How to equip and activate an Ash of War in Elden Ring

Ashes of War are essentially the weapon skills in Elden Ring that players can use to perform a special attack in combat. These skills vary in terms of damage and use, with some only applying to a certain weapon class. For example, there are Ashes of War dedicated only for the sword weapon class, meaning you can’t equip it on a polearm or axe. Luckily, there are enough Ashes of War to go around in Elden Ring.

However, before you have the option to equip an Ash of War, you will need some items. The first of these items is the Whetstone Knife, with which you can equip an Ash of War, provided you have one available to use. Below, you can see the rest of the process in full.

Equipping an Ash of War in Elden Ring

After you acquire the Whetstone Knife, you can visit a Site of Grace, preferably the one outside of Gatefront Ruins. At the Site of Grace menu, you will see an option called “Ash of War.” Click on this option and you will be able to equip any Ash of War that you have in your inventory.

As stated before, you need to have the right weapon class for the Ash of War you’re trying to equip. When you do, you can click on the weapon you want to equip it on. This will bring up the Ash of War menu, where you can select the skill you want to equip. Once you have the right one picked out, you’ll be able to select an affinity to equip along with the Ash of War.

This just changes how your weapon scales compare to the attributes you pick. So, if you pick a Magical affinity, your weapon will possess more magical qualities and also scale with your Intelligence attribute.

Sites of Grace are the best places to swap out and add an Ash of War, so always go back to them if you want to change one out in Elden Ring.