Elden Ring: Upgrade Spirit Summons Guide

Hey fellow Tarnished! Are you diving deep into the Lands Between and finding yourself wishing your Spirit Ashes packed a little more punch? You're not alone! Spirit Ashes are incredibly valuable allies in Elden Ring, turning tough boss fights and challenging areas into manageable encounters. But like any good weapon or spell, they need some love and attention to truly shine. This guide is your one-stop shop for understanding how to upgrade your Spirit Summons in Elden Ring, transforming them from fragile helpers into formidable forces. So, let’s get started, guys, and make those spirits the best they can be!

Why Bother Upgrading Your Spirit Summons?

Before we jump into the how-to, let's chat about the why. Why should you invest your precious resources into upgrading these spectral buddies? Well, the answer is simple: survival. In Elden Ring, some bosses and areas are brutally difficult to tackle solo. Spirit Ashes can provide crucial support by:

• Drawing Aggro: A well-summoned spirit can distract bosses and enemies, giving you breathing room to heal, cast spells, or land attacks. This is huge, especially against aggressive bosses with relentless attack patterns. Think of them as your personal, ghostly bodyguards. Believe me, in a game as challenging as Elden Ring, every little bit of breathing room counts!
• Dealing Extra Damage: While some spirits are better at tanking, others can dish out serious damage. Upgrading them amplifies their offensive capabilities, turning them into miniature damage-dealing machines. Imagine having a squad of spectral wolves tearing into a boss while you pepper it with spells – pure satisfaction!
• Providing Utility: Some Spirit Ashes offer unique utility, like healing allies, inflicting status effects, or even providing ranged support. Upgrading these spirits enhances their utility, making them even more versatile in different combat scenarios. It's like having a Swiss Army knife of ghostly companions at your disposal. You’ll find yourself switching between them depending on the situation, optimizing your strategy for each encounter.

Upgrading your Spirit Ashes significantly increases their health, damage output, and overall survivability. This means they can stay in the fight longer, draw more aggro, and contribute more meaningfully to your victories. Trust me, the difference between a base-level spirit and a fully upgraded one is night and day. So, if you're serious about conquering Elden Ring, investing in your Spirit Ashes is a must.

Meet Roderika: Your Spirit Tuning Expert

Okay, so you're convinced that upgrading your Spirit Ashes is essential. Awesome! Now, let's talk about who can actually help you do it. Enter Roderika, a key NPC you'll encounter early in your journey. Roderika is your go-to gal for all things Spirit Tuning, which is the process of upgrading your summons. You'll first meet Roderika at the Stormhill Shack, located on the way to Stormveil Castle, the first major legacy dungeon in the game. She's a timid, melancholic character who's clearly seen better days, but don't let her demeanor fool you – she holds the key to unlocking the true potential of your Spirit Ashes. It's hard to miss her; she's usually found near the fireplace, looking forlorn.

Initially, Roderika will be down on her luck and filled with self-doubt. She’s grappling with her own personal struggles and feels lost. However, she possesses a hidden talent and a deep connection to Spirit Ashes, which you’ll soon help her uncover. To get her on the path to becoming a Spirit Tuner, you'll need to progress her questline. Don't worry, it's not too complicated, and the rewards are well worth the effort. After your initial conversation with her at the Stormhill Shack, you'll need to venture into Stormveil Castle and retrieve a specific item for her: the Chrysalids' Memento. This item is located in a room filled with grafted Scions, those grotesque creatures made of multiple limbs and body parts. It's a tough fight, but you can do it! Once you've obtained the Chrysalids' Memento, return to Roderika at the Stormhill Shack and give it to her. This is a crucial step in unlocking her potential.

After giving her the memento and exhausting her dialogue, you'll need to advance the story a bit further by defeating Godrick the Grafted, the boss of Stormveil Castle. Once you've taken down this formidable foe, return to the Roundtable Hold, your hub area. You'll find Roderika there, now settled in a corner near the blacksmith, Master Hewg. She'll be having a conversation with him, beginning her journey to becoming a full-fledged Spirit Tuner. This is where things get really exciting! From this point on, Roderika will offer her Spirit Tuning services, allowing you to upgrade your beloved summons. Isn't that a great moment, guys? Helping someone find their purpose while simultaneously empowering your own character – classic Elden Ring!

The Nitty-Gritty: How to Upgrade Your Spirits

Alright, Roderika is in place, ready to work her magic. Now, let's dive into the actual process of upgrading your Spirit Ashes. This is where you'll need to gather the right resources and understand the mechanics involved. Don’t worry; it’s not as daunting as it might seem at first. I’ll walk you through each step.

The Required Materials: Ghosts Glovewort and Grave Glovewort

To upgrade your Spirit Ashes, you'll need two types of materials: Grave Glovewort and Ghost Glovewort. These are special flowers found throughout the Lands Between, and each type is used for specific categories of spirits: — Charles Barkley: Does He Have Klinefelter Syndrome?

• Grave Glovewort: These pale, ethereal flowers are used to upgrade normal Spirit Ashes. These are the more common spirits you'll find, like the Lone Wolves, Skeletal Militiaman, and Raya Lucarian Soldier Ashes. Grave Glovewort is typically found in graveyards, catacombs, and other areas associated with the dead. Keep your eyes peeled for these glowing flowers near tombstones and in dimly lit corners. They often grow in clusters, so when you find one, there's a good chance you'll find more nearby.
• Ghost Glovewort: These shimmering, translucent flowers are used to upgrade legendary Spirit Ashes. These are the rarer, more powerful spirits like Lhutel the Headless, Black Knife Tiche, and the Mimic Tear. Ghost Glovewort is typically found in underground areas, such as the Ainsel River and Siofra River. These areas are often accessed via deep wells or other hidden entrances on the surface world. Ghost Glovewort tends to be more challenging to find than Grave Glovewort, reflecting the power of the spirits they are used to upgrade. You'll often need to explore thoroughly and solve minor puzzles to reach them. Trust me, though, the effort is worth it when you see your legendary spirit tear through enemies.

Both Grave Glovewort and Ghost Glovewort come in different ranks, indicated by a number (e.g., Grave Glovewort [1], Ghost Glovewort [5]). Higher-ranked Glovewort is required to upgrade your spirits to higher levels. For example, to upgrade a spirit to +1, you'll need Glovewort [1], while upgrading to +2 requires Glovewort [2], and so on. You'll need to progressively find higher-ranked Glovewort as you upgrade your spirits further. This encourages exploration and ensures that you're venturing into new and challenging areas to find the resources you need. — What Happened To Flo From Progressive: The Full Story

How to Find Glovewort: Exploration and the Glovepicker's Bellbearing

So, how do you actually find these elusive flowers? The primary method is good old-fashioned exploration. The Lands Between is vast and filled with secrets, and many Glovewort locations are hidden off the beaten path. Make sure to thoroughly explore graveyards, catacombs, underground rivers, and other relevant areas. Pay attention to your surroundings, and don't be afraid to venture into dark corners and hidden passages. You never know what you might find!

Another fantastic tool for Glovewort hunting is the Glovepicker's Bellbearing. These special items, when given to the Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold, unlock the ability to purchase Glovewort from them. This is a huge convenience, as it provides a reliable source of Glovewort without having to scour the world for every single flower. There are multiple Glovepicker's Bellbearings in the game, each unlocking a different rank of Glovewort for purchase. To obtain these Bellbearings, you'll typically need to defeat certain bosses or explore specific areas. For example, the Glovepicker's Bellbearing [1] is found in the Red Wolf of Radagon boss room in Raya Lucaria Academy, and it allows you to purchase Grave Glovewort [1], [2], and [3], as well as Ghost Glovewort [1], [2], and [3]. — Val Kilmer Height: How Tall Is He?

Using the Glovepicker's Bellbearing is a great way to supplement your Glovewort collection, especially when you're trying to max out a particular spirit. It also saves you the hassle of constantly farming for Glovewort in specific locations. Think of it as your personal Glovewort restock button. Trust me, once you find a Glovepicker’s Bellbearing, you’ll be thanking the heavens (or the Greater Will, I suppose!).

The Upgrading Process: Talking to Roderika

Once you've gathered enough Glovewort, it's time to pay Roderika a visit at the Roundtable Hold. Simply talk to her, and you'll see the option to