One of the best pieces of headgear in Elden Ring is the White Mask of Varre but how can you get it in the game?
The White Mask of Varre, otherwise known as The Surgeons Mask is one of the most sought-after pieces of gear in Elden Ring but it’s not an easy item to unlock. If you’re focusing on a bleed build, however, the increased power of hemorrhage build-up makes the Mask essential so it’s worth investing the time to find it.
This is exactly how to get the White Mask of Varre in Elden Ring, and the best ways to use it to create a devastating bleed build.
Contents
Follow Varre’s questline
You’ll meet Varre when you emerge from the opening area into the Lands Between. He’ll be stood on a ridge overlooking the Tree Sentinel and will encourage you to make your way to Stormveil Castle and kill Godrick. Take his advice but return to this location after Godrick is dead to read a message left for you by Varre.
You’ll next meet this creepy character at Rose Church in Liurnia and he’ll tell you a little more about his cause – and his demigod Master. He’ll give you three Festering Fingers and encourage you to invade and kill three other players. The area is a PVP hotspot, so finding an opponent will be easy. The good news is you don’t need to win, just complete the invasion.
Once you’ve dueled three other players to the death, Varre will also ask you to dip his rag in the blood of a Finger Maiden. You can find this at both the Church of Inhibition in North Liurnia and the Chapel of Anticipation, or you can murder Irina if she’s not dead already.
Enter Mogwyn Palace early
Varre will then invite you to join the Mogwyn Dynasty to serve Mohg, The Lord of Blood, and will then give you the Pureblood Knights Medal. This can be used to warp to Mohg’s lair at any time you like, this is where you can find the White Mask.
Varre will tell you not to use it yet and to wait for Mohg’s summons, but this will never come, so use it whenever you’re ready to invade Mohg’s lair and go looking for the mask.
You can access the Mogwyn Palace without playing through this quest by going through a portal in the Consecrated Snowfield, but this is much, much later in the game. Following Varre’s quest allows you to find the White Mask a lot earlier.
Finding the White Mask of Varre
If you choose to use the Pureblood Knights Medal and warp to the Mogwyn Palace after Varre gives you the medal, this will be seen as an act of treachery by Varre. Be warned, the Mogwyn Palace and surrounding area is a high-level part of the game. So, if you’re still exploring Liunia you’ll be very underleveled – so tread carefully.
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The good news is you don’t need to fight/kill Varre or Mohg to get the White Mask, this is something we advise you to do later when you’re able to take both characters down. Mohg is at the top of Mogwyn Palace and Varre can be invaded at the bottom of the stairs to Mohg’s lair.
To get the White Mask, explore the lake of blood area until you’re invaded by one of the Bloody Surgeons. These invaders aren’t so tough one-on-one and each one can potentially drop a White Mask and other parts of the Surgeon’s set.
Kill them one at a time to be safe, and keep farming them until one drops a White Mask. You may need to return to the Site of Grace to make them respawn. You can then snag the item and carry on with the main quest, leaving Mohg and Varre for later.
Using the White Mask of Varre
Those looking to create a still ridiculously overpowered bleed build in Elden Ring will need the White Mask of Varre. This is a lightweight mask offering moderate protection from damage, but its main draw is that it increases bleed damage nearby by 10% for 20 seconds.
It then does it again and again, essentially making the 10% bleed damage boost permanent if you’re using a build that causes hemorrhage every few attacks. Couple this with some weapons that cause bleed build-up, and the Lord of Blood’s Exaltation Talisman (that increases bleed damage by 20%), and you’ve got a build that does a huge amount of extra damage when you inflict bleed on your enemy.
Bleed weapons
This is why the White Mask is so sought after by those creating a Dexterity + Arcane build. Using katanas like Rivers of Blood and a bleed-infused Uchigatana, as well as some bleed-focused Ashes of War, you can do major damage to enemies – and the White Mask of Varre allows you to boost this further.
Remember though, for the White Mask to do its work, you need to be using a bleed build and some of the various items above. That’s because their effects stack, making you even more deadly.
For more Elden Ring content, check out our coverage below:
Best early weapons for all builds & where to find them | Best Spirit Ashes ranked | Best starting class | New weapon types in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree | Elden Ring characters guide: All classes explained
