Crafting plays a vital role in Elden Ring, giving players an edge in survival, exploration, and combat. From fire pots and arrows to curing items and status-resistant gear, crafting allows players to adapt on the fly without depending solely on merchants or looted supplies. However, crafting isn’t unlocked by default—you’ll need to go through a few early steps to access the system.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to unlock item crafting, what you’ll need, and how to make the most of the crafting system from the start. Whether you’re new to the game or just missed a few early hints, this guide will help you get your crafting journey started right.
How to Unlock Crafting in Elden Ring
To unlock crafting in Elden Ring, you must obtain two key components:
- Crafting Kit
- Cookbooks
The Crafting Kit is the foundation of the system. It becomes available early on, sold by Kale, the merchant in the Church of Elleh—the first major site of grace outside the tutorial area. He sells the Crafting Kit for 300 runes, a small price to pay for a major game feature.
Once you purchase it, crafting becomes available from your inventory menu. You’ll be able to combine basic materials into usable items.
Where to Find Cookbooks
While the Crafting Kit gives you the option to craft, Cookbooks unlock the actual recipes. These books are scattered throughout the Lands Between, sold by merchants, or hidden in dungeons and ruins.
Each type of cookbook corresponds to a category: Nomadic, Missionary, Warrior, and more. Some focus on offensive gear like firebombs and arrows, while others unlock healing items or enhancements like greases.
To make the most of your crafting, be thorough in your exploration and always check merchant inventories. Players looking for shortcuts sometimes explore ways to get Elden Ring Items for sale from reliable community sources, especially when certain cookbooks are missed or inaccessible.
Gathering Crafting Materials
Crafting requires materials found throughout the world—flowers, mushrooms, butterflies, bones, and other reagents. These resources respawn over time, making farming viable.
For example:
- Erdleaf Flowers are common near trees and used for curing items.
- Thin Beast Bones come from hunting animals and are essential for arrows and darts.
- Smoldering Butterflies are needed for fire-based weapons and can be found near campfires or ruins.
Keeping a steady supply of these materials helps ensure you’re always ready for battle or healing when needed.
Useful Early Recipes to Prioritize
Once you’ve unlocked the basics, here are some essential items worth crafting early on:
- Fire Pots: Great against groups or tough enemies.
- Cured Meat & Dried Liver: Buffs for resistances and survivability.
- Bone Arrows: Affordable ranged support, especially for stealth builds.
- Preserving Boluses: Help deal with scarlet rot in areas like Caelid.
If you find yourself low on materials or want to save time, some players look to cheap Elden Ring runes to speed up acquisition without grinding.
Unlocking crafting in Elden Ring is simple but easily missed. Once you have the Crafting Kit and a few cookbooks, the system becomes one of the most flexible and rewarding parts of the game.
Take time to explore, gather ingredients, and expand your recipe collection. It’s one of the best ways to stay prepared across the ever-dangerous Lands Between. Whether you’re trying to survive in late-game zones or just want to restock items without a merchant, crafting gives you control over your inventory in ways looting alone cannot.
