Why Can’t I Buy Smithing Stones in Elden Ring? A Comprehensive Guide

The frustrating reality of Elden Ring is that you can’t just walk into a shop and buy every Smithing Stone you need, right from the get-go. The ability to purchase Smithing Stones, crucial for upgrading your weapons and armor, is gated behind progress and the acquisition of specific items called Bell Bearings. You likely can’t buy them because you haven’t found the necessary Bell Bearings to unlock their availability at the Twin Maiden Husks in the Roundtable Hold. You must venture into the world, conquer bosses, and explore hidden locations to acquire these vital items and expand the Husks’ inventory.

Understanding Smithing Stones and Their Importance

Before diving deeper into the purchasing process, it’s essential to understand why Smithing Stones are so crucial in Elden Ring. They are the primary resource used to upgrade your standard weapons, increasing their attack power and scaling with your attributes. Without them, you’ll be stuck using weaker versions of your armaments, significantly hindering your progress.

There are two main types of Smithing Stones: standard Smithing Stones and Somber Smithing Stones. Standard Smithing Stones upgrade most weapons, while Somber Smithing Stones are used for unique or special armaments. Each type comes in various tiers, denoted by a number (e.g., Smithing Stone [1], Somber Smithing Stone [5]), with higher numbers required for higher upgrade levels.

The Role of Bell Bearings

The key to unlocking the ability to purchase Smithing Stones lies in finding Smithing Miner’s Bell Bearings and Somberstone Miner’s Bell Bearings. These items, when given to the Twin Maiden Husks in the Roundtable Hold, expand their inventory, allowing you to purchase specific tiers of Smithing Stones in unlimited quantities. Each Bell Bearing unlocks a new range of stones. For example, Smithing-Stone Miner’s Bell Bearing 2 will allow you to purchase Smithing Stone [3] from the Twin Maiden Husks.

Locating Smithing Miner’s Bell Bearings

Finding these Bell Bearings is a crucial part of your journey through the Lands Between. They are typically found in chests, dropped by bosses, or obtained after completing specific quests. Here’s a general idea of where you can locate them:

• Smithing-Stone Miner’s Bell Bearing 1: Raya Lucaria Crystal Tunnel (Limgrave)
• Smithing-Stone Miner’s Bell Bearing 2: Sealed Tunnel (Altus Plateau)
• Smithing-Stone Miner’s Bell Bearing 3: Zamor Ruins (Mountaintops of the Giants)
• Smithing-Stone Miner’s Bell Bearing 4: Dropped by the Godskin Duo boss fight at Crumbling Farum Azula

Locating Somberstone Miner’s Bell Bearings

Just like their regular counterparts, Somberstone Miner’s Bell Bearings are essential for upgrading unique weapons. They are located in different areas of the map and require exploration and combat to obtain.

• Somberstone Miner’s Bell Bearing 1: Sellia Crystal Tunnel (Caelid)
• Somberstone Miner’s Bell Bearing 2: Abandoned Cave (Caelid)
• Somberstone Miner’s Bell Bearing 3: Royal Grave Evergaol (Altus Plateau)
• Somberstone Miner’s Bell Bearing 4: First Church of Marika (Mountaintops of the Giants)
• Somberstone Miner’s Bell Bearing 5: Crumbling Farum Azula

Farming Smithing Stones

While buying Smithing Stones is convenient, it’s not the only way to acquire them. You can also farm them by defeating specific enemies that drop them. The types and tiers of Smithing Stones dropped depend on the enemy and the area. For example, miners in tunnels often drop Smithing Stones, and certain enemies in later areas may drop higher-tier stones. The Games Learning Society explores similar mechanics in other games, analyzing how resource management impacts player strategy and progression. More information can be found on GamesLearningSociety.org.

Alternative Methods for Obtaining Smithing Stones

Besides purchasing and farming, you can also find Smithing Stones as loot throughout the world. Keep an eye out for glowing items on corpses or in chests, as these often contain Smithing Stones or other useful materials. Additionally, some NPCs may offer Smithing Stones as rewards for completing quests.

FAQs About Smithing Stones in Elden Ring

Here are some frequently asked questions about obtaining and using Smithing Stones in Elden Ring:

1. Are Smithing Stones limited in Elden Ring?

Technically, the Smithing Stones you find as static items in the world are finite. However, you can farm them from certain enemies, and once you acquire the relevant Bell Bearings, you can purchase them infinitely from the Twin Maiden Husks.

2. Is there a limited supply of Smithing Stone [1] and [2]?

While individual stones found as loot are finite, acquiring Smithing-Stone Miner’s Bell Bearing 1 allows unlimited purchases of Smithing Stone [1] and [2] from the Twin Maiden Husks.

3. Where can I find Smithing Stone [1] early in the game?

Limgrave Tunnels is an excellent early-game location to find Smithing Stone [1]. It is located Northwest of the Agheel Lake.

4. Can you buy Smithing Stone [7] and [8]?

Yes, but only after obtaining Smithing Miner’s Bell Bearing 4 by defeating the Godskin Duo boss fight in Crumbling Farum Azula.

5. How do I unlock the ability to buy Somber Smithing Stones?

You need to find the Somberstone Miner’s Bell Bearings and give them to the Twin Maiden Husks. Each Bell Bearing unlocks a new tier of Somber Smithing Stone for purchase.

6. Is there a way to buy Smithing Stone [9]?

Yes, after acquiring the Somberstone Miner’s Bell Bearing [5] in Crumbling Farum Azula, you can purchase Somber Smithing Stone [9] from the Twin Maiden Husks.

7. Who sells Somber Smithing Stones?

Initially, Smithing Master Iji sells a limited supply of Somber Smithing Stone [1] and [2]. For larger quantities of higher-tier stones, you’ll need the Somberstone Miner’s Bell Bearings.

8. Are Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones limited?

Yes, Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones are extremely rare and found in very limited quantities, often from completing questlines or defeating challenging bosses.

9. Can you buy Smithing Stone [5] and [6]?

Yes, after obtaining the Smithing-Stone Miner’s Bell Bearing 3 from a chest under the Zamor Ruins in the Mountaintops of the Giants.

10. What is the max Smithing Stone upgrade in Elden Ring?

Normal Armaments can be upgraded to +25, using normal Smithing Stones. Special Armaments can be upgraded to +10 using Somber Smithing Stones.

11. Do Smithing Stones Respawn?

Smithing Stones found on walls within tunnels do not respawn. However, those dropped by enemies within those tunnels will respawn along with the enemies.

12. How many Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones are there in the game?

There are a total of 13 Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones and 8 Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones across the whole of Elden Ring.

13. Where is Smithing Master Iji Located?

War Counselor Iji is located in the north-western section of Liurnia of the Lakes, past Northern Liurnia Lake Shore and just by the Kingsrealm Ruins.

14. How many Somber Smithing Stones do you need to fully upgrade every Somber Weapon?

You would need 137 of each to fully upgrade everything. Due to the limited number of Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones, this would require you to reach NG+ 17 (18 playthroughs).

15. Where can I farm runes to buy Smithing Stones?

The most valuable Rune Farm in Elden Ring is Mohgwyn’s Palace, and the spot contains multiple options for players to take advantage of.

Mastering the Upgrade System

Ultimately, understanding the Smithing Stone system in Elden Ring is vital for maximizing your character’s potential. By exploring the world, defeating bosses, and locating the necessary Bell Bearings, you can unlock the ability to purchase these crucial resources and upgrade your weapons to their full strength. Embrace the challenge, and may your journey through the Lands Between be filled with powerful armaments and resounding victories.