In the vast, unforgiving world of the Lands Between, where magic is as varied as the perils one faces, a particular brand of sorcery is whispered about with a mix of awe and disdain. This is Death Magic, a school requiring both keen intellect and unwavering faith, a duality that makes its practitioners as rare as its spells. Among these forbidden arts lies Tibia's Summons, a spell that doesn't call forth loyal spirits but instead raises a brief, violent greeting from Those Who Live in Death. Forget about summoning a permanent skeletal companion for tea; this is about calling in a swift, bony strike team for a single, decisive hit.

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Hunting the Ferryman of Bones

To claim this necromantic power, one must first confront its keeper. The spell is a trophy dropped exclusively by the Tibia Mariner, a field boss who seems more lost than menacing. Forget epic, towering arenas; this duel happens in the rather dilapidated Wyndham Ruins. The journey begins at the Erdtree-Grazing Hill site of grace. From there, a trek northward and upwards along the cliffside paths will lead you to the ruins' southern, lower section. Don't bother scaling the heights; the Mariner prefers the ground floor. Skirt around the destroyed buildings heading east, and the boss will dutifully spawn, its ghostly boat materializing to claim a sizable chunk of the real estate for its aquatic, if landlocked, arena.

The fight itself is... oddly serene by Elden Ring standards. It's one of those encounters where summoning your spectral steed, Torrent, isn't just an option; it's the recommended way to go. The Tibia Mariner has a habit of teleporting short distances, making horseback the perfect mode of transportation to close the gap. Its attacks are predominantly melee, but they come with telegraphs so long you could write a short letter during the wind-up. Outrunning them on Torrent is trivial. The boss does try to spice things up by summoning weak skeleton minions, but in a hilarious display of friendly fire, its own sweeping attacks often clear the field for you. It's a boss that almost feels sorry for itself.

Unlocking the Skeletal Salvo

So, you've bested the ferryman and now hold the power to briefly command the dead. But can you wield it? Tibia's Summons demands a significant intellectual and spiritual investment: 28 Intelligence and 20 Faith just to memorize the spell. Each cast will cost you 17 Focus Points. This isn't a spell for pure sorcerers or clerics; it's exclusively for the hybrid builds, the true believers in the power of both mind and soul.

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The Art of the Bony Ambush

Here's where the spell gets interesting—and slightly deceptive. Despite the name "Summons," this is not an ash summon. You don't get three permanent skeleton buddies. Instead, think of it as a trap or a delayed projectile with style. Upon casting at a target, three skeletal warriors erupt from the ground beneath your foe, swing their weapons down in a synchronized attack, and then immediately vanish into ether. They are glorified phantoms of a single, violent moment.

This mechanic leads to some unique tactical advantages and quirks:

  • The Ultimate Safe Spell: The skeletons spawn on top of the enemy, not near you. This means you can be safely behind cover, around a corner, or a football field away and still deliver the pain directly to your target's doorstep. It's the perfect tool for a cautious mage who prefers their enemies dead before they ever see them.

  • Untargetable Phantoms: Since the skeletons aren't persistent entities, enemies completely ignore them. Your target can't attack them or be distracted by them. It's a pure, undodgeable (well, mostly) damage delivery system.

  • Damage Lottery: Each of the three skeletons deals its own instance of damage. This is a double-edged sword. If your target deftly dodges at the right moment, they might avoid one or two of the strikes, reducing the total damage. It's not one big hit; it's three smaller ones in quick succession.

  • Surprise Crowd Control: While best for single targets, the spell has a small Area of Effect (AOE) on each skeleton's impact. If enemies are clustered, you can catch a few in the bony blast radius, making it a decent, if expensive, option for thinning groups from a distance.

For those dedicated to the path of Death, wielding the Prince of Death's Staff will boost the damage of Tibia's Summons and other related sorceries, making that hefty stat investment truly pay off. In the end, Tibia's Summons is a niche tool—a spell for the tactical hybrid caster who values precision strikes from absolute safety over flashy, sustained barrages. It’s not about raising an army; it’s about orchestrating one perfect, skeletal ambush.