Golden Vow is usually best as an incantation: it requires 25 Faith, costs 47 FP, boosts attack power by approximately 15% and damage negation by approximately 10% in PvE, and lasts about 80 seconds. You find it at Corpse-Stench Shack in Mt. Gelmir.
However, “Golden Vow” can also mean the weaker weapon skill available as an Ash of War—or the innate skill on the Golden Halberd. Those versions use 40 FP, last about 45 seconds, and provide approximately 11.5% attack power and 7.5% damage negation in PvE. They are useful when your build cannot reach 25 Faith, but they are not an additive second Golden Vow and do not match the incantation’s duration or bonuses.
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What Golden Vow does
Golden Vow is an Erdtree Worship incantation that applies an aura buff to the caster and nearby allies. In PvE, the standard incantation provides approximately:
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- 10% increased damage negation
- Approximately 80 seconds of duration
The effect is valuable before boss fights, invasions against difficult enemies, dungeon encounters, and cooperative play. Because the spell affects nearby allies, it is also one of the most convenient group buffs for a Faith-based co-op character.
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Golden Vow occupies one memory slot and requires 25 Faith. Its FP cost is 47. Those requirements make the incantation particularly attractive for Faith, Strength/Faith, Dexterity/Faith, and cooperative support builds, while pure Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence characters may prefer the weapon-skill version.
Golden Vow incantation location
You obtain the Golden Vow incantation at Corpse-Stench Shack in Mt. Gelmir. This is the spell’s acquisition route; it is separate from both the Golden Vow Ash of War and the Golden Halberd.
- Reach Mt. Gelmir in western Altus Plateau.
- Find Corpse-Stench Shack.
- Collect the Golden Vow incantation at the shack.
The important distinction is that guides and players often use “get Golden Vow” to describe three different things. The incantation comes from Corpse-Stench Shack. The Ash of War comes from a mounted Godrick Knight in Limgrave. The Golden Halberd, which has a related innate skill, comes from defeating the Tree Sentinel in Limgrave.
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| Version | How to obtain or use it | FP cost | PvE attack bonus | PvE damage-negation bonus | Duration | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Vow incantation | Find it at Corpse-Stench Shack in Mt. Gelmir | 47 | Approximately 15% | Approximately 10% | Approximately 80 seconds | Characters with 25 Faith, especially Faith and co-op builds |
| Golden Vow Ash of War | Obtain it from a mounted Godrick Knight in Limgrave and apply it to an eligible weapon or thrusting shield | 40 | Approximately 11.5% | Approximately 7.5% | 45 seconds | Low-Faith builds carrying a compatible utility weapon |
| Golden Halberd skill | Defeat the Tree Sentinel in Limgrave; the weapon has the skill innately | 40 | Approximately 11.5% | Approximately 7.5% | 45 seconds | Players already using the Golden Halberd |
The percentages above are PvE values. They should not be copied into a PvP build description as universal numbers. The weapon-skill version is listed at approximately 2.5% increased attack power and 1.5% increased damage negation in PvP. The incantation also follows game-mode-specific modifier behavior, so PvP players should verify values against the regulation version they are playing.
Which version should you use?
Choose the incantation if you have 25 Faith
The incantation is normally the superior option for a character that can cast it. It lasts roughly 35 seconds longer, gives larger PvE bonuses, and does not require a weapon slot or a weapon-skill activation. A single memory slot is a modest cost for a buff that can cover an entire difficult encounter.
It is especially practical for:
- Faith and hybrid Faith builds
- Strength/Faith and Dexterity/Faith characters
- Co-op characters who want to buff nearby allies
- Players preparing several attacks or phases of a boss fight
Choose the Ash of War when Faith is the obstacle
The Golden Vow Ash of War is a useful substitute for characters that do not naturally reach 25 Faith. You can place it on an eligible infusable weapon or thrusting shield and carry that item as a dedicated buff tool. This avoids investing heavily in Faith, but the trade-off is a shorter duration, lower PvE bonuses, and the time needed to activate the skill.
A light utility weapon is usually more convenient than changing the Ash of War on your main weapon. The exact eligible equipment and affinity choices depend on the weapon, your build, and the Ash-of-War system’s compatibility rules.
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Use the Golden Halberd only if it fits your build
The Golden Halberd carries the Golden Vow skill innately, so it provides the weapon-skill version without requiring an Ash of War application. It is obtained by defeating the Tree Sentinel in Limgrave and requires 30 Strength, 14 Dexterity, and 12 Faith to wield.
That requirement makes it a poor choice as a disposable buff tool for many characters. If you already use the Golden Halberd, however, its innate skill can give you Golden Vow’s general-purpose aura without carrying a separate casting seal and without reaching the incantation’s 25-Faith requirement.
How Golden Vow stacks with other buffs
Golden Vow is an aura buff. Another aura buff generally replaces it rather than adding a second aura bonus. That means you should not treat the incantation and the Ash of War as two separate Golden Vows that can be activated for double damage and defense. Activating one generally replaces the other.
Rallying Standard is another competing aura option. It should be evaluated as an alternative to Golden Vow, not as an additional aura to layer on top of it.
Golden Vow plus Flame, Grant Me Strength
Flame, Grant Me Strength is the commonly used companion buff because it belongs to a different, body-buff category. It can generally be cast after Golden Vow and coexist with it. The practical sequence is:
- Cast Golden Vow first, because it lasts longer.
- Cast Flame, Grant Me Strength immediately before entering combat.
- Apply any compatible weapon buff or other effects after checking how that specific effect interacts with your build.
Do not assume every buff stacks simply because it comes from a different item or spell. Weapon buffs, talismans, and Flask of Wondrous Physick effects can have their own interaction rules. The safe approach is to identify each effect’s category rather than relying on the word “buff” alone.
Extending Golden Vow with Old Lord’s Talisman
Old Lord’s Talisman can extend the duration of compatible buffs. A commonly listed interaction increases the incantation’s duration from approximately 80 seconds to approximately 104 seconds. This extends the timer; it does not increase Golden Vow’s 15% attack or 10% damage-negation values.
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The talisman is therefore most useful when you need to cast Golden Vow well before a fight, are moving through a long encounter, or want more time to prepare additional short-duration buffs.
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For a Faith-capable PvE character, use this simple routine:
- Equip a sacred seal and confirm that Golden Vow is memorized.
- Check that you have at least 25 Faith and 47 FP available.
- Move close enough to allies that the aura can affect them.
- Cast Golden Vow before the rest of your short-duration preparations.
- Cast Flame, Grant Me Strength if your damage type and build benefit from it.
- Apply compatible weapon buffs or drink your Flask of Wondrous Physick as appropriate.
- Switch back to your combat setup and enter the encounter before the shorter buffs expire.
For the Ash of War version, replace the first two steps with equipping the compatible weapon or shield and confirming that you have 40 FP. Because the skill lasts only 45 seconds and requires an activation, use it closer to the start of combat.
Golden Vow in PvP
Golden Vow remains useful in PvP, but the PvE figures should not be used to predict its exact arena performance. The weapon-skill version is listed at approximately 2.5% attack power and 1.5% damage negation in PvP, substantially below its PvE values. The incantation is also subject to PvP-specific modifiers.
In practical terms, the spell’s value in PvP depends on whether you can safely create the time and space to cast it. The longer-duration incantation is more attractive for a prepared build, while the weapon skill may be an accessible alternative for a character that cannot reach 25 Faith. Neither version should be described as providing its full PvE percentage in player combat.
Why old Golden Vow guides may disagree
Older build videos and forum posts may report different interactions because Elden Ring has received regulation updates and has had historical bugs involving attack power, spell damage, and skill damage. Official patch notes have documented fixes affecting attack-power interactions for some skills, while community-maintained records have also tracked older spell-interaction issues.
The latest official publisher material identified for this research lists App/Regulation Version 1.16.1, released August 21, 2025. No official patch note located for that version specifically changes the core incantation values summarized here. Because later regulation changes may be distributed, treat the numbers as applying to the researched version context rather than as permanently immutable across every future update.
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Is Golden Vow worth 25 Faith?
For a build that already uses Faith, yes: the incantation’s one-slot cost, approximately 80-second duration, party utility, and strong PvE bonuses make it one of the most broadly useful pre-fight buffs.
For a build with no Faith investment, the answer is more conditional. Reaching 25 Faith solely for Golden Vow can require reallocating attributes or using temporary stat-boosting equipment. That may be worthwhile for a buff-focused setup, but it is not automatically the best choice for every weapon build. The Ash of War version gives up some power and duration in exchange for a lower Faith burden.
If you are still learning item locations, NPC routes, weapon requirements, and buff interactions, a physical Future Press Elden Ring Books of Knowledge reference can be useful alongside an online spell guide. The base-game volumes cover maps, NPCs, mechanics, enemies, weapons, spells, armor, and abilities; the DLC has a separate Volume III reference. Availability and commercial programs vary, so check the current product and retailer details before buying.
Common mistakes
- Searching Mt. Gelmir for the Ash of War: the incantation is at Corpse-Stench Shack, but the Ash of War follows a Limgrave route.
- Assuming Golden Vow is a weapon: the name can refer to an incantation, a weapon skill, or the Golden Halberd’s innate skill.
- Trying to double-stack the two Golden Vow versions: they use the same aura-buff role and generally replace one another.
- Using PvE numbers for PvP: the skill’s listed PvP bonuses are much lower.
- Casting the short buff first: cast the longer-duration Golden Vow before Flame, Grant Me Strength and other short preparations.
- Expecting Old Lord’s Talisman to increase the percentage: it extends duration, not the attack or defense values.
- Choosing the Golden Halberd solely for its buff: its 30 Strength, 14 Dexterity, and 12 Faith requirements may make it inconvenient as a utility weapon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do you get Golden Vow in Elden Ring?
The Golden Vow incantation is found at Corpse-Stench Shack in Mt. Gelmir. Do not confuse it with the Golden Vow Ash of War, obtained from a mounted Godrick Knight in Limgrave, or the Golden Halberd’s innate skill.
How much Faith does Golden Vow require?
The Golden Vow incantation requires 25 Faith, uses one memory slot, and costs 47 FP.
Does Golden Vow stack with Flame, Grant Me Strength?
Generally, yes. Golden Vow is an aura buff, while Flame, Grant Me Strength is a body buff, so they are commonly used together. Cast Golden Vow first because it lasts longer.
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No—not as two additive Golden Vow effects. They occupy the same aura-buff role, so activating one generally replaces the other.
Is the Golden Vow Ash of War as good as the incantation?
No. In PvE, the skill version lasts 45 seconds and provides approximately 11.5% attack power and 7.5% damage negation, compared with approximately 15%, 10%, and 80 seconds for the incantation. Its advantage is the lower Faith dependence.
The Bottom Line
Use the Golden Vow incantation if you can meet 25 Faith: it is the stronger, longer-lasting PvE version and affects nearby allies. Use the Ash of War or Golden Halberd skill when avoiding the Faith requirement matters more than maximum buff strength. Treat Golden Vow as one aura—not something to double-stack—and pair it with compatible effects such as Flame, Grant Me Strength when appropriate.
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