How to two-hand weapons in Elden Ring

Two-handing weapons is a great way to approach combat in Elden Ring thanks to the versatility and power it provides but how exactly can you two-hand weapons?

Knowing how to two-hand your weapon in Elden Ring can increase your damage and let you unleash an expanded moveset with your weapon of choice. Whether it’s a Katana like Rivers of Blood, and Uchigatana, or a heavy-hitting Axe, two-handing is a great tactic to add to your arsenal.

This is everything you need to know about two-handing in Elden Ring, including the benefits and how to pull it off on each platform.

Contents

• How to two-hand weapons in Elden Ring
• What does two-handing a weapon do in Elden Ring?
• When should you two-hand weapons?

How to Two-Hand Weapons in Elden Ring

To two-hand a weapon in Elden Ring simply follow the steps below for your platform of choice:

• PlayStation: Hold the Triangle button and press either the right or left d-pad button.
• Xbox: Hold the ‘Y’ button and press either the right or left d-pad button.
• PC: Hold down the ‘E’ key and click on the right or left mouse button.

What does two-handing a weapon do?

Two-handing a weapon will increase the power of your attacks and give you an altered moveset to experiment with.

While your attacks do become more powerful, you’ll sacrifice the ability to use a shield or a secondary weapon when two-handing which means you’ll need to be as precise as possible when you’re dodging and parrying.

When should you two-hand weapons?

Due to the higher damage per hit that two-handing typically provides, it can be particularly useful when you’re fighting one extremely tough enemy so we’d recommend using it during boss battles.

If you’re in a fight where you need to block regularly, or up against multiple foes at once, however, sticking to one-handed combat may be better.

For more Elden Ring content, check out our coverage below:

Best early weapons for all builds & where to find them | Best Spirit Ashes ranked | Best starting class | New weapon types in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree | Elden Ring characters guide: All classes explained