Elden Ring’s combat system offers an incredible amount of flexibility, and for those looking to shake things up, unarmed builds provide a refreshing challenge. Fighting without weapons means relying on fists, claws, and even specialized gloves to deliver devastating blows. This playstyle demands precision, timing, and creative use of buffs and stats, but the payoff can be highly rewarding. If you’re intrigued by the idea of brawling through the Lands Between, here are 14 unarmed combat options worth experimenting with.
1. Pure Fist Fighter
Focus on boosting Strength and Dexterity to maximize raw damage with your fists. The Beast Claw talisman is a great complement for this style, increasing claw weapon skill damage and adding punch to your unarmed strikes.
2. Martial Artist Build
This build centers around Dexterity and Endurance for fast, fluid combos and better stamina management. Prioritize light armor and talismans that increase stamina regeneration to keep your offensive pressure constant.
3. Strength-Heavy Brawler
Invest heavily in Strength to turn your fists into wrecking balls. Pair this with talismans that enhance poise and defense so you can withstand hits while you close the gap and unleash powerful punches.
4. Faith-Infused Unarmed
Combine unarmed strikes with Faith-based buffs like Blessing of the Erdtree and weapon buffs that boost physical and magic attack power. This hybrid style adds utility and healing to your offensive arsenal.
5. Intelligence-Powered Claw Attacks
Using claw-type weapons and the Unarmed fighting style, this build enhances damage through Intelligence scaling and sorcery buffs. It’s an unconventional but fun way to mix magic with close-quarters combat.
6. Bleed Build with Unarmed
Focus on inflicting bleed status by using claw weapons or talismans that increase bleed buildup. This approach capitalizes on rapid strikes and quick combos to wear down enemies.
7. Tanky Grappler
Endurance and Vitality are your main stats here, allowing you to trade blows and maintain defense. While unarmed, this build uses heavy armor and talismans to shrug off damage and counterattack aggressively.
8. Stamina Regen Specialist
Maximize stamina recovery through talismans and stat allocation to keep your strikes coming nonstop. Fast attack speed combined with endless stamina makes for relentless pressure.
9. Critical Hit Focus
Invest in Dexterity and equip talismans that boost critical hit damage. Unarmed attacks are great for exploiting enemy weak spots and delivering devastating backstabs and ripostes.
10. Hybrid Melee-Magic Unarmed
Combine melee unarmed combat with offensive sorceries for a balanced approach. Use spells to control the battlefield and close in for powerful punches enhanced by magic buffs.
11. Poison and Toxin Unarmed Build
Utilize talismans and consumables to inflict poison or toxin with your punches. This build excels at slowly draining enemy health over time while keeping pressure up.
12. Speedrunner’s Brawler
Light on armor and heavy on speed, this build focuses on dodging and quick hits. Perfect for players who enjoy hit-and-run tactics with unarmed combat.
13. PvP Unarmed Specialist
Optimize your build to surprise opponents in PvP with quick combos and unpredictable moves. Talismans that boost stamina and damage output make this a formidable choice.
14. Hybrid Strength-Dexterity Claw Fighter
This balanced build uses claw weapons and unarmed combat interchangeably, scaling with both Strength and Dexterity for versatile damage.
Tips to Support Your Unarmed Build
Unarmed combat can be resource-intensive, so managing your runes efficiently is crucial. Finding ways to buy Elden Ring runes or hunting for cheap Elden Ring items to upgrade your armor and talismans will help maintain your effectiveness without excessive grinding. Additionally, don’t overlook buffs like Flame, Grant Me Strength or spells that increase your attack power to supplement your bare-knuckle strikes.
Unarmed builds may not be the easiest path, but they offer a unique and satisfying way to experience Elden Ring’s combat. Whether you prefer raw power, speed, or utility, there’s an unarmed build out there worth trying. Have you experimented with any bare-handed playstyles? Share your thoughts and favorite setups!