What are Ashes of War and how they work in Elden Ring

gamepur.com:

The weapons you use in Elden Ring are critical to your survival. The type of weapon you use will vary on the character you choose to play and your overall playstyle. While your starting origin gives you a rough definition of it at the beginning of the game, your playstyle and characteristics will likely change as you progress. You can further enhance your weapons using the Ashes of War you find. In this guide, we will cover how to use Ashes of War and how they work in Elden Ring.

You’ll receive your first Ash of War when you explore the Gatefront Ruins. You’ll find it underneath these ruins, in the catacombs to the southwest of the location. There, you’ll discover your first Ash of War and the Whetstone Knife, which is what you use the apply to your weapons.

After you find the Whetstone Knife, you’ll be able to head back to any point of grace you’ve discovered in the game to modify your weapons. First, you’ll need to rest at the site of grace, go to the Ashes of War menu, and then select the weapon you want to enhance. After you’ve picked a weapon, you can then choose the Ash of War you want to give it, based on the type of weapon you’re attempting to enhance.

Before confirming that you want to apply the Ash of War, you’ll see the modifications you’re making to the weapon. For example, you might increase or decrease the weapon’s attack power, change the attribute scaling modifier, or give it an ability. Therefore, you’ll want to make sure you review your Ash of War decision before making it on a weapon.

When you make the Ash of War modification, you can revert any changes you’ve made and even remove the Ash of War from a weapon. However, in our experience, the process is not permanent.