How Good Are Marionette Soldier Ashes? A Comprehensive Review
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Marionette Soldier Ashes are a solid, mid-tier summon in Elden Ring, providing decent damage and consistent pressure on enemies. They excel at distraction and drawing aggro, allowing the player to safely deal damage or heal. However, they are vulnerable to AoE attacks and status effects, and their damage output falls off in the late game compared to more specialized summons. Their overall utility makes them a valuable asset for many builds and playstyles, especially in the early and mid-game. They are a reliable choice for players seeking a relatively easy-to-obtain and upgrade summon that offers consistent performance in various situations.
Delving Deeper into Marionette Soldier Ashes
The Marionette Soldier Ashes summon three marionette soldiers armed with short swords. These soldiers are relatively quick and aggressive, constantly attacking enemies and keeping them occupied. This makes them particularly useful for tanking bosses and clearing groups of weaker enemies.
Strengths of Marionette Soldier Ashes
- Aggro Management: This is their biggest strength. The three soldiers effectively divide enemy attention, giving you breathing room to cast spells, heal, or unleash powerful attacks. They constantly harass enemies, making it difficult for them to focus on you.
- Early to Mid-Game Viability: They are readily available early in the game, found in the Church of the Cuckoo in Liurnia of the Lakes, and remain useful for a significant portion of your playthrough. Their performance holds up well until you acquire more powerful or specialized summons.
- Cost-Effective FP Consumption: Their FP cost is moderate, allowing for frequent summoning and use in conjunction with other FP-intensive abilities.
- Decent Damage Output: While not the highest damage summon, their combined attacks contribute significantly to overall DPS, especially when upgraded. They are particularly effective against enemies weak to physical damage.
- Stagger Potential: Their rapid attacks can stagger smaller enemies, creating openings for critical hits.
- Good Against Single Targets: While better against groups than some specialist summons, they can still apply pressure and stagger single targets.
Weaknesses of Marionette Soldier Ashes
- Vulnerability to AoE: Their close proximity makes them susceptible to area-of-effect attacks, which can quickly wipe them out. Bosses with sweeping attacks or magical explosions are their bane.
- Low Poise: They are easily staggered by strong attacks, interrupting their attack chains and leaving them vulnerable.
- Susceptibility to Status Effects: They are vulnerable to poison, bleed, frostbite, and other status effects, which can significantly reduce their effectiveness.
- Falling Off in Late Game: As you progress into the late game, their damage output becomes less impressive compared to summons like the Black Knife Tiche or Mimic Tear. Their limited health also makes them less durable against powerful late-game bosses.
- Limited Range: Their short swords require them to be in close proximity to enemies, making them less effective against enemies that stay at range.
- AI Can Be Inconsistent: Sometimes, the soldiers will get stuck on terrain or exhibit strange AI behavior, reducing their effectiveness in combat.
Upgrade Considerations
Upgrading the Marionette Soldier Ashes with Grave Glovewort significantly increases their health and damage output, making them more durable and effective in combat. Prioritizing upgrades will ensure they remain viable throughout a larger portion of the game. Each upgrade level offers a noticeable improvement, making the investment worthwhile.
Comparison to Other Summons
Compared to more specialized summons, the Marionette Soldier Ashes offer a balance of utility and damage. They are not as powerful as dedicated damage dealers like Lhutel the Headless, nor as tanky as the Greatshield Soldiers, but they provide a reliable and versatile option for a variety of situations. For example, against enemies that are weak to physical damage and tend to swarm, they can outperform other summons. Their early availability and ease of upgrading also make them a more accessible option for new players.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Where can I find the Marionette Soldier Ashes?
You can find the Marionette Soldier Ashes inside the Church of the Cuckoo in Liurnia of the Lakes. You’ll need to drop down from the rafters to reach the area where they are located.
2. What stats do I need to use the Marionette Soldier Ashes?
You need 16 FP (Focus Points) to summon the Marionette Soldier Ashes.
3. Are the Marionette Soldier Ashes worth upgrading?
Yes, absolutely. Upgrading them significantly improves their health and damage output, extending their usefulness throughout the game.
4. What are the Marionette Soldier Ashes weak against?
They are particularly weak against area-of-effect attacks, status effects (poison, bleed, frostbite), and enemies with high poise who can easily stagger them.
5. What are the Marionette Soldier Ashes strong against?
They are strong against enemies that rely on single-target attacks, groups of weaker enemies, and bosses that can be distracted.
6. How do the Marionette Soldier Ashes compare to the Lone Wolf Ashes?
The Lone Wolf Ashes summon three wolves, but the Marionette Soldier Ashes are generally considered to be more durable and deal slightly more consistent damage. The wolves are faster but often die more quickly.
7. Can the Marionette Soldier Ashes be used to cheese bosses?
While not a definitive cheese strategy, they can certainly make certain boss fights easier by drawing aggro and creating openings for attacks.
8. Do the Marionette Soldier Ashes scale with any stats?
No, their stats are fixed and only improve with upgrades using Grave Glovewort. They do not directly scale with your character’s attributes.
9. What is the best strategy for using the Marionette Soldier Ashes?
Summon them at the start of a fight to draw enemy aggro and create space for yourself. Focus on dealing damage while they keep the enemies occupied. Be mindful of their health and reposition if necessary.
10. How do I upgrade the Marionette Soldier Ashes?
You can upgrade them by talking to Roderika at the Roundtable Hold after completing her questline.
11. Are the Marionette Soldier Ashes useful in the late game?
While they fall off compared to more powerful summons, they can still be useful for specific situations, such as clearing out groups of weaker enemies or providing a distraction during boss fights.
12. Can the Marionette Soldier Ashes be summoned in every area?
No, you cannot summon spirit ashes in areas marked with the crossed-out Summoning Bell icon. These areas are typically towns or specific scripted events.
13. Do the Marionette Soldier Ashes inflict any status effects?
No, their attacks do not inherently inflict any status effects.
14. Are the Marionette Soldier Ashes affected by my character’s equipment load?
No, the performance of the Marionette Soldier Ashes is not affected by your character’s equipment load.
15. What are some alternative summons to the Marionette Soldier Ashes?
Some popular alternatives include the Lone Wolf Ashes, Skeletal Militiaman Ashes, Raya Lucarian Soldier Ashes, and the Greatshield Soldier Ashes. Each summon offers different strengths and weaknesses, so choose the one that best suits your playstyle and the situation.