Discover 17 Elden Ring Builds That Prioritize Int Scaling

In Elden Ring, Intelligence (Int) scaling is more than just throwing glittering spells from afar—it's a powerful core for a variety of creative, devastating builds. Whether you're a sorcerer nuking foes from safety, or a hybrid battlemage combining spellcraft and melee finesse, Intelligence builds offer some of the most rewarding playstyles. Below, we’ll walk through 17 varied builds that focus on Intelligence scaling, tailored for different weapons, playstyles, and strategies.

1. Pure Sorcerer (Early Game Focus)

Start as an Astrologer and lean into Glintstone Pebble, Carian Slicer, and Scholar’s Armament. This classic build melts early bosses with minimal melee risk.

2. Carian Knight Battlemage

Combine mid-weight armor with a staff and straight sword. Prioritize spells like Carian Greatsword and Carian Piercer. This is for those who love the spell-sword fantasy.

3. Moonveil Katana Mage

The Moonveil Katana scales well with Int and Dex. Pair it with a solid staff for ranged options, and you’ll dominate both PvE and PvP encounters.

4. Dark Moon Greatsword Wielder

An endgame powerhouse, this build uses the Ranni questline weapon to unleash devastating frost and magic damage. It’s heavy, but worth it.

5. Crystal Mage

Focus on Crystal spells like Crystal Torrent and Shard Spiral. While slower than Glintstone sorceries, they deal brutal sustained damage to large bosses.

6. Gravity Mage

Rock Sling, Meteorite of Astel, and Gravity Well combine into a unique build that manipulates space itself. Best used with the Meteorite Staff in early game, then upgrade later.

7. Cold Mage Hybrid

Mix Frostbite weapons like the Dark Moon Greatsword with frost-infused weapons. Complement with cold spells like Adula's Moonblade for status and burst synergy.

8. Ranged Int Sniper

Maximize range and damage by focusing on Lusat’s Glintstone Staff, Terra Magica, and Comet Azur. Stay back and nuke from safety.

9. Death Sorcery Build

Utilize Int/Faith scaling and the Prince of Death’s Staff. Focus on sorceries like Ancient Death Rancor for a thematic and potent spell package.

10. Crystal Staff Combat Mage

Use the Crystal Staff and twin with a curved sword or dagger. Aggressively close in and burst enemies with melee and magic combos.

11. PvP Glintblade Trap Mage

Deploy Glintblade Phalanx and Carian Retaliation for deceptive zoning tools. Very effective in duels and invasions.

12. Magic Knight with Shield

Use the Carian Regal Scepter and a magic-scaling shield. This build focuses on defense while using sorceries to punish openings.

13. Int-Spear Hybrid

Equip a spear with cold or magic infusion and a secondary staff. This gives you thrusting control and ranged nukes.

14. Glinstone Arc Crowd-Control Build

Stack Mind and Int for spammable AoE spells like Glintstone Arc and Star Shower. Great for mob-heavy zones and NG+ farming.

15. Magic Archer Hybrid

Though unconventional, some bows scale with magic via Ashes of War. Pair them with Int-infused arrows or sorceries to pressure from a distance.

16. Night Sorcery Stealth Build

Night Comet and Night Shard are nearly invisible to enemies. Use stealthy gear and these spells to eliminate foes without alerting others.

17. Faith/Int Hybrid for Utility

Merge Int spells with Faith-based support like Golden Vow. It’s not pure DPS, but excellent for co-op and teamplay, with a versatile toolkit.

Whether you're looking to dominate PvP or clear dungeons with flashy spell combos, Intelligence builds in Elden Ring offer an enormous amount of variety. Each of the 17 builds above can be adapted to your playstyle, gear availability, and progression route.

For players on console, especially if you're looking to speed up build experimentation, some choose to buy Elden Ring runes Xbox to accelerate stat progression. Others might Buy Elden Ring items PS5 to quickly test different weapons and staffs. Regardless of how you approach your journey, Intelligence builds remain some of the most satisfying in the Lands Between.