Summary
Elden Ringoffers 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 ona player’s character, as armor decides how much damage the player can withstand, whether it be physical or magical.
Helms inElden Ringare practically the cherries on top for armor sets inElden 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 June 20, 2025, by Vlad Mazanko:With nearly 200 helms available in Elden Ring and itsShadow of the Erdtreeexpansion, 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.
Poise: 6
Weight: 4.0
While not the most visually striking in the game, theFire Knight Helmcan 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 inShadow of the Erdtreeare 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 inShadow of the Erdtreerelies 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, andSilver Scarabis highly recommended for better results.
Poise: 9
Weight: 5.5
Bloody beautiful, theRakshasa Helmis 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 forplayers aiming to quickly melt bosses' health barswith a well-optimized, high-damage setup.
The full Rakshasa armor set, including the Rakshasa Helm, isearned by defeating the Rakshasa bossin the Eastern Nameless Mausoleum inShadow of the Erdtree. This area is only accessible through a secret coffin journey from Shadow Keep, making it an easy location to overlook.
Weight: 5.1
TheBriar Helmis another knightly-inspired piece of headgear inElden 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 isworn by the Bell Bearing Hunter bossesand 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.
Poise: 15
Weight: 11.1
TheVerdigris Helmacts as theShadow of the Erdtree’scounterpart 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 inShadow of the Erdtree. Sadly, players can onlyobtain the set by killing this peaceful warrior, which can happen at various points during the expansion’s story.
Weight: 11.3
TheBull-Goat Helmhas been tossed around theElden Ringcommunity 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 heavilyprepare to defeat the Great Horned Tragothfor Patches and the Volcano Manor.
Poise: 5
Weight: 3.6
This unique helm serves as an alternate headgear option for the Iron Rivet Set inShadow 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 Ralvarequires taking down Ralva the Great Red Bearin Scadu Altus, a real bear. The bear hierarchy in this expansion can be a bit confusing!
ThePelt of Ralvanot 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 theRoar of Rugalea incantationby 15%, similar to the effects of the Roar Medallion and Godfrey Icon talismans. Even better, these bonuses can be stacked to maximize damage output.
Poise: 14
Weight: 12.3
InElden Ring, the Jar helm became iconic, thanks in large part to the efforts of one Tarnished known asLet Me Solo Her.Shadow of the Erdtreeintroduces theGreatjar, 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 usefulwhen facing troublesome enemies like Furnace Golems.
Weight: 1.0
TheCirclet of Lightis areward for defeating the final bossin theShadow of the Erdtreeexpansion, and as expected, it’s one of the best headgear options inElden 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 inElden Ringwere as versatile and powerful as this divine circlet.
Poise: 4
Weight: 2.2
Among the most challenging new enemies inShadow of the Erdtreeare the Curseblades, notorious for their ambush tactics and formidable combat skills. Defeating one of these enemies can reward players with theCurseblade 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.
Poise: 7
Weight: 4.6
TheHorned Warrior Helmis 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 inShadow of the Erdtree, boasting high Robustness, which significantly boosts resistance to Hemorrhage and Frostbite.
Obtaining theHorned 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.
