Upgrading weapons in Elden Ring is essential, and to do so, players need to find Smithing Stones. Ignoring this system will result in players being unprepared to take on later challenges in the game. Fortunately, it’s an easy enough mechanic to understand, and upgrade materials aren’t too tough to find (at least the lower tier ones).
How to upgrade weapons in Elden Ring
The first place that players can upgrade weapons in Elden Ring is at the Church of Elleh, which is southwest of Gatefront. There’s an anvil there that will upgrade weapons up to +3. However, players will need to unlock the Roundtable Hold to increase their strength past that point. There they’ll find Smithing Master Hewg. Smithing Master Hewg can upgrade weapons past +3. However, players will need Smithing Stones to do so.
How to find Smithing Stones in Elden Ring
Smithing Stones are used to upgrade weapons and can be found throughout the Lands Between. Enemies drop them, and some can be found as loot. However, the best place to find them in bulk is underground mineshafts. Several mines can be found where players can harvest Smithing Stones from mineral nodes. Additionally, the enemies found in the mines have a chance to drop Smithing Stone.
Like with Glovewort, there are two types of these items: regular Smithing Stones and Somber Smithing Stones. The former is used to upgrade standard equipment, while the latter is used for special (unique) weapons. As one would expect, Somber Smithing Stones are more rare, but players will find plenty of them during their adventure.
When should I upgrade a weapon?
Unfortunately, there’s a bit of FOMO involved when it comes to weapon upgrades in Elden Ring. While enemies can drop Smithing Stones, a finite amount of them can be found out in the world. This might make some players hesitant to upgrade. We’d recommend only upgrading when players are sure they need the extra oomph. There’s a lot of equipment in this game, and most players will find multiple weapons they want to try. So, it’s best to keep as many Smithing Stones as possible to make it easier to upgrade late-game weapons.
