The vast and layered world of Elden Ring has dozens — hundreds, even — of different foes and bosses to defeat, many of which are uniquely threatening with various types of special moves, ranged magics, swarm tactics, and more. Though taking them down by yourself is far from an impossible challenge, doing so can often be quite difficult, especially if you're not an experienced Soulsborne player. Summoning co-op friends to play with is one way to lessen combat difficulty, but you can also even the odds with Spirit Ashes.
Spirit Ashes are ghostly doppelgangers of characters and enemies you meet throughout the game that you can summon in battle. These NPC allies are often a massive help in any area that allows you to call upon them — keep an eye out for the purple headstone symbol on your HUD — but are especially valuable in boss battles. As you progress through the Lands Between and the Land of Shadow in Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, they can be made even more powerful with special items called Grave Gloveworts or Ghost Gloveworts that help them survive longer and deal more damage.
