If you want to upgrade your weapons to their highest level in Elden Ring, you’ll need a very special and rare item known as an “Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone,” and they are quite hard to find, so this guide will cover all of the Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone locations in Elden Ring.
What are Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones Used For in Elden Ring?
If you want to upgrade a weapon to its highest upgrade level in Elden Ring, you’ll be required to have a special Smithing Stone known as the “Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.” This is the rarest type of Smithing Stone in the game (non-Somber), giving a +25 reinforcement to armaments.
And if you want to fully upgrade a special armament, you’ll need the “Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone,” which is even rarer than the regular Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. It gives a +10 reinforcement to special armaments.
There is no way to farm either of these stones in the game. Therefore, once you’ve found an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone, use it very wisely.
Elden Ring Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone Locations
There are 13 Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones hidden around the world of Elden Ring. Below, we’ve listed the exact location of each stone.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 1
Head to the Church of Repose, present in the Mountaintops of the Giants. Once there, look directly towards the southeast and notice a massive skull. Climb up to the skill and go inside its mouth to find the first Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 2
Head to the Inner Consecrated Snowfield and rest at the Site of Grace until it is nighttime. After that, head straight towards the southwest from the Site of Grace until you reach the caravan.
You’ll encounter two mini-bosses near this caravan, known as the Night’s Cavalry. Defeat the two bosses to get an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 3
After defeating the Night’s Cavalry, head directly to the west until you find the Yelough Anix Tunnel. From the Site of Grace inside the tunnel, head forward, take a right, and dropdown.
Go into the area ahead, drop down and loot the golden corpse to the left to get an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 4
Head to the frozen waterfall at the border of Consecrated Snowfield and Mountaintops of the Giants. At the bottom of the waterfall, you’ll find the stone sitting on a ledge.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 5
This Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone can be obtained as a reward for completing Nepheli Loux’s questline in Godrick’s Throneroom.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 6
This Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone can be purchased from Gatekeeper Gostoc, but only if he didn’t die during Nepheli’s questline. The stone will cost you 20,000 Runes.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 7
This Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone can be obtained as a reward from the Sorceress Sellen questline, but only if you side with Witch-Hunter Jerren.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 8
These next three Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones are located in the Crumbling Farum Azula Dungeon.
Once inside the dungeon, walk towards the southwest until you see a curved platform. When you walk on it, the Farum Azula Dragon will ambush you. You’ll have to defeat the dragon to get the first Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone from this dungeon.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 9
Look for the Crumbling Beast Grace Depths Site of Grace in the dungeon. After finding it, go to the area above the grace site, and you’ll see a Beastman guarding a corpse.
Defeat the Beastman and loot the corpse to get the second Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone from this dungeon.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 10
From the Dragon Temple Rooftop Site of Grace, head towards the southeast and go inside the plaza. At the very end of the plaza, you’ll see another Farum Azula Dragon.
Defeat the dragon to get the final Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone from this dungeon. You can also go into the gazebo behind the dragon to get a Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone while you’re here.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 11
Head to Miquella’s Haligtree and look for a hugging statue. After finding it, loot the corpse below the statue to get an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 12
After defeating Loretta, Knight of the Haligtree in Miquella’s Haligtree, go to the top of the tower and loot the chest to get an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 13
The final Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone can be obtained from Gurranq, who you’ll find in the Bestial Sanctum, Caelid.
There are two ways of obtaining the stone from him. You can either get it from him by giving him 9 Deathroots, or you can just kill him and get it as a drop. For the latter, you’ll need to kill Maliketh first.
Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone Locations
There are 8 Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones hidden around the world of Elden Ring. Below, we’ve listed the exact location of each stone.
Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 1
Head to the Dynasty Mausoleum Midpoint, located in Mohgwyn Palace. Go towards the giant statue and look below it to find a chest containing the Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 2
This Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone can be obtained as a reward for completing Latenna’s questline.
Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 3
Head into the Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree dungeon and go to the Prayer Room Site of Grace.
From there, go down the path that leads to the city and run to the end of the path. Then, go into the pavilion to your right and defeat the soldiers.
Run up the support beam that’s positioned diagonally, and it will lead you to a small alcove with a chest inside that contains the Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 4
Go back to the Prayer Room Site of Grace and go down the path below you. There will be a Putrid Avatar on the path, guarding a doorway. Instead of going toward the doorway, go down the path to your right until you find a corpse. Loot the corpse to get the Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 5
After defeating Malenia in Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree push the gold needle into Malenia’s scarlet flower to get the Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 6
Head into the Crumbling Farum Azula dungeon and find the Dragon Temple Rooftop Site of Grace. From there, head towards the plaza to the southeast.
You’ll see a Farum Azula Dragon at the end of the plaza. Defeat the dragon and then go inside the gazebo behind him to find the Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 7
Head to Leyndell, Ashen Capital, and go to the main Site of Grace inside. Go inside the building to the west (past the dragon). Go up to the area above using the ladder and loot the corpse next to the Gargoyle to your right to get the Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone 8
Head to the Consecrated Ground, located on the northern side of the Consecrated Snowfield. You’ll find a ghost town called “Ordina, Liturgical Town” in this area.
On the frozen river southwest of this town, Anastasia, Tarnished-Eater, will do her third invasion. She will drop a Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone if you defeat her here.
