Let me tell you, fellow Tarnished, the landscape of the Lands Between in 2026 is a wild, wild place. And nothing embodies that chaotic energy quite like the Golem Fist after Patch 1.13 dropped. I remember the day like it was yesterday. I was just minding my own business, getting my butt handed to me by yet another Crucible Knight, when the patch notes hit. They said they gave this hunk of rock a second hitbox on its heavy attack. "Neat," I thought. Oh, how naive I was. This wasn't just a buff; this was the game handing me a pair of wrecking balls and saying, "Go nuts, champ." Now, at the perfect range, a heavy attack doesn't just hit once—it hits twice. It's like the weapon finally learned how to throw a proper one-two punch. The damage at close range is absolutely bonkers, turning what was a quirky DLC weapon into a destructive force of nature. Even if you're the type who just likes to run up and pummel things with light attacks (no judgment here), the heavy attack now lets you delete health bars in a way that feels almost unfair. Almost.

The Lowdown on These Stone-Cold Killers

First things first, for the uninitiated. The Golem Fist is a fist weapon that showed up with the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. You gotta trek out to Taylew's Ruined Forge to snag it. On the surface, it's a big rock you strap to your hand to punch things—very sophisticated. But its party trick is the standing heavy attack. You wind up and BAM, you fire a projectile. No FP cost! The damage on the projectile ain't winning any awards, but it's perfect for:

• Poking big, slow enemies from a safe-ish distance.

• Giving casting mages a very rude interruption.

• Stacking up status effects from afar.

Post-Patch 1.13, the close-range damage is so high it can straight-up vaporize bosses if you land a fully charged heavy. In PvP? The projectile tracking is still about as reliable as a messages saying "secret path ahead" in front of a cliff. But get in close with a hostile Tarnished, and that heavy attack will make them regret their life choices. The light and sprint attacks are also surprisingly snappy for such a chonky weapon.

The Elephant in the Room: It's Still Buggy, My Dudes

Now, before you go thinking this weapon is perfect, let's pump the brakes. It's FromSoftware we're talking about—where there's a mega-buff, there's usually a mega-bug (or five) lurking nearby. Patch 1.13 fixed a lot, but some gremlins remain. It's part of the charm, I swear.

Here’s the current hit list of "features":

• Talisman Trouble: The Golem Fist currently gives exactly zero… let me repeat, ZERO… benefit from these talismans:

• Smithing Talisman

• Axe Talisman

• Physick Problems: The Spiked Cracked Tear? Doesn't work. Nada.

• Status Effect SNAFU: Big shoutout to content creator Syrobe for pointing this out. The first hit of the charged heavy attack? It doesn't apply any status buildup like Bleed or Frost. Zip. Zilch. The second punch and the projectiles still do, but that first hit is just for raw damage right now.

So yeah, it's a beast with a few missing teeth. But hey, that just means we have to get creative!

Building Your Stone-Fisted Menace: Two Paths to Glory

When it comes to making a build, you've got two main philosophies, both inspired by the community (shoutout to Syrobe again for the original concepts).

Path 1: The Status Effect Spammer

Even with the bug on the first heavy hit, this thing applies status effects at a ludicrous speed. Your light attacks come out fast, and the second heavy hit plus projectiles stack buildup like crazy.

• Infusion: Go for Blood or Frost. Blood is generally the king because you can combo it with gear that boosts your damage when Bleed procs.

• Key Gear:

• White Mask

• Lord of Blood's Exultation (Talisman)

• Alternative: Poison is a viable dark horse, especially with the Kindred of Rot's Exultation talisman and the Mushroom Crown.

• Ashes of War: You want something that helps you survive or close gaps.

• Endure: Your best friend. That charged heavy animation is long, and poise is life.

• The Poison Flower Blooms Twice: Applies Scarlet Rot, hurts poisoned enemies more, and closes distance. What's not to love?

• Lifesteal Fist: For when you want to trade blows with a boss and come out on top.

Path 2: The Unga Bunga Nuke

Forget status. We're here to see one big, honking number when we slam our fist into a boss's face. This build maximizes the already gargantuan damage of the charged heavy attack.

• Infusion: Flame-Art. This gives you fantastic Faith scaling for fire damage.

• Playstyle: Buff up, tank hits, and unleash hell. Since the Smithing and Axe Talismans are bugged, we use spells to buff instead.

• Key Buffs:

• Flame, Grant Me Strength

• Golden Vow

• Ashes of War: Mobility and poise are key.

• Endure (again, it's just that good).

• Quickstep / Bloodhound's Step: Teleport into point-blank range and surprise them with a fist to the face.

• Shriek of Sorrow: A high-risk, high-reward option that buffs your damage more the lower your HP is. Perfect for a high-poise tank build.

Stat Spread: Where to Put Your Points

Depending on your chosen path, your stats will look very different:

Build Type	Primary Stat (70-80)	Secondary Stat (40-50)	Goal
Status Effect	Strength	Arcane	Max physical punch damage + fast status buildup.
Heavy Attack Nuke	Faith	Strength	Sky-high Flame-Art damage + ability to cast buffs.

Gearing Up: Talismans and Tears

This is where the build comes together. You've got four slots—use them wisely!

1. The Damage Stackers (Almost Mandatory)

• Millicent's Prosthesis & Rotten Winged Sword Insignia: These are the dynamic duo. They increase your damage with successive hits, capping at three hits. Your full charged heavy attack hits four times. Do the math—it's a match made in heaven. A quick light attack combo also procs them.

2. The Poise Enabler

• Bull-Goat's Talisman: You need poise to not get staggered out of your attacks. This bad boy gives you 33% more. Pair it with heavy armor to hit 75+ poise and become an immovable object that hits like a freight train.

3. The Stamina Saver

• Two-Headed Turtle Talisman: This weapon eats stamina for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This talisman makes stamina management a breeze. Trust me, you'll thank me later.

4. The Flex Slot

This last slot is for adaptability.

• Defensive Option: If you're trading blows, consider Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman (vs. physical) or Haligdrake Talisman +2 (vs. holy).

• Status Build Damage: If you're on Path 1, you NEED one of these:

• Lord of Blood's Exultation (20% damage on Bleed proc).

• Kindred of Rot's Exultation (20% damage on Poison/Scarlet Rot proc).

• Glass Cannon (Flame-Art Build): Fire Scorpion Charm. More fire damage, but you take more physical damage. High risk, high reward.

A Note on Future Potential: Keep an eye on the Smithing Talisman and Axe Talisman. They're bugged now, but if FromSoftware ever fixes them in a future patch, they could become S-tier for this weapon.

Wondrous Physick: What to Sip

Since the Spiked Cracked Tear is on vacation, here are your best chugs:

• Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear: +20% fire damage. A no-brainer for the Flame-Art build.

• Bloodsucking Cracked Tear: Slowly drains your HP but gives a solid +20% damage boost. Live dangerously!

• Thorny Cracked Tear: Increases damage on successive hits by 9%, 13%, then 20%. It synergizes beautifully with the Golem Fist's multi-hit combos and the Winged Sword talismans.

So there you have it. The Golem Fist in 2026 is a glorious, buggy, powerhouse of a weapon. It demands a specific build and playstyle, and it comes with a few annoying quirks. But when you finally get that build online, when you tank a boss's hit with Endure and retaliate with a fully charged heavy that hits for over half its health bar? Chef's kiss. It's a feeling that's totally worth the grind. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date with a demigod who's about to get rock-em-sock-em-robotted into next week. Don't give up, skeleton! \[T]/