In Elden Ring, survival hinges on more than just skillful combat and strategic decisions—it's also about how well you manage your healing resources. From the towering giants of the Mountaintops to the frenzied soldiers in Caelid, enemies strike with lethal force. In these moments, few things are as essential as your Sacred Flasks—namely, the Flask of Crimson Tears and Flask of Cerulean Tears, used to restore HP and FP respectively. But as your journey continues and your stats increase, Elden Ring Runes these baseline flasks can begin to feel underwhelming. That’s where Sacred Tears come in.

These invaluable items allow players to upgrade the effectiveness of their flasks, ensuring they remain viable tools through even the most intense challenges. Whether you're exploring late-game regions or taking on high-level bosses, enhancing your flasks with Sacred Tears ensures you’re always prepared for the next fight.

What Are Sacred Tears?

Sacred Tears are consumable upgrade items found throughout Elden Ring that increase the restorative power of your HP and FP flasks. Each Sacred Tear permanently boosts how much health or focus points are restored per use. However, they do not affect the number of flasks you carry—that’s managed by Golden Seeds instead.

It's important to note that Sacred Tears do not upgrade the Flask of Wondrous Physick, which is a different system entirely involving Crystal Tears for custom effects.

Lore: A Blessing of the Erdtree

Sacred Tears are remnants of the Erdtree’s divine grace, representing the spiritual power that once healed and nurtured the people of the Lands Between. Found mostly in ruined or abandoned churches, these tears are echoes of the time when faith and divine healing were more widespread, now left behind as relics of a fading age.

The very fact that these Tears are located at statues of Marika or her churches underscores their sacred origin, reinforcing the religious and spiritual undertones woven throughout Elden Ring’s narrative.

How to Use Sacred Tears

Using a Sacred Tear is a straightforward process, but knowing when and how to use them can help you make the most of your resources.

Steps to Use a Sacred Tear:

Rest at a Site of Grace.

Select "Flasks" from the menu.

Choose "Increase amount replenished by flasks."

If you have a Sacred Tear in your inventory, you’ll be prompted to use it to upgrade your Flask of Crimson or Cerulean Tears.

Once used, the upgrade is permanent, and you’ll immediately notice your flasks restore more HP or FP. This boost scales well with your overall character progression and becomes essential for higher-level areas and bosses.

Sacred Tear Locations: All 12 Found in the Lands Between

There are 12 Sacred Tears scattered across the game, most of them found in churches at the foot of a Marika statue or altar. While some are easy to obtain early, others are found in more dangerous zones. Below is a full breakdown of their locations by region.

Location Region

Third Church of Marika Limgrave

Callu Baptismal Church Weeping Peninsula

Church of Pilgrimage Weeping Peninsula

Fourth Church of Marika Weeping Peninsula

Church of Irith Liurnia of the Lakes

Bellum Church Liurnia of the Lakes

Church of Inhibition Liurnia of the Lakes

Second Church of Marika Altus Plateau

Stormcaller Church Altus Plateau

Church of the Plague Caelid

Church of Repose Mountaintops of the Giants

First Church of Marika Mountaintops of the Giants

Region-by-Region Exploration Guide

Limgrave and Weeping Peninsula

Limgrave’s Third Church of Marika is likely one of the first you’ll visit. The surrounding area is low-threat, making it a great opportunity for early upgrades.

Weeping Peninsula, though often overlooked, has three Sacred Tears—a gold mine early in the game. The Callu Baptismal Church, Church of Pilgrimage, and Fourth Church of Marika are all relatively accessible, though the Baptismal Church is surrounded by flame-wielding enemies. Be cautious when approaching.

Liurnia of the Lakes

This region houses three more Sacred Tears. The Church of Irith is easily reached after defeating Godrick and exiting through Stormveil Castle. The Bellum Church and Church of Inhibition are deeper in, with the latter being guarded by invaders and heavy Madness buildup. Bring gear or spells that counter Madness and mind your surroundings.

Altus Plateau

Once you reach the Altus Plateau, you’ll find the Second Church of Marika and Stormcaller Church. Both are surrounded by more advanced enemies, including roaming invaders or knights. However, the Sacred Tears here provide substantial mid-game benefits.

Caelid

The Church of the Plague is famously tied to the questline of Millicent and is located in the scarlet rot-infested zone. Use Preserving Boluses, Scarlet Rot resistance gear, or rot-cleaning spells to make the journey manageable. The Sacred Tear here is guarded by Millicent at one point in the story.

Mountaintops of the Giants

This late-game area features two final Sacred Tears. The Church of Repose is found near the Fire Giant’s domain and includes a powerful NPC invader, while the First Church of Marika sits near the endgame regions and is often surrounded by challenging terrain and cold-resistant enemies.

Tips for Collecting Sacred Tears

1. Use Map Fragments First

Before venturing into new regions, collect Map Fragments to uncover terrain, roads, and key landmarks. Churches are often marked by a small circular symbol and are easier to locate with a complete map.

2. Watch for Statues

Statues of Marika inside churches signal the presence of Sacred Tears. Always interact with these altars to ensure you don’t overlook the tear lying in front of them.

3. Prepare for Ambushes

Not all churches are safe havens. Some are guarded by:

Madness Invaders

Scarlet Rot Zones

Wild animals or enemies tied to quests

Scout the area with ranged spells or summon a Spirit Ash if the fight gets tough.

Why Sacred Tears Matter in the Long Run

Early in the game, flasks are effective simply because your health and FP pools are small. But as you level up and begin investing in stats like Vigor or Mind, you’ll find that a base-level flask may no longer restore a meaningful percentage of your bar. Without upgrading your flask's potency via Sacred Tears, each use becomes less efficient relative to your overall pool.

This is especially critical for:

Magic users, who rely on FP for casting.

Melee tanks, who take heavy damage and need larger HP recovery.

Boss rushers, who need maximum healing in long encounters.

Accelerate Your Progress: Investing in Efficiency

If you're looking to streamline your Elden Ring experience, many players consider purchasing Elden Ring Runes to level up stats or purchase equipment more efficiently. Having upgraded gear can reduce the number of flask uses needed per battle, which indirectly increases your survivability even further.

Combining Sacred Tear upgrades with gear-enhancing Runes ensures your flasks are maximally efficient, both in terms of restoration and in reducing how often you even need to use them.

Conclusion: Don’t Underestimate the Power of Sacred Tears

The Sacred Tears in Elden Ring may seem like small upgrades at first, but their long-term impact on your journey is undeniable. With only 12 available in the game, each one matters, and collecting them ensures your healing and casting resources scale with your adventure.

Whether you’re battling demi-gods, dueling player invaders, or navigating the chaos of the Erdtree’s fall, having fully-upgraded flasks gives you the breathing room to fight smarter and last longer.

So, when you stumble upon a ruined church under the Erdtree’s shadow, take a closer look—you might just find a Sacred Tear that makes all the difference.

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