To respec your skill points in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, defeat Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, then speak with her at the Raya Lucaria Academy and spend a Larval Tear for each rebirth. Each Larval Tear lets you reallocate all your attribute points, letting you experiment with new weapons, spells, or hybrid builds without starting a new character.
Where to Find Larval Tears in Shadow of the Erdtree
Shadow of the Erdtree introduces several reliable sources for Larval Tears beyond the base game drops. The most consistent method is purchasing them from the NPC Hornsent, who appears after you complete his personal questline in the Shadow Keep’s upper tower. Hornsent sells each Larval Tear for 20,000 runes, and his stock refreshes after you rest at a Site of Grace. Additionally, Larval Tears can be found as rare drops from specific enemies: the Cleanrot Knights in the Aeonian Swamp have a roughly 2% chance to drop one, while the elite Godskin Apostles in the Cathedral of Forsaken Mercy drop them at about 1.5%. Exploring the hidden cellar beneath the Shaded Castle yields a guaranteed Larval Tear inside a chest guarded by a lone Spectral Knight (requires the Spectral Seal to see). Finally, completing the "Larval Tears Collector" side quest given by the hermit near the River Siofra rewards you with three Larval Tears upon turning in ten Ghost Glovewort items.
For quick reference, here are the exact coordinates (using the in‑game map grid) of the most reliable sources:
- Hornsent (Shadow Keep, Upper Tower) – Grid F7, 20,000 runes each.
- Cleanrot Knight drop (Aeonian Swamp, near the Rotten Tree) – Grid D9.
- Godskin Apostle drop (Cathedral of Forsaken Mercy, inner sanctum) – Grid B4.
- Shaded Castle cellar chest – Grid H6, behind the breakable wall.
- Hermit quest reward (River Siofra, near the Waterfall Cave) – Grid C2.
Keep a stock of at least five Larval Tears before planning a major respec; this lets you test multiple builds without needing to farm again.
How to Use a Larval Tear to Respec
Once you have a Larval Tear in your inventory, travel to the Raya Lucaria Academy and locate Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, in the chamber behind the boss fog gate (you must have defeated her earlier). Interact with her and choose the "Rebirth" option. The menu will display your current attribute distribution and a confirmation prompt stating "Spend 1 Larval Tear to reallocate all points." Confirm, and you’ll be presented with a blank stat sheet where you can redistribute points across Vigor, Mind, Endurance, Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, and Arcane. Remember that each point costs the same as leveling up normally, so plan your target totals before confirming.
After confirming your new distribution, your character’s HP, FP, Stamina, and equip load will update instantly. Any equipped weapons or spells that now fail to meet requirements will be unequipped and placed in your inventory. Take a moment to re‑equip gear that matches your new stats, and consider visiting a blacksmith to infuse or upgrade weapons that better suit your new focus.
Best Times to Respec Your Build
Respecing is most valuable when you encounter a gameplay bottleneck that your current build cannot overcome. For example, if you are struggling with the damage output of your faith‑based incantations against the DLC’s new boss, the Ancient Dragon Lansseax, switching to a strength‑heavy build with the Giant Crusher can turn the tide. Similarly, if you find yourself constantly running out of FP while spamming sorceries against the swarms of Spectral Knights in the Shaded Castle, respecing into a higher Mind allocation (aim for 30‑35 Mind) will give you a larger FP pool.
Another ideal moment is after acquiring a powerful new weapon that demands different stats. The DLC introduces the weapon "Moonveil Katana" (requires 12 Strength, 18 Dexterity, 23 Intelligence) and the greatsword "Starscourge Greatsword" (requires 31 Strength, 11 Dexterity). If you have been leveling purely for a dexterity build, picking up Moonveil may prompt a respec to meet its Intelligence requirement while retaining enough Dexterity for swift attacks.
Finally, consider respeccing before tackling endgame content such as the DLC’s final boss, the Divine Beast Dancing Lion. A balanced build with 40 Vigor, 30 Endurance, 20 Strength, and 20 Dexterity provides solid survivability and damage flexibility for the lion’s multi‑phase assault.
Optimizing Your New Build After Respec
After you have reallocated your points, fine‑tune your build by focusing on three core aspects: weapon selection, talisman synergy, and armor weight. For a strength‑oriented build, prioritize weapons with high base damage and good scaling, such as the "Raptor’s Black Feathers" (strength scaling B) or the DLC‑exclusive "Grafted Blade Greatsword" (strength scaling A). Pair these with talismans that boost attack power: the "Radagon’s Scarseal" (+5 Strength, +5 Dexterity, +5 Intelligence, +5 Faith at the cost of increased damage taken) works well if you have high Vigor to offset the drawback.
For intelligence‑based sorcery builds, the "Moon of Nokstella" talisman increases sorcery damage by 8% and reduces FP cost by 5%. Combine it with the "Gravel Stone Seal" for improved incantation scaling if you plan a hybrid. Armor choice should keep your equip load below 70% to maintain fast rolling; the "Bull-Goat Set" offers excellent poise while staying within a medium load range when paired with the "Ironjar Aromatic" consumable for temporary poise boost.
Do not forget to adjust your flask allocation. After a respec, open the Flask menu and shift charges toward the stat you need most. A common split for a strength build is 6 HP flasks and 4 FP flasks, while a pure sorcery build may favor 4 HP and 6 FP.
Common Mistakes When Respecing
One frequent error is spending Larval Tears without a clear plan, resulting in a stat spread that is ineffective for any playstyle. Before you commit, write down your target numbers for each attribute on a notepad or use an online build planner. Another mistake is neglecting to meet the requirements of your currently equipped gear; after a respec, your weapon may become unusable, leaving you naked in combat. Always open your inventory immediately after confirming the rebirth and re‑equip viable items.
Players also sometimes overlook the importance of soft caps. Attributes in Elden Ring exhibit diminishing returns after certain thresholds (e.g., Strength soft caps at 20 and 55). Pumping points beyond 55 Strength yields minimal extra damage, so it’s wiser to invest those points into Vigor or Endurance instead. Finally, avoid respeccing mid‑dungeon without a backup Larval Tear; if you die before reaching a Site of Grace, you lose the opportunity to rebirth until you retrieve another tear, which can be frustrating in the DLC’s longer legacy dungeons.
Efficient Larval Tear Farming Route
To maximize your tear yield, follow this loop that can be completed in roughly 15 minutes at a moderate pace:
- Start at the Site of Grace "Aeonian Swamp Shore." Defeat the two Cleanrot Knights near the rotting tree; each has a 2% drop chance.
- Fast travel to the Site of Grace "Cathedral of Forsaken Mercy Entrance." Clear the outer courtyard and defeat the Godskin Apostle on the balcony (1.5% drop).
- Head to the Shaded Castle, drop down through the broken floor into the cellar, defeat the Spectral Knight, and open the chest for a guaranteed tear.
- Travel to the Hornsent merchant in the Shadow Keep Upper Tower; purchase up to three tears if you have sufficient runes (20k each).
- Finish at the hermit near River Siofra; turn in ten Ghost Glovewort for three tears as a quest reward.
With average drop rates, this route yields about 4‑5 tears per run. Increase your odds by equipping the "Silver Scarab" talisman (boosts item discovery by 20%) and using a "Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot" consumable (+30% item discovery for 3 minutes). Activate both before entering the Aeonian Swamp for the best results.
By mastering the locations, mechanics, and optimal timing for respeccing, you can continuously adapt your character to meet every challenge Shadow of the Erdtree throws at you. Keep a steady supply of Larval Tears, plan your builds around soft caps and weapon requirements, and you’ll never feel locked into a single playstyle again.