The Flask of Wondrous Physick is a wondrous and borderline-essential item inElden Ring. Found in the Third Church of Marika in eastern Limgrave (just north of the Mistwood), players can customize the effects of this single-use flask at any Site of Lost Grace by using Crystal Tears.
RELATED: Elden Ring: Twiggy Cracked Tear Location
Crystal Tears are most commonly found underneath Elden Ring's many Minor Erdtrees, but there are some that don't require players to defeat an Erdtree Avatar first. Two Crystal Tears can be used in the Flask of Wondrous Physick at a time, and both effects apply simultaneously. Some Crystal Tears are much more useful than others, though.
Updated March 3, 2023, by Jerrad Wyche: Recently it was reported that FromSoftware's latest AAA release, Elden Ring, has managed to sell over 20 million units worldwide. An impressive feat for a game developer known for delivering difficult but engaging high-quality experiences. With a new DLC expansion now revealed for the game, called Shadow of the Erdtree, it's clear people can't get enough of the world existing inside of Elden Ring and will have the chance to hop back into the game with new content soon. For now, this list of the best Crystal Tears has been updated to provide guidance for players struggling with some of the game's hardest content.
Crimson Bubbletear
Elden Ring is pretty difficult at times, which falls in line with what people expect from a FromSoftware-developed title, but that's not the only tradition it keeps alive. Veterans of these games can all relate to the feeling of being at little-to-no health, out of healing items, and hoping for a place of rest.
The Crimson Bubbletear may not sound all that enticing when comparing it to the wide selection of Crystal Tears, but it makes a case to be added to any Flask Of Wondrous Physick. Restoring health to the player when they're near death can come in clutch and be the difference between success and failure. The Erdtree Avatar east of the Mountaintop of the Giants drops this Crystal Tear once defeated.
Thorny Cracked Tear
Those heading east of Ordina, Liturgical Town will come upon an area known as the Consecrated Snowfield. A bit of exploring will result in the discovery of the Minor Erdtree in this area, with a Putrid Avatar patrolling nearby. Anyone brave enough to take on this monstrosity will claim the Thorny Cracked Tear.
RELATED: Things Elden Ring Does Better Than Any Other FromSoftware Game
Adding it to the Flask Of Wondrous Physick concoction will provide the player will the ability to have their attacks grow stronger the more consecutively they unleash them. The Thorny Cracked Tear may not be best for all play styles, but players who are either hyper-aggressive in combat or built like a tank will have little issue staying in the enemy's pocket and attacking over and over again.
Crimsonwhorl Bubbletear
The Mountaintops of the Giants is home to two useful crimson-colored Crystal Tears, with the Crimsonwhorl Bubbletear resting on a cliff's edge above a grace point and just south of an area known as Giants' Gravepost. Throughout Elden Ring, players are often punished for greedy maneuvers and poor decision-making, and that treatment rarely gets extended to the enemies populating The Lands Between.
The Crimsonwhorl Bubbletear's addition to a Flask Of Wondrous Physick mix evens the odds in that way. It converts the damage taken by the player into health, meaning that incoming damage is alleviated to some extent.
Leaden Hardtear
An underrated aspect of combat in many of FromSoftware's modern collection of games is how Poise can drastically affect certain encounters. It's one of the base stats in Elden Ring, and it provides resistance for the player in terms of avoiding the possibility of flinching or staggering from an incoming attack.
The Leaden Hardtear temporarily boosts it, so mixing it into the Flask Of Wondrous Physick is stellar if an upcoming enemy is prone to cause either flinching or staggering in its set of moves if/when landed. Those interested in adding this to their collection of Crystal Tears will need to make a trek to Mt. Gelmir. Upon defeating the Ulcerated Tree Spirit players will be rewarded with this sturdy and stoic asset.
Crimsonburst Crystal Tear
The Crimsonburst Crystal Tear is one of the first Crystal Tears players find in Elden Ring, and it just so happens to be one of the most useful. Almost all Flask of Wondrous Physick effects last three minutes, and this Crystal Tear gives players passive healing for this duration.
The Crimsonburst Crystal Tear can be acquired after defeating the Erdtree Avatar at the Minor Erdtree in the Weeping Peninsula. To get here, follow the path south from the Bridge of Sacrifices and double back to a path leading upwards before the Giant. Continue through the Demihuman forest and to the mesa above.
Stonebarb Cracked Tear
The Stonebarb Cracked Tear is one of the most useful Crystal Tears for melee builds, particularly Strength-based builds that easily break enemy Posture. This Crystal Tear increases the amount of Posture damage each attack does, making Critical Hits much easier to get for a short time.
The Stonebarb Cracked Tear can be found underneath a Minor Erdtree in Caelid (not the Dragonbarrow) and is guarded by a Putrid Avatar. This boss is particularly tough as it can cause Scarlet Rot buildup near-instantly, so bring some Preserving Boluses.
While the Stonebarb Cracked Tear is near-essential for Strength builds, the Cerulean Hidden Tear is one of the best choices for Intelligence builds. This Crystal Tear completely negates all FP usage for about seven seconds – combined with the Comet Azur Sorcery and a build specifically geared to enhance damage, this quickly becomes the most broken Crystal Tear in Elden Ring.
RELATED: Elden Ring: Best Location To Farm Runes Early
The Cerulean Hidden Tear is found in Mount Gelmirnear the Road of Iniquity Site of Lost Grace. Head East of the Grace point towards the area's Minor Erdtree not to fight an Avatar, but to fight an Ulcerated Tree Spirit.
Ruptured Crystal Tear, With A Caveat
The Ruptured Crystal Tear is essentially a one-time explosion centered on the player that deals a ridiculous amount of damage to the user and surrounding NPCs in a small area. This almost always kills the player instantly, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Using the Twiggy Cracked Tear with this Crystal Tear essentially makes it the perfect escape tool, letting players keep all their Runes while bringing them back to the last Site of Lost Grace rested at.
The Ruptured Crystal Tear is found beneath the western Liurnia of the Lakes Minor Erdtree after defeating its guardian Erdtree Avatar. A second one drops in the Consecrated Snowfield, but using both at the same time isn't a good idea as it's a guaranteed way to instantly die and lose all of one's Runes.
Magic, Flame, and Holy-Shrouding Cracked Tears
There are three useful Shrouding Cracked Tears in Elden Ring that specific spellcasting builds can make use of. For three minutes, each of the Shrouding Cracked Tears' associated Damage types gets significantly boosted. Sorcery players will find the Magic one most useful, while Incantation users can make good use of the Flame and Holy Shrouding Cracked Tears.
The Magic Shrouding Cracked Tear is found under the Minor Erdtree in Liurnia of the Lakes. The Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear is found in Caelid just below the Smouldering Church to the east again guarded by an Erdtree Avatar. The Holy-Shrouding Cracked Tear is also found in Liurnia of the Lakes, guarded beneath the Northeastern Minor Erdtree.
Opaline Bubbletear...
The Opaline Bubble tear is, alongside the Crimsonburst Crystal Tear, one of the first Crystal Tears players find in the game, and it just so happens to be one of the most popular. This Crystal Tear almost completely negates the damage of the next incoming attack and is commonly used in Rune Level 1 speedruns and no-death playthroughs of Elden Ring.
RELATED: Elden Ring: How To Get The Hammer Talisman (And What It Does
This Bubbletear is acquired after beating the Erdtree Avatar beneath the Weeping Peninsula's Minor Erdtree alongside the Crimsonburst Crystal Tear, and they make for a great one-time-use recovery combination.
...And the Opaline Hardtear
The Opaline Hardtear is similar to the Opaline Bubbletear but instead of a one-time negation of damage, it reduces incoming damage from all sources significantly for three minutes. If players are not concerned about being hit and would rather the defensive benefits last a few minutes than for one hit, the Hardtear is the Crystal Tear for that type of player.
The Opaline Hardtear is found in Greyoll's Dragonbarrow just northeast of Fort Farroth, where players find the second half of the Dectus Medallion. It is guarded by a Putrid Avatar and is one of the most popular spots for players to invade in Caelid - so watch out when playing with friends!
Windy Crystal Tear
The Windy Crystal Tear is deceptively useful, especially for players who don't use a shield in their offhand and rely exclusively on dodging to avoid damage. This Crystal Tear increases the effectiveness of Dodge Rolls, essentially giving players a wider window of invincibility during the dodging and mounting animations.
The Windy Crystal Tear is one of the few that aren't found beneath a Minor Erdtree. Instead, head to the very southern part of Caelid where the Radahn Soldiers and mutated beasts battle in an open field. Players will find the Windy Crystal Tear in a pit with several nearby Giant Crows and T-Rex Dogs.
Twiggy Cracked Tear
The Twiggy Cracked Tear is considered by most players to be the most useful Crystal Tear in Elden Ring because it provides an effect normally reserved for the extremely rare Sacrificial Twig. When used, players will lose nothing on Death. This means players get to keep Runes currently in possession, and any dropped Runes will not disappear if the player dies trying to get them back.
The Twiggy Cracked Tear is found at the base of the Minor Erdtree in the northern part of the Leyndell Royal Capital Outskirts, though players don't have to defeat any bosses. It's found instead on the ground surrounded by Minotaurs and other enemies, so it's entirely possible to ride Torrent and completely avoid confrontation in picking this extremely useful item up.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S.
MORE:
