You’re standing in front of a literal demigod, and all you’ve got is a giant piece of wood. It sounds like a joke. Honestly, in a game filled with katanas that bleed magic and swords made of literal blasphemy, carrying a large club Elden Ring style feels like bringing a pool noodle to a gunfight. But here is the thing: the "bonk" meta isn't just a meme. It’s a calculated, poise-breaking masterclass that many players overlook because they’re too busy chasing flashy particle effects.
Most people run right past the chest containing this weapon because it’s tucked away in a corner of Limgrave that doesn't look particularly special. That’s a mistake. The Large Club is a Great Hammer, but it’s a weird one. It’s lighter than you’d expect. It swings with a rhythmic, heavy thud. If you’ve ever wondered why some players seem to breeze through the early game without breaking a sweat, it’s usually because they found a way to stun-lock bosses into oblivion. This weapon is the easiest way to do that.
Where to Find the Large Club Elden Ring Players Often Miss
You don't have to kill a dragon for this. You don't even have to leave the starting zone. If you head south from the Forlorn Hound Evergaol in Limgrave, you’ll find a small camp of demi-humans. They’re hanging out near the edge of a cliff. Look for a corpse slumped over some wreckage. That’s your prize. It’s sitting there, waiting for someone with at least 22 Strength to pick it up and start swinging.
Why 22 Strength? Because that’s the barrier to entry. If you’re two-handing it, you can actually start using it much earlier. Basically, if you have 15 Strength and grip it with both hands, you get that 1.5x multiplier, making it usable almost immediately after you step out of the Tutorial Cave. It’s the ultimate "low investment, high reward" tool for a Strength build.
The Moveset: More Than Just Vertical Slams
Most people think heavy weapons are slow. They aren't wrong, but the large club Elden Ring moveset has some hidden gems. The heavy attack (R2/RT) is a wide, sweeping horizontal strike. This is vital. In a game where you often get swarmed by packs of wolves or those annoying imps in catacombs, having a horizontal clear is the difference between life and death.
Then there is the charged R2. This is where the magic happens. A fully charged heavy attack with this thing deals massive stance damage. We aren't just talking about a little stagger. We are talking about knocking a Crucible Knight out of his animation. Three well-timed charged heavies will put almost any boss on their knees, opening them up for a critical hit. It’s a rhythmic playstyle. You aren't spamming buttons; you're waiting for that one opening to deliver a soul-crushing blow.
Why the Large Club Beats the Great Club Early On
This is a common point of contention among the community. The Great Club is iconic. It glows. It has a unique Ash of War. But the standard large club Elden Ring gives you is often better for a mid-level build. Why? Customization.
The Great Club is stuck with its Holy damage and "Golden Land" skill. That sounds cool until you realize half the bosses in the late game—looking at you, Elden Beast—have massive resistance to Holy damage. The Large Club, however, is a "Regular" weapon. This means you can slap whatever Ash of War you want on it.
- Cragblade: Turns your wooden stick into a rock-covered nightmare, increasing physical damage and stance break potential.
- Wild Strikes: Lets you hold down a button and swing like a maniac, which is surprisingly effective against larger bosses like Magma Wyrms.
- Lion’s Claw: The gold standard. You flip through the air and pancaked enemies. It’s satisfying and statistically broken.
By being able to change the affinity to "Heavy," you’re getting an S-scaling in Strength once the weapon is fully upgraded. That is pure, unadulterated physical damage. No split resistances to worry about. Just raw force hitting a health bar.
The Weight Advantage You Didn't Know You Needed
The Large Club weighs 8.5 units. For context, the Greatsword (the Guts sword) weighs 23.0. That’s a massive difference.
Because the Large Club is relatively light for a "Great" class weapon, you can wear heavier armor. You can hit those poise breakpoints like 51 or 101 without needing to dump 40 points into Endurance. This allows you to trade hits. In Elden Ring, trading is a viable strategy if you have the damage reduction to back it up. You swing, they swing; they flinch, you don't. You win.
Scaling and Stats: Doing the Math
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty. At +25 with a Heavy infusion, the Large Club is a monster. If you’re sitting at 60 Strength, your Attack Power (AR) is going to be hovering in a range that makes most "fast" weapons look like toothpicks.
- Strength: Your primary stat. Aim for 54 if you plan to two-hand (which hits the 80 soft cap) or 80 if you’re crazy enough to use a shield.
- Vigor: Don't be a glass cannon. You need at least 40 Vigor to survive the trades you’ll inevitably make.
- Endurance: 25 is usually the sweet spot for this build, allowing for decent armor and enough stamina for three swings and a roll.
Honestly, the simplicity is the draw. You don't need to manage mana. You don't need to buff your weapon with five different spells before entering a fog gate. You just walk in and start hitting things. It’s refreshing.
Common Misconceptions About Strike Damage
There is a reason the large club Elden Ring community loves "Strike" damage specifically. Most enemies in the game wear metal armor or are made of stone. Slash damage (swords) and Pierce damage (spears) get penalized against these types. Strike damage? It ignores a huge chunk of that.
If you’re fighting a Crystalian, a sword will bounce off like a toy. The Large Club will shatter them in two hits. It’s the universal "Delete" key for armored enemies. This makes the Raya Lucaria Academy—a place usually painful for melee builds—a total breeze. Those mages have zero poise and zero physical defense against blunt objects.
Practical Advice for Your First "Bonk" Run
If you’re going to commit to the Large Club, you need to change how you look at the game. You aren't playing a fast-paced action game anymore. You’re playing a timing game.
Use the Axe Talisman. It enhances your charged attacks. Combine this with the Spiked Cracked Tear in your Flask of Wondrous Physick. Now, your charged R2s are doing astronomical damage and even more poise damage. You’ll find yourself actively looking for boss openings that other players run away from. When Margit raises his cane for that slow overhead slam, you aren't rolling away. You’re charging up. You hit him right as he releases, and suddenly, he’s the one on the ground.
It’s also worth mentioning the "Guard Counter" mechanic. Even though you’re using a club, you can still block in a pinch. The guard boost on the Large Club isn't half bad. Blocking a light hit and immediately pressing heavy attack triggers a fast, high-impact counter. It’s a great way to deal with dogs and rats that try to interrupt your slower swings.
Limitations: It's Not All Sunshine and Rainbows
I have to be honest: the range isn't incredible. It’s a "Large" club, but it’s not a "Colossal" one. You will occasionally whiff a swing because a boss hopped back two inches. It takes practice to judge the distance. Also, the recovery time is a bit long. If you miss a swing against a fast boss like Malenia, you’re going to get punished.
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But that’s part of the charm. It’s a high-stakes way to play. You have to be deliberate. You have to be sure.
Actionable Steps for Your Large Club Build
If you want to try this out today, here is exactly how to set it up for maximum efficiency:
- Go to Limgrave: Head to the south-east part of the starting area, near the bridge leading to the Weeping Peninsula. Find that demi-human camp and grab the club.
- Invest in Strength: Get your Strength to 22 immediately.
- Get Lion's Claw: Ride your horse over to Fort Gael in Caelid. Kill the Lion Guardian there. It’s a tough fight early on, but Lion’s Claw is the best Ash of War for this weapon, period.
- Upgrade Early: Use the Smithing Stones found in the Limgrave Tunnels. A +3 or +6 Large Club will carry you through Godrick the Grafted with zero issues.
- Aim for the Head: Whenever possible, try to hit enemies in the head. It deals extra stance damage.
The large club Elden Ring experience is about power fantasy. It’s about taking the most primitive tool imaginable and using it to dismantle the most sophisticated enemies in the Lands Between. It works because it’s simple, and in a game as complex as this, simplicity is often the deadliest weapon of all. Stop worrying about your "build" and start worrying about your "bonk." You’ll be surprised at how much easier the game becomes when you stop trying to outsmart the bosses and just start out-hitting them.
The real secret to Elden Ring isn't magic or complex combos. It's just a big stick and the courage to use it. Go find that corpse in Limgrave. Pick up the club. See for yourself why the oldest weapon in human history is still the most reliable way to become an Elden Lord.