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Does Affinity Affect the Ash of War in Elden Ring? A Comprehensive Guide

Yes, affinity significantly affects the Ash of War in Elden Ring. The chosen affinity dictates how your weapon and, crucially, the Ash of War skill scale with your character’s stats. It influences the type of damage dealt, stat scaling, and overall effectiveness of the Ash of War, making it a crucial decision for any Tarnished seeking to optimize their build.

Understanding Affinities and Ashes of War

Before diving deep, let’s clarify some key concepts. Ashes of War are items that grant weapons special skills and the ability to change their scaling. Affinities are modifications that alter a weapon’s damage type and how it scales with different stats (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, Arcane). Each Ash of War has a default affinity, but you can often change it using Whetblades.

How Affinity Impacts Ash of War Performance

The relationship between affinity and Ash of War performance is multifaceted:

Scaling: The most crucial impact is on scaling. For example, applying a “Magic” affinity to a weapon will make it scale primarily with Intelligence, benefiting magic-based Ashes of War. Likewise, a “Sacred” affinity scales with Faith, enhancing Holy damage.
Damage Type: Affinity can alter the damage type of both the weapon and the Ash of War. A “Fire” affinity will add Fire damage, which can be beneficial against certain enemies but resisted by others.
Native Infusion Bonus: An Ash of War receives a damage boost when used on a weapon with its native infusion. Using a “Bloody Slash” Ash of War on a weapon with a “Blood” affinity will result in higher damage than using it on a “Standard” weapon.
Flat Damage vs. Scaling Damage: If you use an Ash of War with an affinity that doesn’t match your weapon’s scaling, the Ash of War skill might primarily deal flat damage. This means its damage won’t increase as much with your stats, making it less effective in the long run.
Status Effects: Certain affinities, such as “Blood” or “Poison,” add status effect build-up to your attacks, including the Ash of War skill. This can be incredibly powerful for inflicting bleed or poison on enemies.

Choosing the Right Affinity

Selecting the right affinity for your Ash of War depends entirely on your build and playstyle. Consider the following:

Your Stats: Focus on affinities that scale with your highest stats. A Strength-based character should prioritize “Heavy” affinity, while an Intelligence-based character should choose “Magic” or “Cold.”
The Ash of War’s Damage Type: If the Ash of War deals physical damage, affinities like “Heavy,” “Keen,” or “Quality” might be ideal. If it deals elemental damage, choose the corresponding affinity (e.g., “Fire” for fire damage, “Sacred” for holy damage).
Enemy Weaknesses: Consider the types of enemies you’ll be facing. Some enemies are weak to certain damage types (e.g., Fire against plant-based enemies), so choosing an affinity that exploits those weaknesses can be advantageous.

Whetblades: Your Affinity Customization Tools

Whetblades are key items that unlock new affinity options when applying Ashes of War. The Iron Whetblade, for example, unlocks “Heavy,” “Keen,” and “Quality” affinities. Collecting all the Whetblades allows you to tailor your weapon’s scaling to your specific needs.

FAQs: Ashes of War and Affinity Deep Dive

1. Can I change affinity without changing Ash of War?

Yes, you can change the affinity of a weapon without changing the Ash of War. This is possible after obtaining the necessary Whetblades.

2. What determines Ash of War damage scaling?

Ash of War damage scaling is determined by the weapon’s affinity. Magic infusions scale with Intelligence, Holy infusions scale with Faith, and Blood infusions scale with Arcane.

3. Does Golden Vow increase Ash of War damage?

Yes, Golden Vow increases Ash of War damage by boosting weapon attack power. It provides a 10% damage and defense buff for 45 seconds, improving the overall effectiveness of your Ash of War.

4. Why should I duplicate Ashes of War?

Duplicating Ashes of War allows you to equip the same skill on multiple weapons without having to repeatedly move it between armaments. This is especially useful for builds that rely on specific Ash of War skills.

5. What are some of the strongest Ashes of War in Elden Ring?

Some of the strongest Ashes of War include:

Bloody Slash (DEX/ARC builds)
Carian Grandeur (STR/INT builds)
Gravitas (INT builds)
Thunderbolt (DEX builds)
Hoarah Loux’s Earthshaker (STR builds)

6. Which affinity is generally considered “best” in Elden Ring?

There’s no universally “best” affinity. “Keen” is often favored for Dexterity builds, while “Heavy” is excellent for Strength builds. The optimal choice depends on your stats and playstyle.

7. What does occult affinity do?

Occult affinity weakens the weapon’s default scaling but adds Arcane scaling. It also prevents auto-revival of undead enemies, making it useful in specific situations.

8. How do I put a heavy affinity on a weapon?

You can apply Heavy affinity to a weapon after obtaining the Iron Whetblade. Then, when applying an Ash of War, you’ll see the option to select “Heavy” as the affinity.

9. How much does affinity increase damage?

The amount of damage increase from affinity depends on the weapon’s scaling and your stats. Strong hits with positive affinity can do 25% more damage, while weak hits with negative affinity do 25% less. However, in Elden Ring, affinity mostly impacts scaling with specific stats, which then determines your overall damage output.

10. How do Ashes of War with physical attacks work with affinity?

If an Ash of War deals a physical attack, applying affinity will scale the armament with a particular attribute (Strength, Dexterity, etc.), increasing its damage based on that stat.

11. Which talisman increases Ash of War damage?

The Godfrey Icon Talisman increases the damage of charged spells and skills by 15%, benefiting many Ashes of War that involve charged attacks.

12. What is the best Ash of War for a pure strength build?

Lion’s Claw is an excellent Ash of War for pure Strength builds. It involves a forward somersault and a powerful two-handed smash, dealing significant damage.

13. What Ash of War makes you “fly”?

The Ash of War – Poison Moth Flight allows you to perform a quick evasive maneuver and counterattack, though it doesn’t make you “fly” in the traditional sense. It’s more of a strategic repositioning tool.

14. What does Bloody Slash Ash of War do?

Bloody Slash coats the blade in your character’s blood before unleashing a wide, arcing slash that deals high damage and inflicts bleed build-up.

15. Is Golden Vow or Rallying Standard better?

Rallying Standard is generally better than Golden Vow because it provides a 20% damage and defense buff compared to Golden Vow’s 10%. However, they do not stack, so choose one based on availability and convenience.

The Broader Impact: Learning and Games

Understanding game mechanics like Affinity and Ashes of War provides more than just in-game advantages. It fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and strategic planning, which are transferable skills applicable in various aspects of life. Initiatives like the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org recognizes the value of these skills and leverages them in educational contexts.

Conclusion

In Elden Ring, affinity profoundly affects the performance of Ashes of War. By carefully choosing the right affinity to match your build and playstyle, you can maximize the effectiveness of your weapons and skills, conquering even the most challenging foes in the Lands Between. Experimentation and a deep understanding of these mechanics are key to mastering Elden Ring’s intricate combat system.

Does affinity affect the Ash of War?