Elden Ring is full of legendary weapons, but not every powerful blade or staff can be upgraded with the usual Smithing Stones. Some of the game’s most intriguing armaments require rarer, more specific resources that can be tricky to find. For players who love experimenting with builds, these weapons offer unique advantages — but only if you know where to gather the materials to enhance them.
This list covers 13 weapons in Elden Ring that stand out for their unusual upgrade requirements, along with tips for acquiring the necessary items without draining your stash of runes.
1. Death’s Poker
A chilling greatsword that scales well for frost-based builds, Death’s Poker needs Somber Smithing Stones for upgrades. While Somber Stones are rarer than regular Smithing Stones, they’re often found in hidden caves or dropped by specific minibosses. Planning your exploration route will save you both time and the need to spend on cheap Elden Ring Items.
2. Moonveil
The katana beloved by dexterity-intelligence hybrids also uses Somber Smithing Stones. The higher-tier stones are locked behind late-game areas, so it’s worth farming early-game bosses who have a chance to drop them rather than rushing.
3. Blasphemous Blade
This weapon, perfect for a faith-strength hybrid, requires Somber Smithing Stones and offers lifesteal with each hit. Since it’s acquired late in the game, stockpiling these stones beforehand is a smart move.
4. Marais Executioner’s Sword
Found in the Shaded Castle, this colossal sword needs Somber Stones but also benefits greatly from Ash of War synergy. Upgrading it early makes boss fights in mid-game zones much more manageable.
5. Dark Moon Greatsword
An iconic reward for completing Ranni’s questline, this legendary weapon also calls for Somber Smithing Stones. Given its high intelligence scaling, it’s worth keeping a few cheap elden ring runes in reserve for emergency upgrades.
6. Antspur Rapier
This thrusting sword inflicts scarlet rot and upgrades with regular Smithing Stones, but also requires rare Rot Grease to maximize its status effects.
7. Rivers of Blood
A katana infamous for its bleed damage, Rivers of Blood is locked behind a late-game encounter and demands Somber Stones for every upgrade.
8. Envoy’s Long Horn
Dropped by the bubble-blowing enemies, this unique weapon scales with faith and upgrades via Somber Stones. It’s surprisingly effective in both PvE and PvP.
9. Rotten Greataxe
Notable for its scarlet rot passive, this weapon requires both Smithing Stones and rare crafting materials to enhance its rot damage, making it less straightforward to max out.
10. Hoslow’s Petal Whip
Perfect for bleed builds, the whip upgrades with Smithing Stones but benefits most from pairing with bleed-enhancing talismans and consumables.
11. Dragon Slayer Spear
A hybrid weapon that needs Somber Stones, it’s best suited for players with balanced dexterity and faith.
12. Cipher Pata
This fist weapon deals pure holy damage and doesn’t use traditional Smithing Stones at all — it’s fully upgraded with Somber Stones only.
13. Sacred Relic Sword
Often used for rune farming thanks to its wide-area skill, the Sacred Relic Sword is another Somber Stone-dependent weapon, making it one to keep in mind when managing your upgrade materials.
Many of the game’s most memorable weapons rely on rare upgrade resources, which means you’ll want to plan your material gathering early. Keeping a small stash of cheap elden ring runes ensures you can instantly upgrade a newly acquired weapon without grinding mid-battle. Whether you prefer bleed katanas, frost-infused greatswords, or faith-based relics, knowing which uncommon items you’ll need can save you a lot of backtracking later on.