Greetings, and welcome to Hell. Wait. Hold on... oh.. so it's not...? Ok... oh ok... Yea... ok. From the top. Re-do. Man.. You'd really think from how the devs made it... sheesh. Ok ok let's go.

Greetings, and welcome to my guide. More importantly, welcome to Dark Souls. I am known here as D.Sofren, otherwise known as Darte (Sofren). A lot of you may know me. Some of you, thankfully, might not. I come in peace either way, as today is a day for guidance!

In this guide, we won't be talking about online connectivity. We won't talk about the funniest way to kill the every day poise stacker, or even the wondrous mechanics of the erm... Cobalt Enigma. No. Instead, we will be talking about things that a grand majority of you may not be aware of. These things are called “tactics,” as well as “moves” and even hellishly cheap bull-funky “advanced” moves. So um... let's get started. Please refer to the controller/keyboard map below if you want to learn what your controls are for the game in reference to the moves listed later on.

This is a big guide. Please use the tabs on the right to access what information you need.



Disclaimer: This guide is ever-growing. If you have new things to add to it, feel free to comment here about adding/IM'ing me, and from there we can discuss your ideas/tactics/combat lore. Credit will always be given where it's due. Blurting out the idea via comments will probably be ignored.

This is as it says it is. Here we will learn the game's most basic mechanics, as well as how to properly use them.

Two terms will be used commonly throughout this guide. The first is PvP (Player vs Player), and another will be PvE (Player vs Enemy). The first refers to fighting another player through an online connection, and the second refers to fighting scripted enemies (bots/Non-Playable Characters) whether online or not.

Think of the light attack as like a jab in a boxing match. Sure, it's not as grand as the heavy attack, but it's much faster! The light attack does many things, and as such we will be referring to the light attack (or more specifically, the key used for light attack) often as we progress. As for the attack itself, there are many great perks to it. The most obvious one is that it's harder to dodge than a heavy attack. It also allows for a much quicker recovery for you, enabling you more opportunity to dodge or block a counter-attack.

Magic Users: Staves, Talismans, Pyromancy Flames, and so forth will not attack with the Light Attack. Instead, it will cast the spell attuned to your character, provided that you are using the correct spell for the correct catalyst.

Archers: The light attack key (depends which hand for crossbows, but for a two-handed bow will always be the right hand) will allow you to shoot bolts/arrows at your target. You cannot perform a melee attack with bows, greatbows, or crossbows.

This is the light attack's older brother. The heavy attack is like the roundhouse punch in a boxing match. That windup is far more expected than the jab (light attack), but boy when it lands... It's going to deal damage if it's not avoided.

Remember to experiment with both the light and heavy attacks in sequence (both on their own and alternatively), as sometimes they mesh smoothly together into what we call “combos.” One of the finest and most commonly known examples of a “combo” is when one two-hands a Claymore sword, uses the two-handed light attack, and then follows it up with a two-handed heavy attack.

The light attack is the jab. The heavy attack is the roundhouse. What does this make the jump attack, then? If you immediately press the Heavy Attack key and (not even 0.3 seconds after) tap (not hold) the forward movement key, you will hopefully launch a jump attack. Think of the jump attack as sort of the “uppercut” of attacks. It is the easiest of the three to predict, but also the most damaging. A jump attack should not be attempted while your opponent is recovered (able to dodge/attack/block/etc), as you will create a massive opening in your own defenses if you miss. Let me be clear that it is very easy to miss with a jump attack. The best cases of when to use a Jump Attack are against slower PvE monsters, shortly before an opponent's Fat Roll finishes, or immediately after a successful Backstab. Any other situation may likely lead to you taking damage instead of the enemy.

I'm not going to lie to you. In the first Dark Souls, dual-wielding a weapon as opposed to using a shield is often considered a pipe dream unless you really know what you're doing. Expect the majority of opponents to have a shield handy and know how to use it. The rule of blocking is simple. Hold the block button to hold up your shield. When something hits against it, you lose stamina based on a fraction of that thing's power. You may even take damage if your shield lacks resistances against certain things, like magic. Be sure to look closely at a shield's resistance (not attack) stats before equipping it.

Backsteps are very uncommon in dodging. The reason for this is that it's just so hard to time, especially against thrust weapons. Often, you are better off just roll-dodging. However, backstepping does have a perk to it, and in some cases, this is a massive perk. Recovery time from a backstep is far lower than recovery time from a roll. When an opponent swings at you, if you can backstep successfully from it, you have significant opportunity to counterattack (also known as backstep-attacking) using the Light Attack key. If your opponent is using a heavy weapon (i.e. Zweihander), he will be very open to a counterattack from a backstep if you dodge successfully.

The running attack is much like the light attack, except your character will be mobile when performing it. This is useful for many reasons. The most common reason behind this is to land a surprise attack on the opponent while he is backing away or backstepping. To perform the running attack, simply use the Light Attack key while running in a direction.

There is a less common reason to use the running attack as well. Some running attacks, especially from curved greatswords such as the Gravelord Sword, are near-impossible to parry. This is useful for landing poison or bleed attacks (such as from the Gravelord Sword or Uchigatana respectively) on opponents that often use their shield with less worry about being parried.

Rolling is perhaps another thing most commonly used in combat in this game, especially in boss battles. When something swings at you, roll away from it. Even if the attack still hits you, if you time your roll just right, you won't take any damage. You won't even flinch. This is because roll-dodging, although it uses up a chunk of stamina, has a decent amount of invincibility frames (referred by the community as iframes). If you've ever played Devil May Cry, think about all those times you've rolled away from attacks in that game, or got hit while rolling and still did not lose health. Same principle here.

Remember when I said you should roll away from something that swings at you? Well...there is another option. Roll right at it, you suicidal mongrel! Remember that a roll has iframes, and if timed right means you will not take damage from a hit. If you hit the Light Attack key while near the end of a roll animation, you will do something called a “roll attack.” This is a special attack and animation that only occurs directly after a roll, and sometimes will be just what you needed to land a hard strike on your opponent. So go ahead. Roll right at your opponent sometimes when he swings. Sometimes, that may just be the opening you need for the win.

You've probably come across a few opponents that simply do not flinch at some of your attacks. They are still able to move, still able to attack, and do not stagger at all, yet they still take damage. This is due to a strong factor in this game known as Poise, and is a factor both in PvP and PvE. Poise happens because an opponent has either worn a special poise-boosting ring, equipped heavier/denser armors, or both. If an opponent is wearing plated, stoned, or otherwise dense-looking armor, then chances are he may have sufficient poise. A blue aura around your opponent (shown in this image) is also a good indicator that he has sufficient poise using a certain ring.

If you would like to know how much poise you have, simply check your character stats or change a piece of armor around.

How does one counter poise in Dark Souls? This leads to two other terms: Combos and Poise-Damage. A combo involves attacking multiple times without pause. With each move within the combo you make, poise damage builds up. Once the built up poise-damage passes their poise value, then your opponent will finally stagger. See how in this gif, my heavy attack does not stagger my opponent, yet if I combo it with a light attack, then I finally reach enough poise damage to stagger him.

Poise damage is different with each weapon type, and poise values will be different between pieces of armor. For more information on poise damage between weapon types, as well as more information on how it works, please click here[darksouls.wikidot.com].

...and as always, use common sense. If your opponent has or seems like he has more poise than you, then try not to combo him as much. He can just as easily stagger you as you can stagger him. If you have far less poise than your opponent, and he is able to stagger you very easily, then consider switching to crit tactics such as backstabbing or parrying/riposting, shown later in this guide.

A backstab is a critical attack and something you will see a LOT in PvP, and not nearly as much in PvE...unless you or someone else does it. To backstab something, all you have to do is manage to get behind it, then press the right-handed Light Attack key while holding a melee weapon. A backstab animation will occur, making you invulnerable to any other attacks while doing this backstab, and in the end your opponent will be on the floor having suffered massive damage. If you want to learn cheap, but effective ways to backstab things, please refer to the Advanced section of this guide.

If you intentionally try to run behind or circle around an opponent rather than practice distancing or other tactics, you will be referred to as a “Fisher” by a majority of the community. A “Fisher” is someone who intentionally bases their style around landing cheap critical hits on their opponent, mainly through backstabbing and latency abuse.

Important: Backstabs will only work on certain enemies. All players in PvP can be backstabbed by you unless they are your ally. A little under the majority of monsters in PvE can be backstabbed. Use common sense, and avoid trying to backstab things that are giant or not bi-pedal.

Ever played Soul Calibur? Remember the guard impact and how it threw off the opponent's ability to guard? Dark Souls takes it up just one more notch. If you have a shield (or weapon with parrying in its moveset) equipped in your left hand, use the left-handed Heavy Attack key, and you will be met with a move called the “Parry.” In Dark Souls, parrying is a move only do-able to some enemies (bosses included) in PvE, and anyone you'll ever meet in PvP. What it does is simple. When your opponent strikes, hit the parrying key just at the right time (in PvE, right as the sword is about to hit you. In PvP, keep latency/ping/lag in mind and adjust timings accordingly) and instead of the blow landing, your character will push it away, forcing an opening in your opponent's defenses. Keep in mind that most greatshields cannot parry, so if you are using a greatshield, keep a smaller shield or parrying weapon handy (or even just your bare left hand) to surprise your opponents with a grand counter.

You have successfully parried your opponent. They are in the beginning stages of shock, their character is having a mild seizure, and there's a grin on your face. What do you think would be the perfect thing to do in this sort of situation? That's right. Jump At-- woah woah woah! No no no no no. After parrying comes an option called the “Riposte” critical attack. A riposte is when you use the Light Attack key while up close to the opponent's front-most area. The animations are different depending on the weapon, but the feeling is almost always the same. Your opponent is royally boned. If they're not dead after this attack, they very well may be soon after. Ripostes HURT. They hurt more than backstabs, and they are absolutely worth taking up the art of and practicing. Remember that ripostes can only happen after a parry, and only with a melee weapon. No staves, talismans, or pyromancy flames. In PvE, a riposte can happen instantly after a parry. In PvP, wait a good 0.5 seconds (or more) before attempting the riposte, due to lag.

It's really surprising how many opponents don't make use of this mechanic. Simply tap the Heavy Attack key while a bow or crossbow is out, for whichever hand it's in (or both hands if two-handing a bow), and you will switch to the alternative of the ammo you currently have equipped for your ranged weapon. When equipping your two types of ammo, consider the versatility of both of them on the field. For example: In this image, I start with the fire arrow. My opponent may consider counter-attacking now that he is aware of me using a bow, so I quickly backstep, swap to my poison arrow, and attempt a shot there. In an actual combat situation, ammo-swapping can be used for several reasons, including (but not limited to) exploitation of your opponent's armor resistances, or taking advantage of a moment when they are busy recovering from an attack.

TL;DR: A fire arrow would be great for combat damage and rapid fire, but a poison arrow would be a greater choice when you know your opponent can't avoid it, right? Nothing more fun than poisoning someone who forgot to equip an antidote.

Magic Users: Swapping spells is done through a different key. Please refer to the Control Map above for details, and be sure to have more than one spell attuned at a time before attempting to spell swap.

(Scroll down to “Honor” for community opinion on this move.)
“Buffing” is a term used for certain things, such as: A consumable item that increases stamina for a limited time, a spell used to add magic damage to your sword, a miracle spell used to increase resistances, etc. While some weapons/armor have special effects that are technically considered buffs as well, the term “Buffing” is used more specifically to effects that aren't permanent or applied on equip. For PvP, if you are hosting (waiting for an invader), your buffs should not include one-use spells. Instead, seek out pine resins, green blossoms, etc. Spells such as Flash Sweat are also considerable for hosts, even though there are only three uses... Just use it sparingly.

For PvP, if you are invading (waiting to invade a host) or dueling someone in Stoicism, consider using one-use spells alongside multiple-use consumables. Remember that you can only apply one offensive buff and one defensive buff at a time, and cannot apply more until the buff of that nature (offense/defense) is gone. Your spells will replenish whether you win or lose, and return to your world.

For PvE, use whatever feels right to you. In PvE, there will almost always be a bonfire to go toward if you need to replenish magic. Just use common sense and use one-use or few-use spells/items sparingly.

Plunge Attacking is an incredibly damaging move sometimes, especially when fighting certain bosses. Using it is simple. Either Jump Attack from a ledge, or press the Light Attack key while falling from a ledge. Remember that falling damage can still get you killed in this game, and that it is very possible for an opponent to anticipate you falling from a ledge. The drop attack is not a critical attack (except against some bosses), and it will likely get you killed if not done properly. Use at your own risk.

Kicks are insanely useful for PvE. Sometimes, it's even useful in PvP, especially if used correctly. All you have to do to launch a kick is immediately press your right-handed Light Attack key, followed immediately (within 0.3 seconds) by your forward movement key. If someone or something is holding up a shield, kick it. Every kick you make on a shielded opponent drains their stamina significantly, and can even break their guard. If your opponent is not holding up a shield, kicks have the potential to stagger them. In PvP, anyone can be staggered with a kick. If they're not staggering after a kick, and are not lagging, shielding, or making attempts to dodge you, then it's very possible that your opponent could be hacking. In PvE, a little less than the majority of monsters can be staggered with a kick. Do not attempt to kick giant monsters. Use common sense.



Some weapons do things differently than a kick. The two most commonly known weapon types are scimitars and rapiers. These weapons instead do what is called a “Retreat.” A Retreat is when your character does an incredibly light attack with your weapon, immediately following up with something similar to a backstep. Retreats are used to land a cheap shot while still having the potential to avoid counter-attacks.

Earlier in this guide, we mentioned something about being able to two-hand a bow in order to shoot it. That is true, but there is more. Two-handing any melee weapon or shield effectively increases the attack effectiveness of that weapon. Keep in mind that, aside from bows, you cannot two-hand a left-handed weapon. Two-handing a shield allows you to block with that shield, even if it is equipped in your right hand. This is useful for the next reason for two-handing.

Two-handing a weapon/shield effectively halves the required Strength stat needed to use it, well...effectively. This includes, for example, Havel's shield or the Dragon King Greataxe, both of which require a massive strength stat to use. Keep in mind that you are running a great risk when equipping a weapon that you cannot use one-handed, as this means that your left-handed usage will be very limited while attempting combat.

Again. Two-handing a weapon increases its damage. This is also true for Backstabbing with a two-handed weapon. It will increase the damage of that backstab. However, there are flaws to two-handing a weapon. Aside from the fact that you cannot use your left-handed weapon while two-handing, your movesets will be different depending on whether or not you two-hand or one-hand a weapon. For example: A one-handed heavy attack from a Claymore is a narrow thrust attack with a lot of reach, but a two-handed heavy attack from a Claymore is a wide slash attack with a short reach. Your attacks will also be much slower for the majority of weapons when two-handing (scimitar/falchion being one exception) and cost much more stamina.

TL;DR: Learn both your one-handed and two-handed weapon movesets and get a feel of your weapon before attempting to hit monsters/players with it.

Zooming is a bow-exclusive feature that allows you to “snipe” the enemy, no matter where they are. Zooming does not allow locking-on. In order to Zoom, you must first two-hand a bow, then press the left-handed Light Attack key.

Zooming with a bow (or aiming stupidly well with a crossbow) allows for another in-game feature known as a Headshot. This is the ranged weapon's version of a critical attack, and is exclusive to bows, greatbows, and crossbows. Simply shoot someone in the face. That's it. Massive damage.

Some opponents are just terrifying, I bet. No need to fear, for there is an in-game feature known as the “Shield-Jab.” A shield-jab is when, with either a rapier or spear, you press the right-handed Light Attack key while holding up a shield in your left hand. This allows you to do a very light-damaging attack on your opponent while still having your shield held up.

Bear in mind that shield-jabs consume a lot of stamina per use, and will leave you very susceptible to an opponent staggering your block afterward (i.e. Hitting your shield while you have no stamina, leaving you open for an attack.)

Now that you know the in-game mechanics, we're going to go further into detail about some insanely weird things you can do with them. A lot of the moves in this section are considered “breaking game mechanics.” Please refer to ”Honor” in the Misc. section for details on why some of the community looks down on a lot of the things mentioned in this section. There are some moves here that do not have an image supplied, as I personally have never taken the time to look up how to do some of these moves, and will be using someone with knowledge of these moves later.

Dead Angling is a term referred to hitting someone while facing away from them. Since the game is programmed to only recognize attacks from the front of your opponent, characters are not able to block attacks landed on them from an opponent that is facing away from them. This is considered a broken mechanic, and looked down upon by some.

This is also considered a broken mechanic. Toggle Parrying (also referred to as “Toggle Escape” through a similar method) is when you switch weapons while in the middle of being staggered (attacked repeatedly by a weapon that has broken your poise) in order to escape the staggering effect and be able to do one of two options: Roll or Parry. Toggle Parrying is looked down upon more than Dead Angling is, as it creates too much punishment and exploitation in the game's mechanics and defeats the “risk” of attempting to parry outside of using the Toggle effect. If you see a build that uses a rapier or similar weapon used intentionally for high critical damage as a secondary in the player's left or right hand, it is likely that you are facing an opponent that Toggles exploitatively to get in a cheap and damaging Riposte.

Hot-Swapping (also referred to as Hard-Swapping) is when a player chooses to equip a new weapon directly from his inventory while in the middle of combat, rather than switching to his secondary weapon. Hot-Swapping can also be done for armor, rings, ammo, etc, and is not considered a broken mechanic nor looked down upon. It is merely a quick means of inventory access that has been honed further for adaptable use within intense situations. To Hot-Swap, all you have to do is access your Equipment from the menu while in the middle of combat, switch something that you are currently wielding or wearing, and that's it.

A lot of opponents are unaware that this is even a thing, and it's surprising that they don't, because it's useful against certain types of opponents (people who Toggle-Parry, for example). Dragging is when you stall your upcoming swing, using your attack key at the very end of your first attack's animation rather than near the end of it. This slows down your next swing, throwing off your opponent's parry timings and perhaps saving you from being countered with a Riposte.

Let me be clear here: Hitting the attack key near the end of an attack animation allows for a quicker next attack with the same weapon. Hitting it at the very end of an attack animation is what creates the Drag. Dragging is not considered a broken mechanic, as you can tell in the way animations are done that attacks were designed to be drag-able.

Stop giggling. Tip-Stabbing is when you hit the opponent with the very tip of your weapon. This is mainly done using spears, rapiers, and even some swords, such as the Longsword or Claymore thrust attacks. In reality though, this can be done with any melee weapon, so long as you hit them with the very tip. A tip-stab is useful for two reasons: That it cannot be parried, and that it is hard to counter, as your opponent likely will not be able to reach you with his counter. This is not considered a broken mechanic. Opponents that are not close enough to be parried cannot be parried. That is common sense.

Whether this mechanic is broken or not is debatable. In my opinion, it's not, and simply a delay in animations caused by lag. Counter-Backstabbing is when you backstab an opponent while simultaneously, he is backstabbing you. In the end, whoever has the highest ping is considered by the connection as the person who “really” landed the stab, and the person with the lower ping suffers. Sometimes, no damage will occur on both sides, but this is rare.

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If you are being backstabbed as soon as your character has recovered from a previous backstab, you are being chain-stabbed. Chain-stabbing is not considered a broken mechanic, but is looked down upon. To chain-stab someone, simply backstab them, predict (through latency and placement) where they will be facing when they get up and when their invulnerability (backstab recovery) period is over, then immediately backstab them again, preventing them from doing any form of movement whatsoever.

This term refers to two things. The first use of the term (see the image in "Chain-stabbing" for visual reference) refers to when someone backstabs an opponent while he is rolling. Naturally, the slower the roll, the easier it is for someone to backstab the person that is rolling. This is the only exception to rolling iframes, and cannot be confirmed whether or not it is a broken mechanic. It is not looked down upon by the community.

The second use of the term refers to a style of backstab “Fishing.” In this use of the term, your opponent will stop locking onto you, quickly roll behind you (Ninja Roll or Fast Roll) so that they are facing your back within under half a second, and then backstab you. This is not considered a broken mechanic, and is only looked down upon by anyone that is against “Fishing” in PvP.

This technique can be done in one of three methods.

As the name implies, this is a useful maneuver in breaking out of an opponent that is chain-stabbing you. When an opponent is chain-stabbing you, it is very likely that they are anticipating you to lock onto them while you are getting up. This causes your character to turn while moving, and what allows your opponent to land more backstabs on you, as it's easy to anticipate where someone turns if they're locking on.

Method 1: To nullify a chainstab, all you have to do is not lock onto your opponent when you're getting up. Instead, roll away or backstep away from them (again not locking onto them), find a good distance, then resume your normal fighting style. That's all it takes. Chainstab-Nullify is not considered a broken mechanic and is not looked down upon.

Method 2: You can also choose not to roll away or backstep away from them. If you choose to stand still instead (and again, do not lock on), your recovery animation will last longer than your opponent can anticipate, giving you more iframes and throwing his chainstab timings off.

Method 3: Wear thorn leggings (or armor with similar effects). This specific leg armor (what the invader Kirk uses) does damage to an opponent that is touching you while you are roll-dodging. If your opponent tries to backstab you while you roll-dodge, you have a significant chance of damaging them, which will completely nullify the backstab! This will work even if, and especially if, the backstab still happens.

Either of these methods will be effective in nullifying a chainstabber. If one does not work, simply try the other. You may also want to consider switching to ranged (magic, bows, etc) or wide-swinging (greataxes, greatswords, etc) weaponry in order to help avoid these types of fishers.

So you've made it this far, and I'm impressed. Don't worry. There isn't that much left in this section. In fact, this section is completely optional and perhaps opinionated compared to the previous information given. Feel free to read further to learn more.

Honor means to have unfair advantages and choose not to use them.

The quotes are there for a reason. You can do just about everything right in PvP, and some stranger will still find reason to send you hatemail or call you weak. Don't listen to them. They don't know you, you don't know them, and neither side has a right to enforce made-up rulings to judge someone else unless the conditions were agreed upon by both sides before the fight even began.

Your job as a host is to survive. If an invader invades you, then do what it takes to survive that invasion. An invader is allowed to use one-use spells. You're allowed to use Estus. That is how the game works. Do not let someone patronize you with their exploitative, ever-damaging one-use buff builds just because you're scared about some false sense of honor in a video game. Do not expect invaders to fall under conditions they've never accepted either, and expect them to also be doing whatever it takes to kill you.

As an invader, your job is to kill the host. Expect the host to use whatever is necessary to survive. That is how the game works. Do not expect the host to fall under conditions they've never accepted.

Don't act like honor doesn't exist in this game, though. It is possible, and you are free to fight under what you consider to be honorable conditions. Just don't enforce them on someone else or call them weak unless they've agreed to your terms beforehand.

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Dais (Left) & Ruins (Right)

If you are tired of having opponents team up against you, people who heal, or anything else you'd otherwise consider “dishonorable” to you, then I highly recommend seeking out an arena known as the Battle of Stoicism. This arena can be accessed near the area in the DLC where Artorias is defeated. It will be at the exit of that area, where the entrance into Oolacile Township begins.

The Battle of Stoicism allows you to choose one of three modes, within one of two arenas (Ruins or Dais). There is Deathmatch (1v1v1v1), Duels (1v1), and Teams (2v2). In all of these modes, all players are allowed to use one-use spells that replenish when they die, and all players are not allowed to use consumables that heal them. They are, however, allowed to use spells that heal them. It is possible to find and fight strangers in these arenas, but unlikely. Instead, find an opponent (or friend) you respect, and ask him to go to one of the arenas with you. Create/Accept duelist conditions that both sides can agree on, and begin fighting on equal grounds. It's a great way to learn how to fight, and there is no risk involved in losing.

That is how true honor works.

I would like to take a moment to thank all of you for reading through this guide. Again, if you have anything you would like to add, including tactics and mechanics I may have missed, then please comment here that you would like to talk and then send me a friend invite (so I know why you're inviting me). We can chat there. Please leave critiques and big opinions out of the comments, as to avoid drama.

Feel free to comment and challenge me to a Stoicism duel though. Those are always fun. See you there!

Strawberry Kpop – Helped record demonstrations with incredible fidelity in New Londo.
ForSeaGle – Assisted in the demonstrations held in New Londo.
Vienbichin – Contributed information for the "Chainstab Nullify" section.
Nami – Assisted in the demonstrations held in Darkroot.