Elden Ring Best Helms

Summary

• Elden Ring offers a variety of helmets with unique abilities and stats to enhance player builds.
• Players should consider balancing aesthetics with stats to optimize their character’s performance.
• Helm choices impact gameplay, with options ranging from damage boosts to status effect resistances.

Elden Ring offers its players a wide option of various equipment for them to utilize in the battle residing within the Lands Between. Armor is easily the second most important aspect of equipment on a player’s character, as armor decides how much damage the player can withstand, whether it be physical or magical.

Helms in Elden Ring are practically the cherries on top for armor sets in Elden Ring, and a large amount of them actually have abilities that can strengthen the stats of a player when worn. There are dozens upon dozens of different helmets, hats, and more for players to set in the top slot of their character’s armor.

Updated on January 13, 2025, by Vlad Mazanko: With nearly 200 helms available in Elden Ring and its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, choosing the right one for a character build can be a daunting task. As with other pieces of defensive gear, players need to weigh several factors before settling on a specific helm, including hidden stat boosts that might enhance their build.

Some players may prioritize their character’s appearance, choosing helms that fit their aesthetic vision, while others focus on optimizing their stats, paying close attention to poise and defensive attributes above everything else. To help players expand their selection of the best helms, this updated list highlights some of the top options from both the base game and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.

1

Fire Knight Helm

Sturdy Helm Packed With Hidden Bonuses

While not the most visually striking in the game, the Fire Knight Helm
can be a solid choice for players looking to maximize their stats through equipment. In addition to its strong defensive capabilities, particularly great against physical damage, slash attacks, and fire, the helm also boasts high Robustness. However, the main reason why someone may prefer this over other helmets in Shadow of the Erdtree are small but useful bonuses: a 2% increase to maximum Health, a 5% boost to Stamina, and a 4% enhancement to Equip Load.

Obtaining the Fire Knight Helm in Shadow of the Erdtree relies entirely on luck. Players must farm the formidable Fire Knights in the Shadow Keep until the helm drops. As always, boosting Arcane or Item Discovery using Silver-Pickled Fowl Foot, Silver Horn Tender, and Silver Scarab is highly recommended for better results.

2

Rakshasa Helm

Warrior’s Helm Offering Damage Boost

Bloody beautiful, the Rakshasa Helm
is both visually striking and highly practical, offering one of the highest Robustness stats among mid-weight headgear. Despite below-average protection across the board, the standout feature of the Rakshasa Helm (and its complete armor set) is its minor boost to all damage. However, this comes with a trade-off: for every 2% increase in damage dealt, the player also takes 2% more damage. While this risk-reward balance might not suit every build, it can be invaluable for players aiming to quickly melt bosses’ health bars with a well-optimized, high-damage setup.

The full Rakshasa armor set, including the Rakshasa Helm, is earned by defeating the Rakshasa boss in the Eastern Nameless Mausoleum in Shadow of the Erdtree. This area is only accessible through a secret coffin journey from Shadow Keep, making it an easy location to overlook.

3

Briar Helm

Rugged Headgear Designed For Aggressive Rolling Tactics

The Briar Helm
is another knightly-inspired piece of headgear in Elden Ring, featuring a menacing design that promises pain for enemies and a touch of intimidation for its wearer. True to its class, the Briar Helm boasts high Robustness and excels at mitigating physical damage, effectively reducing strike, slash, and pierce attacks. Its unique albeit niche perk comes from its barbed-wire design, granting a thorn effect. When wearing the Briar Helm or Briar Armor, the character inflicts minor damage to enemies by rolling through them. However, the damage is minimal, making this perk more of a stylistic touch than a game-changer, even for players who heavily rely on rolling in combat (aren’t we all?).

The full Briar set is worn by the Bell Bearing Hunter bosses and can be purchased from Enia at the Roundtable Hold after defeating Elemer of the Briar, the boss found in The Shaded Castle in Altus Plateau. Thankfully, Elemer isn’t even the toughest of his kind in the game, making the set relatively accessible for most players.

4

Verdigris Helm

Heavy Yet Incredibly Effective Protection

The Verdigris Helm
acts as the Shadow of the Erdtree’s counterpart to the Bull-Goat Helm from the base game, delivering unparalleled defense against physical damage, albeit at the cost of significant weight. Its design may also appeal to players favoring the aesthetics of a heavily armored melee knight. In addition to its exceptional physical defense, the Verdigris Helm stands out for its impressive Robustness and Immunity resistances, as well as its strong protection against Lightning attacks.

The Verdigris Helm, along with the rest of the Verdigris set, is worn by the Moore NPC in Shadow of the Erdtree. Sadly, players can only obtain the set by killing this peaceful warrior, which can happen at various points during the expansion’s story.

5

Bull-Goat Helm

Poise Provider With Great Defensive Stats

The Bull-Goat Helm
has been tossed around the Elden Ring community as the best helm in the game when it comes to wearing heavy armor. That is because despite the Bull-Goat Helm weighing 11.3, it provides the highest poise value, making it a prime choice for tanky players. Additionally, it provides exceptional resistance to physical damage with a rating of 7.5, along with impressive stats in other resistances and defenses, including solid magic defense. Players who can afford to wear such heavy protection have only to choose between this and Verdigris Helm for the best results.

To obtain the amazing Bull-Goat Helm, along with the rest of the heavy knight set, players must heavily prepare to defeat the Great Horned Tragoth for Patches and the Volcano Manor.

6

Pelt Of Ralva

For Fierce Warriors With Norse Blood In Their Veins

This unique helm serves as an alternate headgear option for the Iron Rivet Set in Shadow of the Erdtree, replacing the Fang Helm. While players can obtain the full Iron Rivet Set by defeating the Red Bear boss (who, despite the name, is a humanoid rather than an actual bear), acquiring the Pelt of Ralva requires taking down Ralva the Great Red Bear in Scadu Altus, a real bear. The bear hierarchy in this expansion can be a bit confusing!

The Pelt of Ralva
not only looks fantastic — especially for those who appreciate Viking-inspired designs — but also provides solid defense stats and comes with a unique combat bonus. This helm increases the damage of the Roar of Rugalea incantation by 15%, similar to the effects of the Roar Medallion and Godfrey Icon talismans. Even better, these bonuses can be stacked to maximize damage output.

7

Greatjar

It’s Like A Jar, But Better

In Elden Ring, the Jar helm became iconic, thanks in large part to the efforts of one Tarnished known as Let Me Solo Her. Shadow of the Erdtree introduces the Greatjar
, a bigger and better version of this unusual headgear, offering unique bonuses and making throwable-focused builds even more exciting.

Like the original Jar helm, the Greatjar boosts the power of all thrown pots by 16%. However, unlike its predecessor, this new helm also grants bonuses to Hefty pot throwables, not just Cracked and Ritual pots. Given the strength of some Hefty pot items in the expansion, the Greatjar can be particularly useful when facing troublesome enemies like Furnace Golems.

8

Circlet Of Light

Miquella’s Final Gift

The Circlet of Light
is a reward for defeating the final boss in the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, and as expected, it’s one of the best headgear options in Elden Ring. Despite its lightweight design, this helm boasts impressive stats and features a simple yet elegant design, with a beautiful golden glow encircling the wearer’s head.

In addition to its aesthetic appeal, the Circlet of Light provides a boost to Intelligence, Faith, and Arcane, each by one point — essentially adding three levels of progress to any character. Moreover, it enhances the damage of the powerful Light of Miquella incantation by 10%. If only more helmets in Elden Ring were as versatile and powerful as this divine circlet.

9

Curseblade Mask

Stylish And Deadly

Among the most challenging new enemies in Shadow of the Erdtree are the Curseblades, notorious for their ambush tactics and formidable combat skills. Defeating one of these enemies can reward players with the Curseblade Mask
, a potent and stylish helm with strong defenses and immunities. The standout feature of this mask is the five-point bonus to Dexterity, making it a favorite for many combat builds.

However, the Curseblade Mask also comes with a downside — it reduces flask effectiveness by 7%. This drawback isn’t too severe, especially when paired with the Crimson Seed Talismans. For Tarnished who rely on Dexterity and want to look cool while battling their foes, this mask is a must-have.

10

Horned Warrior Helm

Invaluable For Pure Strength Tarnished

The Horned Warrior Helm
is a powerful counterpart to the Curseblade Mask, tailored specifically for pure Strength builds. This helm increases Strength by five points while sharing the same 7% reduction in flask effectiveness. In addition to its awe-inspiring design, it offers some of the best physical defenses in Shadow of the Erdtree, boasting high Robustness, which significantly boosts resistance to Hemorrhage and Frostbite.

Obtaining the Horned Warrior Helm can be challenging, as players must farm the rare and powerful Horned Warrior enemies found throughout the Realm of Shadow. On the bright side, these enemies also drop plenty of Smithing Stones, making the farming process consistently rewarding.

11

Divine Beast Head

Greatjar With A Lion’s Face

Fans of the Greatjar will be pleased to discover the Divine Beast Head
, an alternative headgear for the Divine Beast armor set in Shadow of the Erdtree. This enormous helm is one of the heaviest in Elden Ring, but it compensates with its immense power. Alongside its impressive defense stats, the Divine Beast Head grants a total of eight additional levels to Tarnished, boosting both Strength and Dexterity by four points each. However, this comes at a cost, as the effectiveness of flasks is reduced by 11%.

As part of one of the earlier boss encounters in Shadow of the Erdtree, the Divine Beast Head also serves as a quest item. Wearing it in the Belurat Tower Settlement unlocks a secret interaction with an NPC, who can reward players with various useful items.

12

Omensmirk Mask

Instill Fear And Intimidation During Invasions

Having armor with a demonic aesthetic in invasions can sometimes make the enemy player hesitate before initiating an attack, and that effect can be achieved by wearing the Omensmirk Mask
. The defensive stats of the helm might not be as efficient as the others on this list, but it provides a distinct aesthetic look while also increasing the Strength stat by two.

Aside from the crucial Strength stats increase, this mask also provides the best poise-to-weight ratio when compared to other helms in Elden Ring, making it desirable for any min-maxer. Players can guarantee they’ll be intimidating in invasions if they choose to wear this helm with their favorite armor combination.

13

Banished Knight Helm

Strong Helm With A Cool ‘Fallen Knight’ Aesthetics

Being fashionable while also well-defended in Elden Ring is definitely achievable thanks to the Banished Knight Helm
. While some might prefer its altered state, this helm’s base variant is even stronger, and can become a mainstay for any player who wishes to roleplay as a mysterious fallen knight.

The Banished Knight Helm provides decent Physical damage negation while also providing respectable magical negation, making it viable for Tarnished who wish to remain fashionable while playing through Elden Ring. However, players will need to take into account that mobs will only drop the version of the helmet they are equipped with if they wish to grind for a specific variant.

14

Silver Tear Mask

Helm Resembling The Mimic Tear

The Silver Tear Mask
in Elden Ring is definitely one of the more interesting ones as it has curious properties that could intrigue any Elden Ring player. The Silver Tear Mask resembles a Silver Tear, much like the one that forms the Mimic Tear.

The Silver Tear Mask heavily boosts the arcane stat by eight points when players have the mask equipped, but players’ attack power will fumble due to the boost by 5%. If players seek out the Silver Tear Mask, they can obtain it by defeating the Mimic Tear boss.

15

White Mask

Niche Helm For A Bleed Build

One of the more niche armor sets in Elden Ring is the War Surgeon set. As part of this set is the White Mask
helm that players can obtain in the game. The White Mask is lighter than most other helms in Elden Ring and even offers an amazing effect with players who utilize a bleed build.

The White Mask boosts the wearer’s attack power by a great 10% whenever an enemy or the wearer has had bleed inflicted onto them. To obtain the White Mask, players must kill a Nameless Mask NPC in the Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum area.

16

Alberich’s Pointed Hat

Decent Magic Resist Helm

Alberich’s Pointed Hat
is probably the most niche helm that sits on this list but is still incredibly useful when used properly. Alberich’s Pointed Hat offers poor physical defense while offering fair magic resistance. Not only that, but Alberich’s Pointed Hat also has a unique effect that when worn: it boosts the player’s “thorn sorcery.”

Essentially, this means that the hat boosts the two thorn spells, Briars of Punishment and Briars of Sin by a reported 6%. To obtain the entire set, players must venture to the Fortified Manor (main hall) in Leyndell, Royal Capital.

17

Snow Witch Hat

Perfect Hat For Cold Sorcery

Just like Alberich’s Pointed Hat, and most of the magic-based armor sets in the game, the Snow Witch Hat provides little physical defense but has plentiful resistance to magic forces.

The Snow Witch Hat
, which can be obtained from a chest while climbing through Ranni’s Rise while completing Ranni’s questline, has the magnificent effect that boosts the player’s power in cold sorcery. This effect boosts these sorceries by 10%, which is a great boost to several sorceries that derive from frost.

18

Royal Remains Helm

Darkest And Edgiest Helm In-Game

The Royal Remains Helm
is notably one of the darkest and coolest-looking helms that are found throughout Elden Ring. Players will first see this helm worn by Ensha of the Royal Remains in the Roundtable Hold while he leans against a wall.

Later in the game, Ensha of the Royal Remains will suddenly attack the player when they visit the Roundtable Hold, and upon his defeat, will reward the player with his entire set of armor. The Royal Remains Helm has good stats, but most importantly will slowly heal the player when they have low health.

19

Lusat’s Glintstone Crown

Great Protective And Stylish Helm

Players who took interest in Lusat, the Primeval Sorcerer likely want to get their hands on this armor set as soon as possible, no less the helm. Lusat’s Glintstone Crown
not only looks amazing on a player’s character, but it provides good physical resistance and great magic protection.

The best part about Lusat’s Glintstone Crown is that it boosts Lusat’s sorceries. These sorceries are Stars of Ruin, Glintstone Stars, and Star Shower. To collect this helm, players must complete Sorceress Sellen’s quests.

20

Veteran’s Helm

Protective Helm With Great Stats

For player characters that have equipment load to spare or those that utilize heavy armor against the many forces in Elden Ring, then the Veteran’s Helm
is a must-have. The Veteran’s Helm is a part of the Veteran’s armor set, which players will see Commander Niall sporting.

This helm may weigh 8.1 in Elden Ring, but it offers magnificent physical defense at 6.8. To obtain the Veteran’s Helm, players must defeat one of the hardest optional bosses in the game, Commander Niall, and then purchase the set from Enia at the Roundtable Hold.