ELD.gg Elevate Your Combat: The Definitive Guide to Whetblades and Weapon Affinities

Lilidala

In Elden Ring, the path to becoming an unstoppable force is paved with careful preparation, knowledge of the lands, and mastery over your arsenal of weapons. Among the many tools that allow you to customize and enhance your combat abilities are Whetblades—special Key Items that unlock the ability to change your weapon’s affinity. This not only adjusts how your weapons scale with your character’s stats but can also add secondary damage types like fire, magic, or holy damage, offering an entirely new layer of strategy and customization.

Whether you’re a seasoned Tarnished or just beginning your journey through The Lands Between, understanding Whetblades and collecting them all is crucial if you want to unlock the full potential of your weapons. In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what Whetblades are, why they matter, and where you can find each one. By the end, you’ll be well on your way to forging a weapon that suits your unique playstyle.

What Are Whetblades in Elden Ring?
Whetblades are Key Items that allow you to modify your weapons with Ashes of War, giving you control over their affinities. A weapon’s affinity determines:

Which stats its damage scales with (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, etc.).
What kind of secondary damage (if any) the weapon inflicts (such as Fire, Magic, or Holy).
When you acquire a Whetblade, it expands the options available to you when applying Ashes of War at Sites of Grace. Without these Whetblades, your options are limited, and you might not be able to fine-tune your weapon to fully complement your build.

For example:

If you’re focusing on Strength, you may want to adjust a weapon to scale primarily with that stat.
If you’re leaning into a Faith-based build, you might want to add Holy damage and cheap Elden Ring Runes Faith scaling.
With the right Whetblade, you can transform a weapon from something basic into a deadly extension of your character’s strengths.