Dagger builds in Elden Ring don’t always get the love they deserve. While most players gravitate toward colossal weapons or bleed katanas, dagger-focused characters offer an entirely different playstyle—fast, precise, and incredibly deadly when executed correctly. A properly built dagger fighter can weave through enemy attacks and deliver devastating critical hits before most enemies can react.

If you’re looking to create a lightning-fast assassin-style build, these 20 tips will help you maximize your speed, damage, and survivability.

1. Choose the Right Daggers Early

Not all daggers are created equal. The Reduvia is excellent early on for bleed-focused builds, while the Bloodstained Dagger scales well with Strength. If you're leaning into Dexterity, the Parrying Dagger or Scorpion's Stinger offers high-speed options.

2. Dual-Wield for Maximum DPS

Powerstancing two daggers allows you to rapidly build status effects and keep pressure on enemies. Infuse each dagger differently to apply multiple effects like poison and bleed simultaneously.

3. Boost Dexterity

Daggers scale primarily with Dexterity. Pump this stat early and consistently to maximize your base damage and attack speed with light weapons.

4. Use Ashes of War Strategically

Consider Quickstep or Bloodhound’s Step to enhance mobility. These skills allow you to zip around enemies and position for backstabs or critical hits without taking damage.

5. Aim for Critical Hits

Daggers have high crit modifiers. Use guard counters, parries, and backstabs to take advantage of their devastating critical potential. Combine this with Dagger Talisman to increase crit damage further.

6. Lightweight Armor is Key

Heavy armor slows you down. Equip light or medium sets that provide good mobility without compromising too much on defense. Look for pieces that boost Dexterity or enhance stealth.

7. Focus on Mobility, Not Defense

This build thrives on evasion and positioning. Invest in Endurance to increase stamina and equip load, which lets you roll quickly and maintain offensive momentum.

8. Infuse for Status Effects

Infuse your daggers with Bleed, Poison, or Frost for stacking damage over time. This synergizes well with your attack speed and allows for powerful combo potential.

9. Use Buffs Wisely

Spells like Flame, Grant Me Strength and Golden Vow stack with dagger output. Alternatively, use Greases to temporarily enhance daggers with elemental damage.

10. Upgrade Early and Often

Don't wait to fully upgrade your daggers. Since you're relying on fast hits instead of heavy damage per strike, every point of AR counts. If you're short on resources, farming cheap elden ring runes can make this process faster.

11. Utilize Stealth Mechanics

Daggers and stealth go hand in hand. Use crouch-walking and terrain to sneak up on enemies and initiate with backstabs for major damage. The Crepus’s Vial can help you move silently.

12. Prioritize the Dagger Talisman

This talisman increases your critical hit damage—a perfect fit for a build that thrives on crits. Pair it with other crit-boosting gear for lethal output.

13. Experiment with Parry and Riposte

Parrying opens up enemies to critical hits, where daggers shine. Practice the timing and consider equipping the Buckler or Small Leather Shield for optimal parry windows.

14. Take Advantage of Quickstep Spam

Using Quickstep repeatedly lets you dance around enemies, reposition fast, and stay locked into melee without committing to long dodge animations.

15. Keep FP in Mind

Many dagger-based Ashes of War consume FP. Keep your Mind stat at a reasonable level, and don’t be afraid to allocate some flasks toward FP regeneration.

16. Adapt to PvE Bosses

Some bosses are too aggressive for a traditional dagger approach. Learn to bait attacks, punish recovery windows, and retreat when necessary. Your goal is to chip away, not tank.

17. Carry a Secondary Weapon

For enemies that resist fast attacks or require range, a light bow or magic sidearm can give you much-needed flexibility. Quick-swapping ensures you're never stuck.

18. Master Target Switching

In PvE mob situations, being able to quickly switch between enemies allows you to maximize your light-speed advantage and apply pressure where needed.

19. Use Torrent for Ambushes

Jumping off Torrent into a backstab or charged dagger combo is surprisingly effective. You can start fights on your terms, even against mounted enemies.

20. Upgrade Your Flask and Physick

Mix your Wondrous Physick with buffs like Thorny Cracked Tear (boosts successive attacks) or Dexterity-Knot Crystal Tear to temporarily raise stats. It gives you an extra edge in tougher fights.

A light-speed dagger fighter may not have the raw power of a colossal sword user, but what you lose in brute force, you more than make up for in precision, speed, and style. This build rewards skilled play, fast reflexes, and situational awareness.

If you're refining this build across multiple characters or experimenting with different dagger combos, it can help to buy Elden Ring Items to avoid repetitive farming. Likewise, if you're looking to boost your rune reserves to upgrade gear or level up key stats faster, you might look into cheap elden ring runes options to save time.

At the end of the day, playing a dagger fighter isn’t just about damage—it's about movement, control, and turning every fight into a dance. With the right setup, you’ll cut through the Lands Between like a blur.