Elden Ring Ashes of War locations guide

Want to know what Elden Ring Ashes of War are, and how they can help you in the Lands Between? In previous FromSoftware games, you had gems that you could use to grant weapons a certain affinity and damage type, like lightning, fire, bleed, or even just to improve their scaling towards a certain attribute, as with the Heavy gem for strength and the Sharp gem for dexterity. Elden Ring's weapon system is a lot simpler and less resource-intensive by comparison. 

Here you have Ashes of War, which you can apply to weapons at Sites of Grace, and they change the scaling of the weapon, while also giving it a skill that consumes FP—basically weapon arts from Dark Souls 3. Every weapon also has a default skill that the Ashes of War can replace. These skills might let you swing your weapon quickly as with Wild Strikes, charge forward and thrust as with Charge Forth, or fire a projectile blade of blood or holy light. 

Certain Ashes of War can only be equipped with certain weapons. We'll explain where to find each, how they change scaling, what they can be used with, and their skill. The best thing about them is they can easily be swapped out without changing your weapon's upgrade level, so you can switch out damage types to take advantage of boss weaknesses. Here's what you need to know about Elden Ring Ashes of War and how to get the Whetstone Knife to apply them.

Whetstone Knife

Where to find the Elden Ring Whetstone Knife 

You'll need the Whetstone Knife to apply Ashes of War to weapons, and luckily it's not too hard to find. It's located in the Gatefront Ruins in West Limgrave—head down the stairs to find a chest in the basement containing the knife, and Ash of War: Storm Stomp. 

You need to head to a Site of Grace to use it, and you'll be able to replace your weapon's default Ash of War with a different one. You can also choose one of two affinities, which affect scaling. Don't worry though, this won't permanently replace your weapon skill.

You can unlock other affinity choices to go along with your skill by finding other crafting knives. The Glintstone Whetblade, for example, unlocks the magic and cold affinities. Check further down in this guide for where to find the other whetblades. Smith Master Hewg in the Roundtable Hold can also duplicate Ashes of War if you have the Lost Ashes of War. You can get some of these from in front of the locked main gate in Leyndell, Royal Capital, later in the game.

Affinity list

Elden Ring Ashes of War affinity list 

Every Ash of War has an affinity that's independent of the skill it provides. For example, you can choose the "standard" affinity to leave your weapon's scaling unchanged. Each Ash of War also has a second base affinity you can choose to change its scaling. Here are the types we've found so far, and what they change in terms of tier: 

• Keen: Strength scaling -1, dex scaling +1
• Quality: Strength scaling +1, dex scaling +1
• Heavy: Strength scaling +2, dex scaling disappears
• Magic: Strength scaling -1, dex scaling -1, adds D tier intelligence scaling, and magic damage
• Sacred: Strength scaling -1, dex scaling -1, adds D tier faith scaling, and holy damage
• Blood: D tier strength, D tier dex, adds D tier arcane scaling, and blood loss buildup
• Occult: Strength scaling -1, dex scaling -1, adds C tier arcane scaling
• Cold: Strength scaling -1, dex scaling -1, adds D tier intelligence scaling, and frost buildup
• Fire: D tier strength, E tier dexterity, and adds fire damage
• Lightning: E tier strength, D tier dexterity, and adds lightning damage. 

Elden Ring Ashes of War locations 

You can get Ashes of War by killing certain Teardrop Scarabs, and you can tell where they are by the faint chiming noise these invisible enemies make. Others come from defeating bosses and specific chests. Here's what we've found so far, broken down by affinity. 

Standard

Storm Wall

This shield skill can create a wall of storm winds in front of you to deflect arrows and other physical projectiles.

• Weapon type: Small and medium shields
• Where to find: In West Limgrave. Head to the end of the broken bridge east of Stormveil Castle, and head west along the cliff to find a scarab.

Mighty Shot

Ready a shot, and pull the bowstring to its limit to penetrate the enemy's guard.

• Weapon type: Light bows and longbows
• Where to find: In the Weeping Peninsula. Heading south from West Limgrave, across the Bridge of Sacrifice, head along the road past the broken carriage, the dogs, and the troll. A little further on you'll spot a scarab on the road in front.

Barrage

Hold the bow horizontally and fire off a series of shots faster than the eye can see.

• Weapon type: Light bows
• Where to find: Just north of the Seethewater River site of grace in southern Mt. Gelmir you'll spot a scarab.

Shield Crash

Two hand the shield and charge forward while maintaining guard. Weaker enemies will be shoved backwards. Hold to extend.

• Weapon type: All shields
• Where to find: In the Lux Ruins due north of where the Grand Lift of Dectus comes up in the Altus Plateau. You'll find a scarab in the northern part of the ruins.

Keen

Repeating Thrust

Twist to build power, then unleash a flurry of thrusts.

• Weapon type: All thrusting weapons (except colossal weapons)
• Where to find: In West Limgrave. Defeat the Night Cavalry world boss on the bridge south of the Agheel Lake North Site of Grace. As you may guess from the name, this boss only appears at night. 

Sword Dance

Quickly close in to perform a series of spinning upward slashes.

• Weapon type: Swords, axes, and polearms capable of slashing (except colossal weapons and great spears)
• Where to find: In West Liurnia. From the Revenger's Shack site of grace, head south past the statue of the old map, and through the cliff passage with bats towards the Road's End Catacombs. You'll spot a scarab along the road. 

Quality

Storm Stomp

Stomp hard on the ground to kick up a momentary storm.

• Weapon type: All melee weapons
• Where to find: The Gatefront Ruins camp in West Limgrave. Head down the stairs into the basement to find it along with the Whetstone Knife.

Stormcaller

Spin your weapon around to surround yourself with storm winds. This is the skill Godrick uses in his fight.

• Weapon type: All swords capable of slashing (except small and colossal weapons)
• Where to find: In East Limgrave. In Stormveil Castle, before Godrick's fog door, go through the left doorway, and kill the scarab there. Watch out for the big pot-man above.

Determination

Hold your sword against your face to boost your next attack.

• Weapon type: All melee weapons
• Where to find: In West Limgrave. Head south along the road from the Agheel Lake North Site of Grace and you'll spot a scarab by a campfire near a group of soldiers. Watch out for the Night Cavalry if you haven't defeated him and it's night.

Square Off

Level your sword to perform a normal attack to slash up through an enemy's guard, or a running thrust with your strong attack.

• Weapon type: All straight swords
• Where to find: In Siofra River. From the Siofra River Bank Site of Grace, head north-east to find a portal on an island. Head through this, and you'll spot a scarab just below a waterfall to your left.

Charge Forth

Quickly charge forward, carrying the momentum into a thrust. Hold to cover greater distance.

• Weapon type: Polearms, heavy swords, and twin blades capable of thrusting
• Where to find: In North Liurnia. Head north from the Fallen Ruins of the Lake site of grace near the Academy Gate Town, to spy a scarab attached to the underside of a bridge arch. Below will be poison sacks, and on the other side, a giant crab. Shoot it with a bow to knock it off, then quickly run it down.

Heavy

Stamp (Sweep)

Brace weapon and step into a low stance that prevents recoil from enemy attacks. Follow up with a strong attack for a sweeping strike.

• Weapon type: Swords, axes, and hammers (except small and medium swords)
• Where to find: West Limgrave. Dropped by the invisible scarab that leaves glowing tracks on the beach north-west of the Stranded Graveyard.

Wild Strikes

Swing your weapon with wild abandon. Hold to keep swinging or follow up with a normal or strong attack.

• Weapon type: Axes and hammers
• Where to find: In West Limgrave. Dropped by the scarab on the road winding up to Stormveil Castle from the Gatefront Ruins.

Magic

Gravitas

Thrust your weapon into the ground to create a gravity well, dealing damage and pulling enemies in.

• Weapon type: All melee weapons (except small arms and whips)
• Where to find: In West Limgrave. Defeat the sorcerer on the closed beach surrounded by ruins to the southeast of the Stranded Graveyard. If you head around the edge to where the Seaside Ruins site of grace is, there's a way you can descend with Torrent from platform to platform.

Caria Grandeur

Transform blade into a magical greatsword and swing it down. Can be charged to increase power by two levels.

• Weapon type: Swords (except colossal weapons)
• Where to find: In West Liurnia. In Caria Manor, head from Manor Upper Level Site of Grace through the garden with the wolves, up the stairs past the Troll Knight, and the Pages on the stairs above. Instead of going into the room with the circle of chairs, head left. Drop down from platform to platform, then cliff to cliff, taking care of the Pot Men. Eventually, you'll get to the top of a gatehouse. This is on a body above the gate.

Loretta Slash

Leap forward, imbuing the blade with magic, then descend into a sweeping slash.

• Weapon type: Polearms and twinblades
• Where to find: In West Liurnia. In Caria Manor, in the far north of the region, defeat Royal Knight Loretta in the room with the circle of chairs surrounding the pool, after the Troll Knight and the Pages on the stairs.

Sacred

Sacred Blade

After charging up, fire a golden bladed projectile.

• Weapon type: All melee weapons (except small arms and whips)
• Where to find: In East Limgrave. Head southeast of Summonwater Village, near the Bestial Sanctum portal, and you'll spot a scarab on a hillside. 

Golden Vow

Raise your weapon in the air in salute to the Erdtree to gain increased attack power and defense.

• Weapon type: Usable on all melee weapons
• Where to find: In West Limgrave. Dropped by a mounted knight on Stormhill, on a ridge to the west of the Saintsbridge site of grace. 

Golden Slam

Jump into the air and crash down with your butt, causing a shockwave of holy light.

• Weapon type: All melee weapons
• Where to find: In the Altus Plateau. In the forest with the Erdtree in the north, you'll find the Woodsfolk Ruins on the east side. There is a scarab inside along with some enemies.

Blood

Bloody Slash

Coat your blade in your own blood and fire a blood-bladed projectile.

• Weapon type: Usable on swords (except colossal weapons)
• Where to find: In East Limgrave. Defeat the commander of Fort Haight on the battlements. The fort is at the southernmost point of East Limgrave overlooking the sea.

Bloody Blade

Coat your blade in your own blood to unleash a rapid-fire airborne blood-blade.

• Weapon type: Small and medium swords
• Where to find: In the Altus Plateau. Head north-east from where the Grand Lift of Dectus comes up then turn north past some army camps into a swampy valley filled with dead trees. You'll find a scarab here.

Occult

Spectral Lance

Hurl a phantasmal spear at foes.

• Weapon type: Polearms (except reapers)
• Where to find: In North Liurnia. In the graveyard of Raya Lucaria Academy. Head across the rickety wooden bridge, and go straight to spy a fallen gravestone that you can walk over to drop down into a sloped area with a scarab and dogs. It's tricky to get the scarab while fighting the dogs, so I recommend using AoEs to hit them all at the same time.

Lifesteal Fist

A punch that renders foes unconscious and steals their HP. Effective against humans.

• Weapon type: Fists and claws
• Where to find: In Caelid. From the Rotview Balcony Site of Grace, head east along the road that slowly veers south. Go past the ruined convoy, the Caelem Ruins, and the Smoldering Wall site of grace and you'll see a scarab just off to the left side of the road.

Fire

Flaming Strike

Emits flame in a wide frontward arc and coats the weapon with fire.

• Weapon type: All melee weapons (except colossal weapons and whips)
• Where to find: In Caelid. At Redmane Castle in the most southeasterly point of the map, fight your way to the main gate with the troll. Head right around the side of the fort, jumping the gaps and fighting the bats until you get to the graveyard. You will spot a scarab here.

Lightning

Lightning Slash

Call a bolt of lightning into your weapon and swing it down to create an explosive shock. This imbues the weapon with lightning.

• Weapon type: Swords, axes, and hammers
• Where to find: In the Altus Plateau. Near the northernmost gate through the outer wall of Leyndell, you'll find a soldier camp with a scarab inside.

Vendor

Can you buy Ashes of War? 

In East Limgrave, you can actually purchase a selection of Ashes of War at the Warmaster's Shack on Stormhill, which is hard to find if you're not looking. While he doesn't sell any that grant bleed, magic, fire, or holy damage, he does have lots of the default skills you get for certain weapons: 

• Stamp
• Kick
• Endure
• War Cry
• Spinning Slash
• Impaling Thrust
• Quickstep
• Stormblade
• Parry
• No skill

Other Whetblades

Elden Ring Iron Whetblade location 

The Iron Whetblade lets you add the Heavy, Keen, or Quality affinities to weapons that don't already have them. You can find it in Stormveil Castle behind a fog door locked with a Stonesword Key: 

• Head to the Liftside Chamber Site of Grace and head through the courtyard with flamethrowers to the doorway, directly opposite of where the stairs come down.
• Now head through this small, lit chamber into the big room with the tables, the Grafted Scion, and body parts hanging from the ceiling. 
• Bear right along the wall, then turn right again to enter a small courtyard where the door is.                
• The Iron Whetblade is inside on a body by the fire, though beware of the enemies.    

Elden Ring Glintstone Whetblade location 

This crafting knife is found in the Raya Lucaria Academy and lets you add the magic and cold affinities to any of your weapons, no matter the skill you're using. From the Debate Parlor Site of Grace, head out into the courtyard and look up to the left to see a body in a window with an item. This is the Glintstone Whetblade, but it's a little more complex to get to it: 

• Skirt the courtyard ledge until you can drop down onto the gantries below. 
• Run across one and jump onto steps leading up to the double doors. 
• As you run up, stick to the sides to avoid the giant rolling balls. 
• You'll arrive in a courtyard where you'll be invaded. Defeat the invader and head left until you get to the door you can open. 
• Kill the two sorcerers just past it, then head down the stairs to where all the enemies are.
• Circle back on yourself and head into the room with a further sorcerer to find the Glintstone Whetblade. 

We'll be sure to add more crafting knife locations when we find them.