Among the many mysterious landmarks scattered across the Lands Between inElden Ring, the Church of Dragon Communion holds a particularly eerie and powerful presence. Situated on isolated islands and often cloaked in legends, this ruined church is more than just a place of worship it serves as a gateway to draconic might. Adventurers seeking to channel the primal fury of dragons will find this site essential to their journey. With roots in ancient rituals and ties to some of the most fearsome creatures in the game, the Church of Dragon Communion stands as a testament to ambition, sacrifice, and power beyond comprehension.
What Is the Church of Dragon Communion?
Origin and Purpose
The Church of Dragon Communion is a unique location inElden Ringwhere players can exchange Dragon Hearts for draconic incantations. These incantations allow players to wield the power of dragons, enabling them to breathe fire, unleash lightning, or cast other devastating elemental attacks. The church itself is shrouded in lore, suggesting it was a place where ancient peoples once worshipped dragons not out of reverence, but with the desire to claim their power.
Visual and Environmental Design
Architecturally, the Church of Dragon Communion is a broken, weather-worn structure. It sits upon a cliff or island, its stone walls crumbling and overtaken by nature. This setting, combined with the crimson skies and haunting background music, creates an unsettling atmosphere, perfect for the forbidden practices that take place there. The altar within the church is where all transactions involving Dragon Hearts occur, and its design hints at rituals long forgotten by most of the world.
How to Reach the Church of Dragon Communion
First Location: Limgrave
The first Church of Dragon Communion that most players encounter is located on a small island west of Limgrave. To reach it, players must explore the Coastal Cave near the western shoreline. Inside, a series of tunnels lead to enemies and a boss fight. Upon defeating the bosses, players can proceed through to the cave’s rear exit, which leads directly to the island where the church rests.
Alternate Location: Caelid
Later in the game, a second version of the Church of Dragon Communion can be found in the rotten lands of Caelid. This version offers a wider selection of powerful dragon incantations. Reaching this church requires navigating dangerous terrain filled with deadly enemies and corrupted environments. However, the rewards are far greater for those who make the journey.
Dragon Hearts: Currency of the Church
How to Obtain Dragon Hearts
To use the Church of Dragon Communion, players must offer Dragon Hearts items dropped by slain dragons. Each time a dragon is defeated, it drops one or more Dragon Hearts depending on its strength and type. Some examples of dragons that drop hearts include:
- Flying Dragon Agheel
- Glintstone Dragon Smarag
- Borealis the Freezing Fog
- Ekzykes and Decaying Ekzykes
These dragons are often challenging boss fights found in hidden areas, so players should prepare well before attempting to farm Dragon Hearts.
Exchanging Hearts for Incantations
Once Dragon Hearts are in hand, approach the altar in either church to begin the communion ritual. The interface will allow players to choose from a list of available dragon-based incantations. Each spell requires a specific number of hearts and has Faith and Arcane stat requirements. The most powerful spells often cost multiple hearts and require significant investment into the Arcane stat.
List of Dragon Communion Incantations
Basic Incantations
- Dragonfire: Allows the caster to breathe a cone of fire, dealing heavy damage over time.
- Dragonclaw: Conjures a spectral dragon claw that swipes forward, striking enemies in front of the caster.
- Dragonmaw: Summons a giant dragon head to bite enemies, dealing massive damage in close quarters.
Advanced Incantations
- Glintstone Breath: Unleashes a torrent of magical breath that scales with Intelligence and Arcane.
- Rotten Breath: Breathes scarlet rot, infecting enemies with a deadly status effect.
- Smaraag’s Glintstone Breath: A more powerful version of Glintstone Breath, based on the dragon Smaraag.
- Borealis’s Mist: Releases freezing mist that slows and damages enemies over time.
These incantations are ideal for dealing with groups, boss fights, or inflicting long-lasting debuffs like rot or frostbite.
Best Builds for Dragon Communion Magic
Arcane-Focused Builds
Since most dragon incantations scale heavily with Arcane, players aiming to specialize in Dragon Communion magic should prioritize this stat. High Arcane not only increases spell damage but also improves item discovery and resistance to death blight. Pairing Arcane with Faith allows players to cast a broader range of incantations, including healing or defensive spells.
Hybrid Strength and Magic Builds
Some players prefer to mix melee and magic for flexible combat. In such cases, Dragonclaw and Dragonmaw are perfect for closing distance and delivering heavy bursts of damage. Wielding a greatsword or colossal weapon in one hand and using incantations with the other allows for aggressive playstyles without relying purely on magic.
Church of Dragon Communion Lore
The Worship of Dragons
The lore surrounding the Church of Dragon Communion is cryptic, as is much ofElden Ring‘s narrative. However, item descriptions and environmental clues suggest that a sect of people once sought to become dragons themselves. By consuming their hearts and performing rituals, they hoped to attain immortality or transcendence through transformation.
Consequences of Communion
It’s implied that this practice led to corruption and monstrosity. Those who underwent dragon communion may have lost their humanity in the process, becoming half-dragon hybrids or suffering grotesque mutations. This theme of power at a cost is common throughout the game and highlights the church’s forbidden nature.
Connection to the Dragon Cult
There are also connections between the Church of Dragon Communion and the dragon cults of Leyndell, the Royal Capital. While the two may differ in philosophy, both share reverence and obsession with the power of dragons. The dragon cult leans toward worship and reverence, while the Church focuses on absorption and transformation.
Tips for Using Dragon Communion Magic
- Invest in Arcane: Dragon incantations scale with Arcane. Level this stat early if you plan to focus on them.
- Use in Open Areas: Spells like Dragonfire and Rotten Breath are best used in open spaces due to their wide range and long cast times.
- Pair With FP Regeneration: Dragon incantations consume a lot of FP. Consider using talismans or flasks that restore FP to keep casting during long fights.
- Don’t Rely Solely on Dragon Spells: While powerful, these incantations are slow to cast. Keep a backup weapon or faster spell ready for agile enemies.
The Church of Dragon Communion inElden Ringis more than just a place to trade Dragon Hearts for magic it’s a thematic embodiment of ambition, transformation, and the danger of forbidden power. With a haunting atmosphere and an array of powerful dragon-based incantations, the church offers both gameplay depth and narrative intrigue. Players who choose to walk the path of dragon communion must accept the risks involved, but in return, they gain access to some of the most visually stunning and devastating spells in the game. Whether you’re aiming to dominate in PvE or craft a unique PvP build, the Church of Dragon Communion offers an unforgettable experience within the world ofElden Ring.
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