fans of Alden rings Dragon Communion are in for a treat with the new items and incantations available in the Shadow of the strawberry tree DLC. Not only does the Land of Shadow have an entire area dedicated to dragons capped with an epic boss battle, but players can now become a dragon themselves. Here are some ways to use both new and old items to maximize your damage output for your Dragon Communion build.
Alden rings base game provides the main key to this build, the 
Dragon Communion Seal
which can be found in the Prince’s hero’s grave. While this seal scales of Faith and Arcane, upgrading it to +10 with Somber Smithing Stones increases its Arcane scaling to S TierWhich is the highest possible scaling. The additional 15% bonus to Dragon Communion incantations also makes this an easy choice. Make sure to choose the seal to start your build.
Related
The best stats for building a Dragon Communion
Faith and arcane make a deadly combination
Stats are always important in your Alden ring Build. Your primary stat for this build will be ArcaneAn ability that affects both luck and status build. While the boost to luck is a welcome addition, we primarily want to push Arcane for the purpose of status build and direct damage from your Dragon Communion Seal. Status build increases the rate at which statuses, such as frostbite, blight or scarlet rotstood against your enemies. The higher the arcane stat, the More quickly the statuses popAllowing you to quickly apply multiple status effects to enemies.
Your next damage stat will be FaithThat affects the scaling of your seal (albeit a smaller amount), and also allows you to use more incantations. Although it is less important for the Dragon Communion incantations, it can be very useful to level faith In order to use other incantationsSuch as 
Golden vow
Flame, give me strengthTo increase your damage output and mitigation.
For stats, it’s important to consider soft caps while leveling. The first soft caps for both Faith (instances) and Arcane (Status Affect Buildup) are Level 60. While the Dragon Communion Seal only requires 10 Faith and 10 Arcane, many of your hard-hitting spells will need a few more levels, and the soft caps get the most bang for your buck.
An unexpected stat to keep in mind for this build is DexterityAlthough that may seem surprising at first. Although Dexterity is primarily used by players looking to use weapon-based builds, it is also important for casting builds because it Affects the casting speed of spells and incantations. Putting these dexterity points in will help you cast your Dragon Communion incantations faster, which is very important given the long animations of most of the incantations. The benefits cap at dexterity level 70, so you don’t need to add any more points after that.
The last two stats to equal are Endurance and mindWhich affect your total amount of stamina and FP respectively. Not only do Dragon Communion incantations require a lot of FP to cast, but they also use more stamina than most other spells. It is very important to ensure that you have a lot to spare, or your breath attacks will end early. Try to have At least 50 mind and 30 endurance As soon as possible.
Best Dragon Communion Incantations
How to choose which incantations to use
There are many Dragon Communion incantations to choose from, and your final choices are up to your preferences. However, there are some general guidelines that can help make your build more efficient. Dragonmaw and Dragonclaw may seem basic, like them Only deal with physical damageBut it’s not a bad idea to keep one or the other available. In addition to physical damage, both have fair Decent pause damageWhich can help keep smaller enemies in check.
Incantations that do elemental damage can be excellent for situations where Enemies or bosses have a weakness to this type. For example, Fingercreepers and Erdtree Avatars are weak to Fire Damage, and Hoarah Loux is weak to Magic Damage. It is recommended to use At least one elemental damage incantation Choose at any time and swap them as needed to face certain challenges. You can also increase the damage Talismans or your wonderful physique For your selected damage type.
Where this build really shines, however, is with these Status damage incantations. By focusing on Arcane, players can Increase the rate at which they apply statusesSuch as Scarlet Rot and Frostbite, which deal damage over time effects and increase damage taken by enemies. Dragonice and Borealis’ Mist are both fantastic openers for any boss fight, like applying the Frostbite condition Increases their damage taken by 20%. Follow up with Rotten Board or Ekzyke’s Decay to apply Scarlet Rot, which will Deal significant damage over time. Talismans and armor can also be used to increase damage based on statuses.
Ultimately, Greyoll’s Roar is a fantastic, all-around opener for almost any boss battle. While it deals normal physical damage, the roar applies a significant debuff to enemies, Decreasing their attack by 15% and defense by 10% for 60 seconds. You can use it at the start of a hard fight, even before using a Frostbite attack, to increase the damage received from all follow-up attacks. As an added bonus, this incantation also Deals a small amount of pause damage Which can help stagger large groups of smaller enemies, and also deals heavy knockback if their stance is broken.
Did you know that Dragon Communion breath incantations Can be thrown medium? Not only can you throw them after jumping, but you can also throw them while dropping off higher ledges. For some bosses, it’s a good idea to jump before casting breath attacks, as this can help you avoid some hitboxes, especially from stomp and ground AoE attacks. Greyoll’s Roar is the only one that doesn’t work in the air.
The best talismans for a dragon communion build
Maximizing damage depends on your incantations
The next thing to consider is talismans, such as Faithful’s Canvas Talisman or Flack’s Canvas Talisman, which Increase all incantation damage by 4% and 8%respectively. The Brom Medallion Increases roar and breath attacks With an additional 10% damage, including the Dragon Communion breath incantations.
For an additional boost, the Radagon icon will allow you to Cast spells even quickerWhich can be useful due to the long windup of most Dragon Communion incantations. This works by applying Virtual Dexterity, which decreases the casting time. However, you may consider upgrading the Radagon Icon to the beloved Stardust Talisman, which Greatly increases casting speed at the cost of -30% damage absorption. If you plan on slinging spells from afar, this might be a safe choice for you.
If status troubles are your style, don’t forget to grab the Kindred of Roth’s Exultation which grants you a 20% boost to attack power for 20 seconds in the area of ​​poison or rot. Additionally, if you are using a blood weapon or swapping in a few blood spells, such as 
Swarm of flies
The Lord of Blood’s Exaltious The same boost, but for blood loss.
If you want to push your damage to the max, there are a few more ways to increase elemental damage. The fire, magic, and lightning scorpion charms each Increase their respective elemental damage by 12%respectively, although they Increase physical damage taken by 10%. You should only choose one of these at a time. Ideally, you’ll only have one incantation slotted for damage, such as 
Aghel’s flame
For fire or 
Smarag’s Glintstone Breath
for magic. In a similar way, Talisman of the Dread Increases Magma ability damage by 14%which includes both magma breath attacks and the new incantation, 
Bayle’s tyranny
.
The best armor for a Dragon Communion build
When in doubt, add more arcane
The best armor for a Dragon Communion build is Thiollier’s SetA new armor set from the Shadow of the strawberry tree DLC. Both the Mask and Garb increase Arcane by +3 and +2 respectively, with no penalties. Aside from this set, the Silver Tear Mask gives the highest arcane boost with a +8, however Comes with a penalty to physical attack power at -5%. Likewise, the albinauric mask increases Arcane +4 while Reducing the recovery effects of your Flask of Crimson Tears.
The combat armor options come with no penalties, so feel free to use them as you wish. The circle of light, found in the DLC, Boosts Intelligence, Faith and Arcane by +1 while also increasing the power of Mikella’s incantations. If you’ve decided to have additional incantations that fit the criteria, this might not be a bad option for you. Finally, the mushroom crown Raises attack power by 10% When poison or scarlet rot occurs in the area. If you regularly use Rotten Breath or Ekzyke’s Decay, this can be a good option for increasing damage output.
However, you may want to leave armor entirely for Shadow of the strawberry trees newest treat: the reusable item, The stone heart. Like these 
priest heart
This item requires the player to remove all equipment before activating. When used, the player is Transformed into an ancient dragon warrior Until their next death. Passively, this item gives a +50 boost to all status resistances and a 10% increase in all damage negated. When activated again once in dragon form, it gives a 20% damage increase to Dragon Communion incantations for 60 seconds.
Overall, Dragon Communion build is one of the most powerful casting builds in Alden ringAlthough with the detriment of more casting time and resource cost. The incantation variety allows players to tailor their build to suit their needs, especially when it comes to enemy and boss weaknesses. It also synergizes well with other successful arcane and faith weapons, allowing for a sort of hybrid build that has access to buff incantations and powerful weapons. Overall, it’s a fun, flavorful build that packs a punch.
- platforms
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PS5, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Released
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February 25, 2022
- developer(s)
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From software
- Multiplayer
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Online co-op, online multiplayer
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence