Hey Tarnished! Ever feel like your favorite weapon is just good, but not great? I've been there. Swinging through the Lands Between, wondering how to make my build truly pop. That's where weapon buffs come in! 🗡️✨ They're the secret sauce, turning solid damage into absolute devastation. And trust me, with the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC and all the updates up to now, there are more incredible options than ever before. Forget just swinging a sword; it's time to set it on fire, drench it in poison, or bless it with holy light. I've put together my absolute favorites, from Ashes of War to powerful consumables, that you can slap on almost any weapon to make it a force of nature. Let's get into it!

14. Ash Of War: Sacred Blade

Holy damage, anyone? This skill is an undead's worst nightmare! 🤯 It adds a flat 90 Holy damage to your weapon and fires off a projectile. The best part? If you connect with the weapon swing and the projectile, the damage skyrockets. The projectile scales with Faith, but the buff itself doesn't, making it fantastic for non-Faith builds that want a holy edge. And get this—it got a massive buff in a recent patch, so if you tried it at launch and were underwhelmed, you need to give it another shot. You can find it on a Teardrop Scarab north of the Third Church of Marika in Limgrave. A must-have for catacomb runs!

13. Ash Of War: Poisonous Mist

Love a good poison build? This is one of only two Poison-based Ashes of War, and for many weapon types, it's your only option. It coats your weapon, then follows with a heavy swing that creates a lingering poison cloud ☁️💀. Land the hit, and you'll likely trigger poison instantly. Even if you miss, most enemies just stand in the cloud like, "This is fine." Pair it with the Kindred of Rot's Exultation Talisman and the Mushroom Crown for a seriously toxic power spike. Find it on an island in the southwestern corner of Aeonia Swamp in Caelid.

12. Ash Of War: Seppuku

Ah, Seppuku. The legend. The PvP menace before the great Bleed nerfs. You stab yourself (ouch!) to buff your weapon's physical attack and Bleed buildup. Yes, it was nerfed hard—Bleed buildup cut by more than half, self-damage increased. But it's not useless! Its secret power? Stabbing yourself triggers Bleed on you, activating the White Mask and Lord of Blood's Exultation damage buffs before a fight even starts. This is a game-changer against enemies resistant to Bleed. It drops from an invisible Teardrop Scarab east of the Freezing Lake in the Mountaintops of the Giants.

11. Ash Of War: Flame Skewer (DLC)

Straight from the Shadow of the Erdtree! This beauty coats your weapon in fire, adding 95 Fire damage for 15 seconds, followed by a thrust and a burst of flame 🔥⚔️. It doesn't launch enemies like Giant Hunt, but hitting with both parts deals serious stance damage. It's a fantastic, aggressive buff. You get it after defeating Fire Knight Queelign for the second time—he invades in Belurat Tower Settlement and the Church of the Crusade.

10. Ash Of War: Flaming Strike

This one is a classic for a reason. It's just so much fun! You unleash an arc of fire, then follow up with a fiery lunge that buffs your weapon with 90 Fire damage for a whopping 40 seconds. It's fast, hits a wide area, and the damage is insane. It's a monster in PvE and absolutely brutal in PvP. Find it on a Teardrop Scarab in the graveyard south of Redmane Castle. A top-tier choice for any fire-loving build.

9. Drawstring Soporific Grease

Time for a nap! 😴 This grease inflicts Sleep, one of the rarest and most powerful status effects. While many enemies are immune, when it works, it trivializes some of the toughest fights (I'm looking at you, Godskin Duo!). Its best trick? Use it on Arcane-scaling weapons that can be buffed, like the Ripple Blade. This makes the Sleep buildup scale with your Arcane stat, making you a master of siestas. Craft it with Root Resin, String, and a Trina's Lily after buying the cookbook from the Isolated Merchant near Raya Lucaria.

8. Black Flame Blade Incantation

This is a buff with a bite. It requires 17 Faith and coats your weapon in black flame. The fire damage scales with Faith, but the real magic is the debuff: hits cause enemies to lose health based on their max HP for 2 seconds. It melts tanky bosses! The downside? It only lasts 7 seconds. But its cast is super quick, so you can reapply it if you manage your FP. Get the Godskin Prayerbook in Stormveil Castle and give it to Corhyn or Miriel to buy it.

7. Drawstring Messmerfire Grease (DLC)

Don't sleep on the new DLC greases! The Drawstring versions are a massive upgrade. They last 25 seconds (more than double the old ones) and grant 135 elemental damage instead of 110. The Messmerfire version is my top pick because Fire damage is so easy to buff with talismans and gear. It turns any standard weapon into a fiery menace. Find it in the world or craft it after getting the Fire Knight’s Cookbook [1] in the Land of Shadow.

6. Ash Of War: Shriek Of Sorrow (DLC)

For the risk-takers and challenge runners! This skill is like the Red Tearstone Ring from Dark Souls—the lower your HP when you use it, the bigger the attack buff you get 📈❤️🔥. You can stack this with other low-health buffs like the Red-Feathered Branchsword Talisman for absolutely insane damage numbers. It's a high-risk, high-reward tool for masters of the dodge. Find it in the plaza at Belurat Tower Settlement.

5. Ash Of War: The Roar Trio (War Cry / Braggart’s Roar / Barbaric Roar)

Unleash your inner beast! 🦁 These three roars are the ultimate physical damage buffs. War Cry (bought from Knight Bernahl) and Barbaric Roar (from a Teardrop Scarab in Liurnia) are nearly identical: they boost your damage and give your heavy attacks a unique, powerful moveset for 40 seconds. Braggart's Roar (from Blackguard Big Boggart's Iron Ball) trades a bit of that attack power for 10% damage negation, faster stamina recovery, and a longer 60-second duration.

The key? They all get boosted by the Roar Medallion Talisman and the passive effect of the Highland Axe when held. With these, your damage output becomes absolutely monstrous. Choosing one is about playstyle: pure aggression, or a more balanced, tanky roar?

My Final Thoughts

Phew! That's a lot of power at your fingertips. The beauty of Elden Ring is in the customization, and these buffs are the perfect way to tailor any weapon to your exact playstyle. Whether you're a faith caster using Black Flame Blade, a poison specialist with Poisonous Mist, or a DLC explorer rocking Flame Skewer, there's something here for everyone. Remember, the best buff is the one that fits your build and feels fun to use. Now go out there and buff up—the Lands Between won't know what hit it! 💥 Which one are you trying first? Let me know!