You’re standing there. A massive, towering boss like Godfrey is winding up a swing that should, by all rights, send you flying across the arena. Most players are panic-rolling. They’re sweating. But you? You just stand there. You press a button, take the hit like it was a breeze, and immediately start swinging back. That is the magic of the Endure Ash of War. Honestly, it's one of those skills that looks incredibly boring on paper but fundamentally changes how you play the game once you realize it's basically a "cheat code" for poise.
It’s not just about being a tank. It’s about control.
In the early days of Elden Ring, everyone was obsessed with the flashier stuff. People wanted Moonveil’s beams or the literal fire of Blasphemous Blade. Endure was the quiet sibling. Then, FromSoftware pushed out a few patches—specifically looking at 1.07—and suddenly, the duration and the poise effectiveness of Endure skyrocketed. It became the backbone of some of the most frustratingly effective PvP builds in the Colosseum and a literal life-saver in the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.
What Endure Actually Does to Your Stats
When you trigger the Endure Ash of War, your character takes a braced stance for a split second. In that tiny window, two massive things happen. First, your damage negation shoots up. You’re taking significantly less damage from every physical and elemental source. Second—and this is the big one—your poise becomes nearly infinite.
Poise in Elden Ring is a hidden meter. Every time you get hit, that meter drains. When it hits zero, you stagger. Endure basically locks that meter at the top.
Because the buff lasts for about five seconds now (it used to be shorter, which made it almost useless), you have a window to "trade" hits. Trading is a fighting game term. It means you’re willing to take a hit if it means you get to land your own. With Endure, you win every trade. You aren't getting interrupted. Your heavy attack is going to land even if a literal dragon is biting your head.
Where to Find It Without Losing Your Mind
If you’re looking to grab this, you don't have to go far. You can buy the Endure Ash of War from Knight Bernahl. He’s the guy hanging out at the Warmaster’s Shack in Stormhill. It only costs 600 Runes. That is a steal. Later in the game, if you’ve progressed his quest or... well, if he’s no longer with us, you can find his Bell Bearing at Volcano Manor or the Twin Maiden Husks.
It’s also natively found on certain weapons. The Caestus comes with it. The Morning Star has it. Even the Great Stars—a top-tier strength weapon—can utilize it to devastating effect.
The PvP Nightmare: Why Invaders Hate You
In the world of player-versus-player combat, timing is everything. Most players rely on "stagger-locking" their opponents. If I hit you with a katana, you flinch. If I hit you again, you flinch again. Endure breaks that cycle.
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Imagine an invader running at you with a dual-spear setup. They expect you to dodge. Instead, you pop Endure. They poke you, you don't move, and then you hit them with a fully charged heavy attack or a high-damage spell like Inescapable Frenzy. They’re dead before they realize your character didn't flinch. It’s a psychological tool as much as a mechanical one. It forces the other player to stop being aggressive because they realize they can't stun you.
Breaking the Bosses
Let’s talk about Malenia. Or Maliketh. These are bosses designed to punish you for being greedy. If you try to attack during their combos, you die.
But Endure Ash of War allows for "calculated greed."
If you know a boss has a three-hit combo and you only have health for two, you pop Endure. You tank the first two hits with reduced damage, and you use that window to land a Frost or Bleed proc. Since Endure is so cheap on FP (it only costs 9 FP), you can spam it throughout a boss fight. It’s especially effective for players using "Claw" weapons or "Daggers" where you need to be glued to the boss's side to do any real damage.
The Specifics of the 1.07 and 1.09 Patches
It’s worth noting how much FromSoftware has messed with this skill. Back in the day, the buff vanished almost the instant you moved. Now, you have enough time to actually reposition. In the 1.09 patch, they adjusted how poise works across the board, making "passive poise" (the poise from your armor) less reliable. This made active poise buffs like Endure even more vital.
If you’re wearing heavy armor like the Bull-Goat set and you layer Endure on top of it, you are effectively a brick wall.
Hidden Mechanics and Synergies
You should really try pairing this with the Old Lord's Talisman. While that talisman is usually for spells, people often forget it can subtly influence certain buff durations. However, the real synergy is with the Shard of Alexander. Even though Endure doesn't do damage itself, the Shard helps with the overall flow of Ash-heavy builds.
Better yet? Use the Godskin Swaddlecloth. Since you aren't being interrupted, you can land consecutive hits easily. The Swaddlecloth heals you as you land those hits. You’re taking damage, yes, but you’re literally punching the health back into your body while the boss tries in vain to knock you over.
Why People Get It Wrong
A lot of players think Endure is a defensive skill. It’s not. If you use it to run away, you're wasting it. It is an offensive skill disguised as a shield. The moment you press that button, your mindset should shift from "avoiding" to "destroying."
If you use it too early, the buff wears off before the trade happens. If you use it too late, you get hit during the startup animation. It requires a bit of "boss knowledge" to know exactly when that big hit is coming.
The Limitation: It's Not Invincibility
Don't get cocky. Endure doesn't stop "Status Effects."
If you’re standing in a pool of Scarlet Rot or someone is hitting you with Bleed bolts, Endure will stop the flinching, but the meter will still fill up. You can absolutely "Endure" your way into a Hemorrhage proc that takes half your health. It also won't stop "grabs." If a boss like Hoarah Loux goes for a powerbomb, Endure isn't going to help you. You're still going for a ride.
Putting It Into Practice
To actually get the most out of the Endure Ash of War, you need to change your equipment layout. Put it on a lightweight secondary weapon, like a dagger or a sacrificial small shield, if you don't want it on your main powerhouse. Switch, pop it, switch back.
It’s a rhythmic playstyle.
- Observe the enemy's "wind-up" animation.
- Trigger Endure just as the swing starts.
- Ignore the impact and unleash your highest-commitment attack.
- Back off to manage your stamina, because trading hits eats your green bar fast.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Build
- Visit the Warmaster’s Shack: If you haven't already, go buy the Ash from Bernahl immediately. It's the cheapest power spike in the game.
- Test the "Trade" Window: Head to the Underground Roadside in Leyndell. Practice using Endure against the Omens there. They have high impact attacks that usually stagger players. If you can land a full heavy attack while they're hitting you, you've mastered the timing.
- Optimize Your Armor: Since you'll be taking hits, ensure your "Vigor" is at least 40 (preferably 60 for late-game). Endure reduces damage, but it doesn't eliminate it. You need a big enough health pool to survive the trades you’re forcing.
- Pair with "Continuous Attack" Talismans: Equip the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia or the Millicent's Prosthesis. Since you won't be interrupted, you'll reach the maximum damage tiers of these talismans much faster than a player who has to stop and roll every three seconds.