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One of Elden Ring’s most compelling mysteries lies not in its combat, but in the hidden mechanics scattered throughout the Lands Between. Among the lesser-known but deeply fascinating features is the influence of the moon phase on item drops. While the game doesn’t overtly display a moon phase tracker, some players have reported different drop patterns and NPC behavior depending on the night sky.

Whether or not the moon phase system is a fully fleshed-out mechanic or an emergent pattern tied to in-game time, the community has found a number of items that seem to only appear or drop during specific moonlight phases. Here are twelve of the most elusive Elden Ring items that are rumored or known to drop only under certain lunar conditions.

1. Silvertear Fang (Waning Moon)

Dropped by a rare Silver Tear enemy variant in Nokron, this dagger has a chance to appear during the waning moon. The enemy only appears if you’ve visited the region during the nighttime cycle.

2. Moonlit Bloom (Full Moon)

This consumable flower glows under the full moon and is used in certain crafting recipes tied to sorceries. It’s only harvestable in a secluded part of the Altus Plateau during specific nights.

3. Starlit Ember (Crescent Moon)

This crafting material can be found near the Mountaintops of the Giants. It’s easier to locate on nights when the moon is in a thin crescent phase due to the way it reacts to low ambient light.

4. Lunar Shard (New Moon)

A rare drop from Albinaurics in the Consecrated Snowfield during a moonless night. It's used to enhance frost-based sorceries and is only farmable during this dark phase.

5. Moonstone Greaves (Half Moon)

A unique armor piece that reportedly drops from a Night’s Cavalry mini-boss that only spawns during half-moon cycles near Castle Sol. Unlike standard Night’s Cavalry, this one uses ice-based attacks.

6. Nocturne Eye (New Moon)

This talisman boosts stealth and nighttime movement. It’s rarely dropped by a wandering Noble in Liurnia who appears only during moonless nights and disappears if dawn breaks.

7. Ash of War: Lunar Spiral (Full Moon)

This weapon art deals arcane and magic damage in a spiral burst. It’s obtained by defeating a magic-wielding Scarab that only appears in the full moon phase near Raya Lucaria’s rooftops.

8. Specter’s Chain (Waning Moon)

This chain slows enemy movement and is dropped by a ghostly invader found in Nokstella. The invader only appears during the waning moon and vanishes with the sunrise.

9. Twilight Resin (Crescent Moon)

A rare weapon buff that applies both magic and bleed. Found in a chest in Ainsel River, the resin only spawns under crescent moonlight when the chest becomes interactable.

10. Astral Bone (New Moon)

Used for summoning specific spirit ashes, this bone is found in the catacombs beneath Deeproot Depths. It can only be picked up when the surface world is under a new moon, linking the area’s visibility to the surface cycle.

11. Lunarscourge Sigil (Full Moon)

This is a defensive talisman that enhances magic resistance. It’s rewarded for defeating a hidden boss called “Shade of Rennala” that only spawns under a full moon.

12. Mooncall Blade (Half Moon)

A curved greatsword that scales with both Intelligence and Dexterity. Dropped from a Cleanrot Knight variant found near Elphael, only appearing during a visible half-moon night.

Tracking moon phases in Elden Ring may not be as straightforward as checking a UI, but the community continues to uncover curious patterns in item drops and enemy spawns tied to nighttime conditions. Whether FromSoftware deliberately coded this as a hidden system or it’s an emergent property of time-based spawns, it's created another layer of exploration and strategy.

Many of the items listed above require specific builds or gear to maximize their potential. If you’re short on resources, having access to cheap elden ring runes can help accelerate your setup. Similarly, some players opt to hunt down rare Elden Ring Items for sale when RNG refuses to cooperate.