A Larval Tear is the only way to respec in Elden Ring. Hand one to Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon and you can pull back every point you put into attributes and spend them again. They are limited, so this guide lists every Larval Tear in the base game and in Shadow of the Erdtree, explains how rebirth works, and shows the fastest ones to grab when you want to try a new build.
| What it does | One full attribute respec (rebirth) |
| Where to use it | Rennala at the Grand Library, Raya Lucaria Academy, after you beat her |
| Base game | 18 Larval Tears |
| Shadow of the Erdtree | 9 more, found at night |
| Can you buy them? | Two only: Pidia and the Siofra River Nomadic Merchant, 3,000 runes each |
| New Game+ | Unused tears carry over, and every tear respawns in the new cycle |
How to respec with a Larval Tear
Beat Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon in Raya Lucaria Academy, then go back into the Grand Library and talk to her. Pick Rebirth, give her a Larval Tear and you are dropped into a respec screen. Your rune level stays the same; only where the points go changes.
- Each attribute can go back down to your starting class’s base value, never lower. That is why the starting class still matters for min-maxed builds.
- Each rebirth costs one Larval Tear, no matter how many points you move.
- Rennala’s Cosmetics option, to change your appearance, is free and needs no tear.
- Test your new spread before committing your last tear: the build planner lets you lay out stats and requirements first.
All 18 Larval Tear locations (base game)
Most overworld tears drop from a disguised enemy: something that looks like a harmless Wandering Noble or corpse until you get close, then turns into a much stronger monster. If a lone noble is strolling around somewhere odd, it is probably carrying a Larval Tear.
| # | Region | Location | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Limgrave | East of the Agheel Lake South grace | Kill the Wandering Noble that turns into a Lesser Runebear |
| 2 | Liurnia | Village of the Albinaurics, graveyard | Pick it up |
| 3 | Liurnia | Gazebo near Boilprawn Shack / Rose Church | Kill the Grafted Scion disguised as a Giant Crayfish |
| 4 | Liurnia | Graveyard east of Caria Manor | Reward for solving the Resurrection painting |
| 5 | Liurnia | Caria Manor | Buy from Pidia, Carian Servant (3,000 runes) after beating Royal Knight Loretta |
| 6 | Caelid | Stone coffins south of the Caelid Highway South grace | Kill the Wandering Noble that turns into a Troll |
| 7 | Altus Plateau | Unnamed ruins south of Windmill Village | Kill the Wandering Noble that turns into a Lion Guardian |
| 8 | Mt. Gelmir | East of the Road of Iniquity grace | Kill the burning corpse that turns into a Wormface |
| 9 | Consecrated Snowfield | Southeast of the Inner Consecrated Snowfield grace | Kill the Wandering Noble that turns into a Lesser Runebear |
| 10 | Siofra River | Nomadic Merchant near the Siofra River Bank | Buy for 3,000 runes (one in stock) |
| 11 | Nokron, Eternal City | Southeast of the Nokron grace | Corpse pickup |
| 12 | Nokron, Eternal City | Gazebo in the ruins | Corpse pickup; grabbing it spawns Silver Tear enemies |
| 13 | Nokron, Eternal City | Night’s Sacred Ground | Dropped by a Silver Sphere |
| 14–15 | Nokron, Eternal City | Mimic Tear boss arena | Dropped by the Mimic Tear |
| 16 | Nokstella, Eternal City | On the bridge | Dropped by a Silver Sphere |
| 17 | Nokstella, Eternal City | Northeast building, hanging from the ceiling | Dropped by a Silver Sphere |
| 18 | Nokstella, Eternal City | Building with stairs after the bridge | Dropped by a Silver Sphere |
Shadow of the Erdtree Larval Tears
The DLC adds nine more, and they work differently: each one sits inside a ring of glowing blue gravestones that only appears at night. Rest at a Site of Grace and pass time until night if you arrive in daylight and see nothing. Reaching the gravestone ring is enough; there is no disguised enemy to fight.
- Prospect Town, southeast of the large ruins
- Scorched Ruins, to the southeast
- Near the Suppressing Pillar, to the northeast
- South of the Church of the Crusade
- Abandoned Ailing Village, to the south (head east from the Greatbridge, North grace)
- West side of Rabbath’s Rise
- East of Messmer’s Army Encampment
- Rauh Base, two rings on the cliff above the Fog Rift Catacombs
Fastest Larval Tears for an early respec
You can only respec once Rennala is down, which usually means mid-Liurnia. These are the quickest tears to have in your pocket by then:
- Agheel Lake South (Limgrave): available from the opening hours; the Runebear hits hard, so come back with a few levels if needed.
- Village of the Albinaurics (Liurnia): a free pickup on the way through southwest Liurnia.
- Boilprawn Shack gazebo (Liurnia): the Grafted Scion is tough early, but the tear is right next to the Raya Lucaria road.
- Pidia in Caria Manor: buy it after Royal Knight Loretta, which you will want to beat anyway for the Loretta’s Slash Ash of War.
For a big haul at once, the Siofra River descent into Nokron gives seven tears in one area: the merchant, the three Nokron pickups and Silver Sphere, and two from the Mimic Tear boss.
Tips
- Do not respec on a whim. Plan the whole stat spread first, because 18 tears go faster than you expect when you swap builds for each boss.
- Silver Spheres in Nokron and Nokstella hide on ceilings and ledges; lock on or scan upward with a bow if you cannot find one.
- Rebirth cannot fix a starting class choice. If you want a lower base stat than your class allows, that needs a new character.
- Pick a target build from our builds hub before you visit Rennala so one tear is enough.
FAQ
How many Larval Tears are in Elden Ring?
18 in the base game, plus 9 in Shadow of the Erdtree, for 27 per playthrough. They all come back in New Game+.
Where do I use a Larval Tear?
Give it to Rennala in the Grand Library of Raya Lucaria Academy and pick Rebirth. You must have beaten her boss fight first.
Can I farm Larval Tears?
No. Every tear is a one-time pickup, boss drop or limited shop item. The only way to get more is to finish the game and start the next cycle in New Game+.
Does a respec change my level?
No. Rebirth keeps your rune level and only lets you move the points you earned by leveling. Stats cannot go below your starting class’s base values.
Pair this with the Golden Seed and Sacred Tear locations to power up your flasks, and track what is left with the boss checklist. Source: locations checked against Fextralife’s Elden Ring wiki.
Further reading: Larval Tear on the Fextralife Elden Ring wiki.