Ah, yes, those super helpful spirits in Elden Ring are excellent allies when out in the open world or in a boss fight. However, there seems to be some confusion on when and where you can perform Spirit Ash Summons. So I wrote this handy article that lays it all down for you. As for the confusion part, c’mon, this is a Souls game, after all. It wouldn’t be the same if it didn’t require you to figure out stuff on your own. That’s typical Fromsoftware for you.
Keep in mind that before you can summon any spirits, you need the Spirit Calling Bell.
When and where is summoning spirits possible?
We already know that you can summon your spirits during boss fights, so that’s already a given. It doesn’t matter if it’s a minor or major boss. As long as you’re engaged, then the spirits can come out and play. But what about in the open world? What about when you’re just out there trying to get quests done, and you happen to be getting stomped by the enemies? I beat those spirits would come in handy then, wouldn’t they?
Well, it turns out you can summon them, but you have to pay attention. On the screen, to the left-hand side, and towards the bottom is a status indicator. It shows off various things such as saving, location status, and when you can summon the spirits.
Check out the screenshots below. The first one is an image of my character in the world, and you’ll notice there’s a tombstone icon showing. This means I can summon my spirits whenever I’m in this area.
While this image, without the tombstone, means that summoning isn’t allowed. It’s worth noting that if I already summoned a spirit, it will stay with me even if I enter an area where summons isn’t allowed. The way it will go away is if it’s killed or it times out.
As for why this is, there’s no explanation by Fromsoftware. All you need to know is that certain locations are off-limits for summoning. Now, go forth with this newly found knowledge and go kick some butt. Or get yours handed to you, it is Elden Ring, after all.
Don’t forget to check out our review of Elden Ring, and our guides to help you get through the game.
Elden Ring is currently available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
