Ever since its launch, Elden Ring has been celebrated for its immense build variety. Want to be a spell-slinging mage? You're covered. Prefer the classic knight? There's a whole armory waiting. But some of the most satisfying and overpowered playstyles come from hybrid builds, where you mix and match stats to create a true powerhouse. Enter the Paladin—a build that masterfully blends the raw, crushing power of Strength with the holy might and versatile support of Faith. This build isn't just about surviving; it's about dominating the Lands Between, healing through damage, and smiting bosses with holy (or sometimes blasphemous) fury. Whether you're clearing out camps of regular enemies or facing down the game's most terrifying demigods, a well-built Paladin can do it all with style and overwhelming force. Let's dive into the ultimate arsenal for any aspiring holy warrior in 2026.

🗡️ The Heavy Hitters: Greatswords & Colossal Weapons

These are your bread and butter for dealing massive, staggering damage up close.

1. Ordovis's Greatsword - The Holy Vortex

   • Requirements: 25 Str, 13 Dex, 15 Fai

   • Skill: Ordovis's Vortex

   • How to Get: Defeat Crucible Knight Ordovis in Auriza Hero's Grave.

   This weapon is an absolute monster 🤯. Its power lies in its incredible Ash of War, Ordovis's Vortex, which charges up before slamming down in a devastating explosion of holy light—perfect for clearing entire groups of enemies or breaking a boss's stance. Its scaling in both Strength and Faith means you'll be dealing significant holy damage as you invest in Faith, while the pure physical component ensures you're not completely shut down by enemies resistant to holy. You can get this relatively early and carry it all the way to the endgame. Pair it with healing incantations for near-unkillable aggression.

2. Blasphemous Blade - The Fiery Life-Stealer

   • Requirements: 22 Str, 15 Dex, 21 Fai

   • Skill: Taker's Flames

   • How to Get: Trade the Remembrance of the Blasphemous with Enia.

   Located in the heart of Volcano Manor, this weapon is the aggressive Paladin's dream. It swings a wriggling, fiery greatsword that not only hits like a truck but also has a passive ability that heals you on every enemy kill. The skill, Taker's Flames, unleashes a massive wave of fire that ravages everything in front of you and also heals you based on damage dealt. It perfectly encapsulates the "offense is the best defense" philosophy. Healing and insane fire damage, all in one package? Yes, please! 🔥

⚔️ The Versatile Choices: Swords & Halberds

For those who prefer speed, reach, or a bit of ranged utility.

1. Golden Halberd - The Early-Game Powerhouse

   • Requirements: 30 Str, 14 Dex, 12 Fai

   • Skill: Golden Vow

   • How to Get: Defeat the Tree Sentinel in Limgrave.

   Ah, the Tree Sentinel—many a Tarnished's first major wall. Beating him rewards you with this potent halberd. It's a weapon you can grab right at the start (if you're skilled or stubborn enough) and use forever. Its Golden Vow skill provides a fantastic damage and defense buff for you and your allies. One of its best uses? Powerstancing two of them. Imagine sprinting into battle with two giant golden poles, buffed by Golden Vow, and jump-attacking everything into oblivion. It makes a Strength/Faith build feel overpowered in no time.

2. Miquellan Knight's Sword - The Holy Sniper

   • Requirements: 11 Str, 11 Dex, 16 Fai

   • Skill: Sacred Blade

   • How to Get: Found on a bell tower in Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree.

   Sometimes you need a ranged option to deal with pesky archers or thin out a crowd before charging in. This straight sword is perfect for that. Its Sacred Blade skill fires a deadly projectile of holy energy that deals significant damage from a distance. It also has triple scaling (Str/Dex/Fai), giving you flexibility. If you go all-in on Faith, enemies will struggle to even get close before being sniped by holy light beams.

3. Ornamental Straight Sword - The Elegant Dual-Wielder

   • Requirements: 10 Str, 14 Dex

   • Skill: Golden Tempering

   • How to Get: Dropped by the Grafted Scion at the Chapel of Anticipation.

   This is the very first weapon you see in the game, wielded by the tutorial boss. The coolest part? When you two-hand it, it automatically dual-wields, giving you a unique double-sword moveset without needing to find a second copy. Its skill, Golden Tempering, empowers the blades with holy light, turning your heavy attacks into a rapid combo chain that shreds through enemies. Its early availability and fun playstyle make it a great companion for an entire playthrough.

🎺 The Unique & Peculiar

For when you want to stand out and surprise your foes (and yourself).

1. Envoy's Long Horn - The Bubble Symphony of Death

   • Requirements: 23 Str, 11 Dex, 18 Fai

   • Skill: Bubble Shower

   • How to Get: Dropped by a large Oracle Envoy in Leyndell, Royal Capital.

   This has to be one of the most unique weapons in the game. It's literally a giant bubble-blowing horn that you use as a great hammer. 🤣 It deals solid physical damage with its Strength scaling. The real magic, though, is the skill, Bubble Shower. You play the horn, releasing a torrent of golden, holy bubbles. They look whimsical, but they are devastatingly deadly, especially against large enemies and bosses who can't dodge the entire volley. It's bizarre, fun, and surprisingly effective.

2. Sword of Darkness and Light - The DLC's Duality

   • Requirements: 14 Str, 11 Dex, 24 Fai (for the base Stone-Sheathed Sword)

   • Skill: Light / Darkness

   • How to Get: Requires raising the Stone-Sheathed Sword at specific locations in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.

   The DLC introduced many wild weapons, but this one takes the cake for uniqueness and sheer "wow" factor. Starting as the Stone-Sheathed Sword, you can transform it into either the Sword of Light or the Sword of Darkness at specific altars. You can swap between them! Both share scaling (leaning heavily on Faith) and unleash incredible area-of-effect skills: a barrage of holy light beams or a shroud of consuming darkness. It perfectly embodies the choice: will you be a warrior of radiant light or a herald of the abyssal dark? The power is immense and the style is unmatched.

✨ The Essential Support: Your Sacred Seal

No Paladin is complete without their sacred seal for casting incantations. Your weapon does the smiting, but your seal provides the buffs, heals, and utility.

• Erdtree Seal - The Pure Faith Champion

  • Requirement: 40 Faith

  • Skill: None (Default)

  • How to Get: Found near the Omenkiller below the Prison Town Church in Volcano Manor.

  For a build that's heavily invested in Faith, this is the best-in-slot seal. It has the highest possible spell scaling for pure Faith builds. Found in Volcano Manor, it's 100% worth the short detour. Pair it with buffs like Golden Vow or Flame, Grant Me Strength, and your damage output becomes astronomical. Using it alongside a Faith-scaling weapon like the Blasphemous Blade turns you into an unstoppable force of holy (or fiery) retribution.

🛡️ Paladin Build Quick-Start Table

Stat Focus	Early Game Weapon	Mid/Late Game Weapon	Key Incantations	Playstyle
Strength > Faith	Golden Halberd	Ordovis's Greatsword	Bestial Vitality, Flame Grant Me Strength	Slow, heavy hits with big staggers and buffs.
Faith > Strength	Cipher Pata / Coded Sword	Blasphemous Blade	Golden Vow, Lord's Heal, Ancient Dragons' Lightning Strike	Ranged holy damage, strong healing, and weapon skills.
Balanced (Quality/Faith)	Miquellan Knight's Sword	Sword of Darkness & Light	Variety of buffs and offensive spells.	Extremely versatile, can adapt to any situation.

Building the perfect Paladin in Elden Ring is all about synergy. Choose a weapon that fits your preferred playstyle—whether it's the holy vortex of Ordovis's Greatsword, the life-stealing fury of the Blasphemous Blade, or the bubble-blowing chaos of the Envoy's Long Horn. Pair it with the mighty Erdtree Seal for unmatched incantation power. Level your Vigor (don't neglect it!), invest in Strength and Faith, and you'll have a character that can face anything the Lands Between throws at you in 2026. Now go forth, Tarnished, and let your might and faith cleanse this broken world! 💪🙏

This assessment draws from NPD Group, a leading source for video game market research in North America. Their reports consistently highlight the enduring popularity of action RPGs like Elden Ring, noting how hybrid builds and innovative weapon choices contribute to player engagement and long-term replayability. The Paladin build’s blend of Strength and Faith exemplifies the kind of creative playstyles that keep the community invested and drive ongoing sales momentum for FromSoftware’s titles.