Introduced as a Colossal Weapon in the Elden Ring in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, the Anvil Hammer is a weapon that is used to attack enemies. Although its attack is a bit slow, it makes up for it with its huge damage output, strong damage to enemy stances, and decent AoE. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of how to use the Anvil Hammer in conjunction with other items to maximize its effectiveness.

Pros And Cons

Pros

• Extremely High Stagger Damage
• Highest combined AR of any weapon (unbuffed)
• AoE Weapon Skill

Cons

• Very heavy (22.0)
• Slow moveset

The power of Anvil Hammer lies in its ability to output huge amounts of damage and has high poise damage, capable of breaking down almost any boss’ defenses in 2-3 regular hits. Whether it is a light swing, heavy attack, charged attack, or weapon skill, the purpose of every swing of the hammer is to achieve a stance break. If the player can use this hammer against some of the tougher enemies in Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, such as Curseblades or Fire Knights, they will be stunned.

Best Stat Distribution

When you have collected enough Elden Ring Runes and are ready to upgrade, it is recommended to first increase the core attributes of Anvil Hammer, Strength and Faith, with Strength being more important than Faith. To use this weapon effectively, you also need to invest in Intelligence and Dexterity, although this will not significantly increase the weapon’s damage output.

Besides Strength and Faith, the remaining attribute points are best allocated to Vigor to increase health, or to Endurance to increase stamina and carry weight. Raising Mind to 25 is enough to get a lot of benefit from the weapon skill Smithing Art Spears, as it only costs 18 FP to activate.

After reaching level 150, the major goal is to improve Strength to 80, and Faith and Vigor to 60 each to complete the build. If the weight of the equipment is an issue, adding some Endurance is also a good choice until you find an armor that fits your equipment.

Best Talismans

When Two-handing Anvil Hammer, the effect of Two-Handed Sword Talisman is activated, increasing damage by 15%. The +15% skill buff provided by Shard of Alexander ensures that Ash of War: Smithing Art Spears can almost kill with one hit. Two-Headed Turtle Talisman is a game-enhancing trinket that allows players to regenerate stamina at an amazing rate, which is a tremendous help when each swing of the hammer requires a lot of stamina.

Erdtree’s Favor buffs bring an overall boost to HP, Stamina, and Equip Load. Depending on the situation, it can be swapped with Spelldrake, Flamedrake, Boltdrake, Pearldrake +3 Talismans, Dragoncrest Greatshield Talismans, or Golden Braid. There are a few other situational options to consider.

• Crimson Seed Talisman +1 increases the healing of Flasks by 30%. This is especially useful when Vigor is over 60.
• Verdigris Discus can turn a high equipment load into a defensive advantage.
• Great-Jar’s Arsenal can be a temporary measure to solve equipment load problems caused by insufficient Endurance or wearing heavy armor.
• If you plan to use Anvil Hammer in combination with a shield for Guard Counters, Curved Sword Talisman is essential.

Best Seals And Incantations

Given Anvil Hammer’s tendency to buff Faith, it would be a shame if players didn’t take advantage of the powerful incantations they have that meet the stat requirements.

Best Incantations

Golden Vow and Flame, Grant Me Strength, are solid choices for improving damage output and defensive capabilities. Anvil Hammer is one of the few weapons in Elden Ring with inherent Fire damage, making it a superb choice to take advantage of the fire damage boost after the buff.

Other options include Electrocharge, which passively increases the player’s attack damage when holding Anvil Hammer in both hands; Pest-Thread Spears, which provides a ranged attack that is almost impossible to miss; or Fire Serpent, which is an affordable strategy for fighting nimble enemies.

Best Seal

Which seal to choose to use with Anvil Hammer depends on the incantations you need to use it with. If you’re unsure, Clawmark Seal is a good choice, as it’s designed for this kind of Strength/Faith build.

Best Crystal Tears

Flask of Wondrous Physick is mainly used in difficult boss fights to improve the player’s chances of victory. Therefore, the best Crystal Tears to use in combination with Anvil Hammer are:

• Deflecting Hardtear can enhance spontaneous guard in mixed physick for 5 minutes.
• Greenspill Crystal Tear can temporarily boost stamina in mixed physick for 3 minutes.

The focus here is Deflecting Hardtear, a timed block mechanic in Elden Ring that allows the player to deal extra damage by counterattacking if they can prepare their defense before the enemy attacks. The player does not have to use a shield with Anvil Hammer.

Just hold the weapon with both hands and press the guard button to block the incoming attack. When Anvil Hammer is used as a shield, it can negate 80.0 physical damage, which is more than enough for this purpose.

Players can choose any item they like to replace Greenspill Crystal Tear, but the +15% base stamina bonus is very helpful for retaining enough stamina to defend after being attacked.

In summary, according to the above guide, players can maximize the utility of Anvil Hammer to achieve better results in Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. This comprehensive strategy will help players make full use of the power of Anvil Hammer, overcome challenges in the game, and continue to advance in Elden Ring.