Best Elden Ring Sorceries And Spells For Intelligence Builds

You'll want to know all about the best Elden Ring sorceries and spells for Intelligence builds during the early and late game periods, as they'll allow you to get through the corrupted Lands Between much easier. There are many sorcery spells to choose from, especially later on in Elden Ring. So if you want to know the best from the worst, check out our breakdown of the best Elden Ring Sorceries. 

• Are you hoping to collect all the legendaries? If so, read our guide on where to find all the Elden Ring legendary sorceries and incantations.

Elden Ring Sorcery Requirements And Best Talismans

Most sorcery spells require a healthy intelligence stat, so you’ll want to invest some levels in both intelligence and mind to increase the pool of magic at your disposal. Sorcery requires a staff to wield so it’s a good idea to equip both a staff and a shield on your left armament for easy access. Certain Talismans can also boost your efficiency as an intelligence-based spell caster.

The Cerulean Amber Medallion increases your maximum FP and comes in a +1 and +2 version which is even more potent. To retrieve the Cerulean Amber Medallion +2, you’ll have to travel to the underground room at the Lunar Estate Ruins and pay the Imp statue a Stonesword Key.

Marika’s Soreseal Medallion is a great all-rounder. It adds +5 to mind, intelligence, faith and arcane. However, the drawback is that it also increases all damage taken by 15%. The +5 bonus to both mind and intelligence makes this drawback worth the cost however. To get this Talisman, it is blocked by an Imp Statue seal in Haligtree. So, you’ll have to have a Stonesword Key, and have progressed through Haligtree enough to have reached the Prayer Room Site of Grace.

Th Graven-Mass Talisman raises the overall potency of sorceries meaning it can increase magic damage inflicted by 8%. You can acquire this Talisman by solving the Imp statue puzzle at Albinauric Rise in the Consecrated Snowfield (an area unlocked with the Haligtree Medallion). The tower will show a statue of two Imps fighting, to lift the seal on the tower doors you’ll have to either summon an Imp with the Fanged Imp Ashes or use a Bewitching Branch to turn the Imps already there against each other.

The Stargazer Heirloom adds a significant five levels to your base intelligence stat when equipped. To get this Talisman you’ll have to progress through Ranni the Witch’s questline almost to completion as it is located at the top of the Divine Tower of Liurnia (Only accessible after acquiring the Carian Inverted Statue from Ranni).

• For a full run-down of Ranni’s quest and how to complete it, read our guide to the Elden Ring Ranni quest.

Where To Buy Sorceries In Elden Ring

There are several NPCs littered in the Lands Between that can sell and teach you sorceries.

Sellen the Sorceress

If her quest is unfinished, she can be located behind a secret wall in the Waypoint Ruins in Limgrave. She sells the Glintstone Pebble, Glintstone Arc, Glintstone Stars, Crystal Barrage, Scholar’s Armament and Scholar’s Shield spells. Scrolls can be given to Sellen to learn more spells, but she does move location if you progress through her quest.

Miriel the Pastor of Vows

Located at the Church of Vows, he’s a good option for handing in scrolls as he doesn’t move from this spot during the game, so you’ll be able to access your new spells easily. He sells the Magic Glintblade, Carian Greatsword and Blessing’s Boon spells. He will also accept Ancient Dragon Prayerbooks, Two Fingers’ Prayerbooks and Fire Monk’s Prayerbooks from the player for an even larger spell inventory.

Thops

If his quest has not been completed, he will be located at the Church of Irith in Liurnia of the Lakes. He sells the more common Glintstone spells that being, Glintstone Pebble, Glintstone Arc and Starlight.

Rogier

First located in the alter room at Stormveil Castle, before moving to the Roundtable Hold. He sells the Glintstone Pebble, Carian Greatsword and Spinning Weapon Ashes of War.

Gowry

Gowry is an intrinsic character in the Millicent questline. He will be located at Gowry’s Shack in Caelid, south of Sellia, Town of Sorcery. If the first stage of Millicent’s quest is triggered and you retrieve the Unalloyed Gold Needle for him, he will become a merchant. He sells the Glintstone Stars, Night Shard, Night Maiden’s Mist, and pest Threads spells.

Preceptor Seluvis

After you progress Ranni’s quest far enough to meet her advisors, he becomes available as a merchant at Seluvis’ Rise, next door to Ranni’s Rise. He sells the Carian Phalanx, Carian Retaliation, Glintstone Icecrag and Freezing Mist spells.

• If you’re looking to meet one of Ranni’s other counsellors, Blaidd and complete his side quest, read our guide on Elden Ring Blaidd and where to find him.

Best Elden Ring Sorceries For Early Game

Glintstone Pebble

This can be purchased very early on from Sellen at the Waypoint Ruins in Limgrave, or from Thops. It will already be part of the starting equipment if you choose the Astrologer class. What makes this spell so effective for the early stage of the game is its low FP cost and the fact it only requires 1 spell slot to use.

It is effective against smaller and fast enemies as it has a low casting time without any drawn-out animations. You will be able to shoot several pebbles in a row without running out of FP even at the very start of your playthrough.

Rock Sling

This can be found in a relatively early part of the game and only requires 18 intelligence to cast. This spell summons three rocks from the ground and shoots them against enemies. It can be found in a chest in a cellar north of the Street of Sages Ruins and only requires one spell slot to use.

Although the rocks can crash against the landscape as well as enemies, if summoned behind your targets the rocks can fly backwards to hit them. The Rock Sling spell is special in that it can be used alongside the Meteorite Staff to increase its damage output (The staff is also found near the Street of Sages Ruins, on a corpse and also only requires 18 intelligence to use).

Unseen Form and Unseen Blade

This makes the caster and Torrent almost completely invisible if the spell is casted whilst riding and lasts for 30 seconds. Unseen Blade makes your right-hand armament invisible which is particularly useful in PVP to disguise what effect your weapon will have from more knowledgeable players. Unseen Blade can be found by solving the riddle at the top of Mirage Rise and takes 12 intelligence to cast.

Unseen Form is more useful in single player instances to sneak around enemies and deal critical backstabs. Unseen Form can be located through the same puzzle at Mirage Rise and takes 16 intelligence to cast. Enemies will still be able to hear your footsteps however, so it may be worth pairing this with Crepus’s Vial Talisman which removes all sound made by the player when moving. This Talisman is earned by following the Volcano Manor quests.

Glintstone Arc

Like the Glintstone Pebble, it can be purchased from Sorceress Sellen at the Waypoint Ruins. Needing only 13 intelligence to cast, it’s an obtainable spell early on in the game. It is also a starting item for the Astrologer class and can also be purchased from Thops at the Church of Irith.

Essentially it deals magic damage like the Glintstone Pebble, but as a wave instead of a single shot. Meaning it can inflict damage on multiple targets as an AOE spell. As such, it costs slightly more FP to cast but still only requires one spell slot to use.

• These spells fit nicely in with an Astrologer build who prioritises mind and intelligence levels. To maximise your character read our guide on how to create a successful Astrologer build.

Best Elden Ring Sorceries For Late Game

Carian Phalanx

This spell essentially casts out multiple Glintblades around you and automatically targets enemies nearby. They can attack multiple targets meaning it can be great for crowd control. Unfortunately, they can break on scenery like cliff edges our buildings, so you can sometimes loose a few blades before they’ve found their targets.

The Carian Phalanx spell can be bought by Seluvis in his tower for 12,000 runes. The spell sits at a mid-range cost, requiring 34 intelligence, 1 spell slot to use and 26 FP cost.

Loretta’s Greatbow

Anyone who has travelled through Nokron will tell you that the Ancestral Followers are a huge pain. You can be minding your own business taking in the starry skies of the city and suddenly you’re shot in the back with a giant spectral arrow. Thankfully Loretta’s Greatbow equips you with your very own spectral bow to get some much-needed revenge. Despite only needing an intelligence of 26, the arrow packs quite a punch against targets, even more so if you hold it into a charged attack.

This will increase the damage by 22% and increases even more if used with the Godfrey Icon Talisman, (this Talisman increases the power of charged spells and skills). The only downside is the slow wind up which can be interrupted and leave you vulnerable. If shooting at targets from a range this is fine though, and it looks as powerful as it feels. You receive this sorcery in Caria Manor after defeating the Royal Knight Loretta boss.

Comet Azur

This spell is one of the most damage inducing in the game as you summon a comet at your enemy. It’s a late-game contender as it requires a whopping 60 intelligence to cast. The FP cost is 40 which is manageable considering the level you’ll be to wield it anyway. However, like with all big spells the animation and time to cast can cost precious seconds, so its preferable to use this against bigger enemies and bosses rather than crowds, particularly because it casts out one singular powerful beam.

To gather this spell you simply have to talk to Primeval Sorcerer Azur on Mt. Gelmir – something Sorceress Sellen will ask you to do anyway if you’re following her questline. This is one of the legendary sorceries needed to complete the trophy/achievement for collecting them all.

Founding Rain of Stars

This is one of the hardest spells to locate as it will require you to get across an invisible bridge and follow a set of mist clouds as clues. This spell summons multiple bolts from above to be showered on your enemies, acting as a short-range AOE spell. It requires 52 intelligence to cast and can be found in a chest within Heretical Rise located in the Mountaintops of the Giants.

To get to this section of the map will require you to have advanced half-way through the main story. There’s a slight pause after casting the spell before damage rains down, meaning you can get some distance and stand back to watch the show. This is also listed as a legendary sorcery for the trophy/achievement.

Ranni’s Dark Moon

This is essentially the more powerful version of Rannala’s Moon (which can be acquired once completing her boss fight). Ranni’s Dark Moon summons an actual moon that you can fling at your enemy with high damage. The animation for this shows the moon being summoned and twisted out from the player however, meaning it takes valuable seconds to cast. Thanks to this, and the fact it targets one enemy at a time, it is most useful against larger foes.

It is one of the legendary sorceries, so you’ll have to collect it if you wish to complete the trophy/achievement for collecting them all. It requires 68 intelligence to cast and can be found in a chest at the top of Chelona’s Rise.

Carian Greatsword (Honourable Mention)

The Carian Greatsword summons a spectral greatsword that uses FP rather than stamina to wield once summoned. It has massive reach, great for cleaving at melee and aggressive enemies in particular, assassins who can be staggered by the Carian Greatsword if timed right.

This sorcery can be purchased for 10,000 runes from Miriel from the Church of Vows and requires 24 intelligence to cast, meaning you’ll likely be able to use it early to mid-game.

As mentioned throughout, Talismans are useful for boosting your character builds. To find the most powerful ones in the game, read our guide on how to find all eight Elden Ring Legendary Talismans.