Game Mechanics: General

# Absolution

If an NPC takes enough damage or is attacked by player or enemy enough times, they begin to attack the player. This can be reset with absolution at the Statue of Velka or the Purging Monument at the price of the player's level multiplied by 1000.

Blacksmith Andre, the Fire Keeper, and the Shrine Handmaid all respawn on death. After death without absolution, Andre will refuse services, but the Fire Keeper's services won't change. She will drop the Eyes of a Fire Keeper if given them, however.

The Shrine Handmaid's prices increase for each death without absolution up to six times, with no effect on sell price.

Deaths Prices
1 1.2x
2 1.5x
3 2x
4 3x
5 4x
6 5x

# Durability

Icon In-Game Description
Effectiveness greatly reduced past a certain threshold.

Weapons and Armor have a durability stat associated with them. Equipment under 30% durability are "At Risk" and have 70% effectiveness, and equipment at 0 durability are Broken and have 50% effectiveness.

Lost durability may be restored with Repair Powder or the Repair Sorcery, and by resting at bonfires. However, broken equipment must be brought to Blacksmith Andre for durability to be repaired.

For Weapons, durability is lost every 5 to 10 swings. For Armor, durability is only lost upon taking damage.

Note: The Moonlight Greatsword will consume 4 durability for each of its unique charged heavy attacks.

# Estus Refills

After killing enemies, players may occasionally receive an estus charge. Estus Refills are a random chance unrelated to Item Discovery that are more likely the stronger the enemy is and the less estus the player has. Ashen Estus Flask charges can also be refilled this way. These are separate from the guaranteed estus refills by killing phantoms in multiplayer or as NPCs.

The Pyromancer's Parting Flame has a Skill that refills one non-Ashen estus charge after every twelve enemies killed.

# Hollowing

Icon In-Game Description
The degree to which this character is cursed.
The character will turn hollow if the curse grows too severe.

After Hollowing level 15, the player's appearance, Covenant icons, and damage of Hollow weapons changes. Hollow Weapons/Shields increase the Luck stat to a maximum of 5 levels depending on upgrade level.

Reinforcement Level Luck
0 2
1 - 4 3
5 - 9 4
10 5

To become Hollow, one must accept Yoel of Londor's offer to draw out true strength at least once. After that, the Hollowing level will rise every time the player dies. Hollowing level increment is increased by the number of Dark Sigils held.

The Dark Sigil can be removed by the Fire Keeper after the Fire Keeper Soul has been given to her. Purging Stones reset hollowing to 0, and dissolution at the Statue of Velka in the Undead Settlement or the Purging Monument in The Ringed City will reset Hollowing to 0 at the cost of the player's level multiplied by 100, but will not remove the Dark Sigil.

The cost to remove Dark Sigils is equal to the level-up equivalent of Dark Sigils held (e.g. two Dark Sigils = next two levels).

# Item Discovery

Icon In-Game Description
Governs likelihood of finding items on the corpses of defeated enemies.

Item Discovery increases the chance of an enemy dropping an item on their random drop table.

Item Discovery works by comparing your value of Item Discovery against the enemies chance to drop an item. For example, if you have an Item Discovery of 100, and Proof of a Concord Kept has a 1% drop rate, your drop rate will be 1%. However if you have a Item Discovery of 400, your drop rate will be 4%.

(1)
\begin{align} Chance = ( Item Discovery / 100 ) * Drop Chance \end{align}

## Modifiers

Source Effect
Covetous Gold Serpent Ring +50 / +75 / +100 / +115
Crystal Sage's Rapier +50
Luck +1 per point
Symbol of Avarice +100
Rusted Coin +50 for 60 seconds
Rusted Gold Coin +100 for 60 seconds

# New Game Plus

New Game Plus is a mechanic in which you start over from the beginning of the game. Stats and equipment persist, as well as Covenant rankings; everything else is reset. Souls gained from enemies scale up until NG+7, at which point soul gain remains static thereafter.

To enter New Game Plus, you must finish the game by defeating the Soul of Cinder and choose 'Yes' when prompted if you wish to enter New Game Plus. You do not have to do this immediately, as you can revisit the menu anytime by sitting at the bonfire in Firelink Shrine.

New Game Plus does not have an effect on your matchmaking, and you will still be able to enter NG worlds.

## Differences

In New Game Plus there are several differences within the game world regarding enemies and equipment. Some pieces of equipment can only be obtained through entering New Game Plus.

The most noticeable difference is the increase in the difficulty. Both HP and Soul values for enemies (including bosses) increases per game cycle. The formula from New Game to NG+ varies on location, but is consistent from NG+ onwards.

Source:1

### Rings

In New Game Plus, you can obtain the upgraded version of several Rings. For example, an additional variant of Havel's Ring can be found called 'Havel's Ring +1' in a separate location. This is repeated for NG+2, but not on any further cycles.

### Weapons

In New Game Plus, the player is capable of creating the Twin Princes' Greatsword. You will be given the option to create this weapon from Lothric's Holy Sword and Lorian's Greatsword from Ludleth of Courland through Soul Transposition.

# Rebirth

By visiting Rosaria, Mother of Rebirth in the Cathedral of the Deep, you can re-allocate your attributes that you have gained through leveling, or you can change your character's appearance. This can only be done a total of five times per game cycle.

Further rebirth is not possible during this lifetime. Persisting will transform you into a grub.

Message Warning for Further Rebirth

Each rebirth requires a Pale Tongue and to have joined the covenant, and Rosaria does not need to be alive for her services.

# Souls and Bloodstains

Icon In-Game Description
Total souls in possession.
Souls have various uses, but are left behind at the spot of one's death.

Souls are gained through various activities, and are the main currency of Dark Souls III. The most common method of gaining souls is to kill enemies and bosses, however they can be gained from consumable souls and PvP as well.

Upon death, all of your souls will be dropped as a bloodstain. They can be retrieved if you visit the spot you died at and pick them up, although dying again will remove the bloodstain, resulting in those souls being lost.

When players drop their souls in other game worlds, at times you can see the bloodstains they leave behind. You can inspect other players' bloodstains in your world to watch their last moments and get clues about how they died.

## Modifiers

These modifiers stack multiplicatively (e.g. +20% on 120% = 144%), and equippable items may stack with themselves.
Source Effect
Covetous Silver Serpent Ring +10% / +20% / +30% / +35%
Mendicant's Staff +20%
Overkill +20% if damage >150% target's Max HP
Shield of Want +20%
Symbol of Avarice +50%
Overkill does not affect bosses and must be done in one hit.
It cannot be triggered by Falling Damage or Status Ailments.

## Notes

• Souls granted are determined when added to the player and not on the target's death, allowing time to equip modifiers.
• Rings of Sacrifice prevent souls lost on death or can allow a second chance to recover souls after death (unless Cursed).
• Monstrosity of Sin can drain souls.

Sources:23