So you wanna run a Faith build in Elden Ring, but you're stuck in Limgrave swinging a starter weapon that feels like waving a noodle at a tree. Been there. First Faith run I did, I spent like three hours poking Godrick's soldiers with the Astrologer staff before I realized I could just grab something that actually scales. Turns out some of the best faith build weapons early game in Elden Ring are sitting in chests a five-minute Torrent ride from the First Step grace. You don't even need to kill a shardbearer.

I've put probably four or five Faith builds through Stormveil at this point, so here's what actually worked for me. Real locations, real numbers, no made-up stats.

What Makes a Weapon Good for Faith Builds Early On?

What are you actually shopping for? Four things, roughly:

  • Faith scaling (D or better) so the stat you're dumping runes into actually matters
  • Low stat requirements so you can equip the thing before you hit level 40
  • Holy or Fire damage that gets juiced by Faith investment
  • Somber Smithing Stone upgrades — easier to grab a few of these early than to grind out a whole pile of regular stones

Quick pet peeve, and I see this confusion every time I read a Faith build thread: "Faith weapon" doesn't have to mean "holy damage." Some of them just smack things physically but grow when you level Faith. Totally fine. Don't walk past one just because the damage type says physical.

Top Faith Weapons You Can Get Early

1. Winged Scythe — The Best Overall Early Faith Weapon

If you ask ten people about the best faith build weapons early game, nine of them will say this one, and they're right. Base Faith scaling is D, but it climbs as you upgrade the thing, it deals physical plus holy damage, and its unique skill Angel's Wings is a spinning overhead sweep that hits like a truck and staggers stuff.

Requirements are only 16 Strength, 16 Dexterity, 24 Faith. That Ash of War, Angel's Wings, hits for big holy damage when you pull it off. And — the part nobody tells you — you can have it before you've fought a single boss.

How to get it:

  1. Start at the First Step grace in Limgrave.
  2. Ride northeast along the road toward the Bridge of Sacrifice, the one that leads into Weeping Peninsula.
  3. Just before the bridge, look for a ruined structure on the left side of the road.
  4. Inside, you'll find a chest. Open it to get the Winged Scythe.

That's it. No boss, no puzzle, no Stonesword Key tax. Just a short horse ride, and suddenly you're not a wet noodle anymore.

2. Cipher Pata — Pure Holy Fist Weapon

This thing is weird and I love it. Pure holy damage, fist weapon, zero weight, no Strength or Dexterity requirement at all — just 30 Faith. Its skill, Unblockable Blade, punches straight through shields, which means the shield-bearing knights that used to frustrate you for ten minutes just kind of die.

Why it's great: - Zero weight, so it won't slow you down - Pure holy damage scales directly with Faith - Its weapon skill pierces through blocking enemies

How to get it:

  1. Reach Roundtable Hold (you'll get invited after resting at a grace outside Limgrave or after defeating Margit).
  2. Once inside, jump over the balcony railing near the fireplace area.
  3. Follow the path to a locked room. You'll need a Stonesword Key to open it.
  4. Inside, the Cipher Pata is on a corpse.

Stonesword Keys run you 2,000 runes apiece from the Twin Maiden Husks in Roundtable Hold. If you picked the Stonesword Key as your starting keepsake, you're already halfway there.

3. Golden Halberd — High Risk, High Reward

This one is dropped by the Tree Sentinel, the golden armored rider camped right outside the First Step. Yeah, that guy. The one who flattened me on my very first attempt before I even knew what a dodge was. He is genuinely brutal at level 10, and I would not recommend trying him naked with a short sword. But if you do beat him, or cheese him over a cliff, the reward is one of the strongest early Faith weapons in the whole game.

Why it's great: - Massive base damage - Scales with Strength, Dexterity, and Faith - Comes with Golden Vow skill, which buffs you and nearby allies

How to get it:

  1. Leave the First Step grace and head toward the Tree Sentinel.
  2. Fight him normally, or use the classic cheese: lure him to the cliff edge near the church and let him fall.
  3. Once defeated, he drops the Golden Halberd.

Warning: It requires 30 Strength, 14 Dexterity, and 12 Faith. That is a lot of Strength for someone who just wanted to throw lightning bolts. Only touch this one if you're actually planning a hybrid Strength/Faith build. Otherwise you're wearing points you'll never enjoy.

4. Treespear — Solid Mid-Early Option

A spear with physical plus holy damage, and a charged heavy attack that hits twice. It scales primarily with Faith once you start upgrading it. Nothing flashy about it, but spears have that annoying habit of letting you poke things from behind a shield without getting clipped.

Why it's great: - Good reach - Can be buffed with incantations - Lower stat requirements than the Golden Halberd

How to get it:

  1. Head to Liurnia of the Lakes.
  2. Go to the Avenue Balcony grace (north of the Liurnia Lake Shore grace).
  3. From the grace, head north and look for a caravan wagon.
  4. The Treespear is in a chest near the wagon, guarded by a few soldiers.

You'll need 18 Strength, 14 Dexterity, and 18 Faith to wield it.

5. Erdsteel Dagger — Simple and Effective

People skip this thing all the time because it's a dagger and Faith builds want flashy scythes. Don't. It scales with Faith, it restores a little HP on every hit, and it's fast. I've melted plenty of bosses down to the last sliver of health while just spamming this in their face.

Why it's great: - Very low requirements (10 Strength, 12 Faith) - Fast attacks - HP restore on hit helps with survivability

How to get it:

  1. Complete the questline for D, Hunter of the Dead (the guy in Roundtable Hold).
  2. He'll eventually give you the Erdsteel Dagger as a reward.
  3. Alternatively, you can find it on a corpse in the Auriza Hero's Grave in Altus Plateau, but that's much later.

For early game, just do D's quest. It's the way.

How to Upgrade Your Faith Weapons Early

Finding the weapon is maybe thirty percent of the fight. An un-upgraded Winged Scythe at +0 still kind of flops around. Here's how to make it actually hit:

For Somber weapons (Winged Scythe, Cipher Pata, Golden Halberd):

  1. Find Somber Smithing Stones. The easiest early ones are in Limgrave and Liurnia.
  2. Somber Smithing Stone [1] and [2] can be found in the Lakeside Crystal Cave and near the Liurnia Lake Shore.
  3. Take them to Blacksmith Hewg in Roundtable Hold.
  4. Upgrade your weapon to +3 or +4 before fighting Godrick.

For regular weapons (Treespear, Erdsteel Dagger):

  1. Collect regular Smithing Stones from Limgrave tunnels (Morne Tunnel, Limgrave Tunnels).
  2. Upgrade to +3 or +4 as soon as possible.
  3. Use the Iron Whetblade to add a Faith-scaling Ash of War if you want.

Common Mistakes Faith Players Make Early Game

Mistake 1: Dumping everything into Faith and ignoring Vigor. You'll die in two hits. Get Vigor to 20 before pushing Faith past 30. I learned this the humiliating way.

Mistake 2: Trying to use the Golden Halberd at level 15. You can't. The requirements are too high. Stick with the Winged Scythe or Cipher Pata until you've leveled Strength.

Mistake 3: Forgetting to upgrade your seal. This is the one I see every new Faith player make. Your incantations scale with your Sacred Seal, not your weapon. Grab the Finger Seal from Roundtable Hold and actually level it. A +0 seal turns even the best incantations into wet noodles.

Mistake 4: Ignoring the Winged Scythe because it's "just a scythe." It's one of the best early Faith weapons in the game. Use it.

Mistake 5: Not using buffs. Golden Vow, Flame Grant Me Strength, and Blessing of the Erdtree (later) make a huge difference. Use them before boss fights. I used to think buffs were a waste of time until I fought Margit without them.

A few extra warnings for new players: - Don't sell the Winged Scythe by accident — it's easy to fat-finger at a merchant, and you can't get another one without NG+. - The Tree Sentinel will absolutely wreck you if you're under level 20 and don't have a plan. Don't just run up and swing. - Stonesword Keys are limited early on. Don't waste them on random imp statues before you grab the Cipher Pata.

FAQ

Q: What's the best Faith weapon for a beginner in Elden Ring? A: The Winged Scythe. It's easy to get, has low requirements, and deals solid holy damage with a great weapon skill.

Q: Can I get a Faith weapon without fighting any bosses? A: Yes. The Winged Scythe and Cipher Pata both require zero boss fights. Just explore Limgrave and Roundtable Hold.

Q: Should I use the Golden Halberd on a pure Faith build? A: Probably not. It needs 30 Strength, which is a lot of points you could put into Faith or Vigor. Use it only if you're doing a Strength/Faith hybrid.

Q: How early can I get the Cipher Pata? A: As soon as you reach Roundtable Hold, which can happen within the first hour if you rest at a grace outside Limgrave or defeat Margit.

That's the run-down. Grab the Winged Scythe first — it'll carry you for the next ten hours. From there, chase the Cipher Pata as a shield-punching sidearm, then grab the Treespear once you're in Liurnia. Pair all of that with a leveled-up Sacred Seal and Limgrave stops looking so scary. Holy power on a Torrent is a beautiful thing.