Talismans are the final brushstroke on a build—the small, shiny square that turns a good setup into a weapon of habit. One swap and your stamina surges back. Another, and every Ash of War hits like a freight train. In a game built on tiny edges, these charms are the edges.

This 2025 guide keeps things sharp and honest. You’ll get clear picks for every playstyle, quick directions to their locations, and clever pairings that make bosses blink. We’ll cover early game comfort, mid‑game power spikes, and endgame staples that still carry in New Game+. If you love a clean win, this is your toolkit.

Note on versions: As of 2025, Elden Ring plus its expansion adds dozens of talismans. The picks below focus on items that stay valuable across patches and playstyles. Where an item shifts in PvP, we call that out.

• You start with one slot.

• You can increase up to four slots by finding Talisman Pouches through major milestones and key encounters.

• Build planning begins here: slots are precious, so think in roles —damage, sustain, utility, safety.

A simple rule: Commit two slots to your build’s core (damage engine), keep one for sustain or safety, and leave one flex slot you swap per boss or area.

Think of this as your carry‑on: no fluff, just winners. Locations are kept clear enough to get you moving without spoiling the route.

Strength & Quality (big blades, colossal bonks)

• Shard of Alexander — The skill booster for heavy weapons. Your Ash of War becomes the main dish. Great on Lion’s Claw, Giant‑Hunt, Royal Knight’s Resolve setups. Questline reward tied to the Iron Fist with the jar for a head; there’s also a quicker, harsher route if you choose to end his journey yourself.

• Erdtree’s Favor +2 — Extra HP, stamina, and equip load in one square. Late grab, forever useful. Found in the ash‑blanketed capital later in the story.

• Great‑Jar’s Arsenal — A huge bump to equip load so you can swing heavy and stay in medium roll. Earned from the trio of duelist summons near the massive jar in northern Caelid.

• Ritual Sword Talisman — Bonus damage while at max HP. Great for boss openers and jump‑attack strings. Found in Altus ruins after clearing the local threat.

Dexterity & Bleed (katanas, twinblades, curved swords)

• Millicent’s Prosthesis — +5 Dex and rising damage on successive hits. Feels made for twinblades or power‑stanced curved swords. Tied to a long questline; there’s also an alternate reward if you make a different choice.

• Rotten Winged Sword Insignia — Stronger successive‑attack bonus than the base insignia; stacks beautifully with the Prosthesis. Reward tied to helping a certain red‑haired warrior at the end of her path.

• Lord of Blood’s Exultation — Bursts your damage when blood loss happens nearby. Bleed builds live here. Down in the catacombs beneath the capital.

• Claw Talisman — Buffs jump attacks; pairs well with dual katanas leaping in. High perch in the storm‑lashed castle early on.

Intelligence & Sorcery (staffs, pebbles, meteors)

• Graven‑Mass Talisman — Noticeable boost to sorceries. The cornerstone for any pure caster. Pieced together through magical curios and a chilly study hall.

• Radagon Icon — Faster cast time; lets you fire off spells inside narrow punish windows. An academy prize behind a light puzzle.

• Godfrey Icon — A pop for charged spells and skills. Shines with charged Comet or Greatblade Phalanx setups. Evergaol reward after a golden heir’s rematch.

• Primal Glintstone Blade — Lowers FP cost in exchange for HP; keep it for trash melts, swap out for bosses if the trade feels rough. Deep inside a stormed prison town.

Faith & Incantations (scales, flame, lightning)

• Flock’s Canvas Talisman — Big nudge to incantation potency. Staple for Faith casters. A gift from a penitent path after a grim errand.

• Two Fingers Heirloom — +5 Faith when you’re stat‑tight early; respec out later. Found in a ravaged ruin near the lake.

• Fire Scorpion Charm / Lightning Scorpion Charm — Elemental damage up, physical mitigation down. Swap per boss weakness. Tucked inside key dungeons that match the element’s theme.

• Canvas Talisman (base) — Smaller boost than Flock’s, but easy early pick and stackable with other damage pieces.

Stance Breakers & Skill Users

• Shard of Alexander (again, yes) — If your plan is “skill, skill, riposte,” this is home base.

• Axe Talisman — Charged heavy hits sting more; use with colossal heavies for easy staggers. Mine or cave reward early in Limgrave.

• Godfrey Icon — As above: charged talent gets paid.

Survivability & Utility (the clutch row)

• Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman — Huge physical damage reduction; the difference is obvious in boss chains. Late‑game fortress in the north of the Haligtree.

• Green Turtle Talisman — Faster stamina regen; turns you into a metronome. A short, key‑gated nook in the flooded hamlet.

• Assassin’s Crimson Dagger — Heals on critical hits (backstabs and ripostes). Perfect for parry players. Dropped by a shadowy assassin in a Limgrave catacomb.

• Ritual Shield Talisman — Damage cut at max HP; pairs cleanly with the Ritual Sword for “don’t get hit, hit harder” runs.

• Carian Filigreed Crest — FP discount on weapon skills. Great for Ash‑heavy builds and powerstance madness. Sold by a friendly smith after you talk about a certain wolf‑blooded knight.

Poise & Guard

• Greatshield Talisman — Raises guard boost on shields; fewer staggers, more guard counters.

• Bull‑Goat’s Talisman — Big poise boost. For those who like to trade in the pocket.

This section keeps directions high‑level. If you want a step‑by‑step, follow the region tags and landmarks.

• Stormveil Castle : Early skill checks and two easy pickups for jump‑attack love and a few niche items.

• Liurnia of the Lakes : Sorcery boosts and casting speed pieces tied to the academy and its side wings.

• Altus Plateau : Ritual pair, Faith raises, and a gateway to late‑game upgrades. Poke through ruins and the gold‑tipped hills.

• Caelid & Dragonbarrow : Equip‑load prize from the giant jar challenge; a few nasty detours hide Dexterity tools.

• Leyndell & Catacombs beneath : Status‑trigger damage, defensive staples, and a shocking number of traps—watch your step.

• Haligtree & Elphael : Endgame defense king and late caster candy. Come prepared.

• Ashen Capital : The +2 of the classic tree’s favor. Leave with it; don’t leave without it.

PvP tuning shifts numbers at times, but the utility remains. If you battle other players often, test swaps to match the current feel.

Rule 1: Don’t double up on the same niche. Two FP discounts rarely beat one discount plus a damage boost. Mix roles.

Rule 2: Build a trigger. If you slot Lord of Blood’s Exultation , bring a weapon or spell that actually procs blood quickly. Buffs that never trigger are just pretty icons.

Rule 3: Respect equip load. Damage is nothing if you fat‑roll. If your armor or weapon plan pushes you into heavy roll, slot Great‑Jar’s Arsenal or Erdtree’s Favor and breathe.

Rule 4: Think in phases. Boss openers are safe— Ritual Sword shines here. Mid‑fight, when you get nicked, swap to talismans that don’t depend on perfect HP.

Rule 5: For casters, speed + power > greed. Radagon Icon (speed) plus Graven‑Mass (power) turns narrow punish windows into free casts. Add Godfrey Icon only if you actually charge often.

• Green Turtle Talisman — Grab this the moment you can open a fog door with a key. Your stamina bar will thank you all game.

• Axe Talisman — From an early cave; great on heavy jump attacks with starting greatswords.

• Assassin’s Crimson Dagger — Tosses you a heal each time you land a riposte; great for learning parry timings.

• Two Fingers Heirloom / Radagon’s Scarseal (if you find it) — For tight stat checks. Use them to hit weapon requirements, then unequip once you respec or level.

These four carry through Limgrave and Liurnia while you hunt your first major pouches.

• Ritual Sword Talisman — Keeps your opener heavy. Pair with Claw Talisman for jump‑attack builds.

• Carian Filigreed Crest — If your weapon skill is the show, this is the ticket. You’ll cast more and drink less.

• Godfrey Icon — If you find yourself charging spells or skills often, take the upgrade. If you rarely charge, save the slot.

• Insignias (Sword / Rotten Winged) — If you swing fast, these stackers pay rent with every combo.

• Erdtree’s Favor +2 — The baseline comfort pick. Hard to argue against raw HP, stamina, and load in one square.

• Dragoncrest Greatshield — Tough fights get calmer when hits simply hurt less. Learn moves with this on; swap to damage once you’re cooking.

• Shard of Alexander — Endgame bosses respect clean skill use. This keeps pressure high.

• Lord of Blood’s Exultation or element charms — Slot per boss weakness and your build’s plan.

Colossal Strength (Lion’s Claw greatsword)

• Shard of Alexander (skill damage)

• Axe Talisman (charged heavies)

• Erdtree’s Favor +2 (comfort)

• Dragoncrest Greatshield (learn phase, then swap to Ritual Sword once comfy)

Dual Katana Bleed (Seppuku, power‑stance)

• Millicent’s Prosthesis

• Rotten Winged Sword Insignia

• Lord of Blood’s Exultation

• Claw Talisman (jump chains)
  Flex swap: Ritual Sword for openers if you play clean and heal often.

Int Caster (Rock Sling / Comet)

• Graven‑Mass

• Radagon Icon

• Godfrey Icon (if charging) or Primal Glintstone Blade (for trash melts)

• Dragoncrest Greatshield (boss learning) or Erdtree’s Favor +2 (general use)

Faith Hybrid (Black Flame / Lightning Spear, sword off‑hand)

• Flock’s Canvas

• Fire or Lightning Scorpion (swap per boss)

• Carian Filigreed Crest (spam weapon skills without chugging)

• Ritual Sword (if you start fights full) or Erdtree’s Favor +2

Shield & Guard Counter (Greatshield poke)

• Greatshield Talisman

• Dragoncrest Greatshield

• Erdtree’s Favor +2

• Axe Talisman (capitalizes on charged counters)

• Running four damage talismans. You’ll feel amazing until a boss combo deletes you. Keep one defensive or stamina piece.

• Ignoring equip load. If your roll turns clumsy, slot Great‑Jar’s Arsenal or Erdtree’s Favor and rethink your armor.

• Using status triggers without a trigger. Lord of Blood’s Exultation needs actual blood loss nearby. Bring it or bench it.

• Hanging on to stat‑raising heirlooms too long. They’re for hitting requirements. Once you level past the threshold, swap to real power.

• Charging icon with no charges. Godfrey Icon is wasted if you never charge.

Balance tweaks shift numbers, especially in duels. The broad truths stay the same:

• Cast faster or hit harder with your slot only if you actually lean on that action.

• One comfort talisman keeps a great run alive more often than a fourth damage mod.

• If you hate swapping, build a universal set (Erdtree’s Favor +2, Dragoncrest Greatshield, Shard of Alexander, a playstyle piece) and only change one square per fight.

A great talisman loadout feels like a tailored suit: nothing pinches, everything moves with you. Start with your core two, add one comfort, and keep the fourth square flexible. Re‑slot after a few pulls, not a few hours. That habit alone will save runs.

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