Marika's Hammer
Marika's Hammer is a final-boss remembrance weapon exchanged from the Elden Remembrance. It combines physical and holy strike damage with Gold Breaker, a leaping slam that sends a golden shock through the ground.
Key Takeaways
Marika's Hammer is an endgame great hammer built around a distinctive holy shockwave skill rather than flexible weapon customization. Its value depends on accepting a slow, fixed-path weapon in exchange for strong thematic identity and a powerful unique attack.
Remembrance weapon
You obtain Marika's Hammer by exchanging the Remembrance of the Elden Beast, making it an endgame reward and a mutually exclusive choice with the other weapon offered by that remembrance unless the remembrance is duplicated.
Fixed skill and upgrade path
The hammer has the unique Gold Breaker skill and follows the Somber Smithing Stone reinforcement path. Its skill cannot be replaced with an Ash of War, so the weapon's playstyle is defined rather than customizable.
Holy damage investment
Its requirements and scaling draw on Strength, Dexterity, and Faith, while its physical-and-holy damage profile makes Faith investment relevant to its damage potential. Exact attack values depend on reinforcement and the character's attributes.
Gold Breaker is its defining attack
Gold Breaker lifts the hammer before driving it into the ground, producing a golden holy shockwave around the impact. The attack gives the weapon area coverage that its deliberate great-hammer moveset otherwise lacks.
Power comes with commitment
The weapon's slower attacks and fixed skill demand deliberate spacing and openings. Holy damage can also be a weaker damage route against enemies with strong holy resistance, limiting its reliability in some encounters.
Compared with Sacred Relic Sword
Sacred Relic Sword is the other weapon associated with the Elden Beast remembrance and is generally the more natural comparison for Faith-oriented players choosing between a unique holy weapon and a large-area wave attack. Marika's Hammer instead offers close-range great-hammer handling and Gold Breaker.
Overview
Marika's Hammer is a unique Great Hammer in Elden Ring, combining heavy melee attacks with the distinctive Gold Breaker weapon skill. It is a late-game remembrance weapon associated with Queen Marika and offers a Faith-oriented alternative to the same remembrance's other exchange option.
Marika's Hammer is a unique Great Hammer from Elden Ring's base game, not a Shadow of the Erdtree weapon or a standard weapon variant. Its identity is tied closely to the central history of the Golden Order: the hammer's description presents it as the tool used by Queen Marika to shatter the Elden Ring and by Radagon in an attempt to repair it. That association gives the weapon significance beyond its class, while its practical role remains that of a slow, committed melee weapon with substantial attack animations.
Its defining feature is Gold Breaker, a weapon skill that launches the wielder into a forward leap before driving the hammer into the ground and producing a holy shockwave. The skill gives Marika's Hammer a way to extend its threat beyond the immediate impact of a normal Great Hammer attack, but it also requires deliberate timing because the animation commits the player to the movement and follow-through. The weapon therefore rewards openings and controlled spacing rather than constant rapid attacks.
Marika's Hammer occupies a late-game position because it comes from the remembrance associated with the Elden Beast. After that remembrance becomes available, it can be exchanged for this weapon or for the Sacred Relic Sword through the remembrance-trading system at Roundtable Hold. This makes the hammer a choice within a limited remembrance reward rather than an ordinary pickup that can be added to a build early, and the alternative reward matters when deciding whether its unique skill and identity fit the character's plans.
Compared with ordinary Great Hammers, Marika's Hammer is defined less by customization and more by its fixed package: a unique skill, a fixed weapon identity, and a damage profile that supports a Faith-oriented heavy-melee role. It is consequently a more specialized choice than an infusible hammer that can be adapted with different Ashes of War and affinities. Players looking for a memorable endgame weapon with a lore connection to Marika and a ranged holy skill may find a clear reason to choose it; players who primarily want flexible affinity or skill experimentation have more adaptable alternatives in the broader Great Hammer roster.
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 Hammers
- Damage TypeStandard/Holy
- Primary ScalingFai C
- Weight12
- SkillMarika's Hammer Skill
- Str Req25
- Dex Req10
- Fai Req20
- How to ObtainRare reward tied to endgame content
Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
Compared to similar great hammers
| Weapon | Str Req | Dex Req | Weight | Primary Scaling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marika's Hammer | 25 | 10 | 12 | Fai C |
| Curved Great Club | 28 | 10 | 12 | Str C |
| Cranial Vessel Candlestand | 30 | 10 | 12 | Str C |
| Monk's Flamemace | 25 | 10 | 11 | Str C / Fai D |
| Great Mace | 24 | 8 | 13 | Str D |
Requirements, scaling grades and weight are the game’s own published figures. From Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
How to Obtain
- Elden Ring base game; no Shadow of the Erdtree DLC requirement.
- Reach Leyndell, Royal Capital, and defeat Morgott, the Omen King.
- Have access to Roundtable Hold and Finger Reader Enia after the boss encounter.
- The weapon is tied to a remembrance exchange rather than a vendor purchase or random enemy drop. It is normally limited to one copy per playthrough unless the remembrance is duplicated; another copy can also be obtained in a subsequent New Game Plus cycle.
- 01Defeat Morgott, the Omen King in the Elden Throne area of Leyndell, Royal Capital. The boss victory awards the Remembrance of the Omen King; Marika's Hammer is not a direct boss drop placed in the arena.
- 02Return to Roundtable Hold and speak with Finger Reader Enia in the room beside the Two Fingers. Choose the option to receive a power from a remembrance, then exchange the Remembrance of the Omen King for Marika's Hammer.
- 03The remembrance exchange is guaranteed once the required remembrance is available, but one remembrance can provide only one of its two rewards: Marika's Hammer or Morgott's Cursed Sword. To obtain both in one playthrough, duplicate the remembrance at an appropriate Walking Mausoleum and redeem the duplicate for the other reward.
Availability
Requires Defeat the Elden Beast and possess the Remembrance of the Elden Beast; exchange the Remembrance with Enia at Roundtable Hold.
Marika's Hammer is a base-game remembrance weapon. It is not a normal rune-priced vendor item.
Requires The same base-game Remembrance of the Elden Beast exchange is required.
The weapon can be used in a character's DLC progression, but its acquisition is tied to the base game's final boss rather than Shadow of the Erdtree content.
Mechanics and Handling
Marika's Hammer uses the standard Great Hammer family for its ordinary attacks, so its handling is defined by committed swings rather than rapid hit-confirming strings. Its light attacks cover the space in front of the wielder with broad hammer blows, while the heavy attack is a slower overhead strike. The weapon can be used one- or two-handed, and jumping attacks provide a more immediate way to bring its weight into a fight than waiting for a full ground combo. These attacks are most dependable when started outside an enemy's retaliation window or after a stagger, since the weapon's commitment leaves limited room to correct a mistimed swing.
The hammer has no innate status buildup, and its fixed design means it is not a weapon for applying bleed, frost or another selectable affinity through repeated hits. It also has no durability system to manage. Like other melee weapons, its attacks consume stamina, while its unique skill consumes FP. The important resource decision is therefore whether to spend FP on its distinctive skill or preserve that resource for other combat abilities.
Gold Breaker: the defining attack
Marika's Hammer's fixed weapon skill is Gold Breaker. The wielder rises into the air and brings the hammer down, producing a golden shockwave along the ground. The move therefore combines a close impact with a forward-reaching effect, allowing it to threaten enemies that are not directly underneath the hammer when the shockwave travels through their space. It is more than a cosmetic holy effect: the shockwave is the reason the weapon can pressure targets beyond the reach of its normal swings.
Gold Breaker has a deliberate startup and a conspicuous aerial phase. It is strongest when used against a committed enemy, a staggered target, or a group aligned in front of the player; using it immediately in an opponent's face gives that opponent time to evade or punish the animation. The skill's ground-level wave can also make a straight-line approach hazardous, but it does not remove the need to aim and space the initial slam. Its fixed skill cannot be replaced with an Ash of War, so the weapon's special attack is part of the choice to carry Marika's Hammer rather than a flexible option layered onto an otherwise customizable hammer.
Spacing, guarding and commitment
The ordinary moveset rewards close-to-mid-range spacing: the hammer's swings need a target in front of the wielder, whereas Gold Breaker extends the weapon's threat through its shockwave. The distinction matters against mobile enemies. Normal attacks are the more repeatable option once an opening has been secured; the skill is the higher-commitment attempt to convert a clear opening into a large area of pressure.
Marika's Hammer is not a parry weapon, and its fixed skill does not provide a parry action. It can be used to guard like a melee weapon, but guarding is generally a defensive fallback rather than the feature that defines its handling. Players choosing it for the weapon skill should plan around rolls, spacing and openings rather than treating it as a shield substitute. No separate reload, ammunition, charge meter or break state changes its attack cycle.
Upgrades and Variants
Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses
Strengths
- Gold Breaker combines a leaping hammer strike with a golden shockwave, giving Marika's Hammer a way to threaten targets beyond the weapon's immediate contact range.
- The skill provides area coverage around the impact point, making the weapon more useful against clustered PvE enemies than a normal single-target great-hammer moveset.
- Its physical-and-holy damage profile supports Strength/Faith character concepts and gives the weapon a distinct role compared with purely physical great hammers.
- As a unique remembrance weapon, it has a fixed identity and does not require choosing an Ash of War to make its defining attack available.
Weaknesses
- Gold Breaker has a committed jump-and-slam animation; using it without an opening can leave the wielder vulnerable during the approach and recovery.
- The weapon's split physical/holy damage can be less reliable against enemies with strong holy resistance, reducing the benefit of its holy component in those matchups.
- Its great-hammer class imposes slower, more deliberate attacks than lighter weapons, so enemies that punish long recovery windows can be difficult to pressure safely.
- The fixed skill and unique upgrade path limit customization: it cannot be reshaped around a different Ash of War or affinity to correct an unsuitable damage or stat profile.
Best uses
- Use it in PvE when a Strength/Faith build wants a heavy melee weapon with a signature area attack and limited reach extension through Gold Breaker's shockwave.
- Use Gold Breaker against groups or during clear enemy recovery windows, where its impact area and committed animation are easier to exploit.
- Choose it for a remembrance-focused or character-themed loadout when its fixed skill is more valuable than the infusion and Ash-of-War flexibility offered by a conventional great hammer.
Compared With Similar Weapons
| Weapon | Class and upgrade path | Build and damage profile | Distinctive mechanic | Best comparison point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marika's Hammer | Strength/Faith hybrid with physical and holy damage | Gold Breaker, a unique skill that drives the hammer into the ground and releases a holy shockwave | Fits a Strength/Faith build that wants a unique holy area attack | — |
| Great Stars | Strength-focused option with innate blood loss and broader infusion flexibility | Can use compatible Ashes of War and affinities; its passive supports sustained melee pressure | More adaptable than Marika's Hammer when affinity, Ash of War, or bleed customization matters | — |
| Envoy's Long Horn | Strength/Faith hybrid with holy damage and a strong Faith-oriented identity | Bubble Shower sends multiple holy bubbles forward, giving the class a distinctive ranged pressure tool | A better fit when a Faith build wants a more specialized ranged skill rather than Marika's Hammer's ground shockwave | — |
| Cranial Vessel Candlestand | Strength/Faith option whose damage profile includes fire rather than Marika's Hammer's holy emphasis | Surge of Faith creates a forward eruption of fire from the weapon | A closer alternative for Faith users who prefer fire damage and a forward area attack | — |
Used In
- Elden BeastDefeating the Elden Beast awards the Remembrance of the Elden Beast, which can be exchanged for Marika's Hammer.
- Remembrance of the Elden BeastThis remembrance is the reward item used to obtain Marika's Hammer or the Sacred Relic Sword.
- Finger Reader EniaEnia at Roundtable Hold exchanges the Remembrance of the Elden Beast for Marika's Hammer.
- Roundtable HoldThe location of Finger Reader Enia, where the remembrance exchange is performed.
- Radagon of the Golden OrderRadagon wields Marika's Hammer during the final boss encounter.
- Queen MarikaThe hammer is associated with Marika and the shattering of the Elden Ring.
Lore and Design
Marika’s Hammer is directly tied to the central catastrophe of Elden Ring. Its item lore identifies it as the sacred hammer of Queen Marika and says that it was the tool used to shatter the Elden Ring. The same account connects the weapon to Radagon, who attempted to repair the broken Ring. This establishes the hammer as an object associated with both halves of the Marika–Radagon identity, rather than merely a ceremonial weapon of Marika’s reign.
The weapon therefore carries an unusually direct relationship to the Shattering: its history is not inferred from its appearance or from thematic resemblance, but stated through the game’s item lore. The account does not explain Marika’s motives for breaking the Elden Ring, nor does it establish that the hammer caused every later consequence of the Shattering. Those broader interpretations belong to the surrounding narrative, not to a confirmed property of the weapon itself.
A tool of the Elden Ring’s destruction
The hammer’s defining story significance is its role in the destruction of the Elden Ring. The item text presents this as an explicit historical use by Marika, making the weapon a material link between her act of defiance and the fractured state of the Lands Between. Its association with Radagon’s attempted repair also reflects the opposing actions attributed to the two aspects of the same being.
Relationship to Marika and Radagon
Marika’s Hammer is one of the clearest weapons for examining the narrative relationship between Queen Marika and Radagon. The lore places Marika’s shattering of the Ring and Radagon’s repair attempt within the weapon’s own history, but it does not turn the hammer into evidence for additional unstated events. Claims about symbolism beyond those documented actions should be treated as interpretation rather than canon.
Trivia
- Marika’s Hammer is the relic identified with both halves of the Elden Ring’s breaking: its item text associates Queen Marika with shattering the Ring and Radagon with attempting to repair it. The weapon therefore represents the two figures through a single artifact rather than separate tools.
- The hammer’s lore is reinforced by the game’s opening imagery, which depicts Marika using a hammer during the shattering of the Elden Ring. This makes its appearance a direct visual reference to a major event rather than merely a symbolic weapon design.