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For scaling in Dark Souls II, see Parameter Bonus (Dark Souls II).
For scaling in Dark Souls III, see Parameter Bonus (Dark Souls III).

The Parameter Bonus rating, also known as Scaling, is a gameplay mechanic in Dark Souls. It indicates the level of bonus damage one can do with a weapon, based on the associated stats. This rating can be S, A, B, C, D or E (in order from most to least bonus for the associated skill).

Strength and Dexterity will increase the physical damage while Intelligence and Faith will increase the magic damage of weapons. Lightning and Fire weapons do not scale with any stat.

Chaos weapons will scale with Humanity. This will increase both its physical and fire damage.

Overview[]

Each weapon has:

  • Four base damage values: physical, magic, lightning, and fire. These are the numbers shown as the weapon's stats.
  • Five scaling values: Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, and Humanity.
    • The only weapons with Humanity scaling are Chaos weapons, and their scaling is always 0.21.

Each character has:

  • Five ratings: Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, and Humanity. These are not equal to the stats in question, but are derived from them (see below).

With these all in mind, the formulae are laid out below.

Formulae[]

TotalAttackRating = PhysicalRating + MagicRating + FireRating + LightningRating
PhysicalRating = BasePhysical + BonusStrength + BonusDexterity + BonusChaosPhysical
BonusStrength = BasePhysical × StrengthScaling × StrengthRating
BonusDexterity = BasePhysical × DexterityScaling × DexterityRating
BonusChaosPhysical = (BasePhysical + BonusStrength + BonusDexterity) × HumanityScaling × HumanityRatingPhysical
MagicRating = BaseMagic + BonusIntelligence + BonusFaith
BonusIntelligence = BaseMagic × IntelligenceScaling × IntelligenceRating
BonusFaith = BaseMagic × FaithScaling × FaithRating
FireRating = BaseFire + BonusChaosFire
BonusChaosFire = BaseFire × HumanityScaling × HumanityRatingFire
LightningRating = BaseLightning

Scaling values[]

Letter Scaling Range
S 141% or more
A 101%–140%
B 81%–100%
C 51%–80%
D 25%–50%
E 1%–24%

Scaling values, also known as "ParamBonus," are displayed as a letter ranging from "E" (lowest) to "S" (highest). Each letter represents a percentage of additional attack damage in relation to a particular stat (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence or Faith).

Each scaling value has a fairly wide percentage range, meaning two weapons with the same rating might provide different percentages of additional attack damage.

Humanity scaling[]

Humanity scaling is a unique bonus attributed only to Chaos weapons. It affects both Physical ATK and Fire ATK by providing an additional 21% damage to each stat (equivalent to ParamBonus "E"). Humanity scaling is a hidden stat, meaning it is not actually displayed in-game.

Stat rating[]

Most weapons Rating
Level Range Total Bonus Bonus/level
2-10  5% ~0.55%
11-20  40% 3.50%
21-40  85% 2.25%
41-99  100% ~0.25%
Magic, Enchanted, Divine, and Occult weapon Rating
Level Range Total Bonus Bonus/level
2-10  5% ~0.55%
11-30  50% 2.25%
31-50  80% 1.50%
51-99  100% ~0.41%
Humanity Rating
Humanity Phys Bonus Fire Bonus Phys Bonus
this level
Fire Bonus
this level
0   0%   0%
1  24%  24% 24% 24%
2  36%  36% 12% 12%
3  48%  48% 12% 12%
4  56%  56%  8%  8%
5  62%  62%  6%  6%
6  70%  70%  8%  8%
7  76%  78%  6%  8%
8  84%  86%  8%  8%
9  92%  94%  8%  8%
10 100% 100%  8%  6%

The stats that improve damage aren't directly used in the calculations; instead, they are first converted to a rating, which increases very quickly at low stat levels but slows down after reaching certain "soft caps." All attributes use the same conversion table to determine the bonus they receive from scaling, and Humanity uses its own.

Between each of the data points in the conversion tables, scaling increases linearly. Standard, raw, and crystal weapons, as well as weapons upgraded with twinkling titanite, demon titanite, or dragon scales, use the first table for determining the bonus damage from attributes. Weapons ascended down the Magic, Enchanted, Divine, and Occult paths use the second table for determining bonus damage from attributes.

Unique to Strength is that, when using a weapon with two hands, your Strength is considered 50% greater (rounded down). For example, two-handing a standard weapon at 21 Strength (42.25%) increases your effective Strength to 31 (64.75%). As a result, if you are dedicated to two-handing weapons, your effective "soft cap" is not 40, but 27, because two-handing increases 27 to 40. At 40 Strength (85%), two-handing uses 60 Strength (90%), a weak improvement.

Humanity scaling is nearly identical for the physical and fire portions of Chaos weapons (only varying by 2% at 7, 8, and 9 Humanity). The growth is not linear, and not strictly equivalent for the physical and fire damage.

Intelligence for Catalysts[]

Level Range Total Bonus Bonus/level
2-15  10% ~0.71%
16-30  70% 4.00%
31-50  90% 1.00%
51-99  100% ~0.20%

All catalysts have a base MagAdjust of 100, and the final value is calculated by using the same stat bonus formula (but the base value / bonus split is not shown in game as it is for ATK values). The scaling growth for calculating a catalyst's MagAdjust is different from the regular scaling. It spikes massively in the levels 15–30, then slowly grows to level 50, after which it all but stops (it takes 49 levels to get the final 10% increase). The Tin Darkmoon Catalyst functions in the same way, but scales with Faith instead of Intelligence.

There are a few exceptions: Oolacile Ivory Catalyst and Oolacile Catalyst ignore actual Intelligence and use 99 in their calculations. With a parameter bonus of 80% that leads an eternally constant MagAdjust of 180.

Logan's Catalyst uses a different range of values for its parameter bonuses. It doesn't gain any increase to its magic adjust until 26 Intelligence, where it starts to gain large amounts of magic adjust until 30 Intelligence. Its softcap is reached slightly earlier than other catalysts, occurring at 45 Intelligence. Further investment into Intelligence results in negligible amounts of extra magic adjust all the way to 99.

Level Range Total Bonus Bonus/level
24-25  0% 0%
26-30  40% 8.00%
31-45  90% 3.00%
46-99  100% ~0.27%

Faith for Talismans[]

Level Range Total Bonus Bonus/level
2-15  20% ~1.42%
16-20  45% 5.00%
21-50  90% 1.50%
51-99  100% ~0.20%

Like catalysts, talismans have a base MagAdjust of 100. The scaling growth for calculating a talisman Magic Adjust is different from the regular scaling. It spikes massively in the levels 15–20, then slowly grows to level 50, after which it all but stops (it takes 49 levels to get the final 10% increase). Velka's Talisman works in the same way, but using Intelligence instead of Faith.

There are a few exceptions: Thorolund Talisman ignores actual Faith and uses 99 in its calculations. With a parameter bonus of 65% that leads an eternally constant MagAdjust of 165.

The Ivory Talisman and Sunlight Talisman use their own range of values for its parameter bonuses. They don't gain any increase to its magic adjust until 16 Faith, where it starts to gain small amounts of magic adjust until 20 Faith, then larger amounts until 50. Further investment into Faith results in negligible amounts of extra magic adjust all the way to 99.

Level Range Total Bonus Bonus/level
14-15  0% 0%
16-20  10% 2.00%
21-50  90% 3.75%
51-99  100% ~0.20%

The Darkmoon Talisman uses a range of values similar to Logan's Catalyst for its parameter bonuses. It doesn't gain any increase to its magic adjust until 26 Faith, where it starts to gain large amounts of magic adjust until 30 Faith, then smaller amounts until 50 Faith. Further investment into Faith results in negligible amounts of extra magic adjust all the way to 99.

Level Range Total Bonus Bonus/level
24-25    0% 0%
26-30  40% 8.00%
31-50  90% 2.50%
51-99  100% ~0.20%

Examples[]

+15 Club, 24 Strength, 2 hands.

  • BasePhysical: 182
  • StrengthScaling: 132% (A)
  • StrengthRating: 76% (effectively 36 Strength because two-handing)
BonusStrength = BasePhysical × StrengthScaling × StrengthRating
BonusStrength = 182 × 132% × 76% ≈ 182
PhysicalRating = BasePhysical + BonusStrength + BonusDexterity + BonusChaosPhysical
PhysicalRating = 182 + 182 + 0 + 0 = 364
TotalAttackRating = PhysicalRating + MagicRating + FireRating + LightningRating
TotalAttackRating = 364 + 0 + 0 + 0 = 364

+10 Divine Dagger, 20 Strength, 40 Dexterity, 50 Faith, 1 hand.

  • BasePhysical: 95
  • BaseMagic: 115
  • StrengthScaling: 6% (E)
  • DexterityScaling: 39% (D)
  • FaithScaling: 84% (B)
  • StrengthRating: 27.5%
  • DexterityRating: 65%
  • FaithRating: 80%
BonusStrength = BasePhysical × StrengthScaling × StrengthRating
BonusStrength = 95 × 6% × 27.5% ≈ 1.5
BonusDexterity = BasePhysical × DexterityScaling × DexterityRating
BonusDexterity = 95 × 39% × 65% ≈ 24
PhysicalRating = BasePhysical + BonusStrength + BonusDexterity + BonusChaosPhysical
PhysicalRating = 95 + 1.5 + 24 + 0 = 120
BonusFaith = BaseMagic × FaithScaling × FaithRating
BonusFaith = 115 × 84% × 80% ≈ 78
MagicRating = BaseMagic + BonusIntelligence + BonusFaith
MagicRating = 115 + 0 + 78 = 193
TotalAttackRating = PhysicalRating + MagicRating + FireRating + LightningRating
TotalAttackRating = 120 + 193 + 0 + 0 = 313
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