You know, as a long-time Tarnished, I've always had a complicated relationship with Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring. On one hand, they're a fantastic tool, a helping hand when you're facing down yet another demigod who seems dead-set on turning you into a stain on the floor of their arena. On the other hand, for years, there was one glaring issue that made the whole system feel... off. Can you guess what it was? Of course, it was the Mimic Tear. That incredible, overpowered clone of yourself that made most other summons feel like bringing a wooden sword to a fight against a god. But guess what? With the recent 1.13 patch, FromSoftware has finally listened. The playing field is being leveled, and my old spirit companions are suddenly looking a lot more appealing.

Remember the feeling of unlocking the Mimic Tear? It was like discovering a cheat code. Suddenly, you had a partner who could tank hits, deal massive damage, and essentially double your own effectiveness. Even after its well-deserved nerf, it remained the go-to solution for virtually any boss, from the base game to the brutal challenges of the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. Why would you ever summon a pack of wolves or a humble soldier when you could summon a second you? This created a major imbalance, making a huge part of the game's summoning mechanic feel redundant. But the 1.13 patch notes, available from Bandai Namco, have introduced some of the most significant changes to this system since the game's release.

Let's break down the key changes that are shaking things up in 2026:

  • The Revered Spirit Ash Blessing Boost: For those braving the Land of Shadow, summons now get a massive boost to their attack power and damage negation when your Revered Spirit Ash Blessing is at level 5 or higher. This is a game-changer for the DLC. The crucial detail? This specific buff excludes the Mimic Tear. This single adjustment does more to close the power gap than anything before it.

  • Universal Post+8 Buffs: Even outside the DLC, all non-Mimic spirit ashes have received stat improvements past the +8 upgrade level. Their attack hits harder, and they can take more punishment.

  • Individual, Thoughtful Tweaks: This is where FromSoftware's signature care really shines. Instead of just blanket buffs, many spirits received specific, tailored improvements. The most common is increased poise, meaning they stagger less easily. But many got unique boosts.

Take my old friend, the Spirit Jellyfish Ashes, for example.elden-ring-patch-1-13-finally-balances-spirit-ashes-giving-new-life-to-old-favorites-image-0 This early-game summon, often beloved for its story connection but later shelved for combat, has been supercharged. The patch notes specifically mention increased HP, physical attack power, and poison status buildup. Suddenly, this ethereal companion isn't just a nostalgic nod; it's a viable tool for applying pressure and tanking hits in a whole new way.

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Now, I know some of you purists out there are thinking, 'I never use summons anyway, so who cares?' And that's a perfectly valid way to play! But even from a design perspective, these changes are healthy for the game. Why should one option so completely overshadow a dozen others? By incentivizing the use of different summons, the patch makes the inherent variety of this major game mechanic actually relevant. It gives players like me a reason to revisit my collection, to experiment with strategies we abandoned years ago. Maybe those perfumer ashes have a new trick up their sleeve, or the ancient dragon knight can now hold the line more effectively.

The beauty is in the specificity. FromSoftware didn't just crank a 'power' slider up for everyone. They looked at individual spirits and asked, 'How can we make this one more useful in its intended role?' That level of attention is what makes their games so special. Beyond the summons, the patch also made it easier to place and activate summon signs in tricky arenas, smoothing out cooperation for those who enjoy jolly cooperation.

So, what's the result? The ecosystem of Spirit Ashes feels revitalized. The Mimic Tear is still powerful—it's a copy of you, after all—but it's no longer the undisputed, automatic choice. Other spirits have been elevated to become competitive, situationally excellent partners. For summon-users, it's a whole new world of tactical possibilities. For everyone else, it's a testament to the developers' commitment to refining their masterpiece years after launch. The approach to summons in Elden Ring might have felt 'a bit off' since 2022, but here in 2026, thanks to patch 1.13, things are finally starting to make a lot more sense. It's never been a better time to call upon some spectral aid.