Frozen Anguish

Overview

Frozen Anguish is a unique two-handed weapon found inside the Spire of Frost in the Demeniss region. Classified as a longsword, it is widely regarded as one of the most powerful weapons players can obtain during the early chapters of the game. With a base attack of 25 at refinement level 4, an attack speed bonus, and the Stamina Siphon special effect, the Frozen Anguish gives players a significant damage advantage over anything they would normally have access to at that point in the story.

Despite its name and icy appearance, the Frozen Anguish does not inherently carry a frost element or apply freeze effects to enemies. It is a raw physical damage weapon. The sword also comes with five Abyss Core slots (three pre-equipped with Stamina Siphon Lv1, Attack Speed 1, and Attack 1), which can be customized at a Witch NPC to further enhance its capabilities.

Obtaining the weapon requires venturing into a harsh frozen environment that inflicts constant cold damage, so players need adequate preparation before attempting the trip. The effort is well worth it, however, as the Frozen Anguish can trivialize many early encounters and remain useful well into the mid-game.

Weapon Stats

The attack value of 25 is considerably higher than most weapons available in the opening chapters. For comparison, the Hwandoanother strong two-handed weapon obtainable through normal story progression, reaches approximately 27 to 30 attack only after being refined at a Witch. The Frozen Anguish, by contrast, delivers competitive damage right out of the chest with no upgrades needed.

Stats

The following stats are.

Enhancement Levels

Stamina Siphon

The Stamina Siphon Lv1 special effect is one of the most valuable passive abilities a weapon can have in early-game combat. It allows the wielder to recover stamina as they land attacks on enemies. This is particularly useful during prolonged encounters and boss fights where stamina management is critical for dodging, blocking, and chaining combos.

Because the Frozen Anguish provides both high raw damage and stamina recovery, players can afford to be more aggressive in combat. The combination of attack speed bonuses and stamina regeneration creates a fluid fighting style where players can maintain constant pressure without running out of stamina for defensive maneuvers.

Location

The Frozen Anguish is found inside the Spire of Frosta tower structure located in the frozen landscape along the border of Demeniss and Beighen. More precisely, the Spire sits at the southeastern tip of Pailuneaccessible by traveling east from Beighen village. The area is part of the broader frozen region sometimes referred to as the Eye of Ice.

The Spire of Frost is not visited as part of any main story quest. It is an entirely optional location that players must seek out on their own. The surrounding area is covered in snow and ice, with hostile undead enemies (Skull Knights) patrolling the approach.

How to Obtain

Reaching the Frozen Anguish is more of a survival challenge than a combat one. The frozen zone around the Spire of Frost inflicts constant cold damage to players who lack sufficient ice resistance. Without proper preparationhealth will drain rapidly, potentially killing the player before they even reach the chest.

Step-by-Step Walkthrough

1. Travel to the frozen region in northern Demenissheading toward the Spire of Frost. The tower is visible from a distance due to its height.

2. Approach the Spire from the southern side. You will find a doorway blocked by ice with a stone lantern in front of it.

3. Use Turning Slash (R1+R2 on controller) on the frozen lantern to break the ice. You can also use Blinding Flash and press the Concentrating Light prompt, or hit the lantern with fire-imbued weapons such as spears or arrows. Once the ice is cleared, interact with the lantern to light it and open the door.

4. Enter the Spire and look underneath the first set of stairs. There is a treasure chest tucked beneath the staircase, surrounded by blooming flowers.

5. Open the chest to receive the Frozen Anguish and a Refined Palmar Pill.

The weapon can be obtained without lighting all seven lanterns or completing the full Spire puzzle. Players who want to grab the sword and leave can do so immediately after opening the entrance.

Surviving the Cold

Beyond the cold itself, the area around the Spire of Frost is patrolled by flying mages in addition to the undead Skull Knights on the ground. These airborne enemies can attack from range and are difficult to engage in melee, so sprinting past them is often the safer strategy. The combination of freezing temperatures and hostile enemies makes speed and preparation equally important.

The frozen environment around the Spire of Frost deals continuous environmental damage. Players without frost resistance gear will see their health steadily drain. There are several ways to prepare for the trip.

Frost Resistance Gear

Food and Consumables

General Tips

• Prioritize speed over thoroughness. Fighting every enemy on the way to the Spire wastes time and resources while cold damage stacks. Sprint past enemies whenever possible.

• Level 5 ice resistance is the threshold for comfortable exploration. Below that, cold damage will be aggressive and require constant healing.

• If you plan to complete the full Spire puzzle (lighting all seven lanterns), bring significantly more supplies than you think you need.

A practical approach is to collect the Frostcursed Plate armor set before heading to the Spire of Frost for the Frozen Anguish. The armor's high Ice Resistance (particularly the Lv 7 from the chest piece and Lv 5 from the cloak) dramatically reduces the cold damage in the frozen zone. Players who wear the set when entering the Eye of Ice will have a much easier time reaching and exploring the Spire compared to those who attempt the trip in standard gear.

A practical approach is to collect the Frostcursed Plate armor set before heading to the Spire of Frost for the Frozen Anguish. The armor's high Ice Resistance (particularly the Lv 7 from the chest piece and Lv 5 from the cloak) dramatically reduces the cold damage in the frozen zone. Players who wear the set when entering the Eye of Ice will have a much easier time reaching and exploring the Spire compared to those who attempt the trip in standard gear.

The Spire of Frost

While the Frozen Anguish can be grabbed quickly from the chest under the stairs, the Spire of Frost itself is a larger exploration area with its own puzzle and quest. Players who want to fully explore the tower can complete The Frostwarden side quest by lighting all seven stone lanterns scattered throughout the structure.

The Seven Lanterns

The Spire contains seven stone lanterns that must be lit to complete the puzzle. Each lantern is encased in ice and must be melted using fire before it can be activated. The lanterns are distributed across the interior and exterior of the tower as you climb upward.

1. Entrance lantern (southern door, used to open the Spire)

2. Interior staircase, partway up the spiral

3. Exterior steps, along the outdoor spiral path

4. Upper floor, inside the tower interior

5. Exterior section, continuation of the outer stairs

6. Outer steps, visible after exiting the upper chamber

7. Top chamber, the final lantern near the tower's peak

Rewards for Completing the Spire

Lighting all seven lanterns completes The Frostwarden side quest and grants the following rewards:

Upon completion, the region surrounding the Spire becomes marked as liberated by the Greymanes faction.

Combat Applications

The Frozen Anguish excels as an early-game powerhouse. Its 25 base attack is higher than most weapons players encounter during the first several chapters, and the Stamina Siphon effect ensures that aggressive playstyles are not punished by stamina depletion. The attack speed bonus further complements this by allowing faster swing combos.

Because the weapon is a two-handed sword, it benefits from the reach and damage multipliers associated with two-handed combat. Players who have invested skill points into two-handed weapon abilities will find the Frozen Anguish pairs well with sweeping attacks that hit multiple enemies.

The two Abyss Artifact slots on the weapon allow for further customization. Players can visit a Witch NPC to socket artifacts that add elemental damage, defensive bonuses, or other passive effects. This flexibility keeps the Frozen Anguish relevant even as players progress into the mid-game and start encountering tougher enemies.

Recommended Pairings

Frostcursed Plate Set

The Frozen Anguish is the matching weapon for the Frostcursed Plate armor set, a collection of five armor pieces and one two-handed sword scattered across northern Demeniss. Every piece sits in the open world inside treasure chests, so none of them require defeating a boss. The full set provides strong ice resistance and has a distinct dark, imposing aesthetic that players have compared to an undead lord or lich king. The armor features dark metal plating accented with gold trim, hanging chains, and tattered cloth.

Collecting the entire set is worth the effort for anyone planning to spend time in the frozen regions of Demeniss, since the combined ice resistance makes cold environments far more manageable. The Frozen Anguish itself can be picked up independently of the armor pieces, but wearing the full set creates a cohesive visual appearance.

Comparison to Other Early Weapons

The Frozen Anguish stands out because it delivers strong damage with no refinement or upgrade investment. The Hwando can surpass it in raw attack after being refined, but this requires materialstime, and visits to a Witch NPC. For players who want immediate power without the grind, the Frozen Anguish is the clear choice.

Frozen Anguish in the Boss-Slayer Meta

Frozen Anguish is one of the most popular two-handed picks for boss-slayer builds, sharing the top spot with Vow of the Dead King. Its raw damage output and the reach on the weapon make it the default choice for a long stretch of the game, particularly for players who have not yet progressed far enough to unlock Vow of the Dead King. Two-handed weapons are preferred over dual-wielding for this archetype because your Shield only applies its defense stat when you are swinging a two-hander; with dual wield, the shield becomes a cosmetic on your back.

The community consensus from hands-on testing is that Frozen Anguish holds the crown as the top pre-Vow alternative. When builders do eventually swap to Vow of the Dead King, the reasons cited are usually extra reach on the new weapon and the built-in crit stat that caps at 4, which frees sockets that would otherwise be spent hitting the crit ceiling. Until you have Vow in hand, Frozen Anguish remains the best-in-slot two-hander for this playstyle, and there is no reason to feel like you are running a downgrade while you work toward it.

If you are pairing Frozen Anguish with a large shield as recommended for the boss-slayer archetype, focus the shield sockets entirely on defense. Under a two-handed weapon, shield sockets only appear to function when they carry a defense roll, so do not waste them on other stats. The two raw-stat candidates are North Wind Shield (west of Pailune, inside a cave uncovered by lifting a big tree) and Shield of Sacrifice (far to the south). The cosmetic-friendly alternatives are Shield of Conviction (Church of Calfate north of Hernand) and Shield of Betrayal (drops from The Traitor, final boss of Chapter 6).

Trivia

• Despite being found in a frozen tower and having an ice-themed name, the Frozen Anguish does not deal frost damage. This has been a source of confusion among players who expect frost effects from the weapon.

• The Spire of Frost chest also contains a Refined Palmar Pilla valuable consumable. Players looking to stock up on Palmar Pills can check the How to Get Palmar Pills Fast guide for additional farming methods.

• The weapon is a popular recommendation in the Best Early Weapons community discussions, though some players argue the trip is not worth the effort when the Hwando offers comparable stats through normal progression.

• The Spire of Frost is one of several optional spire locations in the game. Other spires include the Spire of the Stars and the Spire of Soaring, each with their own puzzles and rewards.

Related Articles

• Weapons

• Frostcursed Plate Set

• Two-Handed Weapons

• Best Early Weapons

• The Frostwarden

• Ice Resistance

• Demeniss

• Abyss Artifacts

• Gear Refinement

• Stamina

• Frost Element

• Turning Slash

Candle and Force Palm Entry

The entrance to the Frozen Anguish chamber is sealed by a door with a lit candle just outside. Lighting the candle opens the door, but the interior is blocked by a wall of ice. Use Force Palm on the ice wall to break through. Once inside, the weapon is tucked behind the staircase in the first room; pick it up without needing to engage the surrounding enemies.

Location: Spire of Frost (Community Walkthrough)

The Frozen Anguish two-handed sword is on the ground floor of the Spire of Frostthe large frozen tower visible on the map. The chest is gated by a lantern puzzle outside the entrance, but it is not tied to a quest line. The spire's interior quest is optional for this pickup.

Approach From the Mist Shard Cave

1. From the Mist Shard Cave waterfall, stab back out with R1 and Triangle, then jumping triple aerial Force Palm to clear the cliff line.

2. Glide south, looping around the cliff back up to the high ground that leads to the spire.

3. The rocks around the spire can be slippery. Save stamina for a grapple or a climb if a slope refuses to grip.

4. Floating wraith enemies patrol the ridges around the spire. Use Blinding Flash (L1 plus R1) and hold L1 on the square weak points to burn them down quickly.

5. A fast travel point sits just outside the front of the spire. Always activate it on the way in: it doubles as the recovery point if anything goes wrong inside, and as the return jump for the rest of the spire's quest content.

Frost Debuff Warning

The area around the spire applies a strong frost debuff that drains stamina and eventually deals damage if it stacks long enough. Wear the rest of the Frost Cursed Plate set before approaching, or eat warming food to keep the debuff suppressed. Even at full stack, the damage tick is small enough that food alone can offset it.

Lantern Puzzle at the Doors

1. Walk up to the spire doors. A frozen lantern blocks the activation.

2. Use Turning Slash (R1 and R2 together) to break the ice on the lantern.

3. Hold Square on the lantern to light it on fire.

4. The doors begin to open slowly. Wraiths sometimes pull off the ridges and attack during the open animation. Burn them with Blinding Flash if they aggro.

Inside the Spire

Once the doors are open, run inside. The chest is tucked under the staircase straight ahead, slightly hidden along the back wall. Loot it for the Frozen Anguish two-handed sword.

Frozen Anguish Stats

• Attack Speed +1.

• Attack +1.

• Stamina Siphon (returns stamina on hit).

• Can be refined, unlike the chest armor in the matching set.

Tips

• Pick up the spire fast travel point even if you do not plan to clear the spire quest. The marker is the cleanest return point for the Abyss Islands route later on, and for the Spire of Frost main story whenever you decide to start it.

• The doors open slowly, so if wraiths are still aggro, retreat to the fast travel point and re-engage on your terms rather than fighting under the open animation.

Database Stats

Grade: T5 · Type: LONGSWORD · Max Refinement: +10 · Max Attack: 43 · Max Critical Rate: Stamina Siphon Lv +1

Base Stats