The "Shadow of the Erdtree" expansion for Elden Ring introduces expansive new locations and formidable bosses, presenting a challenging trial even for seasoned hardcore players. To help overcome these challenges, the developers have introduced a unique mechanic that boosts your power without leveling up by using the Ash of the Glorious Spirit. This guide will explain how to effectively utilize this mechanic and where to find this powerful ash.
Purpose of the Ash of the Glorious Spirit
The Ash of the Glorious Spirit functions similarly to the Shards of the Withering Tree, which we discussed in previous guides. The key difference lies in their availability and application specifics. This ash is essential for obtaining blessings that enhance your combat effectiveness in the new DLC environment.
The Ash of the Glorious Spirit serves to increase the damage and defense of your summoned spirits, making it invaluable for players who rely on spirit assistance in battles against bosses and tough enemies. Unlike traditional leveling up, using this ash provides an instant power boost, allowing you to overcome difficult encounters more quickly.
To use the Ash of the Glorious Spirit, visit any place of grace in the expansion zone. You will need one or more ashes to gain the enhancement. This blessing not only enhances your spirits' abilities to deal and mitigate damage but also increases the effectiveness of your spectral steed.
Geographical Limitations of the Blessing
It is important to note that the effects of the blessing are confined to the Shadow of the Erdtree locations in the Realm of Shadows. When you return to the areas of the base game, these effects will cease. Additionally, to fully utilize the potential of your summoned spirits in the DLC, you need to continue their standard upgrades through Roderika using ghost lilies.
Finding the Ash of the Glorious Spirit
Searching for the Ash of the Glorious Spirit is similar to searching for the Shards of the Tree: it is scattered across key locations in the expansion and is often found near decapitated statues or similar sculptures. Here are some specific locations where you can find this ash at the beginning of the DLC:
- Inside the entrance to Belurat: Near the Main Gates of the Cross of Grace, explore the Tower Settlement to find the ash.
- A ghost in a pot at the entrance to the covered bridge: Interact with the spirit that might drop the ash.
- Statue by the tree surrounded by praying ghosts: Carefully inspect this area for hidden ash.
- Statue after defeating a boss: After defeating the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, check the statue near the exit from the lift.
- Statue on the pedestal with wooden beams: Near the edge of the cliff, valuable ash is often hidden.
For a more precise search, the interactive map of Shadow of the Erdtree can be extremely helpful. This tool allows you to accurately pinpoint the location of all the Ash of the Glorious Spirit, simplifying the search and ensuring that you do not miss any important enhancements.
Strategic Use of the Ash of the Glorious Spirit
Strategic use of the Ash of the Glorious Spirit can significantly change your gameplay experience. Here are a few tips to maximize its potential:
- Boss Preparation: Use the ash to strengthen your spirits before tough boss fights to give yourself an advantage.
- Exploration Efficiency: Enhance your spirits while exploring dangerous areas, allowing them to absorb more damage and deliver powerful blows to enemies.
- Resource Management: Balance the use of the ash with the need to upgrade spirits through Roderika, maintaining a well-balanced and powerful team.
By integrating these strategies and effectively locating the Ash of the Glorious Spirit, you can turn the challenging trials of Shadow of the Erdtree into manageable and rewarding encounters. As you journey through this new expansion, remember that proper preparation and resource management are key to overcoming the upcoming challenges.
