One of the most flexible mechanics in Elden Ring is the ability to change weapon affinities using Ashes of War. Whether you’re adapting to a boss’s elemental weakness or tailoring your build to better scale with a specific stat, affinity swapping opens up a ton of tactical possibilities. But to get the most out of this system, you’ll want to pair it with items that enhance or support those affinity changes — from talismans and consumables to rare smithing tools.
Below are 10 key items that can make your affinity-swapping experience smoother, more powerful, or just more efficient. Whether you’re new to weapon customization or constantly switching between builds, these items deserve a place in your inventory.
1. Whetstones (Iron, Glintstone, Red-Hot, etc.)
Whetstones are the foundation of affinity swapping. Each special whetstone allows you to unlock new affinity types:
- Iron Whetblade lets you apply Heavy, Keen, and Quality.
- Glintstone Whetblade adds Magic and Cold.
- Red-Hot Whetblade unlocks Fire and Flame Art.
These don’t directly enhance the weapon, but they unlock the flexibility needed to fully exploit Ashes of War.
2. Smithing Master Hewg (Roundtable Hold)
While not an item, Hewg’s services are essential. He enables both affinity swaps and upgrades. The more you upgrade your weapon, the more you benefit from the changes in scaling — especially when switching from Strength to Dexterity or Arcane-based affinities.
3. Shard of Alexander
Boosts the damage of skills, which is crucial when switching to affinities that scale off weapon arts. For example, if you shift a weapon to the Flame Art affinity and use flame-based Ashes of War, this talisman enhances that damage significantly.
4. Radagon’s Scarseal / Sourceal
When you switch to a Heavy affinity (which scales with Strength), this talisman gives an immediate boost to your performance. It complements the affinity shift without needing to respec your entire build.
5. Marika’s Scarseal / Sourceal
If you’re leaning into Magic or Sacred affinities, these raise your Faith stat — again, syncing well with affinity paths like Flame Art or Holy. Great for hybrid caster builds that mix incantations with buffed weapons.
6. Magic-Shrouding Cracked Tear
Used in the Flask of Wondrous Physick, this tear boosts magic damage. Pair it with a Cold or Magic affinity weapon and you’ll see a big boost in both weapon damage and associated Ashes of War.
7. Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear
Like its magic counterpart, this tear benefits weapons with Fire or Flame Art affinities. Perfect for builds that use flame Ashes of War or swap to Fire affinity to exploit enemy weaknesses.
8. Terra Magica (Sorcery)
For those using magic-scaling affinities, this spell boosts magic damage while standing within its circle. It enhances both your spells and magic-infused weapon attacks, making Cold or Magic affinities even deadlier.
9. Golden Vow (Incantation)
A solid support spell that buffs both attack and defense. It pairs well with any affinity change since it’s not tied to a specific damage type. If you’re swapping affinities mid-run, Golden Vow keeps you effective without needing to micromanage buffs.
10. Larval Tear
Technically not tied directly to affinity, but a Larval Tear lets you respec your stats at Rennala. If you’re experimenting with affinities and want to pivot your build from Strength to Dexterity or Intelligence, having a few of these in reserve is essential. They support deeper synergy with whatever affinity you’re trying to optimize.
Affinity swapping in Elden Ring adds an enormous layer of depth to combat. The right combination of weapon type, affinity, and support items can turn a modest weapon into a boss-melting machine. For players who enjoy theorycrafting and fine-tuning their loadouts, it’s worth exploring these enhancements.
Of course, not everyone wants to farm endlessly for the ideal setup. Some players choose to buy Elden Ring runes to speed up progress or grab cheap Elden Ring Items to experiment with different builds more freely. However you approach it, mastering affinity swaps is one of the best ways to stay versatile — and deadly — in the Lands Between.