Why Prelate's Charge Ash of War Is Surging in Popularity Ahead of Boss Runs

Your complete guide to Why Prelate's Charge Ash of War Is Surging in Popularity Ahead of Boss Runs, including key takeaways.

Humanoid targets represent some of the most frustrating speed bumps in late-game Elden Ring. Bosses like Malenia, Sir Gideon Ofnir, and NPC invaders feature hyper-armor frames on specific attacks, yet they share a structural weakness: low passive poise against sustained physical pressure.

When Prelate's Charge connects, the initial downward strike applies high posture impact. As the engine continues driving forward, each tick applies micro-flinches. The final heavy attack input produces a violent upward scoop, launching mid-sized targets into the sky.

Against large monstrosities that cannot be launched, such as the Fire Giant or Erdtree Avatars, the skill targets stance breaking instead. Because the weapon maintains continuous poise damage stagger over multiple seconds without allowing the invisible boss poise-recovery timer to reset, bosses buckle to their knees in half the time required by standard jumping attack cycles.

Wearing heavy gear, such as the Fire Prelate armor, grants sufficient passive poise to absorb stray incoming swings during the initial windup. Once the charge starts moving, forward hyper-armor protects the execution from being interrupted by standard light swings.