Are colossal weapons viable thanks to the new Elden Ring patch?

Elden Ring colossal weapons just got a whole lot faster, but are they fast enough?

Colossal weapons and ultra greatswords are a fan favorite across every FromSoftware title. From the classic Zweihander of Dark Souls 1 to the beloved Berserk-inspired Greatsword of Elden Ring, big weapons are fun to use and dish out incredible damage.

But with short damage windows and faster PvP in Elden RIng, the weapon class has generally fallen behind. Giant weapons got a ton of buffs in Elden Ring patch 1.04 for that reason, but will that be enough to make them viable?

In the newest Elden Ring update, FromSoftware sped up almost every single attack for the colossal weapon move set. This includes heavy attacks, light attacks, running stabs, thursts, and even two-handed options. FromSoftware did not give exact numbers for the changes, but it’s easy to tell the difference just by seeing a before-and-after of the animations.

Elden Ring’s 1.04 patch also brought a bunch of sweeping changes to weapon arts and spells. Highlights include a faster weapon art on Wing of Astel, quicker Full and Dark Moon cast speed, and decreased madness buildup on Flame of Frenzy and Frenzied Burst.

Are colossal weapons good in Elden Ring?

FromSoftware didn’t make the new Elden Ring patch blind. Now that players have had time to sink their teeth into the game, fans have discovered that certain weapons types simply don’t match up well against late game bosses. Damage windows get smaller and smaller, which hurts colossal weapons more than any other weapon type.  

The faster swing speed across almost all attack types goes a long way to making them better. In fights with short damage windows like Hoarah Loux and Malenia, players can finally get in a light attack without worrying about retaliation. Slower fights like Radagon and Elden Beast should now have room for charged heavy attacks on big whiffs. These changes also help fast early bosses like the Black Knife Assassins and Starscourge Radahn. 

But even with the buffs, ultra greatswords and colossal weapons should continue to struggle in player-versus-player fights. With Bloodhound Step still dominating and bleed builds remaining popular, it’s tough for bigger weapons to keep up. The nerfs to madness help in theory, but proccing madness was one of the only consistent ways of landing such a slow weapon in the first place. Jumping attacks are now joined by light attacks as viable PvP options for Elden Ring colossal weapons.