Elden Ring: 15 Best Ashes Of War [Top Picks]

One of the biggest changes that FromSoftware has introduced in Elden Ring that we didn’t see in the previous Souls games is the Ashes of War. Ashes of War are simple and easy to use that you can use to upgrade your weapons. Today, we are going to write down an Elden Ring best Ash of War guide to help you get started.

Best Ashes of War In Elden Ring

Here’s a quick look at the best Ashes of War picks for your playthrough. The table also includes the builds each of these Ashes of War is suited with:

We have also mentioned what Ashes of War are, how you can use them, and how you can duplicate them. It’s time to get to the Elden Ring best Ashes of War list in detail now.

Sacred Blade

The Sacred Blade is the first Ash of War that I would like to mention. It scales primarily with Faith, thus making it an ideal choice for pure Faith-based builds. Furthermore, this Ash of War can also grant an affinity to your weapon, providing it with the Holy Affinity. The Sacred Blade can work with all melee weapons, except for small arms and whips. 

Similar Read: Elden Ring Village Of The Albinaurics Guide

To get your hands on the Sacred Blade Ashes of War, you will need to go North of the Third Church of Maria and look around for Teardrop Scarabs. For those who don’t know, a Teardrop Scarab is a creature in the Elden Ring that drops unique items when taken down. The only downside is that they disappear instantly if you fail to take them down quickly. Therefore, you will need to be quick after you encounter one. 

Bloody Slash

This is easily one of the most powerful Ashes of War in the Elden Ring. It can let you deliver a powerful attack on your opponent that can drain a lot of their health in a single hit. However, each use also takes away a little of your HP and FP points. But considering that you get the chance to perform a devastating blow that can help you take down tough opponents quickly, it’s worth getting.

To get your hands on the Bloody Slash in Elden Ring, you must make your way to Fort Haight. This location can be found in Limgrave. It is the very fort Kenneth Haight will tell you about after you talk to him.

Fort Haight is swarming with enemies, so make sure you are properly equipped before going there. There, you will encounter a Knight called Beast Crest Heater. He is a powerful enemy who will use the Bloody Slash against you. But after you take him down, you can pick up the Bloody Slash Ash of War from his corpse. 

Barricade Shield

In Elden Ring, defending yourself from attacks is equally important as attacking your opponent in combat. If you don’t follow a balance between the two, you won’t be able to go far in the game. Thankfully, the game lets you use shields that can defend you greatly against powerful attacks. And if you’re someone who is using a shield, or is planning to use one, then you should get the Barricade Shield Ash of War without wasting a single second. 

To get your hands on the Barricade Shield Ash of War in Elden Ring, you will need to go to Weeping Peninsula at nighttime and defeat the Night’s Cavalry. The boss uses heavy weapons but is not that difficult to take down. After you eliminate him, you can pick up the Barricade Shield from its corpse. You can also get this Ash of War by taking down the Bloodhound Kniht Darriwil, who can be found in Forlon Hound Evergaol. 

Carian Greatsword

If you want an Ash of War in Elden Ring that can transform your weapon into something extremely powerful, then you need to get the Carian Greatsword Ash of War. With this attached to your weapon, you’ll feel as if you’re carrying something mighty in your hands.

To get the Carian Greatsword Ash of War, you will need to purchase it from Sorcerer Rogier at Stormviel Castle for 2,500 Runes. He can also be found at the Roundtable Hold. If you don’t have Runes to spend, then you can also get it from Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold in exchange for Rogier’s Bell Bearing. 

Lightning Ram

Out of all the Ashes of War in Elden Ring, this is easily one of the most fun to use. The Lighting Ram Ash of War in Elden Ring is perfect for those who are looking for a way to dodge enemy attacks but deal damage to their targets in the process. It can be used on all Melee armaments.

To get your hands on this Ash of War, you must take down a Teardrop Scarab that can be found at Atlus Plateau. This is located south of Sainted Hero’s Grave. 

Storm Blade

There can be times in Elden Ring when you’re surrounded by a group of enemies that will keep attacking you and prevent you from attacking back. Or, you might engage in combat against a powerful foe who might not let you get back on your feet. This is where the Storm Blade Ash of War comes in, as it can let you create a distance between you and the enemies.

Also, Check: Map Fragment Locations in Elden Ring

To get your hands on the Storm Blade Ash of War in Elden Ring, you will need to visit the Murkwater Catacombs that can be found in Limgrave. There, you will encounter a Boss called Grave Warden, and he will drop the Storm Blade after you eliminate him. YOu can also purchase it from Knight Bernahl at the Warmaster’s Shack for 1,800 Runes. 

Quickstep

Quick movement in Elden Ring can help you get a step ahead in combat, and the Quickstep Ash of War is here to help you with that. In the game, you can take your enemy down quickly if you manage to get behind them. This way, you can attack them without worrying about them blocking. Quickstep lets you exactly do that, and it can be used on all Melee armaments.

The game lets you dodge attacks by performing a roll. However, while rolling, you can easily get attacked by the enemy. Furthermore, it’s not quick and you can’t use it to instantly get behind your target. As for the Quickstep, it lets you dodge attacks quickly, something thanks to which you can also circle your target and wait for the right moment to strike them from behind. 

The Quickstep Ash of War in Elden Ring is not difficult to get as you can purchase it from the Knight Bernahl at the Warmaster’s Shack for 800 Runes. 

Loretta’s Slash

By using Loretta’s Slash Ash of War, you can perform a powerful magical strike that will deal a great amount of damage. It will first launch you in the air before you perform the strike. The attack is useful for times when you’re fighting against a powerful foe. Although it might seem slow, it is a great attack that can help you in multiple situations.

To get your hands on this fantastic Ash of War, you must first go to Caria Manor and look around for the Royal Knight Loretta. He is a powerful Boss who is not easy to take down. Therefore, make sure you are properly equipped before going there. Otherwise, you’ll just waste your time. After taking him down, Loretta’s Slash Ash of War will appear beside its corpse. 

Mighty Shot 

If you’re an archer who likes to take down their targets from a great distance, I have something for you. Bows in Elden Ring are something that can help you stay at a safe distance while taking down your target. They are one of the best-ranged weapons in the Elden Ring, and you can trust them in multiple situations. However, Bows are mostly useful against regular enemies since they can’t deal much damage with each hit. But with the Mighty Shot, things are different.

To get your hands on this Ash of War, you must take down a Teardrop Scarab that can be found on the way from Limgrave to Weeping Peninsula. But if you manage to get your hands on the Longbow before this, you’ll already have it, as the Mighty Shot Ash of War is the default Ash of War for the Longbow. 

Thunderbolt

Even wanted to become Thor in Elden Ring? Well, no, you can. With the Thunderbolt in your arsenal, you can perform a powerful attack that can deal much damage.

By using the Thunderbolt Ash of War in Elden Ring, you can call down a bolt of Lightning on your enemy that will drain a lot of their health. The best part about it is that it can be used in rapid succession, meaning you can take down a powerful foe by using it. Furthermore, the Thunderbolt Ash of War can be used on all Melee armaments.

To get your hands on this Ash of War, you must take down a Teardrop Scarab in Leyendell, Royal Capital. 

Gravitas

Gravitas is one of the best Ashes of War because of how it helps you. If you have a pure Melee base build, then it is recommended that you get the Gravitas Ash of War. This is because you can get the enemies within your range by using this. It can be used on all Melee armaments but not on the small ones.

To get your hands on Gravitas Ash of War in Elden Ring, you must take down a Slender Wayfarer. This enemy uses this Ash of War, and you can pick it up from its corpse after you take it down. 

Seppuku

Another fantastic Ash of War in our Elden Ring Ash of War guide is Seppuku. Just like the Bloody Slash Ash of War, this one also lets you perform a powerful attack at the cost of your HP. However, it will not drain a lot of your health, so you won’t have to worry about getting a great disadvantage against your opponent.

After using Seppuku, your character will stab himself and soak the weapon in his blood. This will increase the attack power of your weapon, something that will let you deal more damage with each attack.

Unfortunately, Seppuku is also an Ash of War that you can acquire in the late game. However, it will prove to be extremely useful against the enemies you’ll be facing at that time. To get it, you must go to the Freezing Lake site of grace and take down an invisible Scarab. This one can be found at the edge of the lake. 

The Glintblade Phalanx

Using the Glintblade Phalanx, you can summon glintblades above your head that automatically attack your targets. Each blade deals a decent amount of damage with each hit, but that isn’t what makes the Ash of War extremely powerful. Along with dealing damage, the glintblade will stagger your enemy and make them get on their knees, after which you can take them down with a single Critical strike.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to get your hands on the Glintblade Phalanx Ash of War early on in the game as you’ll first need to take down Godrick the Grafted. He can be found in Stormveil Castle and after you defeat him, you will need to go to the Roundtable Hold. There, talk to Sorcerer Rogier to receive the Rogier’s Rapier. The Glintblade Phalanx Ash of War will be attached to this weapon. However, it can be removed and attached to whichever weapon you prefer. 

Hoarfrost Stomp

The Hoarfrost Stomp lets you perform a stomp that sends out a wave that deals massive damage to the targets. The wave first interrupts the enemies and prevents them from performing an attack, and it then instantly deals a great amount of damage. The best part about the frost wave is that it can take down regular enemies in a single hit. Furthermore, it can be used multiple times, meaning that you can quickly take down an entire group of enemies.

You must go to a small pond to get your hands on the Hoarfrost Stomp Ash of War in Elden Ring. This can be found on the northern side of the Lakes of Liurnia. Here, you will need to look around for an invisible Teardrop Scarab. After eliminating it, you can pick up the Hoarfrost Stomp from its corpse. 

Bloodhound’s Step

The Bloodhound’s Step lets you become invisible for a short period while doing at high speed. In other words, with this Ash of War, you can move around quickly without worrying about getting hit by enemy attacks. Even if you’re stuck between a group of powerful enemies, and constantly hitting you with their attacks, they won’t be able to even scratch you for as long as you keep using this Ash of War to move around.

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To get your hands on this extremely powerful Ash of War, you must defeat one of the Night’s Calvary, who can be found at the bridge in front of the Lenne’s Rise tower. For those who don’t know, Night’s Calvary is a group of mini-bosses that spawn across the map. They ride black horses and use powerful weapons. After eliminating the one we mentioned, you can pick up the Bloodhound’s Step Ash of War from his corpse. 

My Tips To Use Ashes Of War

With roughly 700 hours of trying out many different builds and gear, I have discovered some general rules I like to follow to maximize flexibility in a build’s Ashes of War. For basic sword and shield combat, I suggest the shield to have an Ash of War which boosts parry windows such as Carian Retaliation or Storm Wall, but if you’re positive that your parry skills are already perfect, anything can be viable.

If you do not find yourself parrying, something that has defensive capabilities (such as Barricade) can be perfect, or an Ash of War for your weapon can be a perfect option, preferably one that inflicts a buildup as well. If you want to completely remove the hassle and just go for weapons with top-tier Ashes of War, the Reduvia or Blasphemous Blade are great picks.

This marks the end of our Elden Ring Ash of War guide. Keep in mind that there are many other Ashes of War available in the game, and you should check them out as well. This is because you might find them better or more suitable for your build than these.