Elden Ring: How to Respec & Reset Stats with Larval Tear items

Elden Ring is a full-fat RPG, and that means hefty character progression systems. In large part it’s all rather similar to the other Souls-style games - and that includes the manner in which you can reset your character attribute points, or as we all more commonly call it, a respec. 

As in many RPGs with such open-ended progression, the ability to respec is quite vital in Elden Ring because… well, you might change your mind. At the onset of the game you’re asked to choose a starting character class & origin, which will give you some starting stats - but from there, it’s all on you as to which stats and attribute points you choose to upgrade. 

Unfortunately, the ability to respec doesn’t unlock until quite a way into Elden Ring. On this page, we explain:

• How to unlock character Respec
• How to Respec your character
• Where to get Larval Tear Items (required to respec)

Unlocking character respec in Elden Ring

So, here’s the good news: you can reach the location where you can respec in Elden Ring relatively early on in the game - within the first few hours, if you know where you’re going. The bad news? Well, it requires you defeat a couple of difficult bosses to get anywhere near it - and so in real terms, you probably won’t be getting to respec for a while.

To unlock the respec option in Elden Ring, you’ll need to reach and then complete the Academy of Raya Lucaria, which is basically the second of the major story-critical ‘legacy dungeons’. Though they can be tackled in any order, it’s pretty clear that Elden Ring’s suggested completion order is to first beat Margit the Fell Omen, then tackle Stormveil Castle and Godrick the Grafted, and only then head on into Liurnia and the Academy. In order to gain entry to the Academy you'll need to find the Meeting Place to get a Glintstone Key.

In the final room of this dungeon you’ll face Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon. Except you won’t actually kill this boss fully - once she’s defeated, she hangs out, and despite the fact you’ve taken her Great Rune and Remembrance, Rennala can use her powers to rebirth your character, which in turn allows you to both change your appearance and respec purchased attribute points. All you need to do is speak to her.

Once defeated, a new Site of Grace opens up inside her boss room, so you can teleport back here to respec at any time. The mysterious locked chest in her Boss Room is nothing to do with the respec system, and is actually tied to Ranni's quest, which is in turn tied to one of Elden Ring's endings.

How to Respec

So, now you've unlocked it, how does the Elden Ring respec work? Well, the answer is pretty simple - and pretty familiar for those who've played a lot of games of this type.

Basically, respec resets your character to their exact status at the start of the game - which of course varies depending on your starting class. That means unlike other chargen choices like appearance and your Keepsake Starting Gift, you're stuck with your initial stats; they'll form your starting point after every respec. Respeccing the Wretch will drop that character to Level 1, for instance, while the Vagabond will be returned to Level 9, and so on. You then have to reassign all of your earned skill points up to your current level.

A character Respec isn't entirely free; in order to respec, you’ll need to give Rennala an item - the Larval Tear. This is the only cost, however - you don't need to hand over any runes.

Once you hand over the Larval Tear, you'll then be able to respend all the attribute points you've gained by spending runes all game, and therefore rebuild all of your character stats. Some other minor rules about the respec process:

• If you initiate a respec and then change your mind before finalizing it, you'll be given back the Larval Tear, so if you want to go into the menu and experiment, you can - it won't be locked in until you press confirm on your final, new stats.
• You have to spend all attribute points available to you in the respec; you can't use it to 'level down'
• You can respec as much as you like - so long as you have a Larval Tear to make it happen. More on getting those below.

Once you start New Game Plus, you'll be locked out from respec until you reach & beat Rennala again - so keep that in mind.

Larval Tear Location for Respecs

As mentioned just above, you’ll need to exchange Larval Tear key items in order to Respec in Elden Ring. These items aren't exactly super rare, but they aren't completely common either. As the in-game description says, these are a key ingredient - the only ingredient, in fact - in being reborn by Rennala, which is Elden Ring's term for a respec:

Core of a creature of mimicry known as a silver tear. As much as a substance as it is a living organism. Material required by the amber egg cradled by Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, to birth people anew. Being born anew allows the reallocation of attributes boosted by leveling up.

Larval Tear items are found throughout the world. While the below is by no means an exhaustive list, we do have some suggestions of places we know you can definitely get a Larval Tear - enough, listed here, for more respecs than any average Elden Ring player should need to do. Naturally, when you do new Game Plus, all these spawns will be reset, too, allowing you to get more on your second journey and beyond.

Here's where to find Larval Tear items:

• You can buy Larval Tears from a Nomadic Merchant in the Siofra River area for just 3000 Runes. You can first access this area via a lift that is inside a Mausoleum at the foot of the Lingrave Minor Erdtree.
• You can find a Larval Tear as loot in the Village of the Albinaurics, which is in the south-western area of Liurnia of the Lakes.
• In the middle of the Liurnia Lake, there’s an enormous Crayfish. Beat it, then beat the monster it turns into, and it drops a Tear.
• If you beat the Caria Manor optional Legacy Dungeon, you'll be able to head behind it. In this area there's a Graveyard, and here there's a ghost that, when interacted with, disappears leaving a Larval Tear behind.
• After beating Caria Manor, you can head up to the Three Sisters area behind that dungeon and, via that, drop down onto some otherwise unreachable bits of the Manor. This can lead to an NPC, Pidia, who also sells a single Larval Tear for 3000 Runes.
• In Nokron, Eternal City you'll be able to get one from the Mimic Tear boss when you defeat it, plus there's two found as loot from corpses in the city.
• In Nokstella, Eternal City and Night's Sacred Ground you'll encounter large ball enemies that roll at you to attack. These respawning enemies are guaranteed to drop a Larval Tear