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Table of Contents
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Spells in Dark Souls III are items that unleash various magical effects when cast. They can be bought, sold, and found throughout the world, much like other, regular items. Spells come in three varieties: Sorceries, Miracles and Pyromancies.
Attuning Spells
All spells need to be attuned (i.e. equipped) at a Bonfire, before they can be used in combat. Attuning a spell requires free Attunement Slots, which can be unlocked by raising the Attunement attribute when leveling up or with some Rings.
Casting Spells
Casting a spell requires an appropriate Catalyst, as well as sufficient Focus Points, Intelligence and Faith.
Certain spells possess Dash and Roll Attacks:
Casting Speed
Casting Speed is improved by Dexterity or VDex (caps at 50) and some equipment may help boost this. These are:
- Witchtree Branch - Grants +99 VDex to improve casting speed.
- Saint-tree Bellvine - Grants +99 VDex to improve casting speed.
- Sage Ring - Grants +30 /+35 / +40 VDex to improve casting speed.
- Carthus Milkring - Grants +3 Dexterity.
- Hunter's Ring - Grants +5 Dexterity.
Spell Scaling
Damage for spells is a combination of Spell Buff and Motion Value.
Spell Buff
Spell Buff is a multiplier applied to your spell's Motion Value. The easiest way to see this in the healing Miracles, where the Motion Value is unaffected by other variables.
Consider the Miracle Heal Aid. It has a Motion Value of 150. Let's say you are using a Catalyst with a Spell Buff of 60.
To apply your Spell Buff, divide it by 100 and then multiply the Motion Value of Heal Aid with your result.
(1)For our example, this would be (60 / 100) * 150, resulting in 90.
Hidden Spell Buff
For Catalysts effective at casting Dark Spells, or other spell types such as White Hair Talisman's Pyromancies, there exist hidden Spell Buff values. These are what cause Dark or other Spells to deal more or less damage than in-game Spell Buff.
Source:1
Spell Scaling
These are the rules of Spell Scaling damage for Spell Types:
- Sorceries scale with Intelligence.
- Miracles scale with Faith.
- Pyromancies scale with both Intelligence and Faith.
- Dark Sorceries/Miracles (such as Dorhys' Gnawing and Affinity) scale with both Intelligence and Faith.
- Good Catalysts for casting Dark Spells are the Izalith Staff, Caitha's Chime, and Sunless Talisman as they gain Spell Buff from Intelligence and Faith. Crystal Chime does as well, but is less effective with Dark Miracles/Sorceries.
- Steady Chant and Chant from the Depths battle arts also provide a bonus to Dark AR for Sorcery Spells.
It's notable that Crystal Chime allows Sorceries and Miracles to scale with both Intelligence and Faith. However, Physical damage Miracles (e.g. Emit Force) do not scale from Intelligence.
Notes
- Using Skills like Steady Chant that provide Buffs will benefit Spells casted from other Catalysts. e.g. Steady Chant from the Sage's Crystal Staff and then casting Spells with a Crystal Chime will increase the AR of Crystal Soul Spear.
- Sorcery Weapon Buffs will not benefit from Faith scaling with the Crystal Chime, and vice versa for Miracle Weapon Buffs.
Source:2