There are many different ways to play Dark Souls 3, whether it is a melee build with a giant ax or a ranged build with a bow. Even if you have played through the game many times, there is still another way to play the game that will change how you specifically play.
When trying something different, it gives you a different gameplay experience that you can enjoy.
One way to make your playthrough fun is if you use magic or spells. It is pretty easy to understand how to use them and what you need to do so, but it takes some work and practice to master everything about them.
When you get good at using magic, you almost feel invincible at times because of all your power. Just don’t give up on them when trying to understand how they work.
What is FP?
FP stands for Focus Points, which you use to cast a spell. With an Ashen Estus Flask, you can bring your FP back to normal, but the only downside is that FP does not regenerate.
If you want a steady supply of FP, ensure you have a good balance between Ashen and regular Estus Flasks. To do so, go to Blacksmith Andre, who will give you the option to adjust the amount of each Estus Flask you have.
When using FP, you must be careful not to run out because it can be very bad if you can’t fight or cast any of your spells. Ensure you are always stocked up on your Ashen Estus Flasks, or you will have a bad time while playing.
What attributes do you need to use spells?
You need to put upgrade points into the three most used attributes: Intelligence, Faith, and Dexterity. A lot of the time, you will have to have a max of 25 Intelligence and 25 Faith actually to be able to use each spell.
Dexterity allows you to cast certain spells faster, which helps with the time to kill enemies that are harder to beat. You should also put some points into Vitality, Endurance, and Attunement to help your health, stamina, and FP amount.
If you get to the max attribute points that you want, you can also put new ones you get into other places like Strength or Luck. It does not hurt to put some extra points away somewhere else, just in case you want to try another build later.
What kind of spells can you use?
There are 3 spell types that you can use in Dark Souls 3, and each has different aspects that are better for certain things than the others. The three spell types are Miracles, Pyromancies, and Sorceries. You might get confused about all the different spells and types, so here is what each does.
Miracles – These types of Magic usually deal Lightning Damage or heal/buff the player, primarily scaling with Faith. There are a total of 38 Miracles that the player can use, each with its own abilities.
Pyromancies – These are a type of magic that deals fire damage primarily or provides resistance to damage, scaling with both Intelligence and Faith. There are a total of 30 Pyromancies that the player can use, and each has its abilities.
Sorceries – This type of magic has the most extensive variety of damage types and effects and scales primarily with Intelligence. There are a total of 38 Sorceries that the player can use, each with its own abilities.
What do you need to use spells?
There are a few things you need to get before you can use your spells, and each one of the different types requires a summoning item that allows you to cast the spell.
For Miracles to be cast, one must acquire one of the 7 Chimes or 6 Talismans in the game and go to the bonfire to equip the specific Miracle.
If one wants to use Pyromancy, he must acquire one of the 3 Pyromancy catalysts in the game. When you choose Pyromancer as a starting class, you will already start with a Pyromancy Flame.
You can then equip a Pyromancy from the bonfire. If one wants to use Sorceries, he must find one of the 12 Staves to cast a Sorcery, or you can find one of the 5 weapons that allow for you to cast Sorcery. You can then equip your spell from the bonfire.
What are Tomes/Scrolls?
Tomes/Scrolls are items you can find somewhere in the game world by either looting it from a dead body or defeating an NPC.
Giving one to a specific NPC unlocks a couple of new spells in each of their shops. Some are easy to get, while others are very hard to get. Most of the time, you will not even know that there is a Tome or Scroll in a specific area, and you might have even run past it before.
Also, it is best to find these Tomes and Scrolls as soon as you get to a new area because it gives you access to many new spells that you can only get from the specific tomes. No need to worry if you can’t get the items immediately because you will always have a spell to use anyway.
Here are the different Tomes and Scrolls you can get in Dark Souls 3:
Miracle Tomes
| Braille Divine Tome of Carim | Give to Irina of Carim | Road of Sacrifices, drop down from bridge to ledge, in a nearby cave | |
| Londor Braille Divine Tome | Give to Irina of Carim or Karla | Buy from Yuria of Londor | |
| Deep Braille Divine Tome | Give to Irina of Carim or Karla | Cathedral of the Deep, drops from a Mimic | |
| Braille Divine Tome of Lothric | Give to Irina of Carim | Lothric Castle Courtyard by Dragonslayer Armour, through the broken wall, drop down into the lower room |
Pyromancy Tomes
| Great Swamp Pyromancy Tome | Give to Cornyx | In the Crucifixion Woods area, on the right, the Exiled Knights attack you with a great club and greatsword. It’s in the water next to a tree, near a crab. | |
| Carthus Pyromancy Tome | Give to Cornyx | Catacombs of Carthus, behind an illusory wall | |
| Izalith Pyromancy Tome | Give to Cornyx | Smouldering Lake, Head down the corridor with the demon at the Old King’s Antechamber, the tome is guarded by three Ghru. | |
| Quelena Pyromancy Tome | Give to Karla | Smouldering Lake, behind an illusory wall | |
| Grave Warden Pyromancy Tome | Give to Karla | Catacombs of Carthus, High Lord Wolnir boss fight/bonfire room |
Sorcery Scrolls
| Sage’s Scroll | Give to Orbeck of Vinheim | Farron Keep, Keep Ruins bonfire. Look left after going down to the swamp. It is across the swamp guarded by enemies. | |
| Golden Scroll | Give to Orbeck of Vinheim | Farron Keep, Keep ruins bonfire. Walk all the way down to the end of the fallen bridge, and follow the right wall through the poison swamp. The scroll is in a cave at the end of that wall guarded by some basilisks. | |
| Logan’s Scroll | Give to Orbeck of Vinheim | Irithryll Dungeon, poison swamp in Profaned Capital, building on roof, drops from NPC | |
| Crystal Scroll | Give to Orbeck of Vinheim | Lothric Castle, defeat the Crystal Sage in the Grand Archives |
What are spell enhancement items?
Spell Enhancement items allow for a boost in whatever spells you are using. 5 enhancement items for Miracles allow your damage from Miracles to be boosted.
One also increases your Faith by 5 points. Pyromancy has a total of 12 boosting items, and most are rings. These items increase fire damage, and some allow the player to use less FP when casting.
Sorceries have a total of 7 boosting items, and 5 are rings. Remember that you can only have 4 rings equipped at one specific time. There are also 2 different hats you can wear that will boost your magic damage.
The rings will increase your Sorcery damage and add more points to your attributes. All items can be found anywhere, and if you want to know what the items are and where to find them, go to this link: https://darksouls3.wiki.fextralife.com/Magic
Conclusion
In conclusion, spells in Dark Souls 3 are very confusing when you first start trying them. You will learn the best thing to do for each with some practice and time. There are many different ways you can play Dark Souls 3, and using spells is just one of the thousands of options given to you as a player. Don’t be afraid to pick up a catalyst and shoot lightning at an enemy.