- Ashes of War are special skills that are tied to weapons in Elden Ring, similar to the Weapon Art mechanic of Dark Souls 3.
- The Ashes of War are swappable on weapons that don't require a Somber smithing stone.
- Players need the Whetstone Knife to unlock the Ash of War menu when resting on a Site of Grace.
Ashes of War is one of the most fun mechanics of Elden Ring’s combat. It introduces a multitude of new abilities that are tied to weapons and used with barely any complications. Using Ashes of War correctly can let you blitz through the hardest bosses in the game. So, what are these Ashes of War and how to use them in Elden Ring? Here is a complete guide on it, alongside a complete list of all Ashes of War in the game with their locations.
How To Use Ashes of War in Elden Ring
Ashes of War are special attacks that is activated by pressing the L2, LT on a gamepad or Shift + Right-Click on a PC (keyboard and mouse). When you use these inputs while having a weapon equipped, it activates the Ashes of War of that weapon.
The Ashes of War can also apply different affinities to the attached weapon. For example, Golden Vow always applies the Sacred affinity on the weapons, if kept at default. With that said, the next section explains how you can activate Ashes of War on a weapon.
How to Activate Ashes of War in Elden Ring
Ashes of War either come with weapons by default or can be activated or applied on a weapon of choice. To activate an Ash of War, players must first get the Whetstone Knife. This item can be obtained in the Gatefront Ruin in Limgrave. his is the ruin that falls on the path of Stormveil Castle, and to reach it, players need to head north from the Church of Elleh. Once at the ruins, find the stairs leading underground towards a metal door. Open it up to receive the item and Ash of War: Storm Stomp.
Once you have obtained it, sit at any Site of Grace to access the Ashes of War menu. From there, select the Ashes of War and the weapon you want to apply it on and confirm to activate it. Another way to activate Ashes of War on a weapon is by asking the Blacksmiths, like the Smithing Master Hewg in the Roundtable Hold.
What Are Ashes of War in Elden Ring
Ashes of War are powerful special moves bound to players’ equipment. It is the Weapon Art mechanic introduced in Dark Souls 3, where each weapon has a special action that players can perform. In the case of Elden Ring, Ashes of War are swappable, which allows players to equip their desired ones with their choice of weapon or shield. There are some caveats to them.
Almost every weapons comes pre-equipped with Ashes of War, and most of them can be swapped at a Site of Grace. Only Somber weapons restrict switching Ashes of War, forcing players to use their default skill. Furthermore, Ashes of War are not randomized, and players will discover a set number of them throughout the game if they explore. The best Ashes of War can let you cheese through the game without any problems.
Where to Find Ashes of War in Elden Ring
Before you can apply an Ash of War, you need to find them first. Here is a list of all the Ashes of War and their locations in Elden Ring:
Ashes of War Location Ash of War: Stamp (Upward Cut) Purchased from Bernahl at either the Warmaster’s Shack in Stormhill or the Drawing Room of Volcano Manor for 1,500 Runes. Ash of War: Stamp (Sweep) Drops from the invisible Scarab on Limgrave’s western shores, northwest of the First Step Site of Grace. Ash of War: Wild Strikes Drops from a Scarab found on the road approaching the Castleward Tunnel Site of Grace northwest of Stormhill Shack. Ash of War: Lion’s Claw Drops from the Elder Lion in Fort Gael. Ash of War: Cragblade Caelid Ash of War: Kick Purchased from Bernahl at either the Warmaster’s Shack in Stormhill or the Drawing Room of Volcano Manor for 800 Runes. Ash of War: Endure Purchased from Bernahl at either the Warmaster’s Shack in Stormhill or the Drawing Room of Volcano Manor for 600 Runes. Ash of War: Ground Slam Drops from a Scarab found southwest of the Minor Erdtree of Mistwood, in Limgrave. Ash of War: Earthshaker Drops from an invisible Scarab found south the Altus Highway Junction Site of Grace, in Altus Plateu. Ash of War: Hoarah Loux’s Earthshaker Remembrance of Hoarah Loux Ash of War: War Cry Purchased from Bernahl at either the Warmaster’s Shack in Stormhill or the Drawing Room of Volcano Manor for 800 Runes. Ash of War: Barbaric Roar Drops from a Scarab found in the Ravine-Veiled Village in northern Liurnia, situated north of the eponymous Site of Grace, in Liurnia of the Lakes Ash of War: Braggart’s Roar Found pre-equipped on the Iron Ball Fist weapon. Obtain the weapon from Blackguard Big Boggart at Capital Outskirts. Ash of War: Troll’s Roar Found on top of a colossal skull south of the Church of Repose, at Flame Peak on the Mountaintops of the Giants. Ash of War: Spinning Slash Purchased from Bernahl at either the Warmaster’s Shack in Stormhill or the Drawing Room of Volcano Manor for 1,200 Runes. Ash of War: Impaling Thrust Purchased from Bernahl at either the Warmaster’s Shack in Stormhill or the Drawing Room of Volcano Manor for 1,000 Runes. Ash of War: Piercing Fang Pre-equipped on the Nagakiba, which can be looted off the body of Bloody Finger Hunter Yura. Ash of War: Repeating Thrust Drops from a the Night’s Cavalry, southeast of Gatefront Ruins and east of Limgrave Tunnels. Ash of War: Double Slash Drops from a Scarab found on top of a large root near the rooftops in the southwestern quarter of Sellia, Town of Sorcery, in Caelid. Ash of War: Sword Dance Drops from a Scarab near the Minor Erdtree in west-Liurnia, on the path down to the Road’s End Catacombs, in Liurnia of the Lakes. Ash of War: Unsheathe Drops from a Scarab found in the water in the southeastern corner of Agheel Lake, in Limgrave. Ash of War: Quickstep Purchased from Bernahl at either the Warmaster’s Shack in Stormhill or the Drawing Room of Volcano Manor for 800 Runes. Ash of War: Bloodhound’s Step Drops from a the Night’s Cavalry patrolling the easternmost bridge of Dragobarrow, north of Lenne’s Rise during the night, in Greyoll’s Dragonbarrow. Ash of War: Raptor of the Mists Obtain by successfully assisting Yura in defeating Bloody Finger Ravenmount Assassin near the Main Academy Gate Site of Grace, in Liurnia of the Lakes. Ash of War: Beast’s Roar Give 4 Deathroot to the Beast Clergyman, Gurranq, in Greyoll’s Dragonbarrow. Ash of War: Square Off Drops from a Scarab north-northwest of the Worshippers’ Woods Site of Grace near the edge of a cliff, in Siofra River. Ash of War: Charge Forth Drops from a Teardrop Scarab found north of the Fallen Ruins of the Lake Site of Grace, in Liurnia of the Lakes. Ash of War: Spinning Strikes Drops from Castellan Edgar Ash of War: Giant Hunt Drops from a Night’s Cavalry patrolling the Bellum Highway at night, in Liurnia of the Lakes. Ash of War: Storm Blade Purchased from Bernahl at either the Warmaster’s Shack in Stormhill or the Drawing Room of Volcano Manor for 1,800 Runes. Ash of War: Storm Assault Drops from a Scarab found on Stormveil’s western cliffside, in Stormveil Castle. Ash of War: Stormcaller Drops from a Scarab found east of the Secluded Cell Site of Grace, in Stormveil Castle. Ash of War: Storm Stomp Inside the treasure chest located in the cellar of Gatefront Ruins alongside the Whetstone Knife, in Limgrave. Ash of War: Vacuum Slice Found inside a partially sunken building near a mountainous wall, located northeast of the Deeproot Depths Site of Grace. Ash of War: Phantom Slash Drops from a Night’s Cavalry patrolling the Forbidden Lands at night. Ash of War: Determination Drops from a Scarab found on the stone bridge north of Agheel Lake, in Limgrave. Ash of War: Royal Knight’s Resolve Found on a corpse in an isolated room of Volcano Manor. Ash of War: Glintstone Pebble Purchased from Sorcerer Rogier in Stormveil Castle or Roundtable Hold, for 1,500 Runes. Ash of War: Glintblade Phalanx Found pre-equipped on Rogier’s Rapier +7, in Roundtable Hold. Ash of War: Carian Greatsword Purchased from Sorcerer Rogier in Stormveil Castle or Roundtable Hold, for 2,500 Runes. Ash of War: Carian Grandeur Found on a body in the Caria Manor, in Liurnia of the Lakes. Ash of War: Spinning Weapon Purchased from Sorcerer Rogier in Stormveil Castle or Roundtable Hold, for 1,000 Runes. Ash of War: Loretta’s Slash Drops from Royal Knight Loretta in Caria Manor. Ash of War: Gravitas Drops from an Alabaster Lord on the beach southeast of the Stranded Graveyard, in Limgrave. Ash of War: Waves of Darkness Remembrance of the Naturalborn Ash of War: Flaming Strike Drops from a Scarab found in the graveyard outside of Redmane Castle’s southern wall, in Caelid. Ash of War: Flame of the Redmanes Drops from an invisible Scarab rolling around northeast of the Fort Gael North Site of Grace, in Caelid. Ash of War: Eruption Purchased from Bernahl at the Drawing Room of Volcano Manor for 8,000 Runes. Ash of War: Lightning Slash Drops from a Scarab found in the middle of an enemy campsite, past the gate north of the Outer Wall Battleground Site of Grace, in Altus Plateau. Ash of War: Prelate’s Charge Drops from a Scarab hanging on a large, thorned stake found near a cliff south of the Guardians’ Garrison, in Mountaintops of the Giants. Ash of War: Black Flame Tornado Drops from the Godskin Duo boss. Ash of War: Thunderbolt Drops from a Scarab located in the middle of a courtyard surrounded by ruined buildings, between the bridge down the stairs of the Avenue Balcony Site of Grace and the corpse of the great ancient dragon, Gransax, in Leyndell Royal Capital. Ash of War: Lightning Ram Drops from a Scarab found near the Sword Monument southeast of the entrance to Sainted Hero’s Grave, in Altus Plateau. Ash of War: Sacred Blade Drops from a Scarab found on a hill, past the pond northwest of the Third Church of Marika. Ash of War: Prayerful Strike Drops from an invisible Scarab found in the moat, east of the Outer Wall Phantom Tree Site of Grace, in Capital Outskirts. Ash of War: Sacred Ring of Light Drops from a Scarab found on land, east of the Heart of Aeonia where Commander O’Neil is fought, in Swamp of Aeonia. Ash of War: Sacred Order Drops from a Scarab found on the western shore of the lake north of the Abandoned Coffin Site of Grace, in Altus Plateau. Ash of War: Shared Order Drops from a flail-wielding Night’s Cavalry south-west of the Altus Highway Junction Site of Grace at night, in Altus Plateau. Ash of War: Golden Land Drops from a Scarab guarded by a group of Giant Ants south of the Erdtree Avatar near the Great Waterfall Crest Site of Grace, in Deeproot Depths. Ash of War: Golden Slam Drops from a Scarab in Woodfolk Ruins. It can be found in the remains of a small building northeast of the Minor Erdtree, in Altus Plateau. Ash of War: Golden Vow Dropped by a Godrick Knight found on a hill north-east of the Warmaster’s Shack, in Stormhill. Ash of War: Vow of the Indomitable Drops from a Scarab found in the middle of the swamp underneath the southwestern plateau, southeast of the Folly on the Lake Site of Grace, in Liurnia of the Lakes. Ash of War: Holy Ground Drops from the three teleporting Chariots found within the Hero’s Grave of Capital Outskirts in Altus Plateau. Ash of War: Poisonous Mist Dropped by a teleporting Scarab found on a small island southeast of the Aeonia Swamp Shore Site of Grace, in Caelid. Ash of War: Poison Moth Flight Drops from the Night’s Cavalry patrolling the southern highway in Caelid at night, northeast of the Cathedral of Dragon Communion, in Caelid. Ash of War: Blood Blade Drops from a Scarab found in a pond south of the entrance for Old Altus Tunnel. Ash of War: Bloody Slash Drops from the Bloodcrazed Godrick Knight found at Fort Haight in east Limgrave. Ash of War: Blood Tax Drops from a Scarab found in a small cave in the eastern stone walls by the lake of blood north of the Palace Approach Ledge-Road Site of Grace, in Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum. Ash of War: Seppuku Drops from an invisible Scarab found on the northern side of the Frozen Lake at the Mountaintops of the Giants. Ash of War: Ice Spear Drops from a Night’s Cavalry just north of the Liurnia Highway North Site of Grace, in Liurnia of the Lakes. Ash of War: Chilling Mist Drops from a Scarab found in the Ruins southeast of Renna’s Rise behind Caria Manor, in Liurnia of the Lakes. Ash of War: Hoarfrost Stomp Dropped by an invisible Scarab east of Caria Manor in the pond above the ravine, in Liurnia of the Lakes. Ash of War: Divine Beast Frost Stomp Remembrance of the Dancing Lion Ash of War: Spectral Lance Drops from a Scarab found on a descending, curved slope past the roped bridge in the graveyard after the Church of Cuckoo Site of Grace, in Academy of Raya Lucaria. Ash of War: Lifesteal Fist Dropped by a Scarab northwest of the Astray from Caelid Highway North Site of Grace, in Caelid. Ash of War: White Shadow’s Lure Dropped by an invisible Scarab at the Consecrated Snowfield. Ash of War: Assassin’s Gambit Purchased from Bernahl at the Drawing Room of Volcano Manor for 6,500 Runes. Ash of War: Mighty Shot Drops from a Scarab found in the crossroads northwest of the Castle Morne Rampart Site of Grace, in Weeping Peninsula. Ash of War: Through and Through Drops from a invisible Scarab rolling around northwest of Volcano Manor’s main entrance, in Mount Gelmir. Ash of War: Barrage rops from a Scarab north of the Seethewater River Site of Grace in Mt. Gelmir. Ash of War: Sky Shot Drops from a Scarab on the cliffs northwest of the Isolated Merchant’s Shack in Dragonbarrow. Ash of War: Enchanted Shot Dropped by a Scarab next to a rock near the northern shore cliff of the Ancestral Woods, south-east of a nearby Hallowhorn Brazie, in Nokron, Eternal City. Ash of War: Rain of Arrows Acquire the “Redmane” Painting in Sellia, Town of Sorcery and then go to the painting’s depicted location on the edge of the Ancient Ruins bellow the cliffs south of Dragonbarrow’s Minor Erdtree. Ash of War: Parry Purchased from Bernahl at the Drawing Room of Volcano Manor for 600 Runes. Ash of War: Golden Parry Drops from a teleporting Scarab found on one of the northern balconies of the grand staircase up to western gate of Leyndell, in Capital Outskirts. Ash of War: Storm Wall Drops from a Scarab on the cliffs outside of Stormveil’s eastern walls. Ash of War: Shield Bash Drops from a Scarab found on patch of land underneath the tall, stone bridge north of Raya Lucaria. Ash of War: Shield Crash Drops from a Scarab found within Lux Ruins, in Altus Plateau. Ash of War: Barricade Shield Drop from the Night’s Cavalry encountered at night along the road near the Sites of Grace Castle Morne Rampart Site of Grace in the Weeping Peninsula. Ash of War: Thops’s Barrier Can be acquired from a Teardrop Scarab at Church of Irith, in Academy of Raya Lucaria. Ash of War: Carian Retaliation Purchased from Pidia in Caria Manor for 3,000 Runes. Ash of War: No Skill Purchased from Bernahl at the Drawing Room Purchased from Bernahl at either the Warmaster’s Shack in Stormhill or the Drawing Room of Volcano Manor for 600 Runes. Ash of War: Savage Lion’s Claw Gravesite Plain (SoTE). Ash of War: Blind Spot Gravesite Plain, pre-equipped on the Backhand Blade (SoTE). Ash of War: Overhead Stance Gravesite Plain, pre-equipped to the Great Katana (SoTE). Ash of War: Swift Slash Given by Hornsent for aiding him against Needle Knight Leda when she invades him in Shadow Keep (SoTE). Ash of War: Savage Claws Gravesite Plain, pre-equipped to the Beast Claw (SoTE). Ash of War: Raging Beast Dropped by a Teardrop Scarab found on a small hill east of the road leading north-northeast from the Eastern Nameless Mausoleum and Bridge Leading to the Village Site of Grace, in Scadu Altus. Ash of War: Piercing Throw Dropped by an explosive Teardrop Scarab found by one of the pillars just east of the Ruined Forge of Starfall Past, in Scadu Altus. Ash of War: Scattershot Throw Dropped by a hanging Teardrop Scarab found on a small pillar next to the foot of the large bridge south of Taylew’s Ruined Forge, in Ancient Ruins of Rauh. Ash of War: Wing Stance Castle Ensis Ash of War: Carian Sovereignty Acquired from a teardrop scarab inside a cave south west from Cathedral of Manus Metyr filled with glintslab fireflies. Ash of War: Flame Skewer Drops after defeating the NPC Invader Fire Knight Queelign a second time. Ash of War: Flame Spear Drops from a Fire Knight in Shadow Keep, sixth floor. Ash of War: Blinkbolt Found in a chest within the Fog Rift Catacombs. Ash of War: Aspects of the Crucible: Wings Drops from the Black Knight Edredd boss at the Fort of Reprimand, located on the Scadu Altus. Ash of War: The Poison Flower Blooms Twice Dropped by a Teardrop Scarab, found North West of Temple Town Ruins Site of Grace. Ash of War: Ghostflame Call Dropped by the Death Rite Bird, north of Cerulean Coast Site of Grace. Ash of War: Shriek of Sorrow Can be found behind the great tree located in the middle, where Fire Knight Queelign invades, at Belurat Tower Settlement Ash of War: Palm Blast Found on the Dryleaf Arts weapon. Ash of War: Dryleaf Whirlwind Can be found northeast of Rauh Ancient Ruins, East Site of Grace. Ash of War: Wall of Sparks Found in the Shadow Keep. Ash of War: Rolling Sparks Drops from a flying scarab on the eastern side of the large camp south of Shadow Keep. Ash of War: Igon’s Drake Hunt Can be found by summoning Igon and then defeating Bayle The Dread. Collect it later from Igon’s body located just south-east of Foot of the Jagged Peak. Ash of War: Shield Strike Shadow Keep, pre-equipped on Dueling Shield.
So, that’s it. These are all the Ashes of War in Elden Ring, along side the steps on how you can activate them in the game. If you have any question related to this topic, ask us in the comments below.
