Elden Ring: Which Spirit Ash Summons Should You Upgrade? A Tarnished’s Guide to Success
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So, you’ve braved the Lands Between, collected a handful of Spirit Ashes, and now you’re swimming in Grave Glovewort and Ghost Glovewort. The question now: which of these spectral companions deserves your precious upgrade materials? The short answer is it depends on your build and playstyle, but if you’re looking for the most bang for your buck, the Mimic Tear reigns supreme for almost any build. But if it does not fit you, the Black Knife Tiche and Lhutel the Headless are solid choices, offering incredible damage and survivability respectively. Upgrading the right spirit ash can completely alter the course of a difficult boss fight. Let’s dive deeper into this topic, and explore the best options depending on your preferred way of playing.
Understanding Spirit Ash Upgrades
Upgrading Spirit Ashes is a critical aspect of Elden Ring’s gameplay, transforming a decent summon into a powerhouse that can trivialize encounters. Upgrading a spirit ash increases their attack power, defense, and survivability, making them a more reliable and effective ally in combat. Finding the right one that matches your build can make a huge difference in Elden Ring.
How to Upgrade Spirit Ashes
To upgrade your Spirit Ashes, you’ll need to visit Roderika after she moves to her spot next to Master Hewg in the Roundtable Hold. She’ll require Grave Glovewort for normal summons and Ghost Glovewort for special or legendary summons. Each upgrade increases the summon’s stats, culminating in a +10 summon that can withstand immense pressure and dish out significant damage.
Prioritizing Based on Your Build
The optimal Spirit Ash to upgrade hinges on your build and how you prefer to approach combat.
- Strength Builds: Summons that can tank and draw aggro, like Lhutel the Headless or Omenkiller Rollo, are excellent choices. They provide you with the breathing room to unleash heavy attacks.
- Dexterity Builds: Summons that deal high damage and have good mobility, such as Black Knife Tiche or Banished Knight Oleg, can complement your fast-paced combat style.
- Intelligence Builds: Summons that can apply status effects or provide ranged support, such as Latenna the Albinauric or the Nightmaiden & Swordstress Puppets, can enhance your spellcasting abilities.
- Faith Builds: Summons that can heal or provide buffs, such as Finger Maiden Therolina or Cleanrot Knight Finlay, can bolster your survivability and damage output.
Top Spirit Ash Upgrade Recommendations
While the Mimic Tear is often touted as the best, let’s explore other top-tier choices for your upgrade materials:
- Mimic Tear: As mentioned, this is the gold standard. The Mimic Tear summons a clone of your character, complete with your weapons, armor, talismans, and spells. It essentially doubles your combat potential. The fact that it costs HP to summon rather than FP also makes it incredibly versatile for all builds.
- Black Knife Tiche: This summon is a powerhouse of damage. Black Knife Tiche is incredibly mobile, dodging attacks with ease and dealing significant damage with its black flame-infused blade. Its percentage-based health drain is also highly effective against bosses.
- Lhutel the Headless: For those seeking a tanky summon, Lhutel the Headless is an excellent choice. It can take a beating and inflict significant damage with its spear. Its ability to teleport makes it difficult for enemies to pin down.
- Banished Knight Oleg: A solid all-around summon, Banished Knight Oleg is a reliable choice for various encounters. Oleg is strong, aggressive, and can apply a decent amount of pressure on enemies.
- Latenna the Albinauric: If you’re looking for ranged support, Latenna the Albinauric is a great option. It can deal consistent damage from a safe distance with her arrows. However, she is immobile, so you’ll need to position her strategically.
- Dung Eater Puppet: Despite its sinister origin, the Dung Eater Puppet is a surprisingly effective summon, dealing high damage and inflicting status effects.
- Omenkiller Rollo: A very aggressive melee spirit that can deal high damage with its dual-bladed swords.
Don’t Neglect These Honorable Mentions
While the above summons are often considered the “best,” several others can shine in specific situations:
- Rotten Stray: Excellent for inflicting Scarlet Rot on bosses.
- Jellyfish: Provides a damage buff and can inflict poison.
- Azula Beastman: A fast and aggressive melee summon.
- Nightmaiden & Swordstress Puppets: Inflict bleed and can stagger enemies.
Ultimately, the best Spirit Ash to upgrade is the one that best complements your build and playstyle. Experiment with different options and see which one feels the most effective for you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some common questions about upgrading Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring:
- Which Spirit Ash is the absolute best? The Mimic Tear is generally considered the best Spirit Ash due to its versatility and ability to mimic your character’s build. However, its effectiveness depends on your character’s strength.
- Is it worth upgrading Spirit Ashes that aren’t legendary? Yes, absolutely! Even non-legendary Spirit Ashes can become incredibly powerful with upgrades. Don’t underestimate summons like the Banished Knight Oleg or the Rotten Stray.
- How do I get the Mimic Tear Spirit Ash? You can find the Mimic Tear in a chest in Night’s Sacred Ground in Nokron, Eternal City, accessible after defeating Starscourge Radahn.
- What materials are needed to upgrade Spirit Ashes? You’ll need Grave Glovewort to upgrade normal summons and Ghost Glovewort to upgrade special or legendary summons. The higher the upgrade level, the rarer the Glovewort required.
- Where can I find Glovewort? Grave Glovewort is typically found in graveyards and catacombs, while Ghost Glovewort is found in underground areas like the Siofra River and Ainsel River.
- Does upgrading Spirit Ashes increase their health? Yes, upgrading Spirit Ashes increases their health, defense, and attack power.
- Can Spirit Ashes be upgraded beyond +10? No, +10 is the maximum upgrade level for Spirit Ashes.
- Is Black Knife Tiche better than the Mimic Tear? It depends on your build and playstyle. Black Knife Tiche excels at dealing damage, while the Mimic Tear mirrors your character’s abilities. In a straight fight, Tiche would probably win but with some builds, the Mimic Tear would win.
- Can I use Spirit Ashes in multiplayer? No, Spirit Ashes cannot be used when summoning other players for co-op or PvP.
- Are some Spirit Ashes useless? While some Spirit Ashes are less effective than others, none are entirely useless. Even weaker summons can provide a distraction or apply status effects. An example would be the worst summon, the Rotten Stray.
- Does the level of my weapon affect the Mimic Tear’s damage? Yes, the Mimic Tear will use the same weapons and equipment as your character, so its damage will be directly affected by your weapon level and stats.
- What is the best Spirit Ash to use against the Elden Beast? For those who would prefer to avoid the Mimic Tear, choose a Spirit Ash with high mobility and evasiveness, like Black Knife Tiche or Ancient Dragon Knight Kristoff.
- Does upgrading my Vigor stat affect my Spirit Ash’s health? No, your Vigor stat only affects your character’s health. The health of your Spirit Ashes is determined by their base stats and upgrade level.
- Can Spirit Ashes be healed during combat? Some Spirit Ashes, like the Finger Maiden Therolina, can heal themselves and you during combat. However, most Spirit Ashes cannot be healed directly.
- How do I choose the right Spirit Ash for a specific boss fight? Consider the boss’s weaknesses, resistances, and attack patterns. For example, if a boss is weak to bleed, summons that inflict bleed, like the Nightmaiden & Swordstress Puppets, can be effective.
The world of Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring is deep and varied. While some choices stand out, remember that the “best” summon is often the one that complements your unique Tarnished’s journey. So experiment, upgrade wisely, and may your spectral allies guide you to victory!
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