Complete guide to Elden Ring 1.04 weapon buffs, sorcery improvements, and meta-changing balance updates
Understanding the 1.04 Update Impact
The Elden Ring 1.04 patch introduces transformative balance adjustments that significantly reshape combat dynamics across The Lands Between.
FromSoftware’s latest Elden Ring 1.04 update delivers substantial improvements to previously underutilized weapon categories and spell types, creating new opportunities for diverse character builds. Discover how these changes affect both PvE and PvP gameplay strategies.
This comprehensive balance patch addresses long-standing community feedback about weapon viability and spell effectiveness. Unlike previous incremental updates, version 1.04 implements sweeping changes that elevate multiple playstyles previously considered non-competitive. The adjustments particularly benefit strength-based builds and magic users who struggled with resource management.
Colossal weapons receive the most noticeable improvements, addressing their primary weakness against Elden Ring’s notoriously agile bosses and enemies. Meanwhile, magic users gain significant quality-of-life enhancements through reduced FP costs and faster casting speeds. Before committing to your next playthrough or respec, understanding these meta shifts is crucial for optimizing your build effectiveness.
Strategic implications of colossal weapon buffs
Magic build efficiency improvements
Weapon skill animation enhancements
Status effect balance adjustments
Early game character progression changes
All modifications documented below originate directly from FromSoftware’s official 1.04 patch notes. Future updates will likely continue refining game balance, so consider these changes as part of an evolving meta rather than permanent solutions. The development team appears committed to addressing player feedback systematically.
Colossal Weapon Renaissance
Colossal weapons undergo transformative improvements that address their core mobility issues while enhancing defensive capabilities. These changes fundamentally alter how strength builds approach combat encounters.
Pro Tip: Monitor Elden Ring server status during major updates to avoid connectivity issues
The sluggish attack speed that made colossal weapons challenging against quick opponents has been substantially improved. Developers increased attack velocity while reducing recovery frames, creating more offensive windows without compromising damage output. Two-handed attacks specifically benefit from damage amplification.
Increased Colossal Swords/Colossal weapons attack speed and lowered their recovery time. Jump attack not included.
Increased the two-handed attack damage of Colossal Swords/Colossal Weapons. Jump attack not included.
Increased physical block rate and guard boost of the Colossal Sword, Colossal Weapons, Great Sword, Great Hammer, Great Axe, Great Spear, and Halberd weapon classes.
Increased the damage of Grafted Blade Greatsword.
Increased the damage of Devourer’s Scepter.
Practical Application: The improved block rates make colossal weapons viable for hybrid offensive-defensive playstyles. Combine with Barricade Shield ash of war for exceptional damage mitigation while maintaining pressure. The Grafted Blade Greatsword now competes with end-game options thanks to its damage buff.
Sorcery and Incantation Overhaul
Building upon the 1.03 magic adjustments, FromSoftware delivers comprehensive spell enhancements that improve casting fluidity and resource efficiency across multiple schools of magic.
Comparative weapon balance changes in other games
Previous Elden Ring patch character adjustments
Elden Ring character class fundamentals
Advanced Strategy: Study legendary player ‘Let Me Solo Her’ for boss combat mastery techniques
Reduced FP consumption dramatically improves magic build sustainability, particularly during early game when Cerulean Tears are scarce. The casting speed increases create better combat flow, allowing spellcasters to respond more effectively to enemy aggression.
Enhanced poise during spellcasting enables more aggressive positioning, while improved recovery times reduce vulnerability windows. These changes collectively address the primary weaknesses that made pure caster builds challenging in high-level content.
Crystal Barrage – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Gavel of Haima – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time. Allows caster to more easily withstand enemies’ attack while casting.
Shatter Earth – Increased cast speed and decrease recovery time. Allows caster to more easily withstand enemies’ attack while casting.
Rock Blaster – Decreased recovery time. Allows caster to more easily withstand enemies’ attack while casting.
Thop’s Barrier – Increased area of effect and slightly increase effect duration.
Rennala’s Full Moon – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Ranni’s Dark Moon – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Carian Greatsword – Increased cast speed at lower dexterity.
Magma Shot – Decreased FP cost and increased cast speed.
Roiling Magma – Increased cast speed and decreased time until magma explodes.
Gelmir’s Fury – Slightly decreased the random nature of projectile’s range and increased the damage of lava pool. Increased the hitbox.
Rykard’s Rancor – Decreased FP cost.
Oracle Bubbles – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Great Oracular Bubble – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Briars of Sin – Decreased recovery time. Increased blood loss buildup on enemy.
Briars of Punishment – Decreased recovery time. Increased blood loss buildup on enemy.
Explosive Ghostflame – Decreased FP cost and recovery time.
Tibia’s Summon – Increased damage and cast speed.
Aspects of the Crucible: Tail – Decreased FP and Stamina cost.
Aspects of the Crucible: Horns – Decreased FP and Stamina cost, Increase cast speed. Increased the distance traveled when not charged and made it easier to cause enemies to flinch when charged.
Elden Stars – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Black Blade – Decreased Stamina consumption and decreased recovery time.
Discus of Light – Decreased FP cost. Increased damage and cast speed.
Triple Rings of Light – Increased damage.
Radagon’s Rings of Light – Decreased FP cost. Increased damage and cast speed. Decreased recovery time.
Lightning Strike – Decreased Stamina cost. Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Honed Bolt – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Ancient Dragons’ Lightning Spear – Decreased FP and Stamina cost. Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time. Allows caster to more easily withstand enemy attacks while casting.
Ancient Dragons’ Lightning Strike – Decreased recovery time.
Lansseax’s Glaive – Decreased FP and Stamina cost. Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time. Allows caster to more easily withstand enemy attacks while casting.
Fortissax’s Lightning Spear – Decreased FP and Stamina cost. Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time. Allows caster to withstand enemy attack while casting more easily.
Frozen Lightning Spear – Decreased Stamina cost. Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time. Allows caster to more easily withstand enemy attack while casting.
Death Lightning – Decreased FP cost, Increased the duration of death-accumulating smoke.
O, Flame! – Increased damage.
Giantsflame Take Thee – Decreased Stamina Cost.
Flame of the Fell God – Decreased FP cost and increased damage.
Whirl, O Flame! – Increased damage, decreased recovery time.
Burn, O Flame! – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Black Flame – Increase damage and the spell can break enemy’s guard more easily.
Scouring Black Flame – Decreased FP cost and recovery time. Increased attack range and area of effect.
Black Flame Ritual – Reduced FP cost and increased damage.
Gurranq’s Beast Claw – Increased damage and decreased recovery time.
Bloodflame Talons – Decreased FP cost and increased cast speed. Decreased recovery time.
Bloodboon – Increased damage. Increased cast speed and decreased effect start-up time, decreased recovery time.
Pest Threads – Decreased Stamina cost.
Scarlet Aeonia – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time. Allows caster to more easily withstand enemy attacks while casting.
Unendurable Frenzy – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time. Decreased the random nature of projectile’s range and increased Madness buildup on enemies.
Inescapable Frenzy – Increased cast speed.
Placidusax’s Ruin – Decreased FP, Stamina cost and recovery time.
Dragonclaw – Decreased FP, Stamina cost and recovery time and made it easier to cause enemies to flinch when charged.
Dragonmaw – Decreased FP, stamina cost, recovery time and increased cast speed and made it easier to cause enemies to flinch when charged.
Greyoll’s Roar – Decreased FP, Stamina cost and recovery time.
Adula’s Moonblade – Decreased the power of single cast and improved performance so that the blades and frost hit more consistently and continuously. Increased cast speed at lower dexterity.
Flame, Fall Upon Them – Decreased the damage of single cast and improved the performance so that it hits the enemy multiple times. Decreased FP cost.
Howl of Shabriri – Decreased the madness buildup on the enemy. Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Swarm of Flies – Decreased blood loss buildup on enemy.
The Flame of Frenzy – Decreased madness buildup on enemy.
Frenzied Burst – Decreased madness buildup on enemy.
Optimization Insight: The reduced FP costs enable more sustained spellcasting without frequent Cerulean Tears consumption. Consider reallocating points from Mind to other attributes if you previously invested heavily in FP management. The casting speed improvements make Radagon’s Icon talisman less essential for certain builds.
Weapon Skill Enhancements
Weapon skills (Ashes of War) receive substantial quality-of-life improvements that increase their viability in both PvE and PvP scenarios. The addition of animation cancel options represents a significant gameplay evolution.
Multiple weapon skills now feature roll-cancel windows during attack animations, dramatically improving defensive responsiveness. This change particularly benefits slower, commitment-heavy skills that previously left users vulnerable to counterattacks.
Lion’s Claw – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Kick – Increased cast speed.
Hoarah Loux’s Earthshaker – Increased cast speed. Increased cast speed on follow up input, decreased recovery time.
Troll’s Roar – Decreased Stamina Cost. Increased cast speed on follow up input, increased distance traveled.
Giant Hunt – Decreased recovery time.
Storm Assault – Decreased recovery time.
Carian Greatsword – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time. Increased the damage when charged and made it easier to cause enemies to flinch.
Carian Grandeur – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time. Increased the damage when charge and made it easier to cause enemies to flinch.
Gravitas – Increased cast speed.
Flaming Strike – Increased the travel distance of a stepping cleave in a strong attack.
Black Flame Tornado – Added hitbox to weapon when spinning, and added a window to roll during the attack to cancel the animation.
Lightning Slash – Increased cast speed. Added a hitbox to the stomp animation.
Sacred Blade – Increased cast speed.
Sacred Ring of Light – Increased cast speed.
Poisonous Mist – Increased cast speed.
Poison Moth Flight – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Ice Spear – Added a hitbox to the weapon’s spinning animation.
Chilling Mist – Increased cast speed.
Assassin’s Gambit – Increased cast speed.
Shield Bash – Increased cast speed.
Shield Crash – Decreased Stamina cost. Increased cast speed.
Blade of Gold – Decreased Stamina cost. Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Blade of Death – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Golden Tempering – Decreased FP cost and increased cast speed. Increased effect duration.
Last Rites – Increased cast speed.
Mists of Slumber – Increased cast speed.
Eochaid’s Dancing Blade – Increased travel distance, added a window to roll during the attack to cancel the animation.
Unblockable Blade – Increased cast speed with the weapon Coded Sword.
Alabaster Lords’ Pull – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time. Added a window to roll during the attack to cancel the animation.
Establish Order – Decreased recovery time and increased cast speed on follow up input. Increased damage. Made it easier to cause enemies to flinch.
Moonlight Greatsword – Decreased FP cost. Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time. Increased the frost buildup effect during the skill duration.
Wave of Gold – Decreased FP cost. Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Wolf’s Assault – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
The Queen’s Black Flame – Increased cast speed. Added a window to roll during the attack to cancel the animation.
Dynast’s Finesse – Decreased Stamina cost.
Flowing Form – Decreased Stamina cost.
Death Flare – Increased cast speed.
Onyx Lord’s Repulsion – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time. Added a window to roll during the attack to cancel the animation.
Magma Guillotine – Decreased Stamina cost, Increased cast speed. Decreased recovery time on follow up input.
Cursed-Blood Slice – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Ice Lightning Sword – Increased cast speed. Added a hitbox to the stomp animation.
Rosus’ Summons – Decreased recovery time.
I Command Thee, Kneel! – Increased cast speed including follow up input. Added a window to roll during the attack to cancel the animation.
Gold Breaker – Decreased FP cost. Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Familial Rancor – Added a window to roll during the attack to cancel the animation.
Nebula – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time with the weapon Bastard’s Stars.
Regal Beastclaw – Increased cast speed.
Devourer of Worlds – Increased cast speed.
Regal Roar – Decreased recovery time.
Spearcall Ritual – Decreased recovery time.
Ancient Lightning Spear – Decreased FP cost and increased cast speed. Allows player to more easily withstand enemies’ attacks while casting.
Great-Serpent Hunt – Decreased recovery time and increased damage. Allows player to more easily withstand attacks from enemies.
Frenzyflame Thrust – Decreased FP cost, decreased recovery time. Decreased madness buildup on self.
Bloodboon Ritual – Increased cast speed.
Miquella’s Ring of Light – Increased cast speed.
Sea of Magma – Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time. Added a window to roll during the attack to cancel the animation.
Flame Dance – Decreased Stamina cost, decreased recovery time. Added a window to roll during the attack to cancel the animation.
Storm Kick – Decreased Stamina cost.
Bear Witness! – Increased cast speed.
Thundercloud Form – Decreased damage when not charged. Decreased FP cost. Increased cast speed and decreased recovery time.
Combat Strategy: The animation cancel feature fundamentally changes how you approach high-risk weapon skills. Practice timing your roll cancels to maintain offensive pressure while preserving escape options. Skills with added hitboxes (like Lightning Slash and Ice Spear) now deal damage throughout their animations rather than just at impact.
System-Wide Balance Adjustments
Beyond specific weapon and spell adjustments, the 1.04 patch implements systemic changes that affect build viability and gameplay mechanics across multiple dimensions.
Decreased the scaling of status effect build-up from spells and incantations of Albinauric Staff and Dragon Communion Seal.
Decreased the effect of Greatshield Talisman for weapons with high block rate.
Shortened the length of the madness afflicted animation.
Lowered the speed of madness buildup recovery.
Slightly increased FP and Stamina growth rate at lower levels*
The nerfs to Albinauric Staff and Dragon Communion Seal specifically target overpowered status effect builds that dominated PvP. This adjustment brings bleed, madness, and other status builds more in line with other playstyles while preserving their viability.
Greatshield Talisman’s effectiveness reduction prevents excessive defensive stacking with already high-block-rate weapons. The madness animation duration decrease improves PvP quality of life, while the slower madness recovery creates more strategic depth in Frenzy build matchups.
The increased FP and Stamina growth at lower levels significantly improves early game character progression, reducing the resource management struggle for new players and creating smoother progression curves.
Common Mistake Avoidance: Don’t overinvest in Arcane for status builds expecting pre-patch performance levels. The Albinauric Staff and Dragon Communion Seal adjustments require more strategic application of status effects rather than spam casting. Balance your talisman selections since Greatshield Talisman no longer provides overwhelming benefits with high-block weapons.
So, there you have it, every buff and nerf Elden Ring update 1.04. Make sure you check out our Elden Ring page for all the latest news and guides.
How to change your appearance in Elden Ring | How to respec your character | Academy Glintstone Key | Smithing Stones | Elden Ring Stonedigger Troll | Elden Ring Margit the Fell Omen | Elden Ring Tree Sentinel | Elden Ring Grave Warden | Elden Ring Pumpkin Head | Elden Ring Soldier of Godrick | Elden Ring Godrick the Grafted | Elden Ring Red Wolf of Redagon | Elden Ring Rennala
No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » All buffs & nerfs in Elden Ring update 1.04: Colossal weapons, Sorceries, Weapon Skills, more Complete guide to Elden Ring 1.04 weapon buffs, sorcery improvements, and meta-changing balance updates
