The Axe Talisman is one of the most valuable early-game accessories you can find in Elden Ring, providing a significant boost to charged attacks regardless of your chosen build path. Despite its name suggesting a connection to axe weapons specifically, this talisman actually benefits all melee weapons that can perform charged heavy attacks. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about the Axe Talisman – from its exact location and how to obtain it safely, to its effects, optimal uses in various builds, and powerful synergies with other items.
What is the Axe Talisman?
The Axe Talisman is a powerful accessory that enhances charge attacks by 10%. According to its description: “A talisman depicting an axe and a warrior. Enhances charge attacks. The Lord who led the Long March bore an axe, and his loyal warriors honored him by wielding axes of their own, making them very effective at dealing decisive blows.”
This talisman increases the damage of charged heavy melee attacks by 10%, making it particularly valuable for strength-focused builds that utilize weapons capable of delivering devastating charged strikes. The talisman weighs 0.8 units, making it a lightweight option that won’t significantly impact your equip load.
Exact Location of the Axe Talisman
The Axe Talisman is located in Mistwood Ruins in eastern Limgrave, making it one of the earliest talismans you can acquire in the game. Here’s a step-by-step guide to finding it:
Starting Point Options
- From Agheel Lake North Site of Grace: Head eastward, cross a short footbridge, then follow the highway leading to the Third Church of Marika. From there, trek south into the Mistwood forest.
- From Mistwood Outskirts Site of Grace: This grace is located southeast of Limgrave. From here, summon Torrent and head south through the forest.
Navigating to Mistwood Ruins
Once you’re in the Mistwood area:
- Continue south until you reach the Mistwood Ruins
- Be cautious as you explore – several Runebears patrol this area and can deal significant damage to low-level characters
- In the ruins, you’ll find a sleeping Runebear near a staircase
Accessing the Underground Cellar
- Locate the staircase leading down to a cellar
- The entrance is guarded by a Lesser Runebear surrounded by several Trina Lilies
- Open the iron gate at the bottom of the stairs
- Inside the cellar, you’ll find a treasure chest containing the Axe Talisman
Dealing with the Runebear
The Runebear guarding the entrance to the cellar can be challenging, especially for low-level characters. Here are some strategies:
- Stealth Approach: If you’re at a low level, consider luring the Runebear away from the entrance, then quickly running down the stairs while it’s distracted. The bear’s large size prevents it from following you into the cellar.
- Direct Combat: If you’re confident in your abilities, you can fight the Runebear. Target its sides or rear to avoid its powerful frontal attacks.
- Torrent Strategy: Use Torrent’s mobility to your advantage – quickly dismount near the staircase, run down to get the talisman, then sprint back up and mount Torrent to escape.
How the Axe Talisman Works
Understanding exactly how the Axe Talisman functions is essential for maximizing its benefits:
What It Affects:
- Increases charged heavy melee attack damage by 10%
- Works with all melee weapon types, not just axes
- Affects the unique charged heavy attacks granted by roar buffs like War Cry, Barbaric Roar, and Braggart’s Roar
What It Doesn’t Affect:
- Does not enhance charged sorceries or incantations
- Does not work with skills that simply include “charge” in their name (e.g., Ash of War: Charge Forth, Ash of War: Prelate’s Charge)
- Does not enhance projectiles launched by charged heavy attacks of certain weapons (e.g., Frozen Needle, Wing of Astel, Dark Moon Greatsword when buffed by Moonlight Greatsword)
How to Perform Charged Attacks
For those new to Elden Ring’s combat system, charged attacks are performed by holding down the strong attack input (R2/RT/right mouse button) until you see your character fully wind up, then releasing the button. The timing varies by weapon, with heavier weapons typically having longer charge times.
Best Weapons to Pair with the Axe Talisman
While the Axe Talisman works with virtually any melee weapon that can perform charged heavy attacks, certain weapons benefit more from this boost due to their attack patterns, damage output, and unique properties:
Top Weapon Choices
- Greatswords/Colossal Swords
- Greatsword
- Zweihander
- Troll’s Golden Sword
- Claymore
- Great Hammers/Colossal Weapons
- Great Club
- Prelate’s Inferno Crozier
- Giant-Crusher
- Specialized Weapons with Unique Charged Attacks
- Highland Axe (provides additional synergy by boosting roar attacks)
- Pickaxe (deals pierce damage, allowing it to benefit from both Axe Talisman and Spear Talisman)
- Iron Cleaver/Celebrant’s Cleaver (unique charged heavy attack with run-up)
- Nagakiba (long reach for charged thrusting attacks)
- Weapons with Thrusting Charged Attacks (for Spear Talisman synergy)
- Great Spears
- Heavy Thrusting Swords
- Thrusting Swords
- Spears
Weapon Selection Based on Build Type
| Build Type | Recommended Weapons | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pure Strength | Giant-Crusher, Greatsword, Great Club | Focus on maximum damage output per hit |
| Quality (STR/DEX) | Claymore, Nagakiba, Zweihander | Balance between damage and speed |
| Strength/Faith | Prelate’s Inferno Crozier, Golden Halberd | Add fire or holy damage to charged attacks |
| Dexterity-focused | Nagakiba, Heavy Thrusting Swords | Faster charge times, good for thrust damage |
| Roar-focused | Highland Axe, Battle Axe with War Cry | Stack with Roar Medallion for maximum effect |
Best Builds and Talisman Combinations
The Axe Talisman truly shines when incorporated into cohesive builds and combined with complementary talismans and equipment:
Essential Talisman Combinations
- Pure Charged Attack Build
- Axe Talisman (10% charged attack damage)
- Roar Medallion (if using Barbaric Roar, War Cry, etc.)
- Shard of Alexander (boosts skill damage by 15%)
- Ritual Sword Talisman (10% damage boost at full HP)
- Thrusting Charged Attack Build
- Axe Talisman (10% charged attack damage)
- Spear Talisman (15% counter-thrust damage)
- Claw Talisman (for jump attacks between charged attacks)
- Two-Handed Sword Talisman (if two-handing weapons)
- Poise-focused Charged Attack Build
- Axe Talisman (10% charged attack damage)
- Bull-Goat’s Talisman (increased poise)
- Great-Jar’s Arsenal (increases equipment load)
- Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman (physical damage negation)
- Early Game Optimization
- Axe Talisman (10% charged attack damage)
- Claw Talisman (for jump attacks)
- Arsenal Charm (increased equipment load)
- Crimson Amber Medallion (increased HP)
Stat Distribution for Axe Talisman Builds
| Build Type | Vigor | Mind | Endurance | Strength | Dexterity | Intelligence | Faith | Arcane |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pure Strength | 40-60 | 10-15 | 30-40 | 60-80 | Minimum | Base | Base | Base |
| Quality | 40-60 | 10-15 | 25-30 | 40-55 | 40-55 | Base | Base | Base |
| Str/Faith Hybrid | 40-50 | 15-25 | 25-30 | 50-60 | Minimum | Base | 25-40 | Base |
| Roar-focused | 40-50 | 10-20 | 25-35 | 50-70 | Minimum | Base | Base | Base |
Advanced Synergies and Combinations
To truly maximize the potential of the Axe Talisman, consider these advanced synergies and item combinations:
Crystal Tear Synergies
The Spiked Cracked Crystal Tear is a perfect companion to the Axe Talisman. When added to your Wondrous Physick mix, it:
- Boosts charged attack damage by an additional 15% for 3 minutes
- Stacks with the Axe Talisman’s 10% boost for a combined 25% increase
Ash of War Synergies
Certain Ashes of War pair exceptionally well with the Axe Talisman:
- Barbaric Roar
- Changes heavy attacks to unique spinning slashes
- These count as charged attacks and benefit from the Axe Talisman
- Further boosted when combined with the Roar Medallion
- War Cry
- Similar to Barbaric Roar with different attack animations
- Excellent on axes and hammers
- Enables charged roar attacks that receive the talisman’s bonus
- Lion’s Claw
- Powerful overhead slam that breaks enemy poise
- While not directly boosted by the Axe Talisman, it complements a charged attack playstyle
Armor and Equipment Synergies
For a complete charged attack build, consider these equipment options:
- Bull-Goat Set or other heavy armor
- Provides maximum poise to avoid interruption during charge-up
- Requires investment in Endurance or equipment load talismans
- Flame, Grant Me Strength incantation
- Increases physical and fire damage by 20%
- Stacks with the Axe Talisman’s boost
Tactical Usage in Combat
Effectively utilizing charged attacks requires proper timing and positioning. Here are some tactical tips:
- Boss Fight Strategies
- Look for windows after boss attacks with long recovery animations
- Position yourself during the boss’s attack animation to be ready to unleash your charged attack
- Use jumping charged attacks to close distance while maintaining offensive pressure
- PvP Applications
- Charged attacks are more difficult to land in PvP due to player mobility
- Use them as roll-catch techniques or after parrying an opponent
- Combine with Barbaric Roar for unpredictable attack patterns
- Enemy Type Considerations
- Most effective against large, slow enemies
- Less effective against agile opponents unless timed perfectly
- Excellent for breaking stance on shielded enemies
Comparing the Axe Talisman to Other Damage-Boosting Talismans
To understand the Axe Talisman’s value, it’s helpful to compare it with other damage-boosting options:
| Talisman | Effect | Best Use Case | Compared to Axe Talisman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axe Talisman | 10% boost to charged attacks | Strength builds using large weapons | Baseline comparison |
| Claw Talisman | 15% boost to jump attacks | Aggressive playstyles, dual-wielding | Easier to execute but less damage per hit |
| Ritual Sword | 10% damage boost at full HP | Early combat, ranged strategies | Consistent but conditional |
| Shard of Alexander | 15% boost to skill damage | Weapon art focused builds | Better for skill-spamming playstyles |
| Roar Medallion | Boosts roar attacks | Synergizes with Axe Talisman for roar builds | Specializes in one attack type |
| Two-Handed Sword | 15% boost when two-handing | Pure melee with no shield | More consistent but limits options |
Frequently Asked Questions about the Axe Talisman
Q1: Does the Axe Talisman work with all weapons or just axes?
Despite its name, the Axe Talisman works with all melee weapons that can perform charged heavy attacks, not just axes. This includes greatswords, hammers, spears, and even fist weapons.
Q2: Does the Axe Talisman stack with other damage-boosting effects?
Yes, the Axe Talisman’s 10% damage boost stacks multiplicatively with most other damage-boosting effects. Particularly powerful combinations include the Spiked Cracked Crystal Tear (15% additional charged attack damage), the Roar Medallion (for roar attacks), and buffs like “Flame, Grant Me Strength.”
Q3: Is the Axe Talisman worth a talisman slot for my build?
The value of the Axe Talisman depends entirely on your playstyle. If you frequently use charged heavy attacks, especially with slower, high-damage weapons, then it’s definitely worth a slot. For builds that rarely use charged attacks in favor of light attack chains or weapon skills, other talismans would provide more consistent benefits.
Q4: Can I find a better version of the Axe Talisman later in the game?
Unlike some talismans in Elden Ring that have +1 or +2 variants (like Erdtree’s Favor), the Axe Talisman does not have upgraded versions. The 10% boost is the maximum available from this talisman type.
Q5: How does the Axe Talisman compare to similarly themed talismans from previous FromSoftware games?
The Axe Talisman functions similarly to the Leo Ring from Dark Souls, which boosted thrust counter damage. However, the Axe Talisman is more versatile since it applies to all charged heavy attacks regardless of damage type, making it useful for a wider variety of builds.
Conclusion
The Axe Talisman is a versatile and powerful accessory that can significantly enhance many melee-focused builds in Elden Ring. Its location in the early-game area of Mistwood Ruins makes it accessible to players from nearly the beginning of their journey, while its 10% boost to charged attack damage provides a substantial advantage throughout the entire game.
Whether you’re wielding a massive colossal weapon, focusing on piercing attacks with spears, or creating a specialized build around roar attacks, the Axe Talisman deserves strong consideration for one of your precious talisman slots. By understanding its mechanics and synergies, you can create devastating combinations that will help you overcome even the most formidable challenges in the Lands Between.
For players who enjoy the high-risk, high-reward playstyle of charged attacks, this talisman is not just a good choice – it’s an essential cornerstone of an optimized build that can deliver crushing blows to any opponent who dares stand in your way.
