Here’s a detailed gameplay guide for Stormveil Castle in Elden Ring, tailored for a Strength Build, set to Hard Difficulty with emphasis on strategic progression, resource efficiency, and completionist goals. --- Elden Ring: Stormveil Castle Strength Build Guide --- (Main Objectives) 1. Enter Stormveil Castle via Main Gate or Side Path. 2. Explore for Smithing Stones & Upgrade Materials. 3. Defeat Margit (if not already) and Godrick the Grafted. 4. Unlock Shortcuts and Hidden Routes. 5. Acquire Key Strength-based Weapons & Talismans. 6. Exit towards Liurnia of the Lakes. --- (Primary Threats & Challenges) Enemy/Obstacle Threat Level Counter-Strategy for Strength Builds Ballista Barrage (Main Gate) Extreme Avoid frontal charge; use side path through broken wall. Banished Knights High Use Guard Counters & heavy stagger weapons (e.g., Greatswords, Greathammers). Warhawks (Flame-beak Birds) Moderate Lure into tight spaces; swat them mid-air with charged heavy attacks. Lion Guardian (Optional) Very High Can be skipped; but for rewards, use high poise armor & hit after its lunge. Godrick the Grafted (Boss) Boss-Level Rely on poise damage, keep mid-range, and punish post-whirlwind. --- (Best Tools & Equipment for Strength Builds) Type Recommended Items Location/Method Weapon Greatsword, Brick Hammer, Battle Axe Farm Banished Knights / loot along cliffside path. Talisman Radagon’s Scarseal (+Strength) Fort Haight (pre-Stormveil optional). Ash of War Lion’s Claw (Somersault Attack) From Lion Guardian (optional mini-boss). Shield Greatshield of Banished Knight Dropped by Banished Knights near Rampart Tower. Armor Banished Knight Set Farmable in Castle, high poise & defense. Flask Upgrade Golden Seed (near Rampart Tower grace) Use to upgrade flask charges. --- (Progression Route & Shortcuts) 1. Entry & First Fork Choice A: Main Gate (Hard Mode Route): Activate Lever to open gate (after talking to Gatekeeper Gostoc). Extreme Ballista hazard. Choice B: Side Path (Stealth/Exploration Route): Break the wooden planks on the side for safer entry (ideal for first run). 2. Rampart Tower Shortcut (Priority Unlock) Clear rooftop Warhawks, enter tower. Unlock elevator shortcut back to Rampart Tower Grace. Pro Tip: Utilize jump attacks against Warhawks to prevent stun-locking. 3. Hidden Routes for Strength Builds Behind the lift near the Rampart Tower, a broken wall leads to an optional area with Smithing Stones. Drop-down balconies & ledges often hide powerful crafting materials and Ember enemies with rare drops. 4. Lion Guardian (Optional Challenge Room) Found in the courtyard guarded by crossbows. For strength builds, equip the heaviest armor available and abuse the Guardian’s large recovery windows after slams. Reward: Lion’s Claw Ash of War (great Strength scaling special move). 5. Godrick’s Arena Shortcut After reaching the Lift Room with the dual Banished Knights, look for a door that loops back to the courtyard near Rampart Tower Grace. This shortcut is crucial for boss runbacks. --- (Boss Fight Guide: Godrick the Grafted) Phase Tactics for Strength Builds Phase 1 Stay close to his left leg, use Guard Counters post-swing. Charged Heavy Attacks stagger him. Watch out for overhead axe slams. Phase 2 Fire-based attacks; equip Flame Resistance Talisman (if found) or boost with Fireproof Dried Liver. Time your attacks after his flamethrower sweep. Summons Use Nepheli Loux (summon sign outside fog wall). Her aggro draws Godrick’s attention, allowing heavy jump attacks from you. Rewards Godrick's Great Rune, Remembrance of the Grafted (can be traded for Axe of Godrick). --- (Hidden Items & Completionist Checklist) Item Location Usefulness Golden Seed Near Rampart Tower Upgrade Flask charges. Sacred Tear (optional, outside Castle) Church of Pilgrimage (pre-Stormveil) Flask potency upgrade. Smithing Stones [1-3] Throughout ledges, side rooms Weapon upgrades. Rusty Key (Unlocks Armory Path) Looted after Banished Knight in narrow hall Accesses essential upgrade areas. Giant Crusher (Ultra Great Weapon, Post-Stormveil) Available in Altus Plateau (plan for post-castle). --- (Resource-Saving Tips) 1. Lure & Isolate Enemies: Use ranged taunts (throwing daggers) to avoid multi-enemy fights. 2. Conserve Flasks: Equip a Greatshield for high guard boost, minimizing chip damage. 3. Efficient Runes Farming: Clear the Banished Knights near Rampart Tower repeatedly; they drop decent runes and upgrade materials. 4. Don’t Waste Smithing Stones on non-Strength scaling weapons. Prioritize large, heavy weapons that align with your build. --- (Replay Value & Speedrun Optimization) Hard Mode Entry Route: Main gate challenge run for Ballista-dodging mastery. Lion Guardian Skip: Speedrunners can skip this via precise rooftop jumps but miss out on the Ash of War. Quick Access to Godrick: Unlocking all elevators and backdoors ensures a <5 min run-back for retries. Item Completionist Runs: Ensure all cliffside drop-downs are explored, many players miss hidden stones and crafting mats. Alternate Remembrance Reward: Consider using Godrick’s Remembrance for Axe of Godrick on Strength New Game+ runs. --- (Upgrade Path Recommendation after Stormveil) Stat Target Level (Post-Castle) Reason Strength 30+ Wield Ultra Greatswords/Greathammers two-handed with effective scaling. Endurance 20+ Heavy armor without fat-rolling; larger stamina pool for charged swings. Vigor 25+ Tanky enough for late-game areas like Altus Plateau & Leyndell. --- Ready for Liurnia of the Lakes? After Stormveil, your Strength build will snowball into mid-game dominance with upgraded weapons and high poise. Focus on Ruin Fragments, Somber Smithing Stones, and unlocking Radahn’s festival for the next strength-optimized boss challenge. --- Do you want me to also create a Strength Build Weapon Tier List (Early-Mid Game) to go along with this guide? It will help you prioritize which weapons to invest in for maximum damage and efficiency through the rest of Elden Ring.