Elden Ring is a game full of powerful weapons, flashy spells, and devastating combat tools, but sometimes the unsung heroes are the support items—the ones that quietly make battles more manageable or open up new strategies. While many players stick to their flashy swords and overpowered spells, there are dozens of support tools that deserve a permanent spot in your main item slots. Here’s a deep dive into 23 items that can genuinely change how you approach combat and exploration.
1. Lifegem Variants
You might already be familiar with basic Lifegems, but the upgraded versions—like Crimson Lifegems and Cerulean Lifegems—offer more than just healing. Carrying a few of each type in your main slot allows for instant, efficient healing without interrupting your flow, especially during tight fights. Personally, I always keep a stack handy in dungeons where every hit can spell disaster.
2. Firebombs and Molotov Cocktails
These are classic, but often underestimated. Throwing a Firebomb into a group of weaker enemies or applying a Molotov to a small boss area can drastically reduce the pressure on you. It’s not flashy, but it’s reliable crowd control.
3. Golden Scarab Talisman
While not an item you “use” in combat, equipping the Golden Scarab Talisman boosts rune gain. For anyone grinding for levels or resources, this is a game-changer. Speaking of runes, if you’re running low and in a pinch, you can actually buy Elden Ring runes from third-party sellers like U4GM. While not for everyone, it’s a helpful option when you just need a quick boost for experimentation or challenging areas.
4. Stamina Recovery Tools
Items that restore stamina, like the Grass Crest Shield (if used creatively) or certain consumables, can keep you in the fight longer. I’ve found that swapping these into a main slot during boss fights allows for more aggressive play without worrying about running dry.
5. Bombing Arrows and Special Ammo
Specialized ammo for bows and crossbows often gets overlooked. Explosive or fire-infused arrows are particularly handy in area control. I like to carry a small batch in a main slot just for emergency situations where magic or melee might be risky.
6. Spirit Summon Buff Items
Items that boost your Spirit Ashes—whether through faster summon time or stronger summons—can make a huge difference in tough fights. Pairing these with a support setup ensures your summon isn’t just decoration but a true ally.
7. Buffing Consumables
Attack-boosting or defense-boosting consumables can turn the tide in boss fights. Personally, I like stacking attack boosts with stamina recovery items—it feels like a safety net while letting me stay aggressive.
8. Teleportation and Escape Tools
Ever been cornered by a mini-boss with no stamina left? Items that let you quickly retreat or reposition can save countless hours. They’re not glamorous, but they’re essential, especially if you’re experimenting with different builds.
9. Poison, Frost, and Bleed Tools
Status-effect items aren’t just for show. Small tools like Poison Throwing Knives or Frost Bombs can slow down or whittle away health bars over time. In my experience, these are particularly effective against enemies with high defense stats.
10. Restoration and Cure Items
While Estus-like flasks dominate attention, smaller items that cure ailments or remove debuffs are often more valuable than people realize. It’s easy to forget that a single main-slot item can prevent a wipe from poison, bleed, or scarlet rot.
11. Quick Rune Boosters
Similar to the Golden Scarab Talisman, there are consumable items that give you temporary rune boosts. This is especially handy if you need a quick infusion of experience for leveling up. And if you’re curious whether you can get runes without grinding, you might wonder, can you buy Elden Ring runes online? The answer is yes, through reputable sources, but it’s wise to use them sparingly to maintain the satisfaction of progression.
12. Stealth and Detection Items
Items that mask your presence or reveal hidden enemies and treasures are invaluable for exploration-heavy runs. Personally, I always carry one stealth item in my main slot when venturing into new regions—it saves me from a lot of surprise ambushes.
13. Light Sources
Not the most glamorous, but a torch or other light-emitting item can make dark areas far more manageable. Swapping it into a main slot when exploring dungeons is a small change that prevents a lot of unnecessary damage.
14. Trap Tools
Bombs, tripwires, and throwable traps let you control space during fights. They’re particularly useful against aggressive enemy groups or when farming runes in tricky zones.
15. Summoning Enhancers
Some consumables make Spirit Ashes stronger or allow multiple summons in succession. Keeping one in a main slot during boss fights ensures you always have backup ready.
16. Quick Buff Rings
Equippable rings or talismans that can be activated during combat, like temporary damage boosts, are perfect support tools. I often cycle these in and out of my main slots depending on whether I’m farming, exploring, or in a boss fight.
17. Teleport Scrolls
For fast travel without relying on flasks or portals, teleport scrolls can be lifesavers. They’re compact, versatile, and perfect for quick retreats or repositioning.
18. Rune-Catching Items
Certain items help you gather resources more efficiently, indirectly boosting your rune income. Coupled with the idea of occasionally grabbing extra runes from vendors, they make a surprisingly strong support setup.
19. Temporary Shields
Some consumables create brief barriers or reflections. They’re ideal for learning enemy patterns without getting overwhelmed.
20. Elemental Protection Items
These reduce incoming elemental damage and can turn otherwise lethal encounters into manageable ones. I always make sure one is in my main slot when facing fire-heavy or magic-heavy bosses.
21. Summon Healing Tools
Beyond direct combat, items that heal or buff your summons extend their usefulness. A main slot dedicated to this can make all the difference in tougher areas.
22. Magic Charge Items
Consumables that restore FP or boost spell damage are fantastic support tools, especially for hybrid builds that rely on a mix of melee and magic.
23. Emergency Revival Items
Finally, items that prevent instant death or revive you automatically are the unsung heroes of Elden Ring. I can’t count the number of times a single main-slot revival item saved a run.
Support items in Elden Ring often fly under the radar because they aren’t as flashy as swords or sorceries. But once you experiment with swapping them into your main slots, you’ll find fights become more manageable, exploration less punishing, and your overall gameplay more strategic. And if you’re ever running low on runes to test these setups, platforms like U4GM make it easy to buy Elden Ring runes without derailing your progression.
Next time you load into the Lands Between, give your support items the respect they deserve—they might just change the way you play.
Expert Opinion: Elden Ring Talismans Guide: Locations, Builds, and Rankings
