Since its release in February 2022, Elden Ring has received heaps of praise from the gaming community. As a result, it's smashed game developer FromSoftware's record for sales, previously set by Dark Souls III. A huge part of this success is due to the game's stellar combat mechanics, which build upon the foundation laid out for them by FromSoftware's previous releases.
While there were plenty of new features added in the Elden Ring combat system, the refinement of the weapon modifications system — referred to as Ashes of War in-game — proved an exceptionally impactful one. These weapon skills could be applied to items of the appropriate class. This gave them specific attacks and passive abilities and increased the ways players could approach the Lands Between.
10 Holy Ground Makes Shields A Solid Support Option
A rare instance of a shield-specific Ash of War that actually has some utility, Holy Ground is a Golden Order-affiliated skill. It provides some solid buffs, especially when considering that players can only equip it on secondary weapons.
Every time the Tarnished use this Ash of War, a medium-sized area appears, granting the player (1) a 20% boost to damage negation and (2) a minor healing effect that restores 10 HP per second. Located in the Auriza Hero's Grave, this Ash can be tricky to find, but its versatility makes it worth the effort.
9 Flaming Strike And Its Flames Rip Through Enemies
Flaming Strike may be a slightly worse, less-bloody version of another Ash of War, but it still holds up as one of the best weapon skills in the game. When used, Flaming Strike casts a wide, flaming arc in front of the player that can be followed up with another, larger strike.
The second of these two attacks provides the player with a 20-second buff, coating their sword in flames and adding 65 fire damage to each strike. Most Ashes of War of Flaming Strike's caliber are difficult to obtain, yet all the Tarnished needs to do is kill a Teardrop Scarab near Redmane Castle, making it a fantastic value choice for players in the early- to-mid game.
8 Flame Of The Redmanes Channels The Power Of Radahn's Forces
Before General Radahn was reduced to the walking husk of a demigod the Tarnished encounter, he ruled the lands of Caelid alongside his trusted soldiers, the Redmanes. Elden Ring didn't spend much time exploring these soldiers, but it provided one point of reference: the Flame of the Redmanes Ash of War.
According to the Flame of the Redmanes' item description, it was widely used by Radahn's forces prior to their demise. With high stagger damage, a deceivingly large attack range, and low FP cost, it's easy to see why.
7 Waves Of Darkness Easily Handles Elden Ring's Lesser Enemies
Waves of Darkness isn't the best option for Elden Ring's higher-poise bosses. In any situation other than that, however, the Ash of War ranks as one of the best weapon skills in the entire game. Similar to the Axe of Godrick's weapon ability, Waves of Darkness plunges the player's weapon into the ground, sending out wave after wave of damage towards enemies.
There's only one method of obtaining this Ash of War: defeating Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, and trading in its Remembrance. While this task proves a notable challenge, the other optional reward for Astel's Remembrance is a mid-tier flail. If players want to complete a full playthrough, they'll want to acquire Waves of Darkness.
6 Black Flame Tornado Utilizes The God-Slaying Flame
Arguably the flashiest Ash of War in Elden Ring, Black Flame Tornado allows the Tarnished to wield the god-slaying flame in the most spectacular of fashion. This weapon skill, which summons a pillar of devastating flame, can be equipped on the Twinblade, Spear, Great Spear, Halberd, and Reaper classes. This makes it a great change-up for players who primarily fight from the outside.
Black Flame Tornado isn't available until late into the game's narrative and drops after defeating the Godskin Duo in Crumbling Farum Azula. However, it's still effective, even against Elden Ring's higher level enemies. For any players who want access to the weapon skill earlier, they can also find it on the Godskin Peeler weapon located in Windmill Village.
5 Hoarah Loux's Earthshaker Possesses The Strength Of The Badlands
As the leader of the Tarnished, it's only appropriate that Godfrey, the first Elden Lord, would receive recognition in the form of the game's items and weapon skills. Thankfully, Hoarah Loux's Earthshake accurately represents the character's immense power. Players acquire the item by trading in Godfrey's Remembrance, meaning they must first defeat the legendary Tarnished himself.
During the second phase of the player's battle with Godfrey, the Elden Lord drops his royal decorum in favor of fighting with the fury of his former persona: Hoarah Loux, chieftain of the Badlands. Hoarah Loux's Earthshake replicates this fury by allowing the player to strike the ground, sending out violent shock waves reminiscent of its namesake's attacks.
4 Hoarfrost Stomp Was Once Elden Ring's Best Ash Of War
Upon Elden Ring's release, many fans considered Hoarfrost Stomp the best Ash of War in the game. Although post-release updates and patches have nerfed the skill since then, it still ranks among the best. The casting time of this skill is lightning fast, and the damage caused by the frozen mist it spreads across the ground does solid damage, even into the end-game.
For an Ash of War that consistently ranks among Elden Ring's best, Hoarfrost Stomp is shockingly easy to acquire. Players only need to travel to the area just south of Caria Manor (found in Liurnia of the Lakes) to find the Teardrop Scarab that drops it.
3 Bloody Slash Employs Elden Ring's Best Status Effect
If there's one type of weapon damage that's dominated the Elden Ring meta, it's almost certainly blood-based attacks like that of Bloody Slash. This Ash of War is fairly easy to obtain and can be looted from the lone Godrick Knight found atop the ramparts of Fort Haight.
While there are some difficult early-game challenges in Fort Haight, the player doesn't have to defeat any bosses to reach the location, making it one of the best value pick-ups in any FromSoftware title. The PVP scene has proven Bloody Slash is an exceptionally effective choice for online play, so this Ash of War's use isn't limited to PVE engagements.
2 Seppuku Sacrifices Health For Game-Breaking Damage
Seppuku elevates its appeal to the astronomical heights that make bleed damage one of the few game-breaking features available in Elden Ring. With the right array of buffs, the player can use this ability to raise their bleed damage by magnitudes, resulting in some of the most over-powered builds the game offers.
The drawback of this Ash of War is clear: it takes 10% of the player's health every time it's used. However, as long as the player remains purposeful with their usage, they can easily offset the loss of health, making this the best blood-related weapon skill in Elden Ring.
1 Bloodhound Step's Functionality Changes How Players Interact With The Lands Between
Bloodhound Step, the best Ash of War in Elden Ring, isn't the flashiest or the most damaging weapon skill found in the Lands Between. However, it offers a level of functionality unparalleled by its peers. By turning the player invisible and allowing them to dodge at high speeds, Bloodhound Step instantly turns clumsy-footed players into the hardest-to-hit Tarnished in the Golden Order's history.
Although little is known about the Bloodhound Knights' history, their agility and devastating quickness have known quantities. Bloodhound Step aims to recreate that speed, and since it's usable with all types of melee weapons, it's available to the player regardless of their play style. As a bonus, this weapon skill is great for rapidly moving across dangerous substances like Mt. Gelmir's lava and the Lake of Rot.