Torch
Torch is the basic fire-and-light utility weapon sold by Merchant Kalé at the Church of Elleh. It illuminates dark spaces, deals modest physical and fire damage, and uses Torch Attack, making it an early exploration tool rather than a primary combat investment.
Key Takeaways
Torch is primarily a utility weapon: it provides light while occupying a hand, but it remains usable in close combat when needed.
Utility first
The Torch’s defining role is illuminating dark areas while equipped, making it useful during exploration even when combat performance is not the priority.
A fixed torch skill
Its weapon skill, Torch Attack, is built into the weapon rather than selected as a general Ash of War option, so its combat identity is limited but clear.
Early access
The Torch can be purchased from Merchant Kalé at the Church of Elleh, making it available near the beginning of the base game without a boss reward or quest chain.
Limited combat role
It can inflict fire damage and serve as an emergency melee weapon, but its short reach and modest combat specialization make it a poor substitute for a dedicated weapon.
No special status identity
Unlike specialized torches such as the Beast-Repellent Torch or Sentry’s Torch, the basic Torch does not provide a comparable enemy-repelling or detection effect.
Standard reinforcement path
The Torch follows the regular Smithing Stone upgrade path, but its fixed skill and utility-focused design remain central even after reinforcement.
Overview
Torch is Elden Ring’s basic light-source weapon: a modest melee option that also illuminates dark areas while equipped. Its value is practical rather than damage-focused, making it an early utility choice and a dependable fallback when exploration matters as much as combat.
Torch belongs to Elden Ring’s dedicated Torch weapon class rather than being a conventional club or sword. It can be used for close-range attacks, but its defining feature is the flame it carries: equipping it provides a portable source of light for caves, catacombs, tunnels, and other dark environments. That dual role gives it a purpose beyond its combat output without turning it into a substitute for a dedicated damage weapon.
In combat, the Torch uses fire-themed attacks and a simple, committed moveset. It can help against enemies vulnerable to fire, but its limited reach and modest offensive role make spacing and target selection important. The torch’s distinctive weapon skill also extends its utility in close quarters by thrusting the flame toward an enemy, though the weapon remains primarily an exploration tool rather than a specialised fire-damage armament.
Torch is especially relevant during the early portion of the base game, when a character may not yet have a convenient alternative for illuminating dark areas. It is associated with the Church of Elleh merchant Kalé, giving players an accessible way to obtain a light source without relying on a rare drop or a later-region reward. The basic Torch is separate from specialised variants such as the Beast-Repellent Torch and Sentry’s Torch, whose utility effects should not be attributed to it.
Unlike a shield, catalyst, or stronger sidearm, Torch asks the player to trade combat efficiency for visibility and convenience. It can occupy a hand that might otherwise hold a shield or another weapon, so its practical value depends on whether the area requires light and whether the player is comfortable managing that trade-off. It has no separate Shadow of the Erdtree identity in the standard form described here; DLC-specific torch variants should be treated as distinct weapons rather than upgrades to this one.
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.
- CategoryTorches
- Damage TypeFire
- Primary ScalingStr E / Dex E
- Weight2.5
- SkillNo Skill
- Str Req8
- Dex Req8
- How to ObtainMerchant, early game
Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
Compared to similar torches
| Weapon | Str Req | Dex Req | Weight | Primary Scaling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torch | 8 | 8 | 2.5 | Str E / Dex E |
| Beast-Repellent Torch | 8 | — | 2.5 | Str E |
| St. Trina's Torch | 8 | — | 3 | Str E |
| Sentry's Torch | 8 | 10 | 3 | Fai D |
| Nanaya's Torch | 8 | — | 3 | Str E |
Requirements, scaling grades and weight are the game’s own published figures. From Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
How to Obtain
- 01Travel to the Church of Elleh in western Limgrave, the ruined church north of the starting area. Merchant Kale is seated beside the church’s central campfire; speak with him to open his shop.
- 02Buy Torch from Merchant Kale for 200 runes. This is a guaranteed vendor purchase rather than an enemy drop, quest reward, or boss reward, and it does not require a specific attribute, mission, DLC, or New Game Plus cycle.
- 03If Merchant Kale is no longer available because he was killed, give his Bell Bearing to the Twin Maiden Husks at Roundtable Hold to restore access to his shop inventory.
Mechanics and Handling
The Torch is primarily a utility weapon with a simple close-range moveset. While equipped, it provides a local light source, which can make exploration easier without consuming ammunition or another resource. Its attacks remain short-ranged and committed enough that spacing matters more than raw coverage; it is better suited to opportunistic strikes than to controlling a large group.
Basic attacks and guarding
The standard attack sequence consists of short torch swings, while the strong attack uses a slower, more committed strike. The Torch does not provide the broad reach or sweeping coverage associated with larger weapon classes. It can be raised to guard like other weapons, but its weapon guard is not a substitute for a dedicated shield, and the weapon has no parry skill of its own. Switching to another weapon or shield is generally preferable when blocking or parrying is the main purpose of the setup.
Torch Attack
The Torch’s weapon skill is Torch Attack. It drives the flame forward in a close-range offensive motion, giving the otherwise basic weapon a more direct fire-based attack. The skill is useful when an enemy is already within reach, but it does not turn the Torch into a ranged weapon and does not remove the need to commit to the attack’s short distance. Its skill replaces the skill normally supplied by a left-hand shield when the Torch is used in that hand.
Light and special-torch distinctions
The ordinary Torch should not be treated as interchangeable with specialized torches. It provides illumination, but it does not inherit the Beast-Repellent Torch’s beast-related effect or the Sentry’s Torch’s use against certain concealed enemies. It also has no ammunition, magazine, reload, or durability cycle, and the standard Torch has no weapon-specific passive status buildup that needs to be maintained. Its practical value therefore comes from combining basic melee attacks, Torch Attack, and portable light rather than from a hidden combat modifier.
Upgrades and Variants
Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses
Strengths
- Provides a portable light source while equipped, making it useful for exploring dark areas without relying on a separate lighting item.
- Deals fire damage as part of its attack profile, giving it a relevant damage type against targets vulnerable to fire.
- Its Torch Attack skill gives the weapon a torch-specific close-range attack rather than making it solely an exploration tool.
Weaknesses
- Its short reach and modest attack power make it a poor substitute for a dedicated melee weapon once stronger options are available.
- Fire damage is less useful against enemies with fire resistance, and the weapon does not offer the broader damage or moveset flexibility of most primary weapons.
- Using it as an active weapon occupies an equipment slot; holding it in the off hand also competes with a shield, seal, staff or other utility item.
Best uses
- Early-game exploration when a character needs illumination and a usable emergency weapon in the same slot.
- Situations where adding fire damage is more useful than preserving a shield or other off-hand tool.
- A utility-focused loadout where the Torch Attack skill and portable light matter more than maximizing melee damage.
Compared With Similar Weapons
| Class and role | Distinctive mechanic | Best fit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torch | Torch; basic fire-oriented utility weapon | Provides light and uses the Torch Attack skill; lacks a weapon-specific passive | General exploration, fire damage, and a simple torch moveset |
| Beast-Repellent Torch | Torch; anti-beast utility | Its passive effect causes many beasts to keep their distance while it is equipped | Exploration or encounters involving wolves, dogs, bears, and similar beasts |
| Sentry's Torch | Torch; concealment-detection utility | Helps reveal certain hidden or invisible enemies, including Black Knife Assassins | Exploration and fights where enemy concealment is the main problem |
| Ghostflame Torch | Torch; magic and frost-oriented alternative | Uses Ghostflame Ignition and applies Frost buildup rather than serving only as a basic fire torch | Intelligence-leaning setups that want a more specialized combat option |
Used In
- Merchant KaleSells Torch for 200 Runes at the Church of Elleh in the base game.
- Church of EllehThe location where Merchant Kale offers Torch for purchase.
Lore and Design
Torch has little character- or faction-specific lore. Its item description presents it as a simple torch made by a Tarnished of no renown, emphasizing its humble, practical origin rather than connecting it to a named historical event, culture, or notable figure. No documented developer commentary or official design history establishes a specific real-world inspiration for this weapon.
Trivia
- The Torch belongs to Elden Ring’s torch weapon category, allowing it to function as both a light source and an equipped melee weapon. Its default skill, Torch Attack, is shared by several ordinary torch-type weapons rather than being unique to this basic Torch.
- The Torch’s item description presents it as a simple branch fitted with an oil-soaked rag, emphasizing its utilitarian construction rather than a named smith, faction, or supernatural origin.