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Leant Thiel’s Greatsword is a powerful Dexterity-based PvP weapon in Elden Ring, combining Claymore-style attacks with a versatile Ash of War. With the right talismans, players can maximize skill damage, punish attacks, roll-catch opponents, and dominate invasions through flexible mix-ups and strong counterattacks. For players looking to optimize their build quickly, you can also buy Elden Ring Runes to help support stat allocation and overall character progression.
Why Is Leant Thiel’s Greatsword So Good?
Leant Thiel’s Greatsword stands out because it combines several useful attack patterns in one weapon.
Main strengths include:
· Claymore-style heavy attacks
· Crouching thrust/poke
· Strong jumping attacks
· Banished Knight-style jumping light attack
· Fast reaction-based Ash of War
· Charged heavy skill with high damage
· Dodge frames during the skill
· Excellent roll-catching potential
This combination gives you multiple ways to attack without becoming predictable.
For PvP players, the biggest advantage is that your opponent cannot easily tell whether you are going to use a normal poke, jumping attack, light skill attack, or heavy skill follow-up.
Best Stats for a Leant Thiel’s Greatsword Build
The recommended setup is a pure Dexterity build.
Priority stats:
1. Dexterity – Main offensive stat.
2. Vigor – Provides the HP needed for PvP trades.
3. Endurance – Improves stamina and equipment load.
4. Mind – Useful if you frequently cast the Ash of War.
The weapon has a relatively low Strength requirement, so there is little reason to invest heavily into Strength when building around its primary scaling.
For PvP, prioritize survivability alongside Dexterity rather than putting every available point into damage.
Best Talismans for Leant Thiel’s Greatsword
Your talisman setup should change depending on how you intend to use the weapon.
Best Skill-Damage Setup
For players who want to maximize the Ash of War:
· Shard of Alexander
· Rellana’s Cameo
· Godfrey Icon
· Bull-Goat’s Talisman
Shard of Alexander increases Ash of War damage, making it one of the most important choices for this build.
Rellana’s Cameo works particularly well with the stance because maintaining the stance briefly activates its damage bonus. This makes the subsequent attack considerably more threatening.
Godfrey Icon is useful when you frequently charge the heavy version of the skill.
Bull-Goat’s Talisman provides additional poise, allowing you to trade more confidently with aggressive opponents.
Best General-Purpose Talisman Setup
You do not always need to build around the Ash of War.
For a more consistent moveset-focused build, consider:
· Two-Handed Sword Talisman
· Shard of Alexander
· Rellana’s Cameo
· Spear Talisman
This setup is especially effective because Leant Thiel’s Greatsword has several thrusting attacks.
Spear Talisman can therefore complement the weapon’s pokes and counterattack potential, while Two-Handed Sword Talisman improves the damage of your two-handed moveset.
If an opponent refuses to attack and gives you no opportunity to activate Rellana’s Cameo, Spear Talisman becomes even more attractive.
How to Use Leant Thiel’s Ash of War
The Ash of War is arguably the most interesting part of this weapon.
It gives you two major attack options.
Light Attack: Dodge and Punish
The light version is best used as a reactionary counterattack.
Instead of activating it randomly:
1. Watch your opponent's attack.
2. Wait until they commit.
3. Activate the stance at the correct timing.
4. Dodge through the attack.
5. Immediately punish with the follow-up.
The timing is important. Using the attack too early can cause you to lose the advantage.
This makes the skill particularly useful against aggressive players who constantly attack into your space.
Heavy Attack: High-Damage Punish
The heavy version provides:
· Extended dodge frames
· A powerful thrust
· A potential heavy follow-up
· Excellent burst damage
The downside is its slower activation.
Do not automatically charge it every time you enter the stance. Experienced players can recognize the animation and punish you before the attack connects.
Instead, use the charged version against predictable attacks or opponents who give you enough time to prepare.
How to Roll Catch With the Greatsword
One of the best PvP techniques is using the weapon's attack sequence to punish panic rolls.
After landing the first heavy attack:
· Watch the opponent's movement.
· If they immediately roll backward, use the follow-up.
· If they continue attacking, switch to a defensive option.
· If they remain passive, return to your normal moveset.
The uncharged version can be especially effective because it is faster and can catch opponents during their recovery or roll animation.
This makes the weapon much more than a simple damage dealer—it becomes a mix-up weapon.
Use the Claymore Moveset to Stay Unpredictable
Do not rely entirely on the Ash of War.
The base moveset is already extremely strong.
Use:
· Crouching pokes to punish spacing mistakes.
· Heavy attacks when opponents expect a poke.
· Jumping attacks against parry-focused players.
· Running attacks to close distance.
· Normal slashes when opponents attempt to roll around you.
This variety is one of the main reasons the weapon performs so well in invasions.
A player who expects you to repeatedly use the Ash of War can quickly become vulnerable to a simple Claymore-style R2 or crouching poke.
Best PvP Strategy for Invasions
Leant Thiel’s Greatsword works particularly well in invasions because you can switch between aggressive pressure and reactionary punishment.
Against aggressive players
Use the Ash of War's dodge option to absorb their commitment and counterattack.
Against defensive players
Do not repeatedly charge the heavy skill.
Instead:
· Pressure with pokes.
· Use jumping attacks.
· Mix light and heavy attacks.
· Force them to react.
· Save the Ash of War for predictable attacks.
Against groups
Positioning becomes extremely important.
Try to separate the host and phantoms instead of fighting everyone simultaneously. Use terrain to avoid being surrounded, and be particularly careful around bleed builds, ranged spells, and large-area attacks.
Is Leant Thiel’s Greatsword Worth Using?
Yes, especially for PvP and invasion builds.
Its biggest advantage is not simply raw damage. The weapon gives you an unusually large number of ways to approach an opponent.
You can:
· Dodge and punish with the Ash of War.
· Charge the skill for burst damage.
· Roll catch with follow-ups.
· Trade using poise.
· Punish with Claymore-style pokes.
· Pressure with jumping attacks.
· Build around either the skill or the normal moveset.
For the best overall experience, start with a Dexterity-focused build, use Shard of Alexander, and experiment with Rellana’s Cameo. If you find yourself relying more heavily on the weapon's pokes and counterattacks, switch toward Spear Talisman and Two-Handed Sword Talisman.
The key to mastering this greatsword is simple: do not spam the Ash of War. Mix its dodge, heavy, poke, jumping, and normal attacks together. Once your opponent cannot predict which option is coming next, Leant Thiel’s Greatsword becomes a very dangerous PvP weapon. If you want to optimize your Dexterity build and upgrade your character efficiently, cheap Elden Ring Runes can also help support your progression.
