How to two-hand in Elden Ring

Sometimes you just need more strength to wield a weapon or increased attack power to cut through an enemy, and you can achieve that when you two hand weapons (or shields) in Elden Ring. But doing so in From Software's latest ARPG in the Souls family doesn't work exactly the same as you might remember it.

When you two hand weapons, it increases the damage output, even if by a little, giving you that much more power to cut through enemies and bosses. This is especially effective in fights where shields or armor won't do much good. If you're dodge-rolling for most or all of the fight because strong attacks melt your endurance or rip right through your defenses, choosing to two hand might be the way to go. It will also raise your Strength stat a bit.

It's also useful for when your current stats or level won't let you wield a particular weapon or shield in one hand effectively. A two hand approach can help you get past some stat restrictions.

How to Two Hand Weapons (or Shields) in Elden Ring

In previous From Software titles like Dark Souls 3, you could two hand weapons by simply pressing Triangle on PlayStation and Y on Xbox. But the controls in Elden Ring are a bit different.

In order to two hand weapons or shields/off-hand weapons:

Hold Triangle/Y and press R1/RB for right-handed weapons.
Hold Triangle/Y and press L1/LB for left-handed weapons.

Technically, you can press both buttons at the same time, and it will usually work. However, we've found that left-handed/off-hand weapons are a bit fickle this way, so the best way to make sure you switch to two hand is to hold Triangle/Y.

Repeat the same commands to return to one-handing weapons/shields. If you choose to two hand anything in either your primary or off-hand then switch to the other hand, you will go from two-handing to one-handing, and then have to repeat the input to two hand again.

It's worth noting that there are different attack animations for most weapons when you two hand them. For example, the standard attacks for the Sword of Night and Flame are a downward, arcing slash from right to left (R1/RB) and a thrust (R2/RT). These turn into an overhead slash and mid-level right-to-left slash respectively. Be sure to practice with your weapon of choice to learn its animations before taking on any foes.

And that's how you two hand weapons in Elden Ring. The input motion is a bit awkward to learn at first, especially for long-time Souls players who have grown used to simply pressing a single button, but it quickly becomes second nature. For more tips and tricks, visit our Elden Ring guides page.

Knowing how to two hand a weapon in Elden Ring is important as certain weapons and builds rely on the added power you get from using both biceps to heft things about. It’s explained in a fairly throwaway manner in the game, so you might have missed it. The exact controls for switching between a one and two-handed weapon stance in Elden Ring are also quite different to that of other Soulsborne games which might be causing confusion. Here’s what you need to do to two hand your weapon in Elden Ring.

Elden Ring two hand weapons explained

(Image credit: Bandai Namco)

To change from a one-handed weapon grip to a two-handed weapon grip in Elden Ring, you need to hold Y/Triangle then press RB/R1 or LB/L1. Pressing RB/R1 will cause your Tarnished character to put away whatever is in their left hand so they can dedicate both hands to their right weapon. Pressing LB/L1 will do the opposite, causing your character to use both hands for their left item. Yes, this does mean you can hold an Elden Ring shield with two hands and attack.

(Image credit: Bandai Namco)

Using a two handed weapon in Elden Ring has its own risks and benefits and can affect weapons differently. The main benefit of holding a weapon with two hands is that you’ll gain extra damage, but this can sometimes be at the cost of slower swinging speeds – you might find that you need to better compensate for the attack animations now that the timing has changed.

Depending on your equipment, you might also be trading in less defensive power, making you a lot more vulnerable. If you’re using a basic melee weapon and shield combination, forgoing your shield to two hand your Elden Ring weapons will mean you’re sacrificing the great physical damage resistance that a shield grants. You’ll need to rely on agility much more when two handing a weapon. However, you can also check the defensive stats of your weapon to get an idea of how effectively you can mitigate damage by blocking.

(Image credit: Bandai Namco)

It’s an oddly complicated control system that isn’t too well-suited to rapidly changing stance in the heat of battle. It is recommended that you practice the necessary button combination for holding your Elden Ring weapon in two hands outside of combat to master it if it’s something you need. We reckon the Samurai is one of the best Elden Ring classes, and is definitely one that greatly benefits from switching between one and two-handing a weapon. All players and classes should give it a try to see if it suits their preferred playstyle, particularly if you’re running a melee build that doesn’t rely on a shield.