Scepter of the All-Knowing
Scepter of the All-Knowing is Gideon Ofnir's hammer, obtained after defeating him in Leyndell, Ashen Capital. Knowledge Above All lowers magic and holy damage negation for everyone nearby, including the wielder.
Key Takeaways
The Scepter of the All-Knowing is a unique Glintstone Staff built around its weapon skill rather than a school-specific sorcery bonus. Its value depends on whether the player can safely use that skill to amplify magic- and holy-damage pressure.
Unique catalyst with a debuff-oriented skill
Its defining feature is Knowledge Above All, a close-range skill that lowers magic and holy damage negation for nearby combatants. This gives the staff a support and damage-amplification role alongside ordinary spellcasting.
Obtained through Gideon's remembrance
The staff is acquired by exchanging the Remembrance of the All-Knowing after defeating Sir Gideon Ofnir, so it is tied to a major story-boss reward rather than an ordinary world pickup or enemy-drop farm.
Requires an Intelligence-based casting setup
As a Glintstone Staff, it is intended for sorcery users and has Intelligence and other attribute requirements that should be checked against the character's current build before selecting it.
Useful when magic or holy damage is the plan
Knowledge Above All can benefit a nearby caster or party member whose damage is primarily magic or holy, making the staff more situationally valuable than its general casting performance alone suggests.
The skill's range creates a real drawback
The effect requires fighting close enough to the target for the area skill to connect, and its broad nearby effect can make positioning important rather than allowing a completely risk-free ranged opening.
A fixed, Somber-upgraded weapon
The Scepter follows a special reinforcement path, cannot be treated like a freely infusable staff, and retains Knowledge Above All as its defining weapon skill through its upgrade progression.
Not the default general-purpose staff
A general sorcery catalyst such as the Carian Regal Scepter is a more natural comparison for sustained spellcasting, while the Scepter of the All-Knowing is distinguished by the tactical value of its magic-and-holy-negation debuff.
Overview
The Scepter of the All-Knowing is a unique Glintstone Staff in Elden Ring, wielded by Sir Gideon Ofnir and acquired near the end of the base-game progression. Its defining feature is Knowledge Above All, a weapon skill that alters magic and holy damage in the surrounding area rather than simply improving one school of sorcery.
The Scepter of the All-Knowing is a late-game sorcery catalyst associated with Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing. It is a unique staff rather than an ordinary Glintstone Staff variant, and its identity comes from combining conventional Intelligence-based spellcasting with a fixed weapon skill. The staff is intended for characters who already use sorceries and want a catalyst with a meaningful active utility option, not for a melee build looking for a staff primarily as a physical weapon.
Its Knowledge Above All skill creates an area effect that increases magic and holy damage dealt and received by nearby targets. This gives the Scepter a role that differs from a staff whose value is concentrated in sorcery scaling or a bonus to a particular spell family. The effect can influence the surrounding combat space, so its usefulness depends on whether the player can safely activate the skill and then exploit its damage vulnerability. Because the skill is attached to the weapon, it is part of the staff's fixed identity rather than a freely selectable Ash of War.
In progression terms, the Scepter appears after the confrontation with Gideon and therefore serves as a late-game reward rather than an early catalyst. Its timing makes it more relevant to established Intelligence builds evaluating a new tool than to characters choosing their first staff. The weapon belongs to Elden Ring's base-game arsenal; it is not a Shadow of the Erdtree weapon or a separate DLC variant. Its acquisition context also means that the page should distinguish the weapon from Gideon himself and from the spells or equipment associated with his broader character theme.
The most obvious alternatives answer different questions. The Academy Glintstone Staff is a conventional choice for general sorcery progression, while the Carian Regal Scepter and Lusat's Glintstone Staff are commonly considered when a build prioritizes different forms of endgame sorcery performance. The Scepter of the All-Knowing instead asks whether its area-based magic-and-holy interaction is useful for the encounter, build, or co-op situation at hand. It should therefore be assessed by its fixed skill, reinforcement state, Intelligence requirements, and spellcasting performance together, rather than treated as a universal replacement for a higher-scaling catalyst.
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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.
- CategoryHammers
- Damage TypeStrike/Pierce
- Primary ScalingFai D
- Weight6.5
- SkillAsh of War (varies)
- Str Req13
- Dex Req13
- Fai Req17
- How to ObtainSorcerer merchant, Liurnia
Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
Compared to similar hammers
| Weapon | Str Req | Dex Req | Weight | Primary Scaling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scepter of the All-Knowing | 13 | 13 | 6.5 | Fai D |
| Morning Star | 13 | 10 | 5.5 | Str D / Dex E |
| Envoy's Horn | 10 | 10 | 5 | Arc C |
| Club | 12 | 6 | 4.5 | Str D |
| Hammer | 10 | 10 | 4.5 | Str D |
Requirements, scaling grades and weight are the game’s own published figures. From Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
How to Obtain
- Main-story progression through Crumbling Farum Azula and victory over Maliketh, the Black Blade.
- Access to Leyndell, Ashen Capital; this is a late-game base-game acquisition and does not require Shadow of the Erdtree.
- The weapon is awarded once per playthrough when Sir Gideon Ofnir is defeated. No separate quest, currency, vendor, or DLC requirement is needed.
- 01Progress through the main story until you defeat Maliketh, the Black Blade, in Crumbling Farum Azula. Leyndell then changes to Leyndell, Ashen Capital, and Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing, becomes an encounter in the Erdtree Sanctuary area.
- 02Enter Leyndell, Ashen Capital and reach the Erdtree Sanctuary, the former Golden Shade Godfrey arena. Sir Gideon Ofnir is waiting there as a mandatory late-game boss; defeat him to receive the Scepter of the All-Knowing.
- 03The Scepter of the All-Knowing is a guaranteed reward from Sir Gideon Ofnir rather than a random enemy drop or vendor purchase. Collect it from the reward after the boss fight; it is not obtained from Gideon's earlier Roundtable Hold presence.
Availability
Requires Reach the late-game Leyndell, Ashen Capital progression and defeat Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing.
The reward is available once per playthrough. The Scepter of the All-Knowing is part of the base game and does not require Shadow of the Erdtree.
Requires Progress to the Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing encounter and defeat him again.
A new copy can be obtained in each subsequent playthrough; it is not a rotating or permanently stocked vendor item.
Mechanics and Handling
The Scepter of the All-Knowing combines a hammer-style physical moveset with the ability to cast sorceries. Its handling therefore has two distinct roles: it can remain equipped as a casting tool while contributing a close-range option, or it can be used primarily to activate its unique skill and then support magic-focused combat. The weapon’s defining behavior is Knowledge Above All rather than a special attack pattern for ordinary sorcery casting.
Casting and close-range handling
While equipped in the appropriate hand, the Scepter of the All-Knowing functions as a Glintstone Staff for sorceries. It does not grant a spell on its own, and its casting behavior is governed by the sorcery system rather than by a unique projectile, charge shot, or ammunition mechanic. Spell choice, casting hand, and the character’s attributes determine the practical result; the scepter itself does not turn every sorcery into a different attack.
Hammer moveset as a secondary option
The scepter belongs to the hammer weapon class, so its non-casting attacks use a compact hammer-style moveset rather than a staff-specific spellcasting animation. This gives the wielder a conventional melee option when an enemy is within striking distance, but it does not replace a dedicated melee weapon for reach, stance pressure, or damage specialization. Its physical attacks are best understood as utility for a caster who wants one equipped item to cover both casting and emergency close combat.
Knowledge Above All
Knowledge Above All is the weapon’s fixed skill and is the main reason to choose this catalyst over a general-purpose staff. Activating it creates the skill’s area-based effect around the wielder, altering the interaction between nearby combatants and magic and holy damage. The effect is not a projectile and does not function as a conventional damage-dealing spell; its value comes from changing the damage environment before or during spellcasting. Because it also compromises damage negation, using it is a deliberate trade rather than a free offensive bonus.
When to activate the skill
The skill is most useful when the fight gives the caster enough room to establish its effect and then exploit it with magic- or holy-damage sources. It is less attractive when the player is already under heavy pressure, when incoming damage is difficult to avoid, or when the encounter contains little opportunity to remain near the affected area. A careful user should treat the defensive drawback as part of the skill’s cost: activate it before committing to a damage window, then avoid relying on the scepter’s melee attacks to remain exposed at close range.
Limitations for spell-focused builds
The Scepter of the All-Knowing’s mechanical identity comes from its skill and its general sorcery-casting role, not from a broad universal enhancement to every spell family. It does not remove the need to choose sorceries suited to the target, manage FP, or meet the relevant attributes. Its strongest handling pattern is therefore deliberate: prepare the Knowledge Above All effect when its offensive interaction matters, cast from a safer distance, and keep the hammer moveset as a fallback rather than the centre of the build.
Upgrades and Variants
Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses
Strengths
- Knowledge Above All creates a nearby area effect that lowers enemies’ resistance to magic and holy damage, giving an Intelligence, Faith, or hybrid caster a way to amplify those damage types without relying on a damage spell alone.
- The effect is useful as a setup tool: cast the skill before using sorceries, incantations, weapon skills, or other attacks that deal magic or holy damage, then return to a catalyst with better spell scaling if the build uses one.
- Its Intelligence-and-Faith requirements suit characters that combine sorceries with holy-damage incantations rather than specialising exclusively in one casting attribute.
- The debuff is most practical against durable PvE targets that remain close long enough for the area effect and subsequent magic or holy attacks to matter.
Weaknesses
- Knowledge Above All also makes the caster more vulnerable to magic and holy damage, so using it carelessly against enemies with those damage types can turn its advantage into a liability.
- The Scepter of the All-Knowing has a fixed unique skill and cannot be customised with another staff skill or Ash of War, limiting its flexibility as a general-purpose catalyst.
- Its hybrid attribute requirements are an opportunity cost for a pure Intelligence or pure Faith build, particularly when compared with catalysts designed around one casting stat.
- The skill is proximity-dependent and requires an opening near the target; it is less convenient against mobile enemies, ranged threats, or encounters where remaining close is unsafe.
Best uses
- Use it in an Intelligence/Faith PvE setup to open a fight with Knowledge Above All before committing to magic- or holy-damage burst.
- Carry it as a secondary catalyst when its debuff is more valuable than its direct sorcery scaling, then switch to a primary staff or seal for the follow-up casting.
- Prioritise it against bosses or elite enemies that can be kept within the skill’s area and survive long enough for the damage vulnerability to affect several attacks.
- Avoid treating it as an unconditional main catalyst: it is strongest as a specialised debuff tool, while the caster’s exposure and fixed skill make another staff or seal preferable for routine casting.
Compared With Similar Weapons
| Catalyst | Primary role | Distinctive mechanic | Upgrade and skill profile | Prefer it when... | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carian Regal Scepter | High-Intelligence general sorcery catalyst | Boosts Full Moon sorceries; its unique skill is Spinning Weapon | Somber weapon with a fixed skill; does not offer the Scepter of the All-Knowing's damage-negation debuff | Your build regularly uses Full Moon sorceries or benefits more from stronger general sorcery scaling than from party or enemy debuff utility | — |
| Lusat's Glintstone Staff | Maximum-output sorcery option with an FP trade-off | Provides higher sorcery scaling while increasing the FP cost of sorceries | Somber weapon with a fixed skill; its defining cost is resource efficiency rather than spell-family specialization | You have enough Mind, FP recovery, or brief-fight burst requirements to justify its increased spell cost | — |
| Azur's Glintstone Staff | Casting-speed-focused sorcery catalyst | Shortens sorcery casting time while increasing FP costs | Somber weapon with a fixed skill; its value is handling and cast timing rather than a school-specific spell bonus | Faster spell release matters more than FP efficiency, particularly for spells whose timing affects evasion or interruption windows | — |
| Academy Glintstone Staff | General-purpose Intelligence staff | Has no comparable signature spell-school bonus or FP-cost drawback; it is a straightforward general catalyst | Regular reinforcement path and a changeable weapon skill, unlike the Scepter of the All-Knowing's unique fixed skill | You want a flexible general staff, especially before committing to a Somber catalyst or to the Scepter's Knowledge Above All utility | — |
Used In
- Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-KnowingGideon wields the Scepter of the All-Knowing during his boss encounter. Defeating him awards the weapon.
- Leyndell, Ashen CapitalThe Scepter of the All-Knowing is obtained after the Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing boss encounter in Leyndell, Ashen Capital.
Lore and Design
The Scepter of the All-Knowing is explicitly identified as the weapon of Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing. Its item text connects the scepter with Gideon’s pursuit of comprehensive knowledge and presents that knowledge as the basis for his title. This establishes the weapon as a personal symbol of Gideon’s scholarly ambition rather than an unnamed academy or faction relic.
The scepter also has a direct story relationship with Gideon: he uses it during his late-game confrontation with the Tarnished. That appearance reinforces the connection between the weapon’s name, Gideon’s self-image, and his role as an observer and interpreter of the world’s events. The description supports Gideon’s association with knowledge, but it does not establish that the scepter literally contains every truth or that it grants omniscience; those broader claims would go beyond the item’s documented wording.
Gideon’s symbol of knowledge
The weapon’s design and description present it as an emblem of Gideon Ofnir’s identity. Its “All-Knowing” title reflects the reputation he claims through study and information-gathering, while the item text frames the scepter as connected to the knowledge he acquired. The relationship is explicit for Gideon, but the description does not identify a separate creator, historical faction, or real-world inspiration.
Story significance
Gideon’s use of the scepter in his boss encounter gives the weapon a visible place in the game’s late narrative. It functions as part of his established visual and thematic identity: the Tarnished faces not only a powerful sorcerer, but a character whose authority is built around knowing the world and its secrets. This interpretation follows from the weapon description and Gideon’s role, rather than from an unsupported claim about his motives or the scepter’s origin.