To survive the extreme difficulty spike in the Realm of Shadow, unlocking Savage Lion's Claw, Blind Spot, Wing Stance, and Palm Blast right away is mandatory. These early Ashes of War give you the hyper-armor, posture damage, and iframe dodge mechanics required to defeat fast-moving bosses like the Blackgaol Knight and Divine Beast Dancing Lion. Unlocking these combat skills early will completely revolutionize your build before reaching Scadu Altus.
1. Savage Lion's Claw: The Ultimate Heavy Stance Breaker
The original Lion's Claw was already a legendary skill in the base game, but Savage Lion's Claw elevates front-line strength builds to an entirely new tier in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Unlike its predecessor, Savage Lion's Claw performs an immediate forward somersault strike followed by a second optional input that delivers a devastating follow-up slam. This sequence dishes out massive poise damage (~36 posture damage across both hits), making it capable of knocking down tough knights and elite field bosses in two full casts.
Location and Unlock Requirements
You can acquire Savage Lion's Claw almost immediately upon entering the Gravesite Plain. Head north from the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace towards the small enemy camp nestled against the cliffside path leading to Belurat. The Ash of War rests on a corpse inside an open tent on the northern perimeter of the camp. It requires no specific stats beyond the weapon requirements it is applied to, fitting best on Colossal Swords, Greatswords, and Heavy Greataxes.
Combat Breakdown & Synergy
- FP Cost: 12 FP for the initial strike + 12 FP for the follow-up slam (24 FP total).
- Poise Damage: High hyper-armor during activation; absorbs incoming light-to-medium hits without flinching.
- Affinity Focus: Heavy or Fire affinity to achieve S-tier Strength scaling.
To maximize this skill's potential alongside your primary stats, check our practical guide on how to level up fast in Shadow of the Erdtree to hit high vigor and endurance thresholds early.
2. Blind Spot: Unmatched Mobility and Low FP Efficiency
If your playstyle favors dexterity, speed, and evasion over heavy armor, Blind Spot is arguably the strongest skill you can acquire within the first 15 minutes of play. Defaulted on the new Backhand Blade weapon class, Blind Spot causes your Tarnished to duck under incoming strikes, slide laterally around the target's guard, and thrust cleanly into their flank.
Location and Unlock Requirements
The skill comes pre-equipped on the Backhand Blade, located northeast of the Scorched Ruins Site of Grace in Gravesite Plain. Look for a stone archway structure guarded by a group of hornsent enemies; the weapon rests on a coffin altar beneath the roof. You can also duplicate the Ash of War at any Blacksmith if you want to apply it to other Piercing Swords or Daggers.
Key Advantages
The defining strength of Blind Spot lies in its invulnerability frames (i-frames) and minimal resource cost:
- FP Cost: Only 9 FP per execution, allowing continuous spam without draining your Mind stat.
- Shield Bypass: Completely ignores enemy front-facing shields, punishing turtling opponents like Greatshield Hornsent Knights.
- I-Frame Dodge: The lateral dash functions similarly to Quickstep but immediately transitions into an aggressive, high-damage lunging counter-attack.
3. Wing Stance: High-Range Light Greatsword Superiority
Light Greatswords are a standout weapon addition in the expansion, offering the swift recovery of straight swords combined with the reach of greatswords. Wing Stance is the premier skill designed for this class, allowing players to enter a specialized stance with two distinct follow-up attacks.
By pressing light attack from the stance, your character unleashes a rapid three-hit slash combo. Pressing heavy attack triggers a massive forward flying thrust that covers immense distance, instantly breaking enemy posture and closing gaps against evasive targets.
Where to Find It
Wing Stance is located inside Castle Ensis. After clearing the initial courtyard and unlocking the Castle-Lord's Chamber Grace, head out onto the upper rampart tower. Look for a chest tucked away inside a small western turret tower. Obtaining Wing Stance early requires clearing or sneaking past the Castle Ensis exterior defenses.
Stat and Build Recommendations
Wing Stance scales remarkably well with Quality (Strength/Dexterity) or Keen setups. Pair this skill with weapons detailed in our roundup of legendary weapons in Shadow of the Erdtree to establish an unstoppable mid-game offensive build. Reference details on weapon stats on the official Fextralife Elden Ring Wiki.
4. Palm Blast: Hyper-Armor Stance Crusher for Unarmed Combat
Hand-to-Hand Martial Arts arts represent one of the most entertaining and lethal playstyles in the DLC. Palm Blast is the flagship skill for the Dryleaf Arts and Dane's Footwork weapon types, charging up a kinetic burst that releases an explosive force palm strike.
Unlocking Palm Blast
To unlock Palm Blast, you must obtain the Dryleaf Arts weapon. Pick up the "May the Best Man Win" gesture at the Highroad Cross Site of Grace in Scadu Altus, then head to Moorth Ruins. Challenge Dryleaf Dane to a non-lethal duel using the gesture. Defeating him rewards you with his martial arts weapon and the pre-installed Palm Blast skill.
Why Palm Blast Destroys Early Bosses
- Unstoppable Charge: Once the wind-up animation begins, Palm Blast grants near-infinite hyper-armor. Bosses cannot knock you down while charging unless they use a grab attack.
- Stance Stagger: A fully charged Palm Blast inflicts approximately 40 poise damage in a single blast, staggering bosses in 1 to 2 hits.
- Low FP Consumption: Costs only 16 FP to execute.
5. Aspects of the Crucible: Wings: Airborne Mobility and Heavy Divine Damage
For Faith and Strength/Faith hybrid builds, Aspects of the Crucible: Wings is the premier skill to seek out. Upon activation, your character sprouts golden divine wings, leaps high into the air, and swoops forward with an extended thrust that deals heavy physical and Holy damage.
How to Acquire
This skill is dropped by a Crucible Knight located inside the Fort of Reprimand, south of Scadu Altus. You can access this fort early via the spiritspring jump near the Poisoned Castle south of Gravesite Plain, completely bypassing Castle Ensis if desired.
Combat Application
Aspects of the Crucible: Wings excels at closing massive distances against mobile spellcasters and sweeping over low-sweeping boss hazards. If you experience technical hiccups or frame drops during flashy particle-heavy Ashes of War like Crucible Wings, consult our guide on fixing Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree crashes to stabilize performance.
How to Optimize Your Early DLC Skill Builds
Acquiring these top-tier Ashes of War is only half the battle. To maximize their effectiveness in the Realm of Shadow, ensure your character setup utilizes the following mechanics:
| Skill Name | Best Weapon Match | Primary Stat | FP Cost | Primary Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Savage Lion's Claw | Greatsword / Colossal Blade | Strength | 12 + 12 FP | Double somersault poise breaker |
| Blind Spot | Backhand Blade | Dexterity | 9 FP | Invulnerable lateral dodge & shield bypass |
| Wing Stance | Milady (Light Greatsword) | Dexterity / Quality | 15 FP | High-speed lunging gap closer |
| Palm Blast | Dryleaf Arts | Strength / Dexterity | 16 FP | Unbreakable charge hyper-armor |
| Crucible Wings | Twinblades / Swords | Strength / Faith | 18 FP | Airborne evasion & high Holy damage |
Always prioritize collecting Scadutree Fragments in conjunction with unlocking skills. Ashes of War scale directly off your weapon upgrade level and your current Scadutree Blessing level. Mastering combat timing, combined with understanding hardest boss mechanics across modern action-RPGs, will give you the edge required to dominate every boss encounter across the Realm of Shadow. For official updates, keep an eye on the official Bandai Namco Website.