Weaponcore

Hammer

Hammer is an ordinary strike weapon found in Leyndell's Fortified Manor, the physical counterpart to Roundtable Hold. Its quick hammer attacks, stance damage, Kick, and affinity freedom suit compact Strength builds and armored targets.

Importance

core

Elden Ring · weapon

Key Takeaways

Hammer is a conventional Elden Ring strike weapon: a compact, infusible hammer that trades reach for straightforward close-range damage and flexible reinforcement choices. Its value comes less from a unique passive than from reliable Strike damage, a replaceable weapon skill, and compatibility with many physical or elemental build directions.

A standard Strike weapon for close range

Hammer deals Strike damage, making it a practical choice against enemies that are resistant to slashing or benefit from being pressured with blunt attacks. Its compact moveset is strongest when the wielder can stay close rather than control space from a distance.

Its starting requirements are modest but not minimal

The weapon requires 14 Strength and 7 Dexterity. That makes it accessible to many early and midgame physical characters, while still requiring a small investment from builds that begin with little Strength.

Kick defines its default skill

Hammer starts with the Kick weapon skill, which is useful for pressuring guarded enemies and disrupting defenses. Because Hammer follows the standard upgrade path, its skill can be replaced with a compatible Ash of War when a different combat function or affinity better suits the build.

The main practical strength is upgrade flexibility

Hammer is an infusible weapon upgraded with Smithing Stones, so its affinity and Ash of War can be adapted to the character's attributes and preferred damage plan. It is therefore more customizable than a fixed-skill unique hammer, even though it lacks a signature passive of its own.

Its limitation is reach, not versatility

Hammer's short reach makes spacing and attack commitment more important than they are with longer weapon classes. It can perform well in cramped fights or when used with guard counters and close-range pressure, but it is less forgiving when an enemy keeps its distance.

The base weapon is obtained in Stormveil Castle

Hammer is available as a fixed pickup in Stormveil Castle rather than being tied to a boss remembrance or a late-game specialist vendor. That gives a character access to a customizable Strike weapon during the early portion of the journey, subject to reaching the castle and locating the pickup.

Mace is the closest straightforward alternative

Mace occupies a similar Strike-weapon role and is a useful comparison for characters choosing between compact blunt weapons. The relevant distinctions are their movesets, requirements, reach, skill options, and affinity flexibility rather than a universal claim that one is always stronger.

Overview

Hammer is a standard Hammer-class weapon in Elden Ring: a compact blunt weapon built for close-range Strike damage, flexible reinforcement, and straightforward melee pressure. It is a practical base-game armament rather than a unique, legendary, or DLC-exclusive weapon.

In Elden Ring, “Hammer” refers both to a specific weapon and, in broader discussions, to the weapon class that includes several related armaments. This page concerns the named weapon itself. Its defining role is uncomplicated: it delivers physical Strike damage at close range and gives a character a conventional blunt option without requiring a unique weapon system or a special boss-weapon progression path. That makes it useful as a reference point for understanding the class, while its ordinary status means it should not be treated as a lore-signature weapon or a build-defining reward by default.

The weapon’s combat identity comes from the trade-off between compact handling and limited reach. Compared with Great Hammers, Hammer is less committed to the slow, heavy style associated with the larger class and is easier to incorporate into ordinary melee exchanges. In return, it does not provide the same reach or the same emphasis on large, highly committed attacks. Its Strike damage gives it a distinct purpose against targets for which blunt damage is advantageous, but the weapon still asks the player to manage spacing carefully: its useful range is that of a close-quarters side of the Hammer class, not a substitute for a long weapon or a ranged option.

Hammer follows the normal weapon-upgrade model rather than the special reinforcement path used by Elden Ring’s unique armaments. That distinction matters more than any single uncontextualized damage value. A normally upgradeable weapon can be developed alongside other conventional equipment and can support the game’s broader customization systems, including compatible Ashes of War and affinities. As a result, the weapon’s eventual role is not fixed entirely by its starting form. Its base identity remains a physical Hammer, while its upgrade and affinity choices can redirect how it fits a character’s attributes and damage plan.

The weapon is therefore most relevant to players who want a modest, adaptable blunt armament rather than a signature skill, an innate status effect, or a highly specialized gimmick. It can serve a physical melee setup, provide Strike damage when that damage type is useful, or act as a flexible platform for experimentation with weapon skills. Its limitations are equally clear: it does not solve reach problems, replace a dedicated heavy weapon, or automatically offer the distinctive passive or skill package associated with many named Elden Ring weapons. Hammer is a base-game weapon that remains usable in Shadow of the Erdtree, but it has no DLC-only identity or separate variant implied by that compatibility.

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.

Category
Hammers
Damage Type
Strike
Primary Scaling
Str D
Weight
4.5
Skill
Storm Stomp
Str Req
10
Dex Req
10
How to Obtain
Common early enemy drop

Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.

Compared to similar hammers

Weapon	Str Req	Dex Req	Weight	Primary Scaling
Hammer	10	10	4.5	Str D
Club	12	6	4.5	Str D
Warpick	11	12	4.5	Str D / Dex D
Envoy's Horn	10	10	5	Arc C
Mace	10	8	3.5	Str D

Requirements, scaling grades and weight are the game’s own published figures. From Consolidated Game Weapons Database.

How to Obtain

Before you start

Access to Stormveil Castle in Limgrave; the route requires progressing far enough to pass the Margit encounter or otherwise reach the castle entrance.
No DLC, New Game+, vendor currency, quest completion, boss kill, or attribute requirement is needed to collect the Hammer.

01Travel to Stormveil Castle in Limgrave and enter the castle proper after gaining access beyond the Margit encounter. The Hammer is a fixed item pickup on a corpse inside the room occupied by a Grafted Scion; it is not obtained from the Scion as a random enemy drop.
02Locate the room containing the Grafted Scion and loot the corpse inside it. The pickup is guaranteed, so defeating the Grafted Scion is not required for the item to appear; you can take the Hammer and leave or return to the area later if you avoid or survive the encounter.
03The Hammer is acquired as a single fixed pickup rather than through a vendor, mission reward, or boss reward. It is available in the base game and does not require Shadow of the Erdtree, New Game+, a special quest state, or a particular character build.
04The pickup is not treated as a limited quest reward or a missable story choice. If it was not collected before completing Stormveil Castle, return to the same Grafted Scion room and loot the corpse; the item remains available during that playthrough.

Availability

Base game — standard playthroughAvailable

Requires No DLC, quest, boss, vendor, difficulty, or character-level gate is required to obtain the weapon.

Hammer is a fixed world pickup in Stormveil Castle rather than rotating vendor stock or a random enemy drop. No purchase price applies, and the pickup is not presented as a guaranteed reward from a separate quest.

Shadow of the Erdtree ownershipAvailable without the DLC

Requires The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is not required.

Hammer is part of the base-game weapon roster. Its availability does not change when the DLC is installed; the DLC does not add a separate Hammer acquisition context.

New Game PlusAvailable

Requires No special New Game Plus requirement applies.

The weapon can be collected again when the relevant world pickup resets in a new cycle. New Game Plus does not convert it into a vendor item, add a purchase price, or impose a different difficulty or progression condition.

Mechanics and Handling

The weapon named Hammer is a compact strike-damage armament whose handling is defined by commitment rather than reach. Its attacks are close-range swings with enough impact to pressure many ordinary enemies, but its short effective spacing makes positioning important: the wielder must stay near the target instead of relying on broad coverage or long thrusts. Its practical identity comes from combining strike damage with a straightforward moveset and a replaceable weapon skill, rather than from an innate status effect or a conditional transformation.

Short horizontal swings and close spacing

Hammer's ordinary one-handed attacks use compact horizontal swings that are easy to begin at close range but do not cover the distance of a spear, great hammer, or long blade. The sequence is most reliable when the target is already within striking distance; starting it at the edge of lock-on range can cause the weapon to fall short or leave the wielder committed during recovery. The swings are useful for punishing openings and maintaining pressure on human-sized enemies, but they are less suitable for controlling several opponents at once.

Heavy attacks trade speed for impact

The heavy attack changes the weapon's rhythm from repeated light pressure to a more deliberate blow. Its longer commitment makes it vulnerable to interruption if used without an opening, but it is the appropriate choice when an enemy is recovering, trapped in an animation, or exposed after a successful dodge. Charged heavy attacks extend that commitment further and should be treated as punish tools rather than default attacks. Their value is greatest when the target cannot immediately retaliate, since the weapon's short reach leaves little room to correct a missed swing.

Strike damage and target selection

Hammer deals strike damage, so its attacks are particularly relevant against enemies whose defenses are less effective against blunt weapons. This does not make every strike automatically stagger an enemy or guarantee a stance break; resistance, attack choice, enemy posture, and the timing of repeated hits still matter. The weapon therefore rewards identifying targets that can be pressured at close range and avoiding exchanges in which a longer weapon can hit first. Its attack pattern is more dependable against a single nearby target than against a crowd surrounding the wielder.

Kick as the default skill

Hammer's default weapon skill is Kick. It is a close-range guard-pressure tool rather than a damage rotation: the kick is intended to challenge an enemy holding a shield or otherwise relying on a guarded stance. Used at the right distance, it can create an opening by disrupting that defense, after which a normal attack can connect. Because the skill requires the wielder to approach the target, it is not a safe answer to an enemy that is actively swinging, and it has limited value against opponents who are not guarding. The skill's practical niche is therefore defensive disruption, not replacing the Hammer's normal attacks.

Ash of War flexibility and conditional behavior

As a standard Elden Ring weapon, Hammer can use an applicable Ash of War and affinity rather than being permanently tied to its starting skill. Changing the skill changes the weapon's tactical role, while changing the affinity changes how its damage and attribute scaling behave at the selected reinforcement state. Those outcomes depend on the chosen Ash of War, affinity, reinforcement level, and character attributes, so they should not be treated as fixed properties of the unmodified weapon. A skill that adds range, mobility, or area coverage can address Hammer's short reach, while a close-range skill preserves its direct and compact handling.

Jumping, running, and two-handed use

Jumping and running attacks give Hammer ways to begin an exchange without relying solely on the stationary light sequence. They are most useful for closing a small gap or punishing an exposed enemy, but the same short-reach limitation remains: the attack must be aimed so the weapon head reaches the target rather than merely passing near it. Two-handing changes the weapon's handling and attribute use, while the underlying identity remains the same: short-range strike attacks, deliberate heavy swings, and a skill suited to close engagement. Two-handing is therefore a choice about damage output, requirements, and control rather than a separate moveset identity.

No innate status or resource loop

Hammer does not have a weapon-specific innate status effect that defines its normal attacks. Its regular use also has no ammunition, magazine, reload, or durability-management loop. Resource concerns arise from the selected weapon skill and from the wider combat situation, not from maintaining a special Hammer resource. This makes the weapon comparatively simple to operate: the important decisions are spacing, attack commitment, guard pressure, and whether the selected Ash of War covers a weakness in the basic moveset.

Handling summary

Hammer works best when the wielder deliberately chooses close engagements instead of treating it as a general-purpose long weapon. Use light attacks for nearby openings, reserve heavy and charged attacks for committed punish windows, and use Kick when an enemy's guard is the problem. Its short reach and modest coverage are meaningful limitations, but its strike damage, uncomplicated attack pattern, and skill flexibility make those limitations manageable when the player controls distance and avoids fighting several opponents in open space.

Upgrades and Variants

Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses

Strengths

Hammer deals strike damage, giving it a useful matchup against heavily armored enemies and brittle foes such as Crystalians, where slashing or piercing weapons may be less suitable.
Its one-handed hammer moveset supports shield use, allowing a player to attack without giving up blocking and to answer blocked attacks with guard counters when the opening is safe.
The weapon's compact moveset is practical in confined spaces. Attacks are less dependent on maintaining the long spacing required by spears, greatswords, or colossal weapons, making the Hammer usable in corridors and around environmental obstacles.
The Hammer's fixed skill, Kick, is relevant against guarding humanoid enemies. It applies strong stamina pressure to a guard and can create an opening when the opponent continues to block rather than counterattacking.
Strike attacks and guard counters give the Hammer a straightforward way to contribute to stance pressure without requiring a special status setup. This is most useful when the player can stay close enough to complete a short attack sequence or punish a committed enemy action.

Weaknesses

The Hammer has shorter reach than many larger melee classes. Maintaining contact with evasive enemies, large bosses whose vulnerable areas are elevated, or targets that repeatedly retreat requires more deliberate positioning.
Its attacks require close-range commitment. Missing against a fast enemy can leave the player within retaliation range, while a longer weapon could have connected from safer spacing.
The Hammer's ordinary attack pattern offers less area coverage than broad great weapons and many larger strike weapons. Groups that surround the player are harder to manage unless the player uses terrain, a shield, a skill, or another crowd-control option.
Kick is matchup-dependent. It is valuable against enemies that hold a guard, but it provides less value against foes that do not block and does not replace a damaging weapon skill for general-purpose burst.
The weapon's simple physical role gives it fewer built-in answers to enemies that resist or punish close-range physical attacks. Its effectiveness therefore depends more on choosing suitable targets, exploiting strike-damage matchups, and supplementing it with other damage types or utility.

Best uses

Use the Hammer against armored humanoids and Crystalians when a compact strike weapon fits the build better than a larger hammer or another heavy class.
Pair it with a shield for a conservative PvE approach: block an appropriate attack, use a guard counter when the enemy is committed, and avoid treating every blocked hit as a safe opening.
Keep it available for dungeon exploration and narrow interiors where a long weapon's spacing or sweeping attacks are awkward. Its short-range profile is a limitation in open areas, but a manageable one in confined encounters.
Use Kick selectively against shield-bearing or guard-focused enemies. The skill is a tactical guard-breaking tool, not a universal damage option, so replace the pressure with normal attacks or another weapon when the target does not defend behind a guard.
Choose the Hammer when the desired role is dependable close-range strike damage with shield compatibility and uncomplicated handling, rather than maximum reach, broad crowd control, or a weapon built around a specialized status effect.

Compared With Similar Weapons

Compared With Similar Weapons
Weapon	Class and role	Damage/status profile	Handling and build distinction	Skill and infusion context	Choose it when
Hammer	Strike damage; no innate status buildup	Balanced one-handed option for Strength-leaning or flexible melee builds; its identity is tied more to its moveset and weapon skill than to a passive status	Uses the standard reinforcement path and can be customized with compatible Ashes of War; the base weapon is associated with Braggart's Roar	You want a straightforward strike weapon with a useful self-buff option and flexible affinity or skill choices	—
Mace	Strike damage; no innate status buildup	A conventional alternative for players prioritizing the basic hammer moveset and close-range blunt damage	Standard reinforcement path with compatible Ashes of War and affinities	You prefer a familiar, uncomplicated hammer-class weapon rather than Hammer's more distinctive skill identity	—
Morning Star	Strike damage with innate blood loss buildup	Adds bleed pressure to repeated attacks, making it more attractive for builds that support status buildup than a neutral hammer	Standard reinforcement path; its innate status is the main distinction when comparing compatible affinities and skills	You want strike damage while also building blood loss through sustained melee attacks	—
Club	Strike damage; no innate status buildup	A simpler, lighter-feeling option suited to lower-commitment melee use; it generally asks less of a build than heavier hammer alternatives	Standard reinforcement path with compatible Ashes of War and affinities	You value low equipment burden and a basic blunt moveset over Hammer's broader combat identity	—

Lore and Design

The Hammer has little named-lore significance compared with Elden Ring’s legendary armaments. Its item description presents it as a simple weapon formed from a lump of stone, with its mass concentrated toward the striking end. That description frames the weapon as a practical tool of blunt force rather than a relic associated with a known hero, faction, or historical event.

The description also connects the Hammer’s construction with its intended battlefield role: concentrated weight makes a compact blow effective against armored targets. This is an item-text explanation of its design, not evidence of a special hidden damage rule or a canonical relationship to any particular enemy type.

Nothing in the documented item text establishes a named creator, cultural inspiration, or real-world prototype. The Hammer is therefore best understood within the game as an intentionally plain example of a blunt weapon: its significance comes from the broader role of hammers in Elden Ring’s weapon system, while the weapon itself has no separately documented character arc or story association.