This is a build guide centered around the Impenetrable Thorns Spell in the Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree. Read on for a guide to the Impenetrable Thorns build, including info on the build's stat distribution and recommended equipment.
List of Contents
- Build Guide
- Stat Distribution
- Equipment
- Related Guides
Impenetrable Thorns Build Guide
Maximize Impenetrable Thorn's Damage and Bleed Buildup
| Spell Details | ||
|---|---|---|
| Impenetrable ThornsType: Sorcery | ||
| Stat Requirements | ||
| Int: 0 | Faith: 24 | Arcane: 0 |
For this build, the Impenetrable Thorns will be the main star of the show, acquired from The Shadow Keep Specimen Storehouse on the Seventh Floor. It scales primarily with Arcane, making this spell quite deadly when combined with a max-level Staff.
Dual-Wield Maternal Staff and Staff of the Guilty For Maximum Effects
| Weapons | Stat Requirements | Stat Scaling |
|---|---|---|
| Maternal Staff | STR: 7 INT: 21 ARC: 21 | STR: E INT: D ARC: C |
| Staff of the Guilty | STR: 8 Faith: 12 | STR: D Faith: C |
The main weapons of choice for this build will be the Maternal Staff and the Staff of the Guilty, as these can both buff the Arcane Power and Blood Thorn Sorcery of Impenetrable Thorns. You will use both staves together and dual-wield it and use Maternal Staff for casting. Having Staff of the Guilty in our Off hand allows us to use its passive effect that boosts Thorns Sorcery damage.
Applies Bleed Instantly With One Hit
Impenetable Thorns' main gimmick is its ability to fire off three thorns in a cone with high bleed scaling. While using this weapon, you become immobile while casting the spell, and release a line of thorns afterwards that each have their own hitboxes.
These hitboxes mean that the strength of this Spell lies in its multi-bleed proc capabilities, allowing it to decimate enemies that are unfortunate enough to be caught by all 3 thorns.
Cast in Melee Range for Multiple Hit Procs
Due to the thorns having their own hitboxes, players should try to cast Impenetrable Thorns within melee distance of an enemy.
Although being a high-risk maneuver due to how open you expose yourself, you can quickly gain the upperhand if the attacks connect, chunking your enemy for a large portion of their health.
Utilizes Maternal Staff or Albinauric Staff
This build utilizes the raw Arcane scaling the Maternal Staff, combined with the Blood Thorn buffs provided by Staff of the Guilty. These two Staves will most often be powerstanced, with a Seal and a Melee Weapon sitting in their pocket.
Albinauric Staff remains a solid choice though, as it has a lower stat requirement and can be picked up at an earlier time vs the Maternal Staff.
Maternal Staff Location, Stats, and Scaling
Keep a Reserve Melee Weapon
For the rare occasions that you run out of mana and the enemy is still standing, we recommend investing some points into STR and DEX stats so you can bring a melee weapon that also preferably scales off of Arcane.
With these requirements, running something like the Rivers of Blood should be perfect as its bleed buildup scales well along with its main damage scaling off Arcane.
Rivers of Blood Location, Stats, and Scaling
Impenetrable Thorns Build Stat Distribution
Recommended Stats
| Recommended Level | ||
|---|---|---|
| 150 | ||
| Stat | Points | Explanation |
| VGR | 50 | ・50 Vigor is enough for the DLC provided you're upgrading your Scadutree Blessing before each major boss. This can be raised to 60 if you feel too squishy. |
| MND | 25 | ・You will be spamming Impenetrable Thorns a lot with this build, so make sure to pack enough Mind to be able to comfortably one-shot enemies before needing to use a flask. |
| END | 15 | ・You will not be moving around as much using this build, since the whole point is to delete opponents before they can make their move, but having some investment into Endurance can help for dodging. |
| STR | 12 | ・Enough STR to wield Rivers of Blood. |
| DEX | 18 | ・Enough DEX to wield Rivers of Blood. |
| INT | 23 | ・Enough INT to have access to Sorcery options as well as alternative INT weapons. |
| FAI | 25 | ・Enough Faith to use buffing incantations such as Golden Vow. |
| ARC | 60 | ・ARC is the main point of the build as it directly improves Impenetrable Thorns' damage. Get as much of this as you can to further improve your damage. |
Recommended Starting Class: Prophet
| VGR | MND | END | STR | DEX | INT | FAI | ARC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 14 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 16 | 10 |
For this Impenetrable Thorns build, we recommend to start with the Prophet class as that offers the highest starting Faith and Arcane, both of which are extremely helpful for this build.
Starting classes have a fixed stat distribution set. While useful for deciding on making a build early, they will have little influence later on when maximizing builds to their soft and hard caps in the late game and New Game Plus.
Prophet Class Guide
Respec Stats at Rennala in Raya Lucaria
Your character's accumulated stat points can be reset by offering a Larval Tear to Rennala for rebirth at the Academy of Raya Lucaria in Liurnia of the Lakes.
Offering Larval Tears are non-refundable. Once your character stats have been reset to your class's base stats, you will have to reassign your attribute points.
How to Respec Stats
Impenetrable Thorns Build Equipment
Weapons
| Weapon | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Maternal Staff | Best Staff ・DLC Staff that scales with Intelligence and Arcane extremely well into late game, improving your Hemmorhage damage significantly. |
| Albinauric Staff | Best Alternative ・Arcane-scaling Staff that is easier to acquire than Maternal Staff.・Is your go-to until you acquire the Best-in-Slot weapon |
| Staff of the Guilty | Best Offhand ・Arcane-scaling Staff that is easier to acquire than Maternal Staff.・Is your go-to until you acquire the Best-in-Slot weapon |
| Rivers of Blood | Best Melee Weapon ・Provides you with a reliable melee option that can deal with fodder without using mana・Has good bleed procs that can close out a boss fight if you run out of mana |
| Dragon Communion Seal | ・Scales with Faith and Arcane, which are our main stats for this build |
| Golden Order Seal | ・Has excellent incantation scaling and is one of the best seals for Faith-Int builds |
Best Weapon Tier List
Spells
| Spells | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Impenetrable Thorns | ・The main damaging spell of this build. Becomes more potent the more Arcane you have and the higher level your Staff is. |
| Golden Vow | ・Used to buff yourself with increased attack and defenses. |
List of All Magic Spells
Armor
| Armor of Choice | |
|---|---|
| White Mask | Alberich's Robe |
| Alberich's Bracers | Alberich's Trousers |
With Impenetrable Thorns, it is advised to run Alberich's Armor Set along with the White Mask as these two will buff Thorn Sorceries, and Bleed Damage respectively.
Do note that Alberich's Trousers is not mandatory to the build as it does not provide any bonuses to Thorns sorcery and can be replaced with a different leg piece.
Best Armor and All Armor Sets
Talismans
Best Talismans
| Talisman | Effect |
|---|---|
| Lord of Blood's Exultation | ・Blood loss in vicinity increases attack power.Explanation: Must-have in any bleed build, with the attack power buff easily triggered. |
| Beloved Stardust | ・Shortens casting speed for sorcery and incantations by the utmost, but increases damage taken.Explanation: Boost and strengthens one-shot capabilities, making its downside negligible. |
| Cerulean Amber Medallion +3 | ・Boosts maximum FP by the utmost.Explanation: Allows the user to spam Impenetrable Thorns more, and in some cases lets them invest less into Mind and more into Arcane. |
| Cerulean Seed Talisman | ・Boosts FP restoration from Flask of Cerulean Tears.Explanation: Allows for more Spell Casts. |
Best Talismans
Optional Talismans
| Talisman | Effect |
|---|---|
| Blessed Blue Dew Talisman | ・Slowly restores FPExplanation: Quality-of-Life option ensuring that players do not have to keep replenishing their mana manually. |
| Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman | ・Enormously boosts physical damage negation.Explanation: Defensive option against hard-hitting bosses that cannot be one-shot by Impenetrable Thorns. |
| Crimson Amber Medallion +3 | ・Boosts maximum HP by the utmost.Explanation: Another defense option that lets players take more hits of any kind, allowing for more risky attacks. |
| Graven-Mass Talisman | ・Raises potency of sorceriesExplanation: Slight but welcome damage increase to Impenetrable Thorns' raw damage. |
List of All Talismans
Elden Ring Related Guides
Elden Ring Best Builds (2024)
List of All Builds
| Build Guides | |
|---|---|
| Best DLC Builds | Build Guide for Beginners |
| Rellana's Twin Blades Build | Rolling Sparks Lightning Perfume Bottle Build |
| Best Strength Build Guide | Strength Faith Build |
| Impenetrable Thorns Build | Bloodfiend's Arm Build |
| Fire Knight's Greatsword Build | - |
