I have just completed a walkthrough using a Fire and Lightning Washing Pole. This is my favorite weapon in the game because of the range, the moveset and the strike area. However, it is limited in damage output relative to other heavy weapons and has only moderate scaling. To supplement the damage, I combined the Washing Pole with Power Within, and a high vitality and dexterity build.
I will cover every boss, including all optional fights. I will start posting the videos along with melee strategies over the next week. Look for the first 2 boss fights tomorrow.
Weapons, weapons , weapons. What is it with our fascination with weapons in Dark Souls? Could it be that we secretly yearn for that mythical super strong, secret weapon that will help us lay waste to the land and dominate one of the most difficult games ever made? Well, Dark Souls will never be dominated but you can make some incredibly powerful offensive equipment.
I wrote a post earlier with my choices for best weapons in the game. In case you were wondering about these weapons, I have made a video showing them in NG+++ action. Enjoy the video and tell me about your choices for best weapons in the game.
Dark Souls Top 10 Weapons – The Video
(Here is the playlist for making a Fire Washing Pole +10).
Dark Souls allows for different types of damage. You can choose from fire, lightning, magic, divine or physical damage. Magic, divine and physical damage scale with an appropriate stat (INT, FAI, STR/DEX respectively). So, a magical build with high intelligence will do more damage with an enchanted weapon than any other type of build. These types of weapons, which I will call “scaleable” for simplicity, build up slowly over the course of the game as the related STAT is increased. In essence magic and divine weapons need to be upgraded twice: first the weapon itself must be upgraded directly; second, the related stat must be raised to further increase the bonus to the damage rating.
Fire and lightning damage (“non-scaleable” damage), however, do not offer stat bonuses. Even better, the damage rating of these types of weapons is quite large. A +5 Enchanted sword requires very high intelligence to match the damage rating of a fully ascended fire or lightning sword. A high level character will do the same amount of non-scaleable damage as a lowly build. Astute Dark Souls players will take advantage of the high damage output of these weapons, whose only requirement is the ability to wield them.
Dark Souls allows you to make fire weapons much earlier in the game than lightning weapons. Fire weapons are also slightly more powerful than their lightning cousins. Other than Chaos Witch Quelaag and 2 optional bosses, all other bosses in the game can be tackled with a fire weapon. Because fully ascending a weapon is a painfully slow and torturous process, it is very important to get the most value out of your ascended weapon. Making a fire weapon should be your first priority in the game (but which one to ascend is up to you!).
My favorite weapon happens to be the Washing Pole. This is a heavy, expensive, difficult to obtain and somewhat underpowered weapon. But it more than makes up for these weaknesses, by offering the augmented range of a spear and the superior move set of the Uchigatana. If you don’t know which weapon to ascend, here is a post with my recommendations.
The process for ascending a weapon to Fire +10 is described below:
– Get weapon
– Level up to meet weapon stat requirements
– Obtain enough souls to buy 9 titanite shards (7,200)
– Obtain enough souls to upgrade weapon to +5 (1,000 to 4,000 depending on the weapon)
– Visit Andre of Astora to upgrade weapon to +5
– Farm 10 green titanite shards from leeches in Blighttown
– Find Vamos in the Catacombs and ascend weapon to Fire
– Defeat Chaos Witch Quelaag (to open Ceaseless Discharge)
– Defeat Ceaseless Discharge (to open way to Large Flame Ember)
– Get the Large Flame Ember
– Get 2 Red Titanite Chunks from the Great Hollow
– Return to Northern Undead Asylum and kill the Black Knights for 2 Red Titanite Chunks
– Give Large Flame Ember to Vamos and upgrade weapon to Fire +8
– Defeat Smough and Ornstein (with your Fire weapon of course)
– Obtain the Lordvessel and place it in the altar
– Get 30 humanity
– Join Chaos Servant covenant and offer 30 humanity to unlock shortcut to Lost Izalith
– Unlock door in Demon Ruins leading to Lost Izalith
– Farm 5 Red Titanite Chunks from Chaos Eaters
– Find the Red Titanite Slab in the Lost Izalith swamp
– Upgrade weapon to Fire +10
– Take a break because you have done a lot!
Follow the link at the beginning of this post for the how-to video. Feel free to comment on my method. I hope this post and video help you during your travels through Dark Souls.
This was very much a labor of love for this game. Here is the video playlist with all 10 tricks (including the missing one for Tip #4). I hope this compilation helps you get more from the game, and perhaps, even helps you finish it. Keep an eye out for more Dark Souls posts and videos. What are your favorite tips and tricks?
Armor in Dark Souls is much more important than in Demon’s Souls. Stronger armor significantly increases your defense. There are different armor items and sets with unique attributes that may help you with a particular boss or game area. Choosing and equipping the right armor for your build can make a world of difference as your progress through the game.
Besides defensive attributes, you must also carefully consider the weight of an armor set, whether it can be upgraded and required upgrade material (normal versus Twinkling Titanite).
So let us take a tour of my very biased list of Top 10 Armor Sets.
Honorary mention: Set of Favor
I could not help myself and had to find a spot on this list for the Set of Favor. You must invade Lautrec’s world in Anor Londo using the Black Eye Orb. After you avenge Anastacia, the set is located in the same level as the Chamber of the Princess’ bonfire. This set requires Twinkling Titanite for upgrades. It offers good protection across the board for a mid-weight set, including curse resistance. But my favorite feature is certainly the design of the set. Let’s face it, sometimes how armor looks on our build is the ultimate reason for equipping it. The Set of Favor is the best-looking and most bad-ass armor set in Dark Souls.
#10: Smough’s Set
There is very little difference between Havel’s and Smough’s armor. Smough’s is a bit lighter with better fire and lightning resistance, while Havel’s is heavier but has better poise and curse resistance. Neither set requires an upgrade. Havel’s Set is hidden in the basement of Anor Londo (break through a fireplace to get to it). Dohmnall sells Smough’s Set at Firelink after the boss fight (you must kill the Executioner last). Ultimately I prefer Smough’s armor. It is more expensive and difficult to acquire. But the lighter weight and much higher fire and lightning resistances are useful in NG+. It also makes for a more comical character, sort of like a blinged-out, Las Vegas version of the Michelin Tire Man.
#9: Crimson Set
This set is available very early in the game if you have the Master Key. You can immediately go to Blighttown and find it in a chest in the upper levels before the paddle wheel. This is a light set that can be upgraded with Twinkling Titanite and has good physical and high magic resistance. What makes this set invaluable is the curse resistance. You can build up a fair amount of it with upgrades. But even at base levels, you will have enough curse defense for worry-free strolls in the Depths and the Great Hollow. Before Path 1.05 dropped the physical defense, I would rate the Antiquated Set superior, since it is lighter, has very high curse defense and the Crown boosts magic attacks. However, the Antiquated Set is not available until much later in the game when you are strong enough to take on the Hydra. Either set is a valuable addition to your inventory. If you prefer melee like I do, the Crimson Set is the better choice. Magic builds with ranged attacks and low endurance should opt for the Antiquated Set.
#8: Xanthous Set
You will not be able to pick up this set until you leave the Painted World of Ariamis. First, you must be in human form and kill Xanthous in the snowfield littered with the large blocks. The set is on a corpse on your way out past Priscilla the Cross Breed. After upgrading with Twinkling Titanite, this set becomes the strongest light armor in the game, lacking only in the curse department (only the Crown has curse defense). The Gloves and the Waistcloth are very good, especially the leg armor which outpaces much heavier armor from other sets. The hot mustard color and crazy Crown makes for a very interesting-looking set indeed. Highly recommended!
#7: Pyromancer Set
In my judgment, this is the best starter armor set in the game. While it has low physical defense, the high poison and fire resistance, and low weight make it indispensable for running and gunning. This is the only starter set with curse resistance, and good magic resistance thrown-in as well. The set can be upgraded with Titanite and is available in early game. Go to Blighttown and search in the area with the leech, after heading directly out of the bonfire cave.
#6: Elite Knight Set
It is difficult to take off an item from this set once equipped. This mid-weight set will definitely grow with your character and regular Titanite upgrades. It has the potential for very high physical defense and offers good resistances across the board (but no curse defense). The Elite Knight Set is available in early game. Head to Darkroot Basin into the area with the Giant Stone Knights. It will be guarded by several Demonic Foliages as well. You can run away after grabbing the loot or suicide. A close but inferior alternate is the starter Knight Set.
#5: Ornstein’s Set
This mid-weight to heavy set is a suitable reward for taking on Smough and Ornstein. Domhnall will sell it if you kill the Dragonslayer last, which makes for a tougher boss fight. The set offers excellent resistance to everything from magic to curse, along with good physical defense. While it is a bit expensive, it does not have to be upgraded. This set is an excellent choice for builds that need to melee but cannot wear the heaviest armor sets. Try it for the boss fight with Seath The Scaless or just because of its bad-ass looks.
#4: Gold-Hemmed Black Set
Even after the 1.05 patch downgrade, this is still the best light armor in the game. It can be complimented with items from other sets to make up for the lack of curse defense. This set has very high poison and fire resistance with decent physical and magic defense. It cannot be upgraded. As one of the best designed sets in the game, you will want to equip it for its looks alone. I especially like how the Hood hides your face for a more mysterious and menacing look. The game developers purposely prevent you from using this set during the Quelaag boss fight. If you go on to NG+, put it on and take on that Chaos Bitch, I mean Witch.
And now for my top 3 armor sets in Dark Souls. You can tell I have a predilection for melee since these are all heavy sets that require high endurance plus Havel’s Ring or the Dark Wood Grain Ring for normal movement.
#3: Stone Set
The Stone Set is available immediately after purchasing the Crest of Artorias and unlocking the door in Darkroot Garden. You can run past the enemies, bound down the stone stairs and loop around the ruins to find the set inside a chest. The set cannot be upgraded. It offers massive physical defense, high magic and fire defense, and very high lightning resistance. Because the Crest can be purchased relatively early in the game (see my post for more info), you can take advantage of this strong armor for the Quelaag boss fight. Havel’s Ring or the Dark Wood Grain Ring are highly recommended for equipping as many items in this set in early game. As soon as you equip this armor, you will notice a significant change. It is as though your character has leveled up several times. Enemy attacks do much less damage and several continuous blows can be easily absorbed. The Stone Set has no curse protection and it is quite heavy but has no other weaknesses. This is the best armor for the Anor Londo boss fight, the toughest in the game, because of its high lightning resistance.
#2: Paladin Set
You normally get this item later in the game once you are able to make it past the treacherous Catacombs. In you are in human form, Paladin Leeroy will invade just outside the entrance to the Tomb of the Giants. His armor will be on a corpse in the area where you fight Gravelord Nito. Don’t forget to pick it up after the boss fight. This is an excellent all around armor set, with the highest curse protection in the game. Upgrades with Twinkling Titanite will unlock high physical defense but all other resistances are also very good. This armor is significantly lighter than the Stone Set so it can be worn by lower endurance builds with Havel’s Ring, the Dark Wood Grain Ring or the Mask of the Father. This is an excellent armor for NG+, where it can be quickly maxed out with Twinkling Titanite.
#1: Black Iron Set
When you first happen upon this set, in a corner next to the painting that sends you to Ariamis, you may not be impressed with the initial stats. This is a heavy set but lighter than Smough’s and the Stone sets and much lighter than Havel’s armor. Twinkling Titanite is very expensive and somewhat difficult to farm in your first playthrough. But believe me, spending as much time as needed to max out this set is absolutely worth it. The Black Iron Armor (the main body piece) and the Black Iron Gloves should be your first priorities for upgrades. Even if you cannot wear the complete set, these 2 items alone will engulf you in a massively strong protective cocoon. The set has the highest rated physical defense, very high fire protection and high ratings for all other resistances too. It may lack a bit in poise relative to other uber-heavy sets like Havel’s but its impressive overall stats and lighter weight more than make up for this small and lone weakness. Melee builds should increase endurance until they can wear the entire set. Other builds with lower endurance can mix and match with other items (try it with the Crown of Dusk and Xanthous’ Waistcloth). The Black Iron Set is my choice for best armor in Dark Souls.
The area guarded by the Forest Hunters past the door unlocked by the Crest of Artorias is the most famous and best farming area in the game. Initially you may think that you cannot get enough souls for the Crest until you dispatch a couple of the first bosses. However by using the Master Key, collecting all early game soul items and avoiding the temptation to level up, you can buy the Crest very early in the game.
With the door unlocked, farming is pretty easy and fast, once you get the hang of it. The trick is to make the hunters chase you and then stand against the ledge next to the stairs by the door. The hunters will try to jump over you and fall to their deaths. Be aware that in rare occasions they will land on the edge. You can kick them off or put up your shield and let them bounce to their deaths once they attack.
During your first farming run, you can collect 10,000 souls counting a knight that will not re-spawn. Other runs will then yield you 7,000 souls.
In the back of the area, there are 2 additional enemies that do not re-spawn: another knight and Pharis. I usually ignore these two until later in the game when I come back with better equipment.
Watch this video that shows how to buy the Crest of Artorias as early in the game as possible. I use a Pyromancer build and successfully farm with a Level 1 build. I end by almost recouping all of the 20,000 souls, plus possession of the Stone Set and the Hornet Ring.
This is my #1 tip for Dark Souls. Use it to level up your character very quickly in early game, or load up on souls for equipment purchases or upgrades. I truly hope it makes your Dark Souls experience more enjoyable.
Unlike other types of damage, fire and lightning weapon damage does not scale with any character stat. Weapons do a fixed amount of fire or lightning damage based only on the level of the weapon. A character with very low strength will do the same amount of damage with a fire or lightning weapon, as a character with much higher strength. You must only meet the minimum requirements to wield the weapon.
Fire and lightning damage is available immediately upon weapon ascension. Normal, magic and divine weapons scale with related attributes. They can do a fair amount of damage initially, and potentially more than their fire or lightning cousins, but not until the character has been greatly upgraded.
By using fire or lightning weapons, you are free to increase other attributes to round out your build (as opposed to higher weapon damage). Souls exclusively reserved for Intelligence or Faith can now be spread out to Vitality, Dexterity or to make upgraded equipment.
It is difficult to make a lightning weapon, and you must wait until mid-game. You need a +10 Normal weapon. You will have to find 9 large titanite shards and must give the Large Ember to Andre the Blacksmith to ascend a +5 weapon to +10. Then you must find the Giant Blacksmith in Anor Londo. He will ascend your +10 normal weapon to Lightning mode using Titanite Chunks.
Lightning damage is more flexible than Fire damage as it damages all bosses in the game and most enemies. But Fire damage can be used to finish the game. There are optional bosses in Lost Izalith with high Fire resistance that can be skipped by opening up the shortcut through the Chaos Witch Quelaag. Fire damage also tops out at a slightly higher level than lightning damage. A fire weapon has higher damage rating than its lightning counterpart.
But most importantly, Fire weapons can be made very quickly in early game. Normal +5 weapons can be ascended to Fire by Vamos, who is hidden at the Catacombs. The path is surrounding by booby traps and guarded by Necromancer who repeatedly spwan strong Undead Skeletons. But, it is possible to reach Vamos with the Drake Sword. A +5 weapon and green titanite is all that is required once you reach Vamos to make a Fire Weapon.
Even if you prefer a lightning weapon (or other type of damage), the smart player will make a fire weapon as soon as possible to help in farming runs or advance more quickly through the game. You can then make other types of weapons as you progress through the levels.
After many playthroughs, I have come up with a preferred way to make fire weapons in early game. The rough process is as follows:
- Select the Master Key as your starting gift (I like to start with the Knight because of his high vitality and good shield but you can use any starting character).
- Raid Blighttown for 3 large souls and the green titanite shard.
- Get the Gold Pine Resin, Drake Sword, and a good stable shield (see my Tip #5)
- If you are not going to ascend your starting weapon, buy or get another one (I recommend the Claymore, Halberd or Uchigatana).
- Get you avatar’s Strength to 16 and Dexterity to 12 as soon as possible. If you want to make a Fire Uchigatana, raise Dexterity to 14. You should have enough souls after beating the Taurus Demon.
- Build up your Vitality as much as possible (it should be at least 14)
- Get to Andre and upgrade your weapon to +5.
- Head to the Catacombs first bonfire.
- Make the descent to Vamos. On the way, kill the Necromancers and trip the levers to make the bridges passable.
- Don’t forget to pick-up the green titanite shard on your final drop.
- Dispose of any skeletons and ascend your weapon to Fire +2 when you meet Vamos.
- Optional – take down the Pinwheel Boss using your newly made fire weapon.
- Get the heck out of the Catacombs (not as easy as it sounds, especially in early game)
You can shave some time off by making a Fire Uchigatana since you don’t need the Drake Sword. Also, don’t be discouraged if you die repeatedly in the Catacombs. Concentrate on either killing a Necromancer or tripping a lever on each run (make incremental progress).
If you decide to go for Pinwheel, raise your Vitality as high as possible and equip the Grass Crest Shield (fast stamina regeneration for running and higher magic damage than other metal shields). Kindling the first Catacombs’ bonfire is also recommended.
Here is a video showing you how to quickly make a Fire Claymore in the first ~35 minutes of gameplay. I show you how to get the Uchigatana and Halberd, so these can be ascended to Fire instead of the Claymore. Next week, I will be posting a video for how to make a Fire Washing Pole during the first hour of gameplay.
I strongly encourage you to ascend your favorite weapon to fire. With it, Dark Souls is significantly easier. Enjoy!
The Drake Sword is an excellent early game weapon. It is easily outclassed by the lightning spear in Senn’s Fortress and quickly forgotten. However, the Drake Sword can be paired with the Hornet Ring to dispatch many NPC’s and tough mini-bosses to yield a slew of rings, shields and other useful equipment. See the post and video for Tip #8 to quickly find the Drake Sword. The Hornet Ring is behind the grave of Sir Artoria’s guarded by Siff. If you circle around the giant sword planted in the front side of the grave, you can pick up the ring without triggering the boss fight. The Hornet Ring will increase damage from critical attacks (backstabs and ripostes) by 50%. With the Drake Sword and Hornet Ring equipped, your character is strong enough to go on a richly rewarding killing spree. Let’s go backstabbing for some loot!
Shiva of the East – this merchant is unlocked after you join the Forest Hunters Covenant. You can talk to him and then meet him at the swamp below the paddle wheel in Blighttown to buy his items. Or, you can dispose of him right away (he appears just outside the door leading to Alvina). He drops the Murakumo and the Iron Round Shield.
Ninja Bodyguard – Shiva is protected by an agile ninja wielding the Washing Pole and very fond of Fire Surge. He will aggro at the same time as Shiva. He can be taken out with backstabs, but the easiest strategy is to push him off the ledge in Darkroot Garden with kicks. Shiva will attack you after he falls to his death. The Ninja drops quite possibly the best item in the game, the Dark Wood Grain Ring.
Black Knight in Darkroot Basin – at the bottom of Darkroot Basin’s meandering path, a Black Knight equipped with a Halberd guards the Grass Crest Shield. The entrance to a cave concealing a bonfire is also nearby. This knight drops a Blue Titanite chunk, but like all Black Knights, in rare occasions he may also drop his shield or weapon.
Havel the Rock – Use the Master Key to open the tower’s lower door in Darkroot Basin for an encounter with Havel the Rock. He has incredibly strong armor and shield, plus high magic protection. However, he is an easy prey to multiple backstabs. The Drake Sword and Hornet Ring combo can knock him out in 4 backstabs plus a normal attack. He drops Havel’s Ring which increases equipment load by 50%.
Knight Lautrec of Carim – The Master Key or the Mystery Key will open the hidden jail holding Lautrec captive in Undead Parish. Free him and then return to Firelink Shrine. He will be resting in front of fire keeper Anastacia. Talk to him to collect a Sunlight Medal. If you don’t kill him in Firelink Shrine, he will murder Anastacia. You can avenge her death and recover the fire keeper soul once you reach Anor Londo (you also get his armor there). But I usually opt to take him out immediately. He can be kicked off the ledge, or thrown off by the Drake Sword’s two-handed strong attack. If these strategies fail, he can be backstabbed after his rolls for a quick kill. He drops a lot of humanity and the second best ring in the game. The Ring of Favor and Protection permanently increases both Stamina and Vitality but cannot be removed once equipped.
Oscar, Knight of Astora – return to the Northern Asylum by falling off the elevator in Undead Parish and dropping onto the beam to the giant crow’s nest. Upon your return, Oscar will be hollow and immediately attack you. He is very aggressive but he can backstabbed after his rolls. He drops the Crest Shield, which has very high magic defense.
Northern Undead Asylum Black Knights – you will face 2 Black Knights upon your return to Northern Undead Asylum. They are very tough enemies who must be fought in tight quarters. A few backstabs with the Drake Sword and Hornet Ring will yield you Red Titanite Chunks and, if you are lucky, a Black Knight Sword. Make sure you pick up the Peculiar Doll back in your original cell and then examine the wall painting in Anor Londo.
Undead Burg Black Knight – a staircase below the area with the chest holding the Gold Pine Resin leads to the Black Knight. He has lower vitality than any of his brethren. He drops Titanite Chunk and guards the Blue Tearstone Ring.
Undead Parish Black Knight – before running into the courtyard with the Armored Tusk, look for the path up the tower. At the very top stands a Black Knight with a Black Knight Greatsword. Make sure you have a strong shield and mind his strong one-handed attack. It is slow but can break your guard. He can be backstabbed for a Titanite Chunk.
Maneater Milfred – she will attack if you are in human form when you reach Blighttown. She is a very easy kill and leaves herself quite open to backstabs after her two-handed smash attack. Mildred drops the Butcher Knife, humanity and a good amount of souls.
There are two additional NPC’s, that require a bit more skill or higher vitality than the previous ones. Equip the Dark Wood Grain Ring and as much of the Stone Set as possible before facing them. You can also come back later in the game after leveling up.
Pharis and the Knight – If you want even more Drake Sword plus Hornet Ring “thrill kills”, head back to Darkroot Garden past the door opened by the Crest of Artorias. Lead the NPC’s to their death (they will try to jump on top of you if you stand at the very edge of the ledge next to the stairs by the door). With the area clear of enemies, head to the very back (past a downed log). Don’t go too far to the right or you will trigger several strong Demonic Folliage. Eventually, you will encounter a Knight with a Zweihander and, Pharis (bow wielder). Both are wearing the Ring of Fog. Aggro the knight and lead him away from Pharis into an open area. He is very aggressive, but again, he is susceptible to backstabs after his rolls. Head back to Pharis with your shield raised. She can be kicked off the ledge, backstabbed, or attacked as she switches weapons. She drops her hat, her bow and a twin humanity.
See this video for a continuous walkthrough from Shiva to Mildred with the Hornet Ring and Drake Sword equipped. Once completed, you will have a formidable arsenal, a slew of souls and should be more than ready to take on the rest of the game.
(As promised, here is the video for this tip. Enjoy!)
Dark Souls does not like to hold your hand. The lack of help extends to weapon upgrades. Souls, the currency of the game, are in low supply and high demand. You are often faced with the choice of using souls to level up your character or upgrade your weapon. Weapon upgrade materials are rare. Even worse, while regular weapons are cheap to upgrade, some of the more useful ones require large amounts of souls. Dark Souls does throw you a bone to give you a fighting chance. There are a number of items that can buff your attacks. Some of them can even be combined to unlock massive damage. In this post, I explore some of the best ways to supercharge your attacks by exploiting and combining the most useful attack-buffing rings and spells. I have found these strategies to be essential in early game, and, especially in NG+ or higher boss fights. But make sure to experiment on your own. There are many options for stacking items, and some combinations may be more effective based on your individual build or playstyle.
FYI, when I mention magic weapon I am referring to the entire family of sorceries (Magic Weapon, Great Magic Weapon and Crystal Magic Weapon). Also, Crystal Magic Weapon and Crystal Spear may not be affected by some of these items.
Hornet Ring – this ring will increase critical damage by 50%. Critical attacks include backstabs and ripostes after parries. While all weapons can be used for criticals, weapons that deal thrust damage do more critical damage than other types of weapons. Pair this ring with the Red Tearstone Ring, Power Within, Magic Weapon, or Sunlight Blade.
Red Tearstone Ring – increases damage by 50% when your health is 20% or lower. You will know you can deal “hyper” damage, when you see the red glow around your character. Pair this ring with the Hornet Ring, Magic Weapon or Sunlight Blade.
Bellowing Dragoncrest Ring – increases damage from sorceries and pyromancies by 33%. Crystal Magic Weapon is not affected by this ring. Pair it with the Hornet Ring and Magic Weapon for massive critical damage.
Dusk Crown Ring – doubles the number of cast from sorceries but at the cost of half your health. This ring can be used with the Tin Crystallization Catalyst or the Red Tearstone Ring.
Crown of Dusk headgear – increases damage of sorceries and miracles by 20%. Pair it with the Dusk Crown Ring and the Bellowing Dragon Ring.
Tin Crystallization Catalyst – if you have high intelligence (above 40), this catalyst will unlock the highest damage from sorceries but it halves the number of casts. Pair it the Dusk Crown Ring and the Dusk Crown.
Power Within – all damage increases by 40% but you lose health gradually, while the spell is active, based on the level or your pyromancy flame. Pair it with the Lingering Dragon Crest Ring and an unascended pyromancy flame. The damage from Crystal Soul Spear is not affected.
Lingering Dragoncrest Ring – increases duration of sorceries and pyromancies. Pair it with Power Within or Magic Weapon to lengthen the amount of time you can deal higher damage.
Weapon buffs – Crystal, Raw and normal weapons ascended by Andre of Astora can be buffed with Sunlight Blade, Moonlight Blade, the Magic Weapon family of spells and resins.
Now that you know how to increase weapon damage, let’s explore ways to supercharge your attacks. Here are some examples that I find very useful for a variety of builds:
Melee builds – if you have high Vitality and have unascended your pyromancy flame, use Power Within, the Hornet Ring and the Bellowing Dragoncrest Ring to deal massive amounts of damage in PVE. Melee mages and melee clerics can also buff their strongest weapon with Great Magic Weapon or Sunlight Blade. If your Vitality is low, exchange the Bellowing Ring with the Lingering Ring. For boss fights, try this combo: Power Within + Bellowing Dragon Crest Ring + Red Tearstone Ring + Fire/Lightning Gargoyle Halberd or Sunlight Blade/Magic Weapon on a +15 Gargoyle Halberd. You will be shocked at the amount of damage you can dish out, especially in hyper mode.
Pyromancy builds – you don’t want to use Power Within since your flame is likely very strong. But you can wear the Bellowing Dragon Crest Ring and the Red Tearstone Ring. In NG+, you will have access to a base level flame. Try this little trick for NG+ boss fights: Unascended Flame on left hand + ascended flame on right hand + Power Within + Great Combustion followed by Fire Surge. Make sure you cast Power Within with the left hand, and presto, you become a living flamethrower. If the boss is still standing after Great Combustion, wait for the Red Tearstone Ring to kick-in and then cast Fire Surge and burn him to a crisp like a cheap steak.
Magic builds – you have the most available permutations, but be warned that Crystal Magic Weapon and Crystal Spear may not be affected. I don’t recommend the Magic Weapon family of spells during your first playthrough. It is better to build an enchanted weapon (try a Halberd or the Claymore) that can scale off your high intelligence, or use a fire/lightning weapon. If you are good at dodging, use the Tin Crystallization Catalyst + the Dusk Crown Ring + the Bellowing Dragoncrest Ring and the Crown of Dusk headgear. If you have good vitality, Power Within is “safer” and may even surpass the damage from the Tin Catalyst. For boss fights I recommend: Power Within + Bellowing Dragoncrest Ring + Red Tearstone Ring. To quickly take down mini-bosses, equip the Tin Crystallization Catalyst plus the Dusk Crown Ring and hit them with Crystal Soul Spear for a quick kill. Never remove the Bellowing Dragoncrest Ring nor the Crown of Dusk since their combined effect is significant, universal to all sorceries and allows you to level up attributes other than intelligence every once in a while.
Divine builds – the Ring of the Sun’s Firstborn will boost your defensive and offensive spells but, unlike the Crown of Dusk headgear, it is not essential. If you like to melee, use the Lingering Dragoncrest Ring, Power Within and wear out Sunlight Blade (or Darkmoon Blade). Boss fights will be a breeze if you have a maxed out weapon with high scaling (like the Claymore or Greataxe). The Lingering Dragoncrest Ring will simultaneously reduce the gradual loss of health but extend the length of time Sunlight Blade is available. With high Faith, the Sunlight Blade miracle is devastating to just about any boss, and useful in NG+ or higher when it can be cast multiple times.
All builds – Power Within along with the Red Tearstone Ring create a powerful 1-2 punch for your attack power. If timed properly, you can use Power Within to safely trigger the Red Tearstone Ring effect. With practice, you will be able to transition into hyper mode just as Power Within is wearing out.
After a few hours of gameplay and dozens of deaths, I finally realized I should have picked the Master Key as my starting gift. My anger and frustration kept mounting every time I saw the extremely puny and useless Tiny Being Ring’s in my inventory. Do not make the same mistake I did! Seriously, make sure you choose the Master Key during the character creation process, unless of course your starting class is the thief (he gets the Master Key as a default). This key is incredibly helpful. It unlocks a number of doors. But most importantly, it opens up the way to Blighttown, Valley of Drakes and Darkroot Garden immediately after reaching the Firelink Shrine bonfire. Acquiring better equipment and souls earlier in the game makes Dark Souls a bit less daunting. You can make a beeline for the Dragon Crest Shield and Astora’s Straight Sword in the Valley of Drakes. Or you can try to get as much loot as possible if you don’t mind a bit or farming while you literally run for your life. If you are really greedy, see my post for Dark Souls Tip #10 to fully raid Blighttown and other locations available with the Master Key. In addition to unlocking a shortcut to Valley of Drakes, the Master Key also replaces the Residence Key. You normally would have to buy the residence Key or kill the Undead Merchant for it. Just like the residence Key, the Master Key unlocks doors in Undead Burg leading to Gold Pine Resin. If you have an upgraded weapon, stable shield and have perfected the backstab (see Tip #7), use the Master Key to unlock to door leading down to Havel The Rock in Undead Burg. He drops Havel’s Ring which boosts equipment load and might let you wield heavier weapons, shields or armor. The Master Key also replaces the Mystery Key. Head to Undead Parish to free Knight Lautrec of Carim, and he will be available in Firelink Shrine and can be summoned for some boss fights. If he rubs you the wrong way (and he will), he drops a lot of humanity and the incredibly powerful Ring of Favor and Protection. In Senn’s Fortress, the Master Key unlocks a cage with a valuable Soul of a Hero and one holding Big Hat Logan prisoner. After you free Logan, he can teach you high level spells back in Firelink Shrine. Finally in The Depths, the Master Key doubles for the Sewer Chamber Key and unlocks the only somewhat hidden bonfire in this area. Watch this video showing you different locations and uses for the Master Key. Don’t miss out on this most useful item at the beginning of the game.
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