Understanding weapon scaling in Elden Ring is essential to building a powerful character and mastering the game’s complex combat system. As someone who has spent hundreds of hours exploring the Lands Between, I can tell you firsthand: learning how your weapons scale with your stats is the difference between a mediocre build and a deadly one. Here are seven tips based on experience and expertise to help you grasp Elden Ring’s weapon scaling system—and how it affects your Elden Ring Items, stats, and overall gameplay.

1. Know What Weapon Scaling Means

Weapon scaling refers to how well a weapon’s damage increases based on your character’s stats. For example, a sword that scales with Strength (STR) will deal more damage as you increase your Strength stat. Weapons can scale with Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, and Arcane. Check the weapon’s status screen to see the scaling letters (S, A, B, C, D, E)—where “S” is the best.

In my early playthrough, I leveled up Intelligence expecting all magical weapons to benefit, only to find my katana still hitting like a wet noodle. Once I understood scaling, I respecced my character, and suddenly, enemies dropped like flies.

2. Pay Attention to Weapon Grade Letters

Each weapon shows scaling letters in its stats. The grade determines how effectively that weapon benefits from your stats. For example, an “A” grade Faith weapon will benefit more from each point in Faith than a “C” grade one. I always check this before investing runes into leveling up—otherwise, you might waste valuable Elden Ring Runes on unoptimized builds.

3. Upgrading Weapons Affects Scaling

When you upgrade a weapon using Elden Ring Items like Smithing Stones or Somber Smithing Stones, its base damage increases—but so does its scaling potential. In many cases, a weapon might go from “C” scaling to “B” or even “A” as it’s upgraded. Early on, I hesitated to use my rare upgrade materials, but after testing the damage increases, I realized that investing in a high-scaling weapon was crucial.

4. Ashes of War Can Change Scaling

Ashes of War not only give your weapons new skills but can also modify how they scale. For instance, applying a Heavy Ash of War will boost Strength scaling, while a Keen one will favor Dexterity. This level of customization allows you to tailor weapons to your character's build. I experimented with a Greatsword that originally scaled with Strength but changed it to Intelligence using the Magic affinity—perfect for my sorcerer setup.

5. Use Runes Wisely for Scaling-Based Builds

Whether farming or purchasing, managing your Elden Ring Runes is essential. Don't just blindly level up all stats—focus on those that align with your weapon scaling. In one build, I dumped runes into Endurance and Vigor but neglected Dexterity. My twinblades suffered in damage output, and I had to grind more runes to respec later. Learn from that mistake: scale your stats to your weapons.

6. Some Weapons Have Unique Scaling

Boss weapons and legendary weapons often scale differently than regular ones. For example, some may have dual-scaling, benefiting from both Intelligence and Dexterity. The Moonveil katana is a fan favorite for this reason. Make sure to experiment with special Elden Ring Items from late-game bosses—you’ll find some truly unique scaling options that create devastating combos.

7. Refer to U4GM for Weapon Recommendations

When I first started diving into weapon scaling mechanics, I often felt overwhelmed. That’s when I turned to resources like U4GM, which provided clear, updated guides on weapon builds, rune farming, and scaling strategies. Their tools helped me refine my character without wasting precious materials or time. Especially when dealing with new patches or balance updates, having a reliable guide makes all the difference.

Weapon scaling is at the heart of build optimization in Elden Ring. If you want to make the most of your Elden Ring Items and your hard-earned Elden Ring Runes, understanding scaling is non-negotiable. Through hands-on experience, experimentation, and a few mistakes along the way, I've learned how powerful the right scaling synergy can be. With resources like U4GM and a bit of patience, you can turn any weapon into a boss-slaying masterpiece.