How to two-hand a weapon in Elden Ring

When it comes to wielding weapons in Elden Ring, you can either go with the standard sword and shield layout or a number of other ways that might work better for your build. Using a weapon with two hands is one of these options, as many Soulsborne fans know all too well. However, Elden Ring doesn’t specify how to use this mechanic.

Two-handing a weapon makes your weapon do more damage than if you were only using it with one hand. Of course, this really only applies to melee weapons, as something like a bow or sorcery staff won’t need to deal more damage up close. But, staffs do have some physical attack properties, so you might consider two-handing those as well.

To figure out how to two-hand a weapon in Elden Ring, keep reading below.

Two handing weapons in Elden Ring

When you have the weapon that you want to two-hand in your left or right hand, you must press a series of buttons.

• PlayStation controllers: Triangle + L1/R1
• Xbox controllers: Y + LB/RB
• Keyboard: E + Up/Down Arrow

For keyboard users, you must change your PC keybinds to not have the armaments on the arrow keys. Instead, you can use numbers, like 1-4, or other keybinds that you’re comfortable with. Essentially, you’re pressing the “use” button and then the weapon armament hand you want to put the weapon into.

The benefits of two-handing a weapon in Elden Ring can outweigh the negatives. While you don’t have a shield, for instance, you will deal additional damage when you attack enemies. If you miss the benefit of a shield, though, you can always swap back and forth between one and two-handing a weapon throughout a fight.