summary
Patch 1.17 makes the Spear of the Impaler more effective, with stronger throwing attacks and lower stamina costs. Combined with a Dexterity/Faith build and fire buffs, it becomes a fun and versatile invasion weapon, especially for players looking to buy Elden Ring Runes to support their overall character progression.
A Dexterity and Faith Setup
This build focuses on Dexterity and Faith, with Faith receiving extra investment to take better advantage of the spear's fire damage. The goal isn't to create an overly complicated setup, but to make every part of the Spear of the Impaler work together.
The main equipment choices include:
· Spear of the Impaler – The centerpiece of the build, combining long reach, fire damage, and its unique throwing attack.
· Winged Serpent Helm – Boosts Fire Knight skills, making it particularly useful for Messmer's Assault.
· Smithing Talisman – Improves the weapon's throwing attacks and directly supports the build's ranged pressure.
· Shard of Alexander – Greatly increases Ash of War damage, making Messmer's Assault even more dangerous.
· Two-Handed Sword Talisman – Provides additional damage when two-handing the spear.
· Erdtree's Favor +2 – Adds HP, stamina, and equip load, giving the build useful overall stats.
The rest of the armor can be chosen according to your preferred fashion. The important part is keeping the Winged Serpent Helm if you want to maximize the Fire Knight skill bonus.
Messmer's Assault Is the Main Threat
The biggest source of burst damage comes from Messmer's Assault. The Ash of War starts with a powerful flame-based attack that can hit multiple enemies, making it especially useful when opponents are grouped together.
You can continue into the follow-up attacks for even more damage, but there is an important trade-off: the complete animation is fairly long. Using the entire sequence without an opening can leave you vulnerable to a counterattack.
For that reason, the initial flame attack is often the safer option. If an opponent fails to escape or becomes trapped by the pressure, you can commit to the follow-ups and potentially take a huge chunk of their health.
How to Use the Throwing Attack
The Patch 1.17 improvements make the spear's throwing attack much more practical. Lower stamina consumption means you can use it during neutral exchanges without giving up too much defensive stamina.
However, it still isn't something you should spam. The animation remains relatively slow, and the tracking isn't particularly impressive at long distances. Prediction is more important than raw reaction speed.
Look for situations where the opponent has already committed to an action, such as:
· Healing after creating distance
· Recovering from a heavy attack
· Retreating in a predictable direction
· Relying heavily on a shield
· Repeating the same dodge pattern
Landing the throw in these situations makes it far more effective than simply throwing it randomly.
Buffing the Fire Damage
The Faith investment also allows the build to push its fire damage further. Flame, Grant Me Strength is an obvious choice, while a Fire-Shrouding Cracked Tear can provide another useful boost through the Flask of Wondrous Physick.
These buffs are particularly valuable before committing to Messmer's Assault. When the Ash of War connects properly, the combination of its multiple attacks and increased fire damage can produce devastating results.
Just remember that buffing takes time. In invasions, it is often better to create enough distance first rather than trying to activate every buff while several opponents are already attacking.
PvP Tips and Weaknesses
The Spear of the Impaler works best when you constantly change your attack timing. Its reach allows you to control space with heavy attacks, while the throwing attack gives opponents another threat to respect.
Terrain can also become part of the strategy. Fighting around corners, elevation changes, narrow passages, and environmental hazards can help compensate for the weapon's slower attacks and make it easier to isolate targets.
Its biggest weakness is commitment. Messmer's Assault can be brutal when it connects, but missing the opening can leave you exposed. The throwing attack also becomes less reliable at extreme range, so staying at a comfortable mid-range is usually preferable.
Final Verdict
Patch 1.17 makes the Spear of the Impaler feel much more complete. The improved throwing attack gives it a useful ranged option, while Messmer's Assault remains capable of delivering enormous damage when used at the right moment.
For players who enjoy Great Spears and want something different from the usual PvP choices, this Dexterity/Faith fire build is definitely worth trying. It combines reach, fire damage, ranged punishment, and strong area pressure into a surprisingly versatile setup, while cheap Elden Ring Runes can help support the character progression needed to put the build together.
The key is simple: control the distance, punish predictable movement, and save Messmer's Assault for the moments when your opponent has nowhere to escape.
