Elden Ring has a myriad of different Ashes of War to choose from, each with a different effect and utility in combat. Though veteran players will have their favorite choices and strategies, few can match the raw power of Royal Knight's Resolve. After the Colosseum patch, it became one of the most infamous Ashes of War in PvP. It's just that effective in the right hands.
Players interested in maximizing their physical damage output or capitalizing on poise breaks will want to have Royal Knight’s Resolve by their side. Here's what it is, how to find this powerful Ash of War, and how best to use it.
What Is Royal Knight's Resolve?
- Increases the damage of the next attack by 40%
- Lasts 10 seconds or until a successful hit
- FP Cost: 15
Royal Knight's Resolve is an Ash of War that increases your damage for one attack. This makes it useless for fast weapons that need multiple attacks to deal respectable damage and perfect for big, slow attacks that deal a catastrophic amount of damage in one swing.
In addition to this, its strength also lies in its quick cast time, its 10-second duration (which provides plenty of time to get in a devastating hit or a parry), and its low FP cost. Thanks to the latter, it can fit into almost any build without being a huge drain on resources.
Where to Find Royal Knight's Resolve
Before anything else, this path requires two Stonesword Keys to reach the Ash of War. If you're having a hard time finding these keys, check our guide to all of the Stonesword Key locations. Starting from the Temple of Eiglay Site of Grace, face the altar of Rykard and head out of the back-left passage. Take the elevator on the immediate right and continue down the hallway.
Wait, The Elevator Is Missing!
If that elevator is missing, don’t panic. Here's the path to take if this is the case.
Head back toward the Temple of Eiglay Site of Grace and use the lift to the right of the altar. Once at the top, head out the doorway and onto the Temple’s balcony. Look toward the east and jump off the balcony onto the volcanic land below. Since it’s here, grab the Effigy of the Martyr, and continue up the volcanic path.
The path will lead to a corpse with a Furlcalling Finger Remedy sitting at the edge of a cliff. Leap down to the path on the left and follow it upward. This path will lead back toward the manor. Head northwest and hop along each rock formation to reach the other side safely and follow the walls of the manor.
Be aware, just around the corner is an Abductor Virgin enemy who can be tricky to fight in such a small area.
Just northwest of the Abductor Virgin is a small tunnel on the other side of the lake of lava. Head toward that tunnel and roll through the lava to mitigate damage and travel through the molten rock faster. Once through the tunnel, climb the ladder to your right and you'll find yourself in a long hallway.
Back On Track
If the elevator just outside the Temple of Eiglay is available, then this hallway is where it will lead to. Dodge the various Man-Serpent enemies and head toward the northern end of the hallway, which will lead to a new room with a single doorway to the right. Walk through that doorway and up the staircase to the left. Continue following the staircase upward, and it will lead to a balcony with a single doorway in the middle of it. Go through that doorway and there will be a misty door.
Unlock the door with a Stonesword Key by interacting with the gargoyle to the right. Follow that passageway into a room filled with hanging cages. The cages form a path downward, so move carefully from cage to cage until you reach the ground floor.
There's an enemy just above the cages who will be launching projectiles at you, so don't spend too much time planning out your next jump!
The floor has a few crawling Albinaurics to dispatch. Just past them, in the eastern part of the hallway, is a well-lit room with a picture of Rykard before he became a snake-shaped sin against the Erdtree. Just below that portrait, in front of the fireplace, is a corpse with the Royal Knight’s Resolve ashes on it.
How To Use Royal Knight's Resolve
Royal Knight’s Resolve is best used with a strength or dexterity focused build, since the buff only affects your weapon's damage. With those stats in mind, there are two common strategies to use with Royal Knight’s Resolve: jumping attacks and critical strikes.
- Strength builds prefer building around jumping attacks, specifically the formidable Giant-Crusher Hammer because its massive base stats and slow swing speed make it a perfect fit for the Royal Knight's buff. Adding a Claw Talisman and the Raptor's Black Feathers armor will further increase your jumping attack's damage. While one Giant-Crusher with Royal Knight’s Resolve can be terrifying, wielding two Giant-Crushers each with Royal Knight’s Resolve is enough power to one-shot almost any target.
- Alternatively, if you’re dedicated to parries or making the most out of poise breaks, Royal Knight’s Resolve is perfect to use with the Misericorde Dagger for explosive critical strikes. For the sake of convenience, keep an eye out for enemies that can be staggered long enough to cast Royal Knight’s Resolve first, and then immediately follow up with a critical strike. This way, you won't have to worry about the 10 second timer when you're fighting these opponents.
How to Use Royal Knight's Resolve in PvP
If you’re going into the Colosseum then pairing Royal Knight’s Resolve with a spear or long-reaching weapon will help catch enemy Tarnished when they try to roll to safety. Alternatively, you can step into the arena with a double Giant Crusher build to turn a Combat Ordeal (FFA) into a relaxing game of Whack-A-Mole.
In addition, there are two points to be aware of when using this Ash of War against other players. First, as of version 1.09, Royal Knight's Resolve has had its "effectiveness reduced" in only PvP. Second, the biggest weakness to Royal Knight’s Resolve is enemy Tarnished running away from you for 10 seconds. Bringing a ranged spell or a ranged weapon will help mitigate this weakness by damaging your opponents while they try to run away. Keep in mind that if you choose a ranged spell, it will make your entire build extremely FP hungry.