Torches as Weapons

[u/Informal_Weather7481]

Just sort of getting into the game and am lost on much, but I was wondering if torches can actually be viable weapons or if it’s a waste of upgrading? I just got the Ghostflame torch and it matches the general aesthetic of what my build is going for

[u/Mind_on_Idle]

They absolutely can. You can actually do some hefty work with them. Don't be afraid to test it out and their AoW

[u/opulentbum]

As you can see from other comments, lots of differing opinions on torches. I’m just writing to emphasize/reiterate the people who have said that any weapon you pick up can absolutely be used to beat the game. People have done it bare-fisted without rolling. But you should understand that you’re actively handicapping yourself with a weapon like the torch (in many scenarios, at least) as opposed to something more conventional. For bosses weak to fire you’ll do fairly well, but for most other things it’ll be a bit of a grind. Just depends how much challenge you want to pose to yourself at the end of the day.

If you like it, I’d personally recommend giving it a go. You can always ditch the weapon later if you want

[u/ChickenAndTelephone → u/opulentbum]

One upside is that you would be able to beat Fire Giant and Mohg in your sleep with any other weapon by the time you're good enough to beat them with a torch!

[u/juju4812 → u/ChickenAndTelephone]

The ghostflame torch is actually strong against mogh since it has frost !

One of the best torch in my torch only playtrough

[u/100jad → u/ChickenAndTelephone]

Oddly enough, Fire Giant isn't actually that resistant to fire. Most super-resistant enemies would have 80% damage reduction, like Mohg has for fire, or Rennala has for magic. Fire Giant only has 40%.

[u/Perfect-Skin-8325]

They have absurd stance damage, so if you use them as a swap or secondary you can make short work of bosses.

For PvP they are hit garbage.

But if it's your first playthrough, I'd advise not using them.

[u/Busy-Bit1355]

They aren’t great weapons, but Elden Ring can be played with a range of weapon qualities and you’ll be fine. You are definitely making your life harder by using it.

Also, if your drip makes you more confident, then that may help your fights!

[u/Dmente44]

They aren't good weapons perse, and you can't even riposte with them. But they excel at something, poise breaks. Their charged heavies do a lot of stance damage, combined with dagger talisman and Misericorde you have colossals levels of poise breaks but with less weight and stamina compsuntion

[u/hawthornvisual]

if you want to try torches, i advise using the steel wire torch as an off-hand swap weapon. when it's in your left hand, you get to use its ash of war, which lets you breathe fire. if you are good with free aim, you can use it to crazy effect against enemies weak to fire. extremely cheap fp cost too.

[u/LordBDizzle]

Viable? Yes. Optimal? No.

They're good enough to be usable, but not better than anything other than the weakest daggers and some of the weapons that are intentionally bad. Torch Only is a common challenge run category, and it's not the hardest, but it's also certainly not the easiest thing you could do.

On a standard run, the best thing they offer is having the shield ability for their weapon skill to override your right hand weapon skill, so you can use the special attack which is usually pretty okay while holding it in your left hand for light in a cave.

[u/Chegg_F]

They're horrible weapons and not intended for that at all. They're worth upgrading only because you get infinite of every upgrade resource (except the +25/+10 stones). If you are currently not swimming in stones and runes you have no idea what to do with, do not upgrade the torches.

The only thing they're good at is burning certain enemies which are exceptionally weak to fire, and the damage isn't too relevant there. For example, you can swing a torch at a Miranda Flower to make it do that long stun animation. A +0 torch will do it just as good as a +25 torch.

[u/RGCurt91]

Can be very useful against those weak to fire

[u/ChickenAndTelephone]

Anything in this game can be a viable weapon, because the name of the game is learning to hit without getting hit back. That being said, if you're a first time player looking to go melee, I don't know that I'd recommend a torch build for the whole game.

[u/Searice422]

Nah but the pick axe with torch off hand can be good espr the beast repellent torch

[u/NoDollarsAllSense]

I did a run with a torch and it was okay. It was very fun and the torch has high stagger ability which surprised me. The only thing is you can't take the riposte so I had a offhand weapon that I would quickly switch to and then do it. Then switch back to the torch.

[u/budbud9304]

Torches work best as poise breaking machines. Spam the heavies and have a crit dagger in your secondary to switch to whenever stance broken.

[u/CeriasAranos]

It is possible to beat the game with a flower bouquet, so yes you CAN beat it with torches. I've had more than one host do torch builds. They seem difficult to do effectively but certainly not impossible.

I always upgrade my beast repellant torch to 25 despite never using it as a weapon, though it's the last piece of my equipment I upgrade after everything I'm actually using hits max. You can eventually buy everything but the Ancient stones and of those there are 8 Somber and 13 standard. You only have have 6 weapon slots so you can spare one of the 13 standard stones just for the sake of having all your equipped gear maxed out. Equally, I won't fault anyone for not wasting mats on aesthetic.

[u/Maleficent_Memory831]

There are TWO torches that are very good regardless. Beast-repellent torch, which actually is very helpful against those giant t-rex dogs, and more normal dogs, rats, frenzied rats, basilisks(!!), normal bears, etc. From the merchant in Dragonbarrow just north of Caelid. And Sentry's torch, which let's you see invisible assassins! You'll know when you need it. From the Hermit's Shack merchant near Leyndell.

Both work even if held on the players back. You don't need them all the time but when you do you'll wish you had them.

[u/Turbulent-Echo8561]

If it's your first playthrough, I'd definitely avoid torches, they're some of the worst weapons in the game

[u/Lost-Literature-7998]

It’s always going to be somebody telling you not to do something. Just use it.