elden ring how to upgrade armor

Table of Contents

1. The Core Mechanic: Understanding Smithing Stones and Bell Bearings
2. The Armor Upgrade Myth: Clarifying a Common Misconception
3. True Paths to Enhanced Defense: Talismans, Great Runes, and Consumables
4. Strategic "Upgrading": Alterations, Weight Management, and Synergy
5. The Philosophy of Unupgradable Armor: Fashion and Function

The vast, intricate world of Elden Ring offers countless avenues for character progression. Players diligently upgrade their weapons with Smithing Stones, seek out Sacred Tears to empower their Flasks, and spend runes to increase their core attributes. Naturally, a common question arises for those seeking every possible advantage: how to upgrade armor. This query stems from a familiar RPG trope, but in the Lands Between, the answer is both simpler and more complex than one might expect.

To directly address the titular question, armor pieces—helmets, chest pieces, gauntlets, and greaves—cannot be upgraded in Elden Ring. There is no blacksmith menu option to enhance a Knight's armor set with materials to increase its physical defense or poise. This is a deliberate design choice by FromSoftware. The defensive values of any armor set are static from the moment you acquire it. This fundamental understanding is crucial, as it shifts the player's focus from seeking upgrade materials for armor to other, more impactful systems of customization and power escalation.

The confusion often originates from the central upgrade system for armaments. Smithing Stones and Somber Smithing Stones are plentiful, categorized into tiers from [1] to [8] and [10], with Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones being the rarest. These are used exclusively on weapons and shields (for their offensive stats, not stability). Bell Bearings, found throughout the world and given to the Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold, allow for the unlimited purchase of all but the final tier of these stones. This extensive, dedicated infrastructure for weapon upgrading stands in stark contrast to the complete absence of a parallel system for armor, reinforcing the fact that armor improvement lies elsewhere.

Since armor itself cannot be reinforced, enhancing a character's survivability involves layering complementary systems. Talismans are the primary method. Talismans like the Dragoncrest Shield series progressively boost physical damage negation. The Pearldrake Talisman increases non-physical damage negation, and the Great-Jar's Arsenal dramatically increases maximum equipment load. Great Runes, activated after defeating demigod bosses, provide massive temporary boosts when using a Rune Arc. Godrick's Great Rune, for instance, raises all attributes by five, effectively increasing vigor for more health, endurance for heavier armor, and other defensive stats. Consumables also play a key role. Uplifting Aromatics crafted by Perfumers provide a damage-negating bubble, while Boiled Crab from Blackguard Big Boggart boosts physical damage negation for a time. These elements collectively act as your true "armor upgrades."

Strategic management of your armor loadout serves as another form of progression. While you cannot increase a chest plate's stats, you can alter garments at a Sites of Grace or with Boc the Seamster to slightly change its weight and resistances, often removing a cape for reduced weight. This ties directly into the Elden Ring's equipment load system. By leveling the Endurance attribute, you increase your stamina and, more importantly, your equip load. This allows you to wear heavier, more protective armor sets without "fat-rolling," maintaining a medium roll for mobility. Thus, upgrading your character's endurance is functionally an upgrade to your armor-wearing capacity. Furthermore, armor choice is about synergy. The Bull-Goat set offers the highest poise but is extremely heavy. Mixing and matching pieces from different sets—a helmet from one, gauntlets from another—allows for optimizing specific resistances (e.g., immunity, robustness) for specific areas or bosses, a tactical form of customization beyond simple stat increases.

The decision to leave armor unupgradable is philosophically significant. It places a premium on discovery and choice over incremental grinding. Finding the legendary Bull-Goat set or the cleanrot armor in the world grants you their full protective potential immediately; it does not need to be leveled to become viable. This encourages exploration as a direct path to power. It also firmly entrenches the concept of "Elden Bling"—the practice of choosing armor based purely on aesthetic preference without sacrificing a progression resource. Since no armor can be made objectively stronger, fashion is entirely free. The static nature of armor also creates clear, understandable trade-offs. Choosing a lighter armor set for faster rolls is a permanent choice for that encounter, not one that can be negated by over-investing upgrade materials. It forces meaningful decisions about defense, mobility, and stamina consumption.

In conclusion, the pursuit of upgrading armor in Elden Ring redirects the player toward a deeper engagement with its interconnected systems. The answer lies not in a smithing hammer but in the strategic acquisition of Talismans, the prudent use of Great Runes and consumables, the careful leveling of Endurance, and the intelligent mixing and matching of armor pieces to meet specific challenges. This design fosters build diversity, rewards exploration for complete armor sets, and liberates personal style. Understanding that armor is a static, choice-based component rather than a resource sink allows the Tarnished to focus their upgrade efforts on their weapons and spirits, embracing the true paths to greater power and resilience in the Lands Between.

Most Ukrainians view Trump's presidency as negative for Ukraine: poll
Explainer: What do we know about Qatar's Air Force One gift to Trump?
Israel launches offensive in Gaza, says report
Trump meets Zelensky, rules out trilateral summit
Cambodian civil aviation authority bans flights from flying across fighting zones with Thailand