Looking for the best Vagabond build in Elden Ring? Then this guide is definitely for you. Classes in FromSoftware's Elden Ring don't really matter as much as in other games as no item is locked to any particular class, and you can level any statistic up at any point.

And yet, we still came up with great suggestions for weapon swaps and upgrades that feel like natural upgrades of Vagabond's starting gear.

The Vagabond is among the best classes for beginners to the Elden Ring and newcomers to all the Soulsborne games.The protection of his armor and an excellent shield make this class a very safe pick as he can withstand way more punishment than the other starting classes.

Best of all Vagabond starts out with a 100% physical protection shield, the Heater Shield. It should be noted that this class is a poor choice if you want to use magic in the game. You can build towards it for sure. But if you want a full-blown magic or incantation character, then start with a class that already can cast spells from the beginning of the game. Let's now look at the Elden Ring's best Vagabond builds.

Best Elden Ring Vagabond build

• Weapons
  • Sacrificial Axe – A great, great, great axe that can be picked up in Weeping Peninsula. So relatively early into the game. Requires 16 Str and 10 Dex and scales great with both of those stats. Starts out with the amazing “Wild Strikes” Ash of War. It can be swapped out for anything you like, but I recommend keeping it a while.
  • Grafted Blade Greatsword – Is something for those who prefer Str over Dex. Its a really cool, and powerful colossal sword. It can be once again picked up sensibly early into your Elden Ring adventure. However, it requires whopping 40 Str to be wielded properly.
  • Bloodhound's Fang – A great great curved sword that you can pick fairly early with the help of Blaidd in the encounter against Bloodhound Knight Darriwill. It hits hard and also applies blood loss buildup so if you are a fun of hemorrhage weapons it's a great pick.
  • Claymore – A solid pick early on as it with the Lion's Claw that somesaults toward enemies and strikes them.
  • Morgott's Cursed Sword – A weapon obtained from the “soul” of Morgott the Omen King. Scales with Dex and Arcane. On that note, you do need 17 Arc to wield it. So some “magic-related” levels are required for this awesome collosal curved sword. But its so worth it!
  • Axe of Godrick – A Greataxe that you can naturally obtain via slaying Godrick the Grafted. Axes and greataxes often require both Str and Dex, while also scaling with both of these stats. It also features a unique ash of war, which is bad ass. And since you get this weapon after defeating one of the “main” bosses, you get it fairly early.
  • Golden Halberd – A great option for anyone who wants to go primarly Str and then Fai as backup. As it requires whopping 30 Str! But it can be obtained right after starting the game. From the infamous Tree Sentinel boss in the overworld.
  • Golem Greatbow – This is a nice option if you are into archery, and you invested into a lot of Str. It scales with both Str and Dex. It can also be picked up fairly early into your adventure.
• Shields
  • Your starting Heater Shield is plenty powerful already, blocking 100% of physical damage. This is the most important type of damage to block with your shield. The only thing to worry after that, is to swap your shield out for something lighter that still blocks 100% physical, so you can equip heavier armor.
• Armor Sets
  • The Vagabond playstyle of swinging heavy weapons comes hand in hand with running around in heavy full plate armor. After all, you dont want the boss to one shot you after you whiff a swing and enter a prolonged recovery animation! That being said. Here are some great heavy armor sets in the game! So if you must wear something, be sure it is one of those:
  • Beast Champion Set (combined weight is 40.1) – This requires you to sadly slay the Warmaster. But his might set of armor is througly worth it! Not only is it absolutelty stylin, but it has such a great defense parameters.
  • General Radahn Set (combined weight is 39.2) – A late game armor that is equal parts physical resistant and equal part magic resistant. Making it a jack of all trades but master of none, type of deals. To me, its versitality is well worth it!
• Ashes of War
  • Ash of War: Endure: Endure will boost your poise and reduce damage taken for a brief period. It also boosts Strength scaling at the expense of other stats' scaling. You can get buy it from Knight Bernahl at the Warmaster's Shack for 600 Runes.
  • Ash of War: Barricade Shield: Barricade Shield will come in handy against bosses as it increases the shield's guard boost by 40% while active and increases the deflection ability of your shield. To get it you will have to defeat Night's Cavalry at Weeping Peninsula.
  • Ash of War: Cragblade: Cragblade increases attack power and poise by 10% along with the chance to break the enemy's stance for 30s. You will find it West of the Impassable Greatbridge site of Grace, on a scarab in a sword monument.
• Talismans
  • Erdtree's Favor: Erdtree's Favor works great with most classes that carry heavy armor and weapons as it raises the maximum HP, stamina, and equip load and the Vagabond is no exception.
  • Green Turtle Talisman: Since you will be blocking a lot this is a great pick as it will help recover stamina faster. You can get it at Summonwater Village in Limgrave.
  • Starscourge Heirloom: Increase Strength which is Vagabond's primary stat by 5 levels. You will find it at Fort Gael in Caelid.
  • Claw Talisman: This one may be viable option in case you utilize a lot of jump attacks. You will find it at Stormveil Castle.

Vagabond build stats

As a melee class that is among the tankiest in Elden Ring the stats you should focus on as a Vagabond are pretty straightforward. Most weapons you will be wielding will focus scale on Strength and will have it as a requirement.

• Most Important Atributes To Level Up
  • Strength is the primary attribute for the Vagabond class, as you will need it both for your weapons and shields.
  • Endurance is also valuable both in terms of the stamina and equipment load so it should also be among your top priorities.
  • Vigor is also an important stat as Vagabonds operate as tanks in Elden Ring so it's best to ramp up that HP.
  • Dexterity may be needed circumstancially depending on the weapons you decide to use. Increasing Dexterity will open up the opportunities for weapons to wield, but it is not a necessity.

The many armaments available to you as soon as you pick them up are a great asset to any Vagabond build. Bundled with the extremely high equipment due to high endurance will turn you into a walking arsenal with specific weapons for every kind of situational need. And you should never underestimate just how much versatility that offers! You can also always mix in some ranged combat for much-needed utility.

Finally, if you are wondering which keepsake to kick at the start of the game as a Vagabond, the Golden Seeds are the best option for this class too, as you will pick up a ton of Stonesword Keys and other items down the road.

This guide covers the best Vagabond builds in Elden Ring. If you ever get lost and stray off the path, you can always come back to us. We have excellent guides for Elden Ring and many informative posts about requirements and tips. And build for classes such as the Samurai, Wretch, or the Confessor. Do not be afraid to seek some help! The game is seriously tough.