Most Elden Ring players overlook the most efficient way to kill a boss until they see someone else do it. They're usually busy trying to time a Rivers of Blood L2 or getting flattened while casting Comet Azur. But honestly, if you haven't sat down and really messed with the Ice Spear Ash of War, you're missing out on what is arguably the most consistent poise-breaking tool in the entire game. It's not flashy. It doesn't have a thirty-hit combo that covers the screen in blood or sparkles. It just works.
You basically shove your spear forward, spin it, and launch a projectile of pure frost.
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The damage is high. The frostbite buildup is massive. But the hidden stat? The poise damage. You can stagger a Crucible Knight in three hits. Sometimes two, if you're lucky. It's a mid-range monster that scales better than almost any other projectile-based Ash of War because it pulls from your weapon's upgrade level and your Dexterity or Intelligence stats depending on how you've infused the weapon.
Where to Find the Ice Spear Ash of War Without Getting Killed
Getting your hands on this thing requires a trip to Liurnia of the Lakes. You've probably passed the spot a dozen times. You need to head to the Gate Town North Site of Grace. Wait until nightfall. If it's daytime, the boss won't show up, and you'll just be standing there looking at a quiet road.
A Night’s Cavalry rider patrols the road heading toward the academy. He’s not the hardest version of this boss, but he’s not a pushover if you’re underleveled. Kill him. He drops the Ice Spear Ash of War. Simple.
You can slap this on spears, twinblades, and halberds. Putting it on a Guardian's Swordspear is a classic move because that weapon already has incredible Dexterity scaling. If you're running a Cold infusion, the magic damage and frost buildup start to get ridiculous. You aren't just hitting them with physical force; you're layering status effects that take chunks out of their health bar every few seconds.
The Math Behind the Frostbite
Let's talk numbers, but keep it casual. Most projectiles in Elden Ring have a "sweet spot." For Ice Spear, the initial spin of the weapon actually has its own hitbox. If you're standing right in the enemy's face, you hit them with the physical rotation and the projectile.
This doubles your impact.
It’s risky. Being that close means you can get hit. But the payoff is a stagger that happens so fast it feels like a glitch. I’ve seen players bully Malenia with this. You just keep your distance, wait for her to walk slowly toward you, and ping her. When she gets close, you time the spin to catch her mid-dash. It interrupts her. It resets her stance. It makes one of the hardest bosses in gaming history look like a standard mob.
Why People Think It's Bad (And Why They're Wrong)
There is a common misconception that Ice Spear is too slow.
"The wind-up is too long," they say. Or "The range isn't as good as a sorcery." Sure, it's not a sniper rifle. If you try to use it like Loretta's Mastery, you’re going to be disappointed. The range is medium at best. But the FP cost is tiny. For 15 FP, you're getting a projectile that rivals high-level spells.
Compare it to Glintstone Pebble (the Ash of War version). Pebble used to be the king of poise, but FromSoftware nerfed the stagger values into the ground a while back. Ice Spear Ash of War survived. It stayed relevant. It’s the "thinking man’s" projectile because it forces you to learn spacing. You can't just spam it from across the arena, but you don't have to be hugging the boss's ankles either.
Another thing? The scaling.
If you go for a Magic infusion, your Intelligence stat drives the damage of the bolt.
If you go for Cold, it splits between Dex and Int.
The sheer versatility is why it shows up in so many "Level 1" or "No Hit" runs.
Best Weapons for Your Cold Build
- Guardian's Swordspear: This is the gold standard. The moveset is unique, the speed is high, and the Dex scaling is S-tier when optimized.
- Clayman's Harpoon: This spear is weird. It has innate Intelligence scaling. If you put Ice Spear on this and infuse it with Magic, you get double-dipping scaling that makes the projectile hit like a truck.
- Cross-Naginata: If you want to be "that guy" who stacks Bleed and Frost. It’s a terrifying combination. You proc frost, their defense drops by 20%, then the bleed procs and takes another massive slice of their health.
Honestly, the Clayman's Harpoon is the secret meta here. Since it already deals magic damage, adding a magic-based Ash of War feels natural. You aren't fighting the weapon's base stats; you're enhancing them.
The Strategy for Late-Game Bosses
By the time you get to the Mountaintops of the Giants or Farum Azula, enemies have massive health pools. Standard physical attacks start to feel like you're poking a mountain with a toothpick. This is where status effects become mandatory.
Frostbite is special. Unlike Bleed, which is a one-time burst, Frostbite lingers. It lowers the enemy's damage absorption. While they are "chilled," every other hit you land does significantly more damage.
I usually lead with two or three Ice Spears. The first one usually chunks them. The second one usually procs the Frostbite. Now the boss is moving slower and taking more damage. Then I switch to a heavy physical attack or just keep the pressure on with the spear. If you're feeling fancy, you can hit them with a Fire pot or a weapon with fire damage to "reset" the frostbite, allowing you to proc that big burst of damage again immediately. It's a bit of a "pro gamer" move, but it's incredibly effective for high-HP targets like Fire Giant.
PVP Considerations
Don't ignore this in the Colosseum. People expect the "Moonveil" or the "Rivers of Blood." They don't expect a sudden, high-velocity ice bolt coming from a halberd.
The tracking is surprisingly decent. If your opponent rolls early, the bolt will often clip them at the end of their animation. Because it causes such heavy stagger, hitting someone once usually gives you enough time to close the gap and follow up with a running R1. It catches people off guard because the animation looks like a standard heavy attack wind-up until the blue glow appears.
Optimizing Your Talismans
To make the Ice Spear Ash of War truly broken, you need the right kit.
- Shard of Alexander: This is non-negotiable. It boosts the damage of your Ash of War by 15%.
- Magic Scorpion Charm: It increases your magic damage but makes you take more physical damage. It’s a glass cannon move, but since you’re fighting at mid-range, you shouldn't be getting hit much anyway.
- Magic-Shrouding Crack Tear: Put this in your Flask of Wondrous Physick. It’s a massive 20% boost to magic damage for three minutes.
When you stack these, the "little ice bolt" starts hitting for 2,000+ damage per shot. That’s more than some Colossal weapons do with a fully charged heavy attack, and you’re doing it from ten feet away.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Session
If you want to see what the hype is about, do this right now.
First, go to Liurnia and hunt that Night's Cavalry near the Gate Town North. Once you have the Ash, go to Master Iji (the big blacksmith giant) and buy some Somber Smithing Stones or use your regular ones to get a spear to at least +15.
Infuse it with "Cold" if you have the Glintstone Whetblade. If you don't have the whetblade yet, just use the standard infusion to keep your scaling high.
Go to the Underground Roadside in Leyndell. There are those big Omens down there. They are the perfect test dummies. They have high poise and a lot of health. Try to time your Ice Spear Ash of War so that the spinning part hits them. Notice how fast their stance breaks.
Once you get the rhythm down—spin, shoot, backstep—you'll realize you don't need the flashy "meta" weapons. You just need a cold piece of iron and the right timing. It changes the way you look at every boss encounter in the game. You stop being the one running away; you become the one dictating the distance.
Check your carry weight, ensure you have enough Mind to cast it at least six or seven times before needing a flask, and go to town. The Lands Between are a lot less scary when you can freeze a god from across the room.