When I first stepped into the Lands Between, I was overwhelmed by the sheer difficulty of Elden Ring’s boss fights. Like many others, I found myself stuck, unsure how to progress through enemies like Malenia or Radahn. But then I discovered the power of Spirit Ashes—and everything changed.

Spirit Ashes are one of Elden Ring’s most valuable tools in high-stakes battles. These summonable allies can draw aggro, deal damage, and buy you crucial time to reposition or heal. Used wisely, they can be the difference between victory and yet another trip back to a Site of Grace.

Here’s how to use Spirit Ashes properly, based on hundreds of hours of personal gameplay and tested strategies.

1. Choose the Right Spirit Ash for the Fight

Not all Spirit Ashes are created equal. In my experience, selecting the right summon for the encounter is critical. For example:

• Mimic Tear Ash: This is arguably the best Spirit Ash for most players. It creates a copy of your character, which means it scales with your gear. I used it to defeat the Fire Giant on my third attempt after failing ten times without it.

• Latenna the Albinauric: A great choice for ranged support, especially useful in boss arenas where mobility isn’t essential.

• Banished Knight Oleg: His aggression and durability can turn the tide in fights against mobile bosses like the Crucible Knight.

The key is to match the Spirit Ash’s strengths with the specific challenges of the boss. If the fight requires a tanky companion to hold the boss’s attention, don’t summon a fragile archer.

2. Upgrade Your Spirit Ashes

This was something I overlooked early on. Like weapons, Spirit Ashes can—and should—be upgraded. Roderika, once moved to Roundtable Hold, can upgrade them using Grave or Ghost Gloveworts. I underestimated this at first and paid the price during my first attempt at Morgott.

Once I invested in upgrades, especially for my Mimic Tear and Lhutel the Headless, their survivability increased dramatically. An upgraded summon can last the entire duration of a boss fight, giving you a major advantage.

3. Time Your Summons Strategically

Many players make the mistake of summoning Spirit Ashes the moment a boss fight begins. In my experience, waiting for the right moment often works better. For instance, I waited until Malenia entered her second phase before summoning my Mimic Tear. This allowed me to deal with phase one without splitting aggro, then let the summon distract her during her brutal Waterfowl Dance.

Also, summon placement matters. Don’t summon near AoE attacks or where the Spirit might get stuck in the environment.

4. Use Spirit Ashes to Learn Boss Patterns

Before I mastered certain fights, I used Spirit Ashes as a learning tool. They bought me time to observe attack patterns, find openings, and get familiar with the boss’s pacing. In this way, they serve as a buffer—giving you space to learn, adapt, and ultimately overcome.

5. Spirit Ashes and Rune Farming

Efficient rune farming becomes easier when you use Spirit Ashes to take down tough mini-bosses or dungeon enemies. When I needed to upgrade my gear, I looked for the top-rated buy Elden Ring runes delivery service to save time. This helped me test out different Spirit Ashes with fully upgraded weapons and armor, ensuring my setup was optimal for endgame content.

Whether you choose to buy Elden Ring runes to accelerate your build or grind them out yourself, combining those resources with Spirit Ashes gives you a significant edge.

Spirit Ashes aren’t a crutch—they’re a core part of Elden Ring’s design. Mastering them requires the same strategic thinking as learning a boss’s moveset or building your character. For me, learning how to summon, upgrade, and deploy Spirit Ashes effectively made the game far more rewarding.

If you're still struggling with a tough boss, don’t hesitate to reassess your summon strategy. And when you're ready to level up faster or experiment with new builds, services offering top-rated buy Elden Ring runes delivery can help you get there more efficiently.

With the right Spirit Ash by your side, even Elden Ring’s hardest fights become manageable—and incredibly satisfying.

Bonus Content: Elden Ring Rune Drop Percentage by Class: What You Need to Know