Every Dark Souls game is full of dark and twisty lore. It can be hard to know what is real and what isn’t, as a lot of the information is implied.
This list compiles some of the silliest, most fun facts that you may or may not have known about every Dark Souls game.
Gwynevere’s Design Was Meant To Be Different
Image Credit: FromSoftware.
Gwynevere’s design is well known in the Dark Souls franchise for her… assets. However, the design was never meant to look like that. Miyazaki wanted something completely different for this character, but the designer was so proud of his design. Due to her design, she sticks out like a sore thumb compared to other character designs.
Looking at the rest of the characters in Dark Souls, she is very conventionally pretty.
Dark Souls Went Through Many Name Changes
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Initially, the game was never going to be called Dark Souls. When the game was first developed, it was going to be called Dark Ring due to the Darksign being used in the game.
However, considering what dark ring is a euphemism for, they decided against that. Dark Race was also going to be considered for a name, which, thankfully, they chose something better entirely.
Heavily Influenced by Berserk
Image Credit: Bandai Namco Entertainment.
If you haven’t read or watched Berserk, you may not have picked up on all of the references to Berserk in the Dark Souls games. It isn’t exclusive to the first game, either.
Whether it’s the overall gore that appears in the game, the weaponry, or the armor, there are many nods to the iconic fantasy franchise. Most notably, the armor that Artorias wears. It is very similar to the armor that Guts wears in the manga.
The Upper Cathedral Ward From Bloodborne Is in Dark Souls
Image Credit: Sony Computer Entertainment.
While you can’t actually see the area in Dark Souls, the Upper Cathedral Ward from Bloodborne is floating around in the game files. This location is specifically found in Dark Souls Remastered.
It was discovered by modders, and for some reason, they decided to place the files into Grand Theft Auto V! It’s a bit bizarre to see Trevor running around about the Upper Cathedral Ward, but interestingly, it was found in the files.
The Fume Knight Has an Interaction With Velstadt’s Helm
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Should you fight the Fume Knight after getting the Velstadt’s Helm and walk into the boss fight wearing it, everything changes. While the boss usually buffs himself halfway through the fight, he instead buffs as soon as you enter the room.
This can make the fight much harder, but it’s a cool interaction. Whether you wear the helm for the interaction or want to keep the fight relatively safe, the choice is yours.
The King’s Ring Keeps the Statues in Drangleic Castle From Awakening
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This was added to the Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin edition of the game. It’s a very neat detail, making playing the remastered version much more worth it. If you have the King’s Ring equipped, the statues in Drangleic Castle won’t awaken.
This can make your journey through the castle significantly easier as you don’t have to worry about fighting off giant statues. However, you may want to unequip the ring if you are trying to farm Titanite Slabs.
Majula’s Pigs Evolve
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This fun detail was added to Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin. If you kill the three small pigs in Majula 12 times, they will spawn back in as two Undead Boars. If you kill the two Undead Boars a further 12 times, you get a Giant Undead Boar!
Once you kill the Giant Undead Boar, they have a 5% drop rate of three Cracked Red Eye Orbs.
You Can Kill the Carthus Sandworm
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While it may seem like an impossible task, it is entirely possible to kill the Carthus Sandworm in Dark Souls 3. It may take a while, but you can get some damage in. It’s worth it, too, as it gives you an Undead Bone Shard, which is an absolute necessity if you want to make good use of your Estus Flasks.
You’ll have to do some pretty small chip attacks at it, as you want to avoid getting hit by the lightning attacks. The damage it deals is devastating, and the last thing you want is to reset its health.
The True Meaning of the Pendant Starting Gift
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In Dark Souls, there is one starting gift that doesn’t make much sense. This is the Pendant that you can choose. It has no effect but gives the traveler fond memories. No matter how much modders and players dug through the game files, they couldn’t find a use for this Pendant.
Truly, that’s because there isn’t one. Miyazaki, the legend he is, decided to put the item into the game as a prank. So, if you want to start with a truly meaningless item, the Pendant is the way to go!
Anri Can Be a Male or a Female
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In Dark Souls 3, depending on whether you make your character a male or female, Anri is always the opposite of you. This is because you can marry Anri later in the game, should you choose to complete that quest.
Anri of Astora is one of the most loved NPCs in the game, and it’s not hard to see why. They are so fun to talk to and can help you with one of the most challenging bosses. What’s not to love?
The Firekeeper Reacts to Emotes
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The Firekeeper in Dark Souls 3 is essentially your best friend. You rely heavily on her, and you’d be lost without her. If you’re a fan of emoting, you should test out some of your emotes next to the Firekeeper.
Not all of them have reactions, but if you use the Toast or Path of the Dragon emote, she will twirl around for you. It’s just plain adorable. She has some other reactions, too, so try out your emotes with her!
Miyazaki Doesn’t Enjoy Playing His Games
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It may be a shock, but Miyazaki doesn’t enjoy playing his games. In Edge 367, he did an interview about his reasons for not playing his games. Not only do they bring up old emotions, but they can also feel overwhelming to him.
Additionally, when Elden Ring was released, he said it was his “personal policy” not to play his own games.
Aldrich Has Devoured Some Familiar People
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If you’ve played Dark Souls 3, you may have noticed that Aldrich, Devourer of Gods, looks familiar, especially if you’ve played Dark Souls. It is known that he devoured Gwyndolin when he was sick, hence his facial appearance.
However, the slug-like part of his body is actually the rest of Aldrich, where he is bloated with the amount of people he has consumed. It is rumored that he devoured Smough, too. This is theorized because killing him can get you Smough’s armor.
You Can Kill the Capra Demon With Dung
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While this method may be a bit tedious, it is possible to kill the Capra Demon in Dark Souls with Dung Pies. Of course, it comes with a risk. You risk dying to toxic, but it is a way to cheese the boss.
Looking closely, you will see a gap above the fog barrier, allowing you to toss Dung Pies into the room with the Capra Demon without ever entering. If Dung Pies aren’t your thing, you can also throw Firebombs in there for the same effect.
The Calamity Ring Is Hard Mode
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Equipping the Calamity Ring in Dark Souls or Dark Souls 3 has the same effect. It doubles the damage you take and essentially creates a hard mode for you. Why would anyone want to do that? I don’t really know.
The ring is a little bit out of the way in both games. For Dark Souls, you have to kill Kalameet to get it. In Dark Souls 3, you have to use the Path of the Dragon Gesture after the Dragon-Kin Mausoleum bonfire in Archdragon Peak.
The Soulsborne games are full of fun facts and trivia you may not have heard of. Some of these may be familiar to you or come as a complete surprise.
Nothing is ever quite as it seems in Dark Souls, is it?
