Elden Ring: 17 Best Dragon Communion Incantations (2024)

The Elden Ring Dragon Communion Incantations don't really have a stellar reputation among players. Players often deem them to be quite underwhelming, especially when they take into account how much they've had to go through to obtain them in the first place. After all, beating a dragon in Elden Ring (or any other FromSoftware game for that matter) is no easy feat.

While it may be true that many of the possible Incantations players can buy at the Church and Cathedral of Dragon Communion are not all that impressive, some of them are pretty powerful, and they deserve to be acknowledged. After all, there is only one way to make use of Dragon Hearts, so why not spend them on something that can actually come in handy when traversing through the Lands Between?

Updated on August 19, 2024, by Nahda Nabiilah: Dragon Communion Incantations are a great spell choice for players who wish to wield the powers of former dragons. Some of these Incantations are insanely powerful and could melt bosses' HP with the correct builds. Thanks to the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, you can now enjoy even more spells due to the addition of the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion, which provides only three new Incantations.

17 Magma Breath

Trap Enemies In Lava Pools

Upon defeating the Magma Wyrm boss found southwest of the Seethewater Terminus Site of Lost Grace, Magma Breath will become available for purchase at the Cathedral of Dragon Communion in Caelid for the price of one Dragon Heart. The required stats aren’t difficult to obtain since the Incantation needs 14 Faith and 10 Arcane.

The idea behind Magma Breath is to stack lava pools by casting the Incantation repeatedly. Said pools inflict Fire Damage which can be used against bosses like Erdtree Avatar, Putrid Avatar, and Ulcerated Tree Spirit in Elden Ring. Magma Breath is similar to Theodorix's Magma but with lower stats requirements and the pools inflict less damage.

16 Dragonclaw

Slash A Group Of Enemies

The Dragonclaw is one of the early-game Dragon Communion Incantations that players can obtain from Limgrave. It only costs one Dragon Heart and requires 17 Faith and 13 Arcane. Thanks to some Elden Ring patch updates, Dragonclaw consumes only 24 FP instead of the old 32, which means it can be used a lot more.

Tarnished who chooses the Dragonclaw Incantation will transform into a dragon and attack foes using giant claws. It’s best used against a big horde of enemies to defeat them as quickly as possible. Another great method to use Dragonclaw is to wield an Elden Ring Seal in both hands and cast the Incantation using them both to trigger a long series of chain attacks.

15 Glintstone Breath

Defeat Foes With Minty Breath

Although Glintstone Breath is located inside the Cathedral of Dragon Communion in Caelid, it’s easily obtainable from the early game since players can use various methods to teleport to the Rotten Land. It’s also possible to travel there normally since Caelid is next to Limgrave. As for the requirements, Glintstone Breath costs one Dragon Heart and calls for 15 Faith as well as 12 Arcane.

Glintstone Breath deals Magic Damage which can be useful against bosses like Decaying Ekzykes, Demi-Human Chief, and the late-game Elden Ring boss Hoarah Loux, Warrior. Other than large enemies, it’s possible to take advantage of the Incantations’ wide range to clear out a big group of enemies.

14 Rotten Breath

Suffocate Enemies With Rotten Breath

Alongside Bleed and Poison damage, Scarlet Rot is one of the most universally powerful damage types in the entire game. The Rotten Breath Incantation, while not necessarily impressive in terms of dealing immediate damage, can help players get through tough encounters by effectively infecting their foes with the Rot. It's one of the best dragon incantations for those looking to avoid direct combat encounters for as long as possible.

Particularly useful against tough late-game bosses like Maliketh, the Black Blade as well as dispersing groups of enemies, Rotten Breath is a worthy addition to any player's Incantation repertoire. Moreover, its Faith requirement is only 15, which means that even builds that do not prioritize that particular stat will be able to make good use of it.

13 Dragonmaw

Take A Chunk Out Of Everyone

This Dragon Communion incantation also generates a dragon's head on top of the player, this time rapidly biting away at any opponent that strays into its path. Costing only one Dragon Heart, this low-cost incantation is particularly useful in the early-to-mid stages of the game. However, it costs a lot more Faith than the Rotten Breath spell and makes for a slightly worse choice for players who aren't looking to invest a lot of their skill points in that particular attribute.

However, Faith-based builds in Elden Ring should have a field day with Dragonmaw , as it combines particularly well with melee strikes, allowing skilled Tarnished to unleash deadly flurries of attacks finalized by this quick sequence of dragon bites. This ability scales with Faith, and in order to be able to equip it, one needs to have at least 26 Faith points and 16 Arcane.

12 Dragonice

Freeze Every Enemy On Your Path

Another low-cost Dragon Communion Incantation, Dragonice can be used by non-magic focused builds to stun enemies and apply elemental damage to gain the upper hand in battle.

With the Dragonice Incantation activated, the caster's head turns into a dragon, spewing icy breath on everything that stands in their way. Much more useful against hordes of mob enemies than major bosses, Dragonice is the ideal choice for melee-focused builds who want to dabble in a tiny bit of magic.

11 Smarag's Glintstone Breath

Stronger Than Glintstone Breath

Players looking for powerful Incantations that are also visually stunning should look no further than Smarag's Glintstone Breath . It lifts the player a few feet off the ground and projects a hefty amount of magic damage onto enemies.

Contrary to Dragonice or Rotten Breath, this Elden Ring Incantation requires slightly more Faith to use (23 points), but it is well worth the skill point investment, considering how effective it is at draining the health bars of non-magic resistant bosses. Smarag's Glintstone Breath also comes in handy when coming up against large or flying mobs.

10 Ghostflame Breath

Deal Both Magic And Frostbite Damage

By defeating a Ghostflame Dragon in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, you will unlock the Ghostflame Breath Incantation at the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion. Tarnished need to exchange three Dragon Hearts at the altar to buy the Ghostflame Breath Incantation.

Similar to a normal fire-breathing spell, casting it allows the players to spew Ghostflame fire, dealing Magic and Frostbite damage. Players need 23 Faith and 15 Arcane to cast it, which is not bad considering other Dragon Communion Incantations stats requirements.

9 Theodorix's Magma

Release Bigger Lava Pools

Unlike direct Fire damage, Magma Incantations are great at dealing prolonged damage to enemies. Obtainable for two Dragon Hearts after defeating the Great Wyrm Theodorix, Theodorix's Magma is an incantation that will slow enemies down in their tracks, preventing them from getting close enough to dish out melee damage.

Very useful for any STR/FTH build (which is one of the more popular Elden Ring builds), this Incantation can be utilized in a variety of ways, but it's most effective against fire-susceptible bosses and mobs. The fact that it spews the destructive magma from above is an additional advantage.

8 Greyoll's Roar

Debuff Your Opponents With A Mighty Roar

Obtainable after defeating Elder Dragon Greyoll , residing in Caelid's Dragonbarrow, Greyoll's Roar is one of the easiest dragon-specific incantations to get, simply because this boss does not directly attack the player. Instead, Greyoll relies on the five lesser dragons gathered around him to strike at the Tarnished. However, with the help of Torrent and some manual skill, their advances can easily be avoided, allowing the player to focus on reducing Greyoll's health bar to zero by hitting its tail.

Greyoll's Roar costs three Dragon Hearts at the Altar of Dragon Communion, but it's well worth the investment, especially for players with Faith builds. It unleashes a powerful AoE attack that doesn't only damage enemies directly, but also reduces the power of their attacks and makes them more vulnerable to the player's hits for 60 seconds. Greyoll's Roar requires 28 Faith and 17 Arcane to equip.

7 Bayle's Tyranny

Stun And Slap Foes With Fire

Bayle's Tyranny lets you unleash a powerful roar that stuns some enemies and deals heavy fire damage. Players need to have at least 43 Arcane to use the Dragon Communion Incantation.

To get Bayle’s Tyranny Incantation, Tarnished must defeat Bayle the Dread boss in Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, and use Heart of Bayle at the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion to get the Incantation. Do note that defeating the boss rewards one heart, and you can use it to get only one of the two available Incantations.

6 Agheel's Flame

Breathe A Long Trail Of Fire

As is the case with other powerful Dragon Incantations in Elden Ring, Agheel's Flame also only becomes available after defeating a specific dragon. In this case, the necessary foe is the Dragon Agheel in Elden Ring. Although still a formidable boss, he is not as difficult as some dragons encountered in the game and can be found in Limgrave.

With a high enough Faith level, this Incantation is arguably one of the most powerful fire spells in the game, both due to its long range, as well as the fact that it spews flames from above, which increases its effectiveness against shielded and high-poise enemies.

5 Dragonfire

The Cheap Version Of Agheel's Flame

Dragonfire is very similar to the Agheel's Flame in that it's also a Fire Incantation that transforms the caster into a dragon. Contrary to Agheel's Flame , though, this one has a slightly shorter range and does not elevate the player above the ground.

Despite being less powerful than Agheel's Flame, Dragonfire is arguably the superior Dragon Communion Incantation out of the two. This is because it costs much less Faith to use (15 vs. Agheel's Flame's 23), and can be purchased with a single Dragon Heart. It is useful for all sorts of builds, and while players who do not focus on Faith might have a hard time making full use of it against bosses, it can easily be utilized to tear apart mob enemies.

4 Bayle's Flame Lightning

Combination Between Dragonclaw And Placidusax's Ruin

Casting Bayle's Flame Lightning allows the user to summon a huge claw and use it to attack unsuspecting enemies with lightning and physical damage, with a bit of fire damage as well. Players can also use the Dragon Communion Seal to boost the damage by approximately 15%.

You will require a whopping 53 Arcane to be able to cast this Dragon Communion Incantation. As for how to get Bayle’s Flame Lightning, the process is similar to Bayle’s Tyranny. Kill Bayle the Dread and trade the Heart of Bayle at the Grand Altar of Dragon Communion in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.

3 Borealis's Mist

A More Intense Version Of Dragonice

Elden Ring Dragon Communion enables some pretty visually stunning attacks, with Borealis's Mist taking the cake as arguably the most beautiful "breath" incantations. It unleashes a mist of ice onto the opponents, dealing hefty amounts of Frostbite damage in the process. It is an improved version of the Dragonice attack but requires a bit more Faith to equip -- 23 points to be precise.

In order to unlock Borealis's Mist, players need to head all the way to the Mountaintops of the Giants and defeat Borealis, the Freezing Fog. He can be found to the southeast of the Freezing Lake Site of Grace. He is a formidable foe, but those who've defeated a few other named dragons before should have a pretty solid idea of how to battle him, as he has the same basic attacks as Decaying Ekzykes or Flying Dragon Agheel. After killing Borealis, the Tarnished can buy Borealis's Mist at an Altar of Dragon Communion for two Dragon Hearts.

2 Ekzykes's Decay

A More Powerful Rotten Breath

Obtainable after beating Decaying Ekzykes , this Incantation is another Scarlet Rot spell, but it's infinitely more powerful than Rotten Breath (which is already quite a formidable force by itself).

The reason for this is the fact that like most other Incantations named after a specific creature, Ekzykes's Decay elevates the player a few feet above the ground, increasing the area covered by its effect. The larger, thicker cloud of Scarlet Rot infects enemies much faster, getting them to drop more HP than any other Rot-based spell. As for the requirements, players must have 23 Faith and 15 Arcane.

1 Placidusax's Ruin

Rain Lightning On Everyone

A very powerful late-game spell that allows players to spew Golden Breath from above, the Placidusax's Ruin is the only Elden Ring Dragon Cult Incantation that can't be obtained in the Church or the Cathedral of Dragon Communion. Instead, players can claim it by exchanging the Remembrance of the Dragonlord for it with Enia at the Roundtable Hold.

Undeniably the strongest of all the Dragon Communion Incantations, this monster of a spell requires 36 Faith and is the only spell in this category that has 360⁰ control and can be aimed during the cast. Whether it's melting down hordes of minor enemies or taking away chunks of bosses' health bars at a time, Placidusax's Ruin is one of those overpowered Elden Ring spells that can resolve most combat encounters within seconds.

Elden Ring

RPG

Action

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:95/100 Critics Recommend:98%

Platform(s)

PS5 , Xbox One , PS4 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , PC

Released

February 25, 2022

Developer(s)

From Software

Publisher(s)

Bandai Namco Entertainment , From Software

Multiplayer

Online Co-Op , Online Multiplayer

Engine

Proprietary

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence

How Long To Beat

58 Hours

Steam Deck Compatibility

yes

X|S Enhanced

yes

Cross Save

no

Cross-Platform Play

PS4 & PS5 and Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S