One of the most powerful tools Elden Ring grants players is the ability to summon Spirit Ashes using the Spirit Calling Bell. These ghostly apparitions will fight alongside you in key battles, serving as a distraction to major bosses while dealing minor amounts of damage. It’s vital to learn how to use the Spirit Calling Bell and Spirit Ashes, so in this guide we’ll explain how to unlock, equip, and use them as needed.
How to get the Spirit Calling Bell
Before you can summon Spirit Ashes, you first need to get the Spirit Calling Bell. This can be obtained from a mysterious NPC named Renna who appears at the Church of Elleh after you’ve obtained the ability to level up and ride Torrent thanks to Melina.
Renna will appear in the Church of Elleh at night with it coated in fog, and will give you the Spirit Calling Bell if you say that you can “summon the spectral steed”. If you miss Renna here, you can also purchase the Spirit Calling Bell from the Twin Maiden Husks merchant in Roundtable Hold.
How to use Spirit Ashes with the Spirit Calling Bell
Once you have the Spirit Calling Bell, you need to equip your first Spirit Ashes, Renna will give you the Lone Wolf Ashes when you hand over the bell, and it’s a great first option to use. Open your Equipment inventory and you can Spirit Ashes to either in your quickslot pouch or the shortcut menu (accessed by holding Triangle on PlayStation or Y on an Xbox controller then pressing a D-Pad direction).
You can only use Spirit Ashes to summon allies when within range of a Rebirth Monument. These are small stone blocks which are found near almost every boss encounter and other major fights in Elden Ring. Look for the Monument icon (a glowing gate shape) to be on the left side of your screen in order to use Spirit Ashes. If you’re out of range, your Spirit Ashes will be darkened in your inventory quick slot to show that you can’t activate them.
You can only summon one of your Spirit Ashes at a time, and you can’t re-summon at that location until you’ve rested at a Site of Grace.
Most Spirit Ashes consume FP to cast, and usually not a small amount. They also summon different numbers of creatures, all of which have their own unique status effects. Don’t just stick with one – change your Spirits to fit the boss battle you’re dealing with.
How to upgrade Spirit Ashes
Early in Elden Ring you’ll need to head towards Stormveil Castle. On the path there, you can speak to an NPC named Roderika in Stormhill Shack on the right of the road. Run through all her conversation options and she’ll mention an interest in Chrysalids along with giving you the Spirit Jellyfish Ashes.
Inside Stormveil Castle itself you’ll find your first Chrysalid key item close to the scuttering enemy type which killed you right at the start of the game. The enemy is in a large hall with limbs hanging from the ceiling. One of the doors off from this room leads to a small section with a giant’s corpse hanging above a pile of bodies. There are a couple of dog enemies here, and the Chrysalid's Note item is sitting atop the pile of bodies.
Once you give this to Roderika, she’ll move over to Roundtable Hold. If she's already left Stormhill Shack, she'll be at Roundtable already but you should find a Golden Seed where she was sat. Meet her at Roundtable and have a word, then speak to the Blacksmith and select the dialogue "About Roderika". After that, talk with Roderika one more time and encourage her to take up work, then speak to the Blacksmith about her yet again. The next time you visit, you can speak with Roderika opposite the blacksmith to spend Grave Gloveworts and Ghost Gloveworts to upgrade the power of your Spirit Ashes. These are glowing white flowers found in various places throughout the world.
That’s everything there is to know about how to use the Spirit Calling Bell to summon Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring. Our full list of beginner’s tips will ensure your Tarnished gets started properly, and we can even let you know where to go in the opening stages.
