Preparation Checklist
Before you begin, make sure you have the following ready:
- Access to Leyndell, Royal Capital (defeat Draconic Tree Sentinel and at least two shardbearers)
- A fully upgraded Flask of Wondrous Physick for tough boss encounters guarding talismans
- Torrent unlocked and at least one Sacred Tear upgrade on your Crimson Flasks
- The Haligtree Secret Medallion (both halves) to reach Elphael for Marika's Soreseal
- Access to Shadow of the Erdtree DLC (defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood and Starscourge Radahn)
- Minimum character level 100 recommended; level 130+ for DLC legendary talismans
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Radagon's Soreseal — Fort Faroth, Caelid
This is the easiest legendary talisman to grab early and one of the most powerful for any build under level 120. Fast-travel to the Fort Faroth Site of Grace in eastern Caelid's Dragonbarrow. From the rooftop entrance, drop down through the hole in the floor into the wooden interior. Hug the left wall past the giant bats and descending ladders until you reach a room with a corpse slumped on a bed. Loot the corpse to claim Radagon's Soreseal, which raises Vigor, Endurance, Strength, and Dexterity by five points each at the cost of increased damage taken. Use it until you hit soft caps — the trade-off is worth it for over 30 free levels of stats.
Step 2: Marika's Soreseal — Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree
Marika's Soreseal is buried deep inside the Haligtree, the game's most punishing legacy dungeon. Begin at the Prayer Room Site of Grace and exit onto the outer walkway. Drop down the series of buttresses on your right, carefully eliminating the Kindred of Rot snipers. After reaching the lowest platform, enter the sealed room via the small archway on the west side. Inside, you will find Marika's Soreseal on a corpse behind an Erdtree Avatar wielding dual hammers. The talisman grants +5 to Mind, Intelligence, Faith, and Arcane — an absolute must-have for hybrid caster builds and any character pushing toward soft caps in caster stats. Bring fire and strike damage for the Avatar.
Step 3: Erdtree's Favor +2 — Leyndell, Ashen Capital
After defeating Maliketh and triggering the Ashen Capital transformation, return to the Leyndell, Capital of Ash area. From the Forbidden Lands Site of Grace, ride or walk back toward the main boulevard. Look for a massive falllen tree branch arching over the ash-covered street near where the Erdtree Sanctuary once stood. Climb the branch upward and follow the path onto a rooftop. At the far end, a corpse tucked against a crumbling wall holds Erdtree's Favor +2, the strongest version of a talisman that boosts maximum HP, stamina, and equipment load simultaneously. Make sure to grab it before advancing to the final boss — once you start the ending sequence, the Ashen Capital is locked off.
Step 4: Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman — Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree
The Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman offers a colossal 20% physical damage negation and stacks multiplicatively with armor, making it borderline essential for any tank build or anyone struggling with late-game bosses. From the Drainage Channel Site of Grace (reached after defeating Malenia or by navigating the Haligtree roots from the Prayer Room), exit the chapel and turn immediately right. Walk across the narrow root bridge spanning the rot pool below. A corpse hanging partially off the edge of a broken archway on the far side carries the talisman. Watch out for the Lesser Kindred of Rot patrolling the roots — a single pest thread volley can knock you into the fatal rot lake below. Equip a bow or ranged spell to pick them off before crossing.
Step 5: Old Lord's Talisman, Moon of Nokstella, Godfrey Icon & Radagon Icon
The remaining base-game legendary talismans are spread across mid-to-late-game zones. Old Lord's Talisman extends spell duration by 30% and is found in a chest at the back of the Crumbling Farum Azula temple plaza guarded by a Beastman of Farum Azula — essential for buff-stacking faith builds. Moon of Nokstella adds two memory slots and sits in a chest beneath the giant throne in Nokstella, Eternal City, reached after defeating the Mimic Tear boss in Nokron. Godfrey Icon boosts charged spells and skills by 15% and waits in a golden fog-sealed room in the Altus Plateau's Golden Lineage Evergaol, unlocked after defeating Godefroy the Grafted. Radagon Icon shortens spell casting time and is looted from a corpse inside the Debate Parlor of Raya Lucaria Academy, just past the Red Wolf of Radagon boss room on the second floor balcony.
Player FAQ
What are the DLC legendary talismans in Shadow of the Erdtree?
Shadow of the Erdtree introduces several new legendary talismans, including the Two-Headed Turtle Talisman (massively improves stamina recovery, found in the Ruins of Unte), the Beloved Stardust (raises all attributes by +3 but greatly increases damage taken, located behind Commander Gaius in Scaduview), and the Retaliatory Crossed-Tree (boosts attack power after blocking, near the Shadow Keep's seventh floor). When accounting for DLC legendary talismans, plan your collection route carefully — several are locked behind remembrance bosses that are among the hardest in FromSoftware history.
Do I need all legendary talismans for the platinum trophy?
Yes. The "Legendary Talismans" achievement/trophy requires collecting all eight base-game legendary talismans: Radagon's Soreseal, Marika's Soreseal, Erdtree's Favor +2, Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman, Old Lord's Talisman, Moon of Nokstella, Godfrey Icon, and Radagon Icon. DLC talismans are tracked separately and are not needed for the base-game platinum. If you missed one on your first playthrough, you can collect it in New Game Plus or have another player drop it for you.
Can I stack Radagon's Soreseal with Radagon's Scarseal?
Yes, but with catastrophic consequences. When both are worn together, you take roughly 30% extra damage from all sources. At higher levels, this makes many late-game boss attacks one-shot kills. The Soreseal is generally superior as a single-slot stat booster. Drop the Scarseal entirely once you acquire the Soreseal, and consider unequipping the Soreseal itself once your Vigor exceeds 40 — the damage penalty starts outpacing the benefit at that threshold.
Which legendary talisman is best for a pure Strength build?
For pure Strength builds, the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman is the undisputed king — 20% physical negation paired with heavy armor and the Bull-Goat's Talisman pushes you past 50% damage reduction before buffs. Erdtree's Favor +2 is the next priority since it gives you the equip load headroom needed to wear colossal weapons and the heaviest armor sets without fat-rolling. If you are running a charged heavy attack build centered on the Royal Knight's Resolve Ash of War, Godfrey Icon should occupy your third talisman slot.
Are Soreseals still worth using in the DLC?
This is a divisive question among the community. In Scadu level 1-7 content, Scadutree Fragments offset the damage penalty enough that Radagon's Soreseal remains viable through the early and mid DLC for melee builds. However, against DLC remembrance bosses — particularly the final boss of Shadow of the Erdtree — the Soreseal penalty often means the difference between surviving a combo with single-digit HP or dying outright. Most veterans recommend unequipping Soreseals entirely once you have collected Scadutree Blessing level 12 or higher. Replace them with the Two-Headed Turtle Talisman or the Great-Jar's Arsenal instead.
What order should I collect legendary talismans to minimize backtracking?
The most efficient route is: Radagon's Soreseal (Caelid, early) → Radagon Icon (Liurnia, mid-game) → Moon of Nokstella (Nokron/Nokstella, after Radahn) → Godfrey Icon (Altus Plateau Evergaol) → Old Lord's Talisman (Farum Azula, late-game) → Erdtree's Favor +2 (Ashen Capital, post-Maliketh) → Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman → Marika's Soreseal (both Haligtree/Elphael, late-game). This order follows natural progression without unnecessary detours through areas you have already cleared.