How to Jump Start DS3: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners

The world of Dark Souls 3 is a brutal and unforgiving one. It demands patience, skill, and a willingness to embrace the inevitable pain of death. But for those who persevere, it offers a unique and deeply rewarding experience.

This guide is for those who are new to the game and are looking for a solid foundation to build upon. We’ll cover everything from character creation to early-game strategies, providing you with the tools you need to jump start DS3 and begin your journey into the unforgiving realm of Lothric.

Choosing Your Path: The Character Creation Guide

The first step in your Dark Souls 3 journey is to create your character. This seemingly simple act holds significant weight, as your chosen class will determine your starting stats and influence your playstyle throughout the game.

Here’s a breakdown of the available classes and their strengths:

• Knight: A well-rounded class with decent stats in all areas. A good choice for beginners who want a solid foundation to build upon.
• Mercenary: A balanced class with a focus on agility and combat prowess. Ideal for players who want to engage in fast-paced combat.
• Warrior: A strong class with high physical damage output. Best suited for aggressive players who like to get up close and personal.
• Hunter: A nimble class with a focus on ranged combat. Perfect for players who prefer to keep their distance and pick off enemies from afar.
• Sorcerer: A magic-focused class with high starting spellcasting stats. Ideal for players who want to unleash devastating spells upon their foes.
• Pyromancer: A class with a focus on fire magic. Offers a unique playstyle with a combination of close-range pyromancies and ranged spells.
• Cleric: A support class with high faith and healing abilities. Best suited for players who prefer to heal their allies and support their team.
• Deprived: A class with minimal starting stats but high potential for customization. A challenging but rewarding choice for experienced players.

While each class has its strengths and weaknesses, the Deprived class offers the most flexibility and freedom in terms of character development. It’s a great choice for those who want to experiment and create a truly unique character.

The First Steps: Navigating the Tutorial Area

Once you’ve created your character, you’ll find yourself in the tutorial area, the High Wall of Lothric. This area is designed to introduce you to the core mechanics of Dark Souls 3, including combat, item management, and exploration.

Here are some key tips for navigating the High Wall of Lothric:

• Explore thoroughly: Pay attention to your surroundings and don’t be afraid to venture off the beaten path. You’ll find hidden items, secret passages, and valuable insights into the game’s lore.
• Learn the combat system: Experiment with different weapons and attacks to find what suits your playstyle. Remember, mastering the game’s combat system is crucial for survival.
• Don’t be afraid to die: Death is a natural part of the Dark Souls experience. Embrace it as a learning opportunity and use it to improve your skills.
• Utilize the bonfire: The bonfire is your safe haven, allowing you to level up, heal, and restock your supplies. Make sure to use it whenever possible.
• Pay attention to the environment: The game’s environment is filled with clues and hints that can help you navigate its challenges. Look for patterns, listen to the sounds, and pay attention to the details.

Leveling Up: Building Your Character

As you progress through the game, you’ll gain Souls, the currency used to level up your character. Each level increases your stats, allowing you to improve your character’s abilities.

Here’s a breakdown of the main stats in Dark Souls 3:

• Vigor: Increases your health.
• Attunement: Increases your maximum FP (Focus Points), which are used for spells and miracles.
• Endurance: Increases your stamina, which is used for actions like sprinting, rolling, and attacking.
• Strength: Increases your physical damage output and carrying capacity.
• Dexterity: Increases your physical damage output, critical hit chance, and ability to use faster weapons.
• Intelligence: Increases your magic damage output and spell casting speed.
• Faith: Increases your miracle damage output and healing power.
• Arcane: Increases your dark magic damage output and unlocks access to certain spells and items.

The optimal stat allocation depends on your chosen class and playstyle. However, it’s generally recommended to prioritize Vigor, Endurance, and the stat that corresponds to your primary damage source (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, or Faith).

The Power of Weapons: Choosing Your Arsenal

Dark Souls 3 offers a wide variety of weapons, each with its own unique moveset, damage output, and scaling. Choosing the right weapon is essential for success.

Here are some key factors to consider when choosing a weapon:

• Damage type: Weapons deal different types of damage, such as physical, fire, magic, and lightning. Choose a weapon that is effective against the enemies you’ll be facing.
• Moveset: Each weapon has its own unique set of attacks, including light and heavy attacks, special moves, and weapon arts. Experiment with different weapons to find one that suits your playstyle.
• Scaling: Weapons scale with different stats, which means that their damage output will increase as you level up those stats. Choose a weapon that scales well with the stats you are investing in.
• Weight: Weapons have different weights, which affect your stamina consumption and movement speed. Choose a weapon that is within your weight limit and allows you to move freely.

Exploring the World: Embracing the Journey

Dark Souls 3 is a game about exploration. The world is interconnected and filled with secrets, hidden paths, and optional bosses. Take your time, explore every nook and cranny, and don’t be afraid to get lost.

Here are some tips for exploring the world of Dark Souls 3:

• Read the item descriptions: The game’s item descriptions are filled with valuable information about the world, its lore, and its inhabitants. Pay attention to them and you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the game’s story.
• Talk to NPCs: NPCs can provide you with quests, information, and valuable items. Talk to everyone you meet and try to understand their motivations.
• Pay attention to the environment: The game’s environment is filled with clues and hints that can help you navigate its challenges. Look for patterns, listen to the sounds, and pay attention to the details.
• Don’t be afraid to backtrack: You’ll often need to backtrack to areas you’ve already explored to find new items, access new areas, or progress through the story.
• Embrace the unknown: The beauty of Dark Souls 3 is its sense of mystery and wonder. Don’t be afraid to explore the unknown and discover its hidden secrets.

Mastering the Art of Combat: Surviving the Fray

Combat in Dark Souls 3 is a delicate dance of timing, positioning, and aggression. It requires patience, precision, and a willingness to learn from your mistakes.

Here are some tips for mastering the game’s combat system:

• Learn the enemy patterns: Pay attention to enemy attack patterns and learn how to dodge their attacks. Each enemy has its own unique moveset, so it’s important to learn their weaknesses and exploit them.
• Master the roll: Rolling is your most important defensive tool. It allows you to dodge attacks, avoid damage, and reposition yourself. Practice rolling until you can do it flawlessly.
• Use the environment to your advantage: Use the environment to your advantage by using obstacles to block enemy attacks, luring them into traps, or creating openings for attacks.
• Don’t be afraid to back off: If you’re overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to back off and regroup. It’s better to retreat and survive than to push forward and die.
• Experiment with different weapons and strategies: There is no one right way to play Dark Souls 3. Experiment with different weapons, strategies, and playstyles to find what works best for you.

The Final Stand: A New Beginning

Congratulations! You’ve conquered the challenges of Dark Souls 3 and emerged victorious. But your journey is far from over. The world is filled with hidden secrets, optional bosses, and countless opportunities for exploration. Embrace the unknown, continue to learn and grow, and you’ll discover the true beauty of this unforgiving yet rewarding world.

Popular Questions

Q: What is the best starting class for beginners?

A: The Knight class is a good starting point for beginners as it offers a well-rounded set of stats. However, the Deprived class provides the most flexibility and freedom for character customization, although it can be more challenging for beginners.

Q: How do I level up my character?

A: You level up your character by spending Souls, which are earned by defeating enemies and bosses. Each level increases your stats, allowing you to improve your character’s abilities.

Q: What is the best way to learn the combat system?

A: The best way to learn the combat system is by practicing and experimenting. Pay attention to enemy attack patterns, learn how to dodge effectively, and master the art of rolling.

Q: What are some tips for exploring the world?

A: Explore thoroughly, read item descriptions, talk to NPCs, pay attention to the environment, and don’t be afraid to backtrack.

Q: What is the most important tip for surviving in Dark Souls 3?

A: The most important tip for surviving in Dark Souls 3 is to be patient and learn from your mistakes. Embrace death as a learning opportunity and use it to improve your skills.