If you enjoy hyper-aggressive invasions, devastating trade damage, and deleting players with a single running attack, this dual wield Rakshasa’s Great Katana build is one of the nastiest setups you can use in the Elden Ring DLC. The core idea behind the build is simple: abuse the unique hyper armor on Rakshasa's Great Katana to win trades while stacking every possible modifier that boosts running thrust damage. Once fully buffed, this setup can hit for absurd damage numbers, often deleting players instantly in PvP. And if you want to quickly gear up or experiment with different builds, you can buy Elden Ring Runes to save time on farming.

Why Dual Rakshasa’s Great Katana Is So Strong

Unlike other Great Katanas, Rakshasa's Great Katana has built-in hyper armor during attacks, making it incredibly effective for aggressive trading.

The true star of the build is the dual wield running attack:

· It deals pierce damage

· Both katanas connect simultaneously

· It benefits heavily from counter-hit bonuses

· Hyper armor lets you attack through enemy swings

When fully optimized, the running L1 can easily hit for 1,500–1,900+ damage in PvP. Against lighter builds, it often becomes a true one-shot setup.

The attack is especially brutal against:

· Jump attack spammers

· Over-aggressive melee players

· L2 weapon art users

· Hosts chasing recklessly

· Players with low poise or weak defenses

Recommended Stats (Level 200)

This build focuses almost entirely on maximizing Dexterity scaling while maintaining enough survivability to trade confidently.

Suggested Stats

The high Endurance investment is important because:

· Dual Great Katanas are heavy

· You need strong stamina for pressure

· Heavy armor improves your trading potential

Best Weapons

Main Weapons

· Dual Rakshasa's Great Katana

The moveset is incredibly versatile:

· Running L1 is your kill move

· Crouch attack is surprisingly fast

· One-handed moveset remains strong

· Jump attacks hit extremely hard

· Ash of War pressure is excellent

Recommended Ash of War

Weed Cutter

Weed Cutter hits extremely hard and works perfectly with the aggressive trading playstyle.

It becomes even deadlier when paired with:

· Shard of Alexander

· Counter-hit damage bonuses

· Hyper armor trading

Best Armor

Rakshasa Armor Set

The ideal choice is the full Rakshasa Set.

Why?

Because the armor boosts offensive damage, particularly helping maximize the running attack burst potential. The build sacrifices some defensive efficiency for raw offensive pressure, but the damage increase is absolutely worth it for invasion gameplay. If you want slightly safer trades, you can mix heavier poise armor pieces while keeping the offensive bonuses active.

Best Talismans

Core Talismans

Spear Talisman

This is mandatory. The running dual wield attack deals pierce damage, meaning counter-hits receive a massive damage boost. If enemies swing into your attack, they take devastating extra damage. This talisman is one of the biggest reasons the build can one-shot players.

Lacerating Crossed-Tree

Boosts dash attack damage and stacks perfectly with Rakshasa armor bonuses. Since your running attack is your primary win condition, this talisman is essential.

Optional Talismans

Bull-Goat's Talisman

Helps maintain poise during trades.

Excellent for:

· Fighting multiple opponents

· Trading against colossal weapons

· Surviving whip or spell chip damage

· Maintaining aggression

Shard of Alexander

Greatly boosts Weed Cutter damage and improves overall Ash of War pressure. Highly recommended if you rely on the weapon skill often.

Best Consumables and Buffs

This build scales insanely hard with temporary buffs.

Essential Buffs

Exalted Flesh

Boosts physical damage significantly and pushes your running attack into absurd territory.

Uplifting Aromatic

Provides:

· Extra survivability

· Increased damage

· Better trade potential

With both buffs active, attack rating can exceed 1,700 AR. That is where the build starts instantly deleting players.

How to Play the Build

1. Fish for Trades

You are not trying to play passively. This build excels when enemies attack into you. Thanks to hyper armor and counter-hit bonuses, you often win trades outright.

Players who love:

· Jump attacks

· Running pokes

· Ash of War spam

· Reckless aggression

…are exactly what this build punishes.

2. Abuse the Running L1

Your dual wield running attack is your strongest tool.

Use it:

· Around corners

· During enemy recovery

· Into panic aggression

· Against predictable jump attacks

The forward momentum and hitbox are excellent.

3. Use Terrain Smartly

Many invasions become significantly easier in:

· Catacombs

· Tight tunnels

· Corridors

· Elevators

· Small rooms

These areas force enemies to commit into your trading range.

The build performs especially well in:

· Crumbling Farum Azula

· Stormveil Castle

· Raya Lucaria Academy

· Haligtree

· Darklight Catacombs

Strengths

Massive Burst Damage

Capable of one-shotting players during counter-hit trades.

Incredible Pressure

Enemies panic constantly against dual Great Katana aggression.

Hyper Armor Advantage

Lets you bully lighter weapons and careless players.

Strong in 1vX

Excellent for invasions because one clean running attack can instantly remove a phantom.

Weaknesses

Vulnerable to Passive Players

Defensive opponents who refuse to trade can slow the build down considerably.

Spell Spam Can Be Annoying

Multiple ranged casters can force awkward approaches.

Jump Attack Latency

Some jumping attacks become difficult to punish online because of latency and strange hitboxes.

Tight Stamina Management

Dual Great Katanas consume stamina quickly if you overcommit.

Final Thoughts

Dual Rakshasa's Great Katana is one of the most explosive invasion builds in the DLC.

The combination of:

· Hyper armor

· Pierce counter damage

· Dash attack bonuses

· Massive Dexterity scaling

· Offensive buff stacking

…creates a terrifying PvP setup capable of ending fights almost instantly. If you enjoy aggressive invasions and love deleting overconfident phantoms with a single attack, this build is easily one of the most fun and brutal setups you can run in Shadow of the Erdtree. To get this build ready faster without endless grinding, you can buy cheap Elden Ring Items from MMOEXP, a trusted site that helps you gear up quickly and focus on the action.