Ashes of War are the unique skills you can apply to weapons in Elden Ring. They can completely change how a weapon plays, adding new attacks, buffs, or debuffs. This guide ranks the best Ashes of War for damage, utility, and PvP effectiveness.
How Ashes of War Work
Ashes of War are applied to weapons at Sites of Grace. Each Ash of War has:
- A unique skill.
- FP cost.
- Stat requirements.
- Specific weapon types it can be applied to.
You can swap Ashes of War at any time, so experiment freely.
S Tier: Best of the Best
Seppuku
Seppuku is the best Bleed-focused Ash of War. It boosts attack power and applies Bleed to your weapon.
FP cost: 10. Stat requirement: 16 DEX, 13 ARC.
Best for: katana and dagger Bleed builds.
How to get: Dropped by the Bloody Finger Hunter boss.
Lion's Claw
Lion's Claw is the best Strength-focused Ash of War. It performs a leaping slam that deals massive damage and poise damage.
FP cost: 20. Stat requirement: 18 STR.
Best for: Colossal Weapon Strength builds.
How to get: Dropped by the Leonine Misbegotten boss.
Unsheathe
Unsheathe is the best Dexterity-focused Ash of War. It performs a quick-draw attack that deals massive poise damage.
FP cost: 14. Stat requirement: 14 DEX.
Best for: katana Dexterity builds.
How to get: Dropped by the Samurai boss at the Deathtouched Catacombs.
Bloody Slash
Bloody Slash is a fast-casting Ash of War that applies Bleed on every hit. It can be applied to most melee weapons.
FP cost: 16. Stat requirement: 14 STR, 13 ARC.
Best for: any melee Bleed build.
How to get: Found in the Fortified Manor area.
Storm Blade
Storm Blade is a versatile Ash of War that performs a swift blade slash followed by a powerful thrust.
FP cost: 8. Stat requirement: 13 STR, 11 DEX.
Best for: any melee quality build.
How to get: Found at the Gatefront Ruins.
A Tier: Strong Choices
Wild Strikes
Wild Strikes is a multi-hit Ash of War that deals great poise damage.
FP cost: 14. Stat requirement: 16 STR.
Best for: Colossal Weapon Strength builds.
How to get: Sold by Bernahl at the Roundtable Hold.
Spinning Strikes
Spinning Strikes is a versatile Ash of War that performs a spinning blade attack.
FP cost: 12. Stat requirement: 13 STR, 11 DEX.
Best for: any melee quality build.
How to get: Sold by Bernahl.
Barricade Shield
Barricade Shield reduces Stamina consumption when blocking.
FP cost: 0. Stat requirement: 12 STR.
Best for: tank builds with shields.
How to get: Sold by Bernahl.
Carian Retaliation
Carian Retaliation returns magic damage to attackers.
FP cost: 4. Stat requirement: 13 INT.
Best for: magic-resist tank builds.
How to get: Found in the Caria Manor area.
Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt is a fast lightning Ash of War that deals moderate damage.
FP cost: 12. Stat requirement: 16 FTH.
Best for: Faith Lightning Spear builds.
How to get: Found in the Liurnia of the Lakes area.
Golden Vow
Golden Vow boosts attack and defense for the entire team.
FP cost: 22. Stat requirement: 25 FTH.
Best for: Faith support builds.
How to get: Found on a corpse in the Leyndell area.
Best Ashes for Each Weapon Type
Greatswords
- Lion's Claw (best for STR)
- Unsheathe (best for DEX)
- Storm Blade (best for quality)
Colossal Weapons
- Lion's Claw (best for STR)
- Wild Strikes (multi-hit)
Katanas
- Unsheathe (best for DEX)
- Seppuku (best for Bleed)
- Corpse Piler (multi-hit)
Daggers
- Seppuku (best for Bleed)
- Quickstep (best for mobility)
Halberds
- Wild Strikes (multi-hit)
- Spinning Strikes (AoE)
- Storm Blade (quality)
Spears
- Spinning Weapon (multi-hit)
- Storm Blade (quality)
Best Ashes for PvP
For PvP, the best Ashes of War are:
- Seppuku - for fast Hemorrhage procs.
- Lion's Claw - for high damage trades.
- Unsheathe - for quick-draw combos.
- Thunderbolt - for fast ranged pressure.
- Carian Retaliation - for shield-poke builds.
Best Ashes for PvE
For PvE, the best Ashes of War are:
- Seppuku - for sustained damage against tough enemies.
- Lion's Claw - for breaking boss poise.
- Wild Strikes - for multi-hit crowd control.
- Storm Blade - for versatile quality builds.
- Golden Vow - for team support.
Common Mistakes
- Don't ignore FP cost. Some Ashes are too expensive for low Mind builds.
- Don't forget about stat requirements. Some Ashes require specific stats.
- Don't use the same Ash for every weapon. Different weapons benefit from different Ashes.
Final Tips
- Experiment with Ashes at the Site of Grace.
- Read the Ash description to understand its full effect.
- Combine Ashes with talismans for maximum effectiveness.
With this ranking, you will know which Ash of War to use on every weapon and how to maximize its effectiveness in every situation.