Starting a New Game+ cycle in Elden Ring is both exciting and challenging. You keep most of your levels, gear, and upgrades—but the enemies hit harder and bosses become more aggressive. That’s why it’s essential to make sure you’ve gathered the most important items before taking the plunge.

In this guide, we’ll highlight 13 critical Elden Ring Items you should track down before beginning New Game+. These items will give you a head start in your second journey and ensure you're not missing out on powerful tools that can’t be easily reacquired.

1. Sacred Relic Sword

Only available after defeating the final boss, this weapon is key for efficient rune farming thanks to its Wave of Gold skill. It’s a favorite for players trying to quickly gather Elden Ring Runes early in NG+.

2. Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone

There’s a limited number of these per playthrough. They let you max out special weapons to +10, and grabbing all of them before NG+ ensures you have the strongest arsenal possible.

3. Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone

Just like the somber version, this one maxes out regular weapons to +25. Before resetting the world, collect as many as you can for weapon flexibility in the next cycle.

4. Mimic Tear Ashes

Still one of the most powerful Spirit Ashes in the game. If you’ve missed this in Nokron, it’s worth circling back before entering NG+. A fully upgraded Mimic can trivialize certain encounters.

5. Radagon’s Scarseal / Sourceal and Marika’s Scarseal / Sourceal

These talismans boost stats significantly, though at the cost of taking more damage. They’re ideal for testing new builds in NG+ and provide stat flexibility without immediate respecs.

6. Gold Scarab

This talisman boosts rune acquisition, and it stacks with other rune-boosting gear. If you plan to farm efficiently in NG+, don’t forget to grab it from the Abandoned Cave.

7. Moonlight Greatsword (Dark Moon Greatsword)

Obtained by completing Ranni’s questline, this legendary weapon is a must for Intelligence builds. It deals strong magic damage and comes with a powerful weapon art.

8. Blasphemous Blade

For Strength/Faith builds, this weapon offers great damage and passive healing on kills. Its weapon skill is excellent in both PvE and PvP. Be sure to claim it from Rykard’s Remembrance.

9. All Legendary Armaments

There’s an achievement tied to collecting all nine. NG+ resets many conditions and can make it harder to finish certain questlines, so completing this before restarting is smart.

10. Dectus Medallions and Haligtree Secret Medallions

Even though you won’t need them immediately in NG+, keeping both halves of these medallions makes traveling across the map smoother, especially if you’re trying to speedrun areas.

11. Ritual Shield Talisman and Ritual Sword Talisman

These talismans boost defense or attack when your HP is full—perfect for cautious players or glass cannon builds. They’re often missed by players who skip optional dungeons.

12. Larval Tears

Though not strictly rare, stocking up on Larval Tears lets you respec freely in NG+ to experiment with different playstyles. It's a good idea to collect them now rather than wait.

13. Bell Bearings

These are easy to overlook but extremely useful. Turning them into the Twin Maiden Husks ensures you can continue to buy Elden Ring Items like smithing stones and crafting materials in NG+. Not all Bell Bearings carry over their full benefit if missed.

Before jumping into New Game+, take the time to clean up loose ends, finish quests, and comb through missed areas. You’ll thank yourself later when you’re mowing down tougher enemies with maxed-out gear and the best items the game has to offer.

Also, while it might be tempting to look for ways to quickly gather Elden Ring Runes or even buy Elden Ring Items, keep in mind that your long-term success in NG+ depends more on preparation and build flexibility than on shortcuts. Gather smart, plan well, and you’ll be ready to take on the Lands Between all over again—with style.