Venturing through the Lands Between can be a daunting task for even the most seasoned Tarnished. Fortunately, Elden Ring spirit ashes provide invaluable companionship during your journey. As we move into 2025, these spectral allies have become an essential part of any player's arsenal, offering diverse combat styles and abilities to complement various builds.

Understanding Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring

Spirit Ashes (also called Ashen Remains) allow players to summon spectral companions to assist in combat. These spiritual allies range from packs of wolves to legendary warriors, each with unique abilities and FP costs. To use them, you'll need the Spirit Calling Bell, which can be obtained early in your journey from Renna at the Church of Elleh, or purchased from the Twin Maiden Husks if you miss this encounter.

Spirit summons can only be used in specific locations marked by a small tombstone icon on the left side of your screen, typically near challenging encounters or boss arenas. These locations, known as Rebirth Monuments, are scattered throughout the Lands Between and the Realm of Shadow.

Spirit Ashes Upgrades and Enhancements

One of the most significant features of Spirit Ashes is their ability to be upgraded:

1. Standard Upgrades: Visit Roderika at the Roundtable Hold to enhance your Spirit Ashes using Grave Glovewort (for common ashes) or Ghost Glovewort (for special ashes) up to +10.

2. Shadow of the Erdtree Enhancements: With the 2023 expansion, Spirit Ashes received a new upgrade path called Revered Spirit Ashes, which applies additional bonuses while in the Realm of Shadow, even for spirits already at +10.

Top Tier Spirit Ashes for 2025 Meta

After numerous patches and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, some Spirit Ashes have emerged as particularly powerful options:

S+ Tier Spirits

• Black Knife Tiche - Applies Destined Death damage that reduces enemy max HP

• Mimic Tear - Creates a copy of your character with all equipped gear

• Jolán and Anna - Powerful duo from the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC with exceptional damage output

• Taylew the Golem Smith - Extremely tanky with high stagger potential

S Tier Spirits

• Lhutel the Headless - Teleports around the battlefield and has excellent survivability

• Greatshield Soldier Ashes - Summons multiple shield-bearing soldiers that form an effective defensive wall

• Omenkiller Rollo - Great at applying fire damage and staggering enemies

• Ancient Dragon Florissax - Applies dragonbolt lightning and uses powerful dragon incantations

Spirit Ashes in PVP

Since Patch 1.08, Spirit Ashes have been permitted in PVP, but only in matches at the Caelid Colosseum. Both Limgrave and Leyndell Colosseums still prohibit their use. This has created an interesting dynamic in competitive play, with players developing specific counter-strategies for popular summons.

Tips for Effective Spirit Ash Usage

1. Match the spirit to the encounter - Some bosses are weak to certain damage types or susceptible to specific status effects your spirits can inflict.

2. Timing is crucial - Summon your spirit at the right moment to maximize their effectiveness and avoid having them defeated early.

3. Complement your build - If you're a ranged caster, consider tanky spirits like Lhutel or Greatshield Soldiers. Melee builds might benefit from ranged support like Latenna.

4. Consider FP cost - Higher-tier spirits often require more FP to summon. Ensure your build has sufficient Mind attribute or use items like the Cerulean Hidden Tear to offset high costs.

Shadow of the Erdtree Spirit Ashes

The expansion introduced several powerful new options:

• Inquisitor Ashes - Summons multiple inquisitors with exceptional range and damage

• Black Knight Commander Andreas - A formidable knight with high poise and devastating attacks

• Divine Bird Warrior Ornis - Fast-moving aerial attacker with excellent mobility

• Curseblade Meera - Applies deadly status effects and has high evasion

Community Favorites and Hidden Gems

While the meta focuses on certain top-tier ashes, many players have found success with less popular options:

• Skeletal Militiaman Ashes - Can resurrect themselves if not finished off after being defeated

• Soldjars of Fortune - Explode on death, dealing significant damage

• Bloodfiend Hexer's Ashes - Costs HP instead of FP to summon, making it valuable for low-Mind builds

The Elden Ring spirit ashes system continues to be one of the game's most innovative features, providing a flexible approach to difficulty and allowing players to customize their experience. Whether you're a newcomer to the Lands Between or a veteran Tarnished, finding the right spectral companion can make all the difference in your journey.

Remember, there's no wrong choice - the best spirit ash is the one that complements your playstyle and helps you overcome the challenges that lie ahead.