In Elden Ring, upgrading your weapons is not just helpful—it’s essential. Without strengthening your weapons, even the most skilled Tarnished will struggle against the game’s formidable enemies. Whether you're a newcomer or a veteran using services like Elden Ring Nightreign Boosting to access endgame content faster, mastering weapon upgrades with Smithing Stones will greatly improve your efficiency and survivability.

As someone who has played through the game multiple times—experimenting with various builds and also browsing Elden Ring items for sale to compare optimized gear—I’ve put together this step-by-step guide based on real experience. This will walk you through how to power up your favorite weapons, making sure you're always ready for what the Lands Between throws at you.

Step 1: Understand the Two Types of Smithing Stones

There are two upgrade paths in Elden Ring, each with its own upgrade materials:

• Standard Weapons use Smithing Stones (up to +25)

• Special Weapons (boss weapons and unique items) use Somber Smithing Stones (up to +10)

I remember upgrading my first boss weapon—Morgott’s Cursed Sword—without realizing it required Somber Stones. Always check your weapon type before farming the wrong materials.

Step 2: Find the Roundtable Hold

Early in the game, after meeting Melina and unlocking your first Site of Grace outside of Limgrave, you’ll gain access to the Roundtable Hold. Here, you’ll meet Master Hewg, the blacksmith who will perform your weapon upgrades.

In my first run, I mistakenly thought I had to find a traditional forge out in the world. Don’t waste time—Hewg is your go-to for upgrades.

Step 3: Farm or Collect Smithing Stones

Smithing Stones (grades 1 through 9) are found throughout the world in mines, dungeons, and enemy drops. Here are key places to farm them:

• Smithing Stone [1]-[4]: Limgrave Tunnels, Morne Tunnel

• Smithing Stone [5]-[6]: Altus Plateau, Mt. Gelmir

• Smithing Stone [7]-[8]: Consecrated Snowfield, Haligtree

• Somber Stones: Sellia Crystal Tunnel, Ainsel River, Nokron

If you’re short on time, this is where services like Elden Ring Nightreign Boosting really shine. Being able to explore endgame zones early via co-op gave me access to high-level stones long before I could get there solo.

Step 4: Acquire Bell Bearings to Buy Stones

You can turn in Smithing Miner’s Bell Bearings at the Twin Maiden Husks in Roundtable Hold to unlock Smithing Stones for purchase.

Locations include:

• Miner’s Bell Bearing [1]: Raya Lucaria Crystal Tunnel

• Miner’s Bell Bearing [2]: Altus Tunnel

• Miner’s Bell Bearing [3]: Zamor Ruins

• Miner’s Bell Bearing [4]: Crumbling Farum Azula

Once I found these, it removed the stress of farming stones manually. I also cross-checked what was missing from my collection against Elden Ring items for sale to ensure I didn't waste time grinding when I could just trade in excess loot.

Step 5: Level Up Step by Step

For standard weapons:

• Upgrade to +3 using Smithing Stone [1]

• To +6 with Smithing Stone [2]

• To +9 with Smithing Stone [3], and so on...

For special weapons:

• Somber Smithing Stone [1] for +1

• Somber [2] for +2, and so on until Somber [10] for +10

Note: You’ll need Runes (your in-game currency) along with each stone.

I made a habit of carrying extra Runes during upgrading, and it paid off when I did back-to-back upgrades to +9 on my Great Stars weapon.

Step 6: Don’t Waste Stones—Pick a Main Weapon First

Early game Smithing Stones are limited. Choose your primary weapon carefully before investing. I mistakenly spent stones on a Greatsword early on, only to find a weapon I liked better shortly after.

Unless you're supplementing your loadout using Elden Ring items for sale, be strategic. Test weapons before committing to upgrades.

Step 7: Use Ashes of War to Enhance Flexibility

Ashes of War let you customize weapon skills and affinities, allowing even a +6 weapon to outperform a +10 if properly matched to your build.

For example, I paired the Bloody Slash Ash of War with a keen-infused Uchigatana and consistently outperformed players with higher raw upgrades.

Step 8: Reinforce with Whetblades and Talismans

Don’t stop at raw numbers. Equip Talismans like the Shard of Alexander or Radagon’s Scarseal, and find Whetblades to infuse weapons with scaling types (Keen, Heavy, etc.).

Combining upgrades with passive buffs is what helped me thrive in PvP and high-difficulty zones during Elden Ring Nightreign Boosting runs.

Weapon upgrading in Elden Ring isn’t just a technical step—it’s an investment into your combat style. Whether you’re soloing through Stormveil Castle or diving into New Game+ content, upgrading properly can completely redefine your experience.

This guide is the same process I’ve used across multiple characters, and it has never failed me. With the right planning—and a little help from boosting or exploring Elden Ring items for sale—you’ll always have the upper hand. Strengthen wisely, Tarnished, and let your blade speak for you.

Full Breakdown: 8 Pros and Cons of Buying Elden Ring Nightreign Boosting Services