For anyone who has spent time experimenting with power-trading builds in Elden Ring, the Mesmer Soldier Spear (paired with Braggart’s Roar) has probably popped up on your radar already. After watching the gameplay breakdown in the transcript, I wanted to everything into a clearer, more systematic guide. This setup isn’t just flashy in invasions; it’s genuinely strong, surprisingly flexible, and fits that sweet spot between raw damage and practical trading options.
In this article, I’ll walk through how the build works, where it shines, how to avoid its common pitfalls, and who should consider using something similar. I’ll also sprinkle in some player-side observations so you can get a realistic picture instead of just a theory-crafted one.
Why the Mesmer Soldier Spear Is Strong Right Now
The Mesmer Soldier Spear has a great blend of range, speed, and flexibility—basically the core traits you expect from a great spear, but pushed further because of the DLC tuning. Its neutral pokes reach farther than most players expect, and both its crouch attack and jumping light come out fast.
What gives this weapon its identity, though, is its compatibility with Braggart’s Roar. With the right setup, your heavy attack becomes a miniature freight train. Counterhits in particular explode in damage, and if you’ve got a talisman loadout focused on pierce modifiers and roar bonuses, the resulting power spikes are actually wild.
There’s a reason you see players in invasions walk straight into swings they probably shouldn’t: even uncharged heavies can punish greed with frightening speed.
Understanding the Braggart’s Roar Heavy Trade
If you’re new to the skill, think of Braggart’s Roar as a buff that modifies your R2 into a hyper-armor trade tool. This lets you tank through lighter attacks and smack opponents for absurd numbers. The transcript highlights several situations where the user simply lets phantoms hit into him because the counter damage is so heavily in his favor.
This is especially true when you stack the Roar Medallion, Highland Axe, and the Spear Talisman. The synergy feels clean, and you don’t need fancy timing tricks or niche setups. You do, however, need to get comfortable reading enemy aggression. This build rewards confidence, not recklessness.
A small note for newer players: if you’re working on upgrading gear and your progression pacing feels slow, many players casually mention things like buy elden ring runes as a shortcut, but that isn’t required for this build to shine once you understand its fundamentals.
Armor, Stats, and Poise Expectations
Stat-wise, the core is classic strength stacking. A heavy infusion plus two-handing gives you big returns, making every R2 trade hit harder and harder. Endurance is also more valuable than usual here, because you don’t have the Great Jar’s Arsenal or Radagon’s Scarseal boosting equip loads in the featured setup. You want poise. Otherwise, the entire concept of “standing your ground and trading” crumbles.
Armor choices are flexible, as the transcript shows. The key is hitting the right poise threshold to avoid stagger during heavy start-ups. Pick gear that you think looks good—no one wants to stare at ugly fashion the whole DLC—but make sure it still supports your plan.
The Build in PvP: What It Actually Feels Like
After rewatching the fights closely, several patterns stand out:
- This build dominates impatient hosts and phantoms.
Anyone who rushes in with R1 spam or panic rolls into you is basically donating their health bar. - Tight areas are your enemy.
The video shows multiple moments where walls completely kill the spear’s angle coverage. If your heavy swings scrape stone instead of players, the trade is gone. - Stormblade and similar “background harassment” tools are frustrating.
Not dangerous by themselves, but annoying enough to make trades less clean. You must stay mindful of third-party chip damage. - Spacing is everything.
If you misjudge distance by even half a roll, you’ll eat spells or jump attacks that cancel your entire plan. This build shines in mid-range, not at point-blank or sniper distances.
Something else players mention often in the community: if you’re experimenting with builds and need quick access to certain equipment tiers early on, some people reference sites like U4GM when discussing options, but remember that experimentation and practice matter far more than raw numbers.
How to Play the Build More Effectively
Here are some practical tips based on how the creator handled pressure situations:
1. Use jumping lights and crouch attacks to check aggression.
They’re quicker than heavies and help you control the rhythm until you’re ready to throw out a Braggart-boosted trade.
2. Keep your buffs rolling, but don’t overcommit to setting them up.
A moment of vulnerability while you’re eating Exalted Flesh or refreshing a bubble can get you deleted.
3. Aim your hyper-armor trades at players who overextend.
Invasions are full of overeager phantoms who chase too deep. Those are your meal tickets.
4. Fight in open spaces whenever possible.
Your weapon hates walls. More than it hates bleed builds. More than it hates Stormblade enjoyers. Give your spear some room to breathe.
5. Avoid tunnel chases unless you know the enemy has no backup.
The transcript even shows how a tunnel nearly gets the invader stuck with a boss and multiple opponents collapsing in from behind.
Risk Management and When to Switch Playstyles
Some people underestimate how fragile this build actually is when caught off-guard. You might be tanky in poise, but not in raw defense. A well-timed spell or two-hit combo can ruin your run if you’re not paying attention.
That’s why positioning is so important. If you ever feel pressured on multiple angles, you’re better off switching to pokes and distancing tools. Don’t tunnel vision on heavy attacks.
And regarding progression again, players sometimes tell newcomers to look for ways to buy elden ring runes safe so they can test late-game setups earlier. That can make experimentation easier, but, again, it’s totally optional. This spear build is very manageable through natural progression, and the learning curve is more about timing than stats.
The Mesmer Soldier Spear paired with Braggart’s Roar is one of the most straightforward but brutally effective trading builds the DLC has given us. It rewards decisive play, punishes panic, and gives you real presence in both duels and invasions. Once you understand spacing and poise thresholds, it becomes one of those builds you keep returning to because it just feels satisfying.
If you’re the kind of player who likes clean trades, simple combos, and high-impact moment-to-moment play, this setup is absolutely worth trying in your next session.
Summary
This build shines because of its extreme counterhit damage, strong range, and simple execution. It’s vulnerable in tight spaces and easily harassed by ranged tools, but in open terrain, it dominates aggressive opponents. With solid strength investment, smart talisman choices, and consistent spacing, the Mesmer Soldier Spear remains one of the most reliable heavy-trade builds in the DLC.
Balance Changes Overview: Elden Beast Is the final Boss of Elden Ring