Elden Ring Spirit Ashes might be one of the best things FromSoftware has ever added to a Soulsborne game — and yet, so many players either ignore them entirely or never figure out how to use them properly. If you’ve been struggling through the Lands Between on your own and didn’t even know you had an army of spirits waiting to help you, this guide is for you.
Let’s break it all down — what Spirit Ashes are, how to unlock them, how to upgrade them, and which ones are actually worth using.
What Are Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring?
Spirit Ashes are items that let you summon ghostly allies to fight alongside you during combat. Think of them as your personal squad of the dead. You can summon wolves, jellyfish, skeletons, knights, and even a full-blown mimic version of yourself. Each one has its own playstyle, health pool, and abilities.
They’re not just a crutch for beginners, either. Endgame veterans use Spirit Ashes to divide boss attention, stack bleed or poison, or simply keep a boss occupied while they set up a big attack. If you’re not using them, you’re leaving a huge advantage on the table.
How to Unlock Spirit Ashes (Step by Step)
This is where a lot of players get stuck. Spirit Ashes don’t just work from the start — you need to unlock the feature first.
Step 1: Find the Church of Elleh
After spawning at The First Step and getting absolutely wrecked by the Tree Sentinel (don’t fight him yet, seriously), head northwest to the Church of Elleh. It’s that ruined church on the hill with a Site of Grace nearby.
Step 2: Rest and wait for Renna
Rest at the Church of Elleh Site of Grace at night. A witch named Renna will appear on top of the broken wall. She’ll ask if you can call your spectral steed — say yes. She’ll then give you the Spirit Calling Bell and the Lone Wolf Ashes as a gift.
Step 3: You’re done
That’s it. Once you have the Spirit Calling Bell in your inventory, it works automatically. You don’t need to equip it. Just equip a Spirit Ash item to your quick slots and use it during combat.
Didn’t get Renna to appear? Make sure you’ve already gotten Torrent (your horse) from Melina at a Site of Grace. If you’ve missed Renna, don’t worry — you can buy the Spirit Calling Bell later from the Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold.
How to Summon Spirits in Combat
Using Spirit Ashes is straightforward once you’ve unlocked them, but there’s one important rule people miss:
You can only summon spirits near a rebirth monument.
These are small stone monuments that appear in specific areas — usually boss arenas, large dungeon rooms, or certain outdoor locations. When you’re near one, a small icon appears on the left side of your screen (it looks like a gravestone with a white glow). If that icon is there, you can summon.
To summon, just use the Spirit Ash item from your inventory or quick slot. The summon costs FP (the blue bar). Make sure you have enough FP before heading into a fight.
A few things to keep in mind:
- You can only have one active summon at a time — using another Spirit Ash replaces the current one.
- You cannot resummon during the same fight if your spirit dies. Use them wisely.
- Some spirits cost more FP than others. If you’re running a low-mind build, stick to cheaper ashes.
How to Upgrade Spirit Ashes
Here’s something that changes everything: Spirit Ashes can be upgraded, and the difference between a level 1 and a level 10 spirit is massive. An upgraded Lone Wolf pack, for example, becomes genuinely threatening rather than just mildly distracting.
To upgrade Spirit Ashes, you need to find Roderika and get her set up as a Spirit Tuner at the Roundtable Hold.
Finding Roderika:
She’s sitting by a bonfire at the Stormhill Shack, northwest of Limgrave. Talk to her a few times and exhaust her dialogue. She’ll give you the Sitting Sideways gesture and mention she wants to become a spirit tuner.
Sending her to Roundtable Hold:
After meeting her, head to the Roundtable Hold and talk to Smithing Master Hewg. Then go back to Roderika and tell her about the Roundtable Hold. She’ll eventually move there.
Upgrading at the Roundtable Hold:
Once Roderika is at the Roundtable Hold and you’ve had a conversation between her and Hewg, she’ll offer to upgrade your Spirit Ashes in exchange for:
- Grave Glovewort — for standard Spirit Ashes (found in catacombs)
- Ghost Glovewort — for special/boss Spirit Ashes (found in underground areas and Nokron)
Each upgrade level increases the spirit’s HP, damage, and overall effectiveness. Try to at least get your main ash to +6 or +7 before tackling Margit or Godrick.
Best Spirit Ashes to Use (And Why)
Not all ashes are created equal. Here are some of the strongest and most useful ones depending on your playstyle.
Mimic Tear Ashes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Mimic Tear is the most famous Spirit Ash in the game — and for good reason. It summons an exact copy of your character, using your gear, spells, and weapons. A fully upgraded Mimic Tear with good equipment basically doubles your damage output. It costs HP instead of FP to summon, which is easy to manage.
Where to find it: Deep in Nokron, Eternal City (accessed after defeating Starscourge Radahn).
Black Knife Tiche ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This one is for players who don’t want a tanky distraction but instead want an aggressive duelist-style ally. Tiche is incredibly fast, deals solid damage, and has a long lifespan because she actually dodges attacks. She’s arguably the best late-game ash for boss fights where the boss moves too fast for slower spirits to land hits.
Where to find it: Defeat the Alecto, Black Knife Ringleader boss in the Moonlight Altar area.
Lone Wolf Ashes ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The ones Renna gives you for free are genuinely good, especially early on. Three wolves that attack independently means the boss can never truly focus — one wolf is always hitting from behind. They die fairly easily but they’re cheap in FP and reliable as a distraction.
Jellyfish Ashes ⭐⭐⭐
Don’t sleep on the Jellyfish. She’s a tanky, slow-moving summoning that applies a poison aura and buffs your damage by 20% with her unique ability. Incredibly useful for long endurance fights where you need that damage boost.
Where to find: Given by Roderika before she moves to Roundtable Hold.
Lhutel the Headless ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A tanky knight that teleports around and throws spectral lances. She’s great for keeping a boss confused and distracted. Durable enough to survive most endgame fights if you’ve upgraded her properly.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Spirit Ashes
Upgrade your mind stat if you’re struggling with FP. Some of the better ashes cost 75–100 FP per summon. If you keep running dry, put a few levels into Mind.
Time your summon at the start of the fight. Don’t wait until you’re panicking at low health. Summon right when the boss becomes active so your spirit gets full value.
Match your ash to the fight. Use tanky spirits like Lhutel or a knight-type for aggressive bosses that won’t stop attacking. Use aggressive spirits like Tiche for slow, punishable bosses.
Don’t forget the Furlcalling Finger Remedy. You can combine Spirit Ashes with actual player co-op for even more help. Spirit Ashes and a human summon together make even the hardest bosses manageable.
Re-evaluate your ash as you progress. The Lone Wolf Ashes that carried you through Limgrave might be outclassed by the time you reach Leyndell. Keep checking what you’ve picked up.
FAQ: Elden Ring Spirit Ashes
Can I use Spirit Ashes in multiplayer?
Yes and no. You can use Spirit Ashes when you’re the host of your own world. However, if you’re summoned as a cooperator into someone else’s world, you cannot use Spirit Ashes in that session.
Why won’t my Spirit Ashes summon?
The most common reason is that there’s no rebirth monument nearby. Look for the small icon on the left side of your screen. If it’s not there, summons are disabled in that area. Also check that you have enough FP.
Do Spirit Ashes respawn between attempts?
No — once they die during a fight, they’re gone for that attempt. They reset between deaths and new attempts automatically.
Is using Spirit Ashes considered cheating?
Absolutely not. FromSoftware intentionally designed and added Spirit Ashes as a feature. Using the tools the game gives you isn’t cheating — it’s smart.
What’s the max upgrade level for Spirit Ashes?
Standard Spirit Ashes can be upgraded to +10 using Grave Glovewort. Special or boss-type Spirit Ashes (like Mimic Tear and Black Knife Tiche) can be upgraded to +10 using Ghost Glovewort, specifically the higher-tier variants found in deeper areas.
Which Spirit Ash is best for beginners?
The Lone Wolf Ashes or Jellyfish Ashes are great starting options. They’re effective without requiring much strategy. As you get comfortable, transition to the Mimic Tear or Black Knife Tiche for harder content.
Final Thoughts
The Elden Ring Spirit Ashes system is one of the game’s most generous mechanics — a way to make the brutal difficulty of FromSoftware games feel just a bit more approachable without removing the challenge entirely. Whether you’re a first-timer trying to survive Margit or a veteran going for a clean playthrough, using the right spirits at the right time will make a real difference.
Upgrade them, experiment with them, and don’t feel bad about leaning on them. That’s literally what they’re there for.
Good luck in the Lands Between, Tarnished. You’re going to need it.
