Online
Online play refers to all aspects of play connected to other players via the internet. This include co-operation, invasions, duels, and trading.
PvP
PvP Tournaments
PvP Tournaments are a series of matches in which someone in human form stays in a place where there are several Red Soap Signs placed, or the invasion rate is high.
Setting Up PvP Matches
If you want to host a tournament, you will need to reverse hollowing and go to an area where you can be invaded as well as summon people via Red Soap Sign and either let them duel or wait for one of them to fight the remaining Red Spirit.
Setting Up Rules
If you want to set up rules, message the Red Spirit that was summoned or has invaded you and tell them rules that you would like them to follow.
Watching The Duels
If you were to host in the Undead Burg, you would want to stand in the area where the crossbow-wielding Hollow Soldier is or stand by where the Undead Spearmen are.
Soul Sign
Souls Signs
Soul Signs are used to summon or invade other players for cooperative play or PvP. These signs are created by the use of their corresponding multiplayer items. The conditions for being able to see a soul sign created by another player will vary depending on the type of sign.
General Information
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Additional Information
- The Gravelord Soul Sign is the only sign that will not stay in a fixed location. If the Gravelord Servant who created the sign is moving around, the location of the sign will follow them, refreshing to a new location every 10 seconds.
- The white, gold, and red signs will cause the summoned player to spawn at the exact location of the sign. However, the Gravelord Sign and Dragon Sign will instead cause the summoned player to "invade" at the nearest invasion spawn location.
- All signs use the same level range as the white sign soapstone for cooperative play, asides from the red sign soapstone. The red sign has no upper-level-limit on who can see it, meaning those who find the red signs have the potential of summoning a player who is far below their level. More information about the level ranges can be found on the online-matchmaking page.
PSN IDs
UPDATED PROCESS FOR THIS SYSTEM
Please read all the instructions. It will make your life easier in the long run.
- This page is locked as the new system updates this page automatically.
- The new process is to enter your PSN ID in the input box. This will create a page with your PSN ID.
- When you first create the page it will prompt you with a form. Please fill out the form.
- Only the page owner can update their page. This means you must join the site in order to update your pages later.
- Once the form is filled out your information will automatically be updated in the new table. Each time you modify your PSN ID page the table will update.
- The table is ordered by latest update automatically.
- You can rank a player by clicking on their PSN ID and on their page there is a rating button
- NOTE To help prevent "anonymous attacks" you must be a member of the site to rank and your member name will be visible to all. Since you will be a member you should keep in mind they will be able to find which PSN ID you own, so think hard before you hit the negative button!
- To see who ranked you, go to the bottom of the page and there is an option for viewing Rankings.
- You can now also post comments on a users page. If this gets abusive I will remove it.
PSN ID (desc / asc) |
Version | Character(s) | Game Plan | Language(s) | Timezone | Popularity (desc / asc) |
Last Updated (desc / asc) |
thesilent1s | EU | thesilent1s level 44 knight |
co-op/fun (maybe duel?) | english | GMT / UTC | 0 | 03 Aug 2013 16:25 |
cupay-thesamurai | US | Zhanji , Male Thief (just started) | Have some fun with this game. Anybody wanna help me, just message me ? Alright :) | English and Spanish | US Eastern | 1 | 02 Aug 2013 02:38 |
dragon-dude22 | Australia Central | 0 | 01 Aug 2013 22:19 | ||||
spike | EU | Level 90 knight/pyromancy/sorcerer | GMT / UTC | 0 | 01 Aug 2013 21:53 | ||
Wild_boy_95 | US | Australia Central | 0 | 31 Jul 2013 11:06 | |||
Totoredred123 | US | Yuri, Athena | To not die. | English, Spanish | US Eastern | 0 | 31 Jul 2013 03:40 |
THE_ASSASSINBANE mk2 | EU | Hi. It's me. the assassinbane again. Made a new setup for my character J. He is a cleric and I'm doing a joint play through with my friend. J is a rare albino Hollow that hails from Astora. He is a member of the darkwraiths. But only due to him believing that it is time for the age of man. Our lord hath returned and he shall be crowned as J. Long live the dark lord | To be the ultimate badass and strike down those who arose his rule. Wields the Lifehunt scythe with Black night shield. His armour is Ciarans torso. Darkwraith mask and gloves. And gold hemmed waistcloth. He also uses as a secondary blade the dark sword or silv. K. Str sword | English(UK) | Central Europe | 1 | 24 Jul 2013 07:49 |
mike-commander | US | SL 101 Knight NG+ Current weapons are Quelaag's Furysword +5 and Obsidian Greatsword +4 with Eagle Shield +5. I also use Uchigatana +15. Full set of Stone Armor with Ring of Favor and Protection and Havel's Ring. |
Willing to assist anyone who needs help on NG or NG+. Will also give weapons, titanite, etc. |
English | US Eastern | 0 | 24 Jul 2013 07:09 |
Rudra50 | US | Level 104 | Just got the Lordvessel. Probably going to the Catacombs. | English | US Eastern | 0 | 18 Jul 2013 02:07 |
Prodigy_232 | US | Prodigy lvl 130 NG++ Currently on sen's fortress |
Pass sen fortress and help people with o & s Or any other place |
English/Spanish | US Central | 2 | 17 Jul 2013 18:59 |
Apacheflisk | EU | Vertamaye FlameBender |
To catch 'em all, I guess. | English | GMT / UTC | 1 | 17 Jul 2013 15:26 |
Mr_AkUlA1 | EU | 1. Malec, Level 100 NG+ Vitality: 30 Attunement: 12 Endurance: 40 Strength: 37 Dexterity: 29 Resistance: 10 Intelligence: 12 Faith: 11 Weapons. Right 1, Black Knight Sword +2 Right 2, Black Knight Halberd Left 1, Black Knight Shield Left 2, Pyromancy Flame +8 Rings. 1, Ring of Steel Protection. 2, Havels Ring Armour: Black Knight Armour set. I have a level 27 character too. |
At the moment I'm trying to beat NG+ but haven't played in a long time, my PSN is Mr_AkUlA Any help would be great. I will also help others if needed. |
English | GMT / UTC | 0 | 14 Jul 2013 21:01 |
THE_ASSASSINBANE | EU | Have a level 157+ Hunter in the warrior of sunlight covenant. currently on NG+++. | Attempting to reach NG+7. Current weapons are Black knight great axe+5 and Black knight shield+5. | English | Central Europe | 0 | 13 Jul 2013 08:48 |
infinidark81 | US | English, little Spanish and Japanese | Australia Central | 0 | 13 Jul 2013 07:34 | ||
geneticdrip | US | Sl 1 pyromancer | Staying sl 1. I have just beat sif need help with anor londo and the four kings. I am currently a dark moon blade. | english | US Eastern | 0 | 11 Jul 2013 22:47 |
Tsinonis | level 103 knight, US Version | Just kill Nitto and give away all my acquired stuff to anyone who wants them till tuesday because i give away the game | US | US Eastern | 0 | 07 Jul 2013 19:30 | |
Coffygrinder | US | Lvl 85 | Pve help hit me up! | US Central | 0 | 04 Jul 2013 00:37 | |
frenzyheel | US | SL 230 pyromancer | Need channeler's trident for trophy | english | US Eastern | 0 | 02 Jul 2013 02:18 |
IAmJaggySnake | EU | Alex, Female Wanderer. Jagz, Male Knight Snake, Female Hunter |
To become the strongest player that has ever existed. | English | Central Europe | 0 | 27 Jun 2013 16:33 |
Mike_Spamm | US | Muled SL18, 67, 107, and 127. The 127 is a mouldable STR/VIT, and is CosPvPing as Biorr. Currently working on a Fat Official build as well. | Helping newbies and using underestimated weapons. No tryharding, only fun. | English | US Eastern | 1 | 27 Jun 2013 03:32 |
Phantoms
General Information
When connected to other players online for co-op or PvP, players who are guests in a host's world will appear as a phantom.
Phantoms are designated a recognizable color to establish their friendliness or hostility to a host.
Some colors are shared by the available multiplayer items, meaning the phantom's color alone does not distinguish the covenant they belong to in all cases.
This table assumes the Host is in human form.
List of Phantoms
White Phantom
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Gold Phantom
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Red Phantoma.k.a. Dark Spirit, Black Phantom
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Blue Phantoma.k.a. Spirit of Vengeance1
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Dragon Spirit
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NPC Phantoms
You may summon or be invaded by several NPC phantoms, and you don't need to be online for this to happen, although you still need to be in human form.
Summons
Some NPC soul signs need certain events to happen before they appear.
Name | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|
Knight Solaire | Undead Parish Depths Anor Londo Demon Ruins Kiln of the First Flame |
Save Solaire for his soul sign to be available at Kiln of the First Flame |
Knight Lautrec | Undead Parish Depths |
Talk to Lautrec in Firelink Shrine after releasing him for his soul sign to be available at Undead Parish |
Maneater Mildred | Blighttown | Beat her Dark Spirit form first for her soul sign to be available |
Iron Tarkus | Sen's Fortress | - |
Paladin Leeroy | The Catacombs | - |
Witch Beatrice | Darkroot Garden New Londo Ruins |
Summon her for the Moonlight Butterfly boss fight for her soul sign to be available at New Londo Ruins |
Sif, The Great Grey Wolf | Chasm of the Abyss's boss area | Must be found and rescued before his soul sign appears when fighting Manus |
Invaders
Dark Spirits will only spawn if the player is in human form and the area boss has not been defeated. This means that defeating a boss before being invaded by a particular NPC dark spirit will forever deny that dark spirit from appearing in that area on the current playthrough.
Name | Availability |
---|---|
Kirk, Knight of Thorns | Depths Demon Ruins Lost Izalith |
Maneater Mildred | Blighttown |
Paladin Leeroy | Tomb of the Giants |
Xanthous King, Jeremiah | Painted World of Ariamis |
Marvellous Chester | Oolacile Township |
Notes
- There is one instance in the game where you can invade as a Spirit of Vengeance without being online. It's when you invade the world of Knight Lautrec the Guilty using the Black Eye Orb.
Online Matchmaking
All of the multiplayer items in Dark Souls will pair players within a specific range of levels, though the ranges are different between the original and remastered versions of Dark Souls. There are also varying requirements for successful use of each item.
Level Range Formulas in Dark Souls Remastered
White Sign Soapstone, Eye of Death, Dragon Eye, & Red Sign Soapstone
These four items use the standard co-op range. Players can be paired with others who are relatively near their level, using what is commonly referred to as the "10 + 10%" calculation. The range is calculated from the host's perspective.
x +/- (10 + 0.1x)
- Level 50 can summon: 35 - 65
- Level 100 can summon: 80 - 120
Red Eye Orb, Cracked Red Eye Orb, & Blue Eye Orb
These items have a lopsided invasion range, allowing an invader to invade higher than they can lower. The range is calculated from the invader's perspective.
x - 0.1x (lower level limit)
x + (20 + 0.1x) (upper level limit)
- Level 50 can invade: 45 - 75
- Level 100 can invade: 90 - 130
Cat Covenant Ring & Darkmoon Blade Covenant Ring
These items have a lopsided invasion range. Similar to the other invasion items, but with a wider range and they are instead calculated from the host's perspective.
x - (20 + 0.2x) (lower level limit)
x + 0.1x (upper level limit)
- Level 50 can be invaded by: 20 - 55
- Level 100 can be invaded by: 60 - 110
Weapon Level Matchmaking in Dark Souls Remastered
Not present in the original version of Dark Souls, a weapon level matchmaking system has been introduced to prevent players with drastically-different levels of gear from pairing.
Both the Soul Level (SL) ranges and Weapon Level (WL) ranges have to match for two players to connect.
Weapon Level | Matches With Weapon Levels |
Regular Weapons | Raw Weapons | Fire/ Divine/ Magic Weapons | Unique Weapons | Chaos/ Lightning/ Occult/ Crystal/ Enchanted Weapons |
Unique Shields |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 0-5 | unupgraded | - | - | - | - | unupgraded |
1 | 0-6 | +1 | - | - | - | - | - |
2 | 0-7 | +2 | - | - | - | - | - |
3 | 0-8 | +3 | - | - | - | - | +1 |
4 | 0-10 | +4 | - | - | - | - | - |
5 | 0-11 | +5 | unupgraded | unupgraded | unupgraded | - | - |
6 | 1-12 | +6 | +1 | +1 | - | - | +2 |
7 | 2-13 | +7 | +2 | +2 | +1 | - | - |
8 | 3-14 | +8 | +3 | +3 | - | - | - |
9 | 4-15 | +9 | +4 | +4 | +2 | - | +3 |
10 | 4-15 | +10 | +5 | +5 | - | unupgraded | - |
11 | 5-15 | +11 | - | +6 | +3 | +1 | - |
12 | 6-15 | +12 | - | +7 | - | +2 | +4 |
13 | 7-15 | +13 | - | +8 | +4 | +3 | - |
14 | 8-15 | +14 | - | +9 | - | +4 | - |
15 | 9-15 | +15 | - | +10 | +5 | +5 | +5 |
+ Show complete weapon list - Hide weapon list
Regular Weapons | Unique Weapons | Unique Shields | Fixed at level 0 | Fixed at level 5 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Balder Side Sword | Abyss Greatsword | Black Knight Shield | Crystal Greatsword | Dark Hand |
Bandit's Knife | Astora's Straight Sword | Cleansing Greatshield | Crystal Straight Sword | Manus Catalyst |
Barbed Straight Sword | Black Knight Greataxe | Crest Shield | Crystal Shield | Tin Darkmoon Catalyst |
Bastard Sword | Black Knight Greatsword | Dragon Crest Shield | Skull Lantern | |
Battle Axe | Black Knight Halberd | Greatshield of Artorias | Beatrice's Catalyst | |
Blacksmith Hammer | Black Knight Sword | Havel's Greatshield | Canvas Talisman | |
Broadsword | Blacksmith Giant Hammer | Silver Knight Shield | Darkmoon Talisman | |
Broken Straight Sword | Channeler's Trident | Stone Greatshield | Demon's Catalyst | |
Butcher Knife | Chaos Blade | Ivory Talisman | ||
Caestus | Crescent Axe | Izalith Catalyst | ||
Claw | Dark Silver Tracer | Logan's Catalyst | ||
Claymore | Demon's Spear | Oolacile Catalyst | ||
Club | Dragon Bone Fist | Oolacile Ivory Catalyst | ||
Dagger | Dragon Greatsword | Sorcerer's Catalyst | ||
Darksword | Dragon King Greataxe | Sunlight Talisman | ||
Demon Great Machete | Dragon Tooth | Talisman | ||
Demon's Great Hammer | Dragonslayer Spear | Thorolund Talisman | ||
Demon's Greataxe | Drake Sword | Tin Banishment Catalyst | ||
Estoc | Ghost Blade | Tin Crystallization Catalyst | ||
Falchion | Giant's Halberd | Velka's Talisman | ||
Flamberge | Gold Tracer | |||
Four-pronged Plow | Golem Axe | |||
Gargoyle Tail Axe | Grant | |||
Gargoyle's Halberd | Gravelord Sword | |||
Great Club | Great Lord Greatsword | |||
Great Scythe | Greatsword of Artorias | |||
Greataxe | Greatsword of Artorias (Cursed) | |||
Greatsword | Hammer of Vamos | |||
Guardian Tail | Jagged Ghost Blade | |||
Halberd | Lifehunt Scythe | |||
Hand Axe | Moonlight Butterfly Horn | |||
Iaito | Moonlight Greatsword | |||
Large Club | Obsidian Greatsword | |||
Longsword | Priscilla's Dagger | |||
Lucerne | Quelaag's Furysword | |||
Mace | Silver Knight Spear | |||
Mail Breaker | Silver Knight Straight Sword | |||
Man-serpent Greatsword | Smough's Hammer | |||
Morning Star | Stone Greataxe | |||
Murakumo | Stone Greatsword | |||
Notched Whip | Titanite Catch Pole | |||
Painting Guardian Sword | Velka's Rapier | |||
Parrying Dagger | Crystal Ring Shield | |||
Partizan | Darkmoon Bow | |||
Pickaxe | Dragonslayer Greatbow | |||
Pike | Gough's Greatbow | |||
Rapier | ||||
Reinforced Club | ||||
Ricard's Rapier | ||||
Scimitar | ||||
Scythe | ||||
Server | ||||
Shortsword | ||||
Shotel | ||||
Spear | ||||
Straight Sword Hilt | ||||
Sunlight Straight Sword | ||||
Uchigatana | ||||
Warpick | ||||
Washing Pole | ||||
Whip | ||||
Winged Spear | ||||
Zweihander | ||||
Balder Shield | ||||
Black Iron Greatshield | ||||
Bloodshield | ||||
Bonewheel Shield | ||||
Buckler | ||||
Caduceus Kite Shield | ||||
Caduceus Round Shield | ||||
Cracked Round Shield | ||||
Eagle Shield | ||||
East-West Shield | ||||
Effigy Shield | ||||
Gargoyle's Shield | ||||
Giant Shield | ||||
Grass Crest Shield | ||||
Heater Shield | ||||
Hollow Soldier Shield | ||||
Iron Round Shield | ||||
Knight Shield | ||||
Large Leather Shield | ||||
Leather Shield | ||||
Pierce Shield | ||||
Plank Shield | ||||
Red and White Round Shield | ||||
Sanctus | ||||
Small Leather Shield | ||||
Spider Shield | ||||
Spiked Shield | ||||
Sunlight Shield | ||||
Target Shield | ||||
Tower Kite Shield | ||||
Tower Shield | ||||
Warrior's Round Shield | ||||
Wooden Shield | ||||
Avelyn | ||||
Black Bow of Pharis | ||||
Composite Bow | ||||
Heavy Crossbow | ||||
Light Crossbow | ||||
Longbow | ||||
Short Bow | ||||
Sniper Crossbow | ||||
Pyromancy Flame |
Notes on Weapon Level Matchmaking
- It is not possible to decrease your weapon level. As soon as you've acquired a new-highest weapon upgrade, that is permanently flagged for your character. Dropping weapons or moving them into the Bottomless Box will not change it.
- The regular Pyromancy Flame is treated as a "regular" weapon. The Ascended Pyromancy Flame starts at weapon level 15, and remains there with further upgrades.
- Armor upgrades, rings, spells, and other items will not increase or affect weapon level.
- It is possible to pair with another player outside of your weapon level range if the connection occurs very-soon after a player has upgraded their weapon.
- As rare weapons are counted as +5 and already infused weapons count as +10, picking up an ingame rare weapon from a drop, chest, or merchant will automatically raise your weapon level to +5, and picking up one of the infused weapons dropped by a mimic will increase your weapon level to +10.
- The official guide has a description of the weapon level matchmaking which can be seen here. This has been tested to be incorrect and the above chart is correct. Reddit made a spreadsheet here, all of which is reflected above.
- The Crystal Straight Sword, Crystal Greatsword, Crystal Shield which are either sold by Domhnall of Zena or dropped by the skeletons in The Duke's Archives are fixed at WL0. Weapons that are ascended to Crystal are WL10 and look like normal weapons. This includes the Crystal Halberd inside the Mimic near the start of Anor Londo and the Crystal Knight Shield inside the mimic in The Duke's Archives.
Password Matchmaking in Dark Souls Remastered
In the network settings, players may set a password to make pairing with a friend easier.
- Coordinating a password will bypass both Soul Level and Weapon Level ranges for the White Sign Soapstone and Red Sign Soapstone, allowing an infinite range for both items.
- Setting a password will mask other white and red soul signs from view, and also prevent your signs from being sent to random players.
- 'Overleveled' summons (players outside of the normal ranges) will receive a debuff when paired with a lower-level host.
- Dragon Signs, Gravelord Signs, and other forms of multiplayer are not affected by the password system. This means they will neither bypass level ranges, nor be masked from view.
Level Range Formulas in Original Dark Souls
The level range formulas are always calculated from the perspective of the player using the multiplayer item, not the host. For the given formulae below, x = the level of the player using the corresponding item.
White Sign Soapstone, Eye of Death & Dragon Eye
These three items use the standard co-op range. Players can be paired with others who are relatively near their level, using what is commonly referred to as the "10 + 10%" calculation.
x +/- (10 + 0.1x)
- Level 50 can be matched with: 35 - 65
- Level 100 can be matched with: 80 - 120
Red Sign Soapstone & Cat Covenant Ring
These two items use the same calculation as the above items to find out the lowest levels they can be paired with, but there is no upper-level restriction. This allows users of these items to be paired with anyone that is a higher level, all the way up to the max level.
x - (10 + 0.1x), or any level higher
- Level 50 can be matched with: 35 - 713
- Level 100 can be matched with: 80 - 713
Red Eye Orb & Cracked Red Eye Orb
Similar to the Red Sign Soapstone, these items can pair an invader with a host slightly below their level, or all the way up to max level. The difference is that the red eye orbs use a different formula for the lower-level limit, invading only 10% below the invader's level. This results in a smaller level range.
x - 0.1x, or any level higher
- Level 50 can be matched with: 45 - 713
- Level 100 can be matched with: 90 - 713
Blue Eye Orb & Darkmoon Blade Covenant Ring
These items use the co-op range to calculate the highest level that can be invaded, but a unique formula allows Darkmoon invaders to go considerably far downwards.
x - (50 + 0.2x) (lower-level limit)
x + (10 + 0.1x) (upper-level limit)
- Level 100 can be matched with: 30 - 120
- Level 200 can be matched with: 110 - 230
Connection Requirements & Tips
Multiplayer Item | White Sign Soapstone | Red Sign Soapstone | Red Eye Orb | Blue Eye Orb | Darkmoon Blade Ring | Cat Covenant Ring | Eye of Death | Dragon Eye |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Method of Connection | Summoned by others through sign for co-op | Summoned by others through sign for PvP | Invades other player in their world | Invades other player in their world | Invades other player in their world | Invades other player in their world | Summons others into your world for PvP through sign | Summoned by others through sign for PvP |
Covenant Restricted? | No | No | Yes - Darkwraith | Yes - Blade of the Darkmoon | Yes - Blade of the Darkmoon | Yes - Forest Hunter | Yes - Gravelord Servant | Yes - Path of the Dragon |
Other Conditions for Item User | none | Requires human form | Requires human form | none | none | none | - Requires human form - Area boss must be undefeated |
none |
Conditions for Found Player | - Requires human form - Area boss must be undefeated |
- Requires human form - Area boss must be undefeated* |
- Requires human form - Area boss must be undefeated |
- Requires human form and Sin - Area boss must be undefeated |
- Requires human form - Must be in Anor Londo with Gwynevere slain |
- Requires human form - Must be in Darkroot Garden with Sif undefeated |
none | - Requires human form - Area boss must be undefeated* |
Spawn Location | Exact location of sign | Exact location of sign | Corresponding spawn locations | Corresponding spawn locations | Set of randomized locations in Dark Anor Londo | Set of randomized locations in Darkroot Garden | Corresponding spawn locations | Corresponding spawn locations |
Tips for Successful Use in original | Follow recommended levels for different areas. Place your sign in a high traffic area (near a bonfire or boss fog gate). It will not work in areas where it appears grayed-out in the HUD. | Although you can be summoned by any higher level player, there may be priority given to players of closer levels. Try being within white sign soapstone range of a particular player for better chances. | Do not be too high of a level, because you cannot invade other players much further below your level. | Do not be too low of a level. At low levels, there may not be a sufficient numbers of hosts with sin. | Do not be too low of a level, for the same reason as the Blue Eye Orb. At low levels (roughly below 80), summons can be very rare. | Because you can invade any level higher, the ring is successful at low levels. However, invading much higher players may put you at a disadvantage, so being closer to a common PvP range (~80 - 120 or higher) is recommended over being low level. | The Eye of Death creates a Gravelord Sign that is invisible to the servant. For other players, it appears exactly where the servant is standing (it will move around if the player moves around). Standing in high traffic areas, like near bonfires, is recommended. | Similar to the Eye of Death, placing your sign in a high traffic area is recommended. Due to the requirements, dragon signs aren't frequently seen and are suggested to be used only in popular PvP locations (the Burg, Kiln, Darkroot Garden bonfire, and Oolacile Township bonfire), for best chances of success. |
Tips for Successful Use in remaster | Use password matchmaking to bypass level range restrictions. | *No longer pairs infinitely upwards, boss no longer needs to be alive for host. | No longer pairs infinitely upwards. | Do not be too high of a level, as this item no longer invades far below the invader's level. | No longer pairs infinitely upward. | *Boss no longer needs to be alive for host. | ||
Misc. | - - - | Has the best chances for success in popular PvP locations, and areas with optional bosses (due to the host needing to have the area boss still alive). | Has a fairly high success rate and is typically considered the best invasion item. Cracked Red Eye Orbs work the same way, but are not covenant restricted. | Known for a sometimes low success rate, but can work well when being the right level range in higher-traffic areas. | Known for a low success rate with infrequent multiplayer action, especially at low levels. | Known for a high success rate and lots of multiplayer action. | Players are typically unable to see black phantoms in their world until NG+ or higher, so it is recommended that the Gravelord Servant be at a level where the average player-base reaches NG+. Low level gravelording can find players to invade you, but it is not recommended since the phantoms spawn more rarely that way. | The summon sign will appear for other players where the Dragon Eye was used. |
- Common PvP levels determined by unofficial, meta-game standards are 100, 120, and 125.
Level Range Calculators
Level Range Calculator for remastered version (website) - Input any level or weapon upgrade to find out all of the possible level ranges for each multiplayer item.
Level Range Calculator for original version (website) - Input any level to find out all of the possible level ranges for each multiplayer item.
Invasion Spawn Locations
Invasion Spawn Locations
- Invaders will spawn in a variety of predetermined locations.
- Darkwraith and Blade of the Darkmoon invaders share spawn locations. The only exception is when using the Cat Covenant Ring or Darkmoon Blade Covenant Ring, which have their own locations that are different from when a player uses an orb. Otherwise, the Red Eye Orb, Blue Eye Orb, and Cracked Red Eye Orbs all work the same with regards to spawn locations.
- These locations also apply to those who invade via Gravelord Soul Sign. The Gravelord sign itself can appear anywhere in a level, as it follows the location of the Gravelord Servant, but the location of the sign causes players to spawn at the corresponding locations in the list below.
- The most popular places to invade from are the ones that are accessible nearest bonfires. There are some players who recognize this and wait for invaders to attack as soon as they spawn. If these encounters happen too often, using different locations is a reliable solution. There's little incentive for jumpers to wait by the less common invasion points, and there are too many for them to manage at once in most levels.
- In Dark Souls Remastered, you will invade at the closest spawn location to the host even if you invaded from a different nearby location. Certain spawn points are grouped together, and you have a chance of invading hosts in any of these locations. To determine which spawn locations are grouped, look at the MP ID in the table below. Any IDs that differ from a given location by 5 or less are grouped together. For example, if you invade from the bonfire at the bottom of Blighttown (location #5, MP ID 140012) you can invade any hosts in locations #4-7 (MP ID 140010-140013). You will not be able to invade hosts in locations #1-3 at the top of Blighttown (MP ID 140000-140002) because the MP ID difference is too large.
List of Spawn Locations
It can be very handy for an invader to know the shortest distance to travel from a bonfire to get more variation from their online play. This list includes the known boundaries and quickest ways to reach the different locations. The locations are numbered and ordered in a way that players would most likely encounter these spots if they were playing through a level for the first time.
Area | # | MP ID | Spawn Location | Suggested location to use invasion item | Location boundaries |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Undead Burg | 1. | 101000 | Bottom of steps right at level start, outside of sewer tunnel. | Backtrack from the Burg bonfire to the first firebomb thrower in the level. | Works anywhere before stepping into the building past the first firebomb thrower, after exiting from Firelink Shrine tunnel. |
2. | 101010 | Outside the bonfire room. | By the spawn point itself. | From the building past the first firebomb thrower in the level, to the building with the shortcut to the Lower Undead Burg. Includes lower area with merchant. | |
3. | 101011 | Next to the Taurus Demon fog gate. | Underneath the wooden platform with the three firebomb throwers. | Begins immediately outside the room with the Lower Undead Burg shortcut, lasts for the rest of level up until the fog gate. | |
The Undead Parish | 1. | 101200 | Middle of dragon bridge. | Sunlight Altar bonfire in the Undead Parish. | Works where Solaire is first met, upper and lower dragon bridge, and boar area of Undead Parish. Ends beyond the drop gate and on the uppermost walkway above the boar area. |
2. | 101210 | Next to the Bell Gargoyle fog gate. | Outside the church, coming from the blacksmith bonfire. | Works anywhere beyond the drop gate (on the same side as the church), in and around the church, and near the Baldur Knights closer to the boar area. | |
The Lower Undead Burg | 1. | 101100 | Beginning of level, top of steps outside the long ladder entrance. | Steps coming down from the Undead Burg shortcut. | In the corner between the first and second set of Undead Assassin traps. Includes entire level on that side of the boundary. |
2. | 101101 | On the bridge in front of the Capra Demon fog gate. | Staircase by female undead merchant. | In the corner between the first and second set of Undead Assassin traps. Includes entire level on that side of the boundary. | |
The Depths | 1. | 100000 | Very beginning of level, by the Lower Undead Burg entrance. | By the first open-able door in the level (end of the L-shaped hallway with the 2nd butcher). | Between the start of level and the first wooden door. Does not include the rat pit. |
2. | 100001 | By the rats next to the corpse (on the opposite side of the fence from the giant rat). | Depths bonfire. | Works from the opposite side of the door mentioned in spawn location #1. Works around the bonfire, before the shortcut door to the lower depths, and through the tunnel area that leads to the Channeler (but not in the Channeler's area). Also works in part of the tunnel beyond the first pit trap to the right (headed from the spawn location). | |
3. | 100010 | Platform by the Channeler. | Next to the spawn location itself. | Starts when exiting the tunnel leading to the Channeler, includes most of the rest of the nearby tunnels, and the giant rat area. Also includes the skeleton pile for the giant rat. | |
4. | 100011 | In front of the doors to Blighttown. | In the long staircase below the shortcut door by the bonfire. | Includes the entire bottom floor (Blighttown doors, curse Basilisks), and the area outside the Gaping Dragon fog gate. | |
Blighttown | 1. | 140000 | At the opposite end of the room from The Depths doors. | On the wooden platform near the upper-bonfire (the one behind the player when respawned there). | Begins from The Depths entrance, includes the main path and wooden platforms along the way to the upper-bonfire. Ends before the stone walkway with the bonfire. Does not include the area beneath the Iato-holding corpse. |
2. | 140001 | At the end of the long, shaking walkway. | Upper-bonfire. | The stone walkway with the bonfire, wooden platforms beneath the Iato. | |
3. | 140002 | On a wooden platform directly above the Parasitic Wall Hugger. | On the stone walkway with the Infested Ghoul and two Flaming Attack Dogs (near the upper-bonfire). | Begins on the stone walkway with attack dogs, includes subsequent wooden platforms and the Eagle Shield location. Includes a portion of the 'vertical tunnel'- ends at the second lowest exit and on the whip-holding corpse. | |
4. | 140010 | On a platform at the furthest edge of the wooden platform structure (where it connects to ground-level), near a Blowdart Sniper and the Cragspiders. | Base of wooden structure (travel from lower-bonfire). | Outside the vertical tunnel's lower exits (including the whip and below inside tunnel), and the rest of the wooden structure. Ends on ground level. | |
5. | 140012 | On the large tree branch outside the Great Hollow. | Lower-bonfire. | Lower-bonfire, the ground level of the poison lake up to the two large stone pillars outside the bonfire and to the right. | |
6. | 140011 | Outside Quelaag's boss room. | Near the second Cragspider outside and to the right from the bonfire. | Ground level of poison lake, opposite side of the large stone pillars mentioned above. | |
7. | 140013 | Near the Valley of Drakes entrance. | Base of wooden structures that lead to the Valley of Drakes. | From the Valley of Drakes to the ground level. Includes the area with several Blowdart Snipers. | |
Darkroot Garden (Outside the Forest) | 1. | 120000** | Outside the Titanite Demon room. | Illusory wall bonfire. | Starts from Parish entrance, lasts until fog gate before the Giant Stone Knights. Includes all of the Darkroot Basin. (Note: Darkroot Basin MP ID = 120001) |
2. | 120010 | Next to the Witch Beatrice summon, bottom of staircase to Butterfly. | Where entering the first wider area with the Stone Knights. | Area surrounding the Moonlight Butterfly. Ends at the clearing with the first Frog-Ray. | |
3. | 120011 | Bottom of tunnel-path to Wolf Ring. | Clearing with lone Frog-Ray. | Frog-Ray / Wolf Ring area. | |
Darkroot Garden (Inside the Forest) | 1. | 120100 | Top of steps near the bonfire. | Bottom of steps. | After the sealed door. Ends on the bridge to the 3 Great Felines, and outside the ruined building by the Stone Armor set. |
2. | 120101 | Middle of bridge before Sif. | Exit the ruined structure by the Stone Armor set (end of bridge leading to mushrooms). | The rest of the level opposite the boundaries mentioned in #1. | |
Sen's Fortress | 1. | 150000 | Platform by fake wall (top of ladder that exits tar pit). | First room of Sen's Fortress. | From the Gate of Sen's Fortress up to (but not including) the room with the first treasure chest. Includes roof with the gate Giant. Does not include the tar pit. |
2. | 150011 | Tar pit, on the platform by the bottom of the ladder. | Tar pit. | Tar pit. | |
3. | 150001 | In front of the breakable wall that leads to Logan. | Room behind the first Serpent Mage with the treasure chest. | From the room with the first treasure chest to the (but not including) the room with the second arrow trap plate. Includes the room with Ring of Steel Protection at the top of the boulder path, and where Siegmeyer is found. | |
4. | 150010 | In the small cell with the bent-open bar window, next to the Serpent Mage on the wooden platform above the boulder path. | Room with boulder control device. | Begins in the room with the second arrow trap plate, ends at the hallway with third arrow trap by the boulder device. Includes area with mimic chest. | |
5. | 150012 | On a beam directly above the last walkway with pendulum axes. | In the hallway next to the balcony bonfire. | Begins by the hallway with the third arrow trap, lasts until rooftop. | |
6. | 150020 | On the roof, on a landing next to where the first fire bombs are thrown at the player. | Balcony bonfire. | Begins where first reaching the rooftop, includes area with Ricard. Ends at the walkway where players can jump to reach the Crestfallen Merchant. | |
7. | 150021 | Next to the crossbow Baldur Knight, outside the fog gate room. | Walkway to Crestfallen Merchant. | From the start of the Crestfallen Merchant walkway to the rest of the level. Includes the cage key area. | |
Anor Londo | 1. | 151000 | Main outdoor walkway, before the rotating platform (by the first gargoyle). | Anywhere it works- requires travel from the Anor Londo or Darkmoon Tomb bonfire either way. | Works anywhere outside after the elevator from the Anor Londo bonfire, before the rotating bridge. Also includes the catwalks and ground floor of Ariamis painting room. |
2. | 151010 | Outside the great hall, in front of the large shortcut doors. | Darkmoon Tomb bonfire. | Between the rotating bridge and great hall doors, and the area 'to the right' with the three Bat Wing Demons. Darkmoon Tomb is also included. Does not include outside area by blacksmith. | |
3. | 151011 | Platform with the two Bat Wing Demons, where the Greatbow Silver Knights start shooting at the player. | Outside balcony by Solaire bonfire. | From the walkway that leads down to the Bat Wing Demons to the balcony before the Solaire bonfire. | |
4. | 151020 | Hallway outside mid-level bonfire, near balcony. | Solaire bonfire. | The same floor as the bonfire. Includes the hidden area underneath the fireplace. Also includes the room with the Silver Knight Armor, but only to the top of the second set of steps. | |
5. | 151021 | On the roof with the two Silver Knights. | Top of spiral staircase near the mid-level bonfire. | Roof and upper floors of that area. | |
6. | 151022 | Inside the great hall, base of stairway to Ornstein & Smough. | Inside great hall, travel from Chamber of Princess bonfire. | Includes all of the great hall and the area outside the blacksmith. | |
Painted World of Ariamis | 1. | 110000 | On the bridge at the beginning of the level. | By the bonfire. | Anywhere from the bridge, to the bonfire, and up to (but not inside) the building with several bloated undead inside. Does not include the courtyard past the large shortcut doors. |
2. | 110010 | Inside the chapel (lower annex), in front of the door that requires the annex key. | In the courtyard. | Includes the area where Xanthious spawns, the underground area with the skeleton bonewheels, the courtyard, lower annex, and the final walkway that leads to Priscilla. Does not include the upper walkway to Priscilla, nor the inside ground level of the tower. | |
3. | 110001 | Top of the tower, where the Red Sign Soapstone is found. | In the ground level of the tower. | Anywhere in the tower, by the dragon, inside and around the building with the several bloated undead. Lower floors of that building and platforms around the tower included. | |
4. | 110011 | Annex, on the rooftop with the dark ember. | Anywhere past the annex door. | Area beyond the annex door (it is not necessary to go to the roof, just beyond the door to the staircase). | |
The Duke's Archives | 1. | 170000 | Middle of staircase in the first great hall. | Balcony bonfire. | Begins after the entrance elevator, includes all of the ground level and second floor walkways in both great halls. Does not include the area behind the bookcase with the tall ladder. |
2. | 170001 | Above the rotating walkway in the first great hall. | Behind the bookcase near the tall ladder (near Logan after rescued). | Includes 3rd and 4th floors in both great halls and path to the prison, as well as the area behind the bookcase on (ground level) with the tall ladder. | |
3. | 170010 | On the wooden platform with the ladder outside. | On the platform. | Outside the archive, area with Crystal Golems. Ends at the entrance to the Crystal Cave. | |
Crystal Cave | 1. | 170011 | Beginning of level on walkway. | Entrance to Crystal Cave or outside Seath's room. | Entire level. |
The Catacombs | 1. | 130000 | In the room before the first bonfire, by the two skeletons. | Either bonfire. | Beginning of level to the end of the second rotating bridge. Includes hidden bonfire area. |
2. | 130010 | By the entrance of the room with the breakable (non-illusory) wall. | In the aforementioned room. | Includes most of the rest of the level after the second rotating bridge, before the ground level. Includes the Titanite Demon area. | |
3. | 130011 | Far end of the Skeleton Wheel area. | On the shortcut landing (by Leeroy summon). | Ground area. | |
Tomb of the Giants | 1. | 131000 | Beginning of level, next to the first Giant Skeleton. | Top of the ladder (platform with 2 Giant Skeletons), up from the first bonfire. | From the start of the level to the bottom of the 2nd-to-last ramp slide, or the bottom of the ladder. |
2. | 131001 | Inside the Large Divine Ember tomb with the many Giant Skeletons. | First bonfire. | Begins at the bottom of 2nd-to-last ramp slide, bottom of ladder. Includes Patch's pit. Ends shortly after the first Skeleton Beast. | |
3. | 131010 | Next to the 2nd / 3rd Skeleton Beast and the Giant Skeleton Archer. | Second bonfire. | Begins shortly after the first Skeleton Beast, ends on first downwards path from the second bonfire. | |
4. | 131011 | Paladin Leeroy spawn location (end of the path overlooking Ash Lake). | First path headed down from the second bonfire. | From the downwards path until the cave entrance. | |
5. | 131012 | Entrance of cave (close to #4). | Entrance of cave. | From the start of the cave until the final room before the fog gate. | |
6. | 131013 | In front of Nito's fog gate. | Final room with the Pinwheel Servants. | Final room, as soon as the narrow cave path ends. | |
Demon Ruins | 1. | 141000 | Bridge to Ceaseless Discharge. | Near the bridge. | From walkway to Ceaseless' fog gate. |
2. | 141100 | Platform by the several Capra Demons. | Bonfire under the Capra Demons. | Entire area from the first Capra Demon to the Demon Firesage fog gate. Includes the Lost Izalith shortcut path and Large Flame Ember corridor. | |
3. | 141200 | Underneath the branch walkway before the Centipede Demon fog gate. | Bonfire before Centipede Demon. | Entire area after the Demon Firesage boss room, between the elevator to Quelaag's Domain and the Centipede Demon. | |
Lost Izalith | 1. | 141300 | Platform above illusory-wall (or "second") bonfire. | Either bonfire. | Entire "lower area" of level. From the Centipede Demon to the top of the tree-branch walkway near the second bonfire. |
2. | 141301 | Outside the Bed of Chaos fog gate. | Where the tree-branch walkway (from the second bonfire) exits into the area with the Demonic Statues. | Entire "upper area" of level. Includes poison pit and shortcut to Demon Ruins. | |
New Londo Ruins | 1. | 160100 | Base of elevator (level entrance). | Level entrance. | From the start of the level to the area with the first ghosts. |
2. | 160101 | Inside the first building, by the ghost nearest the banshee. | On the staircase beyond the first two ghosts in the level. | From the staircase to the first building up to the exit of the first building. Does not include lower floors. | |
3. | 160110 | Inside the second building, end of hall near the Cursebite Ring. | Ladder-shortcut walkway. | From outside the first building to inside the second building. Includes lower ladder-area. | |
4. | 160111 | Middle of upper-walkway leading to the drain lever. | Immediately after ascending the corner-stairs on the walkway towards the drain lever. | Includes walkway to drain lever, drain lever area, and roof of second building. Also includes the bottom of the drain lever elevator. | |
5. | 160112 | By the exit of the small wooden building nearest the drakes. | After exiting the first building (ground level), heading towards the wooden-structure. | Includes the area between the base of the lever drain elevator and the entrance to the first building (ground floor). | |
6. | 160120 | By the corpse carrying the soul of the brave warrior, inside the first building. | Ground floor of first building. | Includes the ground floor of first building and the path to the very large ember. | |
7. | 160121 | By the Four Kings fog gate. | Take the shortcut down to the area with the knee-high water. | Includes exit of first building (headed towards watery area with the nearby illusory wall), inside the ground floor of the second building, and up to the fog gate. | |
Kiln of the First Flame | 1. | 180000 | Level Entrance. | Level entrance. | From the start of the level to the second Black Knight. |
2. | 180001 | In front of the second Black Knight. | By the second Black Knight. | Starts by the second Knight, ends at the bridge walkways. | |
3. | 180002 | In front of Gwyn's fog gate. | On the bridge walkway. | From the bridges to the end of the level. |
Spawn Locations in new Prepare to Die Edition/ DLC Areas
Area | # | MP ID | Spawn Location | Suggested location to use invasion item | Location boundaries |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sanctuary Garden | 1. | 121000 | By the bonfire. | By the bonfire. | Between the bonfire and boss fog gate. |
Royal Wood | 1. | 121100 | Middle of bridge by beginning of the level. | By the first bridge. | Includes the entire level before the second bridge, or descending the shortcut elevator. |
2. | 121101 | Outside the boss fog gate. | Travel from Oolacile Township bonfire, use by spawn location itself. | Includes level after the second bridge, and lower area after descending the elevators. Does not include the valley below. | |
3. | 121102 | In the valley. | Bottom of steps descending into the valley. | Begins about halfway down the steps into the valley near Chester, ends by Kalameet fog gate. | |
Oolacile Township | 1. | 121200 | By the level entrance. | Oolacile Township Bonfire. | From the beginning of the level up until the building after the long narrow bridge. |
2. | 121201 | By the Bloathead Sorcerer nearest the Chained Prisoner. | From the bonfire, access the shortcut elevator and invade from the lower level. | Begins in the building after the long narrow bridge and lasts for the rest of the level. | |
Chasm of the Abyss | 1. | 121210 | At the top of the descending bridge that leads to the fog room. | From the Oolacile Township Dungeon bonfire. | The entire level. |
Ring-Summoned Invasions
Players cannot choose where to spawn with ring-summoned invasions. They have their own, randomized locations that are unique from the above list.
Inside the Forest, Using the Cat Covenant Ring:
- Next to the entrance stairs.
- Next to Alvina.
- In the middle of the area with the Demonic Foliages.
- Next to a cliff by the water puddle.
Twilight Anor Londo, Using the Darkmoon Blade Covenant Ring:
- Middle of bridge to rotating platform, beginning of level.
- By the lever to the rotating platform, bottom of steps outside Great Hall.
- Inside the Great Hall, near the entrance by the large shortcut doors.
Additional Notes
- Sometimes the 'invasion canceled' message does not show up when transitioning between the boundaries of spawn areas. There are areas where it happens and where it doesn't. In places where it doesn't, players will spawn depending on where they used their invasion item, not where they are when they start to be summoned.
- The Great Hollow, Ash Lake, Undead Asylum, and the Valley of Drakes are non-multiplayer locations where invasions cannot happen.
Co-op
Introduction
Co-op is a big component of the Online interaction available in Dark Souls. Other human players and a few specific NPCs can be summoned for cooperative play. A host can summon a maximum of two friendly phantoms from either white or gold summon signs. These signs are placed by other players using a white sign soapstone.
If summoned phantoms succeed in helping a host defeat the area boss, the phantoms are rewarded with souls, one humanity and perhaps a sunlight medal if one of the phantom(s) is a member of the Warrior of Sunlight Covenant.
Due to the co-op level matching schemes, it is necessary to choose areas in which to co-op based on your character's level. Leveling up too high or staying too low for certain areas can result in less frequent summons. If you enjoy co-op, you may choose to spend your souls upgrading equipment and buying consumables instead of leveling up, in order to continue helping other players through the earlier bosses.
Be warned that the conditions for allowing co-op also allow a host to be invaded by another player.
For PC players, turning off firewalls and Windows Firewall service is highly recommended.
Requirements
- The host must be in human form, which is achieved when the player uses the option to reverse-hollow at a bonfire.
- The area boss must still be alive for the host. The summoned phantoms do not need the boss in their game to still be alive.
- The phantoms must cast their sign using the white sign soapstone. They do not need to be in human form to cast their summon sign.
- The players must be within a certain level range of each other.
Special Area Requirements
A few specific areas require progression past a certain point before co-op is possible:
- In New Londo Ruins, the water must be drained (meaning you have access to Key to the Seal).
- In The Duke's Archives, the player must have escaped beyond the prison area.
- In the Demon Ruins (before Demon Firesage), the yellow fog gate needs to be cleared (you have obtained and placed the Lordvessel).
- In the Tomb of the Giants, the yellow fog gate also needs to be cleared.
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Matchmaking Level Ranges
Tools
Level Range Calculator - Input any level to find out the level ranges of all multiplayer items.
Explanation
The level range for co-op is:
- The Phantom's Level, + / - (10 + 10% of the Phantom's Level)
For example: If a level 50 player uses the white sign soapstone, they can be matched with players between the levels of 35 - 65, because the math works out as follows:
- 10% of 50 = 5
- 10 + 5 = 15
- 50 +/- 15 = 35 - 65
This range can only be calculated by the player using the white sign soapstone (the phantom). If a host wishes to find out if a certain player is within their range, the other player should instead do the calculation to see if the host is found within their range. There is a slightly different level range for players who are hosts and players who are phantoms at the same level, but it's not a significant difference.
In instances where a decimal place is created by the 10% portion of the formula, the numbers always round down to whole number and never round up. For example, a level 15 player comes up with the numbers 10 + 1.5 (10%) to find out their range. The 1.5 rounds down to 1 before the rest of the formula is completed, meaning they add and subtract the number 11 to find out their range.
+ Show example level ranges - Hide example level rangesLevel (Phantoms) | Range of potential Hosts | Level (Hosts) | Range of potential Phantoms | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 - 11 | 1 | 1 - 12 | |
10 | 1 - 21 | 10 | 1 - 22 | |
20 | 8 - 32 | 20 | 10 - 33 | |
30 | 17 - 43 | 30 | 19 - 44 | |
40 | 26 - 54 | 40 | 28 - 55 | |
50 | 35 - 65 | 50 | 37 - 66 | |
80 | 62 - 98 | 80 | 64 - 100 | |
100 | 80 - 120 | 100 | 82 - 122 | |
120 | 98 - 142 | 120 | 100 - 144 | |
200 | 170 - 230 | 200 | 173 - 233 | |
500 | 440 - 560 | 500 | 446 - 566 | |
713 | 632 - 713 | 713 | 640 - 713 |
Recommended Levels for Different Bosses
Consistent level bosses
The level at which people fight these bosses typically does not vary much.
Boss | Area | Common Summoning Location(s) | Level Range (Phantom) |
---|---|---|---|
Taurus Demon | Undead Burg | just outside the burg bonfire | 1 - 15 |
Bell Gargoyles | Undead Parish | before the boar next to the staircase to the Black Knight;1 entrance to church nearest the blacksmith | 10 - 20 |
Capra Demon | Lower Undead Burg | on the little circle near the entrance; right in front of the boss fog | 15 - 25 |
Gaping Dragon | Depths | by the bonfire | 25 - 40 |
Chaos Witch Quelaag | Blighttown | by the swamp bonfire; right in front of the boss fog | 25 - 45 |
Iron Golem | Sen's Fortress | outside of boss fog; first room with the 2 serpent soldiers | 25 - 45 |
Ornstein & Smough | Anor Londo | by the bonfire in the castle | 45 - 65 |
Gwyn, Lord of Cinder | Kiln of The First Flame | on the landing at the level entrance | 70 - 120 |
Inconsistent level bosses
The levels at which people fight these bosses varies greatly due to people encountering them at different parts of their play-through.
Boss | Area | Common Summoning Location(s) | Level Range (Phantom) |
---|---|---|---|
Pinwheel | Catacombs | by the first bonfire | |
Great Grey Wolf Sif | Darkroot Garden | by the bottom of the steps; outside the boss room | |
Crossbreed Priscilla | Painted World of Ariamis | by the bonfire | |
Dark Sun Gwyndolin | Anor Londo | by the darkmoon tomb bonfire | |
Ceaseless Discharge | Demon Ruins | by the fog gate | |
Demon Firesage | Demon Ruins | by the bonfire near the capra demons | |
Centipede Demon | Demon Ruins | by the fog gate | |
Gravelord Nito | Tomb of the Giants | by the second bonfire | 60 - 120 |
Seath the Scaleless | Crystal Cave | by the bonfire on the balcony | 60 - 120 |
The Bed of Chaos | Lost Izalith | by the bonfire behind the illusory wall | 60 - 120 |
The Four Kings | New Londo Ruins | by the doorway near the first bridge; before boss fog gate | 60 - 120 |
Stray Demon | Undead Asylum | n/a (offline location, co-op not possible) | n/a |
Sanctuary Guardian | Sanctuary Garden | by the bonfire | 60 - 120 |
Knight Artorias | Royal Wood | by the stairs to Artorias's fog gate | 60 - 120 |
Black Dragon Kalameet | Royal Wood | by the path to Kalameet's valley | 60 - 120 |
Manus, Father of the Abyss | Chasm of the Abyss | by the bonfire; by the elevator | 60 - 120 |
Increase in Boss HP
Boss HP is increased when phantoms are summoned. It is increased by 50% with one phantom summoned, and doubled with two phantoms summoned. The increase to boss HP is typically negligible, as having other players to help will make most bosses easier. However, there are a few notable exceptions:
- It is sometimes recommended to attempt the Four Kings boss fight solo. Unless the summoned group has efficient DPS output (damage per-second), the extra health can make it take longer to kill each boss, sometimes causing the player to get swarmed by more kings as they spawn. This is especially the case when summoning the NPC Witch Beatrice, whose presence typically only makes the fight harder.
- NPC Solaire is typically unhelpful in the Gaping Dragon boss fight. Summoning him can be considered as a negative for potentially adding to the amount of HP you will have to remove from the boss on your own. Both he and Lautrec add minimal DPS to the fight and don't survive very well at all on top of adding to the dragon's HP.
Online Play
Dark Souls' online play is similar to that of its spiritual predecessor, Demon's Souls, in many ways. The game may be played and completed offline, although these unique features can be used to help or create more challenge for a player. While maintaining the overall format of a single-player game, multiplayer activity is seamlessly integrated into the world. Players can help others by assisting them through an area to defeat a boss, or they can invade and attempt to kill other players in their world. Interactive bloodstains will reveal the last moments of another player before they died, and players can also leave messages on the ground for others to see. A community website to seek or post for Dark Souls online play is DksFind.
Bloodstains
When a player interacts with bloodstains, they may see the death of the player who left the stain. They can be helpful by warning the player of dangerous areas that may be ahead.
Statues of players who have died from Curse may appear in that same area in someone else's world, warning of danger ahead. These statues are generally short-lived and disappear after several seconds, or will crumble when hit.
Messages
Players can write messages on the ground, so that other players may read them in their worlds. Many of these messages will inform you of nearby dangers and items, while others may be deceiving or irrelevant. An Orange Guidance Soapstone is required to write messages. To rate messages, the player can press the [Select] or [Back] button while reading a message, or use the Orange Guidance Soapstone after reading it. The miracle Seek Guidance reveals the separate +/- ratings on messages you find, helping you determine if other players genuinely recommend the message or not.
Ghostlike Apparitions
Ghostlike images of other players currently playing the game occasionally appear in your world. If seen close to a bonfire, the apparitions will be slightly transparent versions of the other player, meaning that you can see what they have equipped in full detail.
Soul Signs
Soul Signs are used for summoning or invading other players for cooperative play or PvP.
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Cooperative Play (Summoning)
Players may summon other players into their world as phantoms to help them in their journey. To summon other players for help, the host must be in human form and in an area where the boss has not yet been defeated. With those conditions met, a player will be able to see soul signs left by other players on the same network.
To help another player, the White Sign Soapstone is used to leave a sign for a host to use. Because the network being used is information that's hidden from the player, summoning a friend can be made tricky by not knowing if you're connected to different networks. Periodically reusing the White Sign Soapstone will cause it to cycle through networks, usually making your sign appear for a friend after several tries if it doesn't appear right away.
Upon defeating a boss, a summoned player will return to their world with more humanity and souls.
For a guide on recommended levels for co-op in different areas, see the co-op page. For more information on computing matching levels, see the Online Matchmaking page.
Player versus Player
Players may invade the worlds of other players using the following methods:
Players can also be summoned for battle using the aforementioned Dragon Eye Sign, Gravelord Sign, and Red Summon Sign. All methods of invasion, asides from the use of Cracked Red Eye Orbs, the Red Sign Soapstone, and Battle of Stoicism, are restricted to various covenants.
If defeated as a Black Phantom, you will not return to hollowed form, but your souls and humanity will be dropped at a bloodstain in the location you were standing when the invasion initiated. It is wise to rest at a bonfire and remain near it while you are trying to start an invasion with the Red Eye Orb.
Players who triumph at PvP will obtain souls upon killing other players. The player will also receive humanity or items, depending on the type of invasion. The only exception to this is when the player is attempting the Battle Of Stoicism method, in which nothing is gained or lost aside from weapon and armor durability.
Various conditions exist for PvP to occur. For a host to be invaded, they must be in human form (reverse-hollowed by using humanity at a bonfire), and the area boss must still be alive. For a player to successfully invade, the conditions are specific to the type of invasion.
There are several telltale signs that a world is getting invaded before the invasion message shows up: Bonfires will temporarily lose their flame and become unusable; fog gates will appear, blocking the exits; and several items become greyed-out (mostly Multiplayer Items and Homeward Bone).
For more information on computing matching levels, see the Online Matchmaking page.
Gravelords
Players in the Gravelord Servant Covenant may use an Eye of Death to infect three other players' worlds within co-op range with Gravelord Black Phantoms.2 This infection will last until the Gravelord Servant is defeated or quits the game. The infected have an opportunity to invade the Gravelord Servant if they find their soul sign.
Vagrants
Vagrants are very rare enemies that spawn when a player loses a large amount of humanity or has dropped and abandoned certain items. These lost humanities and items are sent as 'Drift Item Bags' to other players' worlds and will eventually transform into a vagrant.
Kindling Bonfires
Kindling a bonfire will also give a free single Estus charge to other players who previously rested at the same bonfire in their world. If this happens, the receiving player will see a "soul-sucking" animation but colored orange.
Covenants
There will be opportunities which allow the player to make an oath to an NPC or on a specific subject, known as a Covenant. When an oath is made, it determines the player's position on that topic and will impact the interaction with other players online - this means that taking an oath could result in you either allying with another player or making them your adversary. The oath system is not an all-encompassing fixed alliance like an MMO guild; instead, it should be thought of as a system which serves as a guide for active roleplaying.
See the Covenants page for more information.
Miracle Synergy
Certain Miracles have a "resonance" property. When cast, miracle resonance signs can appear in other players' worlds. Miracle resonance signs are white rings of light that float on the ground. Standing near a miracle resonance sign will then boost the strength of these miracles, a buff known as Miracle Synergy.
PvE Covenants
The covenants Way of White, Warrior of Sunlight, and Princess's Guard are primarily designed for helping out other players online. Players who are in these covenants will automatically be drawn closer to each other on the network - this makes the above mentioned Miracle Synergy easier to encounter, and also helps to block people in antagonistic covenants from coming closer on the network.
Undead Parish Bell
Sometimes a bell can be heard in the Undead Burg and Undead Parish. It means another player defeated the Bell Gargoyles and just rang the Bell of Awakening. Players who get summoned as phantoms during the Bell Gargoyle boss fight are more prone to hear it.
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PvP
What is PvP?
PvP stands for Player Versus Player as distinct from PvE or Player Versus Environment; that is, normal, storyline play against the AI. Some players find PvP thrilling and rewarding, and even go so far as to sacrifice PvE utility in their Character Builds to facilitate effectiveness in PvP.
In Dark Souls, when playing online, PvP is accomplished by any given player using one of several online-only items to "invade" another player's world or to lay down a challenge which another player can either accept or reject as seen fit. The worlds connect within set level ranges and requirements. Further information on the various methods of initiating PvP is detailed below.
What happens in PvP?
Two or more players fight to the death. The winner receives different rewards depending on their method of invasion, which includes Souls and Humanity, or other items. These rewards are gifted to the winner by the game and are not removed from the loser's inventory.
The loser is sent to the last Bonfire they used, and depending on the method of invasion they will either lose nothing at all, or find a bloodstain containing their lost souls and humanity either where they died, or where they used their multiplayer item.
During an invasion, the area is locked with fog gates; the host cannot exit the area, though they may still initiate a boss fight by passing through a boss' fog gate, which will immediately send the invader home. If a Black Phantom and a Spirit of Vengeance invade the same world and one kills the other, the winner will obtain souls, but their ultimate goal remains unfinished; killing the host. If the player being invaded loses, they can use the Indictment item to add their invader's name to the Book of the Guilty, depending on the invader's type.
You cannot be invaded if you are Hollowed.
What happens if I'm in the Book of the Guilty?
If your name is in the Book of the Guilty for any reason, members of the Blade of the Darkmoon covenant can randomly invade your world as a Spirit of Vengeance by using their Blue Eye Orb. You cannot be targeted; it is a random, level-appropriate draw, and is based on your current area. See the Book of the Guilty for more information.
How do I invade?
At the beginning of the game, you can only invade by using a Cracked Red Eye Orb, which is consumed upon use. You can later gain other items from Covenants to invade. Any player can use the Red Sign Soapstone once found, which will lay down a Red Soul Sign for other players to invite you to invade. You can only use this if you are in human form.
Covenant PvP
There are multiple ways to PvP, depending on which covenant you join.
- The Forest Hunter covenant uses the Cat Covenant Ring which, when equipped, will summon you to invade human form players in the Darkroot Garden. You don't need to be in human form to use it.
- The Blade of the Darkmoon covenant has two ways of PvP: invade a player that has sinned by using the Blue Eye Orb, or wear the Darkmoon Blade Covenant Ring and be summoned to invade players in sunlight-less Anor Londo (that is, if they have killed Princess Gwynevere). Both items can also be used in hollow form.
- The Gravelord Servant covenant allows you to use the Eye of Death item; this places a Gravelord Soul Sign that causes stronger enemies to occur1 in three players' worlds within co-op range. If they find the sign, they can invade your world to stop the effects of this item. Beware, this means that by invoking this power you could be subject to three other invading players! The sign is not visible to the player who caused it, the only indication to the Gravelord Servant that they are under the Eye of Death effect is a black aura emanating from the character.
- The Darkwraith Covenant uses Cracked Red Eye Orbs, which let you invade a random player's world. After advancing your Covenant Level to +1, you will be rewarded with the Red Eye Orb which has infinite uses.
- The Path of the Dragon covenant lets you place a Soul Sign by using the Dragon Eye. Other players can then summon you to invade their worlds. If you kill the host, you gain a Dragon Scale for covenant advancement. You don't need to be in human form to use it.
Where can I invade?
- Consult the list of invasion spawn locations.
- You can invade in every area except the Undead Asylum, the Valley of Drakes, The Great Hollow, and Ash Lake, which do not allow multiplayer activity.
Where can I find the Cracked Red Eye Orb?
- There are 4 near the Firelink Shrine area.
- There are also 6 more in the New Londo Ruins before The Four Kings boss.
- They can also be bought from Darkstalker Kaathe in the Abyss.
Where can I get the Red Eye Orb?
- Join the Darkwraith Covenant. After advancing to level +1, you will receive one as a reward.
What's the Blue Eye Orb?
- It's an orb that specifically allows you to invade those that are in the Book of the Guilty — obtained by joining the Blade of the Darkmoon covenant. Only members of this covenant can use the item, and their invading Phantoms will be Spirits of Vengeance.
What determines the soul amount received?
- The amount of souls you get is determined solely by the level of your opponent. The amount of souls they're carrying has no impact on the amount you receive.
- It is a percentage of the amount of souls it cost the opponent to level up from their previous level to their current one. An invader gets 10% of that amount, and a host gets 50% of that amount.
- For example, it costs 90401 souls to level up from level 119 to level 120. When an invader kills a level 120 host, they will receive 9040 souls (10% of 90401). When a host kills a level 120 invader, they will receive 45,200 souls (50% of 90401).
- An invader killing a white or gold phantom will receive the same amount of souls as if those players were hosts (10%).
- An invader killing another invader will receive 25% of their previous level-up-cost (half of what the host receives for killing the same player).
PvP Tips
Dealing with Failed Connections
The multiplayer items require that various conditions are met for a successful connection to be made. If an invasion item is usable but doesn't find another player after searching for a minute, you will receive a "Failed to Invade" message. There are a few reasons why this might be the case.
- Your IP pool hasn't grown large enough yet
Dark Souls doesn't make use of dedicated servers. Instead, when you log online, you will get paired with a list of available players that grows larger over time, referred to by the community as the "IP pool." When you first start the game, you will not be connected to as many people than if you were to wait over ten minutes instead.
- There aren't many hosts in human form, within your level range, where you are trying to invade
To be able to invade in a given area successfully, it is recommended that you remain in the suggested co-op level range, or within the end-game PvP meta, which is typically between levels 100-125. It is still possible to invade outside of these ranges, but you will encounter more failed invasion attempts in the process. Darkmoons can level up a bit higher since they can invade further below their level than any other covenant or item.
Some locations are much more popular for PvP than others. Some of the "PvP Hotspots" include the Undead Burg, Undead Parish, Darkroot Forest, Sen's Fortress, Anor Londo, Oolacile Township, and the Kiln of the First Flame.
- For Darkmoon invaders, there aren't enough hosts who have sinned and are logged in the Book of the Guilty.
Because of the more limiting conditions that are needed to find a host, the frequency of failed invasions when trying to use the Blue Eye Orb will always be higher than that of the Red Eye Orb. Patience is required for finding successful Darkmoon invasions. To minimize failed invasion attempts, trying locations that have higher online activity than others are recommended. It is also less common for low-level hosts to have sinned, so being a very low-leveled Darkmoon invader is also not recommended.
Setting up a Duel
Setting up PvP with a specific person can be difficult due to the way Dark Souls was designed to facilitate connections between strangers primarily. You need to make sure you and your partner are within the appropriate level range of each other, and that various conditions are met. The level ranges and requirements are detailed on the online matchmaking page.
- Instead of invading, consensual summoning generally recommended. Using an item like the Red Sign Soapstone offers the chance for a host to summon a player based on their sign, which will display the player's gamertag and confirm who they are beforehand. Otherwise, a random invasion attempt carries no guarantee that the invader will target their PvP partner.
- Using a form of external communication to coordinate with your partner is almost essential, as there is no in-game chat.
- The player who wishes to be summoned should place their sign somewhere that is less likely to be found by other random players. Hiding your sign around a blind corner or underneath breakable objects increases the chances that your PvP partner will be the only person to find your sign.
Duel and Invasion Etiquette
There are no official rules. As an invader, it is your job to kill a host as you see fit. If you're invaded, you may likewise attempt to kill or evade the invader as you see fit. However, players generally distinguish "no rules" PvP as a separate way of playing from "dueling." In a duel, there are usually several unwritten but consistent rules:
- Do not heal using Estus or Humanity
- Do not retreat from the area you're fighting in
- Do not gank the other player (ganging up on them in a 2v1 or 3v1 situation)
- Allow the other player to cast a buff, consume an item, or complete a gesture at the beginning of the encounter (don't attack too soon)
- Baiting Invaders/Hosts into traps or NPC ambushes is usually frowned upon. Be mindful of your surroundings and try to memorize enemy locations before summoning an invader or going human.
The general idea behind a duel is to have a fair fight. Different communities will often impose stricter rules, where certain combinations of spells, gear, and attack methods are disallowed. However, it is highly recommended to expect that strangers will not follow any rules. The more rules a player would like to see enacted in a duel, the more they should seek out pre-arranged matches where the rules are agreed upon in advance. You can never assume that a stranger will know or care to abide by the same ruleset you are following.
Because there is no in-game mechanic for distinguishing the type of encounter you will have, it is best to keep an open mind and expect different behavior in different situations. Generally, players looking for consensual PvP will likely lean towards a dueling-style of play, while random invaders may lean towards a "no rules" style of play. However, neither are a given. Perhaps most importantly, if you're a host trying to clear an area, NEVER expect an invader to be respectful of your mission. Many will attempt to defeat you ruthlessly, which is entirely in the spirit of the game. Similarly, a host that is trying to beat a level has almost no tactics at their disposal that can be considered unfair, including ganging up on an invader with a group of friends.
Avoiding Unwanted PvP
A player can safely avoid invasions using one of the two following methods:
- Remaining in hollow-form
- Playing offline
To be invaded, a player must be in human form, having selected the option to reverse-hollow at a bonfire, in an area where the area boss remains undefeated. There are incentives for the player to go human, like being able to kindle a fire to receive more Estus charges. These things do not have to be avoided, as the player can do this offline or commit suicide after they've gotten what they wanted to block invasions again.
Impending invasions can also be detected in advance. Area boundaries will have fog gates go up that block the area off, and certain multiplayer items like the White Sign Soapstone will become grayed out in the HUD, indicating that its' disabled due to an impending invasion (that may take another ~10 to ~40 seconds to occur). If the player realizes they forgot to do one of the above and does not want to engage in PvP, they should do everything they can to look out for impending invasions and quit BEFORE an invader ever shows up. At all costs, avoid disconnecting on another player once they've entered your world. It is considered rude because of the legitimate in-game means to detect and prevent invasions.
PvP Strategies and Concepts
Backstabs
Backstabs can deal out massive critical damage, making them a very deadly and common tactic in PvP.
Backstab Window:
Newer players will often be surprised by how wide the backstab window appears. Partly due to the small amount of lag that's inherent in even good connections, players will often be backstabbed by their opponent when they did not appear to be directly behind them. If an opponent is attempting to circle behind you, they may be able to achieve the backstab already when they only appear at your side. Similarly, if a player is running straight at you, they may be attempting to brush past your shoulder and quickly turn around for a backstab. In this situation, it can appear as if you were backstabbed while your opponent was touching your shoulder from the front.
If the players are experiencing significant lag, then "lagstabs" will sometimes occur, causing the player to get backstabbed when it appeared as if the other player was nowhere near them. A poor connection with extreme lagging makes PvP difficult to judge since you cannot be sure of the location of your opponent. Though when players have a decent connection with each other, extreme lagstabbing should not occur.
Lock-engaged Backstab:
This is a backstabbing technique that involves sprinting past the side of your opponent while locked-on. The lock-on will cause you to rotate to face the character again, putting you in a position to backstab them if you quickly get behind them. (video demonstration)
If you can recognize an opponent attempting to pull off a lock-engaged backstab on you, it can be countered by likewise rotating around your opponent as they try to approach, where you put them in a position to be backstabbed instead. (video demonstration)
Pivot Backstab:
The pivot backstab is virtually identical to the lock-engaged backstab, though it is done without locking on; this requires manually turning around quickly when you run past your opponent since the camera lock-on isn't engaged and will not do it for you. A bonus to this method is that it can be easier to get behind someone who is backing away than if you were locked on. (video demonstration)
Roll Backstab:
The roll backstab is a more advanced technique that involves rolling through an enemy's attack, from a distance and angle that places you in a position to immediately backstab them when you stand up. (video demonstration)
Chain Backstab:
Backstabs can be chained so that a player attempting to get away after recovering from a previous backstab can be backstabbed again. It is a deadly cycle with various strategies to achieve and counter. (video demonstration)
The Importance of Poise
The player's poise stat determines what kind of hits they can receive without being stunned; this is important because a stunned player is without defense, and can wind up in a stunlock. It can also provide an advantage for offensive tactics, where the player may be able to take a hit while they're getting into the position for a backstab and not be interrupted.
Poise Break Points:
The community refers to various specific values as "poise break points", which is the minimum amount of poise needed to withstand particular attacks. For example, a 1-handed R1 attack from a Katana will drain 20 poise from an opponent. At 20 poise or less, the attacked player is guaranteed to be stunned by the hit. Therefore, the poise needed for that attack is 21.
Some of the more popular poise breakpoints include 8, 31, 41, 53, and 76:
- While 8 poise doesn't offer much protection, it allows withstanding 1-handed or 2-handed dagger attacks or stepping out of lava from Chaos Storm and the Great Chaos Fireball
- 31 poise allows the player to withstand both 1-handed and 2-handed R1 attacks from most non-heavy weapons, including Straight Swords, Curved Swords, and Katanas
- 41 poise allows the player to withstand two consecutive 1-handed R1 attacks from most non-heavy weapons, as well as Great Combustion
- 53 poise withstands 2-handed R1 attacks from Curved Greatswords, Greatswords, Hammers, and Axes
- 76 poise withstands 2-handed R1 attacks from Ultra Greatswords, Greataxes, and Great Hammers
Sources of Poise:
- Players will often mix and match armor to achieve a desirable combination of poise and weight
- Heavier armors offer more poise, while lighter armors typically provide little or none
- An example of relatively light armor with poise is the Hollow Soldier Set, with the Hollow Soldier Waistcloth often considered desirable for its poise-to-weight ratio
- The Wolf Ring is a popular item because it offers 40 poise without any weight
Avoiding Stunlocks
When a hit triggers a stun animation on a player, this can allow the attacker to strike again while they're stunned. With the right weapon and sufficient stamina, the attacker may be able to keep attacking while the victim is locked into a reoccurring stun animation. If a player is unable to avoid or escape a stunlock, it is often deadly. Players equipped in light armor need to be particularly wary of stunlocking.
Toggle Escaping
A "toggle escape" is a glitch that is commonly used to evade a stunlock when the player does not have enough poise to withstand it. It is achieved by pressing left or right on the d-pad to toggle to your next right or left-hand weapon, and it must be done slightly before the attack hits the player. (video demonstration)
Dead Angles
A Dead Angle is a type of hit that allows an attack to ignore a shield's defense. It is a mechanic resulting from how the game handles blocking. For a block to be successful, the game considers only the angle you're facing, relative to your opponent. If your opponent attacks to the side or away from you, this treats it as if you are blocking in the wrong direction.
Though it can theoretically work with almost any attack type, weapons that have attacks with broad horizontal sweeps are preferred; this is because the wide hitbox makes it easier to make contact with your opponent if you're facing a perpendicular angle to them. The angle at which a Dead Angle can be achieved depends on the specific weapon and attack being used, in some cases working at a 90° angle to your opponent, other times even working at a complete 180°. (video demonstration)
Dead Angling can also make the Wrath of the Gods miracle dangerous, since casting the spell facing away from your opponent will likewise hit them as if their shield isn't up. With a bit of practice, though, it can be somewhat easily countered by rolling through the blast and taking advantage of the opponent facing away from you by backstabbing them.
Dead Angling is only present in Dark Souls, not Dark Souls Remastered.
Status Effects
In PVP, the buildup of status effects (Bleed, Poison, and Toxic) occurs as standard on a hit, but it should be noted that buildup occurs at its full rate even if blocked.