Talisman · Skill Damage
Shard of Alexander
Farum Azula location, Alexander's quest route, and what the 15% skill boost does.
Find Shard of Alexander in Elden Ring's Crumbling Farum Azula. See the Alexander quest route, 15% skill damage bonus, map location, and missable steps.
Quick Stats
- Type
- Talisman
- Effect
- Greatly boosts the attack power of skills
- Skill Damage Bonus
- 15%
- Weight
- 0.9
- Location
- Open plaza northwest of the Dragon Temple, Crumbling Farum Azula
- Obtained From
- Defeat Iron Fist Alexander at the end of his questline
- Quest Required?
- Yes — finish Iron Fist Alexander's questline
- Missable?
- Yes — killing Alexander early locks this talisman
Shard of Alexander Location
Where the talisman drops, and how far Alexander's quest must be before he appears there.
Quick Answer
Location: Crumbling Farum Azula — open plaza northwest of the Dragon Temple
Nearest grace: Dragon Temple Lift. Defeat Iron Fist Alexander in the final duel after his questline reaches Farum Azula.
Shard of Alexander is not sitting in a chest or sold by a merchant. You only get it when you finish Iron Fist Alexander's questline and defeat him in the final duel in Crumbling Farum Azula.
Best approach: rest at Dragon Temple Lift (imp statue — two Stonesword Keys). Take the lift up, leave the temple interior, and cross the broken Farum walkways toward the open plaza northwest of the Dragon Temple. Alexander stands alone on that flat arena and asks for one last fight.
If you already unlocked Dragon Temple, that grace is closer to the plaza. From there, stay on the upper temple paths and push northwest onto the same open platform — you do not need another dungeon clear once you can see the plaza floor.
He only shows up here after the required later stops: progress him after Starscourge Radahn, talk to him in the Mt. Gelmir lava, then reach this Farum Azula plaza. Freeing him above Jarburg with an Oil Pot is optional and is not required to get the talisman. If the plaza is empty, check the troubleshooting table below instead of searching for a chest.
Win the duel for Shard of Alexander and Alexander's Innards. The Innards are optional follow-up for Jar-Bairn in Jarburg; the talisman drops from this fight.
Region
Crumbling Farum Azula
Area
Northwest plaza near Dragon Temple
Nearest Site of Grace
Dragon Temple Lift / Dragon Temple
Quest progress needed
Through Mt. Gelmir in Alexander's quest
How you get it
Defeat Alexander in the final duel
Edition
Base Game
Shard of Alexander Location Map
Map location
Shard of Alexander — final Alexander duel
View Alexander's final location — Crumbling Farum Azula — open plaza northwest of the Dragon Temple
How to Get the Shard of Alexander
Follow Alexander's quest through its final duel in Farum Azula. Skipping the quest does not unlock another way to get the talisman.
Oil Pot is optional
Freeing Alexander above Jarburg with an Oil Pot is optional for Shard of Alexander. Do not treat Cookbook [17] as required for every playthrough — the usual talisman route is to progress the quest after Radahn, speak to Alexander at Mt. Gelmir, then finish the Farum Azula duel.
Step 1
Progress Alexander after Radahn
Defeat Starscourge Radahn so Alexander can leave the festival path. After the fight, talk to him on the Wailing Dunes battlefield if he is still scavenging there and finish his dialogue. If he has already moved on, continue to Mt. Gelmir (and the optional Jarburg free only if you find him stuck there). The Redmane Castle plaza chat before the fight is optional and is not needed once Radahn is defeated.
- Location
- Caelid — Redmane / Wailing Dunes
- Required?
- Required
- Can Skip?
- No — Radahn must fall; the dunes talk only if he is still there
- Nearest Grace
- Chamber Outside the Plaza
- Next Step
- Optional Jarburg free, or Mt. Gelmir
Step 2
Optional: free Alexander near Jarburg
After Radahn, Alexander may be stuck in the cliff above Jarburg in eastern Liurnia (south of the Artist's Shack / Carian Study Hall approach). Craft Oil Pots from Nomadic Warrior's Cookbook [17] (Abandoned Merchant in Siofra River, 1,000 runes), throw an Oil Pot, heavy-attack him free, then finish his dialogue for Exalted Flesh and lore. This stop is optional for Shard of Alexander — you can move on to Mt. Gelmir without it if his quest already advanced after Radahn.
- Location
- Liurnia — cliff above Jarburg
- Required?
- Optional
- Can Skip?
- Yes — not required for the talisman
- Nearest Grace
- Jarburg
- Next Step
- Mt. Gelmir lava bath
Step 3
Talk to Alexander on Mt. Gelmir
From Seethewater Terminus on Mt. Gelmir, follow the river canyon toward the lava. Alexander is bathing there to harden himself — talk through his lines so he moves on. Summoning him for Fire Giant afterward is optional and not required for the talisman.
- Location
- Mt. Gelmir — lava near Seethewater Terminus
- Required?
- Required
- Can Skip?
- Fire Giant summon optional; Gelmir talk required
- Nearest Grace
- Seethewater Terminus
- Next Step
- Final Farum Azula encounter
Step 4
Reach Crumbling Farum Azula
Enter Crumbling Farum Azula and take Dragon Temple Lift (two Stonesword Keys), or go northwest from Dragon Temple onto the open plaza. Alexander waits there for a friendly duel once the earlier required stops are done.
- Location
- Crumbling Farum Azula
- Required?
- Required
- Can Skip?
- No
- Nearest Grace
- Dragon Temple Lift
- Next Step
- Win the duel
Step 5
Defeat Alexander and collect the shard
Defeat Alexander to receive Shard of Alexander (15% skill attack) and Alexander's Innards. You can optionally bring the Innards to Jar-Bairn in Jarburg later; that is separate from receiving the talisman.
- Location
- Farum Azula final duel
- Required?
- Required
- Can Skip?
- No
- Nearest Grace
- Dragon Temple
- Next Step
- Optional: give Innards to Jar-Bairn in Jarburg
Alexander Quest Requirements
This table covers only the steps that matter for Shard of Alexander, not Alexander's entire quest. Required steps advance the quest or lead to the talisman; optional steps can be skipped, and conditional steps only apply if Alexander is still at that location.
| Quest Step | Required / Optional | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limgrave free (Saintsbridge / Stormhill) | Optional | Limgrave | Early meet and Exalted Flesh; you can start later |
| Gael Tunnel encounter | Optional | Gael Tunnel | Side chat only |
| Redmane Castle talk before Radahn | Optional | Caelid — Redmane Castle | Festival conversation; not the same as post-fight progress |
| Defeat Starscourge Radahn | Required | Caelid — Wailing Dunes | Lets Alexander continue to his later quest locations |
| Talk after Radahn (Wailing Dunes) | Conditional | Caelid — battlefield | Do it if he is still on the battlefield; skip if he already left for a later stop |
| Free him above Jarburg (Oil Pot) | Optional | Liurnia | Lore and Exalted Flesh; not required for the talisman |
| Mt. Gelmir lava talk | Required | Mt. Gelmir | Quest advance before Farum Azula |
| Fire Giant summon | Optional | Mountaintops of the Giants | Helpful fight only |
| Final Farum Azula duel | Required | Crumbling Farum Azula | Only source of Shard of Alexander |
Where Does Alexander Go After Radahn?
After the festival, Alexander leaves Redmane. If he is still scavenging on the Wailing Dunes, talk through his lines — that post-fight chat is separate from the optional plaza talk before Radahn. If the dunes are empty, he has already moved on; continue to his next location instead.
He may also get stuck in the cliff above Jarburg in Liurnia. Freeing him with an Oil Pot is optional and not required if you only want the talisman.
Next required stop for the shard route is the lava bath near Seethewater Terminus on Mt. Gelmir. Only after that talk does he move to the Crumbling Farum Azula plaza for the Shard of Alexander duel.
Fastest Way to Get Shard of Alexander
Do not kill Alexander early. Early kills only drop Warrior Jar Shard and lock Shard of Alexander for that playthrough.
Quickest route: defeat Radahn, speak to Alexander afterward, talk to him on Mt. Gelmir, then duel him in Farum Azula.
Skip the optional Stormhill, Gael Tunnel, Jarburg, and Fire Giant stops if Alexander has already moved on to his later quest locations.
Oil Pot / Cookbook [17] only matter if you choose the optional Jarburg free. Bring two Stonesword Keys if you want the Dragon Temple Lift approach in Farum Azula.
Why Is Alexander Not in Crumbling Farum Azula?
Short fixes for a missing final duel, a stuck Jarburg stop, or an early kill lockout.
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Alexander is not in Crumbling Farum Azula | Confirm Radahn is defeated, talk on the Wailing Dunes only if he is still there, finish the Mt. Gelmir lava talk, and do not kill him early. Empty plaza usually means missing Gelmir progress, not a missing chest. |
| Alexander is stuck near Jarburg | Throw an Oil Pot, then heavy-attack him free and finish dialogue. That stop is optional for the shard — after he leaves, continue to Mt. Gelmir if you still need that talk. |
| I already killed Alexander early | This journey is locked out of Shard of Alexander. You get Warrior Jar Shard instead; the 15% talisman needs NG+ or a new character. |
| I finished the game but never picked it up | Farum Azula stays available on that save if Alexander is still alive and his quest reached the final duel. Check the northwest plaza near Dragon Temple Lift / Dragon Temple. |
| I do not know the Farum Azula entrance to the duel | Use Dragon Temple Lift (two Stonesword Keys) or path northwest from Dragon Temple onto the open plaza. The map pin in the Location section marks the final-duel area. |
Shard of Alexander Effect
What the talisman actually changes once it is equipped.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Effect | Greatly boosts the attack power of skills |
| Skill Damage Bonus | 15% |
| PvE | 15% skill attack power |
| PvP | 15% skill attack power |
| Weight | 0.9 |
| Stacks With | Other damage talismans (not Warrior Jar Shard) |
| Cannot Stack With | Warrior Jar Shard — equip one or the other |
The 15% applies to skill attack power — the damaging hits from a weapon skill or Ash of War skill animation.
It does not raise ordinary light/heavy attacks, block damage, spell or incantation damage, or status buildup by itself.
Support skills that only apply a buff and deal no attack hit gain nothing while the buff is up; only skill hits are boosted.
Unique weapon skills (Moonveil, Rivers of Blood, Blasphemous Blade, and similar) count as skills and get the full bonus on their damaging parts.
What Does Shard of Alexander Boost?
Quick check: what counts as a boosted skill hit, and what does not.
| Attack / Mechanic | Boosted? |
|---|---|
| Weapon Skills | Yes |
| Ashes of War | Yes — the skill portion of the ash |
| Normal light attacks | No |
| Normal heavy attacks | No |
| Spells / Incantations | No |
| Buff-only skills | Only if the skill itself deals attack damage |
Skill Damage Comparison
This example starts with a 1,000-damage skill hit before the talisman and ignores enemy defenses and in-game rounding. Your damage will vary by weapon, upgrades, buffs, and target.
No Shard
1,000
Baseline skill hit
Warrior Jar +10%
1,100
Early 10% substitute
Alexander +15%
1,150
Shard of Alexander
Use the Damage Calculator for an estimate based on your weapon, skill, and talismans.
Calculator results are estimates; individual weapon skills, buffs, enemy defenses, and in-game rounding can change the final damage.
Estimate only
Does Shard of Alexander Stack?
Shard of Alexander and Warrior Jar Shard cannot be equipped together. They fill the same role.
The bonus applies to skill attack power, not ordinary R1/R2 strings or spell damage.
Pair it with other damage talismans, body or aura buffs, and weapons that actually use skills — not with Warrior Jar Shard.
Shard of Alexander vs Warrior Jar Shard
Same job, different power and how you get them.
| Factor | Shard of Alexander | Warrior Jar Shard |
|---|---|---|
| Effect | Greatly boosts skill attack power | Boosts skill attack power |
| Skill Damage Bonus | 15% | 10% |
| How to Obtain | Finish Alexander quest + Farum duel | Kill Alexander early |
| Quest Requirement | Full questline | None — early kill |
| Can Equip Together? | No | No |
| Which Is Better? | Stronger end-game skill talisman | Earlier, weaker substitute |
If you want the strongest skill-damage jar talisman, finish the quest and take Shard of Alexander.
Warrior Jar Shard is only worth taking when you knowingly trade the quest ending for an earlier 10% skill boost.
Best Uses for Shard of Alexander
Shard of Alexander shines on loadouts that actually use weapon skills and Ashes of War. It is wasted on pure spellcasting or R1-only kits.
Best Weapons and Skills
- Moonveil
Transient Moonlight is the point of the weapon — the 15% applies to every skill wave.
- Rivers of Blood
Corpse Piler is a repeated skill string; the jar bonus multiplies that pressure window.
- Blasphemous Blade
Taker's Flames is a big skill hit that benefits cleanly from the talisman.
- Dark Moon Greatsword
Moonlight Greatsword shots are skill damage, not regular R1s.
Any Ash of War that spends FP on damaging thrusts, waves, stomps, or multi-hits gets the same 15% as unique skills.
Cast body or aura buffs first, then open with the skill — the talisman multiplies the skill hit, so FP spent on plain swings gets less value from this slot.
Skill-Focused Builds
Melee and hybrid skill builds want this more than pure tank or pure caster setups.
Quality, Dexterity, Strength, Intelligence katana or greatsword, and Arcane bleed kits all benefit once their damage comes from skills.
If your rotation barely uses skills, leave the slot for defense, stamina, or another build-defining talisman instead.
Keep going
Shard of Alexander FAQ
Can you get Shard of Alexander if you killed Alexander?
No. Killing Alexander early drops Warrior Jar Shard and ends his questline. Shard of Alexander is locked for that playthrough until NG+ or a new journey.
Can you get Shard of Alexander without completing his quest?
No. The talisman is the reward from the Farum Azula duel at the end of his quest. There is no separate chest, merchant, or world drop for Shard of Alexander.
How do you get Shard of Alexander after Radahn?
After the festival, progress Alexander (talk on the Wailing Dunes if he is there), optionally free him above Jarburg with an Oil Pot, talk to him in the Mt. Gelmir lava near Seethewater Terminus, then duel him in Crumbling Farum Azula for the talisman.
Do you need an Oil Pot for Shard of Alexander?
Only if you take the optional Jarburg free. Oil Pot helps there, but it is not required once you have progressed the quest after Radahn and spoken to Alexander at Mt. Gelmir.
Where does Alexander go after Radahn?
Often the Wailing Dunes battlefield first, then possibly the cliff above Jarburg in Liurnia, then the lava near Seethewater Terminus on Mt. Gelmir, and finally the northwest plaza in Crumbling Farum Azula.
Why is Alexander not in Crumbling Farum Azula?
Usually missing Mt. Gelmir progress after Radahn, or he was killed early. Talk on the Wailing Dunes if he is still there; if not, push Gelmir. Use the troubleshooting table on this page for the other lockouts.
Can you get Shard of Alexander early?
Not truly early. The final duel is in Crumbling Farum Azula, a late-game area. Early kills only give Warrior Jar Shard (10%), not Shard of Alexander (15%).
Can you get Shard of Alexander after beating the game?
Yes, if Alexander is still alive and you have not abandoned his quest by killing him early. Farum Azula stays available after the ending on that save; if you already killed him early, you are locked out until NG+ or a new journey.
Is Shard of Alexander DLC?
No. Shard of Alexander is a base-game talisman from Iron Fist Alexander's questline in the Lands Between.
What does Shard of Alexander do?
It greatly boosts the attack power of skills by 15% in both PvE and PvP, at 0.9 weight. It does not boost ordinary light/heavy attacks or spell damage.
Does Shard of Alexander stack with Warrior Jar Shard?
No. You can equip only one of them. Shard of Alexander is the stronger 15% version.
Base Game. Collection progress for this talisman is saved in this browser.