How to Use Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring
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Elden Ring
How to Use Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring
Spirit Ash Tips
Spirit Ashes are one of the most impactful systems in Elden Ring — used correctly they effectively double your combat capability by splitting boss aggression and providing additional damage. Many players miss the Spirit Calling Bell or don’t realise the monument icon requirement, spending hours fighting bosses without what is essentially a free ally. If you are struggling with any boss and have not been summoning a Spirit Ash, getting the Bell and upgrading the Lone Wolf or Mimic Tear ashes before your next attempt will immediately make the fight more manageable. There is no shame in using them — From Software designed them as an integral part of the combat system, not as a cheat or difficulty reduction.
FAQ
⚡ Quick Answer
How to Use Spirit Ashes
Equip a Spirit Ash in your inventory quick slots, then use it near a Rebirth Monument (a small stone tablet — present at most boss arenas and legacy dungeons) or inside a boss fog gate. You need the Spirit Calling Bell first — given by Melina or purchased from Renna the Witch at the Church of Elleh.
1
Get the Spirit Calling Bell. The Bell is required to summon Spirit Ashes — without it nothing happens when you try to use them. Melina gives it to you automatically the first time you rest at a Site of Grace near a Rebirth Monument, usually at the Church of Elleh in early Limgrave. If you missed her, purchase it from Renna the Witch who appears at the Church of Elleh at night after you get Torrent.
2
Equip a Spirit Ash to your pouch or quick slots. Open your inventory, find a Spirit Ash item (they appear as small ash-coloured icons), and assign it to one of your quick-access slots. The Lone Wolf Ashes are given to you alongside the Bell as a starter summon. Access quick slots with the D-pad (console) or number keys (PC).
3
Look for the Rebirth Monument icon on your screen. When you are near a Rebirth Monument — a small stone tablet typically found near boss fog gates and in legacy dungeons — a small monument icon appears on the left side of your screen. This icon confirms summoning is available in this location. You cannot summon Spirit Ashes without this icon visible.
4
Use the Spirit Ash from your quick slot. With the monument icon visible, activate your equipped Spirit Ash from your quick slot — your character rings the Calling Bell automatically and the spirit appears near you. Summoning costs FP — the blue bar. Different spirits cost different amounts of FP. If you have insufficient FP the summon fails.
5
You can only summon one spirit per encounter. Once a Spirit Ash is summoned it stays until it dies or the encounter ends — you cannot resummon or swap spirits mid-fight. Choose your spirit before entering the boss fog gate. If your spirit dies during the fight it cannot be revived until the next encounter.
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Upgrade your Spirit Ashes at Roderika: after completing a short questline, Roderika moves to Firelink Shrine (Roundtable Hold) and becomes a Spirit Tuner — she upgrades Spirit Ashes using Grave Glovewort and Ghost Glovewort. Upgrade your main spirit as a priority — a +10 Mimic Tear is dramatically stronger than a +0 version.
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Best spirits for beginners: the Lone Wolf Ashes (your starter — three wolves that split boss attention), Jellyfish Ashes (tanky, free from Roderika questline), and the Mimic Tear (duplicates your exact loadout — the strongest spirit in the game, found in Nokron). Start with Lone Wolves and upgrade to Mimic Tear as soon as you can reach Nokron.
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Summon before entering the fog gate: always summon your Spirit Ash before walking through a boss fog gate — the monument icon is present outside most boss fog gates. Once inside, the icon disappears and you cannot summon. This is the most common mistake new players make.
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Mind stat increases FP for more summons: if your FP is too low to summon your preferred Spirit Ash, invest in the Mind stat to increase your FP pool. The Flask of Crimson Tears can also be partially converted to Flask of Cerulean Tears for FP recovery — adjust the ratio at any Site of Grace.
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Black Knife Tiche for mobility-heavy bosses: for bosses that move aggressively and are hard to hit, Black Knife Tiche (found in the Ringleader’s Evergaol in the Mountaintops of the Giants) is exceptional — her teleporting attacks keep her alive longer than most summons and her damage is among the highest of any Spirit Ash. A strong alternative to Mimic Tear for players who prefer their summon to stay alive.
Why can’t I use Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring?
Two common reasons: you don’t have the Spirit Calling Bell (get it from Renna at the Church of Elleh at night), or you are not near a Rebirth Monument (the small monument icon must be visible on the left of your screen). Spirit Ashes cannot be used in most open-world locations — only near monuments and inside boss arenas.
Where do you get the Spirit Calling Bell in Elden Ring?
Melina gives it to you automatically the first time you rest at a Site of Grace near a Rebirth Monument in early Limgrave. If you missed this, Renna the Witch appears at the Church of Elleh at night (after you have received Torrent) and gives you both the Bell and the Lone Wolf Ashes for free.
What is the best Spirit Ash in Elden Ring?
The Mimic Tear is widely considered the best Spirit Ash — it creates an exact copy of your character with your current equipment and stats, dealing the same damage you do. It is found in Nokron, Eternal City after defeating Radahn. At +10 it is the strongest spirit summon available and handles virtually every boss in the game effectively.
How do you upgrade Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring?
Speak to Roderika at Roundtable Hold after completing her questline — give her the Chrysalids’ Memento from the Stormveil Castle ramparts to progress it. She becomes a Spirit Tuner and upgrades Spirit Ashes using Grave Glovewort (standard ashes) and Ghost Glovewort (renowned ashes like Mimic Tear) up to a maximum of +10.