How to Use the Mimic Tear in Elden Ring

The Mimic Tear is widely considered one of the most powerful Spirit Ash summons in Elden Ring, and Elden Ring Runes for good reason: instead of calling forth a typical spectral ally, the Mimic Tear creates a duplicate of your own character, complete with your equipment, spells, talismans, and combat style. When used properly, it transforms some of the game's toughest encounters-from late-game bosses to chaotic open-world fights-into manageable battles. Mastering the Mimic Tear isn't just about summoning a clone; it's about optimizing your build, setting up synergy, and understanding when the summon brings the greatest tactical value. Below is a complete guide to using the Mimic Tear effectively in any phase of the game.

1. Prepare Your Build Before Summoning

Because the Mimic Tear duplicates your equipment and loadout, the first key to using it well is ensuring your build is summon-friendly. The Mimic copies:

Weapons and weapon arts

Armor and resistances

Spells and Sacred Seals / Staves

Your currently equipped talismans

Your Flask count becomes irrelevant, since Mimic uses its own healing

This means that if you want your Mimic to carry the fight, you should equip gear that gives it excellent survivability and DPS. Heavy armor, status-inflicting weapons, and high-damage Ashes of War translate directly into a stronger ally. Players often temporarily switch to tankier gear before summoning, then swap back to their normal loadout once the Mimic appears, enabling a highly durable clone without sacrificing the player's preferred playstyle.

2. Upgrade It to +10 Immediately

The Mimic Tear is only as strong as its upgrade level. Use Ghost Glovewort found throughout Nokron, Ainsel River, and other late-game underground areas to level it up. At +10, the Mimic becomes one of the tankiest summons in the game, capable of surviving hits that would one-shot other spirits and dealing continuous damage throughout long boss fights.

A fully upgraded Mimic Tear is so powerful that many players consider it essential for endgame bosses such as Radagon and the Elden Beast, Fire Giant, Godskin Duo, and Malenia.

3. Use It in Battles Where Aggro Splitting Matters

What makes the Mimic Tear uniquely strong is its reliability at drawing enemy attention. Because the Mimic uses all your weapons and spells, bosses interpret it as a full-threat player, meaning:

You can attack safely while the boss focuses your Mimic

Bosses switch targets between you and your clone, reducing pressure

The Mimic can stagger or break posture using your own high-poise weapon arts

Boss arenas where space is limited-Godskin Apostle fights, cramped catacombs, or arenas with multiple enemies-are perfect for Mimic Tear deployments.

4. Use Pre-Buffs and Consumables Before Summoning

Everything active on your character at the moment of summoning is copied onto the Mimic Tear. This includes:

Buff spells (Golden Vow, Flame Grant Me Strength, etc.)

Weapon buffs (Greases, Incantation weapon enchantments)

Physick effects

This strategy can double your offensive and defensive buffs, effectively giving you two fully buffed warriors.

For example, pre-buffing with Golden Vow gives both you and the Mimic a massive damage and defense bonus. Similarly, enchanting your weapon with frost or bleed before summoning creates a dual-threat status team.

5. Use the Mimic Tear to Support Specific Build Types

Different builds synergize exceptionally well with the Mimic Tear:

Bleed Builds

Dual Bleed weapons on you and your clone allow the Mimic to help trigger Hemorrhage rapidly, shredding bosses.

Strength Builds

High-poise weapons like Colossal Swords or Hammers give the Mimic staggering power, letting both of you combo large bosses into submission.

Mage Builds

A duplicate mage can double the rate of spellcasting. While slightly fragile, a buffed and upgraded Mimic Tear can rain down spells while you keep distance.

6. Know Its Limitations

Despite its strength, the Mimic Tear has weaknesses:

It consumes HP instead of FP to summon, so ensure you have enough health.

It sometimes uses items or skills inefficiently.

In ultra-wide arenas, the Mimic can struggle to keep aggro.

Planning around these quirks ensures you get maximum value.

Conclusion

Using the Mimic Tear in Elden Ring is a powerful tactic that rewards smart preparation, thoughtful build crafting, and buy Elden Ring Runes intelligent combat strategy. When equipped correctly and upgraded to +10, the Mimic becomes more than a summon-it is a second version of yourself capable of tanking bosses, applying status, staggering enemies, and turning brutal fights into winnable duels. Whether you're struggling through late-game encounters or optimizing for efficiency, mastering the Mimic Tear is one of the most valuable skills any Tarnished can acquire.