The Guard Counter mechanic is a Soulsbourne mechanic unique to Elden Ring. While many in the community find it a bit too slow, there is an opportunity to build around it. Let's block some hits, shall we?

To focus on Guard Counters in Elden Ring, you’ll want to invest in Stamina. Guard Counters drain Stamina like nothing else, so Endurance is a big priority. Since you’ll also want to deal damage, focusing on one type of physical damage scaling and Endurance is a great way to ensure high returns. That’s why you should start as a Samurai. The following stats are for a level 150 build.

One of the biggest benefits of Guard Counter is using heavier weapons. Guard Counter speeds up the animations of these weapons significantly, making it much more likely that you’ll land a hit with them in combat. You also want every Guard Counter to matter, so heavier options can work to your advantage. A 60 Strength to buff the soft cap is perfect for this. Additionally, 45 Endurance gives you a ton of Stamina and Equip Load to boot. Since you’ll be blocking some hits and possibly taking some hits during the Guard Counter animation, 60 Vigor is worth your time. The 15 Dexterity is nice for weapon requirements, like some of the longer-range Halberds and Spears.

Perhaps the strangest aspect of the build is the 21 Faith. A dash of Faith is needed for specific aspects of the build, particularly buffing pre-combat. While consumables can help to compensate for this somewhat, it’s still nice to have spells in your back pocket.