Great Stars Prayerful Strike

In the world of Elden Ring, weapons and their ashes of war play a huge role in shaping a player’s build, combat approach, and survivability. One combination that has gained significant attention among players seeking both offensive and healing potential is the Great Stars paired with the Prayerful Strike Ash of War. This setup is known not only for its devastating blunt damage but also for its unique healing capabilities, which provide surprising sustainability during prolonged battles. Understanding how to effectively use the Great Stars with Prayerful Strike can give players a distinct edge in both PvE and PvP situations.

What Is Great Stars?

The Great Stars is a powerful Great Hammer weapon in Elden Ring. Known for its strength scaling and bleed buildup, it serves as a heavy weapon that can stagger enemies and deliver massive damage with each swing. It also comes with a special passive ability it restores a small amount of HP with every successful hit. This passive healing effect makes Great Stars stand out from other colossal weapons, especially when combined with certain Ashes of War and talismans that boost survivability.

Great Stars Key Attributes

• Weapon Type: Great Hammer
• Weight: Heavy, requires significant stamina and strength
• Scaling: Primarily Strength, with some Dexterity scaling depending on infusion
• Passive Effect: Restores HP on hit (2.5% of max HP per strike)
• Bleed Buildup: Causes blood loss buildup per hit

Because of its healing on hit and bleed effect, the Great Stars is favored by strength builds that prioritize endurance and aggressive playstyles. When used properly, it can simultaneously deal consistent damage and provide reliable healing, especially in group fights or when facing hordes of enemies.

Understanding Prayerful Strike

Prayerful Strike is an Ash of War that can be equipped to Great Hammers and other compatible blunt weapons. It’s a special skill that deals high damage while also healing the player based on the amount of damage dealt. The animation for Prayerful Strike is slow and deliberate the user channels energy into the weapon before slamming it into the ground with tremendous force. If the strike connects, it delivers crushing damage and restores HP to the player.

How Prayerful Strike Works

• Skill Type: Ash of War (Faith-based)
• Healing Effect: Restores HP on successful hit (amount scales with Faith and damage dealt)
• FP Cost: Moderate, requiring focus point management
• Cast Time: Slow, requires timing and proper spacing

This Ash of War is especially useful in situations where health regeneration is limited. It gives players a way to heal during combat without relying on flasks, making it ideal for Faith builds or anyone aiming for greater sustain in battle.

The Power of Combining Great Stars with Prayerful Strike

When Great Stars is infused with Prayerful Strike, it becomes a powerful tool for both offense and healing. The weapon’s natural ability to restore health on each hit is amplified by Prayerful Strike’s own healing effect. This synergy allows players to tank through damage and heal themselves during boss fights or invasions, where healing windows are normally rare.

Benefits of the Combo

• Double Healing: Healing from both weapon and Ash of War
• High Damage Output: Great Stars delivers heavy damage per hit
• Bleed Buildup: Extra damage from blood loss procs
• Sustainability: Reduced need for flasks and healing spells

This makes the setup extremely popular among tanky builds and those running hybrid Strength-Faith characters. By capitalizing on both the raw power of the Great Stars and the restorative potential of Prayerful Strike, players can remain in the fight longer and come out on top in drawn-out encounters.

Best Build for Great Stars and Prayerful Strike

To maximize the efficiency of this combo, players should consider a build that balances Strength, Faith, and Endurance. Here’s a general outline of a recommended build that emphasizes power, healing, and survivability:

Recommended Stats

• Strength: 40+ for scaling damage
• Faith: 25–30 to boost healing from Prayerful Strike
• Endurance: 30+ for stamina and equipment load
• Vigor: High enough to tank hits and stay in melee range

Suggested Talismans

• Green Turtle Talisman: Faster stamina recovery for heavy swings
• Blessed Dew Talisman: Passive HP regeneration over time
• Radagon’s Scarseal/Sourceal: Boosts Strength at the cost of defense
• Erdtree’s Favor: Increases max HP, stamina, and equip load

Useful Spells (if investing in Faith)

• Blessing of the Erdtree: Great for added regeneration
• Flame, Grant Me Strength: Buffs attack power
• Barrier of Gold: Useful for defense against magic enemies

This build focuses on outlasting opponents while delivering heavy blows and healing through constant engagement. Whether used in PvE or PvP, it can dominate with the right timing and support gear.

Tips for Using the Combo Effectively

While the Great Stars and Prayerful Strike combination is powerful, it does come with some drawbacks. The slow animation of Prayerful Strike means it can easily be interrupted by aggressive enemies or other players. To get the most out of this combo, consider the following strategies:

• Use After Staggering: Activate Prayerful Strike right after staggering or knocking down an enemy to ensure the hit connects.
• Buff Before Engagement: Cast buffs like Flame, Grant Me Strength or Golden Vow before battle to increase damage and survivability.
• Position Carefully: Avoid using Prayerful Strike in crowded areas or tight spaces where enemies can interrupt the cast.
• Chain With Heavy Attacks: Alternate between charged heavy attacks and Prayerful Strike to maintain pressure and maximize healing.

Timing is crucial with this Ash of War. Practice in controlled environments before relying on it in major boss fights or PvP duels. Once mastered, it can become one of the most reliable survival tools in the game.

Where to Find Great Stars and Prayerful Strike

The Great Stars can be found inside a carriage in the Altus Plateau, guarded by enemies. You’ll need to unlock access to the region and defeat the guards to claim the weapon. Prayerful Strike, meanwhile, is typically acquired from specific Ash of War sellers or as loot during exploration, depending on game progression and version updates.

Players should ensure they have access to a smithing site and the appropriate smithing stones to upgrade the weapon for full effectiveness. Investing in both the weapon and the Prayerful Strike skill will pay off greatly as the game progresses.

The Great Stars paired with Prayerful Strike in Elden Ring is more than just a heavy-hitting combo it’s a lifeline. Offering immense damage, passive and active healing, and bleed buildup, this setup supports a relentless playstyle. It’s especially valuable for players who enjoy trading hits with tough enemies while minimizing downtime from healing flasks. With the right build and strategy, this combo stands out as one of the most versatile and rewarding weapon pairings in the game. Master it, and you’ll find yourself enduring fights that would otherwise leave you in the dust.