Alright, fellow Tarnished! Let's talk about one of the most crucial survival strategies in the unforgiving Lands Between: upgrading your gear. You know the feeling. You're facing down a demigod, and your attacks are just... tickling them. That's when you realize you need to pay a visit to our best friend, the one and only Smithing Master Hewg, chilling at the Roundtable Hold. But wait! You can't just walk in empty-handed. You need the right stuff, the upgrade materials. Think of them as the lifeblood of your progression. Without them, you're just swinging a glorified stick. So, what are all these stones and flowers, and what do they actually do? Let's break it down, Bilibili-style!
The Core Concept: Two Upgrade Paths
First things first, you need to understand that Elden Ring has two primary upgrade systems. Confusing them is a classic newbie mistake!
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Standard Weapons: Your everyday swords, axes, spears, etc. These use Smithing Stones.
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Special Weapons: Those unique, often boss-related weapons with fancy skills. These use Somber Smithing Stones.
It's like the difference between upgrading a mass-produced car (Smithing Stones) versus tuning a rare supercar (Somber Stones). The paths are totally separate!
The Smithing Stone Family: For Your Standard Arsenal
These are your bread and butter for most weapons. The system is tiered, and you'll need higher-tier stones to reach higher upgrade levels.
| Stone Tier | Max Upgrade Level Reached | What It Means For You |
|---|---|---|
 Smithing Stone [1] |
+3 | Early game essentials. Found in Limgrave mines. |
 Smithing Stone [2] |
+6 | Time to explore Liurnia! |
 Smithing Stone [3] |
+9 | Caelid and beyond await. |
 Smithing Stone [4] |
+12 | Getting into mid-game territory. |
 Smithing Stone [5] |
+15 | Atlus Plateau is your friend. |
 Smithing Stone [6] |
+18 | Mountaintops of the Giants, here we come! |
 Smithing Stone [7] |
+21 | Late-game power spike. |
 Smithing Stone [8] |
+24 | Almost at the peak! |
The Grand Finale: To push a standard weapon from +24 to its maximum +25, you need the rarest of the rare: the 
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. These are limited per playthrough, so choose your final upgrade wisely!
The Somber Smithing Stone Family: For Your Legendary Gear
Upgrading special weapons is simpler in terms of steps but can be trickier to find the stones. Each tier corresponds directly to one upgrade level.
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Somber Smithing Stone [1] to [9]: These take your special weapon from +1 all the way to +9. Each stone is used for a single level. Finding a [5] or [6] can be a game-changer! -
The Ultimate Upgrade: To reach the fabled +10 on a special weapon, you need the
Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. Even rarer than its standard counterpart!
Pro Tip: Somber stones are often found near churches, on corpses in dangerous locations, or purchased from isolated merchants. Always explore thoroughly!
Don't Forget Your Spectral Friends: Spirit Ash Upgrades
What's an Elden Ring build without a trusty spirit ash to draw aggro? To make your Mimic Tear or Black Knife Tiche truly monstrous, you need Gloveworts.
There are two types, and this is IMPORTANT:
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Grave Glovewort: Used for regular spirit ashes. Think of your Lone Wolves or Skeletal Militiamen.
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Ghost Glovewort: Used for legendary spirit ashes. These are the big names you get from boss remembrances or major quests.
Both types come in levels [1] through [9].
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Grave Glovewort [1] strengthens regular ashes to +1. -
Ghost Glovewort [1] strengthens legendary ashes to +1.
And for the final, +10 upgrade?
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Regular ashes need the
Great Grave Glovewort. -
Legendary ashes need the
Great Ghost Glovewort.
Where to find them? Catacombs! Those dungeons are Glovewort central. Different tiers appear in later-game catacombs.
The Wild Card: Lost Ashes of War
This one's a bit different. The 
Lost Ashes of War doesn't directly upgrade your weapon's damage. Instead, it's used at a specific blacksmith (you'll find him!) to duplicate an Ash of War you already own. Why is this huge? It lets you put the same skill on multiple weapons without having to constantly swap it around. Found a Bloody Slash you love? Duplicate it and put it on your backup dagger too!
2026 Perspective & Final Tips
Even years after its release, Elden Ring's upgrade system remains a masterpiece of progression gating. It naturally guides your exploration. Need Smithing Stone [3]? The game is telling you to venture into a new, tougher area. Here are some modern tips for efficient farming:
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Mines are Key: Those tunnel-shaped icons on your map? GO THERE. They are packed with Smithing Stones.
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Bell Bearings are LIFE: Find and give certain Bell Bearings to the Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold. This allows you to purchase infinite amounts of lower-tier stones with runes. This is the #1 way to reduce grind.
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Plan Your Build: Because the final Ancient Dragon Stones are limited, decide early on which one or two weapons you want to max out. Don't waste them on a weapon you'll abandon!
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Ash Upgrades Matter: A +10 Mimic Tear is a whole different entity than a +0 one. Don't neglect your spirit summons; they are a core part of the game's balance.
So there you have it! From the humble Smithing Stone [1] to the majestic Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone, each material is a stepping stone to becoming the Elden Lord. Now get out there, explore those caves and catacombs, and bring Hewg some shiny rocks! He's waiting. What's your go-to maxed-out weapon? Let us know in the comments below! 🔨⚔️✨