Quick Answer
Spirit Ashes are upgraded through Roderika’s Spirit Tuning service at Roundtable Hold. Most regular ashes use Grave Glovewort, while special ashes use Ghost Glovewort. For a first playthrough, do not spread upgrades across every summon. Build one durable ash and one damage or utility option first.
Unlock Checklist
| Step | Action | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meet Roderika around the Stormhill route | Starts the Spirit Tuning chain |
| 2 | Reach Roundtable Hold and exhaust her dialogue | Moves the unlock forward |
| 3 | Talk to both Roderika and Smithing Master Hewg | Their dialogue unlocks the service |
| 4 | Rest and check near Hewg again | Spirit Tuning appears once she relocates |
If you are already at Roundtable Hold but cannot upgrade ashes, exhaust both characters’ dialogue until it repeats, then rest at the table grace.
Spending Glovewort
| Player Need | Smart Priority | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| First playthrough | Upgrade one reliable tank summon | Raising every ash by one level |
| Sorcery or ranged build | Use an ash that holds aggro | Choosing only by damage |
| Melee build stuck on bosses | Pick a summon that creates breathing room | Letting the ash fight alone |
| Found a strong special ash | Save some Ghost Glovewort | Burning rare materials early |
Glovewort is a route resource. The safe plan is to upgrade the summon you actually bring into hard fights, then wait until your build direction is clearer.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Ash is equipped but cannot be summoned | Check for the tombstone icon and enough FP |
| Spirit Tuning menu is missing | Continue Roderika and Hewg dialogue |
| Summon dies immediately | Dodge the opener before summoning, or summon during a safer gap |
| Unsure which ash to upgrade | Choose the ash you would bring to three bosses in a row |