How to farm Smithing Stones, upgrade weapons in Elden Ring

Smithing Stones are worth their weight in gold in Elden Ring, but smart Tarnished can farm up an unlimited supply.

Smithing in Elden Ring is a clear way that exploration can make your character stronger. Smithing Stones are dotted all over the Lands Between, and a few lower-tier ones can even be farmed.

While a +25 weapon is still far away for most Tarnished, upgrading to the lower tiers can help bring down bosses and protect from overworld foes. Here’s everything you need to know about Smithing Stones and weapon upgrades in Elden Ring.

How to upgrade weapons in Elden Ring

The primary way to upgrade weapons in Elden Ring is to use Smithing Stones. Smithing Stones work similarly to titanite or blood stones in older FromSoftware titles. They come in nine different qualities, though the last few are exceedingly rare. Each level of Smithing Stone works for three weapon upgrade levels. Smithing Stone 1 works up to +3, Smithing Stone 2 works up to +6, and so on. 

To use Smithing Stones, go to Roundtable Hold and speak with Smithing Master Hewg. He will consume Smithing Stones to upgrade most Elden Ring weapons. Hewg can only buff weapons up to a certain point. Eventually, Elden Ring players will need to find another smith out in the Lands Between to upgrade their weapons even further.

There are also a few weapons that can’t be upgraded with normal Smithing Stones. Somber Smithing Stones are an alternate way to upgrade weapons in Elden Ring. These rarer materials are used for unique weapons like boss items or gifts from NPCs.

Ashes of War are also vital for making weapons stronger in Elden Ring. These items apply special modifiers to existing weapons which change their attribute scaling and grant powerful weapon skills.

Where to farm Smithing Stones in Elden Ring

Most Smithing Stones can be farmed from various enemies, though there are tons to find hidden in the Lands Between. 

Smithing Stone 1 is a relatively common drop from soldier enemies. The best early place to farm Smithing Stones is near the Stormveil Gate in Limgrave. There’s a nearby Shine of Marika and a Site of Grace just down the road. Certain starting classes like the Astrologer can bait the watchmen into sounding a horn and using area-of-effect abilities to quickly clear them out.

Smithing Stone 2 farming is harder to come by but is manageable for determined players. Tarnished who have earned their first Great Rune can head to Raya Lucaria’s crystalline caves. At the very bottom, an enemy will drop an item that lets the Twin Maiden Husks in Roundtable sell unlimited Smithing Stone 2. A similar item grants access to unlimited Smithing Stone 3. War Counselor Iji in Caria also sells unlimited Smithing Stone 2.

Beyond that, Smithing Stones can only be acquired by open-world exploration. High-tier stones like 8 and 9 are extremely rare and are sometimes given as NPC quest rewards. Keep an eye out in the Lands Between for these unfarmable Smithing Stones. New players don’t have to worry about that for the time being, and instead can focus on getting the basics down for a strong start.