Best Incantations in Elden Ring: Ultimate Guide for Faith Builds

Elden Ring offers a vast arsenal of magical abilities, but when it comes to building a powerful Faith-based character, incantations are where the real fun begins. These versatile spells allow players to heal, buff, and decimate enemies with holy flames, lightning strikes, and rotting dragon breath. Whether you’re just starting your Tarnished journey or you’re deep into NG+ runs, understanding the best incantations Elden Ring has to offer can elevate your gameplay to a whole new level.

In this in-depth guide, we’ll break down the top incantations for every phase of the game—early, mid, and late—as well as highlight the absolute best picks for PvE and PvP. Whether you're hunting bosses or invading other players, this guide will help you become a Faith-slinging powerhouse.

What Are Incantations in Elden Ring?

Incantations in Elden Ring are a type of magic that scale primarily with the Faith stat. Unlike sorceries, which are cast with staves and scale with Intelligence, incantations are performed using Sacred Seals. They draw power from the gods, dragons, and primordial forces, making them incredibly diverse in function and appearance.

There are several types of incantations, including:

• Healing: Restore HP to yourself or allies.
  
  
• Support: Buff damage, defense, or stamina recovery.
  
  
• Fire: High-damage spells fueled by the Erdtree or Frenzied Flame.
  
  
• Lightning: Fast-casting, powerful spells ideal for mobility-focused combat.
  
  
• Dragon Communion: Devastating breath attacks and claws gained from dragon hearts.
  
  
• Abyssal/Black Flame: Damage-over-time incantations that scale with Faith and Arcane.
  
  

Let’s dive into the best incantations Elden Ring players can use across various stages of the game.

Best Early Game Incantations

When you're first venturing into Limgrave, you’ll need incantations that are low on FP but high on impact.

Catch Flame

Type: Fire
FP Cost: 10
Why It’s Good: One of the fastest-casting incantations in the game. It deals high burst damage and can be spammed for close-range fights.

Lightning Spear

Type: Lightning
FP Cost: 18
Why It’s Good: A well-rounded projectile spell with decent range and fast casting speed. Excellent for both PvE and PvP.

Flame Sling

Type: Fire
FP Cost: 13
Why It’s Good: Easy to obtain and great for softening up enemies from a distance.

These incantations help build early momentum and are easily accessible from vendors like Brother Corhyn or the Dragon Communion Church.

Best Mid Game Incantations

By the time you reach Altus Plateau or Leyndell, you’ll need incantations with higher damage and greater utility.

Flame, Grant Me Strength

Type: Buff
Effect: Increases physical and fire attack power
Why It’s Good: A staple for any melee/Faith hybrid. It buffs your output massively and stacks with other buffs like Golden Vow.

Golden Vow

Type: Buff
Effect: Increases attack and defense for the caster and allies
Why It’s Good: One of the best team support buffs, especially effective in co-op or when fighting groups of enemies.

Bloodflame Blade

Type: Weapon Buff
Effect: Adds fire and bleed to your weapon
Why It’s Good: Perfect for bleed builds. It turns any weapon into a bleed machine, especially strong in PvP.

Dragonclaw

Type: Dragon
Effect: Close-range slam with high poise damage
Why It’s Good: Staggers enemies and deals tremendous damage. It’s particularly useful against tougher enemies or mini-bosses.

Best Late Game Incantations

The endgame in Elden Ring throws the toughest enemies at you. These incantations ensure you’re up for the challenge.

Ancient Dragons’ Lightning Strike

Type: Lightning
FP Cost: High
Why It’s Good: Incredible area-of-effect damage. Ideal for crowd control or chunking down massive bosses.

Burn, O Flame!

Type: Fire
Effect: Unleashes a giant AoE fire burst
Why It’s Good: Amazing burst damage in close quarters. Excellent for clearing out groups or ending boss phases quickly.

Flame, Fall Upon Them

Type: Fire
Effect: Rains fireballs over a wide area
Why It’s Good: Deals with multiple enemies at once, great for both exploration and dungeon delving.

Pest-Thread Spears

Type: Rot/Projectile
Why It’s Good: Particularly effective against large bosses with slow movements. The tracking projectiles deal significant rot damage over time.

Black Blade

Type: Abyssal
Effect: Deals HP-reducing damage over time
Why It’s Good: Not only does it deal high initial damage, but it also reduces the target’s max HP—very strong in both PvP and PvE.

Best PvP Incantations

While many incantations are PvE-focused, several excel in PvP thanks to their speed, utility, or pressure potential.

Catch Flame

Still one of the best PvP tools due to its speed and DPS. Great for roll-catching and pressuring opponents.

Lightning Spear

Ideal for punishing flask chugs or keeping opponents at bay. Fast enough to compete with sorceries.

Dragon Maw / Dragonfire

These flashy dragon-based incantations can zone out opponents and deal serious damage if timed correctly.

Messmer’s Orb

Why It’s Good: This newer incantation from the DLC is highly unpredictable, making it perfect for PvP mind games.

Best Healing and Support Incantations

Faith builds aren’t just about damage. Some of the most useful incantations in Elden Ring are about keeping yourself or your allies alive.

Erdtree Heal

Type: Healing
Why It’s Good: The strongest AoE healing spell in the game. A must-have for co-op sessions or Faith-based paladins.

Heal From Afar

Type: Healing
Why It’s Good: Heals allies at a distance, making it perfect for support builds in group play.

Blessing of the Erdtree

Effect: Gradually restores HP over time
Why It’s Good: Can be cast before or during fights to provide passive healing for long engagements.

Incantations Elden Ring Tier List Summary

Here’s a simplified breakdown of the incantations Elden Ring players should aim for at each stage:

Final Thoughts: Building Your Faith Arsenal

The diversity and raw power of incantations in Elden Ring make them an exciting choice for any Faith-based build. Whether you want to smite enemies with heavenly lightning or rot them from the inside out with dragon spells, there’s something for every playstyle.

Experimenting with different incantations, seals, and armor combinations will let you fine-tune your build for any challenge the Lands Between throws at you. As always, test out what works best for your style and adapt based on whether you’re facing PvE bosses, invaders, or just trying to solo the DLC content.

Ready to become the next Prophet of Flame or Dragon Apostle? Pick up your Sacred Seal and let the divine power flow.