Elden Ring Spirit Summons Are Awesome (Not For The Reasons You Think)
Prior to the release of Elden Ring, there was a concern that a new mechanic allowing players to summon NPC spirits for help would undermine FromSoftware's signature difficult game design, but they've turned out to be awesome. The Spirit Ashes which allow for summoning are acquired in a variety of ways, and are a very helpful tool in the player's arsenal. Despite their usefulness, most aren't especially powerful in terms of damage, but end up being incredibly helpful because of how they interact with a game mechanic called Poise.
Elden Ring's spirit summoning and co-op work similarly, but are mutually exclusive. Using Spirit Ashes isn't allowed while another Tarnished or two are in the game. Spirit Ashes are usually phantom versions of foes players have likely encountered (but not always), and can be rewards for beating bosses, looting chests and corpses, or can sometimes be purchased from merchants. Only one Spirit Ash can be used at a time (though many spawn multiple spirits) and they cost FP to use. They are also available for use only in certain areas, delineated by a specific icon appearing on the HUD — a bright blue tombstone on the left-hand edge of the screen.
Related: Elden Ring: Why You Should Keep Hugging Fia (Even If It Hurts)
Elden Ring often throws groups of enemies at the player, and having a handful of spiritual companions can be even the odds. It even lightens the pressure when enemies are distracted by the spirits, and finding more of Elden Ring's Spirit Ashes will give players more variety in how they approach encounters. Spirit Ashes can be upgraded with the NPC Roderika in Roundtable Hold (after she's been spoken with at Stormhill Shack), but most don't ever really attain any significant amount of
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