So you’re playing Dark Souls III and you’re ready to invade other worlds or participate in epic duels. Great! But if you’ve decided to play a sorcerer this time around, you’re going to have a hard time. If you’re committed to the Intellect route, here are five tips that might help you defeat your opponents with a sorcerer PVP build in Dark Souls III.
Cheese Isn’t Just for Bosses
Look, here’s the thing. Magic in Dark Souls III just isn’t very good. Spells take far too long to cast and cannot be canceled, leaving you wide open to attacks. The strongest spells don’t do a whole lot of damage, and spell casting still uses Stamina, which means you may have trouble blocking or rolling after sending out a spell volley. On top of all that, spells are so clearly telegraphed that opponents can easily roll out of the way of most magical attacks. Which means one thing if you want to get more Pale Tongues: you have to be willing to fight on your own terms.
If you’re invading, consider using Chameleon to hide near difficult enemies, waiting to strike until your opponent is distracted and low on health. If you’re good at firing Soul Stream without locking on first, you may be able to snipe hosts while they fight off other mobs. If you’re looking to trick your enemies, you can also try casting Spook and dropping off otherwise deadly ledges. Inexperienced hosts and phantoms may look to chase, falling to their deaths. Lastly, check out the video above to see a devastating Homing Crystal Soul Mass / Soul Spear combo. You won’t always land the attack, but when you do, it’ll be so very satisfying.
Mix It Up
One of the worst aspects of sorcery in Dark Souls III PVP is how telegraphed spell casting is to your opponents. If you want to catch your enemies off guard, you’ll have to mix things up and not rely heavily on one spell. If you usually cast Great Heavy Soul Arrow, try following up a couple of casts with a Soul Spear. The latter comes out a little faster and might hit players expecting yet another Soul Arrow.
Along the same lines, considering bringing out Farron Flashsword to surprise melee opponents. Ultimately, it’s just not viable to rely exclusively on ranged spells. Mix up powerful spells with quick melee strikes with your weapon or Flashsword.
Buff Yourself
Give yourself an edge in every battle. If you have any points in Faith, try casting Tears of Denial, which will let you take a lethal strike without dying. Against heavy-hitting Strength build opponents, Tears of Denial is literally a life-saver and lets you follow up when you would otherwise die. Also, don’t forget to buff your weapons if you can. Crystal Magic Weapon is very powerful if you’re looking to get in a couple of hits with your melee weapon.
Arm Yourself Properly
Speaking of melee weapons, several fun weapons scale with Intellect without infusion. I use the Moonlight Greatsword myself, but early spellcasters should pick up the Crystal Sage’s Rapier. You can also try the Heysel Pick, the Greatsword of Judgement, or the Witch’s Lock. All have their own weapon art and will help you mix up your attacks.
Find the Best Gear
Several armor pieces are essential for anyone looking to build a pure sorcerer. The Sage Ring will reduce your spell casting time, which is a huge help. Meanwhile, the Young Dragon Ring, the Bellowing Dragoncrest Ring, the Magic Clutch ring and the Crown of Dusk will, together, greatly increase your spell damage. These are a must for PVE sorcery and will help you blow up your opponents in PVP. Your options are endless for other armor slots, but I encourage you to try to find this gear as early as possible.
If You’re Still Having a Hard Time…
You can find Rosaria, Mother of Rebirth in the Cathedral of the Deep. For just one Pale Tongue, you can respec your character and invest all your souls in Strength like all the other Dark Souls III PVP players. Good luck, Ashen One.