Elden Ring Guide | Best Horned Warrior's Sword Build

Here's a guide on how to make the best Horned Warrior’s Sword build in Elden Ring.

Game Guide by Ragib Rawnak on Aug 24, 2025

The Horned Warrior Sword stands as one of the more underappreciated weapons in Elden Ring's arsenal.

This curved sword offers versatility through its built-in dual-wield capability while maintaining effectiveness as a single-handed weapon in Elden Ring.

Its special Horn Calling Ash of War gives you an edge in both PvE and PvP fights.

Weapon Overview

You'll find the Horned Warrior Sword belongs to the Curved Swords class, offering you the flexibility to wield it in two distinct styles in Elden Ring.

When you choose the dual-wield option, you gain access to a moveset that excels in multi-hit builds due to its rapid attack speed.

The quick succession of strikes allows you to build up status effects efficiently while maintaining consistent pressure on your targets.

You can use it as a regular curved sword if you want traditional single-handed combat. You won't lose access to its primary moveset in Elden Ring.

Because it can be changed, it works with a lot of different play styles and construction types.

Horn Calling Ash of War

The Horn Calling Ash of War is the weapon's main strength. When you lock onto an enemy and use this skill, it works like the Fallingstar Beast Jaw’s gravitational pull.

The Ash of War features a deceptive animation sequence that works to your advantage in Elden Ring.

The initial animation creates the illusion that the attack will connect earlier than it actually does.

Many opponents will panic roll during this preliminary phase, leaving them vulnerable when the actual damaging portion of the attack triggers.

You'll find that Horn Calling gives you a lot of super armour while it's going on. When multiple enemies try to attack you simultaneously, you can utilise it as a trade tool in Elden Ring.

The Hyper Armor enables you to take injury while also launching a powerful counterattack.

Build Configuration

A Dexterity or Faith hybrid build with more emphasis on Faith scaling will give you the best results in Elden Ring.

While the weapon's base damage benefits more from Dexterity investment, the Horn Calling Ash of War deals pure holy damage that scales directly with your Faith attribute.

Since you'll rely heavily on the Ash of War for burst damage opportunities, prioritising Faith will maximise your damage potential in Elden Ring.

In battle, the Ash of War has several tactical uses. You can use it to hit opponents who try to heal, stop Spellcasters while they're casting spells, and take advantage of mistakes in their positioning.

Because it activates quickly, it's good for catching opponents off guard, especially those who have trouble timing their dodge rolls in Elden Ring.

Talisman Selection

Your Talisman configuration should focus on making the Ash of War more powerful while keeping you alive.

The Shard of Alexander is very important for getting the most damage out of your Horn Calling.

Since this skill will serve as your primary source of burst damage, the increased Ash of War damage gives the best result in Elden Ring.

For defensive capabilities, you should equip the Erdtree's Favour and Crimson Amber Medallion +3.

These Talismans provide the health and overall stat boosts necessary for maintaining presence in prolonged encounters.

The additional survivability allows you to take calculated risks when timing your Ash of War usage.

Your fourth Talisman slot offers flexibility based on your specific needs in Elden Ring.

The Bull-Goat's Talisman proves particularly valuable if you want to reach 89 poise, which prevents lighter weapons from staggering you with their second hit.

This poise threshold allows you to maintain offensive pressure without constant interruption from faster weapons.

Combat Applications

The Horn Calling Ash of War works well in certain types of fights in Elden Ring.

Use it to hit enemies who try to heal from a distance, as the animation delay typically catches them during their recovery frames.

The Ash of War can stop Spellcasters from performing spells while also doing a lot of harm.

The weapon's ability to be used with two hands is great for circumstances that need constant pressure.

The quick attack sequence is ideal for applying status effects to enemies and maintaining control at close range in Elden Ring.

When facing multiple enemies, you can switch between the aggressive dual-wield approach and the more defensive single-handed style as the situation demands.

The Horn Calling requires lock-on to function effectively, so maintain proper distance and camera control to ensure consistent targeting of your intended opponents in Elden Ring.

Also, check our Elden Ring Review, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Review, and other guides below: