20 Elden Ring Items That Only Drop After Defeating Elite Enemies

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In Elden Ring, exploration is always rewarding—but some of the game’s most valuable loot isn’t hidden in treasure chests or lying in plain sight. Instead, it’s dropped exclusively by elite enemies: powerful non-boss foes that roam the Lands Between and pose serious threats. These enemies often guard key routes, roam late-game areas, or hide in ambushes, but taking them down can net you rare and useful gear that enhances specific builds or opens up new strategies.

Here are 20 items that only drop after defeating elite enemies, making the challenge well worth it.

1. Cleanrot Knight’s Sword

Dropped by Cleanrot Knights found in the Swamp of Aeonia and Elphael. This elegant straight sword is great for Faith builds and features excellent scaling and a piercing thrust weapon skill.

2. Banished Knight Set

Farmed from Banished Knights in Stormveil Castle and the Haligtree. Their armor set is one of the tankiest in the game, and the full drop requires persistence—but it's a favorite for heavy melee builds.

3. Royal Knight’s Loretta’s Greatbow (Ash of War)

While Loretta herself is a boss, her spectral knights in the Haligtree can drop versions of her sorceries and gear. Her bow Ash of War is a rare drop that boosts magical archery builds.

4. Noble’s Slender Sword

Dropped by Wandering Nobles, this unassuming straight sword has some of the best scaling in its class. It’s especially favored for bleed or poison builds due to its speed and reach.

5. Knight’s Greatsword

Dropped by elite mounted knights throughout the mid and late game. This weapon is a great choice for Strength builds and is compatible with a wide variety of Ashes of War.

6. Haligtree Knight Helm

Dropped only by Haligtree Knights in Elphael, this helm has high holy resistance and pairs perfectly with Faith-based tank builds. The rest of the set can also drop with some patience.

7. Bull-Goat Armor Set

Dropped by Great Horned Tragoth if you defeat him via a Volcano Manor assassination quest. This set is the heaviest in the game and ideal for poise-focused tank builds.

8. Celebrant’s Skull

Found in the Windmill Village area, this unique weapon drops from frenzied celebrants. Its quirky passive lets you earn runes with each hit, offering an alternative way to slowly farm while exploring.

9. Troll Knight’s Sword

Dropped by elite troll knights wielding colossal swords. It’s a Strength-focused greatsword with a unique heavy attack animation and high stagger potential.

10. Marais Executioner’s Sword

Dropped after defeating Elemer of the Briar, a recurring elite enemy and invader-type boss. This weapon’s spinning weapon skill scales well and fits a bleed-heavy playstyle.

11. Tree Sentinel’s Armor

Dropped by the Draconic Tree Sentinel after the second encounter near Leyndell. It’s one of the best-looking armor sets for tank builds and provides top-tier defense stats.

12. Preceptor’s Big Hat

Dropped by Preceptor Seluvis if you defeat him during Ranni’s questline. It boosts Intelligence and makes for a stylish mage accessory.

13. Perfumer’s Bolt

Dropped by elite Perfumers in Leyndell and the Altus Plateau. These bolts work well with crossbows and add an elemental twist to ranged attacks.

14. Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone (Drop Version)

Some elite enemies like the Lesser Wormfaces or Bell-Bearing Hunters can drop these stones. They are essential for maxing out unique weapons and are among the most valuable upgrade materials in the game.

15. Bloodhound’s Fang (NG+ Drop Version)

While it’s normally found early in the game, higher-level Bloodhound variants in NG+ and above may drop alternate versions or components of the same weapon type, especially with enhanced stats or affinities.

16. Omenkiller’s Cleaver

Dropped by the Omenkiller enemy, often found in Volcano Manor and other select areas. It’s a massive cleaver that deals high bleed damage and pairs well with strength builds.

17. Guardian’s Swordspear

Dropped by Tree Guardians in the Haligtree area. This is a rare polearm with strong Dexterity scaling and decent reach, often overlooked because of how hard it is to farm.

18. Misbegotten’s Shortbow

Dropped by Winged Misbegotten elites. This bow is fast, and when upgraded, works well with poison or fire arrows for agile ranged builds.

19. Page Ashes

Elite Pages found in Caria Manor and elsewhere have a rare chance of dropping their spirit ashes. These summons are surprisingly strong and nimble, especially when upgraded.

20. Black Dumpling

Dropped by frenzied enemies in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds. It raises attack power when madness is inflicted, making it great for niche Frenzied Flame builds.

Fighting elite enemies in Elden Ring is more than just a test of strength—it’s a path to some of the most unique and rewarding gear in the game. Many of these drops are rare, and the grind can be steep. But if you’re willing to put in the time, the results are game-changing.

For players who want to speed up the farming process or avoid the RNG grind, some opt to buy Elden Ring runes or look for cheap Elden Ring Items to fast-track their builds. But even without shortcuts, tracking down elite enemy drops is one of the most satisfying challenges the game has to offer.