The Ash of War: Hoarfrost Stomp is one of the most iconic and powerful skills available in Elden Ring, highly regarded for its wide area of effect and exceptional damage potential. Especially in the early months following the game’s release, Hoarfrost Stomp gained a notorious reputation for being overpowered, making it a favorite among players who sought to dominate both PvE and PvP encounters. Even after subsequent balance patches, this frost-based skill remains a versatile and formidable choice. Whether you are facing tough bosses or invading other players, mastering Hoarfrost Stomp can give you a significant advantage in combat.
What Is Hoarfrost Stomp?
Hoarfrost Stomp is an Ash of War that allows the player to unleash a freezing shockwave by stomping the ground. The resulting wave of frost damage travels forward in a wide cone, dealing substantial area-of-effect damage while also applying the Frostbite status effect. This makes it incredibly useful for crowd control, zoning enemies, or applying pressure in duels.
Skill Description
When activated, the character stomps the ground, sending a ripple of icy mist along the ground. Any enemy caught in its path takes damage and builds up Frostbite. The stomp itself costs a small amount of FP and has relatively low wind-up time, allowing players to use it repeatedly in battle.
Frostbite Status Effect
The Frostbite status effect builds up with each application and, once triggered, deals a burst of bonus damage and temporarily reduces the target’s stamina regeneration. This makes Hoarfrost Stomp valuable not just for its immediate damage, but also for weakening an opponent’s ability to fight back effectively.
Location and How to Obtain
Hoarfrost Stomp can be found in the early-to-mid-game regions of Elden Ring, specifically in the Liurnia of the Lakes area. Players looking to acquire this Ash of War can do so fairly early, making it a great addition to any build.
Step-by-Step to Obtain
- Travel to Liurnia of the Lakes, northeast of Stormveil Castle.
- Head toward the shallow lake just east of Caria Manor.
- Look for invisible footsteps circling in the water this indicates an invisible Teardrop Scarab.
- Time your attack or magic spell to hit the Scarab when it becomes momentarily visible.
- Defeat the Scarab to obtain Ash of War: Hoarfrost Stomp.
The challenge lies in striking the invisible Scarab, as its circular path can be tricky to track. However, with patience or the right ranged tools, it becomes manageable.
Best Weapons to Use With Hoarfrost Stomp
Since Hoarfrost Stomp can be applied to most melee weapons, its flexibility is one of its strongest features. It is best used with weapons that allow you to keep your distance or engage quickly between uses of the skill.
Recommended Weapon Types
- Straight Swords Balanced speed and reach for follow-up attacks
- Spears Good for keeping enemies at bay while spamming the stomp
- Greatswords Allow for high burst damage after frostbite is triggered
- Katanas Particularly effective with bleed/frost hybrid builds
It is worth noting that Hoarfrost Stomp scales with Intelligence when used with a magic-infused weapon, allowing for synergy with sorcery builds as well.
Scaling and Infusion Options
One of the key advantages of Hoarfrost Stomp is that it can be paired with various weapon infusions to suit your character’s build. It works particularly well with Cold infusion, which increases the buildup of Frostbite on each stomp and melee strike.
Infusion Suggestions
- Cold Infusion: Increases Frostbite buildup and provides Intelligence scaling.
- Magic Infusion: Enhances damage output based on Intelligence, making it useful for sorcerers.
- Quality Infusion: Balances scaling for Strength and Dexterity, good for hybrid melee builds.
Depending on your stats, choosing the right infusion can make Hoarfrost Stomp even more deadly. Cold builds are particularly potent, as they double down on status effect pressure.
Combat Strategies
Using Hoarfrost Stomp effectively requires timing, spacing, and understanding enemy behavior. It’s not just about spamming the skill it’s about when and where you use it.
PvE Strategies
- Use Hoarfrost Stomp to quickly clear mobs or apply pressure to bosses.
- Take advantage of the Frostbite burst damage to stagger enemies.
- Chain the skill with ranged attacks or magic to keep enemies on the defensive.
PvP Strategies
- Catch opponents off-guard as they close the distance.
- Zone control by repeatedly stomping in narrow areas or choke points.
- Apply pressure while retreating or baiting enemy attacks.
Even after being nerfed in some patches, Hoarfrost Stomp remains difficult to counter in close-quarters PvP unless the opponent is extremely mobile or familiar with the timing.
Balance Changes and Patch Notes
When Elden Ring first launched, Hoarfrost Stomp was widely considered overpowered due to its massive damage output, low FP cost, and wide range. In response to community feedback, FromSoftware adjusted the skill in future updates to bring it more in line with other Ashes of War.
Key Nerfs
- Reduced damage output
- Increased FP cost slightly
- Slightly delayed activation time
Despite these changes, the core strength of the skill remains intact. It continues to be a solid option for many builds and a reliable choice for both new and experienced players.
Builds That Benefit from Hoarfrost Stomp
Hoarfrost Stomp fits into several types of builds, whether you’re focused on melee, magic, or a hybrid playstyle. Thanks to its intelligence scaling and frost effect, it particularly excels in builds that capitalize on elemental damage or status effects.
Popular Build Ideas
- Cold Greatsword Build: Combine high Strength with Cold infusion and Hoarfrost Stomp for burst and stagger potential.
- Intelligence Frost Mage: Use Hoarfrost Stomp alongside spells like Adula’s Moonblade for devastating frost combos.
- Dexterity Bleed/Frost Hybrid: Mix Bleed weapons like katanas with Cold-infused stomp to apply dual status pressure.
Experimenting with different weapons and stats allows players to adapt Hoarfrost Stomp to a variety of situations and preferences.
The Ash of War: Hoarfrost Stomp is a shining example of what makes Elden Ring’s combat system so engaging. It’s visually impressive, strategically versatile, and fun to use across many scenarios. While it may no longer dominate the meta as it once did, it remains a reliable and effective skill that rewards intelligent use and tactical positioning.
Whether you’re exploring dungeons, taking on tough bosses, or battling other players in the Lands Between, Hoarfrost Stomp offers a satisfying and powerful tool for any Tarnished looking to leave their mark in ice.