In Elden Ring, players can enchant their weapons with skills and affinities using Ashes of War found throughout the Lands Between. Ashes of War allow players to customize their armaments' scaling to fit their character's build. In addition, they provide unique abilities that give players an advantage against different types of enemies. Typically, Ashes of War drop from Scarabs, but some can be found in chests, bought from merchants, or earned by defeating enemies and bosses.
However, before changing the affinities and scaling of their armaments, Elden Ring players will need to find the Whetstone Knife located just southwest of the Gatefront Ruins. There's a torchlit staircase near the road that leads to a small cave with a chest containing the Whetstone Knife and Ash of War: Storm Stomp. After obtaining the Whetstone Knife, players will be able to access their Ashes of War when they return to a Site of Grace.
Ashes of War can be replaced and removed any time Elden Ring players rest at a Site of Grace. Changing Ashes of War does not affect the weapon's upgrade level, so players can experiment with different skills and affinities that complement their playstyle and character build. However, each armament can only have one Ash of War applied at a time, and some weapons have unique skills that cannot be replaced with Ashes of War. Additionally, ashes of War can only be applied to one armament at a time, but players can duplicate Ashes of War to apply them to multiple weapons using Lost Ashes of War.
Elden Ring - All Ashes of War Affinities (& What They Do)
There are 10 different affinities that allow players to change the scaling of their armaments to suit their Elden Ring character's build. However, players can also choose to keep the standard affinity of their weapon, which allows them to add the skill of an Ash of War without affecting the way their weapon scales by default. Players can also find additional Whetblades that can change the affinity of an armament regardless of the Ash of War applied to it.
- Standard: provides armament skill without affecting the weapon's affinity and scaling.
- Keen: increases Dexterity, decreases Strength and base damage.
- Heavy: increases Strength, decreases all other scalings.
- Quality: increases Strength and Dexterity, decreases base damage.
- Magic: adds Magic damage and increases Intelligence, reduces base damage, Strength, and Dexterity.
- Sacred: adds Holy damage and increased Faith, decreases physical damage.
- Occult: increases Arcane, decreases all other scalings.
- Blood: adds Bleed buildup to attacks, increases Arcane, and decreases all other scalings.
- Poison: adds Poison buildup to attacks and increases Strength, Dexterity, and Arcane.
- Fire: adds Fire damage decreases all other scalings.
- Cold: adds Frostbite buildup to attacks, increases Intelligence, and decreases all other scalings.
- Lightning: adds Lightning damage and increases Dexterity, decreases base damage and Strength.
Elden Ring - All Standard Ashes of War Locations
- Barrage - fire a series of rapid-fire arrows; dropped by Scarab located in a channel north of Seethewater River in Mt. Gelmir and used on Light Bows.
- Barricade Shield - temporarily harden shield to deflect heavier blows; dropped by the Night's Cavalry in the Weeping Peninsula and used on any Shield.
- Enchanted Shot - shoot faster arrows that follow the target; dropped by Scarab hiding near a brazier in Nokron, Eternal City. Used on Light Bows and Longbows.
- Mighty Shot - shoot through enemy's guard; dropped by Scarab in the Weeping Peninsula near the main road to Limgrave and used on Light Bows and Longbows.
- No Skill - removes weapon skill, allowing players to use the skill of an armament held on the other hand; sold at Warmaster's Shack for 600 Runes and used on Shields and Torches.
- Parry - parry to deflect a blow and break the enemy's stance, providing an opening for a critical hit; sold at Warmaster's Shack for 600 Runes. Used on Curved Swords, Swords that can thrust, Daggers, Fists, Claws, and small and medium Shields
- Shield Crash - charge forward with a shield to shove back weak enemies; dropped by Scarab on the stairs of the Lux Ruins in the Altus Plateau area. Used on any Shield.
- Sky Shot - fire an arrow into the air to strike an enemy from above; dropped by Scarab west of the Isolated Merchant's Shack in Greyoll's Dragonbarrow, used on Light Bows and Longbows.
- Storm Wall - parry or deflect projectiles by creating a wall of storm winds; dropped by Scarab near the collapsed bridge next to Elden Ring's Stormveil Castle. Used on small and medium Shields.
Elden Ring - All Keen Ashes of War Locations
- Beast's Roar - unleash a roar that turns the air into a projectile; earned from Gurranq, Beast Clergyman at the Bestial Sanctum after giving him 3 Deathroot. Used on any melee armament.
- Double Slash - perform a crossing slash that allows for up to two follow-up attacks; dropped by Scarab on a large root on the west side of Sellia, Town of Sorcery (accessed from rooftops). Used on Swords and Polearms that can slash (except colossal weapons).
- Impaling Thrust - overcome enemy guard with a piercing attack; sold at Warmaster's Shack for 1,000 Runes. Used on weapons that can thrust (except colossal weapons).
- Quickstep - quickly circle around locked-on targets; sold at Warmaster's Shack for 800 Runes, used on any melee armament.
- Repeating Thrust - build power to unleash a rapid series of thrusting attacks; dropped by Night's Cavalry on the bridge near Agheel Lake North. Used on any armament that can thrust.
- Spinning Slash - spin to slash enemies within range; sold at Warmaster's Shack for 1,200 Runes. Used on Swords, Axes, and Polearms (except colossal weapons).
- Sword Dance - rush in to execute a series of spinning upward slashes; dropped by Scarab in a hollow to the right of the Minor Erdtree in southwest Liurnia. Used on Swords, Axes, and Polearms that can slash (except colossal weapons).
- Unsheathe - sheathe blade, then follow up with a normal or strong attack to perform a quick slash attack; dropped by Scarab in the water of the southeastern part of Agheel Lake. Mostly used on Katanas in Elden Ring.
Elden Ring - All Heavy Ashes of War Locations
- Cragblade - reinforce weapon with earth to increase its Strength; dropped by Scarab in the sword monument west of the Impassable Great Bridge, used on any melee armament (except Whips).
- Endure - brace for attacks by boosting poise, reduces damage taken; sold at Warmaster's Shack for 600 Runes, used on any melee armament.
- Ground Slam - send a shockwave in all directions by jumping and slamming down onto the ground; dropped by Scarab on the hill west of the Minor Erdtree in Mistwood, used on any melee armament.
- Hoarah Loux's Earthshaker - slam the ground with both hands to release a shockwave, then follow up to slam the ground again; obtained from Enia at Roundtable Hold after trading Remembrance of Hoarah Loux, used on any melee armament.
- Kick - kick an enemy to push them back and break their stance; sold at Warmaster's Shack for 800 Runes, used on any melee armament.
- Lion's Claw - somersault forward to strike foes; dropped by Lion Guardian in Fort Gael. Used on Swords, Axes, and Hammers (except small armaments and thrusting Swords).
- Stamp (Sweep) - brace to prevent recoil from most attacks, then follow up with a strong attack to perform a sweeping strike; dropped by invisible Scarab near the pillars on the east side of the beach in Western Limgrave, used on Swords, Axes, and Hammers (except small and medium Swords).
- Stamp (Upward Cut) - brace to prevent recoil from most attacks, then follow up with a strong attack to perform an upward strike; sold at Warmaster's Shack for 1,500 Runes, used on Swords, Axes, and Hammers (except small and medium Swords).
- War Cry - increase attack power and change strong attacks to charging attacks; sold at Warmaster's Shack for 800 Runes, used on melee armaments (except Daggers, thrusting Swords, and Whips).
- Wild Strikes - hold to swing armament continuously; dropped by Scarab on the path to enter Stormveil Castle, used on Axes, Hammers, Curved Swords, and Greatswords (except colossal weapons).
Elden Ring - All Quality Ashes of War Locations
- Charge Forth - quickly charge forward and perform a thrust attack, hold to charge farther; dropped by Scarab attached to an arch of the collapsed bridge in the center of Liurnia, used on Polearms that can thrust, Heavy Thrusting Swords, and Twinblades.
- Determination - buff the next attack; dropped by a Scarab near the path to the bridge north of Agheel Lake, used on any melee armament.
- Giant Hunt - step forward with a sudden upward thrust; dropped from the Giant between the Black Knife Catacombs and the Frenzied Flame Village Outskirts, used on Spears, Twinblades, and large/colossal weapons that can thrust.
- Storm Assault - thrust through storm winds to attack, producing more winds upon impact; dropped by a Scarab found on the north side of the Rampart Tower of Stormveil Castle, used on Heavy Thrusting Swords, Twinblades, and Polearms that can thrust.
- Storm Blade - surround the weapon with storm winds that can be fired forward rapidly; sold at Warmaster's Shack for 1,800 Runes. Used on Swords (except colossal weapons and Twinblades).
- Storm Stomp - stomp the ground to kick up a circle of storm winds; found inside a chest at the bottom of the set of stairs southeast of the Gatefront Ruins. Used on any melee armament.
- Square Off - prepare an attack, then follow with a normal attack to perform an upward slash through the enemy's guard or a strong attack to perform a charging thrust; dropped by a Scarab found on a cliff overlooking the Siofra River north of the Worshipper's Woods, used on Straight Swords.
Elden Ring - All Magic Ashes of War Locations
- Carian Grandeur - transform the weapon into a magical greatsword, can be charged up to three levels to increase its attack; found on a corpse on a bridge in Caria Manor that can be accessed by jumping down from the manor's graveyard. Used on Swords (except colossal weapons).
- Carian Greatsword - transform the weapon into a magical greatsword in Elden Ring, can be charged up to two levels to increase its attack; sold by Sorcerer Rogier at Stormveil Castle or the Roundtable Hold for 2,500 Runes, used on Swords (except colossal weapons).
- Carian Retaliation - swing shield to block magic and transform it into magic Glintblades; sold by Pidia, Carian Servant at Caria Manor or dropped from a Scarab on the small island northwest of the Temple Quarter Grace Site, used on small and medium Shields.
- Glintblade Phalanx - attack enemies with an arch of magic Glintblades; found on Rogier's Rapier, which can be claimed from Rogier in Roundtable Hold after defeating Godrick the Grafted. Used on Swords and Polearms that can thrust (except colossal weapons).
- Glintstone Pebble - apply Glintstone to the weapon, then follow up with a strong attack to perform a lunging thrust; learned from Rogier at Stormveil Castle or Roundtable Hold for 1,500 Runes, used on Swords and thrusting Polearms (except colossal weapons).
- Gravitas - form a gravity well to draw enemies closer; dropped by the Slender Wayfarer on the beach near the Seaside Ruins in south Limgrave, used on any melee armament (except small armaments).
- Loretta's Slash - apply Glintstone to the blade and leap forward with a sweeping slash; dropped by Royal Knight Loretta in Caria Manor, used on Polearms and Twinblades.
- Spinning Weapon - spin the weapon to harm an enemy that touches it; sold by Rogier at Stormveil Castle or Roundtable Hold for 1,000 Runes. Used on Polearms, Staves, and small and medium Swords, Axes, and Hammers (except Great Spears).
- Thop's Barrier - swing the shield to deflect magic with a magical forcefield; dropped by a Scarab on the small island on the west side of Liurnia of the Lakes, used on small and medium Shields.
- Waves of Darkness - release three waves of darkness by piercing the ground; obtained from Enia at Roundtable Hold after trading Remembrance of the Naturalborn, used on GreatAxes, WarHammers, and colossal weapons.
Elden Ring - All Sacred Ashes of War Locations
- Golden Slam - slam into the ground to cause a wave of light; dropped by a Scarab inside the Woodsfolk Ruins in Altus Plateau, used on any melee armament.
- Golden Vow - buff the attack and defense of the player and surrounding allies; dropped by the Mounted Knight in the northeast area of Limgrave in Elden Ring. Used on any melee armament.
- Prayerful Strike - slam weapon on the ground to restore the health of player and nearby allies; dropped by invisible Scarab in the southern part of the lake surrounding the Leyndell Royal Capital. Used on Axes and Hammers.
- Sacred Blade - applies holy essence to the weapon and fires a golden projectile, dropped by a Scarab north of the Third Church of Marika near a whirlwind, used on any melee armament (except Whips, Fists, and Claws).
- Sacred Order - apply holy essence to the weapon, deals more damage to undead enemies; dropped by a Scarab north of the Abandoned Coffin Site of Grace in Altus Plateau. Used on any melee armament.
- Sacred Ring of Light - fires a ring of sacred light from the weapon; dropped by a Scarab in the southeast of the Swamp of Aeonia in Caelid, used on Polearms (except Great Spears).
- Vow of the Indomitable - gain temporary invincibility; dropped by a Scarab in the southwestern swamp of Liurnia of the Lakes, used on any shield.
Elden Ring - All Occult Ashes of War Locations
- Assassin's Gambit - sacrifices health to gain near-invisibility and silence footsteps; found in Volcano Manor after defeating Old Knight Istvan, used on small and medium Straight Swords and thrusting Swords.
- Lifesteal Fist - punch a human enemy to knock them unconscious and steal their health; dropped by a Scarab west of the Swamp of Aeonia near the Caelid Highway, used on Fists and Claws.
- Spectral Lance - throw a spectral lance at enemies; dropped by a Scarab in the graveyard outside the Raya Lucaria Academy. Used on Polearms (except Reapers).
Elden Ring - All Blood Ashes of War Locations
- Blood Blade - coat the blade in blood to launch a rapid-fire blood blade; dropped by a Scarab in the swamp camps northeast of the Grand Lift of Dectus in the Altus Plateau, used on small and medium Swords.
- Blood Tax - unleash a flurry of thrusts that drains the target's blood and health; dropped by a Scarab in a cave on the east side of the blood lake in the Mohgwyn Palace area. Used on armaments that can thrust (except colossal weapons).
- Bloody Slash - coat the blade in blood to slash in a wide arc; dropped by the Beast Crest Heater Knight at the top of the Fort Haight ramparts, used on Swords (except colossal weapons).
- Seppuku - increases attack and blood loss by stabbing the user's stomach; dropped by an invisible Scarab on the Freezing Lake, used on Polearms that can thrust and Swords (except small and colossal weapons).
Elden Ring - All Poison Ashes of War Locations
- Poison Moth Flight - infuse the blade with poison and slash; dropped by Night's Cavalry in Caelid south of the Swamp of Aeonia, used on small and medium Swords (except Twinblades).
- Poisonous Mist - coat armament in poison and slash to spray toxic mist; dropped by a Scarab in the south of the Swamp of Aeonia, used on melee armaments (except Whips, Fists, and Claws).
Elden Ring - All Fire Ashes of War Locations
- Black Flame Tornado - create a vortex of black flames; dropped by Godskin Noble and Godskin Apostle in Crumbling Farum Azula. Used on Polearms and Twinblades.
- Eruption - slam weapon on the ground to create an eruption of lava; found in Volcano Manor after defeating Old Knight Istvan, used on large and colossal Swords, Axes, and Hammers.
- Flame of the Redmanes - swing the weapon to create an arc of flames; dropped by an invisible Scarab found near the Fort Gael North Site of Grace, used on any melee armament.
- Flaming Strike - emits flames in a wide arc, can be followed up with a strong attack to perform a lunging, sweeping strike; dropped by a Scarab in the graveyard along the south cliff behind Redmane Castle, used on any melee armament (except colossal weapons and Whips).
Elden Ring - All Cold Ashes of War Locations
- Chilling Mist - coat the armament in ice and slash to spray freezing mist; dropped by a Scarab in ruins south of Renna's Rise, used on any melee armament (except Whips, Fists, and Claws).
- Hoarfrost Stomp - stomp to spread freezing mist on the ground; dropped by a Scarab in the lake southeast of Caria Manor in Liurnia, used on any melee armament.
- Ice Spear - channel cold magic into a piercing ice spear; dropped by Night's Cavalry near Gate Town Bridge in Liurnia, used on Twinblades and thrusting Spears.
Elden Ring - All Lightning Ashes of War
- Lightning Slash - strike weapon with lightning, then swing to produce an explosive shock; dropped by a Scarab just north of the Capital Outskirts, used on Swords, Axes, and Hammers.
- Lightning Ram - tumble forward while charged with lightning; dropped by a Scarab south of the Sainted Hero's Grave in Altus Plateau, used on any melee armament.
- Thunderbolt - call a bolt of lightning to strike a foe; dropped by a Scarab in the north area of Leyndell, Royal Capital. Used on any melee armament.
Elden Ring is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S|X.