Is it cheating to use summons/spirits?

[Shady_Milkman]

I feel like it makes a lot of boss fights too easy

[Sonnenbank]

Well depends on how you define cheating ;)

Is it violating the rules of Fromsoftware ?
No
Its a game mechanic implemented by fromsoft so that a wide audience of players can finish the game despite not being good on a controller.
Elden Ring was specifically designed to give new players tools to make it easy. If you dont care about boss mechanics but want to progress through the game -> thats what Ashes are for.
Thats intended

Is it trivializing bossfights ?
hell yes
Fromsoft Bosses get confused by more than 1 target.
you can just attack them freely in their back whenever they go for your spirit then run away and wait till they turn from you to spirit again.
So did you as a player actually beat a boss when using spirits and NPC summons `?
Not Really
To some people it matters to others it doesnt.

up to you to decide.
Do you want to learn the bosses or just progress through the game

In the end its your choice and since its single player game nobody but you should care

[LeXz]

It not cheating but the real question is, is it up to your standard? People like to handicap themselves when the game get too easy to make it more fair. It really up to you if you feel like it fair or not use the such things in the game. Like a lot of items in the game that feel very OP.

[AlienTestosterone]

Cheating not the word it's for certain players that want ez mode.

[Hans Meiser]

Sometimes it's too funny not to use. I had to use the mimic tear to fight the mimic tear, so I had myself, help myself to fight myself.

But no, it's obviously not cheating, it was put in the game to be used and I think the double boss fights were mostly put into place, to be fought using the spirit ashes. If you feel like it makes it too easy, don't use them, if you like them, use them, the game was made with them in mind and I give Miyazaki and his crew enough credit to know what they're doing balance wise.

Just have fun the way you want to have fun, that's what these games are all about. You can be whoever you want and play however you want.

[Janthis]

It's not cheating if it's offered to you in the game. You might as well say spells or weapon skills are cheating. Besides, considering how cheaply overpowered some bosses feel, you really shouldn't feel any remorse using every tool at your disposal. That is, unless you enjoy the "challenge" of fighting an elephant with a pocket knife.

[zero]

Originally posted by gotti biesch:

It's in the game, so not cheating. It's there to make life easier for you. I feel it trivializes some fights so I don't use them a lot. But if you want an easier fight, it's there for you

[Strexxin]

Not at all, play however you want. Some people refuse to use all of the tools available to them, that is their choice. Summons are simply a tool to be used in the game if you wish.

[Noeat]

Originally posted by Strexxin:

Not at all, play however you want. Some people refuse to use summons because they are elite and amazing

some of them.. some do it just because it is fun and challenging.

[Strexxin]

Originally posted by Dam Stark:

It robs people from the sense of accomplishment but hey

According to you yes, some people play games just to have fun, they don't need to feel they have accomplished anything by killing bosses.

[OverKill]

I wouldn't call it cheating, but it is definitely going to make things easier. Whether or not there is an issue with it is up to the individual.

I personally am playing melee so far. I can't even equip spells due to no stats for them.

[Nihrahk]

It's not cheating since it's a feature in the game. It might perhaps make some boss fights easier, perhaps even significantly easier depending on the summon used, but if you don't want to or just can't summon a player then the spirit summons always got your back. At least when they aren't being derpy, because they sometimes are.

[GermanyMan]

Originally posted by < blank >:

most significant bosses in the souls games have an npc you can summon - in NG i always use them weither i need the help or not (sometimes this is needed for quest progression) and if there is no npc to summon - i am happy to bring in a single fellow for jolly cooperation if there are signs around, if not i go ahead and solo - i never bring two blues, because if both die or are bad i'm stuck with a sighnificantly up-scaled boss that my mana pool usually cant handle

i'm not a casual and i don't need to get carried, but it seems like most major bosses are intended to be a cooperative fight even if it is just with NPCs so i think the 'solo only' no summons, no ashes crew is silly (thought I have only uses ashes in exactly 1 boss fight so far!) because that is clearly not the intended way to play

Hahahaha. Sorry but this is the worst explanation i ever read.


@OP
I think its fine, you are free to go. :)
Use what you can other than real cheat software like "Cheat Engine".

[Ghillied]

Anything that is an in game intended feature isn't cheating

[❛❛Vénttea❜❜]

There is a similar discussion like this in Code Vein.
The consensus seems to be:

"It's not cheating because the game is designed to have companions in mind."
"If you think the game is too easy then play it solo. without any help"
"Don't brag on difficulty when you beat the game/boss with help"

That's usually the nutshell.

[GrandTickler]

no, so far all the bosses ive fought that allow summoning ,also allows horseback riding, which in my eyes is far more powerful than summons lol. the ai cant deal with non-lock-on speed of the horse