Dark Souls III in a nutshell Dark Souls III Guide
Last update: 31 May 2016
This chapter presents a list of all the steps that are necessary to take to visit all of the locations and defeat all of the bosses, including the optional ones. The list ignores NPC quests.
1. You start in Cemetery of Ash. Kill Iudex Gundyr and walk over to Firelink Shrine. Jab the sword into the bonfire and travel to High Wall of Lothric.
2. talk to Emma in the cathedral and defeat Vordt opposite the building. Use Small Lothic Banner by the edge to travel to Undead Settlement.
Note: If you kill Emma now, you will start a battle with Dancer that is meant to take place later. However, defeating her will open up the Lothric Castle for you, where you can get better equipment earlier. However, these are locations with very strong opponents, so it is not recommended for the beginning.
3. Cross Undead Settlement and go to the cathedral. Take the elevator down there, to Road of Sacrifices. Optionally, defeat Curse-Rotted Greatwood.
Note: Even though the boss is optional, without killing him, you will be unable to turn souls of other bosses you defeat into weapons and spells. For this, you require Transposition Kiln, which you receive from Greatwood.
4. Cross swamps in Road of Sacrifices and kill Crystal Sage.
5. Go to Cathedral of the Deep and kill Deacons of the Deep.
6. return to Road of Sacrifices and go to Farron Keep. Kill Abyss Watchers. Optionally, kill the Demon, in the upper part, from Old Wolf of Farron bonfire (optional miniboss).
7. Go to Catacombs of Carthus and defeat High Lord Wolnir.
Optionally, destroy the bridge there to get to Smouldering Lake and deal with the optional boss - Old Demon King.
8. Cross the bridge in Irithyll in the Boreal Valley and kill the opponent on the bridge (otherwise he will stand in your path in the bottom part, along your way to the dungeon). Kill Pontiff Sulyvahn.
Note: You can cross the bridge only if you have the Small Doll, which you receive for killing Deacons of the Deep.
9. Get to Anor Londo and kill Aldrich.
10. Return to Irithyll of the Boreal Valley and go to Irithyll Dungeon, then to Profaned Capital, where you kill Yhorm Giant.
11. You will travel to High Wall of Lothric. Take the bowl from the dying Emma and place it on the altar. This way, you will start a fight with Dancer. After you defeat her, place the bowl on the altar again and climb up the ladder.
12. Go deeper into Lothric Castle. Defeat Dragonslayer Shield.
Note: After you gain access into Lothric Castle, you can go off the beaten track to visit two optional locations: Gardens of the Consumed King (Oceiros) and Untended Graves (Champion Gundyr). Apart from that, after you kill the former, you can pick up a gesture that will allow you to go to Archdragon Peak (optional bosses: Ancient Wyvern, Nameless King), where you can get from Irithyll Dungeon.
13. Return to Firelink Shrine and place the ashes of four Lords of Cinders on their respective thrones. Talk to Fire Keeper.
14. After the cutscene, you will travel to Kiln of the First Flame. Light the bonfire and leave the shrine. You find another bonfire there, thanks to which you will get close to the location where you fight the final boss. You only have to climb up a little.
15. Defeat the last boss, Soul of Cinder. After the battle, one of the 4 game endings starts.