How to Two-Hand in Elden Ring

Learn how to two-hand weapons in Elden Ring. Discover button combinations, benefits and when to use this overpowered technique.

Two-handing in Elden Ring is a versatile combat technique that can significantly enhance your offensive capabilities in various situations. It's particularly useful when you need to boost your damage output, as it increases your effective Strength by 50%, benefiting Strength-scaling weapons.

Two-handing also allows you to wield weapons with higher Strength requirements than your current stat, opening up more options earlier in the game. The technique changes weapon movesets, often providing powerful overhead strikes that are effective for breaking enemy guards.

It's ideal when you're confident in your dodging skills and don't need a shield, allowing direct access to weapon skills or Ashes of War. For certain weapon types like fists or claws, two-handing automatically activates dual-wielding, granting unique and powerful movesets. However, it's important to consider the trade-off between increased offensive power and the loss of shield protection when deciding whether to two-hand your weapon in any given combat situation.

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How to Two-Hand a Weapon

PC (Keyboard and Mouse)

Hold the E key.
While holding E:

Right-click to two-hand your right-hand weapon.
Left-click to two-hand your left-hand weapon.

PlayStation (PS4/PS5)

Hold the Triangle button.
While holding Triangle:

Press R1 to two-hand your right-hand weapon.
Press L1 to two-hand your left-hand weapon.

Xbox (Xbox One/Series X|S)

Hold the Y button.
While holding Y:

Press RB to two-hand your right-hand weapon.
Press LB to two-hand your left-hand weapon.

What Happens When You Two-Hand a Weapon?

1. Increased Strength Scaling

Two-handing a weapon increases your effective Strength by 50%
For example: If you have 20 Strength and a weapon requires 30 Strength, you can wield it effectively by two-handing, as it treats your Strength as 20 × 1.5 = 30
This bonus only applies to weapons that scale with Strength, so weapons scaling with Dexterity or other stats will see less benefit.

2. New Move Sets

Two-handing changes the attack animations for many weapons:
- One-handed weapons often have horizontal slashes or lighter attacks.
- Two-handed weapons tend to have heavier, overhead strikes or thrusts, which may be better for breaking enemy guards or dealing with tight spaces
Some weapons, like claws or fist weapons, automatically dual-wield when two-handed, giving you access to unique dual-weapon move sets.

3. Weapon Skill Usage

When two-handing, you’ll use the weapon’s skill (or Ash of War) directly instead of default off-hand actions like blocking or parrying.

Disadvantages of Two-Handing

No Shield or Off-Hand Defense: You lose access to shields or other off-hand items, leaving you vulnerable and reliant on dodging for defense.
Limited Range of Moves: Some enemies may require faster or more versatile one-handed attacks.

Tips for Two-Handing Effectively

Use two-handing when fighting slow-moving enemies or bosses where dodging is more effective than blocking.
Experiment with different weapons to find move sets that suit your playstyle—overhead strikes are great for narrow spaces, while sweeping attacks work well in open areas.
For fist and claw weapons, try dual-wielding via two-handing for fast and devastating combos.