You've finally made it past Godrick. Maybe you even took down Rennala. But now, your weapon feels like a wet noodle against the tanky knights in Caelid or the Leyndell outskirts. You need more power. Specifically, you need to find Smithing Stone 4 Elden Ring materials to get those standard armaments up to +12. It’s that awkward mid-game hump where the game stops holding your hand and expects you to actually know where the mines are hidden.
Honestly, it’s frustrating. You’ll have dozens of level 1 and 2 stones rotting in your inventory, but the level 4s? They’re strangely scarce if you don't know the specific cave systems of Liurnia and Caelid. If you're rocking a Bloodhound's Fang, this isn't for you—you need Somber stones. But for the Claymore lovers, the Uchigatana purists, and the Twinblade fanatics, the hunt for the "four" is a mandatory rite of passage.
The Best Spots to Find Smithing Stone 4 Elden Ring Early
The absolute gold mine is the Raya Lucaria Crystal Tunnel. It’s tucked away on the northeastern shore of the Liurnia of the Lakes. Don’t just rush to the boss. Scour the walls. The yellow-gold ore deposits sticking out of the rock are what you’re looking for. You’ll walk out of there with a handful of level 3 and level 4 stones just by being thorough. The miners here are annoying because they have high physical resistance, so bring a strike weapon—like a mace or even a torch—to crack their shells. Or just backstab them. That works too.
Caelid is another story. It’s a nightmare landscape, but the Gael Tunnel on the border of Limgrave and Caelid is a literal treasure chest. It’s a bit of a challenge if you’re under-leveled, but the rewards are worth it. You’ll find several Smithing Stone 4 nodes scattered throughout the main cavern area. Watch out for the Land Octopuses hanging from the ceiling; they’re more of a jump-scare than a real threat if you see them coming.
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Then there’s the Precipice of Anticipation—wait, no, the Ruin-Strewn Precipice. This is the "climb" up to the Altus Plateau if you don't want to deal with the Grand Lift of Dectus. It’s a vertical gauntlet. As you scale the wooden platforms and ladders, check every nook. The developers hid a surprising amount of Smithing Stone 4 Elden Ring loot here because they knew players would need it before hitting the difficulty spike of the Plateau.
The Bell Bearing Shortcut
Farming is fine, but buying is better. You want the Smithing-Stone Miner's Bell Bearing [2]. This is the game-changer. Once you hand this to the Twin Maiden Husks at Roundtable Hold, they’ll sell you Smithing Stone 3 and 4 infinitely.
Where is it? Sealed Tunnel.
Go to the Altus Plateau, head to the moat outside the Leyndell capital walls, and look for a cave entrance. The gimmick of this dungeon is illusionary walls. Hit everything. Behind one of those fake walls is a chest containing the Bell Bearing. You don't even have to beat the boss to get it, though the Onyx Lord at the end is a fun fight if you’re into gravity magic.
Why Your Damage Feels Low
Even with a +12 weapon, you might feel weak. It’s usually not the stone's fault. It’s your scaling. By the time you’re using Smithing Stone 4 Elden Ring upgrades, you should have picked a "Heavy," "Keen," or "Quality" affinity using Ashes of War. If you’re pumping Strength but your weapon is still on "Standard" scaling, you’re leaving massive damage on the table.
Also, don't overlook the guards in Leyndell. The soldiers wearing the gold armor occasionally drop these stones. It’s a low drop rate—kinda miserable, actually—but if you’re already there farming for their armor set or Greatshield, it’s a nice bonus. Use a Silver-Pickled Fowl Foot to boost your Discovery if you’re going the farming route.
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Common Mistakes in the Mid-Game
People often waste their level 4 stones on too many different weapons. You get a cool new halberd, you upgrade it, then you find a straight sword and upgrade that too. Stop. Resources are finite until you get that Bell Bearing. Pick one or maybe two reliable tools and get them to +12 as fast as possible. The jump from +9 to +12 is significant. It’s often the difference between three-hitting an enemy and two-hitting them.
The Leyndell outskirts are teeming with these stones if you look near the abandoned camps and caravans. There’s a specific caravan being pulled by two giants in the Altus Plateau that often carries high-level upgrade materials in the chest at the back. Jump on, kill the giants (or just ninja the chest), and get out.
Summary of Locations
- Raya Lucaria Crystal Tunnel: Great for a quick haul in Liurnia.
- Gael Tunnel: Border of Limgrave/Caelid, high density of nodes.
- Sealed Tunnel: Essential for the Bell Bearing to unlock infinite purchases.
- Altus Plateau: General loot found in military camps and near the capital walls.
If you’re stuck in the lakes, head north. If you’re brave enough for the rot, head east. Just make sure you aren't ignoring the mines. They are clearly marked on your map as little orange-rimmed black holes once you've found the map fragment for that area.
Actionable Next Steps
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First, check your map for the Raya Lucaria Crystal Tunnel icon. If it’s not there, ride along the eastern cliffs of the Liurnia lake until you find the entrance. Clear it out. If you still need more, make a straight dash for the Sealed Tunnel in Altus to grab the Bell Bearing. This removes the "farming" aspect from the game entirely for this tier of stones, allowing you to focus on the actual bosses. Once you have the Bell Bearing, spend your souls—sorry, Runes—to buy enough stones to bring your primary weapon and your favorite shield or backup bow to +12. This will prepare you for the brutal difficulty increase waiting for you inside the Royal Capital.