Elden Ring Ash of War Tier List 2023 - Ranking Best Ashes of War in Eleden Ring 1.08 Patch

Here we update the Elden Ring Ash of War Tier List for 1.08 Patch, which features the new most powerful spirit ashes or weapon skills for setting up the best str, dex, int faith, and arcane bleed builds. 

Elden Ring 1.08 Ash of War Tier List & Ranking 2023

With the more changes from Patch 1.08,  there are some Ashes of War that became more powerful, and some are no longer meta.  Here we take into account nerfs and changes from recent patches to come up with a new Ash of War Tier List 2023. Let's dive into now:

• 1 - Bloodblade (S Tier)

  Bloodblade was made in S tier pick due to its massive damage buff and the Damage detection on the weapon part, so you can use this at close range and absolutely shotgun blast people with damage and bleed build up. This is one of the best ways to get bleed first pops right now in the entire game, it's one of the best ways to burst down bosses and it's insanely effective in PvP because of that as well. You can entirely rely on just the Ash of War in all content where bleed is relevant that's why it's obviously S tier and remains that. 

  
  

• 2 - Seppuku (S Tier)

  Seppuku is no longer what it once was obviously, they've made the deal more damage to you when you use it the effect you get less AR and the blood buildup is not as stupid as it was. However still really good, if you have two weapons with Seppuku, you're a bleed machine you're terrifying and that has not changed, there's just a bit more of a cost to actually running it and that's fair enough, but that doesn't mean it's not S Tier. 

  
  

• 3 - Giant Hunt & Lion's Claw (S Tier)

  These can go on a variety of weapons, most commonly seen on strength weapons and colossal swords at that. Between the two, Giant Hunt was actually buffed in the previous patch to have better recovery, but more importantly better Poise damage allowing for better trading and staggering in PvP and PVE, so we think it's slightly better than Lion's Claw because of that, but it is of course more of a thrust so in PvP its damage is technically worse in the counter-attack aspect. They're super interchangeable because of that they're both incredibly strong where you can entirely rely on them in both both sides of the content. But we suppose you can get Lion's Claw a bit earlier so maybe that weighs into your personal rating.

  
  

• 4 - Royal Knight's Resolve (S Tier)

  Royal Knight's Resolve buffs up your weapon for a few seconds and the next strike will deal with more damage, this is how you deal the most damage in one hit in the game, this is how you get incredible effective hits with many weapons with many builds in PVE and PVP. It remains undeniably extremely useful Ash of War, even though it was made slightly worse in a patch a while back. 

  
  

• 5 - Cragblade (A Tier)

  Cragblade was ridiculously buffed in 1.07, the buff lasts longer and you get more Poise damage on it. It's basically putting your weapon in the ground covering it in rock and now you're a trading machine that's massively important in this patch where Poise damage and trading using Poise is vital, heavier armor sets and Poise based builds are actually really strong now. Cragblade is basically made for that in fact the buff was so strong in 1.07, they walked it back a bit in the current patch of 1.08, no longer having as much Poise damage but still more than it used to and still undeniably a really useful tool. It is just really strong Ash of War that can go on bigger like colossal weapons too to really secure the trading options with a slower strikers. If for any reason you need Poise in your build, this should be something you should consider.

  
  

• 6 - Piercing Fang & Impaling Thrust (A Tier)

  These duo frosting Ashes of War are pretty interchangeable in effect, both were buffed in the previous patch to have better motion speed, attack power, recovery. And Piercing Fang even has better Poise damage making it the better of the two because of that, but it is really splitting hairs. Thrust counter damage is worse in PvP though in the current patch. So both of them do take that hit here, but again it's not relevant enough to damn these ashes of war in any way they're still phenomenal and deserve to be at least A tier, either one is great, it really comes down to preference you suppose but the one with more Poise damage is going to be more relevant in PvP. 

  
  

• 7 - Stormcaller (A Tier)

  Stormcaller is super good due to its massive damage, massive poise which is even more relevant in 1.08. In the previous patch, it was made faster it's got better damage and it's got a huge Poise Buffs as well as being made bigger, so it's actually insanely good in this patch in both PVE and PVP. If anyone ever tries to face me and trade with you, they will lose as you swing this around and do the follow-up big hit. In PVE, you can just blindly rely on this Ash of War because it's just got so much power to it, we can enhance it further with giving it bleed or fire or whatever Buffs, just make an absolute machine. 

  
  

• 8 - Bloody Slash (A Tier)

  Bloody Slash is also very strong now thanks to the Buffs in the previous patch, you're trading a bit of Health for a massive hit with the reductions to status build up, this is actually a great way to get bleed early in the build. They buffed up the stats build up possibilities with this as well specifically they gave it way more damage and better recovery, so it combos really well or you can get out of it smoother. It is a super effective Ash of War in all content, you just have to trade a little bit of health each time you use it, so it's something to keep in mind.

  
  

• 9 - Sword Dance (A Tier)

  Sword Dance has you spin around with many weapons and then do a follow-up slam strike as the end of the combo lands. In the previous patch it's got a bit of recovery meaning it combos slightly better. It's a great early Ash of War you can get that but we don't think it's broken, so we put it on A Tier.

  
  

• 10 - Storm Blade (B Tier)

  Storm Blade to be fair should have been on the top list of Ash of War after patch 1.07. Buffed in that patch, it now costs less FP, it's got better range, it's a spammable Ash of War, it's got damage detection on the weapon part, so that means that melee range you can hit with your weapon at the same time. It's around a solid 400 damage range attack, or up to 7 or 800 when hit with a weapon at close range as well. So this is great utility in both PVE and PVP much like the Beast Raw, but unlike the Beast's Roar it's not buffable in an easy way using say a Talisman like the Roar Medallion, so its output isn't as good technically, but it's a competitive option against the Beast's Roar if you're not wanting to use that for any reason. Basically if you're using the Roar Medallion, you should be using the Beast's Roar, but if not Storm Blade is probably the better option becauseit's so fast and the damage is so reliable.

  
  

• 11 - Prayerful Strike (B Tier)

  Prayerful Strike also should have really been in the list since the last patch, where it was buff, it improved its power and raise its Poise damage for trading staggering bosses and enemies in general. It works really well in unison with a mimic tier because you've just got the stupid lifestyle of constantly spamming it and staggering enemies. Simply blindly spamming it over and over, striking bosses in PVE. The thing is in PvP, it's not the most insane or effective Ash of War at that the heel isn't as impactful when you're only getting like one hit of it off, the damage isn't insane there either. It's much more relevant PVE in boss fights and the open world, so basically because it's strong in PVE and not that amazing in PvP, we put it in B rating.

  
  

• 12 - Flame of the Redmanes (B Tier)

  Flame of the Redmanes is now a B tier Ash of War because of the massive Nerf to the Poise damage. While the damage itself remains nice, it's not insane, there is really all about the stagger you could get in PVE in boss fights, spamming this Ash of War leading to criticals and infinite stagger combos. It was a speedrunner's dream of an Ash of War but no longer is it, remotely as effective does not stagger remotely as well. Now it's just a useful tool for close to medium range fire damage and that's of course good in both PVE and PVP, but you cannot blindly rely on this anymore, that Poise damage Nerf was massive, so we bring it all the way down to a B tier. 

  
  

• 13 - Flaming Strike (B Tier) 

  Flaming Strike is actually an Ash of War simple like Flame of the Redmanes cast fire out but then you can do a follow-up heavy which will light your weapon on fire dealing a strike at the same time. The damage of that is very respectable and you can stagger people in PvP with the fire, then get the follow-up here thanks to the stagger allowing you to secure the follow-up. It was actually nerfed in this patch though, the hitbox duration seems to have been reduced basically how long the active damage of the fire lasts but that's completely fine it's not an issue it makes sense, that it shouldn't last overly long and that change does not lower the standing of the Ash of War at all. It's a great Ash of War and a great pick to pick up as soon as possible in a playthrough especially against enemies who are weak to fire. 

  
  

• 14 - Loretta's Slash (B Tier)

  Loretta's Slash is also buffed in 1.07, and now has better Poise damage on the first part of the attack and also better recovery so you can spam it or get out of it. Combining that with its really impressive hyper armor all parts of the Ash of War, this becomes an incredible tool for trading in both PVE and PVP. It's actually a really spammable effective option thanks to that better recovery. It's one of the cooler-looking ashes of war in the game and now it's not only relevant, it's very good at destroying boss health bars by just spamming it or using its hyper armor as a great trading tool that has great tracking in PvP.

  
  

• 15 - Beast's Roar (B Tier)

  Beast's Roar compared of course to the Storm Blade is going to have better output if you're using the Roar Medallion, a spammable is cheap is effective and it works in lots of different builds. With no changes to speak of, it just stays in a B tier and contextually it competes with Storm Blade pretty well. 

  
  

• 16 - Ice Spear (B Tier)

  Ice Spear is a short-range ice shot that has a follow-up strike great for building up Frost's damage early and dealing respectable damage in itself. It is a very predictable Ash of War quite easy to avoid in PVP like a short-range Pebble shot but with more oomph behind it. However, fighting up close you can absolutely spam these Ice Spears. get the ice proc to reduce the stamina and make them take more damage. It's a great Ash of War for frost in general, technically though it is a thrust so in PvP the counter-attack damage there will probably be slightly nerfed, but you probably use this more in PVE anyway.

  
  

• 17 - Glintblade Phalanx (B Tier)

  Glintblade Phalanx was made cheaper on the FP in the previous patch, but other than that it's just a nice utility Ash of War giving you a magic range option, you can also enhance these much like any race Ash of War by say giving your weapon bleed or fire to give it that element or status to other ranged effect of the Ash of War, that can be really useful with like a ranged burst style. But since it's got no other changes this patch or the previous patch, says it'll B tier. 

  
  

• 18 - Phantom Slash (B Tier)

  Phantom Slash was actually buffed in the previous patch but not in a majorly interesting way, it's got better directional control and it's got better recovery meaning you can combo it really well or get out of it better that is important and a good change for this one. And now you can target enemies and then cancel the target to use the follow-up strike to reposition attack around you while the ghost attacks attack target in another way. It's a really cool Ash of War, one of the coolest in the game effective in both PVE and PVP, just not sin that often because it's on weapon types that aren't as popular.

  
  

• 19 - Unsheathe (C Tier)

  Unsheathe remains unchanged this patch, a great Ash of War due to its simple nature. You activate and hold, then you can either do a light or a heavy, the heavy being generally the better option dealing more damage and also staggering targets.  Unsheathe is a fantastic early-game PVE option but a relatively useful one in PvP just a bit of power crap by literally better options like moonveil doing the same thing but with way more damage. So all the ashes power creeped this heavily but we must acknowledge that it's a useful Ash of War, especially in the early to mid-game.

  
  

• 20 - Hoarfrost Stomp (C Tier)

  Hoarfrost Stomp is another Asher war with no changes that remains good despite the fact that it used to be an absolute king. This is an ice-based AOE with reasonable range and can even go and attack from underground or through pillars and through the terrain, making it a useful Ash of War despite the fact that it was nerfed so heavily from being one of the strongest in the game for a while at launch. It's still good and still relevant but it's also not so powerful anymore obviously. 

  
  

• 21 - Spectral Lance (C Tier)

  In the previous patch, Spectral Lancea actually had its damage slightly improved and it also deals better damage at longer ranges. It's a great Ash of War for staggering big targets like Giants or Dragons, hitting them in the eyes or the head to stagger them knock them down and lead to some free damage. So in PVE in the open world, it has some seriously useful utility, but outside of that it's not so meta.

  
  

• 22 - Glintstone Pebble (C Tier)

  Glintstone Pebble is technically nerfed in this patch, in the previous patch, they improved its PVE damage and also gave it better range on the actual Pebble itself vital because they kind of over-nerfed it after it was a bit crazy to be fair. But how it's been nerfed is specifically PVP, the follow-up strike is a Thrust, and counter-attack thrust damage was nerfed in PvP in 1.08, it's not massively nerfed in any real way it's just that part of the attack it's slightly weaker, so, either way, it remains a C grade.

But there you have it the complete list of the Ashes of War of 1.08 we've just organized them, so each individual tier has the strongest Ash of War on the left and the weakest on the right, but keep in mind that it's largely interchangeable a lot of these are super close in power and use.