Mortal Shell 2 Tarstones Guide: The System & The Best Picks
Ten slots, four categories, seventy-five stones — how the Tarstone system actually works, which stones to pick in early / mid / late game, and the upgrade order that matters most.
How the system works
Tarstones are Mortal Shell II's build engine: 75 stones across 4 Support slots (global passives) and 3 slots per weapon and offhand — Ability, Combat, and Infusion. Most stones are restricted to specific weapons, so the real decision is which stones your favorite weapon family supports.
- Support (~14) — global passives: crit, stagger, damage reduction, drop rates, Riposte.
- Combat (~22) — attack behavior mods: multi-hit, pierce, DoT, lifesteal, combo finishers.
- Infusion (~18) — elemental/status effects: Burn, Lightning, Frost, Poison, Bloodcurse, Curse, Phantom, Stasis, Trauma.
- Ability (~20+) — active Resolve-cost skills: special attacks, AoE, throws, summons.
Stones level to 4 through kills while equipped. Upgrading requires the Etching Needle (bone chest before Magdalena, Lady of the Woods) handed to Franz in Marrow Keep to unlock the Tarforge; levels 2+ also cost Coins. Balance Patch 1 buffed Parasitic, Grudge and Bulwark stones, plus Clerik's and Squall.
The big twist: an Infusion stone at max level becomes permanent — the Resolve cost drops to zero and the element stays on the weapon. That makes maxing your main Infusion one of the strongest long-term investments in the game.
Best Tarstones — early game
Picks before Magdalena (first 3-4 areas) — cheap, universal, found on the main path:
| Tarstone | Type | Effect | Why pick it | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auspicious Stone | Support | +10 → 15 → 18% melee crit chance | Universal melee boost | Mushroom Village — light 3 candles |
| Bulwark Stone | Support | +10 → 15 → 25% damage reduction | Survival | Defeat Bloodcursed Lithopod at the bridge end |
| Parasitic Stone | Combat | Kills grant 1 → 2 → 3 Leech stacks | Dungeon sustain | Martyr's Tomb, dungeon end |
| Grudge Stone | Combat | Every 10 → 7 → 5 attacks is a guaranteed crit | Reliable burst | Near Citadel of Penance |
| Charged Stone | Combat | Offhand charges 20 → 35 → 50% faster | Ranged pressure | Nameless Path beacon chest |
| Gloombound Stone | Support | +15 → 25 → 40% Gloom drops | Progression farming | Stones of Remembrance, yellow-flower area chest |
Best Tarstones — mid game
After the Tarforge unlock, upgrade targets that transform a build:
| Tarstone | Type | Effect | Why pick it | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headman's Stone | Support | +50 → 80 → 100% melee crit damage | Transformative with Auspicious | SE ruins past Outskirts of Mammon |
| Duality Stone | Combat | Light attacks hit twice | Doubles Resolve generation and damage | Ravaged Tomb dungeon chest |
| Shattering Stone | Support | +1 → 2 → 3% Stagger Damage | Stance-break momentum | Collapsed Mines dungeon chest |
| Arbiter's Prize | Infusion | Bloodcurse | Powerful status effect | Defeat Great Arbiter of Flesh |
| Hand of Rock | Ability | Tracking projectile barrage | Reliable offhand ability | One-Legged Wolf Tavern barkeep, 1,500 Coins |
| Devout Stone | Support | +50 → 80 → 100% Resolve gain | Fuels expensive abilities | Sester's Abbey — hit wall switch left of the left door |
Best Tarstones — late game / NG+
Risk/reward spikes and endgame stones:
| Tarstone | Type | Effect | Why pick it | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berserker's Stone | Support | Below 35/40/50% HP: +130 → 140 → 165% melee damage | Extreme risk/reward | Temple of Vatra summit — light 3 candles |
| Spite Stone | Support | At low HP: +140 → 150 → 160% ranged damage | Ranged burst | Bellkeeper's Corner dungeon — shoot the upper bell |
| Retribution Stone | Support | +20 → 30 → 50% Riposte damage | Boss finisher | Widow's Overlook north trial |
| Magdalena's Memento | Ability | 100 Resolve: aerial chain slash + 100% crit damage | Ultimate boss skill | Defeat the final boss, Glutted Mire Gate |
| Rupturing Stone | Combat | Crits deal 8 → 15 → 20 Break Damage | Offhand synergy | Prisoners' Domain Gate |
Infusion stones — full list
Every verified weapon Infusion, then offhand Infusions (several retail locations still unconfirmed — marked as such rather than guessed):
Weapon infusions
| Stone | Element | Resolve cost | At max level | Fits | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arbiter's Prize | Bloodcurse | 30 | Permanent Bloodcurse | 3 weapons | Defeat Great Arbiter of Flesh |
| Serpent Stone | Poison | 15 | Permanent Poison | 2 weapons | Defeat Lucian, Stonebed Gate |
| Voltaic Crown | Lightning | 30 | Permanent Lightning | 3 weapons | Defeat boss, Nochtean Gate dungeon |
| Warden's Stone | Frost | 30 | Permanent Frost | Great Martyr's Blade (only) | Defeat Urrig, Conquered Temple Gate |
| Curseblood Stone | Curse | 30 | Permanent Curse | 2 weapons | Defeat boss, Gate of Infinity dungeon |
| Nightgrasp Stone | Phantom | 30 | Permanent Phantom | Black Needle (only) | Base of the Tower — light 3 candles |
| Torpor Stone | Stasis | 25 | Permanent Stasis | 2 weapons | Behind the waterfall at Ossinite Falls beacon |
| Wretchcaller's Stone | Trauma | 30 | Permanent Trauma | Obsidian Hammer (only) | Defeat boss, Gate of Mammon |
| Inflamed Clawstone | Burn | 30 | Permanent Burn | Veteran's Battle Axe (only) | Defeat double Grisha, Holding Cells dungeon |
Offhand infusions
| Stone | Element | Resolve cost | At max level | Fits | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emberseed Stone | Burn | 20 | Applies on crit | 3 offhands | Mushroom Village, Passenger's Shrine |
| Voltaic Amber | Lightning | 20 | Permanent | 2 offhands | Location unconfirmed in retail |
| Frostshard Stone | Frost | 20 | Permanent | Triarch Repeater (only) | Location unconfirmed in retail |
| Accursed Stone | Curse | 20 | Applies on crit | 2 offhands | Location unconfirmed in retail |
| Hag Stone | Trauma | 20 | Permanent | 2 offhands | Location unconfirmed in retail |
| Weeping Stone | Trauma | 20 | Permanent | Ballistazooka (only) | Location unconfirmed in retail |
| Viletongue Hedron | Bloodcurse | 20 | Permanent | 2 offhands | Location unconfirmed in retail |
| Monarch's Vestige | Phantom | 20 | Permanent | Salvaged Trebuchaxe (only) | Location unconfirmed in retail |
Upgrading & priority order
If you only have the Coins and XP for a few upgrades, this order gives the biggest payoff per stone:
-
1
Auspicious Stone Support
Universal melee crit — always active -
2
Headman's Stone Support
Multiplies with Auspicious -
3
Devout Stone Support
Fuels Resolve-hungry Tarstones -
4
Bulwark Stone Support
Survival, especially early -
5
Duality Stone Combat
Transformative for light-attack builds -
6
Main Infusion Tarstone Infusion
Permanent at max level — lock it in early -
7
Build-specific Ability Stone Ability
Only when Resolve generation supports it
FAQ
How many Tarstone slots are there?
Ten: 4 Support slots for global passives, and each weapon/offhand has 3 slots — Ability, Combat and Infusion.
What does maxing an Infusion Tarstone do?
At level 4 it becomes permanent — the Resolve cost drops to zero and the element stays active on the weapon.
How do I unlock Tarstone upgrading?
Find the Etching Needle in the bone chest before Magdalena, Lady of the Woods, and give it to Franz in Marrow Keep. Levels 2+ need Coins plus enough XP from kills while equipped.
Which Tarstone should I upgrade first?
Auspicious Stone (universal melee crit), then Headman’s Stone (multiplies crit damage), then Devout Stone if your build is Resolve-hungry.
What changed for Tarstones in Balance Patch 1?
Parasitic, Grudge and Bulwark (damage reduction) were buffed, along with Clerik’s and Squall.
