FAQs | Dark Souls 3

I'm new, where do I begin?

Check out the New Player Help page for an all-you-need-to-know crash course on the Souls games.

What's the best starting class in Dark Souls 3?

Starting Classes overview can be found here.

What are Covenants in Dark Souls 3?

Covenants are sort of like Factions the player can dedicate himself/herself to that grant benefits. They affect Online play and there are 8 covenants to choose from in Dark Souls 3. Covenants each have two "levels", which you progress along in different ways depending on the covenant. Unlike in previous games, you can freely switch between covenants on the fly and without penalty.

Is there a Jump button in Dark Souls 3?

There is no dedicated jump button. To perform a jump you must run, release the run button and then tap it again. This will perform a jump. Details on the Control scheme can be found in our Controls Page.

What are Souls in Dark Souls 3?

Souls are a form of currency and experience points in Dark Souls 3. They are collected automatically from enemies when they die (whether you killed them or not), but can also be found as loot items. In the latter case, these need to be used in the inventory screen to obtain usable souls. Players spend souls to level up their character as well as to purchase items from merchants. Each level up requires an increasing number of souls. If the player dies however, all the souls that he's collected so far are lost, and are left at the bloodstain where he was killed. If the newly resurrected player can make it back to the bloodstain he can recover the lost souls. However, if he dies again on the way back to the bloodstain he will lose the souls permanently.

I'm lost, where do I go?

The wiki's recommended order for approaching the game will be listed under Game Progress Route. You may find an easier way that matches your build but we have tried to create a seamless and logical process. We have also created a map of all the locations, and the links between them.

What Starting/Burial Gift should I pick in Dark Souls 3?

Starting Gifts in Dark Souls 3 are now known as Burial Gifts. The Life Ring is ideal for new players as it gives more room for leverage. In general though, you really shouldn't worry about your initial gift. Unlike in previous games, the starting gifts are all common items that are easily obtainable later in the game.

How do I level up in Dark Souls 3?

You need to talk to the Fire Keeper at Firelink Shrine. She is at the center of the Shrine, which is unlocked after you defeat the first boss in Dark Souls 3. Each level up costs progressively more souls, but they all have exactly the same effect, i.e. increasing one of your attributes by one point.

What is a Bonfire in Dark Souls 3?

Bonfires are the checkpoints of Dark Souls, but they also serve other useful purposes. When the player encounters a new Bonfire, it must be lit (activated) first. Once this is done, using the Bonfire will have three main effects: 1) It will fully restore HP, FP, and Stamina, and refill both Estus Flasks fully. 2) The activated bonfire will serve as the new spawn point should the Unkindled die. 3) Most enemies will respawn (some sub-bosses and other significant enemies will not respawn). Players are also safe from the surroundings while resting at the Bonfire. Note however that the room with the Bonfire is not necessarily safe as enemies can still follow you to the Bonfire. See more information on our Bonfire page.

Can I sell Items in Dark Souls 3?

Yes. Deep in the Firelink Shrine you can meet an unnamed Handmaid, who will sell you various items and spells and purchase anything you don’t want in return for Souls. You should think very seriously about selling items, as they typically don't yield many souls and many items are impossible to re-obtain if you change your mind.

How do I unlock doors in Dark Souls 3?

See the Key Items page for a list of keys, where they are found, and the doors they unlock. In general, doors are unlocked by opening them from the other direction. If you see a locked door that says "does not open from this side", you just need to keep exploring and eventually you'll find your way to the other side of the door, typically opening a shortcut. If a door is locked, then the key for it may be in a completely different area, so it's usually best to just make a mental note and keep exploring, rather than fixating on finding a key nearby.

Can I farm enemies in Dark Souls 3?

As in many RPGs, there are a few places that are better for farming. There are not a lot of "the best" farming areas in the game but there are a few better than others. Some Farming tips can be found on our Walkthrough page. In general, helping others while in spirit form is a great way of farming, because if you die you keep all your souls. Find a tough area for your level and set your sign at the initial bonfire, (Central Irithyll is a good place for this), and farm away!

How to upgrade weapons in Dark Souls 3?

Weapon upgrades are performed with various Shards, as in previous games. Titanite Shards upgrade weapons to +3, Large Titanite Shards upgrade weapons to +6, Titanite Chunks and Slabs etc. Twinkling Titanite makes a return, along with Titanite Scales, to upgrade unique or especially rare weapons. Be very careful using Twinkling Titanite and Titanite Scales, as they are much rarer than standard Titanite.

Why is my character moving slow?

Movement, rolling, backstepping and distance of jumps and other actions are determined by Equipment Load. It also affects the amount of iframes you gain when rolling. Typically, you want to be below 70% Equip Load, as above this your rolls will be extremely slow and clunky.

My weapon broke, what do I do?

Visit the Blacksmith at Firelink Shrine to repair weapons. Alternatively, you can use Repair Powder to manually repair a weapon at risk/broken weapon.

Will Soul Memory Return in Dark Souls 3?

Soul Memory will not make a return in Dark Souls 3.

Can I use Weapon Skills with a Shield in Dark Souls 3?

All shields have their own Weapon Skill. For many, this will be the Parry. For some, it will be Shield Bash, or something else. There are a couple of shields (notably the Warrior's Shield and the Shield of Want) which let you use your right-hand weapon's skill while the shield is equipped. For more information, see our Shields and Skills pages.

How does Multiplayer work in Dark Souls 3?

If you are connected to the internet, the game acts as a perpetual lobby. Rather than sitting on a lobby screen waiting for people to play with you (like in shooters, or fighting games) you are able to walk through the world and interact with others seamlessly through "signs" and apparitions. While connected to the internet you can also be "invaded" by other players. Invasions happen randomly (you can be at any point in the level except for the boss room). However, there are level limits that prevent someone of a high level to help you beat a boss or invade you in PVP. For more info, see the Online page.

Also important to note is that you can only be invaded while your Ember is restored (you will know if this is the case because the icon by your health bar will be laced with glowing red lines, and you will have more health than normal. If you die, your ember will fade until you use the Ember consumable item to restore it again.

Killing a boss or helping someone kill a boss will also restore your ember. You can only summon other players while "Embered up", but you can put your sign down and be summoned even if you aren't Embered.

How do I write messages in Dark Souls 3?

You write messages through the Options Menu. Messages are composed of various pre-selected words or phrases, slotted into pre-existing templates. Once you put your message down, other players will be able to see it in their game (although not all players' messages are visible at the same time, so if your friend just wrote a message don't worry if you can't see it immediately). Messages can be rated positively or negatively. If other players rate your messages positively, you'll regain a little HP.

Healing during Online Play in Dark Souls 3

Phantoms have half their current estus (rounded down) when in a host's world. Hosts, friendly phantoms, and hostile phantoms can get an estus use back if another hostile or friendly phantom dies.

How do I play with friends in Dark Souls 3?

A White Sign Soapstone is the key to accessing co-op. Use the Soapstone to cast a ‘soul sign’ on the ground. These glowing markers can be seen by other players in their own instances of the game, and if activated summons the soul sign’s caster to assist the ‘host’ player as a friendly phantom. The game also features a password matching feature allowing friends to connect seamlessly.

Go into the settings menu and set a password, then tell your friend to set the same password in his/her settings menu. Now organize to be in the same place at the same time in the game (e.g. by the first High Wall of Lothric bonfire). One of you will need to be Embered in order to summon, and the other one (who may be Embered or not) uses the "White Sign Soapstone" item on the floor. While your friend is in your game, his/her game will not progress at all, although he/she will earn souls. Your friend will also not be able to loot (or even see) loot items in your game. Once you defeat the boss as the host, your friend will be sent back to his/her world. So if you want to keep pace with each other, you will typically explore the level once as a host, then as a guest in your friend's game.

When you're done with your co-op session, remember to take the password off to allow you to play with strangers again.

Will there be a voice chat feature in Dark Souls 3?

If you've turned voice chat on in the network options, you can chat between the host and the client. Players should be able to communicate via PS4 Party Chat or the Xbox One equivalent. PC Players will have to use 3rd party software such as Teamspeak or Skype.