Weapon Skills - Ashes Of War - Elden Ring Wiki Guide - IGN

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How creative can you get with your first free checklist?Create a free accountAll Interactive Maps and LocationsWeapon Skills - Ashes of WarBy Brendan Graeber, Callum Williams, Sam Stewart, +44 moreupdatedAug 17, 2024

This page is part of IGN's Elden Ring Wiki guide and details everything you need to know about all the different Weapon Skills and abilities that can be utilized with different weapons, as well as collectible Ashes of War that can be found or bought, and can further customize your Elden Ring weapons with new skills and attribute scaling.

How Do Skills Work in Elden Ring

Each weapon you acquire in Elden Ring will have a default Weapon Skill, and can be utilized in combat by pressing L2/LT. This will default to whichever item is currently equipped in your left hand (like a shield's Parry ability), unless you are wielding a weapon in two hands, unequip your shield, or have an off-hand weapon that lists "No Skill". Most skills (excluding a shield's Parry) will cost FP to use, and the cost may differ slightly depending on which if it is used in a single hand or two.

There are around 100 different skills in total, and in addition to a weapon's default skill, more can be found as items called Ashes of War - which can be discovered through a variety of ways that include exploration, defeating enemies and tracking down Teardrop Scarabs, as well as purchasing them from NPCs.

Equipping Ashes of War Weapon Skills

Using Ashes of War will allow you to have free reign to interchange skills between a large variety of weapons - though certain powerful weapons will have unique skills that cannot be swapped out. Once you have collected an Ash of War and the Whetstone Knife from the Gatefront Ruins, you use the menu when resting at a Site of Grace to view each of your melee armaments, ranged weapons, and shields.

From this menu, you can see the weapon's default skill, and replace it with one of the Ashes of War if it is the right type. You can choose to replace just the Weapon Skill, or you can also choose to adjust it's attribute scaling. This can make the weapon more effective if your character has higher Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, or Faith - or give your weapon the ability to deal magical or elemental damage.

As you find more types of Whetstones, you'll be able to choose different types of scaling than the weapon's default scaling type:

Iron Whetblade - Allows additional affinities of Heavy, Keen, or Quality
Glintstone Whetblade - Allows additional affinities of Magic or Cold
Red-Hot Whetblade - Allows additional affinities of Fire or Flame Art
Black Whetblade - Allows additional affinities of Poison, Blood, or Occult

Ashes of War Scaling Build	Increases	Decreases
Quality	Strength ScalingDexterity Scaling	Base Physical Damage
Keen	Dexterity Scaling	Strength ScalingBase Physical Damage
Heavy	Strength Scaling	Base Physical Damage
Magic	Intelligence ScalingMagic Damage	Strength ScalingDexterity ScalingGuarded Damage Negation (excluding Magic Defense)
Fire	Strength ScalingFire DamageFire and Lightning Damage Negation	Base Physical DamageDexterity ScalingAll Other Damage Negation
Flame Art	Faith ScalingFire DamageFire and Lightning Damage Negation	Strength ScalingDexterity ScalingBase Physical DamageAll Other Damage Negation
Poison	Arcane ScalingPoison Damage Buildup	Base Physical DamagePhysical Damage NegationStrength ScalingDexterity Scaling
Blood	Arcane ScalingBlood Buildup	Base Physical DamagePhysical Damage NegationStrength ScalingDexterity Scaling
Cold	Magic DamageIntelligence ScalingFrost Damage Buildup	Base Physical DamagePhysical Damage NegationStrength ScalingDexterity Scaling
Occult	Arcane Scaling	Base Physical DamageStrength ScalingDexterity Scaling
Lightning	Dexterity ScalingLightning Damage	Strength ScalingDexterity ScalingPhysical DamageGuarded Damage Negation
Sacred	Faith ScalingHoly Damage	Base Physical DamageGuarded Damage Negation (excluding Holy Defense)

List of Ashes of War

Below is a list of the different Ashes of War that you can find and collect in your adventures. Click on an individual one to learn more about it, and where it can be found.

Ashes of War Name	Requirements	Scaling
Ash of War - Barbaric Roar	All Melee Weapons (excluding daggers, thrusting swords, and whips)	Heavy
Ash of War - Barricade Shield	All Shields	None
Ash of War - Beast's Roar	All Melee Weapons	Keen
Ash of War - Black Flame Tornado	Polearms and Twinblades	Flame
Ash of War - Blood Blade	All Small and Medium Swords	Blood
Ash of War - Bloody Slash	All Swords (excluding Colossal)	Blood
Ash of War - Blood Tax	All Thrusting Weapons	Blood
Ash of War - Bloodhound's Step	All Melee Weapons	Keen
Ash of War - Carian Grandeuer	All Swords	Magic
Ash of War - Carian Greatsword	All Swords	Magic
Ash of War - Carian Retaliation	Small and Medium Shields	Magic
Ash of War - Charge Forth	All Thrusting Polearms, Heavy Thrusting Swords, Twinblades	Quality
Ash of War - Chilling Mist	All Melee Weapons (excluding Whips, Fists, and Claws)	Cold
Ash of War - Cragblade	All Melee Armaments (Whips Excluded)	Heavy
Ash of War - Determination	All Melee Weapons	Quality
Ash of War - Double Slash	All Swords and Slashing Polearms	Keen
Ash of War - Enchanted Shot	All Light Bows and Longbows	None
Ash of War - Endure	All Melee Weapons	Heavy
Ash of War - Flame of the Redmanes	All Melee Weapons	Fire
Ash of War - Flaming Strike	All Melee Weapons (excluding Colossal and Whips)	Fire
Ash of War - Giant Hunt	Large and Colossal Thrusting Weapons, Spears, Twinblades	Quality
Ash of War - Glintblade Phalanx	All Swords, Thrusting Polearms (Excluding Colossal Weapons)	Magic
Ash of War - Glintstone Pebble	All Swords, Thrusting Polearms (Excluding Colossal Weapons)	Magic
Ash of War - Golden Land	Greataxes, Warhammers, and Colossal Weapons	Sacred
Ash of War - Golden Parry	Small and Medium Shields	Sacred
Ash of War - Golden Slam	All Melee Weapons	Sacred
Ash of War - Golden Vow	All Melee Weapons	Sacred
Ash of War - Gravitas	All Melee Weapons	Magic
Ash of War - Ground Slam	All Melee Weapons (excluding small weapons and whips)	Heavy
Ash of War - Hoarfrost Stomp	All Melee Weapons	Cold
Ash of War - Holy Ground	All Shields	Sacred
Ash of War - Ice Spear	All Thrusting Polearms and Twinblades	Cold
Ash of War - Impaling Thrust	All Large Thrusting Weapons	Keen
Ash of War - Kick	All Weapons	Heavy
Ash of War - Lightning Slash	All Swords, Axes, and Hammers	Lightning
Ash of War - Lion's Claw	All Axes, Hammers, Swords (except small and thrusting)	Heavy
Ash of War - Lifesteal Fist	All Fists and Claws	Occult
Ash of War - Loretta's Slash	All Polearms and Twinblades	Magic
Ash of War - Mighty Shot	All Light Bows and Longbows	None
Ash of War - No Skill	All Shields and Torches	None
Ash of War - Parry	All Small and Medium Shields, Daggers, Curved and Thrusting Swords, Fist and Claw Weapons	None
Ash of War - Phantom Slash	Polearms and Twinblades (Great Spears Excluded)	Quality
Ash of War - Poisonous Mist	All Melee Weapons (excluding Whips, Fists, and Claws)	Poison
Ash of War - Poison Moth Flight	All Small and Medium Swords (excluding Twinblades)	Poison
Ash of War - Prayerful Strike	Axes and Hammers	Sacred
Ash of War - Prelate's Charge	Large and Colossal Axes and Hammers	Flame
Ash of War - Quickstep	All Melee Weapons	Keen
Ash of War - Raptor of the Mists	All Melee Weapons	Keen
Ash of War - Repeating Thrust	All Thrusting Weapons	Keen
Ash of War - Royal Knight's Resolve	Usable on All Weapons	Quality
Ash of War - Sacred Blade	All Melee Weapons (Excluding Whips, Fists, and Claws)	Sacred
Ash of War - Sacred Order	All Melee Weapons	Sacred
Ash of War - Sacred Ring of Light	All Polearms	Sacred
Ash of War - Seppuku	Usable on Swords, Polearms Capable of Thrusting (Small and Colossal Weapons not Included)	Blood
Ash of War - Shared Order	All Melee Weapons	Sacred
Ash of War - Shield Bash	All Shields	None
Ash of War - Shield Crash	All Shields	None
Ash of War - Square Off	All Straight Swords	Quality
Ash of War - Spinning Slash	All Axes, Polearms, and Swords (except Colossal Swords)	Keen
Ash of War - Spinning Weapon	All Small and Medium Swords, Axes, Hammers, Polearms, Staves (Excludes Great Spears)	Magic
Ash of War - Spectral Lance	All Polearms (excluding Reapers)	Occult
Ash of War - Stamp (Sweep)	All Axes, Hammers, Large Swords	Heavy
Ash of War - Stamp (Upward Cut)	All Large Swords, Axes, Hammers	Heavy
Ash of War - Stormcaller	All Swords capable of Slashing, Axes, Hammers, and Polearms (Small and Colossal Weapons Excluded}	Quality
Ash of War - Storm Assault	Thrusting Polearms, Heavy Thrusting Swords, Twinblades	Quality
Ash of War - Storm Blade	All Standard Slashing Weapons	Quality
Ash of War - Storm Stomp	All Melee Weapons	Quality
Ash of War - Sword Dance	All Swords, Axes, Slashing Polearms (excluding colossal weapons and greatspears)	Keen
Ash of War - Thop's Barrier	Small and Medium Shields	Magic
Ash of War - Thunderbolt	All Armaments	Lightning
Ash of War - Troll's Roar	Large Colossal Swords, Axes, and Hammers	Heavy
Ash of War - Unsheathe	Katanas	Keen
Ash of War - Vacuum Slice	Usable on Swords and Axes (Colossal Axes Excluded)	Quality
Ash of War - Vow of the Indomitable	All Shields	Sacred
Ash of War - War Cry	All Weapons (except Daggers, Thrusting Swords, Whips)	Heavy
Ash of War - White Shadow's Lure	All Melee Weapons	Occult
Ash of War - Wild Strikes	All Axes, Hammers, Curved and Greatswords	Heavy

List of Weapon Skills

The list below includes all known weapon skills, the description of their ability, and which weapon they can be found on by default. Skills in bold are unique to certain weapons and cannot be swapped out nor do they have an associated Ash of War.

Weapon Skill Name	Default Weapon	Description
Angel's Wings	Winged Scythe	Jump and imbue the wing-blade of the armament with light, then deliver a slashing attack on the enemy. The white wings impede recovery actions using a Flask of Tears.
Barbaric Roar	Club, Large Club, Greataxe	Let loose a bestial roar to rally the spirit and increase attack power. While active, strong attacks change to savage combo attacks.
Barrage	Shortbow	Archery skill using a bow held horizontally. Ready the bow, then fire off a rapid succession of shots faster than the eye can see.
Buckler Parry	Buckler	Used in time with a foe's melee attack to deflect and break that foe's stance - faster than a regular parry.
Carian Glintsword	TBA	Your sword becomes a magical glintsword for a slash - can be charged for more power.
Charge Forth	Winged SpearLanceHalberd	A quick charge forward ending in a thrust - and can cover greater distance with a heavy attack.
Determination	TBA	Enchants your weapon to deal more damage on the next attack.
Endure	TBA	Assume an anchored stance to brace for incoming attacks, briefly boosting poise. Damage taken while using this skill is reduced.
Frenzy	Battle Axe	A Skill used by barbarians with heavy weapons. You'll continue attacking as long as you hold the button. Follow up with a normal or strong attack.
Glintblade Phalanx	TBA	Forms small glintswords in an arch above you that attack automatically.
Gravitas	TBA	Skill originating from the Alabaster Lords, who had skin of stone. Thrust the armament into the ground to create a gravity well. In addition to dealing damage, this attack pulls enemies in.
Hailstorm Sword	Dragonscale Blade	Call down a bolt of ice, and imbues the blade with ice and lightning for a short duration.
Holy Ground	TBA	Consecrates the land, restoring HP and boosting defenses for you and allies in the area of effect.
Impaling Thrust	EstocGreat Epee	Skill that lets piercing armaments overcome enemy shields. Build power, then lunge forward for a strong thrust that pierces an enemy's guard
Kick	Short SwordCrossbows	Pushes an enemy back with a high kick. Effective against enemies who are guarding, and can break a foe's stance. Sometimes a simple tool is the most effective.
Mighty Shot	Longbow	Assume an oblique stance tthat makes your arrows more powerful and able to penetrate an enemy's guard
No Skill	CatalystsSome Shields	This armament has no skill. If the armament in the other hand has a skill, that skill will be used instead.
Ordovis' Vortex	Ordovis' Greatsword	Twirl and slam the greatsword into foes with a crucible vortex - can be charged for more power.
Parry	Most Shields	Use in time with a foe's melee attack to deflect it and break that foe's stance, allowing for a critical hit.
Quickstep	TBA	Skill prized by the crafty and fleet of foot. Quickly sidestep to the left or right and circle around lock on targets.
Reduvia Blood Blade	Reduvia	Forms blood projectiles that can force bleeding on targets, and can be fired quickly and repeatedly.
Repeating Thrust	TBA	Unleashed a flurry of thrusts that can be charged up slowly for great effect.
Sacred Order	Treespear	Skill of the Golden Order fundamentalist knights. Perform a salute and grant the armament holy essence. Highly effective against Those Who Live in Death
Thops Barrier	Carian Glintstone Shield	Swing your shield to block magic attacks and reflect them back as glintswords - can also be used as a physical parry.
Spinning Chain	Flail	Spin the striking part of a flail at high speed to attack. Follow up with a normal or strong attack to link the momentum of this skill into a successive attack.
Spinning Slash	ScimitarTwinblade	A favorite skill of dexterous warriors. Slash foes as your body spins. This momentum can connect in final heavy attack.
Square Off	Most Straight Swords	Starts with a horizontal slash through an enemy's guard with a normal attack, or a dashing thrust with a strong attack.
Stamp (Sweep)	TBA	Brace your armament and step into a low stance that prevents recoil from most enemy attacks. Follow up with a strong attack for a sweeping strike.
Stamp (Upward Cut)	Most Greatswords	Brace your armament and step into a low stance that prevents recoil from most enemy attacks. Follow up with a strong attack for an upwards strike.
Storm Blade	TBA	Lost skill of Stormveil. Surround armament with shearing storm winds that can be fired forward. Can be fired in rapid succession.
Storm Stomp	TBA	One of the skills that channel the tempests of Stormveil. Stomp hard the ground hard to kick up a momentary storm.
Thunderbolt	TBA	Raise your weapon to call down a bolt of lightning, and can fire multiple bolts in rapid succession.
Torch Attack	Torch	Thrust your torch forward to set foes ablaze, dealing extra damage to foes weak to fire.
Unsheathe	Uchigatana	Skill of swordsmen from the Land of Reeds. Sheathe blade, holding it at the hip in a composed stance. Follow up with a normal or strong attack to perform a swift slash attack.
Viper Bite	Coil Shield	A bronze venomous snake on the Coil Shield comes to life and stretches out to bite foes.
War Cry	TBA	Gives a war cry to increase attack power. While active, strong attacks change to charging attacks.