You’re staring at that Bloodhound’s Fang. Or maybe it’s the Moonveil. You know it’s good, but it’s sitting at a measly +4 while the bosses in Caelid are treating you like a literal ragdoll. You need somber smithing stones. But honestly, the way Elden Ring handles these compared to regular smithing stones is kinda weird. It’s better, sure, but it’s also way more confusing if you don't know where to look.
Most players think they have to scour every inch of the Lands Between to find enough stones to keep their favorite "special" weapon viable. You've probably felt that frustration. Running through a tunnel for twenty minutes only to find a Smithing Stone [3] when you desperately needed the somber version. It's a classic FromSoftware move.
The truth is, you only need ten stones. Just ten. While a standard longsword requires 97 regular stones to hit max level, a somber weapon just needs one of each tier. It’s efficient. It’s powerful. But because you only need one, the game hides them behind some of the most annoying obstacles imaginable.
Why Somber Smithing Stones Are Actually Better
If you're still early in the game, you might be tempted to stick with a regular weapon because the upgrade materials seem more plentiful. Big mistake. Basically, somber smithing stones allow you to outpace the game's intended difficulty curve.
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A +6 somber weapon is roughly equivalent to a +15 regular weapon. Think about that for a second. By the time you reach the Altus Plateau, you can easily have a somber weapon at +9 if you know the right skips. Meanwhile, a player using a regular Claymore is likely stuck at +12 or +13 because they haven't found enough shards to push through the mid-game hump.
Special weapons—the ones that use these stones—usually come with unique Skills (Ashes of War) that you can't find anywhere else. You can't change the affinity, but who cares? When you’re wielding the Blasphemous Blade or the Ruins Greatsword, you aren't exactly looking to swap out the move set.
Breaking the Bell Bearing Myth
A lot of guides tell you to "just get the bell bearings." While that’s great advice for the late game, it’s useless when you’re level 30 and getting stomped by a Grafted Scion.
- Somberstone Miner's Bell Bearing [1]: You have to kill the Fallingstar Beast in Sellia Crystal Tunnel. If you’re under-leveled, that thing is a nightmare.
- Somberstone Miner's Bell Bearing [2]: Dropped by the Crystalian duo in Altus Tunnel. Better, but still a trek.
Wait until you actually need to buy stones in bulk for a secondary weapon. For your main blade? Just go find the individual stones. It's faster.
The Infamous Somber Smithing Stone 7 Bottleneck
If you’ve played for more than ten hours, you’ve probably hit the "Seven Wall." It is the single most annoying material to find in the entire game. You’ll find Somber 8 and 9 stones lying around the Dragonbarrow in Caelid while you’re still in your underwear. But a 7? The game treats those like they’re made of pure gold.
Most people wait until they get to the Mountaintops of the Giants to find one. Don't do that. You’re leaving too much damage on the table.
Instead, head to Volcano Manor. There’s a specific Somber 7 guarded by an Abductor Virgin near the lava lake. Or, if you’re feeling brave, you can progress Ranni’s questline to Deeproot Depths. Honestly, the Volcano Manor jump—the one where you hop across the machinery—is the "pro" way to do it, even if it feels a bit like you're breaking the game. You're not. You're just being smart.
Where the Ancient Stones Hide
Once you hit +9, you’re in the endgame. To reach +10, you need a Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. These are finite. You cannot buy them. You cannot farm them. In the base game, there are only eight.
- Mohgwyn Palace: Inside a chest right before the elevator to Mohg’s boss room. It’s surrounded by a bunch of Albinaurics and a Sanguine Noble. Just run. Grab it and die; it’s worth it.
- Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree: There are actually three here. One is at the end of Latenna’s quest, one is in a chest hidden near a Putrid Avatar, and the last is the reward for the Millicent questline (if you choose to help her).
- Crumbling Farum Azula: Found in a gazebo behind a very angry dragon shooting red lightning at you.
If you have the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, you can find six more, mostly dropped by Ghostflame Dragons or hidden in the vertical labyrinth of Enir-Ilim. But for your first playthrough? Focus on the one in Mohgwyn Palace. It’s the easiest to "steal" without fighting a major boss.
Making the Most of Your Upgrades
You’ve got the stones. Now what? Don't just dump them into the first shiny thing you find. Since the +10 stones are limited, you really have to commit.
The community usually agrees on a few "S-tier" picks. The Blasphemous Blade (from Rykard) is arguably the best PVE weapon in the history of FromSoftware games. It heals you. It has massive range. It deals fire damage. If you're struggling, that’s your +10 candidate.
Then there’s the Dark Moon Greatsword. If you’re an Intelligence build, this is your bread and butter. It doesn't use FP for its heavy attacks once the skill is active. It’s basically infinite damage.
A Quick Reality Check on Farming
Can you farm these? Sort of. But it's a waste of time.
Hand-spiders (Carian Manor) can drop lower-tier somber stones. The drop rate is abysmal. You’re much better off just exploring a new cave or pushing the main story to unlock the next Bell Bearing. Elden Ring rewards forward momentum, not standing in a swamp killing the same three enemies for three hours.
Actionable Next Steps
Stop hoarding your stones. If you have a Somber [4] and your weapon is +3, use it. The game gives you enough to get at least three or four weapons to +9 before you even see the Erdtree burn.
- Check your inventory: If you have 8s and 9s but no 7, go to Volcano Manor immediately.
- Go to Mohgwyn Palace: Use the Pureblood Knight's Medal (from Varre's quest) to get there early and snag that +10 stone.
- Find Iji: The giant blacksmith in Liurnia sells Somber 1-4 indefinitely from the start. No bell bearings required.
Upgrade your gear. The bosses aren't getting any weaker. You shouldn't either.