Attacks and special actions in Dark Souls III
This chapter describe every attack and move available to your character in Dark Souls III.
Last update: 11 May 2016
Dark Souls III has a rather complex combat system, which consists of several actions and attacks. It is possible to complete the game without using most of them, but learning them can make the game easier.
Falling attack
Useful when your enemy is beyond. Instead of jumping down next to him (and taking unnecessary damage), jump directly on him and deal a lot of damage.
1. Standing above the position of your foe (e.g. an edge) use target-lock on.
2. Draw your weapon and jump down.
3. When in mid-air, just before you land on a monster, perform a normal attack (quick strike). Your hero will swoop down on your enemy and pound him to the ground. In most cases, you will also stun your victim (take advantage of the situation).
Backstab
The best possible attack. Striking your foes from behind will allow you to deal tremendous damage and reward you with a short animation, during which your character is immune to all possible forms of attack.
1. Sneak up to your opponent and lock your camera on him. Both of you need to be on the same level and you must be facing your foe's back.
2. Get right behind him and perform a simple attack, nothing else.
You will see the true power of this attack when facing your opponents. Use it whenever you can to make combat easier. To perform backstabbing, dodge a strike in a way that will allow you to land behind your enemy. When that happens, you will have limited amount of time to perform a simple attack rapidly. If you succeed, the mentioned animation will begin.
Remember that you won't be able to backstab all of your enemies (especially those that are several times bigger than the player).
Jump attack
Use this attack when you want to reach your enemy quickly and decrease the distance between you. Apart from that it allows you to deal a lot of damage. Just remember than a missed attack will leave you open to any type of riposte.
1. Sprint to your opponent.
2. While dashing, hold down buttons responsible for strong attack and right-hand weapon action. Your character should perform a jump that ends with a blow that knocks down opponents.
Riposte
This attack allows to dodge and perform an attack afterwards. Especially useful when fighting multiple opponents. Jump away from one of them towards another one and immediately strike back.
1. Roll (dashing towards an enemy, press the dodge button and your hero will start to roll).
1A. jump while dashing. Your character should automatically roll.
2. Before the rolling ends, perform a quick attack with right-hand weapon.
Pushback attack
Kick your foe away, or break through a shield defense, and hit an unprepared enemy.
1. Stand in front of the selected enemy.
2. Press the button responsible for moving forward and right-hand weapon action at the same time. Holding both buttons for a couple of seconds should be enough to launch the kick.
Striking back
If you are using a shield, you should definitely learn to parry and strike back. You need a shield that can parry (check its description. Such shields are usually small).
1. Stand in front of your enemy. You can't be too far or the range of your strike won't be appropriate.
2. Hide behind your shield.
3. Parry the attack before it actually finishes. In order to do that you hide behind the shield and press the button responsible for the strong attack (and the right-hand weapon action). Just press the button or the button and left-hand weapon action button. If you are not protected by a shield. This will push the shield, and if the strike took place right before the attack, the enemy will be open to our attack.
4. Strike quickly. Once you block, your foe will be vulnerable to a blow that will deal a lot of damage (wait for the animation).
Remember: if there was no animation, you performed the attack too late, or slightly too fast (the game must adjust that your riposte was successful).
Weapon skills
Each weapon can be used to perform special actions that drain focus points. Although they are performed the same way for different types of weapon, the effects will differ from one another (read more in a description of a given weapon or shield).
1. In the case of weapons and shields held in your left hand, hold down buttons responsible for the strong attack and left-hand weapon action (similar to ripostes). This will activate the special ability (e.g. large shields let you push away our opponents).
2. You can't hold your main weapon (in your right hand), and the other one in your left hand, at the same time (switch to holding it in both hands). Perform a strong attack, combined with the left-hand action button. This will activate the ability associated with your main weapon. If the attack didn't happen immediately, go to the right pose and perform a normal attack (the sequence is as follows: switch weapon to both hands, performing a strong attack and attacking the weapon in your left hand at the same time, changing the pose and performing a normal attack with the right-hand weapon).