With the introduction of the Smithscript Dagger in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, you will be able to make some of the best Throwing Dagger builds in Elden Ring. The weapon was also buffed with patch 1.12.3, which significantly improved its throwing attack range. Thereby, making it much easier to champion a build centered around the Smithscript Daggers.
These weapons offer an enjoyable way of tackling most of the harder content in the Land of Shadow. As you will usually be taking out enemies from a distance, you are hardly going to take much damage from the enemy. Moreover, with the right setup, the Smithscript Daggers are going to deal a ton of damage and melt through bosses.
So if you are looking to cheese your way through the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, here are some of the best Throwing Dagger builds that you can try in Elden Ring.
Most OP Throwing Dagger builds in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC
1) The Frostbite Throwing Dagger build
Equipment, Spells, and Ashes of War:
| Category | Item |
|---|---|
| Main Weapon | Smithscript Daggers (Cold imbune) |
| Secondary Weapon | Commander’s Standard Any Talisman |
| Armor | Rakshasa’s set |
| Primary Talismans | Smithing Talisman Rotten Winged Sword Insignia Millicent’s Prosthesis Ritual Sword Talisman |
| Alternate Talismans | Shard of Alexander Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman Two-Headed Turtle Talisman |
| Primary Stats | Intelligence Dexterity Vigor Endurance |
| Secondary Stats | Faith Strength |
| Ash of War | Divine Beast Frost Stomp Rallying Standard |
| Spells | Flame Grant me Strength Golden Vow Flames Protect Me |
| Primary Crystal Tear | Opaline hardtear Thorny Cracked Tear |
| Alternate Crystal Tear | Dexterity-Knot Crystal Tear Greenburst Crystal Tear |
Attribute Distribution:
| Attribute | Points |
|---|---|
| Vigor | 60 |
| Mind | 15 |
| Endurance | 30 |
| Strength | 16 |
| Dexterity | 35 |
| Intelligence | 55 |
| Faith | 25 |
| Arcane | 09 |
How to use:
This is a throwing dagger build that relies a fair bit on inflicting the Forstbite status effect on the enemy. Daggers were always great at applying ailments, and with the Smithscript passive, you will now be able to throw your knives and apply Frostbite from a distance.
However, the dagger alone lacks AoE clear. This is where the Divine Beast Frost Stomp comes in. This Ash of War is a core part of some of the best Mage builds in Shadow of the Erdtree DLC and fits the Frostbite dagger build as well.
It can clear out mobs very easily and is amazing at applying the status effect on bosses. When Frostbite procs on an enemy they take significantly more damage. So your daggers will start chunking them out for more of their HP.
This build will also keep you safe in most encounters. As it primarily revolves around a ranged playstyle you can melt enemies from a distance and call your Spirit Ash to distract them if you are up against a particularly difficult boss.
2) The Bleed Ninja Throwing Dagger build
Equipment, Spells, and Ashes of War:
| Category | Item |
|---|---|
| Main Weapon | Smithscript Daggers (Blood imbune) |
| Secondary Weapon | Commander’s Standard Any Talisman |
| Armor | Head: White Mask Rest: Rakshasa’s set |
| Primary Talismans | Smithing Talisman Rotten Winged Sword Insignia Lord of Blood’s Exultation Ritual Sword Talisman |
| Alternate Talismans | Shard of Alexander Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman Two-Headed Turtle Talisman Millicent’s Prosthesis |
| Primary Stats | Dexterity Arcane Vigor Endurance |
| Secondary Stats | Faith Strength |
| Ash of War | Bloodhound’s Step Rallying Standard |
| Spells | Flame Grant me Strength Golden Vow Flames Protect Me |
| Primary Crystal Tear | Opaline Hardtear Thorny Cracked Tear |
| Alternate Crystal Tear | Dexterity-Knot Crystal Tear Greenburst Crystal Tear |
Attribute Distribution:
| Attribute | Points |
|---|---|
| Vigor | 60 |
| Mind | 10 |
| Endurance | 30 |
| Strength | 20 |
| Dexterity | 60 |
| Intelligence | 11 |
| Faith | 25 |
| Arcane | 50 |
How to use:
While this may not be among the best Bleed builds in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree it still gets the job done and will be effective against most enemies in the Land of Shadow. The build heavily relies on you procing the Hemorrhage status effect as it will then give you a significant damage boost from the White Mask gear piece and the Lord of Blood’s Exultation Talisman.
This build excels at dealing single-target damage. However, it’s going to feel a bit lacking when it comes to clearing out multiple enemies at the same time. While Bloodhud’s Step can keep you safe, it will still take you a considerable amount of time to clear some of the content.
In boss encounters, make sure to use the Mimic Tear. Your clone will help stack Blood Loss. You will be able to melt through most of the bosses in FromSoftware‘s latest expansion.
3) The Flame Burst Throwing Dagger build
Equipment, Spells, and Ashes of War:
| Category | Item |
|---|---|
| Main Weapon | Smithscript Daggers (Flame imbune) |
| Secondary Weapon | Commander’s Standard Any Talisman |
| Armor | Rakshasa’s set |
| Primary Talismans | Smithing Talisman Fire Scorpion Charm Shard of Alexander Ritual Sword Talisman |
| Alternate Talismans | Rotten Winged Sword Insignia Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman Two-Headed Turtle Talisman Millicent’s Prosthesis |
| Primary Stats | Faith Dexterity Vigor Endurance |
| Secondary Stats | – |
| Ash of War | Scattershot Throw Rallying Standard |
| Spells | As it’s a Faith build you will have access to every single Incantation in the game. So use the ones that fit your playstyle. |
| Primary Crystal Tear | Oil-Soaked Tear Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear |
| Alternate Crystal Tear | Dexterity-Knot Crystal Tear Greenburst Crystal Tear Opaline Hardtear |
Attribute Distribution:
| Attribute | Points |
|---|---|
| Vigor | 60 |
| Mind | 11 |
| Endurance | 30 |
| Strength | 16 |
| Dexterity | 50 |
| Intelligence | 11 |
| Faith | 80 |
| Arcane | 09 |
How to use:
This is currently one of the best Faith builds in the RPG which is capable of dealing a ton of burst damage in a very short amount of time. The core part of the build is the Scattershot Throw Ash of War which lets you conjure multiple copies of your dagger in both hands and then throw them all at once.
You can follow this up with additional inputs and keep throwing out more daggers in a fan-like AoE. If you are up close to an enemy and use this, their HP bar is going to evaporate. Each dagger in the skill deals damage, and if you are able to land every single one of them on a boss then you are guaranteed to chunk them for a third of their health.
It’s like a shot-gun build but as you are using a Smithscript weapon, you can still throw out individual daggers from a distance. Additionally, as your Faith will be 80 on this build, you will be able to use every single Incantation in the game. So if your daggers are not getting the job done, then you can always rely on your more powerful spells.
