Should I Use the Sacred Tear on Flasks in Elden Ring? A Tarnished’s Guide
Absolutely, yes! There is virtually no reason to hoard Sacred Tears in Elden Ring. These precious items directly enhance the effectiveness of your Sacred Flasks, significantly boosting the amount of HP or FP they restore. Holding onto them unnecessarily is akin to refusing a free power-up, making your journey through the Lands Between far more arduous than it needs to be.
The Importance of Sacred Tears
Elden Ring is a game of endurance and strategic resource management. Your Flasks of Crimson Tears (HP) and Flasks of Cerulean Tears (FP) are your lifeline, crucial for surviving encounters with challenging enemies and navigating treacherous environments. As you progress, your character’s Vigor and Mind stats increase, resulting in larger HP and FP pools. This means your flasks will restore a smaller proportion of your total health and mana without upgrades. This is where Sacred Tears shine.
Each Sacred Tear permanently increases the potency of your flasks, ensuring they remain effective throughout the game. By maximizing flask efficiency, you reduce the need to consume multiple flasks in quick succession, conserving precious charges and increasing your overall survivability.
Why Use Sacred Tears Immediately?
Unlike some items that might be better saved for specific situations, Sacred Tears have a singular, immediate benefit: improved flask restoration. Here’s why you should use them as soon as you find them:
- Increased Survivability: More potent flasks mean you can recover more health with each sip, allowing you to withstand more damage in combat and explore more dangerous areas.
- Resource Management: By maximizing flask efficiency, you’ll need to use fewer flasks per encounter, conserving your limited charges and reducing the risk of running dry during extended battles or exploration sessions.
- No Drawbacks: There are no negative consequences to using Sacred Tears. They don’t have any alternative uses, and there’s no reason to believe they will become more valuable later in the game.
- Accessibility: Sacred Tears are relatively easy to find, especially early in the game. They are typically located in churches, often at the base of a statue or altar. This accessibility makes it easy to keep your flasks upgraded as you progress.
How to Use Sacred Tears
Upgrading your flasks with Sacred Tears is a simple process:
- Rest at a Site of Grace.
- Select the “Flasks” option from the menu.
- Choose “Increase amount replenished by flasks.”
- Confirm the use of the Sacred Tear.
The effect is immediate and permanent. Your flasks will now restore a larger amount of HP or FP with each use.
Addressing the “Hoarding” Mentality
Many players, especially those new to FromSoftware games, tend to hoard items out of fear of using them at the wrong time. However, with Sacred Tears, this fear is unfounded. There’s no “wrong” time to use them. The sooner you upgrade your flasks, the sooner you’ll benefit from their increased potency. Release yourself from the burden of carrying unused power and embrace the improved survivability that Sacred Tears provide.
Golden Seeds vs. Sacred Tears
It’s important to differentiate between Golden Seeds and Sacred Tears. Golden Seeds increase the number of flask charges you have, while Sacred Tears increase the amount of HP or FP each flask restores. Both are essential for maximizing your flask’s effectiveness, but they serve different purposes. Prioritize upgrading flask potency with Sacred Tears as soon as you find them, and then focus on increasing the number of charges with Golden Seeds.
Conclusion
In conclusion, using Sacred Tears to upgrade your flasks is a no-brainer in Elden Ring. The increased healing and mana restoration they provide are invaluable for surviving the game’s challenges. Don’t let the “hoarding” mentality hold you back – embrace the power and upgrade your flasks as soon as you find these precious items. The Lands Between are unforgiving, and every advantage counts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What are Sacred Tears used for in Elden Ring?
Sacred Tears are used to increase the amount of HP or FP restored by your Flasks of Crimson Tears and Flasks of Cerulean Tears. Each use permanently enhances the potency of your flasks.
2. Where can I find Sacred Tears?
Sacred Tears are typically found in churches throughout the Lands Between. Look for them at the base of statues or altars within these churches.
3. How many Sacred Tears are there in Elden Ring?
There are a total of 12 Sacred Tears that can be found in a single playthrough of Elden Ring.
4. Is there a limit to how much I can upgrade my flasks with Sacred Tears?
Yes, the maximum potency of your flasks is +12. Once you’ve used 12 Sacred Tears, your flasks will be at their maximum restoration capacity.
5. Should I prioritize Sacred Tears or Golden Seeds?
Both are important, but prioritize Sacred Tears for upgrading potency, especially early in the game. A more potent flask early will make a bigger difference than an extra charge. Then, focus on finding Golden Seeds to increase the number of charges you have.
6. What happens if I miss a Sacred Tear?
Missing a Sacred Tear simply means your flasks will be slightly less effective for a longer period. You can always backtrack and retrieve it later. However, it’s generally best to collect them as you find them to maximize their benefits.
7. Do Sacred Tears respawn in New Game Plus (NG+)?
Yes, Sacred Tears respawn in NG+, allowing you to collect them again and further enhance your flasks if you somehow missed them in your initial playthrough.
8. What is the best way to find Sacred Tears early in the game?
Explore the churches in Limgrave and the Weeping Peninsula early in the game. The Third Church of Marika in Limgrave is a good starting point.
9. Are Sacred Tears considered consumable items?
Yes, Sacred Tears are consumable items used at Sites of Grace to upgrade your Sacred Flasks.
10. Can I sell Sacred Tears?
No, you cannot sell Sacred Tears. Their only purpose is to upgrade your flasks.
11. What happens if I don’t use any Sacred Tears?
If you don’t use any Sacred Tears, your flasks will remain at their base restoration level, making it more difficult to manage your HP and FP as you progress through the game and face tougher challenges.
12. What if I accidentally used a Sacred Tear and didn’t mean to?
Once a Sacred Tear is used, the upgrade is permanent. There’s no way to undo it, but since the upgrade is always beneficial, there’s no need to worry about accidentally using one.
13. What’s the difference between Crimson Tears and Cerulean Tears?
Flask of Crimson Tears restores HP (health), while Flask of Cerulean Tears restores FP (Focus Points), which are used for weapon skills and summoning spirit ashes.
14. How does flask potency affect summoning spirit ashes?
While Sacred Tears don’t directly affect spirit ash summoning costs, having more potent Flasks of Cerulean Tears allows you to replenish your FP more effectively, enabling you to summon spirit ashes more frequently.
15. Are there any educational resources related to gaming and learning, like Elden Ring?
Yes, there are organizations dedicated to exploring the educational potential of video games. Check out the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org, which focuses on research and collaboration in the field of games and learning. Gaming is a great way to teach the youth of today many different skills, which is why the Games Learning Society is so important.