How to Find Every Ancient and Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone in Elden Ring

Reaching the absolute peak of weapon potential in Elden Ring requires the rarest materials in the Lands Between and the Land of Shadow: Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones and Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones. These items are the only way to upgrade standard armaments to +25 and special armaments to +10. Because their numbers are strictly limited per playthrough, knowing exactly where to find them is essential for any player looking to optimize their build before facing endgame bosses or entering New Game Plus.

In the current 2026 landscape of Elden Ring, players have access to significantly more of these stones thanks to the expansion. However, the paths to obtaining them involve complex NPC questlines, hidden dungeons, and formidable bosses. This guide breaks down the location of every single one, covering both the base game and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.

Understanding the Final Tier Upgrades

There are two distinct types of "ancient" stones. The standard Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone is used for weapons that utilize regular Smithing Stones (1 through 8). These weapons usually allow for the customization of Ashes of War and go up to level +25.

The Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone is reserved for unique or legendary weapons—those that use Somber Smithing Stones (1 through 9). These weapons have fixed skills and reach their maximum potential at level +10. A level +10 special weapon is roughly equivalent in power to a level +25 standard weapon.

Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones: Base Game (13 Total)

Regular Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones are more numerous but often tied to lengthy questlines or high-difficulty late-game areas.

NPC Questlines and Rewards

Nepheli Loux’s Questline: This is often the first stone players can obtain. After completing the questline involving Nepheli, Kenneth Haight, and Gatekeeper Gostoc, head to the Stormveil Castle throne room. Nepheli will give you one stone as a reward.
Gatekeeper Gostoc: If Gostoc is alive and has moved to the Stormveil throne room following Nepheli’s quest, he will sell you one stone for 20,000 Runes.
Sorceress Sellen’s Questline: At the end of Sellen’s quest, you must make a choice. If you side with Jerren and assist him in killing Sellen, Jerren will reward you with an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. Note that siding with Sellen grants different rewards but sacrifices this specific stone.
Gurranq, Beast Clergyman: You can obtain a stone from Gurranq in the Bestial Sanctum (Caelid) by feeding him nine Deathroots. Alternatively, if you have already defeated Maliketh, you can return to the Sanctum and kill Gurranq to loot the stone from his body.

Mountaintops of the Giants and Consecrated Snowfield

Church of Repose: Located in the eastern Mountaintops of the Giants. Just southeast of the church, there is a giant skull. The stone is found on a corpse inside the skull's mouth.
Yelough Anix Tunnel: This dungeon is located in the Consecrated Snowfield. Explore the lower levels; the stone is on a corpse in the area where an Alabaster Lord attacks.
Night’s Cavalry Duo: In the Consecrated Snowfield, specifically at night, a caravan is guarded by two Night’s Cavalry bosses. Defeating both of them rewards you with the Night’s Cavalry armor set and one stone.
Waterfall near Great Wyrm Theodorix: East of the Cave of the Forlorn in the Consecrated Snowfield, there is a frozen waterfall. Climb the ledges overlooking the area where the Theodorix boss is located to find a corpse holding the stone.

Crumbling Farum Azula

The Curved Bridge Dragon: As you progress through Farum Azula, you will encounter a large dragon on a curved bridge shortly after the Crumbling Beast Grave site of grace. Killing this dragon rewards a stone.
Near the Dragon Temple Rooftop: From the Dragon Temple Rooftop site of grace, head toward the plaza where another dragon is calling down red lightning. The stone is found in a gazebo behind this dragon.
Final Descent Path: There is a third dragon in the lower ruins area near the end of the zone that also drops an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone upon death.

Miquella’s Haligtree

Haligtree Town Plaza: From this site of grace, navigate the rooftops until you find a Leonine Misbegotten guarding a statue. The stone is on a corpse nearby.
Loretta’s Arena: After defeating Loretta, Knight of the Haligtree, proceed to the stairs leading down to Elphael. There is a chest at the top of a tower containing the final base-game stone.

Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones: Base Game (8 Total)

These are significantly rarer and should be used only on your primary legendary weapons.

Mohgwyn Palace: Found in a chest at the foot of the massive statue near the Dynasty Mausoleum Midpoint site of grace. This area is surrounded by high-level enemies, so speed is recommended if under-leveled.
Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree (Prayer Room Chest): From the Prayer Room site of grace, head out and jump onto the supports to reach a small room containing a chest with the stone.
Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree (Putrid Avatar Path): Further down in Elphael, near the bottom of the walkway where a Putrid Avatar patrols the southern end. The stone is on a corpse at the very end of this path.
Millicent’s Questline: To obtain this stone, you must complete Millicent’s quest and defeat Malenia. After the fight, use Miquella's Needle on the large scarlet flower left in the arena to receive the stone.
Consecrated Snowfield (Anastasia Invasion): Follow the frozen river west in the Consecrated Snowfield. Anastasia, Tarnished-Eater, will invade for the third time. Defeat her to claim the stone.
Latenna’s Questline: Complete Latenna the Albinauric’s quest by bringing her to the Apostate Derelict in the Consecrated Snowfield. She will grant you the stone as a final reward.
Leyndell, Ashen Capital: After the city is covered in ash, head west from the main site of grace toward the dragon corpse. Climb the dragon and enter the building past it to find a stone on a corpse guarded by a gargoyle.
Crumbling Farum Azula: In the plaza south of the Dragon Temple Rooftop, there is a stationary dragon raining lightning. The Somber stone is located in the gazebo directly behind it (separate from the standard stone nearby).

Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones: Shadow of the Erdtree (8 Total)

The DLC introduced several new ways to acquire these stones, particularly through the Ruined Forge dungeons.

The Suppressing Pillar: Located in Gravesite Plain. Reach the top of this massive tower via the elevator to find a chest containing one stone.
Dragon’s Pit Magma Wyrm: Defeat the Magma Wyrm located in the large open area within the Dragon's Pit dungeon to receive a stone.
Ruined Forge Lava Intake: At the end of this dungeon, interact with the forge to receive both the Anvil Hammer and an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
Ruined Forge of Starfall Past: Similar to the Lava Intake, reaching the forge at the end provides an Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword and a stone.
Taylew’s Ruined Forge (First Stone): Located in the Rauh Base region. One stone is found on a balcony overlooking the central structure.
Taylew’s Ruined Forge (Second Stone): Found at the very end of the dungeon by interacting with the forge mechanism.
Jagged Peak (Ancient Dragon Senessax): This boss is located halfway up the Jagged Peak. Defeating Senessax rewards you with one regular Ancient stone and one Somber stone.
Jagged Peak Mountainside: Near the area with numerous dragon corpses, search the cliffside corpses before reaching the peak to find another stone.

Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones: Shadow of the Erdtree (6 Total)

Belurat Tower Settlement Ghostflame Dragon: In the lake east of the settlement, defeat the Ghostflame Dragon to obtain this stone.
Scadu Altus Ghostflame Dragon: Located south of Moorth Ruins. Defeat the dragon in the shallow pond area.
Cerulean Coast Ghostflame Dragon: Another Ghostflame Dragon is found on the southern Cerulean Coast; defeating it yields a Somber stone.
Ancient Dragon Senessax: As mentioned above, this boss drops both types of stones upon defeat.
Jagged Peak (Left Path): From the Jagged Peak Mountainside site of grace, take the path to the left (away from the summit) to find a stone on a corpse at the end of the trail.
Enir-Ilim: Near the Cleansing Chamber Anteroom, take the elevator down to a broken staircase. The stone is on a corpse at the very edge, guarded by a powerful inquisitor enemy.

Strategic Advice for Material Management

Given that you can only obtain a total of 21 Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones and 14 Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones per full playthrough (including the DLC), your choices matter.

Prioritizing Your Build

Special weapons (Somber) often have unique skills that define a build, such as the Rivers of Blood, Blasphemous Blade, or the Bolt of Gransax. Since you get fewer Somber stones, ensure you have tested the weapon's moveset at +9 before committing to the final upgrade. Standard weapons (Regular) are more flexible. You can swap Ashes of War to change their scaling, making these stones slightly more versatile if you decide to respec your character later.

Farming Lower Tiers

Remember that you can purchase infinite amounts of Smithing Stones 1-8 and Somber Smithing Stones 1-9 once you collect the appropriate Bell Bearings and give them to the Twin Maiden Husks in the Roundtable Hold. Do not waste your Ancient stones until your weapon is already at +24 or +9. The jump from +24 to +25 is often smaller than the jump from +23 to +24, so spread your resources across multiple weapons until you are certain which ones you want to take to the limit.

New Game Plus (NG+)

If you missed a stone due to a questline choice (like the Sellen/Jerren choice), you will have to wait until your next journey to obtain it. Many players choose to collect all 35 stones (Base + DLC) before starting NG+ to ensure they can immediately max out new weapons they find in the early stages of the next run.

Finding these stones is a rite of passage for every Elden Lord. Whether you are delving into the lava-filled forges of the Land of Shadow or braving the lightning storms of Farum Azula, these materials are the key to overcoming the greatest challenges the game has to offer.