To change weapon affinity in Elden Ring, you must first obtain a Whetstone Knife, which unlocks the ability to apply Ashes of War to your armaments at any Site of Grace, thereby adjusting their scaling and damage types.
Unlocking the Ability to Change Affinity
You gain the capability to modify a weapon's affinity once you acquire your first Whetstone Knife. This crucial tool enables you to use Ashes of War to imbue your armaments with different affinities and unique special effects, tailoring them to your build and combat style.
Understanding Affinities and Ashes of War
Before diving into the process, it's essential to understand the two core components:
- Weapon Affinities: These are modifiers that dictate a weapon's damage type, attribute scaling (how much damage bonus it gains from your stats like Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, or Arcane), and sometimes its base damage. Changing an affinity allows you to optimize a weapon for specific stat investments or to exploit enemy weaknesses.
- Ashes of War: These are special items found throughout the Lands Between that grant a weapon a unique skill (Weapon Art) and, most importantly, allow you to apply a specific affinity. While each Ash of War has a default affinity, you can often choose from a wider range of affinities if you've collected the appropriate Whetblades.
Step-by-Step Guide to Changing Weapon Affinity
Modifying your weapon's affinity is a straightforward process performed at any Site of Grace. Follow these steps:
- Obtain the Whetstone Knife: This essential key item is found early in the game within the Gatefront Ruins, located in Limgrave. It's in a cellar accessible via a staircase near the Site of Grace. If you haven't found it yet, explore the ruins thoroughly. You can find its exact location and more details on the Elden Ring Wiki.
- Acquire Ashes of War: Collect various Ashes of War by defeating specific enemies (especially Teardrop Scarabs), finding them in chests, or purchasing them from merchants.
- Rest at a Site of Grace: Interact with any Site of Grace found across the Lands Between.
- Select "Ashes of War": In the Site of Grace menu, choose the "Ashes of War" option.
- Choose Your Weapon: From your inventory, select the armament you wish to modify.
- Apply an Ash of War: Select the Ash of War you wish to apply to your chosen weapon.
- Select Affinity: After selecting an Ash of War, you will be presented with a list of available affinities. The default affinity associated with your chosen Ash of War will always be an option. However, you can unlock more affinity choices (like Heavy, Keen, Magic, Fire, etc.) by finding additional Whetblades throughout the game (e.g., Iron Whetblade, Glintstone Whetblade, Red-Hot Whetblade). Select your desired affinity from the list.
- Confirm: Confirm your selection to apply the Ash of War and its chosen affinity to your weapon. This process is reversible and can be changed as many times as you like.
Common Weapon Affinities and Their Effects
Understanding the different affinities is crucial for optimizing your build. Here's a table summarizing common affinities and their primary effects:
| Affinity | Primary Scaling | Secondary Scaling | Damage Type | Effect | Recommended Builds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | STR/DEX (Balanced) | - | Physical | Balanced scaling, no special effects. | Versatile, early game, or specific weapons. |
| Heavy | STR | - | Physical | Significantly increases Strength scaling, reduces Dexterity. | Strength-focused melee builds. |
| Keen | DEX | - | Physical | Significantly increases Dexterity scaling, reduces Strength. | Dexterity-focused fast weapon builds. |
| Quality | STR/DEX (Even) | - | Physical | Balances Strength and Dexterity scaling, but generally lower per stat. | Builds investing equally in Strength and Dexterity. |
| Magic | INT | - | Physical + Magic | Adds Magic damage, scales with Intelligence. | Intelligence-focused sorcery builds. |
| Cold | INT | - | Physical + Magic | Adds Magic damage, scales with Intelligence, inflicts Frostbite. | Intelligence builds, status effect builds. |
| Fire | STR | - | Physical + Fire | Adds Fire damage, scales with Strength. | Strength builds, effective against Frostbite-immune foes. |
| Flame Art | FAI | - | Physical + Fire | Adds Fire damage, scales with Faith. | Faith-focused incantation builds. |
| Lightning | DEX | - | Physical + Lightning | Adds Lightning damage, scales with Dexterity. | Dexterity builds, against foes weak to lightning. |
| Sacred | FAI | - | Physical + Holy | Adds Holy damage, scales with Faith. | Faith builds, particularly against Undead. |
| Poison | ARC | - | Physical + Poison | Adds Poison buildup, scales with Arcane. | Arcane builds, status effect builds. |
| Bleed | ARC | - | Physical | Increases Bleed buildup, scales with Arcane. | Arcane builds, status effect builds. |
| Occult | ARC | - | Physical | Increases Arcane scaling, boosts item discovery. | Arcane builds, item discovery focus. |
Note: Some unique weapons, especially Boss weapons, cannot have their affinity changed or Ashes of War applied.
Advanced Tips for Optimizing Affinities
- Collect Whetblades: The additional Whetblades scattered across the Lands Between are crucial. Each Whetblade unlocks new affinity options when applying Ashes of War. For example, the Iron Whetblade, found in Stormveil Castle, allows you to choose between Heavy, Keen, and Quality affinities for any Ash of War you apply.
- Synergize with Your Build: Always ensure your weapon's affinity aligns with your character's primary damage-dealing attributes. A "Heavy" affinity is ideal for Strength builds, while "Magic" or "Cold" are perfect for Intelligence casters.
- Exploit Enemy Weaknesses: Pay attention to the types of enemies you face. Switching to a Holy affinity can devastate Undead foes, while Fire damage is highly effective against enemies susceptible to burn, or to remove Frostbite buildup from yourself or enemies.
- Monitor Stat Requirements: While changing affinity often alters scaling, it can also sometimes affect a weapon's base stat requirements. Always double-check that your character still meets the necessary Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, or Faith to wield the weapon effectively.
Changing weapon affinity in Elden Ring is a fundamental system for customizing your combat style and optimizing your damage output. By utilizing the Whetstone Knife, Ashes of War, and the various Whetblades at any Site of Grace, you can adapt your armaments to nearly any challenge the Lands Between throws your way.
