Elden Ring: how to two-hand a weapon

elden ring two hand weapon stance — (Image credit: FromSoftware)

Wondering how to two-hand a weapon in Elden Ring? Now that FromSoft's latest game is out in the wild, you're probably keen to figure out everything that the vast world offers. Once you've chosen your Elden Ring class and picked up your trusty mount, Torrent, you might want to turn your attention to weapons and how they work.

Whether you want to jump into the thick of the action in melee or you prefer to stay further back with ranged attacks, there's a variety of weapons to choose from in the Lands Between. You might also want to know how to two-hand a weapon in Elden Ring, and this guide will show you how.

Elden Ring: How to two-hand a weapon

There are times when you might want to throw caution to the wind, do away with a shield, and two-hand your weapon to increase the damage of your attacks. To do this, press E + left or right-click, depending on which hand you have the weapon equipped. If you're using a controller, Y (or Triangle) + left or right shoulder buttons do the same.

If you decide to switch to two-handed mode, you'll need to make sure you're light on your toes and ready to dodge or roll out the way of incoming attacks, so be aware of equip load. You may be dishing out more damage—and you still have the option of dealing light or heavy attacks, but you'll be more vulnerable without a shield to hide behind.

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Sarah started as a freelance writer in 2018, writing for PCGamesN, TechRadar, GamingBible, Red Bull Gaming and more. In 2021, she was offered a full-time position on the PC Gamer team where she takes every possible opportunity to talk about World of Warcraft and Elden Ring. When not writing guides, most of her spare time is spent in Azeroth—though she's quite partial to JRPGs too. One of her fondest hopes is to one day play through the ending of Final Fantasy X without breaking down into a sobbing heap. She probably has more wolves in Valheim than you.