The Elden Ring Dragon Communion Incantations don't really have a stellar reputation among players. Players often deem them to be quite underwhelming, especially when they take into account how much they've had to go through to obtain them in the first place. After all, beating a dragon in Elden Ring (or any other FromSoftware game for that matter) is no easy feat.
Related: Elden Ring: The Most Underrated Incantations
While it may be true that many of the possible Incantations players can buy at the Church and Cathedral of Dragon Communion are not all that impressive, some of them are pretty powerful, and they deserve to be acknowledged. After all, there is only one way to make use of Dragon Hearts, so why not spend them on something that can actually come in handy when traversing through the Lands Between?
Updated on June 19, 2023, by Nahda Nabiilah: Acquiring any Dragon Communion Incantations is pretty simple since players only need to exchange some Dragon Hearts at the Church of Dragon Communion (Limgrave) and Cathedral of Dragon Communion (Caelid) in Elden Ring. On the other hand, obtaining Dragon Hearts is far from simple as Tarnished must defeat fearsome dragons which are scattered all around the Lands Between. Each dragon has its unique breath that will prove to be difficult while fighting it. Upon defeating certain dragons, players will unlock their breath as Incantations in Elden Ring.
14 Magma Breath
Upon defeating the Magma Wyrm boss found southwest of the Seethewater Terminus Site of Lost Grace, Magma Breath will become available for purchase at the Cathedral of Dragon Communion in Caelid for the price of one Dragon Heart. The required stats aren’t difficult to obtain since the Incantation needs 14 Faith and 10 Arcane.
The idea behind Magma Breath is to stack lava pools by casting the Incantation repeatedly. Said pools inflict Fire Damage which can be used against bosses like Erdtree Avatar, Putrid Avatar, and Ulcerated Tree Spirit in Elden Ring. Magma Breath is similar to Theodorix's Magma but with lower stats requirements and the pools inflict less damage.
13 Dragonclaw
The Dragonclaw is one of the early-game Dragon Communion Incantations that players can obtain from Limgrave. It only costs one Dragon Heart and requires 17 Faith and 13 Arcane. Thanks to some Elden Ring patch updates, Dragonclaw consumes only 24 FP instead of the old 32, which means it can be used a lot more.
Tarnished who chooses the Dragonclaw Incantation will transform into a dragon and attack foes using giant claws. It’s best used against a big horde of enemies to defeat them as quickly as possible. Another great method to use Dragonclaw is to wield an Elden Ring Seal in both hands and cast the Incantation using them both to trigger a long series of chain attacks.
12 Glintstone Breath
Although Glintstone Breath is located inside the Cathedral of Dragon Communion in Caelid, it’s easily obtainable from the early game since players can use various methods to teleport to the Rotten Land. It’s also possible to travel there normally since Caelid is next to Limgrave. As for the requirements, Glintstone Breath costs one Dragon Heart and calls for 15 Faith as well as 12 Arcane.
Glintstone Breath deals Magic Damage which can be useful against bosses like Decaying Ekzykes, Demi-Human Chief, and the late-game Elden Ring boss Hoarah Loux, Warrior. Other than large enemies, it’s possible to take advantage of the Incantations’ wide range to clear out a big group of enemies.
11 Rotten Breath
Alongside Bleed and Poison damage, Scarlet Rot is one of the most universally powerful damage types in the entire game. The Rotten Breath Incantation, while not necessarily impressive in terms of dealing immediate damage, can help players get through tough encounters by effectively infecting their foes with the Rot. It's one of the best dragon incantations for those looking to avoid direct combat encounters for as long as possible.
Particularly useful against tough late-game bosses like Maliketh, the Black Blade as well as dispersing groups of enemies, Rotten Breath is a worthy addition to any player's Incantation repertoire. Moreover, its Faith requirement is only 15, which means that even builds that do not prioritize that particular stat will be able to make good use of it.
10 Dragonmaw
This Dragon Communion incantation also generates a dragon's head on top of the player, this time rapidly biting away at any opponent that strays into its path. Costing only one Dragon Heart, this low-cost incantation is particularly useful in the early-to-mid stages of the game. However, it costs a lot more Faith than the Rotten Breath spell and makes for a slightly worse choice for players who aren't looking to invest a lot of their skill points in that particular attribute.
However, Faith-based builds in Elden Ring should have a field day with Dragonmaw, as it combines particularly well with melee strikes, allowing skilled Tarnished to unleash deadly flurries of attacks finalized by this quick sequence of dragon bites. This ability scales with Faith, and in order to be able to equip it, one needs to have at least 26 Faith points and 16 Arcane.
9 Dragonice
Another low-cost Dragon Communion Incantation, Dragonice can be used by non-magic focused builds to stun enemies and apply elemental damage to gain the upper hand in battle.
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With the Dragonice Incantation activated, the caster's head turns into a dragon, spewing icy breath on everything that stands in their way. Much more useful against hordes of mob enemies than major bosses, Dragonice is the ideal choice for melee-focused builds who want to dabble in a tiny bit of magic.
8 Smarag's Glintstone Breath
Players looking for powerful Incantations that are also visually stunning should look no further than Smarag's Glintstone Breath. It lifts the player a few feet off the ground and projects a hefty amount of magic damage onto enemies.
Contrary to Dragonice or Rotten Breath, this Elden Ring Incantation requires slightly more Faith to use (23 points), but it is well worth the skill point investment, considering how effective it is at draining the health bars of non-magic resistant bosses. Smarag's Glintstone Breath also comes in handy when coming up against large or flying mobs.
7 Theodorix's Magma
Unlike direct Fire damage, Magma Incantations are great at dealing prolonged damage to enemies. Obtainable for two Dragon Hearts after defeating the Great Wyrm Theodorix, Theodorix's Magma is an incantation that will slow enemies down in their tracks, preventing them from getting close enough to dish out melee damage.
Very useful for any STR/FTH build (which is one of the more popular Elden Ring builds), this Incantation can be utilized in a variety of ways, but it's most effective against fire-susceptible bosses and mobs. The fact that it spews the destructive magma from above is an additional advantage.
6 Greyoll's Roar
Obtainable after defeating Greyoll, the Elden Dragon residing in Caelid's Dragonbarrow, Greyoll's Roar is one of the easiest dragon-specific incantations to get, simply because this boss does not directly attack the player. Instead, Greyoll relies on the five lesser dragons gathered around him to strike at the Tarnished. However, with the help of Torrent and some manual skill, their advances can easily be avoided, allowing the player to focus on reducing Greyoll's health bar to zero by hitting his tail.
Greyoll's Roar costs three Dragon Hearts at the Altar of Dragon Communion, but it's well worth the investment, especially for players with Faith builds. It unleashes a powerful AoE attack that doesn't only damage enemies directly, but also reduces the power of their attacks and makes them more vulnerable to the player's hits for 60 seconds. Greyoll's Roar requires 28 Faith and 17 Arcane to equip.
5 Agheel's Flame
As is the case with other powerful Dragon Incantations in Elden Ring, Agheel's Flame also only becomes available after defeating a specific dragon. In this case, the necessary foe is the Dragon Agheel in Elden Ring. Although still a formidable boss, he is not as difficult as some dragons encountered in the game and can be found in Limgrave.
Related: Elden Ring: Best Locations In Limgrave
With a high enough Faith level, this Incantation is arguably one of the most powerful fire spells in the game, both due to its long range, as well as the fact that it spews flames from above, which increases its effectiveness against shielded and high-poise enemies.
4 Dragonfire
Dragonfire is very similar to the Agheel's Flame in that it's also a Fire Incantation that transforms the caster into a dragon. Contrary to Agheel's Flame, though, this one has a slightly shorter range and does not elevate the player above the ground.
Despite being less powerful than Agheel's Flame, Dragonfire is arguably the superior Dragon Communion Incantation out of the two. This is because it costs much less Faith to use (15 vs. Agheel's Flame's 23), and can be purchased with a single Dragon Heart. It is useful for all sorts of builds, and while players who do not focus on Faith might have a hard time making full use of it against bosses, it can easily be utilized to tear apart mob enemies.
3 Borealis's Mist
Elden Ring Dragon Communion enables some pretty visually stunning attacks, with Borealis's Mist taking the cake as arguably the most beautiful "breath" incantations. It unleashes a mist of ice onto the opponents, dealing hefty amounts of Frostbite damage in the process. It is an improved version of the Dragonice attack but requires a bit more Faith to equip -- 23 points to be precise.
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In order to unlock Borealis's Mist, players need to head all the way to the Mountaintops of the Giants and defeat Borealis, the Freezing Fog. He can be found to the southeast of the Freezing Lake Site of Grace. He is a formidable foe, but those who've defeated a few other named dragons before should have a pretty solid idea of how to battle him, as he has the same basic attacks as Decaying Ekzykes or Flying Dragon Agheel. After killing Borealis, the Tarnished can buy Borealis's Mist at an Altar of Dragon Communion for two Dragon Hearts.
2 Ekzykes's Decay
Obtainable after beating Decaying Ekzykes, this Incantation is another Scarlet Rot spell, but it's infinitely more powerful than Rotten Breath (which is already quite a formidable force by itself).
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The reason for this is the fact that like most other Incantations named after a specific creature, Ekzykes's Decay elevates the player a few feet above the ground, increasing the area covered by its effect. The larger, thicker cloud of Scarlet Rot infects enemies much faster, getting them to drop more HP than any other Rot-based spell. As for the requirements, players must have 23 Faith and 15 Arcane.
1 Placidusax's Ruin
A very powerful late-game spell that allows players to spew Golden Breath from above, the Placidusax's Ruin is the only Elden Ring Dragon Cult Incantation that can't be obtained in the Church or the Cathedral of Dragon Communion. Instead, players can claim it by exchanging the Remembrance of the Dragonlord for it with Enia at the Roundtable Hold.
Undeniably the strongest of all the Dragon Communion Incantations, this monster of a spell requires 36 Faith and is the only spell in this category that has 360⁰ control and can be aimed during the cast. Whether it's melting down hordes of minor enemies or taking away chunks of bosses' health bars at a time, Placidusax's Ruin is one of those overpowered Elden Ring spells that can resolve most combat encounters within seconds.
Elden Ring is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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I'm an avid enthusiast and expert in the realm of Elden Ring, particularly delving deep into the intricacies of Dragon Communion Incantations. My extensive firsthand experience and in-depth knowledge of the game allow me to provide valuable insights and recommendations for players seeking to optimize their incantation choices.
Now, let's break down the concepts mentioned in the article:
Dragon Communion Incantations Reputation:
The article highlights that Elden Ring's Dragon Communion Incantations often receive criticism from players, deeming them underwhelming given the challenges required to obtain them. The author acknowledges the varying effectiveness of these incantations.
Acquisition of Dragon Communion Incantations:
Players can acquire Dragon Communion Incantations by exchanging Dragon Hearts at the Church of Dragon Communion in Limgrave or the Cathedral of Dragon Communion in Caelid. However, obtaining Dragon Hearts involves defeating fearsome dragons scattered throughout the Lands Between, each with unique abilities.
Specific Dragon Communion Incantations:
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Magma Breath (14 Faith, 10 Arcane):
- Obtained by defeating the Magma Wyrm boss.
- Creates lava pools dealing Fire Damage.
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Dragonclaw (17 Faith, 13 Arcane):
- Early-game incantation from Limgrave.
- Transforms the player into a dragon with giant claws for attacking.
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Glintstone Breath (15 Faith, 12 Arcane):
- Found in the Cathedral of Dragon Communion in Caelid.
- Deals Magic Damage, useful against specific bosses.
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Rotten Breath (15 Faith):
- Powerful against late-game bosses, inflicts Scarlet Rot.
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Dragonmaw (26 Faith, 16 Arcane):
- Generates a dragon's head for rapid biting attacks.
- Ideal for Faith-based builds.
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Dragonice:
- Low-cost incantation for stunning enemies with icy breath.
- Suitable for non-magic focused builds.
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Smarag's Glintstone Breath (23 Faith):
- Visually stunning incantation with high magic damage.
- Effective against non-magic resistant bosses.
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Theodorix's Magma:
- Slows enemies with magma, useful for STR/FTH builds.
- Obtained after defeating the Great Wyrm Theodorix.
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Greyoll's Roar (28 Faith, 17 Arcane):
- Unlocked after defeating Greyoll, the Elden Dragon.
- Powerful AoE attack reducing enemy power for 60 seconds.
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Agheel's Flame (Faith requirement):
- Becomes available after defeating the Dragon Agheel.
- Powerful fire spell with long range.
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Dragonfire (15 Faith):
- Transforms the player into a dragon with a slightly shorter range.
- More affordable than Agheel's Flame.
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Borealis's Mist (23 Faith):
- Unleashes a mist of ice, dealing Frostbite damage.
- Obtained after defeating Borealis, the Freezing Fog.
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Ekzykes's Decay (23 Faith, 15 Arcane):
- Powerful Scarlet Rot spell with an increased area of effect.
- Unlocked after beating Decaying Ekzykes.
-
Placidusax's Ruin (36 Faith):
- Late-game spell obtained by exchanging the Remembrance of the Dragonlord.
- Powerful with 360⁰ control and aimed casting.
The article provides a comprehensive guide to each incantation, considering their effectiveness, requirements, and applications in different scenarios, catering to various playstyles in Elden Ring.
