Upgrading equipment in Elden Ring is more than a simple boost to numbers—it's often the difference between surviving a boss fight or seeing that all-too-familiar “You Died” screen. Whether you're exploring the depths of Nokron or scaling the mountaintops, investing resources in the right gear can dramatically improve your performance.

Here are 15 critical items that every player should prioritize upgrading, especially if you're looking to squeeze every advantage from your build.

1. Main Weapon

No matter your build—strength, dexterity, faith, or intelligence—your primary weapon should always be at the top of your upgrade list. A fully upgraded weapon can significantly increase your DPS, stagger potential, and scaling benefits. Keep this as your baseline priority.

2. Sacred Seals and Staves

Casters often overlook upgrading their casting tools, but they directly affect spell potency. Whether it’s the Finger Seal, Erdtree Seal, or Lusat’s Glintstone Staff, bringing these to max level will drastically improve your Incantations or Sorceries.

3. Spirit Ashes

Mimic Tear, Lhutel the Headless, and Black Knife Tiche are just a few examples of Spirit Ashes that can turn the tide of boss fights. Spend your Grave or Ghost Glovewort wisely to keep them upgraded alongside your level progression.

4. Flask of Wondrous Physick

While you don’t upgrade this like a weapon, customizing it with the right Crystal Tears makes it far more powerful. Mixing tears like the Opaline Bubbletear or Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear can provide both defense and offense in critical moments.

5. Ashes of War

When equipped on compatible weapons, Ashes of War scale with weapon upgrades and become even more effective. Whether it’s Bloodhound’s Step or Lion’s Claw, pairing the right Ash with a maxed weapon can define your entire combat strategy.

6. Shields

If you’re relying on block-heavy builds or parrying, upgrading your shield improves its Guard Boost and reduces stamina loss. This is especially important when fighting tough enemies like Crucible Knights or Misbegotten warriors.

7. Bows and Crossbows

Ranged weapons often sit in the backburner, but upgrading them opens up safe options in certain boss fights or PvP situations. Fully upgraded bows combined with status-inflicting arrows can be extremely useful in layered combat.

8. Torches and Utility Weapons

Tools like the Sentry’s Torch or Torchpole can be surprisingly effective when upgraded, especially when exploring areas with invisible enemies or fighting beasts weak to fire. They’re situational, but worth the investment.

9. Faith-Based Weapons

Weapons like the Blasphemous Blade or Coded Sword scale off Faith and deal devastating elemental or holy damage when fully upgraded. These are key to any Faith-only build.

10. Catalysts for Hybrid Builds

If you run a hybrid build, such as a Dex/Int or Str/Faith combo, don’t neglect the secondary tool you cast from. The Prince of Death’s Staff, for example, is excellent when split-scaling with other stats. Upgrading it complements your entire arsenal.

11. Status Effect Weapons

Weapons that inflict Bleed, Frostbite, Scarlet Rot, or Poison scale extremely well with upgrades. Their buildup speed increases, meaning you’ll trigger effects much faster against tougher enemies or invaders.

12. Thrown Weapons

Items like Kukris, Poisonbone Darts, and Fan Daggers may seem like minor additions, but upgraded versions (if crafting or damage boosts are applicable) can interrupt casting or stagger weaker mobs in tight encounters.

13. Secondary Melee Weapons

Sometimes you’ll need a backup weapon for enemies resistant to your primary choice. Keep a secondary sword, dagger, or hammer upgraded for variety and coverage.

14. Torch for Light-Only Exploration

Even if not used in combat, a torch with special effects—such as Beast-Repellent Torch—when upgraded can deal extra damage or ward off creatures in specific areas, making your exploration safer and more efficient.

15. Somber Smithing Stone Weapons

Legendary and unique weapons like Moonveil, Rivers of Blood, or Maliketh’s Black Blade rely on Somber Smithing Stones. Prioritize upgrading these as soon as possible, since they only need one stone per level and have huge stat returns.

Elden Ring’s upgrade system rewards planning. You don’t need to upgrade everything, but focusing on items that support your build and complement your combat style makes a huge difference in the game’s more punishing areas. For players looking to experiment or test multiple weapons without farming endlessly, some opt to buy Elden Ring items or gather cheap Elden Ring runes to accelerate their progress.