Here I will share a top build that is proficient in Art of Wielding Bows and Naginatas and can easily destroy enemies with Life Steal and huge Bleed procs, this is Bleed Cross-Naginata Bow Build.

It is also very versatile in many situations because of its powerful hard-hitting arrows. So if you are looking for another worn and interesting Strength Build, then Bleed Cross-Naginata Bow is the one for you.

In this guide, we will guide you on how to maximize this build, explain the challenges that this build may face, and help you overcome them. So, ultimately this guide will help you decide whether you want to use this build.

Gameplay

This is a well-trained and fierce warrior who is good at Wielding Bows and Naginatas and is able to adapt to many situations in battle. Not only is it able to fire multiple hard-hitting arrows from a distance, it is also able to ensnare and kill enemies while being able to deal tremendous damage at melee range with multiple rapid thrust attacks. In addition, Bleed Cross-Naginata also absorbs the blood of enemies to sustain itself in combat.

Stats

Let’s move on to the stats of this build.

First, we allocated 50 points to Vigor to give the user a fair survivability in combat. As always, if you think you really need more health when adapting to the gameplay of this build, you are always welcome to adjust it to 60 points.

This setup requires a small amount of Focus Points to achieve optimal performance, so we allocated 20 points to Mind. However, because enemies die quickly, we don’t need to invest too many points in Mind.

For Endurance, 25 points is just right for this play style.

Strength and Dexterity are our main offensive stats in this build, so we need to allocate 72 points to Strength and 67 points to Dexterity.

We added 25 points to Faith so that we can cast a critical buff later.

Finally, for this particular configuration, no points were added to Intelligence and Arcane.

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Weapons

Now it’s time to get into the gear for this build.

Main Weapon: Cross-Naginata

We will be using Cross-Naginata as our main damage weapon for this build. Note though that this Naginata requires 16 Strength and 20 Dexterity to use properly. You can also infuse the weapon with Quality Affinity for better scaling, and thus a higher attack rating.

For Ash of War for Cross-Naginata, we chose Blood Tax. In this configuration, it will deal a ton of damage while keeping it easy to use and giving the user the ability to regain health when Blood Tax hits a target.

It is worth noting that pressing L2 once will allow the user to perform a fierce multiple-hitting thrust, causing enemies to take continuous damage, which can easily increase the amount of blood loss.

Secondary Weapons: Finger Seal & Ansbach’s Longbow

Continuing with the secondary weapon of this build, Finger Seal. We need to use this to be able to cast the critical buff later. Obtaining this equipment is very easy, especially for players with enough Elden Ring Runes, as you can find it sold by Twin Maiden Husks in Roundtable Hold.

Another secondary weapon is Ansbach’s Longbow, which will become the main ranged weapon. The unique skill of this bow, Fan Shot, allows the user to shoot 8 arrows at the same time in a spread movement. If the target is hit at close range, they will take more damage.

Spells

Continuing with a look at the spells recommended for this build.

As always, the first on the list is Flame Grant me Strength, which grants an additional 20% Physical Attack Boost and Stamina Recovery Buff.

The second buff is, of course, Golden Vow. This buff increases overall damage by 15% and adds 10% damage negation, which is very helpful for Bleed Cross-Naginata Build.

Next is Bloodflame Blade, with it we can greatly speed up the bleed damage on the target. Because of the multi-hitting attack animation of this skill, it pairs well with Ash of War: Blood Tax.

Talismans

For the best Talisman choice for this build, Shard of Alexander is still on the top of the list, as it increases skill damage by 15%.

The next Talisman for this build is Lord of Blood’s Exultation, as you will be dealing with fast and frequent bleed procs in this build. When it is active, you can easily knock down the target and end the fight.

If the enemy doesn’t bleed, you’re welcome to swap Lord of Blood’s Exultation for Two-Headed Turtle Talisman for better stamina regeneration.

For the last slot, since we’re dealing with fast multiple-hitting attacks as the major source of damage for this build, slotting in Millicent’s Prosthesis and Rotten Winged Sword Insignia is your best bet.

Pros & Cons

Finally, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of this build so you can improve your gameplay.

Speaking of pros, the first on the list is, of course the insane damage output of this build. Blood Tax has a big multiplier that can deal burst damage in a single gambit or damage window. Its satisfyingly fast animation can be used in many situations.

This build is capable of dealing bleed procs because of Blood Tax’s animation, so it’s easy to knock down targets when using this build.

Of course, Blood Tax’s additional Life Steal mechanic can be an immense help to many players, adding more sustainability and survivability to the build.

The last pro is FP Efficiency of this build. Blood Tax only requires 15 Focus Points, while Fan Shot only requires 12 Focus Points, so you can cast a ton of skills before you have to use your flask again.

As for the cons, to be honest, this is one of those builds that doesn’t have too many cons since this is another S-tier build. The one con I can think of is that not everyone wants to use a bow. Switching stances takes time to master, so a lot of people might find using a bow and switching to a melee weapon a bit clunky.

Also, this is a build that is super strong because of bleed procs, but some players hate making the game tedious and don’t want a fair experience. So this might not be for everyone.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Bleed Cross-Naginata Bow is a very strong build that is amazing at being able to deal a lot of damage in a short period while still being sustainable to the user.

If you’re the type of player who likes to play the game easily while being good at both ranged and melee, this build is for you. However, if you’re the type of person who hates overly powerful builds, you might want to skip it because its power will absolutely let you hack and slash through all your enemies with ease.