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Crystal Tears are most commonly found underneath Elden Ring’s many Minor Erdtrees, but there are some that don’t require players to defeat an Erdtree Avatar first. Two Crystal Tears can be used in the Flask of Wondrous Physick at a time, and both effects apply simultaneously. Some Crystal Tears are much more useful than others, though.

Crimsonburst Crystal Tear

The Crimsonburst Crystal Tear is one of the first Crystal Tears players find in Elden Ring, and it just so happens to be one of the most useful. Almost all Flask of Wondrous Physick effects last three minutes, and this Crystal Tear gives players passive healing for this duration.

The Crimsonburst Crystal Tear can be acquired after defeating the Erdtree Avatar at the Minor Erdtree in the Weeping Peninsula. To get here, follow the path south from the Bridge of Sacrifices and double back to a path leading upwards before the Giant. Continue through the Demihuman forest and to the mesa above.

Stonebarb Cracked Tear

The Stonebarb Cracked Tear is one of the most useful Crystal Tears for melee builds, particularly Strength-based builds that easily break enemy Posture. This Crystal Tear increases the amount of Posture damage each attack does, making Critical Hits much easier to get for a short time.

The Stonebarb Cracked Tear can be found underneath a Minor Erdtree in Caelid (not the Dragonbarrow) and is guarded by a Putrid Avatar. This boss is particularly tough as it can cause Scarlet Rot buildup near-instantly, so bring some Preserving Boluses.

Cerulean Hidden Tear

While the Stonebarb Cracked Tear is near-essential for Strength builds, the Cerulean Hidden Tear is one of the best choices for Intelligence builds. This Crystal Tear completely negates all FP usage for about seven seconds – combined with the Comet Azur Sorcery and a build specifically geared to enhance damage, this quickly becomes the most broken Crystal Tear in Elden Ring.

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The Cerulean Hidden Tear is found in Mount Gelmir near the Road of Iniquity Site of Lost Grace. Head East of the Grace point towards the area’s Minor Erdtree not to fight an Avatar, but to fight an Ulcerated Tree Spirit.

Ruptured Crystal Tear, With A Caveat

The Ruptured Crystal Tear is essentially a one-time explosion centered on the player that deals a ridiculous amount of damage to user and surrounding NPCs in a small area. This almost always kills the player instantly, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Using the Twiggy Cracked Tear with this Crystal Tear essentially makes it the perfect escape tool, letting players keep all their Runes while bringing them back to the last Site of Lost Grace rested at.

The Ruptured Crystal Tear is found beneath the western Liurnia of the Lakes Minor Erdtree after defeating its guardian Erdtree Avatar. A second one drops in the Consecrated Snowfield, but using both at the same time isn’t a good idea as it’s a guaranteed way to instantly die and lose all of your Runes.

Magic, Flame, and Holy-Shrouding Cracked Tears

There are three useful Shrouding Cracked Tears in Elden Ring that specific spellcasting builds can make use of. For three minutes, each of the Shrouding Cracked Tears’ associated Damage type gets significantly boosted. Sorcery players will find the Magic one most useful, while Incantation users can make good use of the Flame and Holy Shrouding Cracked Tears.

The Magic Shrouding Cracked Tear is found under the Minor Erdtree in Liurnia of the Lakes. The Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear is found in Caelid just below the Smouldering Church to the east again guarded by an Erdtree Avatar. The Holy-Shrouding Cracked Tear is also found in Liurnia of the Lakes, guarded beneath the Northeastern Minor Erdtree.

Opaline Bubbletear…

The Opaline Bubble tear is, alongside the Crimsonburst Crystal Tear, one of the first Crystal Tears players find in the game, and it just so happens to be one of the most popular. This Crystal Tear almost completely negates the damage of the next incoming attack, and is commonly used in Rune Level 1 speedruns and no-death playthroughs of Elden Ring.

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This Bubbletear is acquired after beating the Erdtree Avatar beneath the Weeping Peninsula’s Minor Erdtree alongside the Crimsonburst Crystal Tear, and they make for a great one-time-use recovery combination.

…And the Opaline Hardtear

The Opaline Hardtear is similar to the Opaline Bubbletear but instead of a one-time negation of damage, it reduces incoming damage from all sources significantly for three minutes. If you’re not concerned about being hit and would rather the defensive benefits last a few minutes than for one hit, the Hardtear is the Crystal Tear for you.

The Opaline Hardtear is found in Greyoll’s Dragonbarrow just northeast of Fort Farroth, where players find the second half of the Dectus Medallion. It is guarded by a Putrid Avatar and is one of the most popular spots for players to invade in Caelid - so watch out if you’re playing with friends!

Windy Crystal Tear

The Windy Crystal Tear is deceptively useful, especially for players who don’t use a shield in their offhand and rely exclusively on dodging to avoid damage. This Crystal Tear increases the effectiveness of Dodge Rolls, essentially giving players a wider window of invincibility during the dodging and mounting animations.

The Windy Crystal Tear is one of the few that aren’t found beneath a Minor Erdtree. Instead, head to the very southern part of Caelid where the Radahn Soldiers and mutated beasts battle in an open field. You will find the Windy Crystal Tear in a pit with several nearby Giant Crows and T-Rex Dogs.

Twiggy Cracked Tear

The Twiggy Cracked Tear is considered by most players to be the most useful Crystal Tear in Elden Ring because it provides an effect normally reserved for the extremely rare Sacrificial Twig. When used, players will lose nothing on Death. This means you get to keep Runes currently on your person, and any dropped Runes will not disappear if you die trying to get them back.

The Twiggy Cracked Tear is found at the base of the Minor Erdtree in the northern part of the Leyndell Royal Capital Outskirts, though you don’t have to defeat any bosses. It’s found instead on the ground surrounded by Minotaurs and other enemies, so it’s entirely possible to ride Torrent and completely avoid confrontation in picking this extremely useful item up.

Elden Ring is available now for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S.

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