You're staring at a +9 Bloodhound’s Fang. It’s glorious. It shreds bosses. But then you find a new toy—maybe the Rivers of Blood or the Dark Moon Greatsword—and suddenly, you're back to square one. Scouring the map for a single specific rock is the worst part of Elden Ring. Honestly, if you aren't using a Somber Stone Miner's Bell Bearing, you're playing the game on hard mode for no reason. These little key items are the difference between having one viable weapon and having an entire arsenal of maxed-out gear ready to swap at a moment's notice.
The game doesn't just hand these over. You've got to earn them, and usually, that involves trekking into some of the most miserable corners of the Lands Between.
Why the Somber Stone Miner's Bell Bearing Changes Everything
Basically, these items allow you to bypass the "scavenger hunt" phase of the game. Once you offer one to the Twin Maiden Husks in Roundtable Hold, they sell an infinite supply of Somber Smithing Stones. This is huge. Instead of praying for a drop or squinting at a wiki map to find a single node in a dark tunnel, you just farm some runes and buy what you need.
It’s about freedom.
If you want to try a new build for a specific boss, you can. You’ve probably noticed that regular Smithing Stones require twelve pieces to get through a tier, but Somber weapons only need one stone per level. That makes the Somber Stone Miner's Bell Bearing significantly more valuable than the standard versions. You get more "bang for your buck" with every purchase.
Tracking Down the First Few Tiers
The first Somber Stone Miner's Bell Bearing is in Liurnia of the Lakes. Specifically, you need to head to the Raya Lucaria Crystal Tunnel. It's on the northeastern shore. You’ll know you’re there when you see the blue-tinted cave entrance.
The boss here is a Crystalian. If you’ve never fought one, they’re annoying. They have high damage negation until you "crack" them. Pro tip: use a strike weapon. A mace, a hammer, even your bare fists if you're desperate. Once their posture breaks, they become extremely fragile. Defeating this boss grants you the bearing that unlocks Somber Smithing Stones 1 and 2.
Next up is the second bearing. This one is in Altus Plateau. You’re looking for the Sealed Tunnel, which is just outside the capital's outer walls to the south. This place is a bit of a maze with illusory walls. Don't overthink it. Just hit every suspicious-looking wall until you find the path down. The boss is another Crystalian duo. It's a bit more of a headache, but the reward is infinite Somber Stones 3 and 4. You’ll need these the second you step foot into the Leyndell Royal Capital.
Pushing into the Mid-Game Grind
Things get significantly harder once you want stones 5 and 6. The Somber Stone Miner's Bell Bearing [3] is tucked away in the Mountaintops of the Giants. This area is brutal. You need to find the First Church of Marika. Just outside the church, there’s a corpse sitting on a chair.
No boss. Just a corpse.
It feels like a gift after the gauntlet of the Mountaintops, but getting there is the real challenge. You have to survive the Borealis dragon fight (or just run past it, which is what most sane people do) and navigate the freezing fog. Once you turn this one in, the Twin Maidens will stock stones for your +5 and +6 upgrades. At this point, your build should really be coming together. If you're still using a +4 weapon in the Mountaintops, you're going to feel like you're hitting enemies with a wet noodle.
The Late Game Gauntlet for Max Upgrades
The fourth bearing is arguably the easiest to find but the hardest to reach. It’s in Crumbling Farum Azula. You literally can't miss it if you're following the main path. Near the Tempest-Facing Balcony Site of Grace, there’s a corpse hanging off a ledge. This unlocks Somber Stones 7 and 8.
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Why does this matter? Because +7 and +8 are the "bottleneck" levels. Most players find plenty of 1s and 2s, but 7s are rare in the open world. Having an infinite supply means you can finally start leveling up those weird niche weapons you’ve been keeping in your chest "just in case."
Finally, we have the Somber Stone Miner's Bell Bearing [5]. This is also in Farum Azula, but it’s much further in. You’ll find it near the Beside the Great Bridge Site of Grace. There’s a small temple-like structure before the lift that leads up to the Draconic Tree Sentinel. Inside, a corpse holds the key to infinite Somber Stone 9s.
Wait. What about +10?
The Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone Problem
Here is the cold, hard truth: there is no Somber Stone Miner's Bell Bearing for the final upgrade level. FromSoftware wants your max-level choice to matter. You cannot buy Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones. You have to find them. There are only a handful per playthrough—usually about 8 if you're thorough.
Common spots include:
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- A chest near the prayer room in Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree.
- Completing Latenna’s questline.
- Killing the invader Anastasia, Tarnished-Eater near the Inner Consecrated Snowfield.
- A reward from Gurranq after feeding him enough Deathroot.
Because these are limited, the bearings for levels 1 through 9 are even more critical. They allow you to get ten different weapons to +9 so you can "test drive" them before committing your precious Ancient Dragon stone to one of them.
Managing Your Runes and Inventory
Buying these stones isn't cheap. A Somber Stone [9] costs 25,000 runes. That adds up fast. Most players realize that once they have the bearings, the game shifts from a "search for items" game to a "farm for runes" game.
The best place to fund your smithing habit remains the Palace Approach Ledge-Road in Mohgwyn Palace. Use the Sacred Relic Sword (if you've beaten the final boss) or a bow to aggro the bird off the cliff. Ten minutes of farming here will give you enough runes to buy dozens of high-level stones.
It’s also worth noting that Bell Bearings carry over into New Game Plus (NG+). This was a change implemented in an early patch (1.05), and it’s a lifesaver. You don't have to go find the Somber Stone Miner's Bell Bearing locations all over again in your second journey. You keep the ability to buy them from the start.
Common Misconceptions About Bell Bearings
A lot of people think you have to kill the NPCs to get these. No. That’s for NPC-specific shops (like Patches or Blackguard Big Boggart). The "Miner's" bearings are specific loot items or boss drops.
Another mistake? Forgetting to turn them in. If you go into NG+ with a bearing in your inventory without having offered it to the Twin Maidens, you might lose it depending on your game version. Always turn them in as soon as you get them.
There's also a weird glitch some players reported where the shop doesn't update immediately. If that happens, just sit at the Grace in Roundtable Hold or travel away and back. It usually forces the inventory to refresh.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
If you're currently mid-game and struggling with damage, stop what you're doing and follow this checklist.
- Check your current weapon level. If it’s stuck at +4 or +6, identify which Somber Stone Miner's Bell Bearing you're missing.
- Beeline for the Raya Lucaria Crystal Tunnel. Even if you're overleveled, get that first bearing. It makes experimenting with low-level weapons so much easier.
- Head to the Sealed Tunnel. Grab the second bearing. This gets you to +4 instantly.
- Save your runes. Don't spend them on levels if your weapon is underpowered. In Elden Ring, weapon scaling and base damage usually outpace raw stat investment until the very late game.
- Commit to Farum Azula. You can't get the final two bearings without reaching the end-game area. If you're stuck on a boss in the Mountaintops, focus on getting to the Haligtree or finding loose stones to bridge the gap.
Getting your hands on a Somber Stone Miner's Bell Bearing isn't just a completionist task. It’s a fundamental mechanic for maintaining power. The Lands Between are punishing enough; don't make them harder by clinging to a weapon you've outgrown just because you're out of rocks. Go to the tunnels, kill the Crystalians, and buy your way to a stronger build.