Summary
Magic plays a big part inElden Ring. From powerful offensive spells to effective healing magic, most players use at least one kind of sorcery or incantation in a playthrough. The range of different spells available in the game is also impressive. The variety on offer allows for many build types, from flame-heavy pyromancers to gravity-based sorcerers.
Some of the most prominent spell types, found among the incantations, are lightning spells. Originating from the Ancient Dragons, these Dragon Cult Incantations are fast, deadly, andeffective against many enemies. Faith users will often have at least one of these incantations always memorized, relying on their devastating power and effective range.
Updated June 16, 2025 by Andy Chapman: Elden Ring is firmly established as one of the best games in modern history. Its blend of incredible challenge, jaw-dropping spectacle, and addictive exploration has made it beloved by many.Shadow of the Erdtreefurther solidified its popularity, expanding on the lore and gameplay of the base game. With the imminent release of the spin-off gameElden Ring: Nightreign, this era-defining release has become a franchise.
Nightreign is unlike anything FromSoftware has made previously and will surely be an exciting addition to their impressive games catalog. This article has been updated to include additional entries to give a broad picture of the Lightning Spells featured in Elden Ring.
17Electrocharge
Charge Body With Electricity
Casting this spell brings down a lightning bolt onto the player, that charges their body with a small AOE attack. While the damage of this effect is barely worth the time, when close to an enemy the initial cast deals significant damage. UsingElectrochargein combat will require good timing, especially against bosses, due to the close range of the attack.
Players will find the incantation in Fog Rift Catacombs. Proceeding past the second lift, players must explore the area thoroughly to find the water-logged room where the spell is located.
16Lightning Fortification
A Powerful Tool Against Specific Enemies
WhileLightning Fortificationmay not be the most exciting spell inElden Ring’s magic library, it can give players a good advantage against certain enemies. Casting the spell, players receive around a 35% increase in their Lightning Damage Negation, which lasts around 90 seconds.
There are numerous bosses this spell can help with, including all the Ancient Dragons, Draconic Tree Sentinels, and Commander Niall during his second phase. Once Brother Corhyn has moved to the Altus Plateau region, players can purchase the spell for 7500 runes.
15Dragonbolt Blessing
A Solid Buff During Tough Battles
Players will find this spell once they have reached the Altus Plateau region of the game. Making their way to Stormcaller Church, theDragonbolt Blessingcan be found inside a chest inside the ruin.
While this spell lessens the player’s Lightning Damage Negation by 35%, it strengthens resistance to all ailments. In addition, enemy attacks are more easily deflected when this spell is active. While buffs of this type only serve to reduce damage dealt to the player, they can serve as an effective advantage when needed.
14Vyke’s Dragonbolt
Summon the Power Of A Famous Tarnished
In the lore ofElden Ring, Vyke was a predecessor of the player. A tarnished that came extremely close to becoming Elden Lord, but failed when he became enamored with the Frenzied Flame. This powerful incantation buffs the player’s weapon and body with red lightning, similar to that seen wielded by the dragons Fortissax and Lansseax.
The spell imbues theplayer’s right-hand weaponwith lightning attack power while reducing lightning damage by 35%. In addition, the spell increases the equip load by 15% while the incantation is active. This is an excellent spell to use against enemies weak against lightning and will be most effective for dexterity builds looking for extra attack power.Vyke’s Dragonboltis found late in the game, in the Mountaintop of the Giants region, after defeating Roundtable Knight Vyke in the Lord Contenders Evergaol.
13Dragonbolt of Florissax
A Secret Questline Reward
Dragonbolt of Florissaxis an easily missed incantation found in theShadow of the ErdtreeDLC. To collect the spell, players must proceed through Thiollier’s questline and receive Thiollier’s Concoction. Players can now put the Dragon Priest to sleep with the concoction, which will unlock the spell after defeating Bayle The Dread.
While the Dragonbolt of Florissax isn’t a powerful attack spell, it can be a useful buff for players. When cast, this incantation increases all damage negation for players and allies. This includes all damage types, including physical.
12Electrify Armament
Deal Extra Lightning Damage to Enemies
To acquire this Dragoncult Incantation, players must first obtain the Dragon Cult Prayerbook from the Leyndell Knight in Liurnia of the Lakes region. Once found, players can purchaseElectrify Armamentfrom either Brother Corhyn or Miriel, Pastor of Vows.
Casting this spell gives the player’s weapon additional lightning attack power, which is scaled by the player’s faith. This can be extremely useful against enemies and bosses weak to this effect. Some of these include the Bloodhound Knights, Decaying Ekzykes, and Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon.
11Lightning Strike
Attack Multiple Foes With Lightning
Players may easily miss this Dragon Cult Incantation located in the Weeping Peninsula early in the game. Players will find the spell high up in the large crevasse that separates the region, dropped by a Teardrop Scarab. There are several bats protecting the area.
This simple spell can be an excellent choice for early-game faith-builds, as it can take down multiple foes at once. The player summons a bolt of lightning that spreads across the ground. Whilethe range isn’t large, using this when outnumbered can give players a big advantage. UsingLightning Strikein water will also create an additional AOE effect, dealing even more damage to nearby enemies.
10Death Lightning
Summon Clouds of Death Blight
Death Lightningis one of the most impressive-looking spells in the game, but will rarely be chosen over more effective spells in the category. Players will need to complete Fia’s questline first. After defeating the Lichdragon Fortissax and gaining the Remembrance of the Lichdragon, players can choose between this or Fortissax’s Lightning Spear.
Death Lightning summons multiple pillars of black and yellow lightning that strike the ground, creating clouds of death blight. While this is effective when surrounded by enemies, the secondaryattack is uselessthroughoutElden Ring, as only other Tarnished are affected by death blight. The spell is more useful in PvP matches, but successfully casting Death Lightning against other players is difficult before getting hit.
9Honed Bolt
Strike Down Enemies With A Single Bolt Of Lightning
With its low FP cost,Honed Boltis a useful weapon against single attacking enemies. The spell has a longer cast time than Lightning Spear but can be repeatedly cast, making it more and more dangerous. Players summon a lightning bolt onto a locked-on enemy, which, if in water, will create an additional AOE attack.
To get this spell, players should first find the Dragon Cult Prayerbook, dropped by a Leyndell Knight in Liurnia of the Lakes region. After acquiring this item, players can purchase the spell from Brother Corhyn or Miriel, Pastor of Vows.
8Frozen Lightning Spear
Cover the Ground In Powerful Ice Lightning
This powerful Dragon Cult spell can be found early in the game, in one of the underground regions ofElden Ring. This early-game spell can deal high amounts of damage and looks cool doing it. The player summons spears of icy blue lightning that strike enemies in front of the player. However, the main attack of this incantation is delayed and has a medium or close range. This means players will need good timing to use this spell effectively.
When cast correctly,Frozen Lightning Spearcan damage many enemies at once, making it effective when outnumbered. Against large bosses, the spell can hit multiple times at once and inflict frost build-up. Frozen Lightning Spear is acquired after defeating the Dragonkin Soldier of Nokstella, in one of the best boss arenas in the game.
