You’ve just stepped out into Limgrave. The sky is a sickly gold, a dragon is probably about to roast you alive in a lake, and you’re clutching a special weapon that feels... a bit weak. Whether you're rocking the Bloodhound's Fang or you sprinted straight for the Sword of Night and Flame, you need a Somber Smithing Stone 1. Standard stones won't cut it for these unique armaments.
It’s annoying. Honestly, it’s one of the first real "gear checks" in Elden Ring.
You can’t just farm these from every random soldier in a camp. They’re rarer. They’re specific. But once you find that first one, your damage output jumps significantly, making those early-game bosses like Margit feel a lot less like hitting a brick wall with a wet pool noodle.
Where to get Somber Smithing Stone 1 right away
If you want the absolute fastest route, you’re heading to the Limgrave Tunnels.
Most people miss this. Look at the northern tip of Agheel Lake. There’s a narrow entrance tucked into the cliffs. Inside, it’s dark, cramped, and filled with miners who really don't want you there. You don’t even have to kill the boss here—though the Stonedigger Troll is a pushover if you have magic or strike damage. Just explore the side tunnels. You’ll see a yellow-gold glint on the walls. That’s your prize.
But maybe you don't want to crawl through a damp hole.
Go to the Church of Elleh. You know, where Santa—I mean, Kale—hangs out. Just north of there, near the ruins where the gatefront is, there’s a giant troll hanging out on a bridge. Or rather, a bridge-like structure. If you look around the nearby cliffs of Stormhill, specifically near the Artist's Shack area, there are teetering chairs with corpses on them. One of them is just holding a Somber Smithing Stone 1, staring out at the sea. It’s morbid, sure, but it’s free loot.
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The Iji Shortcut
This is the "pro" move.
Skip the fighting. Hop on Torrent. Ride north through the eastern side of Limgrave, bypass Stormveil Castle by taking the hidden cliffside path to the finger reader crone, and enter Liurnia of the Lakes. Stick to the western shore. Keep riding north until you hit the Kingsrealm Ruins. There’s an illusory floor there, but ignore it for a second.
Just past the ruins sits a massive, friendly giant named War Counselor Iji.
He is a legend. Iji doesn't just talk; he sells. For a measly 2,000 Runes, you can just buy a Somber Smithing Stone 1. In fact, he sells an infinite amount of levels 1 and 2. He also has a few level 3s and 4s in stock. It completely trivializes the hunt. If you have the runes, this is the most efficient way to get your build online before you even fight a single major boss.
Other weird spots you might have missed
Elden Ring loves hiding things in plain sight.
- Behind Stormveil: If you’ve already managed to get into the castle, there’s a lion guardian in the courtyard. It’s a nightmare to fight early on, but it drops a stone.
- The Teardrop Scarabs: See those silver rolling balls? Kill them. There’s one specifically in the western part of Limgrave, near the cliffs leading down to the beach, that carries exactly what you’re looking for.
- Morne Tunnel: Down in the Weeping Peninsula. It’s a bit of a trek south, but the miners there are practically tripping over smithing materials.
It's worth noting that Somber stones are "weighted" differently than regular ones. A +1 Somber weapon is roughly equivalent to a +3 or +4 regular weapon. That's why the game is so stingy with them in the first few hours. You’re essentially skipping several tiers of weapon reinforcement with a single item.
Don't waste your stones
Listen.
Special weapons are cool, but Somber stones are finite until you get the Bell Bearings. Don't go spending your first level 1 stone on a weapon you’re "just okay" with. Test the moveset first. Do you like the heavy attack? Is the Ash of War actually useful, or does it just look flashy?
I’ve seen too many players burn their early stones on the Reduvia only to realize they hate the short range of daggers.
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The Bell Bearing: Making it Infinite
Eventually, you won't want to hunt for these individually. You’ll want to buy them in bulk.
To do this, you need the Somberstone Miner's Bell Bearing (1).
You’ll find this in Sellia Crystal Tunnels. Warning: this place is a death trap if you’re low level. It’s the place you get teleported to if you open that "trap chest" in the Dragon-Burnt Ruins. The boss is a Fallingstar Beast. It's fast, it hits like a freight train, and it has gravitational magic.
Once you kill it, take that Bell Bearing to the Twin Maiden Husks in Roundtable Hold.
Now, the "where to get Somber Smithing Stone 1" problem is solved forever. You can just buy them. This is crucial if you decide to swap builds halfway through the game and need to catch a new legendary weapon up to speed.
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Common misconceptions about Smithing Stones
A lot of people think you can "de-craft" weapons to get stones back.
You can't.
Once that stone is slotted into the weapon, it’s gone. The same goes for the runes spent on the upgrade. Also, people often confuse Somber stones with regular Smithing Stones. Look at the icon. Somber stones are white and jagged; regular ones are darker and more rectangular. They are not interchangeable. If your weapon requires "Somber," you cannot use ten regular stones to bypass it.
The game is rigid about this.
Actionable Next Steps
If you’re standing in Limgrave right now wondering what to do, follow this sequence:
- Ride to the Church of Elleh and make sure you have your horse, Torrent.
- Head to the Limgrave Tunnels at the north end of the lake for your first freebie.
- Push North to Liurnia and find Iji. He’s sitting right by the "Road to the Manor" Site of Grace.
- Buy the stones. It's better than farming.
- Upgrade at a blacksmith. Don't use the anvil at Elleh for Somber upgrades; it has a limit. Go to Master Hewg at the Roundtable Hold.
By the time you finish this loop, your special weapon will be hitting significantly harder, and you’ll be ready to actually stand a chance against the horrors waiting in Stormveil Castle.