Blood Gems — Elemental Conversion — Bloodborne

What changes

On a convertible, purely physical weapon, an elemental gem changes base damage to fire, bolt or arcane. Scaling then uses Arcane instead of Strength and Skill. You still need to meet the requirements to wield the weapon.

Key incompatibilities

• Weapons with native mixed damage or blood damage do not follow this general conversion rule.
• Physical, thrust and blunt gems do not strengthen converted damage.
• Fire Paper, Bolt Paper and Empty Phantasm Shell can no longer buff a converted weapon.
• Mixing elements does not create three components: priority goes to arcane, then fire, then bolt.

A baseline to compare

The wiki suggests setups combining two Cold Abyssals with +65 Arcane scaling and one gem providing the element. This is not a universal rule: compare based on the weapon, Arcane stat and secondary effects.

Gem effects and acquisition

An elemental gem converts the damage of a compatible, purely physical weapon. The Arcane coefficient then replaces Strength / Skill scaling.

Install a gem that provides fire, bolt or arcane. A Cold gem with +65 scaling does not convert the weapon on its own.

Elements do not add up to three components: arcane takes priority, followed by fire, then bolt.

• Weapons with native mixed or blood damage do not follow this general conversion rule.
• Physical gems have no effect on converted damage. Weapon requirements still apply.
• Elemental papers and Empty Phantasm Shell can no longer be applied to the converted weapon.