The Best Elden Ring Talismans: 10 Game-Changing Accessories

They’re not rings, Marie. They’re talismans.

From a katana bleed build to a lightsaber-wielding Paladin, everyone needs a nice set of talismans in FromSoftware’s Elden Ring. The Lands Between can be a harsh place, and players often need every edge they can get (not counting those psychos that do level 1 challenge runs); talismans often provide that little extra something we need to truly bring our builds online. With so many hidden bosses and secret pathways, the number of talismans to keep track of can get rather unwieldy. 

While this list certainly can’t account for every build or preference, we’re going to take a look at the talismans that seem to stand out amongst the crowd in Elden Ring for a variety of builds, as well as some universal staples that would serve any build well. As a side note, we will be giving general locations of the following talismans, so this is your mild spoiler warning in terms of item locations. 

Carian Filigreed Crest

While not entirely universal, the Carian Filigreed Crest is a solid talisman for anyone planning to make use of Elden Ring’s many weapon arts. Reducing the FP cost of weapon arts by a respectable 25%, this talisman shines alongside weapons like the Moonveil or, following a very recent patch 1.03, in a block-centric shield build to help mitigate the increased cost that has just been saddled to the Barricade Shield weapon art. 

It should be noted that the item description in-game can be somewhat deceptive in its traditional FromSoftware vagueness. This talisman only reduces the cost of abilities tied to weapon arts; it does not reduce the FP cost of spells and incantations. The Carian Filigreed Crest is accessible at various points throughout the game, and is mainly dependent on how early you meet Blaidd and set Ranni’s questline in motion. Eventually, the giant blacksmith Iji in the northern reaches of Liurnia of the Lakes will offer the trinket at a modest sum.

Greatshield Talisman

If you’re anything like me, the prospect of creeping out from behind your shield is outright terrifying.We see everyone with their dual-wield builds and massive ultra greatswords; we would never be so reckless (or, in my case, talented). With Barricade Shield nerfed recently, some of us have turned to drastic measures to keep our guard counter builds alive, including spending a talisman slot on the Greatshield Talisman.

Located in a chest in the Atlus Plateau, the Greatshield Talisman improves the player’s ability to block attacks with all shields, reducing the amount of stamina consumed when turtling for dear life against a flurry of blows. Its effects may not be as apparent as some of the flashier talismans in Elden Ring, but its passive value pays dividends for us chronic shield-users.

Assassin’s Cerulean Dagger

If you’re finding yourself a bit starved for FP, the Assassin’s Cerulean Dagger might be the talisman to put those worries to rest. Whenever you execute a critical hit (be it a frontal stab following a parry/counter, a poise break, or a traditional backstab), you restore a modest amount of FP. This has proven especially strong for builds that tend to use FP in order to create critical openings, like a guard counter build that makes frequent use of Barricade Shield. The FP spent to ensure a series of guard counters is basically refunded by the critical strikes that guard counters provide, in essence nullifying the cost of that particular weapon art.

The Assassin’s Cerulean Dagger also serves to alleviate the general cost of FP throughout the Lands Between without needing to necessarily thin your stockpile of Cerulean Tear flasks. Need to recast your regen incantation? No problem, just a quick backstab on a wandering mob, and we’re right back to full FP. Areas with large numbers of slow/weak mobs (like the Academy’s graveyard, for instance) become gold mines for FP regen without the need for flasks.

While the Assassin’s Cerulean Dagger is technically available at the start of the game, the Black Knife Catacombs that house it can be tricky to traverse below level 40 or so, not to mention the Black Knife Assassin boss you have to kill to obtain it. Located in the far north-eastern corner of Liurnia of the Lakes, it’s also quite the trek if you’re planning to grab it early.

Assassin’s Crimson Dagger

Following the Assassin’s Cerulean Dagger is its crimson counterpart. While it might seem like they should be rolled into a single entry, the Assassin’s Crimson Dagger offers some essential lifesteal to a very different kind of build. This talisman also procs off of successful critical attacks, but instead of restoring FP, it restores health. Paired with Malenia’s great rune (heals the player if they immediately retaliate after receiving damage), a vampiric lifesteal build could sustain those with enough aggression to capitalize on it without the need for healing flasks (or for those who simply long for the days of Bloodborne).

Unlike the cerulean talisman, the Assassin’s Crimson Dagger is a bit more accessible to early-game characters, hiding away in the Deathtouched Catacombs in Stormhill. Being such an early talisman in Elden Ring, it also serves as a great all-around sustain option to help with the smaller health pools in the early to mid game. 

Primal Glintstone Blade

Ahh yes, nothing like a good, old fashioned glass cannon. Whether you’re building faith or intelligence, the life of a pure caster can be hard on even the largest FP pool. With the Primal Glintstone Blade, you can forge a deal with the devil to help alleviate the cost of any and every spell in your arsenal. A 25% reduction in FP cost probably sounds like a must-have, but this is where the monkey’s paw curls: that reduction in FP cost comes at the price of a reduced total health pool.

At 40 vigor, the cost is just over 200 HP knocked off of your total, so it’s definitely a risk/reward scenario. If you’re the kind to throw caution to the wind and just want to sustain that Comet Azur for a few seconds longer, the Primal Glintstone Blade is the metaphorical double-edged sword you’ve been waiting for. Nestled behind a somewhat unique fog wall in the Mountaintop of Giants, this talisman is well into Elden Ring’s end game, so you’ve got plenty of time to weigh the bargain.

Heirloom Talismans

Over the course of Elden Ring, you’ll find multiple talismans in every corner of the Lands Between known as “heirlooms.” These talismans boost a specific stat by five points, so which one best suits your build is up to you. If you just want an extra five levels in dexterity for a weapon’s damage scaling, for instance, the Prosthesis-Wearer Heirloom from a short questline in Caelid has you covered for that. 

Five levels in your build’s primary stat can make quite the difference in late-game caster builds as well; that kind of boost to intelligence could grant you access to the staves and sorceries that require upwards of 70 intelligence without necessarily needing to commit those points in later levels. Sure, five points into intelligence might seem like chump change when you’re level 30 and trying to cast Carian Greatsword, but when you’re level 103 and trying to cast Rennala’s Full Moon, those extra five levels start to weigh heavy in the back half of Elden Ring.

Scorpion Charms

Much akin to the Primal Glintstone Blade, the various Scorpion Charm talismans found throughout Elden Ring offer a substantial boost to damage at the cost of survivability. Like the aforementioned Heirloom talismans, there are multiple Scorpion Charms tailored to specific builds and damage types. Fire, holy, magic, lightning; whatever your preferred flavor, there’s most likely a Scorpion Charm to accommodate your particular taste.

The damage buff provided to corresponding spells is all well and good, but the true value of the Scorpion Charms shines all the brighter when paired with a weapon enchanted with the accompanying element. If you’re inclined towards a faith build, the Coded Sword is one of the most prominent examples. With its damage scaling solely with faith (“A” scaling at +10), the Sacred Scorpion Charm (dropped by an NPC invader at the Smoldering Church) boosts its damage by nearly 70 (tested at 67 faith), which adds up quickly for a fast-swinging straight sword. If you can manage the increased damage you receive as a trade-off, the Scorpion Charms will prove deadly additions to your loadout.

Godfrey Icon

Travel to the Atlus Plateau, and you’ll eventually stumble on an evergaol housing a familiar face. To avoid lore spoilers, suffice it to say “the boss” in this particular evergaol drops a powerful talisman for your Elden Ring caster builds, be they faith, intelligence, or arcane. The Godfrey Icon strengthens charged spells and skills, providing a damage boost to spells that were most likely dealing a massive chunk of damage in their own right already.

From a fully charged Lightning Spear to a maxed out Loretta’s Greatbow, the Godfrey Icon packs a wicked punch that spans multiple builds and play styles. Even outside of casters, this talisman buffs charged weapon skills as well, if that’s more your fancy. It should be noted that the Godfrey Icon does not include basic charged heavy attacks; that would fall under the Axe Talisman, which just barely missed this list.

Erdtree’s Favor

A talisman that truly transcends build variety, the Erdtree’s Favor is just a solid all-around option for anyone, really. Providing buffs to total HP, total stamina, and a helping of increased equipment load, this talisman could slot into nearly any build and provide immediate benefits. FromSoftware aficionados might be noticing the striking similarities to an old friend from Lordran; Dark Souls’ universally beloved Ring of Favor and Protection.

The Erdtree’s Favor may not boast quite the stat boost of its spiritual predecessor, but the universality of its benefits makes it a solid choice for mages and barbarians alike. Multiple versions of the talisman are available to players throughout Elden Ring; the base version can be found in the Fingerfolk Hero’s Grave at the beginning of the game, while the +1 and +2 versions crop up much further down the road.

Green Turtle Talisman

What better way to wrap up than with the all-encompassing staple of Elden Ring, the Green Turtle Talisman? Found behind a Stonesword fog gate in Summonwater Village, this talisman is not only an essential, but is accessible almost immediately. Mages, paladins, katana bleed builds, power stance greatswords; whatever your build, you absolutely can’t go wrong with stamina regeneration. Everything you do drains stamina in Elden Ring. From casting to panic rolling to unleashing a flurry of strikes, that little green bar dictates your every action, and running it dry often has dire consequences. The simplicity of what the Green Turtle Talisman provides belies just how significant its effect truly is; even the slightest bit of stamina regeneration completely alters the flow of combat. You can execute longer combos, recover faster from rolling and blocking, and chain spells together more efficiently.

Now, some folks open up a talisman slot by using the Great Turtle Shell shield in place of the talisman. This shield offers the same stamina regeneration effect without needing to fill a valuable talisman slot, but this comes with a very recent catch.

Following Elden Ring’s patch 1.03, the efficacy of the Great Turtle Shell is somewhat lessened of late. On launch, the shield boasted the ever-significant 100% physical damage reduction on block, meaning it blocked the entirety of an enemy’s attack. That benefit is, unfortunately, a relic of the past. Having its physical damage negation lowered to 87%, the shield now allows a fairly significant amount of chip damage through its blocks. If you don’t mind sacrificing your off-hand for what is now a fairly weak shield (or simply strap it to your back as you two-hand your weapon), it can still fill in for the Green Turtle Talisman, though the scales have certainly tipped out of its favor with Elden Ring’s newest patch.

How To Access The Roundtable Hold in Elden Ring

And that speaks to a larger point surrounding these talismans: Elden Ring offers such a plethora of equipment combinations to coalesce into viable builds, there are probably ten talismans not mentioned here that are just as prominent and deserving of a spot, given the right build to utilize them. This certainly isn’t a catch-all collection; more so some launching points to get your own builds underway. After all, the theory-crafting and experimentation is half the fun in FromSoftware games.

And if you stumble on to a build that shreds Malenia, let me know. I’ll have a Larval Tear primed and ready.