Exploring the brutal world of Elden Ring offers countless weapons to master, but few deliver the visceral satisfaction of pummeling enemies with the Star Fist. This spiked iron manifer has become increasingly popular in 2025, especially with the latest patches enhancing its capabilities. For players looking to dominate both PvE and PvP encounters, the Star Fist offers a unique combination of raw physical damage and deadly hemorrhage buildup.

Where to Find the Star Fist in Elden Ring

Before diving into builds and strategies, you'll need to acquire this formidable weapon. The Star Fist can be found in Leyndell, Royal Capital (and remains available in Leyndell, Ashen Capital if you've progressed that far):

1. Travel to the West Capital Rampart Site of Grace

2. Head to the colosseum area nearby

3. Look for a corpse in the leftmost opening of the structure

What makes this weapon worth the journey? As the description states, it's a "Spherical iron manifer covered in spikes which induce blood loss, used in brutal games of pugilism." - perfectly capturing its devastating potential.

Star Fist Builds and Scaling Options

When it comes to optimizing your Star Fist Elden Ring build, understanding scaling is crucial. After the latest patches in 2025, several infusion paths have emerged as particularly effective:

Strength-Focused Build

With a Heavy infusion at +25 and 80 Strength, the Star Fist delivers exceptional physical damage while maintaining its innate bleed buildup of 45. This makes it particularly devastating against both armored enemies and those vulnerable to hemorrhage.

Arcane Blood Build

Perhaps the most devastating approach in the current meta is an Occult or Blood infusion with high Arcane investment. At 60 Arcane, the Star Fist offers higher physical damage output than alternatives like the Spiked Caestus, with only a slight reduction in bleed buildup.

Have you considered how quickly bosses melt when facing a properly built Star Fist? Many players underestimate this weapon until they witness its potential firsthand.

Ashes of War Recommendations

The Star Fist comes with Endure as its default Ash of War, providing valuable damage negation during trades. However, the weapon truly shines with custom infusions. Some top choices include:

1. Bloodhound's Step - Provides unmatched mobility for both PvE and PvP scenarios

2. Royal Knight's Resolve - Dramatically increases damage for a single attack sequence

3. Barbaric Roar - Enhances your moveset and provides extra poise damage

4. Quickstep - Offers mobility with lower FP cost than Bloodhound's Step

For those running a Faith hybrid build, consider Lightning or Sacred infusions paired with Golden Vow or Flame, Grant Me Strength buffs for maximum damage output.

PvP Considerations and Poise Damage

The Star Fist received significant buffs in Patch 1.13, particularly to poise damage when dual wielding. This has transformed it into a legitimate threat in PvP encounters. The current poise damage values for dual-wielded attacks are impressive:

• 2H R1 (first hit): 129.6+32.4

• 2H Charged R2: 445.5+445.5

• 2H Jumping R2: 324+324

These values allow you to break through medium armor poise with just a few hits, creating openings for your deadly bleed procs. When combined with the right Ashes of War, the Star Fist becomes a formidable PvP option.

Dual Wielding vs. Two-Handing

A common question among Elden Ring star fist enthusiasts: is it better to dual wield or two-hand this weapon? The answer largely depends on your playstyle and build focus.

Dual wielding two Star Fists (or pairing with another fist weapon like the Spiked Caestus) provides the highest possible damage output and bleed buildup. The power-stance moveset unleashes devastating combinations that can quickly overwhelm enemies.

Two-handing a single Star Fist, however, provides increased poise damage and better defensive options through skills like Endure. This approach works well for more cautious players or those facing enemies with high poise.

Complementary Equipment and Buffs

To maximize your Star Fist Elden Ring build, consider these equipment options and buffs:

1. Lord of Blood's Exultation talisman - Increases attack power when blood loss occurs nearby

2. Claw Talisman - Enhances jump attacks, which are already powerful with fist weapons

3. Rotten Winged Sword Insignia - Boosts damage with successive attacks, perfect for rapid fist combos

4. Bloodflame Blade (for non-infused versions) - Adds additional bleed buildup

5. White Mask - Increases attack when blood loss occurs nearby (stacks with Lord of Blood's Exultation)

When combined properly, these elements create a character capable of dealing massive burst damage while maintaining consistent pressure through bleed effects.

Conclusion

The Star Fist has evolved from an overlooked curiosity to one of the most potent weapons in Elden Ring's 2025 meta. Whether you're tackling the main game, DLC content, or engaging in PvP, this spiked manifer delivers a unique and satisfying playstyle focused on aggressive pressure and devastating hemorrhage effects.

Have you given the Star Fist a chance in your Elden Ring adventures? The combination of raw physical power and bleed status makes it particularly effective against many of the game's toughest challenges. Next time you're looking to try something beyond the typical sword and board approach, consider embracing the brutal pugilism of the Star Fist.

This overview is based on data cited from TrueAchievements, a leading source for Xbox achievement tracking and player insights. TrueAchievements frequently highlights how weapon choices like the Star Fist can impact achievement progression and PvP success rates in Elden Ring, especially following major patches that alter weapon scaling and bleed mechanics.