Human Effigy

A Human Effigy is a restorative item and starting gift in Dark Souls II.

In-Game Description

A warm, soft, shadow-like effigy.

Use this item to reverse Hollowing.
It also weakens the links to other worlds, preventing invasions and most cooperation.

Peer closely at an effigy, and one begins to perceive a human form, but whose form it takes depends on the person looking.

General Information

Restores the player back to human form, allowing their health bar to recover up to its maximum value and allowing the player to see and interact with summon signs.

Burning Human Effigies at bonfires temporarily decreases the player's world priority in the invasion selection process and disables the ability to summon other players except NPCs; this includes disabling the ability to use Cracked Blue Eye Orbs and Cracked Red Eye Orbs, but they can still place down their own summon sign to be summoned into other worlds. The effect allows players to perform various tasks in the location they burnt the effigy at, without having to worry about potential engagements by other players. This makes them ideal for when a player wishes to farm enemies for particular items, as well as preventing their summon signs from disappearing due to another player invading their world.

It takes 30 minutes for the burning of a Human Effigy to wear off, and once the duration has expired, the player will be able to be invaded by other players again, as well as summon friendly phantoms or dark spirits. This only applies to the area in which the effigy was burned, and the player must remain in that area for the effigy timer to count down; the player can end the effect prematurely by resting at the particular bonfire and selecting the "Nullify Human Effigy's Effect" option. Time spent outside the area will not reduce the timer, so it is advised to remain in the location for the duration of the effect if one does not wish to end it prematurely.

One Human Effigy must also be given to Darkdiver Grandahl for each attempt in the Dark Chasm of Old, until Darklurker is defeated.

Availability

Can be chosen as a starting gift.

Treasure

Brightstone Cove Tseldora: Five in a chest near the first bonfire. There's a well with a path that goes to it.
Cathedral of Blue: Five in a chest before the Old Dragonslayer bossfight.
Forest of Fallen Giants: Five in NG+ and 1 in NG in a chest at the entrance. It's under the little wooden bridge.
Things Betwixt: In a chest on the second floor of the hut.

Merchants

Darkdiver Grandahl sells 3 for 3,000 souls each
Magerold of Lanafir sells 1 for 3,000 souls.
Grave Warden Agdayne sells 13 for 3,000 souls each
Merchant Hag Melentia sells 5 for 1,500 souls each.
Milibeth in Things Betwixt will drop 3 if killed
Strowen
- She will give 6 for free. The player needs to talk to her after getting the King's Ring.
- She will drop 6 if killed.
Dyna & Tillo

Enemies

Attack Dog in The Lost Bastille.
Parasitized Undead in Brightstone Cove Tseldora.
Skeletons in Harvest Valley.
Lizardmen in the Shrine of Amana.
Old Ironclad Soldiers in Forest of Fallen Giants.
Chasm Spirits fought in the Dark Chasm of Old can drop Human Effigies.

Player-versus-Player

Players receive one Human Effigy after successfully defeating another invading player; this counts for both NPC invaders and online invaders. Black Phantoms that do not have an invasion message, such as the one found above Mytha's fog gate, will not give Effigies, but instead drop a +5 variant of their gear.
Players will also receive a Human Effigy for defeating a player summoned into their world through the Red Sign Soapstone.

Alternatives

Effigies can be difficult to acquire, but they are not the only way to become human again. These things can also reverse Hollowing:

Being summoned as a phantom or shade will turn the player human upon succesfully completing their duty.
The player can find a shrine down a short path found above the fourth bonfire in Shrine of Amana down a short path that will turn the player human for free. This method only works if the player has no effigies. Dropping the effigies on the ground to remove them from the player's inventory will not work.
A Ring of Life Protection or Ring of Soul Protection will prevent the player from Hollowing after dying as well as other benefits, and can be repaired for a respectable amount of Souls when they break upon death.
Giving Vendrick the King's Crown as well as the Crown of the Sunken King, Old Iron King and Ivory King in Vendrick's Memory lets the player ignore hollowing, and curse, when wearing any of the crowns.

Notes

Unlike Humanity in Dark Souls, Human Effigies cannot be used as healing items.