Rotten Crystal Staff is a Glintstone Staff in Elden Ring. The Rotten Crystal Staff scales primarily with Intelligence and is a good Weapon for those looking to cast Crystalian spells or inflict Rot status effect.
Staff fashioned from pure crystal; a deed impossible for a human. It festers with scarlet rot.
Enhances Crystalian sorceries.
Where to Find Rotten Crystal Staff in Elden Ring
The Rotten Crystal Staff weapon can be found at the following location:
- Dropped by the Lesser Crystalian mage in the first section of Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree
- From the Haligtree Roots Site of Grace, turn around and go right. Head up the stairs (past the big rot bloom) and take the elevator. Exit the elevator (sending it back down in the process), turn left and jump down onto the large bridge below. Go to the left and head up a flight of stairs to enter a hallway. At the end of the hallway is a lone Lesser Crystalian that can drop this weapon.
- Dropped by the Lesser Crystalian mage guarded by 2 Lesser Crystalian Lancers, just next to the Elphael Inner Wall Site of Grace
Elden Ring Rotten Crystal Staff Notes & Tips
- Weapon Skill: No Skill
- This weapon cannot be infused with Spinning Weapon.
- Can't be buffed by Magic or Consumables
- Rotten Crystal Staff can be upgraded by using Somber Smithing Stones
- Causes slight Scarlet Rot Buildup:
(50)
- Only applies to physical attacks made with the staff, as spells cast with this staff will not gain Scarlet Rot buildup on impact.
- Increases the damage of Crystalian sorceries by 10%.
- Crystallian sorceries include Crystal Release, Crystal Torrent, and Shattering Crystal.
- Despite their name and appearance, Crystal Barrage and Crystal Burst are NOT Crystallian spells.
- An alternate version of this staff, the Crystal Staff, exists that has a different appearance, does not inflict scarlet rot, and has 2-3 higher sorcery scaling at +10.
- Sell Value:
200
- Base drop rate is 8% (at 100 Discovery)
- NOTE: As of Patch 1.09, the scaling values of this weapon were changed. Please refer to the Upgrades Table of this weapon below.
- Other notes and player tips go here
Moveset & Videos in Elden Ring for Rotten Crystal Staff
- Videos for the Rotten Crystal Staff Coming Soon
Rotten Crystal Staff PvP Poise Damage Values in Elden Ring
Patch 1.10 adjusted PVP Poise Damage of all Weapons including some Spells and Incantations. Please take note that these adjustments are exclusive to PVP.
One-Handed Attacks
- 1H R1 (1/2/3/4/5/6 Attacks): 54/54/108/--/--/--
- 1H R2 (1/2 Attacks): --
- 1H Charged R2 (1/2 Attacks): --
- 1H R1 Jumping: 81
- 1h R2 Jumping: 216
Two-Handed Attacks
- 2H R1 (1/2/3/4/5/6 Attacks): 70.2/70.2/140.4/--/--/--
- 2H R2 (1/2 Attacks): --
- 2H Charged R2 (1/2 Attacks): --
- 2H R1 Jumping: 105.3
- 2h R2 Jumping: 237.6
Rotten Crystal Staff Upgrades in Elden Ring
Please see the Upgrades page to understand the weapon bolstering process.
Requires regular reinforcement with Somber Smithing Stones.
Sorcery Scaling is based on Int stat. The Int of the character with the staff equipped at the time of posting the Sor Scaling is located in the (Int) to the right of the scaling amount. This will help to give a general idea of what staves are better at various Int levels until MAX is achieved.
The Sorcery Scaling displayed on this table shows Minimum Requirement and Intelligence 80 as xx-yy.
Attack Power | Stat Scaling | Passive Effects | Damage Reduction (%) | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rotten Crystal Staff | Phy | Mag | Fir | Lit | Hol | Sta | Str | Dex | Int | Fai | Arc | Any | Phy | Mag | Fir | Lit | Hol | Bst | Rst |
Standard | 42 | - | - | - | - | 23 | D | - | B | - | - | ![]() |
28 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 11 |
Standard +1 | 48 | - | - | - | - | 25 | D | - | B | - | - | ![]() |
28 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 11 |
Standard +2 | 54 | - | - | - | - | 27 | D | - | B | - | - | ![]() |
28 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 11 |
Standard +3 | 60 | - | - | - | - | 29 | D | - | A | - | - | ![]() |
28 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 11 |
Standard +4 | 66 | - | - | - | - | 32 | D | - | A | - | - | ![]() |
28 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 11 |
Standard +5 | 72 | - | - | - | - | 34 | D | - | S | - | - | ![]() |
28 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 11 |
Standard +6 | 78 | - | - | - | - | 36 | D | - | S | - | - | ![]() |
28 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 11 |
Standard +7 | 84 | - | - | - | - | 39 | C | - | S | - | - | ![]() |
28 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 11 |
Standard +8 | 90 | - | - | - | - | 41 | C | - | S | - | - | ![]() |
28 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 11 |
Standard +9 | 96 | - | - | - | - | 43 | C | - | S | - | - | ![]() |
28 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 11 |
Standard +10 | 102 | - | - | - | - | 46 | C | - | S | - | - | ![]() |
28 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 11 |
- Anonymous
It doesn't show sorcery scaling at all on the table. Please fix it.
- Anonymous
Just make it proc rot only on crystal sorceries like the rotten crystilians? and/or give it spinning weapon.
- Anonymous
i'm probably gonna use this on my gravity sorcerer build, because it has great spell scaling, and it kinda looks purple.
- Anonymous
If this had spinning weapon, at least you could have some use for the scarlet rot. Alas, the rot only serves for aesthetic purposes.
- Anonymous
What a missed opportunity providing more fun for players by having some weaker staffs apply status effects on sorceries.
- Anonymous
Off-hand the Digger Staff and cast Rock Blaster with this. Melee range applies the rot as you become the rotten dental drill that takes down gods.
- Anonymous
Bad staff for casting, but the best staff for whacking if you want to hit someone with a staff for some reason
- Anonymous
This is overall inferior to it's clean crystal counterpart, and the fact it doesn't apply rot buildup to cristalian spells pretty much guarantees it gets discarded in favor of it's better version. BUT... it's saving grace is the fact that both versions can coexist to give your mage a 20% bonus in cristalian sorceries, wich means your cristalian gatling gun can mess up some bosses real good with such damage percentage bonus in each projectile.
- Anonymous
I wish you could apply spinning weapon to this staff. it'd redeem both the staff and the ash of war
- Anonymous
Has 365 sorc scaling at 80 int, which is honestly pretty respectable numbers wise and beats even Azur's staff at the same int level.
- Anonymous
Gentlemen, it is with great pleasure to inform you that I got this staff first try from the one floating in the separate room.
- Anonymous
If you only need the staff and not the spear, don't bother with the trio there is one caster in a room on the bridge after prayer room where you fight the first ertree avatar. the run is simply faster than dealing with the two spear users
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
I recommend Marika's hammer +10, kill one by one, if ur on pc kill the first 2 and do a save state so u only worry about farming the staff and nothing more.
- Anonymous
Bruh. Why would they make this thing unable to switch ashes of war? Don't want to add scarlet rot buildup to crystalian sorceries? Ok, that's lame, but fine. Why the heck can't I put spinning weapon on this staff? woulda been great. :(
- Anonymous
Got both spear and staff first try at Elphael Inner Wall. Killed them one by one.
- Anonymous
100% should have made crystalian incantations inflict scarlet rot.
- Anonymous
I always thought this was a guaranteed drop until I actually wanted the damn thing. 3 hours later and still nothing.
- Anonymous
in a normal game this absolutely would've turned crystal spells into their rot variants, but they probably just forgot or didn't care because the assortment of weapons in this game is so bloated that they couldn't give every individual weapon enough focus or something. just sucks because there being only one spell in the game capable of applying rot (scarlet aeonia) is lame, and crystal spells are already kinda niche so they could've used something to make them more interesting
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
"An alternate version of this staff, the Crystal Staff, exists with the only difference besides appearance being that it has 3 higher spell scaling."
Appearance, physical (bash) damage, rot build-up, sorcery scaling, and where/how to get it...
- Anonymous
Is there any difference between this and regular crystal staff? (besides the obvious melee rot buildup). Scaling looks exactly the same.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
They should've made it where this staff would inflict rot, but only with crystallian sorcery
- Anonymous
Remember when staves had unique weapon skills?
Pepperidge Farms remembers
- Anonymous
It's similar to the staff from ds3 but at least the one in ds3 had a unique gimmick where it boosted the rate at which enemies got poisoned.
This one being scarlet rot does nothing for it.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
disappointment aside, this staff lets you fully min max your crystal spells in new game by doublefisting catalysts
- Anonymous
If this staff could proc Scarlet Rot via Rock Blaster / Earth Shatter, it would be worth looking into. Feels like a missed opportunity if the mini-boss can do it.
- Anonymous
Sucks that this only exists to complete and item set, it'd be nice if it applied rot too crystal sorceries, since the crystillians that use it have rot on their crystal spells
- Anonymous
This things existence is missed potential, and weird design choice. It is basically identical in every conceivable way to it's non-rot version, but now you bonk things with a slight rot build up. Wanna know what would've been a better design? Remove the 10% buff to Crystallian sorceries, and make it so Crystallian sorceries apply rot. Those sorceries would be good status appliers with how some of them hit multiple times, and it would make this item more unique.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
It would have made sense to have this staff add scarlet rot to the crystal sorceries, after all if I'm understanding the lore correctly, the staff you use changes your magic to be more in-tune with the buffs the staff applies.
- Anonymous
Just stabd on top the the roots out of aggro range then use Night Maidens Mist. They have 5000hp so 4-5 castings for someone not spec'd for intelligence can kill them. You also get around 16k runes so it's a great place to farm with zero issue for safety as they never aggro from the mist.
Sure would be nice if you could put spinning weapon on this to rapidly build up rot.
Sure would be nice if the whole r1 and r2 mechanic with staves was reworked.
Missed opportunity.
- Anonymous
Guys guys guys. Hear me out. Double crystal staff build, this in your right. Spinning staff ash of war plus crystalian sorcery build. Anything you don't kill with spells gets the rot!
- Anonymous
What bout Rock Sling? Isn't that one of the only spells to do physical damage? I know the wiki says no spells but I haven't seen anyone try this.
- Anonymous
does the crystal staff stack with the rotten crystal staff when power stance for the plus to Crystalian sorceries?
- Anonymous
Taker's Flames on the Blasphemous Blade is really good at staggering the Crystalians. Was having a hard time farming for this but if you can get them to line up on the roots you can just keep spamming the ability and they'll just keep falling down.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
this should make spells deal scarlet rot. on the other hand, mage builds dont need the help.
People are really laser focused on trying to get a melee staff to work huh? This thing is great since it's existence means you can get +20% damage for Crystallian sorceries in the first NG cycle from dual wielding two crystal staves. Shattering Crystal spam is a build on its own. Magic shotgunner.
- Anonymous
this should turn crystal spells into the rotten counterparts when cast with this staff
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
While all of the Rotten versions of the Crystal weaponry have the bonus of dealing Scarlet Rot, they take a toll in overall damage output to offset that bonus. That is true for all of the Crystal weapons, except for this staff, kinda. When running 80 Intelligence the normal Crystal Staff has a total of 367 Sorcery scaling, whereas the Rotten Crystal Staff has a total of 365 Sorcery scaling. If you were to crunch the numbers to find the difference, you would realize that the standard version of the staff is only 0.65% stronger than the other. That is absolutely wild that the difference might go completely unnoticed in damage tests, but makes you wonder why they even bothered to make this one "weaker" to begin with. Now, I must admit that at max Intelligence the difference between the two widens a bit, as the total difference comes out to be... 0.89%! The Rotten Crystal Staff at max stats yields 379, while the standard Crystal Staff deals 382. Again, it makes you wonder if they were going to make it so the Crystal spells would be affected by the Scarlet Rot on the weapon, but decided against it and just made these essentially the same weapon, but this one's staff bonks can technically deal Scarlet Rot. Oh well, doesn't really hurt anything in the end, so choose whichever you prefer.
- Anonymous
So sad it doesnt give rot on spells, i guess im just gonna use it for show then
- Anonymous
Is this the best staff for a staff only run, no spells or is there something better
This staff is absolutely perfect for storing in the bank or even dropping on the floor. I found that I had the best success when I forgot it was even in my inventory
Not entirely sure why this staff exist. Purely cosmetic I think, as there's no scenario it is more useful than anything in the game. I have had more success throwing knives then using this weapon. I would recommend dropping it before a duel or pvp fight for a laugh lol
- Anonymous
Would have thought it added Rot to crystalian spells. Would've been cool.
- Anonymous
This staff is so freaking redundant that i can't believe it made it to the finished game. You know how this could have a good use? If it lost the ability to cast sorcery, was used as a weapon with proper Weapon scaling, had the moveset of a Club or something, and kept it's Crystal Sorcery passive.
It would be a nice way of making a Crystal knight build or something with having a Staff that by all practical means is just the crystal staff with red paint on it because no one uses the staff's physical attack.
- Anonymous
A good and easy farm for this + rotten crystal spear is just after Elphael Inner Wall grace. Get on the root and just drop Night Maiden's Mist in the middle of the 3 crystallans. They don't aggro, and it only takes bout 3-5 charged casts to make them all die. They make satisfying popping noises when they die too.
- Anonymous
use the spinning weapon art with this if youre gonna try proccing rot with it, just understand that 50 rot damage = virtually nothing, as it seems to take 10+ hits at 50 rot to proc, where as rot breath will proc almost instantly. stick with that for your rot attacks.
- Anonymous
Are we sure this has an 8% drop chance? I've killed 3 Rotten Crystalians with Staffs and gotten the Staff all 3 times.
- Anonymous
Kinda wish it made Crystal Sorceries do less damage, but with added Rot buildup. That could make it more unique.
- Anonymous
If u are deadset on getting this and suck at fighting crystalians like me, you can use night maiden's mist on the 3 near the grace site near Elpheel's inner wall site of grace. It doesn't get them to stand up so they just sit there and take damage.
- Anonymous
technically a direct upgrade to the crystal staff but that upgrade is so worthless it doesn't matter
- Anonymous
Since you can't give this staff the Spinning Weapon Ash....why in the world would I "bonk" enemies with this staff instead of using magic, just to get a bit of scarlet rot build up? There is more effective ways to inflict scarlet rot than this..
- Anonymous
a rotten crystal staff, that drops from rotten crystallians, that use it to cast rotten crystal spells, that does nothing. cool
- Anonymous
If only this had ability to infuse Crystalian sorceries with scarlet rot build up. Then it actually might be good and even viable.
- Anonymous
Does the passive stack with the other Crystal Staff when both are equipped?
- Anonymous
For those who are searching for "the Crystalian mage in the first section of Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree" and forgot the exact place, he's in a building of the outer circle of Elphael. Here's the path to get to him :
- Teleport to the Prayer Room Grace
- Follow the way North and go through the first mob pack, then stop at the brasero (just before the chilling soldier holding a torch)
- Jump on the buttress East, drop down on the pillar ledge and walk around it, then drop down again on the road, and you'll reach the outter circle (if you didn"t kill it, there's an ulcerated avatar walking here)
- Climb the stairs North and you'll see him at the opposite side of the building, in a cove at the end of the corridor, levitating.
- Anonymous
For those who are searching for "the Crystalian mage in the first section of Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree" and forgot the exact place, he's in a building of the outer circle of Elphael. Here's the path to get to him :
- Teleport to the Prayer Room Grace
- Follow the way North and go through the first mob pack, then stop at the brasero (just before the chilling soldier holding a torch)
- Jump on the buttress East, drop down on the pillar ledge and walk around it, then drop down again on the road, and you'll reach the outter circle (if you didn"t kill it, there's an ulcerated avatar walking here)
- Climb the stairs North and you'll see him at the opposite side of the building, in a cove at the end of the corridor, levitating.
- Anonymous
For those who are searching for "the Crystalian mage in the first section of Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree" and forgot the exact place, he's in a building of the outer circle of Elphael. Here's the path to get to him :
- Teleport to the Prayer Room Grace
- Follow the way North and go through the first mob pack, then stop at the brasero (just before the chilling soldier holding a torch)
- Jump on the buttress East, drop down on the pillar ledge and walk around it, then drop down again on the road, and you'll reach the outter circle (if you didn"t kill it, there's an ulcerated avatar walking here)
- Climb the stairs North and you'll see him at the opposite side of the building, in a cove at the end of the corridor, levitating.
- Anonymous
>This weapon cannot be infused with Ashes of War
WHY??? This is the perfect weapon for spinning weapon ash. Just why? I didn't even ask for spell rot procs...
- Anonymous
will using carian slicer apply the rot? since in past souls games the staff are considered a second hitbox when using similar spells like with ds3 farron flashsword
- Anonymous
Got one to drop from the single crystalian mage right after two times at 142 discovery. I got really lucky.
- Anonymous
I think the Crystalian sorcery apply the rot from this staff it happens when they use it on players
- Anonymous
I just want it to work with the mediocre crystalian sorceries at the cost of some sorcery scaling, nobody asked for scarlet rot Stars of Ruin or Moonblade lol. The rotten crystalian spells just look better and would have more utility than the vanilla ones.
- Anonymous
I think it would've been cool to have this staff apply rot to CRYSTAL sorceries, but to not have any other sorceries applying rot. The crystallian sorcery spells feel underhwelming and clunky compared to other spells and I think letting them have the bonus of adding a status buildup could give them some additional fun.
Perhaps also for specific melee spells like the stonediggers but requiring the "blade" or similarly to actually connect for the rot buildup. So adula's moonblade would only apply rot on the blade itself, but not on the projectile. I think that'd be especially nice for some of the other melee spells like the stonedigger and the gavel which tend to be a bit of an afterthought when compared to spells like the moonblade. Giving people more options for builds that are viable and fun would be a nice way to mix things up.
I was actually very confused when I found out about this staff.
I was really scared that it made sorceries apply the Rot buildup, which would've been way too overpowered, in my honest opinion.
You might want this for PvE, guys, but for a game with a mechanic such as invasion, trust me when I say this; YOU DO NOT WANT PEOPLE SHOOTING ROTTING PEBBLES AT YOU.
Can you imagine the tracking projectiles that lock on you with Scarlet Rot buildup?
No thanks
- Anonymous
You guys seem to forget that staffs can have ashes of war. Perhaps if I could rapidly spin my staff, striking many times and building up rot....
- Anonymous
This'll be real useful for my melee staff build. Yknow where I have 99 strength and 0 int and just go smacking people with a stick
You should have been able to give this spinning weapon for rot buildup...
- Anonymous
I see a lot of people wondering why this doesn't add rot to sorceries and I think we all just need to take a moment to really, REALLY think about what we're asking for here.
If YOU get rot sorceries, EVERYONE gets rot sorcieries. Do we... do we really want to give invaders and/or gank squads the opportunity to apply rot with homing projectiles? Zeke's Morning Breath is bad enough already and probably should be nerfed (in echange for some other incantations being buffed to keep everyone happy). Imagine if Star Shower had rot buildup on every projectile. Do you really think gank squads would be honourable enough not to slam the infinite fp smoothie and fumigate you with a lightshow to put Gundam to shame? I dunno about you but I certainly couldn't dodge that. Hell, even a lone invader could probably get the rot extremely quickly with 1-2 projectiles connecting per cast. Carion Phalanx could probably apply it on its own in a single cast if it connected. Even Glintstone Pebble would become a nightmare. This isn't the sort of chemical warfare the Lands Between needs right now. You all saw what happened with Caelid.
I see some suggestions that it could just be the melee spells and that seems... tolerable. still pretty aweful considering Adula's Moonblade exists, but I suppose if it was only on the sword hitbox and not the beam it'd work. Might even be kinda fun on stonedigger sorceries, considering how niche they are currently. Another, tamer option would be to just let it be infused with spinning weapon - that turns the rot into a "get off me" option that procs basically instantly if it connects, but is easy enough to space around so as not to be oppressive. I'd actually love to see some other weapon arts for staffs too - mix it up a little. Maybe give it access to one or two more attacks (some sort of backstepping attack and maybe a variant of the driller move that lets you charge forward), a sorcery buff (like the DS3 weapon skill for most staves), and a devensive option.
- Anonymous
lol why does this exist if it doesn't affect projection weapon sorceries
- Anonymous
What about melee spells like Carian Slicer or Gavel of Haima? Maybe those might get rot status.
- Anonymous
From if you ever read these PLEASE give this staff rot buildup for spells casted.
Got one to drop after exactly 10 kills with 324 discovery, from the alone crystalian at the first section of ephael.
- Anonymous
For people farming the rotten spear/staff at Elphael Inner Wall. Just stand on the roots, target the caster and cast a charged Night Maiden's Mist. It's will damage all 3, but they won't aggro. Absolutely easiest and safest way possible.
- Anonymous
considering those corrupted crystal guys actually spread rot with their spells, its a shame they didn't do that with this staff. That being said; with just how strong sleep, bleed, and frostbite are with the most recent (1.03 patch) arcane scaling. . . its probably for the best that we don't have to worry about getting blasted by fast-hitting spells (two of which got buffed to actually hit pretty hard) .
- Anonymous
For any faith casters struggling with these enemies, Aspect of the Crucible: Tail counts as strike damage and works very well on them. Usually breaks them in 1-2 casts.
- Anonymous
It would've been sooo cool for this to add rot to even just crystallian spells. :( sad face. I got really excited and then disappointed.
- Anonymous
A little tip for that trio just use lorretas bow to gain attention of one and it also shatters them if you fire a couple times, hope this helps!
- Anonymous
As a Dragon's Dogma veteran I was hoping the spells cast would have the rot effect added, like the Rusted Staff in DD.
;___;
- Anonymous
Ah yes 50 bleed buildup on a weapon with only an R2 that does like 5 dmg.
Nice.
Oh what's this? a whole 10% damage boost on Two WHOLE SPELLS?
Double Nice.
They really gimped melee caster builds smh.
So sad it doesn’t proc rot with spells. This would've been THE gimmick for this staff. Who the f whacks a boss or an enemy with the casting tools? So stupid.
- Anonymous
there is a difference between rotten and normal crystal staff. At 70 int and 30 strength and both un-upgraded the crystal staff has 175 sorc. scaling while the rotten crystal staff has 174. additionally normal has attack power of 31+23 while rotten has 42+31, noticeably more because its made for hitting, hence the rot build up only on strike.
- Anonymous
Tested this on a friend in PVP, sorceries do not cause build up, only actual hits with the staff physically.
- Anonymous
Doesn't apply rot to your spells, BUT using the spinning weapon ashes of war allows you to easily proc rot on any enemy/boss in a single L2.
- Anonymous
After extensive testing, it does NOT work on spells. I went on greyroll on my second playthrough, both this and the bleed staff failed to apply their respective debuffs after 7 chain casts of comet azur. They both applied their debuff after 10ish melee attacks. Big sadge.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
I tested azur comet on a boss ( did about 500 worth of mana )
Tested on Royal Knight Loretta and I know she can be afflicted by rot
- Anonymous
Confirming drop location that Elana-SqualidQueen mentioned, it does drop from mage putrid crystalians in Haligtree, took me 20-30 attempts with 40ish discovery. I havent found anything beefy enough (most of the things are dead) to test comet azur rot build up. It should work on spells as that appears to be its purpose, but tbh, anything other than comet azur ticking would take an eternity to proc so it would be hard to notice, ill update when i have more.
Who is responsible for this?
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