The Ashes of War are the replacement skill for the default skills of your weapons. You can only equip them on certain weapons and some are only available in the Lands Between, while others can be obtained by killing certain bosses. Ashes of War must be applied with a Whetstone Knife. Read on to learn more about using this skill. You can also get some bonus skills when you equip this ring on your weapon.

Using an Ash of War

When playing Ashes of War, you will want to use the Ash of the Elden Ring as your primary melee weapon. This weapon will allow you to draw on Focus Points, which are the blue bars that occupy your combat area. Using an Ash of War Elder Ring to damage opponents will also allow you to boost your health and resistance. The Ash of the Elden Ring can be obtained from various locations in the Lands Between.

Using a single weapon

Whether you plan to use Ashes of War with your weapons, you should be aware of their affinities. You can see your weapon’s affinities in the Weapon Details screen. Affinity points range from lowest to highest, and more points equal more damage. When using your weapons, the damage will scale according to their affinities. The Ashes of War are also compatible with your mundane Skill, so combining them as a single weapon will help you maximize your damage.

Using a Barricade Shield

If you’ve ever been attacked, you’ve likely considered using a shield. Barricade Shield is an excellent choice because it offers tanking functionality, while still reducing stamina cost. With a single-hit Barricade, you can block multiple attacks. Despite its short duration, Barricade shield can make all the difference between surviving a fight and dying.

Quickstep

Ashes of War are upgrade materials that provide the Quickstep Skill and Keen affinity. The Ashes can be equipped on Weapons, Shields, and Equipment to increase their scaling values. Crafty and fleetfooted players will love Quickstep, as it allows them to circle around lock-on targets. This ability is available on all melee armaments. You can also equip it on armor.

Weapon affinities

During the game, players can customize their weapons by adding affinities. Each weapon has its own affinity, and players can choose a specific one to increase its damage output and scale accordingly. One such affinity is the Poison one, which increases a weapon’s damage output while also adding a poison effect when used. Moreover, whetblades can be found in the Lands Between and can be used to add affinities to a weapon based on its properties. For example, players can equip a Black Whetblade with the Poison affinity.

Requirements

If you’re not sure what a “Requirements for using Ashes of War” item is, it’s important to know that it is not the same thing as Spirit Ashes. While the two items are similar in name, the two items have vastly different functions. The Elden Ring summons NPC allies, while the latter can be obtained from merchants.

Using more than once

When you use the Ashes of War, you have two distinct options. The first one is to use a skill that sets up a follow-up attack, such as a thrust attack. While the second one requires you to use your weapon, you can choose to use it whenever you want, which can be particularly useful when it comes to boss fights. Ashes of War’s boosted follow-up attack is a useful addition, but be aware that it can be tricky to use it on more than once.