An Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone is an upgrading material found in Elden Ring. Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone is used to help strengthen armaments upwards to +25. There are 13 Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones that can be found throughout the game. With the ample weapon arsenal, Elden Ring offers its players, acquiring Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones is incredibly helpful in maxing-out weapon strength.
Even though players can obtain lower-level Smithing Stones, upgrading weapons to 25 will require an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. However, there’s a restriction to the number in each run, and it’s important to keep in mind when putting the Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones to use. Below is a map of all the 13 Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones.
1/13 Nepheli Loux Quest Line
Upon completing the Nepheli Loux quest line, players will meet Nepheli in her throne room at Stormveil Castle and will be rewarding an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
2/13 Gostoc the Gatekeeper
After the Nepheli Loux quest line, Gostoc the Gatekeeper (whom players might've met earlier within the castle) can sell the player an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone for 20,000 Runes. Gastoc the Gatekeeper is a strange, tall man who will linger in the throne room. He's the same character who gave the player the Elden Ring Stormveil gate choice. For Gastoc to appear for this interaction, he must be alive and will not spawn if he's been killed.
3/13 Sorceress Sellen Quest Line
During the Sorceress Sellen quest line, there will be a choice the player must decide - either side with Witch-Hunter Jerren or Sellen. Make sure to side with Jerren, doing so will grant you the Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone by the end of the quest line. Siding with Sellen means not getting the Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. Siding with Jerren will also be the final step to finishing the quest.
4/13 Gurranq Quest Line
There are two ways to obtain this Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. The first way is to feed each of the Deathroot locations and give them all to Gurranq, the Beast Clergyman. The second way is to kill Gurranq after completing the Maliketh boss fight.
5/13 Inside a Giant's Skull
Within the treacherous Mountaintops of the Giants and southeast of the Church of Repose, there’s a giant skull of a giant corpse, enveloped in thick snow. Very powerful enemies roam the area so beware of your surroundings. The Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone can be found inside the mouth of the Giant’s Skull.
6/13 Killing the Nameless Dragon
Toward the beginning of Crumbling Farum Azula, a dragon will swoop down with devastating lightning attacks. Killing the dragon will reward the player with an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
7/13 Dragon Temple in Farum Azula
Unlike most of the other ways of receiving an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone, this one is heavily concealed and will not be given to the player via a reward or a purchasable item. Traverse up the spiral stairs in the Dragon Temple until you’ve reached the very top. There will be a hovering pillar – jump onto it to reach a room, which will have a corpse inside. The Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone will be on the corpse inside the room.
8/13 Dragon Encounter on the Dragon Temple Rooftop of Farum Azula
There’s a specific dragon on the rooftop of the Dragon Temple. Killing and looting the dragon will give the player another Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. The dragon will appear from afar at first, spawning lightning rain.
9/13 Night’s Calvary
On the southwest outskirts of the Consecrated Snowfields, two of the Night’s Calvary will be actively guarding a caravan outside in the snow. Killing both enemies will not only grant the player an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone, but also the Night’s Calvary armor set. Keep in mind, that to receive these items, players can’t die or rest at the Site of Grace.
10/13 Consecrated Snowfield
Unlike some others on this list, players will not need to kill any enemies to retrieve this Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. In the middle area of the Consecrated Snowfield Site of Grace, progress the river toward the east of the map. Dodge the Magma Wyrm to find the Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone against the frozen wall.
11/13 Yelough Anix Tunnel
This next Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone will be on top of a corpse, just past the Onyx Lord boss within the Yelough Anix Tunnel. Players will not need to kill any enemies to get it – however, there will be a lingering enemy nearby.
12/13 Miquella’s Haligtree
On the southernmost side of Miquella’s Haligtree, a Leonine Misbegotten is guarding a statue where the Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone is. It’s found on top of a corpse nearby.
13/13 The Fallout of the Loretta Boss Fight
Loretta, Knight of the Haligtree is located within Miquella’s Haligtree. Acquiring this Dragon Smithing Stone will require the player to defeat Loretta. Upon doing so, head downstairs through the arena. Do not take the elevator – simply go to the roof. A chest is found before obtaining the Stone. Inside the chest is the next Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.