Elden Ring has a massive map that consists of several locations where you will encounter some of the most dangerous enemies to fight. Having a low defense will eventually end up in you getting killed early on in the battle.
So, if you are wondering to gain additional defensive buffs, you can use an upgraded version of your armor. This way, you can go up against high-level adversaries and main story bosses.
Not only are you given extra protection but also you can progress into the story as now you can survive longer in both an ambush and a singles combat. To learn about upgrading armor in Elden Ring, we have prepared this guide to help you understand the concept of armor upgrades in Elden Ring.
Can you upgrade armor in Elden Ring?
This might be hard to believe for new players but Elden Ring does not allow you to upgrade your armor in any way.
You can only upgrade weapons, not armor in the game. Hence, you need to always keep an eye out for new and better armor to improve your defenses.
Finding a new set of armor is the closest way of upgrading your armor set in Elden Ring. This is important because your character is going to outlast their armor as they level up. You will eventually need better armor to get better stats.
With each armor being distributed among three categories: Light, Medium and Heavy, you have enough option to venture into the map of Elden Ring in search of bosses that drop these armors that provide a decent number of resistances towards certain types of attacks such as Fire, Holy and Lightning.
How to improve your armor defense in Elden Ring
While you cannot upgrade your armor, you can still upgrade your shield. Shields are not part of your armor set but they do contribute to your defense stats.
To upgrade your equipped shields, you must visit the Smithing Table.
The best place to do that is by visiting the Church of Elleh. Head over to the location marked on the Elden Ring map above. Interact with the Smithing table ahead and open a list of items you can improve including the Shield in your inventory.
However, before you can improve your weapons and shields on the Smithing table you must have enough Smithing Stones to start the upgrading process.
Fortunately, Smithing Stones are scattered all around Elden Ring and the chances of you stumbling onto a set are quite high. Although you can also spend Runes, Still Smithing stones are a much more valuable currency for upgrades.
Therefore, start off by collecting as many Smithing Stones as required for the upgrade, bring them to the Smithing Table at the Church of Elleh, and start upgrading your shield to improve your defense against the opponent’s attacks in Elden Ring.
