Stats (Dark Souls)

For other uses, see Stats (disambiguation).

Stats are a gameplay mechanic in Dark Souls. They affect a multitude of things, from damage dealt and incurred, to health and stamina.

Character stats

Base stats

Base stats are determined by which class is chosen at the beginning of a game. The player can Level Up by spending souls at a bonfire, which fortifies a chosen stat by 1 point. At lower levels, leveling up will raise all of the player character's defenses and resistances.

Level

Value indicating overall stats. Souls required to boost level.

Increased by 1 every time a stat is fortified through leveling up. Cost to fortify stats raises with this value.

Physical, Magic, and Flame defense all increase with Soul Level, independent of which stat was raised.

Vitality

Parameter determining HP.

Increases maximum Health.

Attunement

Parameter determining number of attunement slots.

Increases the number of attunement slots, enabling one to attune, or equip, more spells at once. Attunement's effects are hardcapped at 50.

Endurance

Parameter determining stamina, equipment load, and resistance to bleeding.

Stamina stops increasing at Endurance level 40.

Equip load affects movement speed at 25%, 50% and over 100% of maximum equip load.

Strength

Parameter required to wield powerful weapons. Also boosts weapon attack.

Affects specific weapon type damage, such as axes, hammers or greatswords, and is required for all shields.

Required for certain weapons; having less than the requisite Strength will significantly lower swing & block speed as well as damage.

While wielding a weapon two-handed, Strength is multiplied by 1.5. For example, a character with 27 Strength can two-hand a weapon requiring 40 Strength without penalty.

See also: Param Bonus.

Dexterity

Parameter required to wield advanced weapons. Also boosts weapon attack.

Affects specific weapon type damage, bows, thrusting swords, spears, etc.

Decreases casting time for spells, that is spells are cast more quickly, up to dexterity level 45.

Required for certain weapons that emphasize speed, such as daggers and katanas.

See also: Param Bonus.

Resistance

Parameter boosting defence and resistance to poison.

Increases Physical Defense, Flame Defense, and resistance to Poison and Toxic.

Intelligence

Parameter required to wield sorceries. Also boosts sorceries and magic weapons.

Affects certain classes of weapon damage and the damage of offensive sorceries and Magic and Enchanted weapons.

Required for sorceries.

Required for certain weapons. Increases damage of sorceries and Enchanted/Magic weapons.

See also: Param Bonus.

Faith

Parameter required to cast miracles. Also boosts miracles and divine weapons.

Affects certain classes of weapon damage. Increases damage of offensive miracles and Occult and Divine weapons.

Increases Magic Defense.

Required for certain miracles - they can't be cast at all without requisite Faith.

Required for certain weapons.

See also: Param Bonus.

Derived stats

HP

Hit Points. Character dies when this reaches zero.

Upon death, the character loses all souls and Humanity, as well as reverting to a Hollow state.

Stamina

Required for various actions. Depleted by various actions, but self-regenerates.

Decreases when performing actions such as attacking, parrying, dodging, etc.

Regenerates quickly with shield down, and slowly with shield held up.

Decreases when running.

When blocking an attack while low on stamina, the character's guard will be broken and may take some damage in addition to being stunned for a time. If guard is broken by a heavy attack, a critical hit will occur accompanied by heavy damage. If all stamina is used up, it will take a slightly longer period of time for it to begin recharging. A shields stability determines how long one can block continually while receiving blows.

Equip Load

Total weight of equipped items. Higher number slows movement. Exceeding max causes sluggishness.

Determines movement and rolling speed when equipped with specific items, including the weapon/shield that are in the off hand.

Current weight level has no effect on weapon swing speed or shield use.

The player may equip anything they like, even if it goes over their weight limit, but mobility will suffer the higher one is burdened:

00-24%: Full speed, excellent maneuverability

25-49%: Slightly slower, can still roll fairly quickly

50-99%: Much slower, roll is a "flop" and dodging is hindered

100%+: Can only walk very slowly. Rolls and back-steps become awkward wiggles and stumbles.

Defense stats

Physical Defense Lowers damage taken from physical damage types. In general, armors have high Slash Defense, more or less equal Regular and Thrust Defense, and Strike Defense is their lowest physical defense. May not apply to all armor sets.

Physical Def. - Defense against physical attacks. This includes standard weapons such as straight swords and axes.

VS strike - Defense against strike attacks. This includes blunt weaponry, such as hammers and shields.

VS slash - Defense against slash attacks. This includes slashing weapons, such as katanas and curved swords.

VS thrust - Defense against thrust attacks. This includes piercing weapons, such as spears and thrusting swords.

Magic DEF

Defense against magic attacks.

Reduces Magic Damage taken.

Flame DEF

Defense against fire attacks.

Reduces Fire Damage.

Lightning DEF

Defense against lightning attacks.

Reduces Lightning Damage.

Poise

Ability to receive attacks without breaking form.

Offers resistance to being staggered. High Poise also allows players who would normally be knocked down by an attack to instead be heavily stunned by it.

Bleed Resist

Resistance to bleeding caused by sharp objects. Higher value indicates lower tendency to bleed.

The higher the Bleed Resist the harder it is for Blood Loss to occur. Bleed buildup is caused by attacks from specific weapons and will accumulate even while blocking. When the Bleed Resist meter fills, the target will take severe Blood Loss. About 30%/50%, depending on the weapon, of their maximum health. Bleed Resist can be increased in many ways.

Poison Resist

Resistance to various poisons. Higher value indicates lower tendency to be poisoned.

Poison Resist is the value that determines how easily one contracts Poison and Toxic. Poison and Toxic are caused by contact with venomous opponents, poisoned weapons and environmental hazards. Both will inflict damage over time until they expire. Poison and Toxic Resist can be increased in the same way, with the exception of the Poisonbite Ring which will only increase Poison Resist.

Curse Resist

Parameter for resistance to curses. Higher value indicates lower tendency to be cursed.

Curse Resist raises resistance against Curse, which will instantly kill the player and halve their maximum Health upon revival. It can be increased in various ways.

Item stats

Performance

Damage Type

Determines which of the enemy's physical defenses is applied, e.g. blunt defense, slash defense...

Physical Damage

Amount of raw Physical Damage dealt. How this is decreased by an enemy's equipment depends on a weapon's damage type, which can be determined by looking at its Attack Type or observing its moveset.

Most of the early game items deal purely physical damage.

Magic Damage

Amount of Magic Damage dealt. Decreased by enemy's magic defense.

Fire Damage

Amount of Fire Damage dealt.

Lightning Damage

Amount of Lightning Damage dealt.

Parameter Bonus

ParamBonus is also known as "scaling." All items have a rating from "-" (none) to "S" (highest) in four stats (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Faith). When all stat requisites are met and the relevant stats are higher than the item's requirements, the item will receive a damage bonus.

Some items have no parameter bonus, such as most of the Dragon weapons (e.g. Drake Sword).