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[Lilidala]

In the vast and mysterious world of Elden Ring, there are countless tools and Elden Ring Runes mechanics available to help players carve their path through The Lands Between. Among the most important—but sometimes overlooked—are Whetblades, special Key Items that grant you unprecedented control over your weapons. These ancient tools empower you to tailor your weapon’s affinity, directly influencing how your damage scales with your stats and, in some cases, adding elemental or status effects to your attacks.

Whether you favor the brute strength of a colossal greatsword or the elegant precision of a curved blade, Whetblades offer the flexibility to align your weaponry with your build. Mastering them is key to maximizing your damage potential and customizing your playstyle. In this guide, we’ll delve deep into the role Whetblades play in Elden Ring, how they affect weapon affinities, and why no Tarnished should ignore their power.

What Are Whetblades in Elden Ring?
Whetblades are unique items found throughout Elden Ring. Unlike typical upgrade materials, they don’t enhance your weapon’s base damage or improve its scaling directly. Instead, they expand your ability to modify weapons by changing their affinity—a system that determines how a weapon scales with your stats (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, or Arcane) and, in some cases, what type of additional damage (Fire, Magic, Holy, etc.) it deals.

In practical terms, applying an affinity reshapes your weapon’s identity:

A Heavy affinity boosts Strength scaling, making your weapon hit harder as you invest in Strength.
A Keen affinity increases Dexterity scaling, favoring agile builds.
Other affinities, such as Flame Art or Magic, add elemental damage and scale with Intelligence or Faith.
With Whetblades, you unlock access to these affinities when applying Ashes of War at any Site of Grace. Without them, your options are limited. But with the right Whetblade in your possession, you can fine-tune your arsenal to fit your exact build and Elden Ring Items strategy.