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With the Colosseum now in full swing and a meta slowly developing, developing a solid strategy forElden Ring’s United Combat PvP arena is more important than ever. As many as six combatants are on the field at any given time in - usually - evenly split teams, and as anyone could imagine, managing combat gets a bit tricky.
RELATED:Elden Ring: Colosseum Guide
Although any build can be a great one in the arena when in the right hands, certain builds perform better overall in the grand scheme of things. These builds prioritize the AOE destruction and FP management necessary in an arena of many enemies but few supplies.
United Combat Rules And Tips
United Combat boaststeams of 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3respectively. As many as 6 individuals can be in the arena at any given time, and each team is givenfive minutesto kill as many opponents as they can for a victory.
The style of United Combat is generally fast-paced and relies heavily on teamwork. Those who arerandomly queuingup in United Combat are at aninherent disadvantage against those who come in pre-made teams(and have some means of communication). Therefore,flexibility in combat style is a mustfor those randomly joining to fill any necessary role on a team.
No matter what build you’re going for - those down below or otherwise - there areimportant tips and tricksyou should keep in mind:
As ever, you’ll want toremember your PvP manners. Attacking or crossing the space immediately after entering the arena is generally considered rude and in poor taste. Remember to give a few seconds for both teams to equip buffs or gesture across the arena before starting the fight. The penance for not following unwritten rules is Miyazaki’s disapproving smile. No one wants Miyazaki’s disapproving smile.
Ancient Lightning God
Lightning builds are especially dangerous in United Combat thanks to theirwide access to AOE spells and exceptional ranged abilities. Added to theirsubstantial damage outputand the difficulty opponents face when countering, any Lightning-oriented build in the Colosseum is one to be feared.
The Ancient Lightning God is aDexterity/Faith buildwithVigor and Mind as secondary investments. Naturally, a healthy amount of Stamina is necessary for the United Combat arena.
While there is no recommendation for clothing that benefits this build beyond what works best and is most comfortable for you, you’ll want toprioritize lighter medium armor(like Maliketh’s set) to counteract the weight of two weapons without needing to waste a talisman slot on increasing your carry weight.
Forweapons, you’ll want the following:
You’ll wish tostart with the Bolt of Gransaxin any encounter. ItsAncient Lightning Spear weapon artcan cross the entirety of the arena and deals a massive amount of damage. It’s anexcellent starting spelland can also be used toaid struggling alliesthat have been cut off from you. Afterward, switching to theDragonking’s Crag Blade for melee combat AND the Gravel Stone Seal.The Dragonking’s Crag Blade unique skill,Thundercloud, with the 1.07 patch, is a fast weapon art that works similarly to the Winged Scythe’s Angel Wings and boasts added maneuverability. In exchange for dealing small-to-mediocre damage, you can float above the ground toward a target and ignore ground hazards or sweeps for a short time. Although the art itself doesn’t deal a lot of damage, it’s indispensable in setting up attacks and closing distances. Likewise, the Gravel Stone Seal will increase all of your Dragon Cult incantations by 15 percent.
For spells, you’ll want to equip:
The chief component in this build is the Ancient Dragon’s Lightning Strikethanks to its ability to strike multiple opponents across the arena. Regardless of whether it makes contact, the area effect can cause disruptions in enemy movements that create openings to either attack or retreat for your allies.Fortisax’s Lightning Spear will be your melee workhorse, usedfollowing a Thundercloud weapon art. It deals the most amount of damage compared to your other spells and should be prioritized when not using the Ancient Dragon’s Lightning Strike to disrupt the field or deal with multiple enemies.Lansseax’s Glaiveis a nice sweeping spell to deal with multiple opponents closing into meleebut shouldn’t be used too often due to it leaving an opening for forward-rolling enemies.Honed Boltis a necessity topick off enemiesthat may be retreating and not worth the FP of a large spell. Your final slot should be used as you see fit, but primarily a defensive spell, if you don’t have a teammate you know, will fill the role.
RELATED:Elden Ring Build Guide: Faith/Dexterity
Fire Sorcerer
The Fire Sorcerer is atanky sorcerer buildthat balances defense with wide-area fire spells for crowd control. The optimal usage of this build is to be amedium-range sorcererprotecting any squishier backup casters but also providing support for the front melee fighters. Although lackluster in PvE and not always particularly good at 1v1 dueling, the Fire Sorcerer’sversatility and flexibilityas a supporter and tank make it stand out in United Combat.
This build stronglyfavors Strength and FaithwithVigor as a secondary investment. Having enough stats in Mind and Stamina is necessary as well for success in the arena.
Weapons-wise, you’ll want to choose between either of these options:
Blasphemous Bladeis a strong contender due to its ranged and high damage output weapon art, Taker’s Flame.Its drawback is that it’s easily dodged due to it only being in a straight line, meaning you’ll need to be conservative with how often you use it. Using it correctly will mean waiting for opportune times when either a hit is guaranteed or splitting an enemy from an ally is needed. Otherwise, theMagma Wyrm’s Scalesword is a strong choice due to its excellent scaling and the ability of its weapon art,Magma Guillotine, which excels at zoning. It counts as a jump attack, ignoring hazards on the ground, and it leaves a pool of lava in its wake temporarily that can deal damage to those who step within its boundaries.
Your choice in weapon should dictate your armor. If you prefer to be more on the defensive side and use the Blasphemous Blade, using heavy armor such as the Fire Prelate’s set is wise. If you prefer a more aggressive style of play, combining the Magma Wyrm’s Scalesword with the Raptor’s set for increased jumping damage will be to your benefit.
Forspells, you’ll want to equip:
Burn O’Flame!is a necessary part of this build in United Combat, useful for creating necessary space around one central location. It can be used to protect allies who need a moment to regenerate Stamina or use a flask as well as make aggressive enemies temporarily retreat.Giantsflame Take Thee and Fire Sling are both rangedfireball spells, with the former being larger, more damaging, and farther reaching and the latter being a cheaper version that fulfills a similar role.Flame, Fall Upon Themis an AOE spell that comes in handy against groups of enemies.Flame, Grant Me Strengthties all of this together by greatly boosting all fire-based attacks.
RELATED:Elden Ring Build Guide: Intelligence/Strength
Moonlit Frost Witch/Wizard
A popular choice in the PvP arena, the Moonlit Frost Witch (or Wizard) hasseveral variations, but the general trend of aglintstone-sorcerer glass cannonprevails. In exchange for defense and health, they prioritize dealingmassive amounts of damage from afar. They’re perfect for United Combat when you have a solid team with at least one melee attacker to run interference and keep others from getting into your personal space.
They are primarilyan Intelligence buildwith a secondary focus on Mind and Stamina. As your team should be running defense for you, your only concern should be running away from those who manage to get around your guards and keeping spells going as long as possible.
There aretwo possible weaponsto usewith a Carian Regal Scepterin your left hand:
Both weapons are superb for this build but primarily areseparated by their Passive Effectand weighing damage versus speed. TheMoonveil Katana is fasterthan the Dark Moon Greatsword at the expense ofnot dealing as much damage per hit, but theDark Moon Greatsword’s passivestacks with the effects of your spells by addingFrostbitebuildup. Meanwhile, theMoonveil Katana trades that for Bleedbuildup instead. Both of their weapon arts are melee-to-ranged attacks that do sweeping damage in an arc. It boils down to preference whether you want to be more supportive and add Frostbite status effects faster or take risks by having another damage option for melee.
For clothing, you’ll want towear Ranni’s Snow Witch hatto increase the damage of Cold-school sorceries as well as any Medium armor to bring your poise up to the minimum threshold of 51.
Spellsare truly where it’s at with this build, and a good load out looks as follows:
Carian’s Phalanxis a must for providing you with defense for those who manage to slip past your protectors. By casting smaller glintstone swords, you’ll be able to have a spell on hand and ready to help you with a quick getaway and put distance between you and an aggressor.Adula’s Moonbladewill be thebulk of your damage, able to hit enemies up close and afar and add more Frostbite buildup.Glintstone Icecragdoesn’t necessarily have much range, but its ability to be cast quickly and without much FP cost means that it’s perfect for casting while backing away from an enemy.Swift Glinstone Shardis also like Glinstone Icecrag but has more range at the cost of not having the bonuses that the spell has.Crystal Barrageis perfect for dealing with groups of enemies, andLoretta’s Greatbowdoes very high amounts of damage at a great distance.
You may be tempted to use Ranni’s Dark Moon with this build, but it’s not recommended for United Combat due to its easy-to-dodge movement, slow charge, and its small area of effect.
RELATED:Elden Ring Build Guide: Intelligence
Erdtree Maiden
Few are willing to take on the mantle of asupport classin PvP, and fewer still know how to perform as one. Of all possible support builds, the Erdtree Maiden shines brightest. Withgolden Faith magicto issue reliable support and a range ofbuffing incantationsto protect you and your teammates, this build is the backbone of any functional team. As expected, this build is primarilya Faith and Dexterity setup.Vigor is your secondaryinvestment with ample enough points placed into Mind and Stamina to get by.
For weapons, your primary should be the Sacred Relic Sword with the Erdtree Sealin your left hand. Although you’ll mostly be using incantations for buffs and healing, the AOE weapon art,Wave of Gold, is already a staple in the United Combat meta. Forcing enemies to juggle dodging through the wave and the attacks of your allies or be struck, does considerable damage and disruption in equal measure. However, in the eventual case that someone manages to break through your teammates and attacks you,you’ll want to switchto either:
This is in order to have a weapon to make up for the Sacred Relic Sword’s abysmal range and speed in melee combat. TheWinged Scytheshould be used for those who likemobility,and theHalo Scytheshould be used for those who likecastingfrom a distance. Their weapon arts make them prime candidates compared to other Faith weapons, and there’s just something appealing about being a maiden who can bring either life or death in the arena.
Forclothing, you’ll want as little as possible.Fia’s Deathbed Dressis nice to have, but its effects aren’t necessarily useful when you’re meant to be some distance away from the combat. Nevertheless, wearing itany amount of clothing you can put on without exceeding the Light Armor thresholdis key, as you’ll want to be as light as possible to reach allies quickly.
As a support build, you’ll need an ample selection ofspells. Recommendations for those include:
Erdtree Heal will be themost expensive but importantspell in your lineup. You should be using it semi-frequently, running up within range to your teammates once they reach about half health. With ample enough investment in Faith, a leveled Erdtree Seal, and the right talismans, you should be healing yourself to full and your teammates by at least half with one cast. Given the costly nature of it, you’ll need to ensure you place yourself just out of range of enemies but close enough for the spell to reach your ally. As for theLord’s Divine FortificationandGolden Lightning Fortification, both are important incantations to use as needed when encountering builds such as this one or dangerous Lightning builds like the one above. Golden Vowis tobeused as often as the FP can be spared, granting you and your allies both ample defense and offense boons.Lastly,Blessing of the Erdtreeis your least-important spell but should be used toprovide slow healingto nearby allies when either you can’t spare the FP for Erdtree Heal or their health hasn’t reached half.
For the Erdtree Maiden, you’ll want to use any combination of theseTalismans:
Honorable Mentions
Lesser Melania
For those who have reached New Game+ and are brave enough (or stupid enough) to defeat Melania a second time, you’ll be able to dual-wield her weapon:the Hand of Melania. Doing so allows you access toWaterfowl Dancewhich can be an incredibly terrifying thing to face in United Combat. The “Lesser Melania” build centers around using this weapon art tooverwhelm groups of opponentsanddeal massive amounts of damagein a short amount of time.
Itcenters around Dexterity, but its weakness is that ittends to be a one-trick ponythat, for those who have spent hours facing Melania, is entirelytoo predictable. It’s both interruptible and parryable, so it’snot entirely suited for United Combatwhen you’re meant to be in the heat of melee combat with several enemies. Furthermore, controlling the direction of Waterfowl Dance takes a certain amount of skill and practice that, if unsuccessful, could land you exactly where you don’t want to be.
The Scarlet Bleed Dragon
This build is a frightfully scary build at first glance. With dual weapons combining bothEleanora’s PolearmandRivers of Blood, the Scarlet Bleed Dragon centers around both dealinghigh amounts of Bleed buildupover a short period of time (and with ample range) andcasting the Rotten Breath incantationto deal AOE damage that may inflict Scarlet Rot to several enemies at once. Combined with the Mushroom Crown hat and the Kindred of Rot’s Exultation Talisman, this build is meant for high-stakes melee.
Thedownfall of this build is the Rotten Breath incantationitself.Easy to counterby jump attacking during the initial windup animation, casting a spell, or rolling right under the caster’s feet, it leaves the caster too vulnerable for too long in United Combat. Given itsover-usagein the meta as well, you’re better off focusing on the aspects of the bleed build than the Scarlet Rot.
Next:Elden Ring: Complete Guide And Walkthrough
