Cleanrot Spear
Cleanrot Spear is a unique physical-and-holy spear rarely dropped by spear-wielding Cleanrot Knights. Its fixed Sacred Phalanx skill creates a line of holy spears from the ground, providing delayed area pressure beyond the weapon's normal thrusting reach.
Key Takeaways
Cleanrot Spear is a hybrid-damage spear built around the Cleanrot Knights’ distinctive Sacred Phalanx skill rather than Ash-of-War customization.
Hybrid damage profile
Its attacks combine physical and holy damage, making its performance dependent on the target’s defenses rather than a single damage type.
Fixed signature skill
Sacred Phalanx projects a formation of spectral spears, giving the weapon a ranged or area-control option alongside its normal thrusts.
Faith-inclusive requirements
The spear asks for investment across Strength, Dexterity, and Faith, so it is less convenient for a purely physical spear build.
Enemy-drop acquisition
Cleanrot Spear is obtained from Cleanrot Knights rather than a guaranteed chest or standard vendor inventory; acquiring it may therefore require repeated encounters.
Limited customization
Its fixed weapon skill means it does not offer the Ash-of-War and affinity flexibility of ordinary infusible spears.
Somber upgrade path
The weapon follows a Somber Smithing Stone reinforcement path, separating its progression from ordinary spear upgrades.
Overview
Cleanrot Spear is a named great spear in Elden Ring, associated with the Cleanrot Knights. Its fixed Sacred Phalanx skill gives the weapon a distinct area-control option alongside the committed thrusting attacks expected from its class.
The spear is a close-range weapon built around reach, spacing, and deliberate attacks rather than a broad, adaptable moveset. Its identity comes from combining the great spear moveset with Sacred Phalanx, a weapon skill that creates a forward threat distinct from ordinary thrusts. That makes it more than a visual variant of a generic great spear.
Cleanrot Spear is tied to the Cleanrot Knight equipment family, whose weapons reflect the disciplined, ceremonial style of those warriors. The association matters mechanically as well as visually: obtaining the weapon depends on encountering the relevant enemy rather than selecting it from a routine early-game vendor stock. The exact route and drop details belong in the acquisition section.
Unlike an infusible great spear, Cleanrot Spear is defined by its built-in skill and upgrade identity. Players choosing it are therefore choosing a particular package of reach, attack commitment, and special-skill utility instead of starting with a blank weapon that can be reshaped through Ashes of War. Its comparison set is other great spears with similar spacing demands, not every high-damage melee weapon.
The weapon is part of Elden Ring’s base-game arsenal and does not require Shadow of the Erdtree to establish its identity. It can suit a character that wants a long-reaching melee option while keeping a distinctive area-control skill available, but its value depends on comfort with great-spear timing and on whether the fixed skill fits the intended build.
Statistics
Elden Ring publishes no 0–100 stat bars, so this page lists the verified requirements, scaling and handling figures instead. Taken from the project's verified weapons database, not from generated text.
- CategoryGreat Spears
- Damage TypePierce/Holy
- Primary ScalingDex C / Fai D
- Weight13
- SkillPrayerful Strike
- Str Req13
- Dex Req17
- Fai Req15
- How to ObtainCleanrot Knight drop
Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
Compared to similar great spears
| Weapon | Str Req | Dex Req | Weight | Primary Scaling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleanrot Spear | 13 | 17 | 13 | Dex C / Fai D |
| Vyke's War Spear | 18 | 17 | 14 | Dex C / Arc D |
| Lance | 20 | 10 | 14 | Str D |
| Obsidian Lamina | 18 | 15 | 10.5 | Str D / Dex D |
| Mohgwyn's Sacred Spear | 18 | 15 | 10 | Arc C |
Requirements, scaling grades and weight are the game’s own published figures. From Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
How to Obtain
- Access to the relevant Cleanrot Knight locations; Miquella's Haligtree requires the appropriate late-game route and entry requirements.
- No DLC, quest completion, vendor purchase, or NG+ requirement is needed. The spear is farmable and is not limited to one per playthrough.
- 01Travel to the Prayer Room Site of Grace in Miquella's Haligtree, then search the nearby Elphael walkways for Cleanrot Knights, prioritizing the spear-wielding variants. Defeat them and collect the weapon if it drops; the Cleanrot Spear is an enemy drop rather than a guaranteed pickup, quest reward, or vendor purchase.
- 02For an earlier alternative, fight Cleanrot Knights in the Aeonia Swamp area of Caelid. Their weapon drops are not guaranteed, so repeat the encounter as needed and improve item discovery if available. The Haligtree route is generally the more practical late-game farming option once that area is accessible.
Availability
Requires No DLC, New Game Plus, or specific story-progression gate is required; the character must meet the Cleanrot Spear's attribute requirements to equip it.
This is a base-game weapon rather than a Shadow of the Erdtree-exclusive item. It remains usable in the DLC, and no vendor price or rotating-stock condition applies.
Mechanics and Handling
The Cleanrot Spear uses the standard spear handling pattern: its normal attacks are committed forward thrusts that let the wielder maintain a narrow line of pressure rather than sweep across a broad area. This makes spacing important. It is most reliable when the target is kept directly in front of the character, while groups or opponents circling outside the point can be awkward to manage. Like other spears, it can be used to attack while guarding with a shield, allowing a defensive setup to continue applying measured counter-pressure without exposing the character to every incoming strike.
Spear Thrusts and Spacing
The light attack chain consists of repeated forward thrusts, and the heavy attack maintains the weapon's committed piercing profile rather than introducing a wide horizontal swing. Running and jumping attacks preserve the spear's forward-reaching purpose, making them useful for closing a small gap or punishing an opening. The weapon's narrow attack coverage is a practical limitation: it rewards facing and distance control, but it is less forgiving when several enemies surround the wielder.
Sacred Phalanx
The Cleanrot Spear's defining action is its fixed weapon skill, Sacred Phalanx. Activating it creates a formation of golden spears above the character and sends the formation forward as an offensive burst. The skill gives the weapon a way to pressure targets beyond the ordinary thrust sequence and can catch enemies occupying the same forward space, but it is directional and consumes FP. It should therefore be aimed deliberately rather than treated as a substitute for turning to cover enemies at the character's sides or rear.
Shield Use and Combat Rhythm
The spear's ability to attack while guarding supports a patient rhythm: hold a shield against an approaching attack, answer with a thrust when an opening appears, and return to defense when the enemy resumes pressure. This is especially useful against single melee opponents whose attacks remain in front of the player. The Cleanrot Spear does not need a reload, ammunition, or a separate resource for its ordinary attacks; FP is relevant to Sacred Phalanx, while the basic thrust pattern remains available independently of that skill.
Upgrades and Variants
Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses
Strengths
- Sacred Phalanx gives the spear a distinctive area attack: it summons a forward-facing formation of golden spears, letting the weapon pressure several targets or a clustered enemy without relying only on its normal thrusts.
- As a spear, it supports the class's spacing-focused thrusting attacks and can be used behind a raised shield, allowing a cautious guard-and-poke approach when the situation permits.
- Its Cleanrot-themed skill and holy damage provide a different option from ordinary physical spear movesets, particularly when a fight rewards frontal area pressure.
Weaknesses
- Sacred Phalanx is the weapon's fixed skill, so the Cleanrot Spear cannot be tailored with another Ash of War or affinity to fit a preferred moveset or damage setup.
- The spear's effectiveness depends on maintaining a useful line and distance; enemies that get inside the thrusting range or move laterally can reduce the value of both its basic attacks and forward-facing skill.
- Its specialized skill does not replace a flexible Ash of War, so players who prioritize stance-specific utility, buffs, or elemental customization may prefer an infusible spear.
Best uses
- A shield-and-spear setup that wants to keep attacking while maintaining distance and guarding.
- Encounters with grouped or approaching enemies where Sacred Phalanx's forward formation can cover more space than a single thrust.
- Players who want a Cleanrot-themed spear with a distinctive fixed skill rather than a blank weapon for extensive Ash of War customization.
Compared With Similar Weapons
| Weapon | Class and role | Build fit | Key difference from Cleanrot Spear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treespear | Strength/Dexterity/Faith characters seeking a faith-scaling great spear | A comparable holy great spear with the Sacred Order skill and a more straightforward faith-focused role. | — |
| Siluria's Tree | Strength/Faith builds that can meet its heavier requirements | Uses the Siluria's Woe skill and a somber upgrade path, giving it a more specialized identity than the Cleanrot Spear. | — |
| Lance | Strength or hybrid builds that value Ash of War and affinity flexibility | Offers broader skill and affinity customization, while the Cleanrot Spear is the closer choice for its distinctive holy and Cleanrot-themed toolkit. | — |
Lore and Design
Cleanrot Knights and Malenia
The Cleanrot Spear is identified in its item lore with the Cleanrot Knights, the warriors who fought alongside Malenia, Blade of Miquella, during the Battle of Aeonia. Their continued service despite being afflicted by Scarlet Rot gives the weapon a direct connection to Malenia’s faction and to the war’s aftermath.
Design significance
The spear’s golden construction reflects the Cleanrot Knights’ distinctive equipment and their association with Malenia’s forces. The item text presents this as part of the weapon’s identity rather than documenting a separate maker or historical owner. No reliable developer commentary or documented real-world design reference is established here, so broader inspiration claims are omitted.