Elden Ring: How to get and use Ashes of War
Learn how to radically shake up your playstyle with careful use of some rare Ashes of War in Elden Ring.
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One of the major new features of Elden Ring when compared to older FromSoftware games is the introduction of the Ashes of War system. There’s a lot to unpack when it comes to using the Ashes of War, and if you’re new, it can be a bit overwhelming. Don’t worry, I’m here to break everything down for you.
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Miquella’s mysteries continue as Tarnished players head to the Land of Shadow, a mysterious realm filled with new monsters and powerful magic. This expansion is launching over two years after the release of the original game. It sells for $40 and preorders are open.
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Elden Ring: What are Ashes of War?
InElden Ring, Ashes of War are essentially a major evolution of the Weapon Arts system in Dark Souls 3, with some important refinements. Ashes of War allow a player to change out a Weapon Skill (or special move) as well as altering the Affinity of a weapon at the same time. As an example, depending on the specific Ashes used, you can add Fire damage to a weapon while adding a slashing arc attack, at the cost of reducing the weapon’s scaling and whatever Skill is currently applied.
This range of options helps to make Elden Ring one of thebest Xbox gamesavailable right now, but it can definitely be a lot to keep track of.
There are many different Ashes of War, each with their own advantages and disadvantages, but every one of these Ashes falls into a particular type. You can see a list of the different types below:
It’s also important to understand that there are different restrictions on what kind of Ashes of War can be applied to what kind of weapon. Generally speaking, unique weapons such as the Moonveil Greatsword cannot be altered with Ashes of War.
Unlike in past games, weapons with different kinds of Affinity do not require different kinds of upgrade materials. Instead, everything usesSmithing StonesandSomber Smithing Stones, so you won’t be doing any complicated upgrade path breakdowns.
Elden Ring: How to get Ashes of War
There are alotof different Ashes of War, and they can be found scattered all across the various regions in the Lands Between.White Teardrop Scarabsdrop different Ashes, so be sure to kill any of these that you see. They can be found everywhere, and you’ll hear a very distinct, high-pitched humming sound if you’re in the vicinity of one. They’ll try to roll away and disappear, so if you aren’t able to get one, you’ll need to leave and reload the area.
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Early on, you can also head to the Warmaster’s Shack, as the titular NPC at the shacksells several Ashes of War. You can see his shack marked at the map below:
Ashes of War can also be found on very specific bosses and unique enemies. It’s also possible to find or buy duplicates of some Ashes of War, butdon’tdepend on this, as duplicates will still be rare and difficult to find.
Elden Ring: How to use Ashes of War
To apply Ashes of War and change out a Weapon Skill, you’ll need to acquire theWhetstone Knife. This can be found very early on in the game, as it’s in a chest at theGatefront Ruins. This is the ruined barracks right beside the Site of Grace where you’ll getTorrent, your horse. Once you have the Whetstone Knife, simply use theAshes of Warmenu option when resting at any Site of Grace.
You’ll also need to collect variousWhetbladesto apply the varying Affinities alongside Ashes of War on different kinds of weapons. There are two exceptions: You can apply any Ashes of War to Standard weapons without a whetblade, and you can apply Ashes of War to the matching type of weapon without a whetblade. As an example, if you want to apply Ash of War: Carian Greatsword with Standard or Magic Affinity, you don’t need a whetblade. If you wanted to apply it with Quality however, you’d need the Iron Whetblade.
Here’s the list of whetblades and what Affinities they are used for:
Elden Ring: How to duplicate Ashes of War
If you don’t want to risk not having some of the Ashes of War you acquire throughout the game, you’re in luck. You can use duplication to get multiple versions of whichever of the Ashes of War you’re eager to keep. To duplicate Ashes of War, you’ll want to find someLost Ashes of War. These are a rare resource used up in the duplication process.
Once you have Lost Ashes of War, head to theTable of Lost Grace. Talk to Blacksmith Hewg and select theAsh of War Duplication option. Choose carefully what to duplicate, as each duplication will use up one of the Lost Ashes of War.
Keep exploring
Elden Ring offers more options for player choice and customization than in any prior FromSoftware games, and a huge part of that is the expansive Ashes of War system. Just take your time to consider what you want to upgrade or try out, and in no time you’ll find something that suits your build. That’s even more important with the upcoming arrival of the expansion, Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, which is adding new bosses, enemies, and the Land of Shadow to explore.
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree is slated to arrive on June 21, 2024 across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4.Preorders for Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtreeare open now.
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Grab the acclaimed game and the upcoming expansion in one fell swoop! Using Ashes of War allows you to customize your weapons to get the edge you’ll need against vicious foes, and there’s more of those on the way in Shadow of the Erdtree when it arrives in June 2024.
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Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on Xbox and PC gaming on Windows Central. You can find him on Twitter@SamuelTolbert.
