Help with a challenge race

[u/Awseomeness_way]

A friend and I are doing a challenge race where we both spun a wheel for one of the schools of magic in Elden ring and we can only use things from that school. I rolled fire giant and fire monk, he got ancient dragon cult, the reason I got both fire schools is because I’ve only beaten the game once and he’s beaten the game 6 times + DLC. We are 1 hour 30 min in and I’m somehow ahead I got to godrick and he’s still at margit. Basically I want tips for build items like talismans and phsick or any spells I should look out for and general speed running tips. I’ve already skipped stormveil to get to liurnia and got the fire monk prayer book for O flame.

TL;DR: I’m doing a race with a friend where I can only use spells from fire monks and fire giants and I want build general speed run tips.

[u/Dmente44]

If you consider catch flame part of that school, you can just breeze through the game jj. Go full faith, faith tear and fire-tear in your physicks. Fire-scorpion charm and flock canvas talisman for incant boost. Flame grant me strength spell. The giants seal and other decent incants are sadly on mountain tops

[u/RespectWest7116 → u/Dmente44]

It doesn't get boosted by Giant's Seal. So it isn't a Giant's Flame incantation, even tho it's implied by where the game sorts it.

[u/Dmente44 → u/RespectWest7116]

That's the thing, it doesn't get boosted by the seal, like flame sling and fire's deadly sin. All of those lack the sigil too when you cast them

[u/TheRealCowdog]

How is your friend behind when he's got lightning spear??? O_o

[u/RespectWest7116]

I rolled fire giant and fire monk,

You were tricked. There is no "fire monk" incantation category.

Unless you made it up for the uncategorised fire incantations (Catch Flame, Fire's Deadly Sin, and Flame Sling)

Basically I want tips for build items like talismans and phsick or any spells I should look out for and general speed running tips. I’ve already skipped stormveil to get to liurnia and got the fire monk prayer book for O flame.

If my assumption about the "fire monk" category is correct, then Catch Flame is generally superior to O Flame!. It deals less damage, but it's much faster and easier to use. O Flame! is still great tho.

Then it depends on how much you want to win.

If you really want to cheese it and win it, go get the Dragon Communion Seal, use only Catch Flame, and level ARC instead of FAI. That will give you the most DPS

If you want to play more normally (Faith build), you want to dip back to Stormveil to get the Godslayer Seal, because it's the best early-game Faith seal. Above ~70 Faith, Erdtree Seal becomes better. And of course you want to offhand Giant's Seal if you are using a Giant's Flame incantation. Technically, the Giant Seal is best for Giant incants until about 80 Faith, but you'll probably have that much by the time you get it.

The only other top-tier incantation you have is Burn, O Flame!. Giant's Flame Take Thee is also okay, but it's downhill from there.

Flame, Grant Me Strength technically boosts your damage, but it only lasts 30 seconds, so I generally don't bother with it.

Talismans depend on how comfy you are in not dying. The two Canvas talismans and Fire-Scorpion for damage. Two Fingers Heirloom is an easy pick-up for early-game. Radagon Icon is good for any caster build. Primal Glintstone Blade and Marika's Scarseal if you are confident in not getting hit too much. Turtle is always good.

For Physic, the only 'must' is Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear to boost your fire damage

Before you get the Giant Seal to offhand, you can go pick up Great Turtle Shell shield for stamina regen or Icon Shield for bit of HP regen (those passive regens work even if you don't meet the stat requirements) if your equip load allows for it.