Here are some beginner and advanced Dark Souls 3 hints, tips and tricks.

• Poison resist gear - While working through poison areas, try to equip the highest poison resist gear you have to increase time before you get poisoned.
• NPC invasions - NPC invasions happen if you have used an ember.
• Don't lose progress - When quitting the game, make sure you go to the start menu and select quit. If you alt f4 (PC) or close out of the game (consoles), you may lose progress.
• Fire weapon early - If you pick the fire gem as your starting gift, you can upgrade a weapon to have fire damage as soon as you get to Firelink Shrine. Fire weapons are very effective against many types of enemies.
• Farming embers - if you help a host kill a boss, your ember status will be refilled and you will get an extra ember. You can also farm embers and titanite shards from knights in the first part of the game.
• Farming titanite shards - Another way to farm shards is to go to the first bonfire in the catacombs, and kill the first non-skeleton enemy that spawns on the bridge. This enemy always drops titanite.
• Secret Area in Firelink - There is a secret area at the top of firelink shrine but you need to jump off a tree to a ledge. If you enter firelink, take the stairs on the right, then run all the way up until you see a tree and a ledge next to it.

  Try to run at the tree then at the last second jump to the ledge. If you make it there is an estus shard, an NPC who trades items for other items, a covetous silver serpent ring (break the illusionary wall at the top) and a few other secrets.

• Faster stamina recovery - Getting your equip load to 40% or less for boss fights can really help. A lot of times boss fights take lots of stamina because you have to dodge a lot of attacks.


• Sorting items - Some people don't realize you can actually sort the items in your inventory just like in Dark Souls 2, including in a descending order.

  For example, sorting your weapons by "Attack" -> "Descending" will put your most powerful weapons at the top left of your inventory. The button to sort on your platform is at the bottom left of the screen.

• Dealing with HP loss / maggots - If you get attacked by maggots who drain your HP, simply equip your torch to get rid of them!
• Dealing with packs of enemies - Many times you will have to fight enemies which are bunched up and close to each other. The best way to deal with this is to pull each enemy one by one with a ranged weapon, or item.

  You can use firebombs, throwing knives, bows, crossbows, etc. to pull an enemy to a safe area, and fight them one on one.

• Boss souls - Don't forget to trade your boss souls with Ludeth in Firelink Shrine. He can be found on one of the thrones at the top next to the bonfire.
• Unlimited homeward bones - The shrine handmaid in Firelink will sell you unlimited homeward bones for quickly teleporting back to the bonefire. Make sure you stock up on them to make your life easier if you get lost somewhere with a lot of souls.
• Early katana - There is a katana you can get really early in the game after arriving at Firelink Shrine.

  When you leave the firelink shrine through the top door, go to your right and up the stairs, there will be a tough enemy. If you can defeat it, you will get a katana.

• Easy FP Regeneration - If your character has a fair ammount of VIT, you might want to pick up the Executioners Greatsword and wear it on your back while fighting.

  This sword will regenerate a small ammount of FP after every enemy defeated, even if you're not using the sword itself. It simply needs to be equipped and on your back.


• Raise defense - Vitality is a also great way to raise your defense, so don't neglect it.
• True weapon power - Keep in mind that the weapon damage stats you see in your inventory screen are not correct until you meet the weapon requirements.
• More powerful attacks - With weapons that have the Warcry skill (like axes), once you use your warcry, the R2 hold weapon skill becomes more powerful. Note that you can use warcries without mana, they just do a little less damage. Same goes for special attacks.
• Getting past shields - In addition to the forward + R1 kick that you can do to break shields, you can also use some weapons L2 2-handed attacks to stagger them even if they have their shield up.

  Then get in front of them quickly and hit R1 for a finisher that does a lot of damage.

• Good basic build - If you're unsure which attributes to level up, a good basic build that will be able to do high damage in PVE is to raise your Vigor, Endurance, Strength and Dex to 40, and then any other attributes you want to level.
• Illusionary walls - Unlike previous Dark Souls games where you hit action to open secret doors, in Dark Souls 3 you can look for secret illusionary walls by attacking them.
• Sorting items - Hit the left stick (L3) to sort items in your inventory.
• Giant friend - If you want the giant who throws spears to help you instead of attack you, take the elevator found after the sewers (Undead Settlement > Dilapidated Bridge bonfire) to the top.

  In order to do this quickly walk over the button on the elevator and let it go down. Then when the second part arrives, let it take you to the top. You will find the giant right up the stairs.

• Buying more miracles - First buy the key to the Undead Wewer from the Shrine Handmaid in Firelink Shrine. Next go to the Undead Sewers and find the lady. Once you talk to her she will appear in Firelink Shrine next to the NPC who gives you free levels.
• Missing shadow / Becoming Human - Keep in mind that your shadow will go away the more hallowed you are. To reset your hallowed status go to the Undead Settlement > Dilapidated Bridge bonfire and then go down to the sewers found across the bridge behind the bonfire.

  Kill the giant rat and other rats, then go past the fog to the second door on your right that has a candle on it. Take a right in the tunnel and then talk to Velka, the Goddess of Sin at the end of the tunnel to request dissolution and become human again.

  (It costs around 3000 souls depending on how hallowed you are)

  

• Farming Titanite Chunks and Scales - To upgrade the best weapons in the game, you will need Titanite Chunks, Scales and Twinkling titante.

  A few can be found early on in the game, but the largest quantity can be found later in the game at Lothric Castle and beyond.

  In order to get to Lothric Castle, you must defeat the Dancer of Boreal Valley. Once you get to Lothric Castle, explore further, and run below past the dragons.

  This area has a lot of chunks, scales and even some twinkling titanite.

• Recommended DLC Levels - The recommended level for Ashes of Ariandel is 80 and for The Ringed City it's level 125.
• Ringed City Angel Enemy - The angel enemy which fires lasers at you in The Ringed City DLC (which first appears in the Dreg Heap) can be incredibly annoying to deal with for someone who is playing through the DLC for the first time.

  The good news is that this enemy is being controlled by a summoner you will find if you simply keep moving through the area. This enemy is passive and will not attack you.

  Make sure to kill this summoner instead of running by it (as I've seen people do many times in playthroughs), as it will also permanently kill the laser firing angel.

  Another way to get passed them is to use the spell "Hidden body".

Have any Dark Souls 3 tips we missed? Please post them in the comments below! Just make sure to mark any spoilers if possible. Thanks for your contributions.