Advanced Combat

Unlock the secrets of advanced combat in Dark Souls III: The Ringed City. Master Weapon Skills, Shield Parries, and Status Ailments to conquer Lothric.

Alright, so you've gotten the hang of the basics in Dark Souls III: The Ringed City, but there's a whole other layer of combat to dive into if you want to really dominate. These advanced techniques can make a huge difference, especially when you're facing down some of the tougher foes this DLC throws at you.

Let's break down some of the key features that'll take your fighting game to the next level.

Weapon Skills

Think of Weapon Skills as your weapon's special move, kind of like Bloodborne's trick weapons. Each weapon has a unique skill that can either dish out more damage or give you a sweet advantage in a fight. The catch? Most of these awesome skills cost FP (Focus Points) to use. If you're a magic-heavy player, you might want to save your FP for spells. But hey, don't forget you can always chug an Ashen Estus Flask to get that FP back!

Shield Parry

Parrying with certain shields is back, and it's as clutch as ever. If you time your parry just right as an enemy attacks, you can stun them, opening them up for a devastating critical hit. While parrying was a huge deal in past Souls games, the introduction of Weapon Skills means not every shield has this ability anymore. It's worth experimenting with different shields to see if you want to prioritize parrying or go for a different benefit. If parrying gave you trouble before, you now have the option to pick a shield that offers something else entirely.

Status Ailments

You'll know you've encountered a status ailment when a bar pops up in the middle of your screen. It'll fill up over time, and once it's full, the ailment takes hold. After that, the bar will start counting down until the effect wears off. Some of these can be absolutely brutal, so it's a really smart move to keep curative items on your quick-select bar, especially if you know you're heading into an area where a specific ailment is common.