable weapon like the Greatsword, which scales well with Strength. It can be obtained from the fallen bridge in Farron Keep.

Spells:

• Fireball is useful for dealing with normal encounters, creating distance, and eliminating minor enemies.
• Fire Orb offers higher damage and is effective against tougher foes or multiple enemies.
• Carthus Flame Arc, if you have high Intelligence and Faith, significantly buffs your weapon with Fire damage, enhancing your overall damage output.

Armor:

• Opt for a robe/armor mix that complements the build aesthetically. There’s no specific set required.

PvP Variation:

• For a PvP-focused Strength Pyromancer, consider adjusting your stats. Lower Strength to around 30 and allocate more points to Intelligence and Faith.

Primary Weapon (PvP):

• The broadsword or Heavy longsword is recommended. You can acquire the longsword by choosing the Knight class or finding it on soldiers in the High Wall of Lothric.

Spells (PvP):

• Chaos Bed Vestiges is a potent spell that deals significant damage and keeps opponents guessing your next move.
• Carthus Flame Arc is valuable for providing a Fire damage buff to your weapon during PvP encounters.

This Strength Pyromancer build combines the power of Strength weapons with fiery spells, making it effective for both PvE and PvP situations. Customize your playstyle based on your preferred weapons and spells, and adapt your character’s stats accordingly.

Strength Sorcerer Hybrid

Best Strength Build for Utility Spells.

While not a common sight in the game, Strength Sorcerer builds are certainly possible and can be very useful in the game. For this Dark Souls 3 Strength build, I  recommend a Strength level of 40 and an Intelligence level of at least 35. I also recommend a high attunement level. You will be wielding a sword in your right hand and a staff in your left hand.

Weapons:

• Consider using a weapon like the Holy Moonlight Greatsword, or a buffable sword such as the Greatsword or the Claymore. These weapons complement the build’s versatility.

Spells:

• Focus on spells that provide support and utility rather than heavy damage. Recommended spells include:
  • Magic Weapon or Greater Magic Weapon: These spells buff your melee weapon, providing significant bonus damage.
  • Hidden Weapon: Useful for creating the illusion of a pure Intelligence build during PvP encounters.
  • Soul Dart and/or Homing Soulmass: Soul Dart is effective for clearing minor enemies, while Homing Soulmass can create distractions and distance during PvP encounters.

Armor:

• Opt for a light-colored robe with a hood to complement the sorcerer theme. There’s no specific armor set required.

Any number of Strength Sorcerer builds can be created using this pattern. From downright sneaky builds to builds that emphasize Spells as the primary mode of attack. While decent at both PvE and PvP, builds such as this are better geared towards PvE. For PvE, Pure Strength or Pure Intelligence builds will fare better.

Trending: Best Elden Ring Builds

Strength Mage Build

Best Strength Build for PvE.

Again, while not common, Strength Magic builds are possible and can be very effective. I do, however, recommend sticking to PvE only for Strength Mage builds unless you just want to annoy an invader by using the healing repeatedly. For this build, I recommend a Strength level of at least 40 and a Faith level of at least 40 too.

1. Weapon: Opt for a Strength-scaling weapon with Heavy Infusion, like Zweihander or Broadsword, for efficient melee combat.

2. Miracles: Choose a 1-attunement healing miracle (Heal Aid for solo, Heal for co-op). The second spell should buff your weapon (e.g., Blessed Weapon, Lightning Blade, Dark Blade). The third spell can enhance damage and resistance, like Deep Protection. With 4 slots, consider combat miracles like Lightning Spear and Lightning Arrow for PvP encounters.

3. Flexibility: Experiment with different miracle combinations to find what suits you best.

4. Additional Miracles: Some 2-attunement slot miracles, such as Wrath of the Gods and Sacred Oath, can be highly effective.

5. Armor: While no specific armor is required, choose one that suits your style.

Some 2 attunement slot miracles, such as Wrath of the Gods and Sacred Oath, for example, can be extremely effective in a build like this. All in all, Strength Magic builds are a very fun way to play Dark Souls 3 and can be extremely powerful if done correctly. Like all the other builds in this guide, no armor in particular is required, but going with one that looks nice will be your best option.

Also See Dark Souls 3 Best Faith Weapons.