Online or Multiplayeris part of Dark Souls 3. Players are encouraged to summon and be summoned and experience the game with others. Please see the Hollow Arena page for information relating to PVP arena.
Online Information
- Connection Servers are dedicated
- Online play is platform specific; no cross-platform play.
- Online interaction happens when the player has used an Ember by summoning of phantoms via signs they place on the ground with a White Sign Soapstone. You may also encounter unwelcome invasions from hostile players using invasion items and covenant mechanics.
- Up to 6 players can interact in the same session, which happens seamlessly during gameplay, each player taking on the roles of cooperator and/or hostile invader. The different Covenants and soapstone signs change the ratio of companions to invaders. It is possible to have anything from a 3v3 to a 1v5 scenario. Even 4vs2 (4 Friendly, 2 Enemy) Check Dried Finger Notes
- The amount of souls gained by the phantom post boss fight appears to be 25% of the boss's normal reward (Tested).
- Using the Dried Finger resets the invasion timer and allows a host player to summon a 3rd phantom as well opening themselves up to a 2nd invading phantom.
- Matchmaking is once again level-based, as well as taking into account the upgrade level of a player's weapon. Please see the Summon Range Calculator for details on the exact level ranges.
- You can summon other players regardless of NG/NG+ differences. There are no NG conditions for matchmaking.
- Password Matching (as seen in Bloodborne Online) is a feature and disregards the aforementioned soul level and weapon upgrade level matchmaking in lieu of a normalizing adjustment to phantom attack power. Password matching DOES NOT allow you to summon a friend in a cleared area with a White Sign Soapstone. However, you can still summon them using a Red Sign Soapstone.
- In addition to the basic online parameters listed below, Covenants also alter the multiplayer experience for players. Several of the covenants are defense pacts that send players in to defend a specific area from being completed by exploring players, each with their own specific mechanics.
- Phantoms havehalf their current estus charges when in a host's world, rounded down (i.e. 1 flask turns into 0, 3 turns into 1, etc).
- Covenant signs cannot be swapped outwhen trying to connect to someone else's world.
- Other players summon signs will disappear as long as yours is active.
- Hosts, friendly phantoms, and hostile phantoms can get an estus chargeback if another hostile or friendly phantom dies.
- Some bosses will only allow you to summon a specific amount of phantoms.
- 6 player PvP matches can be quickly made in Irithyll of the Boreal Valley by equipping the Way of Blue Covenant in the area after the Pontiff Sulyvahn bonfire.
- For killing an invader, the host receives 15% of the souls required for the invader's most recent level-up (rounded down). See the Level page for the soul requirements.
- For killing the host of another world, invaders receive 4% of the souls required for the host's most recent level-up (rounded down).
- For killing an invader summoned viaRed Sign Soapstone, the host receives roughly 1% or less (topping at 0,75%) of the souls required for the invader's most recent level-up (rounded down).
- For killing the host of another world which summoned the invader viaRed Sign Soapstone, the invader will receive around 10% of the souls required for the host's most recent level-up (rounded down).
- Remember, accepting items via online play is risky, some of these may be hacked items in which you can get banned for. So be careful about who you accept items from
Phantoms (Ghosts)
Other players will be shown in the game world as phantoms (ghosts). You cannot interact with phantoms, and they cannot interact with you. Use other phantoms as a guide to what may happen next in-game.
Bloodstains
Examine a blood stain left behind in a spot where another player died, and you'll view a replay of that player's death. Like with phantoms, you can use this as a guide to what may happen next.
Messages
The messages you can write in the main menu will be sent to other players. You'll also receive messages written by other players in your world. Messages can be rated. If other players rate your messages, you'll regain a little HP.
Use a White Sign Soapstone to cast a soul sign, and that sign will be sent to other players' worlds. If you're summoned from the sign, you'll be transported to the summoner's world. Soul signs can be cast by anyone, whether living or undead, but you must have the power of the Lord of Cinder to summon other players.
Co-Op Play
Co-Op PlayUse a White Sign Soapstone, and you'll be able to play co-op with up to Threeother players. However, playing with three other players requires the host to use theDried finger. The summoning player is called the "host", and the summoned players are called the "clients". You cannot become a host if you've already defeated the boss of the current area. If you've turned voice chat on in the network options, you can chat between the host and the client.
Starting Co-op
- The clients use a White Sign Soapstone to place a soul sign.
- The host then examines the soul sign and summons the client.
- The host and client play together in the host's world.
Success Conditions
If the host defeats the area's boss, the clients will receive rewards and return to their own worlds.
Failure Conditions
If the clients or host die or any return items are used, the client will return to their own world.
Competitive Play
Competitive PlayUse a Red Eye Orbor Cracked Red Eye Orb and you'll be able to invade other players' worlds and play against them competitively. The invaded player is called the "host", and the invading player is called the "client". Up to two people can invade a world at once. Invaders treat each other as enemies and can attack and damage each other. You may also use a Red Sign Soapstone to be summoned to duel.
Starting Competitive Play
- Please see Hollow Arena for PVP arena information.
- The client uses a Red Eye Orb.
- The client automatically invades the world of the selected host.
- The host and client play against each other in the host's world.
- You cannot invade into a host's world if the boss is dead.
- Players can also use the Red Sign Soapstone to leave a summon sign for duels.
- The red soapstone sign can still be used to be summoned into a host's world that has already killed the boss.
- RSS phantoms don't take a health penalty.
- If the host uses a Dried Finger, the invasion timer is reset, making more rapid invasions possible.
- When Summoned by RSS you can profit of the health bonus from ember form if you embed BEFORE placing your sign, resulting in being a red phantom with 1.3x health.
Success Conditions
If the host is defeated, the client will receive rewards and return to their own world.
Failure Conditions
If the client dies, the host enters a boss room, or any return items are used, the client will return to their own world.
Lord of Cinder
Lord of CinderIn order to summon other players, you must use an Ember to obtain the power of the Lord of Cinder. Using an Ember allows you to become a multiplayer host. When in Lord of Cinder mode, your character's appearance will change, and you'll have the following effects until you die:
- Maximum HP boosted 1.3x
- Able to summon other players via soul sign as well as be invaded.
- The icon next to gauges change.
Note: If you're summoned by another player while in Lord of Cinder mode, your maximum HP will go back to normal until you return to your world.
