Motion Values (MVs) represent the hidden percentage multipliers assigned to every single attack animation in Elden Ring. While the game prominently displays your weapon's Attack Rating (AR) in the status menu, that number is merely a baseline. The actual damage dealt when a blade connects with an enemy is determined by the Motion Value of the specific move performed—whether it is a light swing, a charged heavy attack, or a specialized jumping strike.

Understanding these values is the difference between a build that looks good on paper and one that dominates in the Lands Between. In our extensive testing across various weapon classes, we have found that ignoring Motion Values leads to suboptimal gameplay, especially when facing late-game bosses where every opening must be maximized.

What are Motion Values in Elden Ring?

A Motion Value is a hidden constant in the game's code that acts as a multiplier for your weapon’s Attack Rating. If your Greatsword has an AR of 600, a light attack (R1) might have an MV of 100 (100%), dealing base damage relative to 600. However, a fully charged heavy attack (R2) might have an MV of 150 (150%), meaning the game calculates damage as if the weapon had an AR of 900 for that specific hit.

These values exist to balance the trade-off between speed and power. Faster weapons, such as Daggers or Curved Swords, typically possess lower individual Motion Values to prevent them from becoming overpowered due to their high swing frequency. Conversely, Colossal Weapons feature massive Motion Values to reward the player for successfully landing a slow, high-risk attack.

How Weapon Damage is Calculated Using Motion Values

To understand the impact of MVs, one must look at the fundamental damage formula. While the full calculation involves enemy defense and damage negation, the offensive side of the equation follows a specific hierarchy:

  1. Base Attack Rating (AR): This is the sum of your weapon's base damage plus the scaling bonuses from your stats (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, and Arcane).
  2. The Motion Value Multiplier: When an attack is initiated, the game selects the corresponding MV for that animation.
  3. Resultant Attack Power: This is (AR × Motion Value).

In our testing with a +25 Misericorde, we observed that while its base AR might be lower than a Broadsword, its unique critical Motion Value (often referred to as the Critical Modifier) allows it to outperform almost any other weapon during a riposte or backstab. This is a prime example of how a high MV can compensate for a low base AR.

The Impact of Multi-Hit Attacks

Certain attacks, such as the "Spinning Slash" Ash of War or the dual-wielded (powerstanced) L1 attacks for Curved Swords, utilize a sequence of Motion Values. For instance, a double-slash might be represented in the data as 50 + 60. This means the first hit deals 50% of the AR and the second deals 60%. This is critical for players utilizing status effects like Bleed or Frostbite, as each hit—regardless of its damage MV—usually applies a full or scaled portion of the status buildup.

Why Two-Handing and Jumping Attacks Deal More Damage

Many players notice that two-handing a weapon or performing a jumping heavy attack results in a significant damage spike. This isn't just because of the 1.5x Strength bonus provided by two-handing; it is also due to higher Motion Values.

The Two-Handing Advantage

When you switch from one-handed (1H) to two-handed (2H) stance, the game accesses a different table of Motion Values. In most weapon classes, the 2H R1 sequence has slightly higher MVs (often 3% to 5% higher) than the 1H sequence. More importantly, 2H attacks often feature significantly higher Poise Damage MVs, allowing you to stagger enemies faster.

The Dominance of Jumping Attacks

Jumping attacks have become a staple of the Elden Ring meta, particularly with heavy weapons. This is because Jumping R2s (Heavy) possess some of the highest non-charged Motion Values in the game. For a Colossal Sword, a Jumping R2 might have an MV of 150 or higher, combined with a massive multiplier to Poise Damage. Our tests indicate that a Jumping R2 from a Giant-Crusher can often deal more damage and more stance pressure than a standard standing R2, despite having a similar execution time when considering the recovery frames.

Motion Values Beyond Raw Damage: Poise and Stamina

It is a common misconception that Motion Values only affect the health bar. In reality, there are separate sets of MVs for various combat mechanics:

  • Poise Damage MVs: Every attack has a hidden "Poise MV" that determines how much it depletes an enemy's invisible stance meter. Charged R2s and Guard Counters have the highest Poise MVs, which is why they are essential for triggering ripostes.
  • Stamina Damage MVs: This determines how much stamina an enemy loses when they block your attack. Heavier weapons have high Stamina Damage MVs, making them ideal for "guard-breaking" shielded opponents.
  • Stamina Cost MVs: Even the amount of stamina you consume is governed by an MV. Larger attacks have higher cost multipliers to prevent infinite heavy-attack spam.

Which Weapons Have Unique Motion Values?

While most weapons within a class (e.g., all Straight Swords) share the same Motion Value table, FromSoftware has assigned "unique" MVs to specific legendary or special armaments. Identifying these outliers is key to high-level optimization.

Bloodhound's Fang: The Curved Greatsword King

The Bloodhound's Fang is widely considered one of the best weapons in the game. Part of its secret is its unique Motion Values. Its follow-up attack after the "Bloodhound's Finesse" skill has an incredibly high MV, allowing it to deal damage comparable to Colossal weapons while maintaining the agility of a Curved Greatsword.

Alabaster Lord's Sword and Gravity Weapons

The Alabaster Lord's Sword is an interesting case where its charged heavy attacks (R2) possess higher Motion Values than the standard Greatsword class average. This makes it a superior choice for players who focus on a "charged attack" playstyle, especially when paired with the Axe Talisman.

Wing of Astel and Frozen Needle

These weapons feature a unique heavy attack that fires a projectile. The projectile itself has its own Motion Value, separate from the physical blade. In our field tests, we found that at point-blank range, both the blade and the projectile can hit simultaneously, effectively doubling the applied Motion Value for a single R2 press.

How to Use Motion Value Knowledge to Build Your Character

To optimize your character, you should align your gear and talismans with the Motion Values of your preferred attacks.

  1. For Multi-Hit Builds: If you use weapons with low individual MVs but high frequency (like the Twinblades' jumping L1), focus on "on-hit" buffs like the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia or Millicent's Prosthesis. These items compensate for low MVs by stacking AR bonuses as you land more hits.
  2. For Stance-Break Builds: If you prefer high Poise MVs (Jumping R2s, Charged R2s), use the Cragblade Ash of War. Cragblade provides a flat multiplier to your Poise MVs, making it significantly easier to stun bosses like Malenia or Radagon.
  3. For Critical Hit Builds: If you rely on ripostes, the Misericorde is mandatory. Its Critical MV is 140, whereas most weapons are 100. This 40% difference is applied after all other calculations, leading to massive damage numbers.

The Role of Ashes of War in Motion Value Modification

Ashes of War (AoW) are essentially specialized attack animations with their own independent Motion Values. Many players wonder why "Lion's Claw" deals so much more damage than a standard heavy jump attack. The reason is simple: Lion's Claw has a massive Motion Value (often exceeding 200 on certain weapons) and carries "Hyper Armor," which prevents your animation from being interrupted.

When an Ash of War is applied, it often ignores the weapon's standard MV table and uses its own. However, the damage still scales off the weapon's AR. This is why a "Heavy" infused Giant-Crusher with "Lion's Claw" hits significantly harder than a "Quality" infused version with the same skill—the higher base AR of the Heavy infusion is being multiplied by the high MV of the skill.

How Do Motion Values Change in PvP?

It is important to note that FromSoftware frequently adjusts Motion Values specifically for Player vs. Player (PvP) combat without affecting Player vs. Environment (PvE). In recent patches, the MVs for running R1s on Spears and Great Spears were reduced in PvP to prevent "passive-aggressive" poking playstyles from dominating the arena.

When reading patch notes that mention "Increased attack power of [Weapon Class] for certain attacks," they are almost always referring to an increase in the Motion Values for those specific animations. As a player, this means that even if your weapon's AR hasn't changed, your favorite move might now be dealing 10% more damage because its hidden multiplier was buffed.

Common Misconceptions About Motion Values

Is AR More Important Than MVs?

Not necessarily. A weapon with 800 AR and poor MVs (fast, weak hits) might have lower "burst" damage than a weapon with 600 AR and high MVs (slow, powerful hits). You must consider the "Damage Per Second" (DPS) versus "Damage Per Hit" (DPH). In Elden Ring, DPH is often more valuable against bosses with short opening windows.

Do All R1s Have the Same MV?

No. In a standard 4-hit R1 combo, the Motion Values usually increase slightly with each subsequent hit. For example, the sequence might be 100, 102, 105, and 110. This encourages players to finish their combos rather than just spamming the first hit.

Does Weapon Level Affect MVs?

No. Upgrading a weapon at Smithing Master Hewg increases the base damage and the scaling (AR), but the Motion Values for the animations remain constant. A +0 Dagger and a +25 Dagger use the same MVs; the latter just has a much larger AR to multiply.

How to Access Motion Value Data

Since these numbers are not displayed in-game, the Elden Ring community relies on datamining. Experts extract the "Param" files from the game's executable to find the exact multipliers for every weapon.

For players who want to see these numbers themselves, several community-maintained resources exist:

  • Spreadsheet Repositories: Long-standing Google Sheets compiled by community members list the MV for every R1, R2, running, rolling, and jumping attack for every weapon class.
  • Damage Calculators: Tools like the "Tarnished Traveler" allow you to input your stats and weapon to see the exact damage output for specific moves, factoring in hidden MVs.

Why Motion Values Matter for the Future of Elden Ring

As players continue to push the boundaries of the game—through RL1 (Rune Level 1) runs or speedrunning—the mastery of Motion Values becomes the final frontier. Knowing that a "Guard Counter" has a specific MV that can break a boss's stance in exactly three hits allows for a scripted, surgical approach to combat that goes beyond mere button mashing.

In our conclusion of these findings, we believe that understanding Motion Values is what transforms a "casual" player into a "mechanical" expert. By recognizing that damage is a product of both your character's stats and the specific choices you make in the heat of battle (which button you press), you gain a deeper appreciation for the intricate combat design FromSoftware has crafted.

Summary: Key Takeaways on Motion Values

  • Definition: Motion Values are hidden multipliers (percentages) assigned to every attack animation.
  • Formula: Damage = Attack Rating (AR) × Motion Value (MV).
  • Utility: MVs balance weapon speed vs. power; faster weapons have lower MVs.
  • Poise Damage: MVs also control stance-breaking and stamina damage.
  • Criticals: The Misericorde excels because of its unique 140 Critical MV.
  • Two-Handing: Provides both a Strength bonus and access to higher MV attack tables.
  • Jumping Attacks: Favored in the meta due to exceptionally high damage and poise MVs.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Motion Values

What is the highest Motion Value in Elden Ring?

The highest Motion Values are typically found on critical hits (ripostes) and fully charged heavy attacks from Colossal weapons. Some specific Ashes of War, like "Meteorite" or "Destined Death," also feature massive cumulative MVs across their multi-hit animations.

Why does my weapon deal less damage than its AR?

This happens when an attack has a Motion Value lower than 100 (100%). For example, the individual hits of a very fast multi-hit attack might have MVs of 40 or 50. Additionally, enemy defense and damage negation will always reduce the final number seen on screen.

Do status effects like Bleed scale with Motion Values?

No, status buildup (Bleed, Frost, Poison, Scarlet Rot) is generally independent of the damage Motion Value. However, certain "multi-hit" attacks have a "Status MV" that might reduce the buildup per hit to prevent instant procs from a single button press.

Can I change a weapon's Motion Values?

No, MVs are hardcoded into the game's attack animations. You can only increase the damage they deal by raising your weapon's AR (through leveling up or buffs) or by using talismans that specifically buff certain types of attacks (like the Claw Talisman for jumping attacks).

Does the "Motion Value" terminology exist in-game?

No. In the game's internal files, these are often called "Attack Corrections" or "PhysAtkRate." "Motion Value" is the standardized term adopted by the Soulsborne community to make the concept easier to discuss.

How do I know if a weapon has "good" Motion Values?

Generally, if a weapon's attack "feels" like it hits harder than other weapons in the same class despite having similar stats, it likely has unique, higher MVs. The Bloodhound's Fang and the Alabaster Lord's Sword are prime examples of weapons with superior MVs.

Are Motion Values the same for all enemies?

Yes, the Motion Value for your attack is the same regardless of the enemy. However, the final damage will vary because different enemies have different Defense (flat reduction) and Negation (percentage reduction) stats.

What is a "Motion Value" for a spell?

Spells and Incantations also use MVs. In this case, the multiplier is applied to your "Spell Buff" or "Sorcery Scaling" stat found on your staff or seal. A basic Glintstone Pebble has a lower MV than a charged Comet.