Randy Chandler
Dark Souls III, known for its punishing difficulty and intricate combat system, has a hidden underbelly of strategies that allow players to cheese their way through its toughest challenges. Cheesing, a term often used in gaming, refers to exploiting mechanics or quirks in the game to bypass intended difficulty, making boss fights and areas significantly easier. In DS3, this can range from using overpowered weapons or spells, exploiting enemy AI, to positioning oneself in areas where enemies cannot reach. While purists may frown upon such tactics, cheesing offers a unique lens through which players can explore the game’s boundaries, uncover its secrets, and experience its world in unconventional ways. Whether you’re a struggling newcomer or a seasoned veteran looking for a laugh, understanding how to cheese DS3 can transform your playthrough into a mix of creativity, humor, and sheer ingenuity.
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What You'll Learn
- Exploit Poise Breaking: Use repeated attacks to stun-lock enemies, preventing their counterattacks and ensuring easy victories
- Backstab Fishing: Circle enemies to force backstab animations, dealing massive damage with minimal risk
- Infinite Stamina Glitch: Abuse rolling and two-handing to regenerate stamina indefinitely, outlasting any opponent
- NPC Summon Abuse: Summon NPCs to tank damage while you focus on high-damage, low-risk attacks
- Weapon Arts Spam: Exploit weapons with low-cost, high-damage weapon arts for quick kills
Exploit Poise Breaking: Use repeated attacks to stun-lock enemies, preventing their counterattacks and ensuring easy victories
In Dark Souls III, poise is a mechanic that determines an enemy's ability to withstand attacks without being staggered. By exploiting poise breaking, you can turn even the most formidable foes into helpless targets. The key lies in understanding that repeated, well-timed attacks deplete an enemy’s poise faster than sporadic strikes. For instance, using a weapon with high poise damage, such as a greatsword or ultra greatsword, allows you to stun-lock enemies effectively. Pair this with a shield that has 100% physical damage reduction to minimize risk during your assault.
To execute this strategy, start by baiting an enemy’s attack, then dodge or block it. Immediately follow up with a series of heavy attacks, focusing on maintaining a consistent rhythm. Each hit reduces their poise, and once it’s depleted, they’ll enter a staggered state. During this window, continue your assault to maximize damage and prevent counterattacks. This method is particularly effective against bosses like the Abyss Watchers or Pontiff Sulyvahn, whose aggressive playstyles leave them vulnerable to poise breaking.
However, this tactic requires careful timing and weapon selection. Fast weapons with low poise damage, like daggers or rapiers, are less effective for this purpose. Instead, opt for weapons with high poise damage and moderate attack speed, such as the Wolf Knight’s Greatsword or the Ledo’s Great Hammer. Additionally, infuse your weapon with a damage type the enemy is weak to (e.g., lightning or fire) to further enhance your effectiveness.
One caution: overcommitting to attacks can leave you exposed if the enemy breaks free. Always keep an eye on their poise meter (visible as a brief stagger animation) to gauge when they’re close to breaking. If you miss the timing, disengage and reset the fight to avoid taking unnecessary damage. Practice this technique on weaker enemies to master the rhythm before attempting it on bosses.
In conclusion, exploiting poise breaking is a powerful cheese strategy in DS3 that turns battles into one-sided affairs. By selecting the right weapon, timing your attacks, and understanding enemy weaknesses, you can stun-lock foes with ease. While it requires practice, the payoff is undeniable: effortless victories against even the toughest opponents. Master this technique, and you’ll dominate Dark Souls III with minimal frustration.
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Backstab Fishing: Circle enemies to force backstab animations, dealing massive damage with minimal risk
Backstab fishing in Dark Souls III is a high-reward tactic that leverages the game’s mechanics to force critical hit animations, often dealing massive damage with minimal risk. The core principle is simple: circle enemies to position yourself behind them, triggering the backstab animation. This method bypasses the need for direct confrontation, making it ideal for players seeking efficiency or struggling with specific bosses or foes. By mastering this technique, you can turn even the most daunting encounters into predictable, low-risk victories.
To execute backstab fishing effectively, timing and positioning are critical. Approach the enemy in a circular motion, keeping your cursor locked onto them. The goal is to reach their back without alerting them to your presence or triggering an aggressive response. For humanoid enemies, this often involves moving at a medium pace, neither too slow nor too fast, to avoid detection. Bosses like the Dancer of the Boreal Valley or Vordt of the Boreal Valley are prime targets for this strategy, as their large hitboxes and predictable movements make backstab positioning easier to achieve.
One practical tip is to use a weapon with a long reach, such as the Uchigatana or the Dark Sword, to increase your chances of landing the backstab. Additionally, equipping the Hornet Ring boosts critical damage by 30%, maximizing the impact of each successful backstab. For bosses, consider using the Weapon Art of the Carthus Curved Sword, which grants temporary invisibility, allowing you to reposition safely. Patience is key—wait for the enemy to commit to an attack or animation before circling behind them, as this minimizes the risk of retaliation.
While backstab fishing is powerful, it’s not without limitations. Some enemies, like the Lothric Knights or certain demons, have wide detection ranges or fast turns, making it harder to circle them unnoticed. In these cases, use distractions or environmental obstacles to your advantage. For example, lure enemies near walls or tight spaces to restrict their movement, making it easier to position for a backstab. Always be prepared to roll away if the enemy turns unexpectedly, as a failed attempt can leave you vulnerable.
In conclusion, backstab fishing is a strategic, risk-averse approach to combat in Dark Souls III that rewards precision and patience. By understanding enemy behavior, optimizing your equipment, and mastering positioning, you can turn this tactic into a reliable tool for tackling even the toughest challenges. While it may not work in every situation, its potential for high damage with minimal risk makes it a valuable addition to any player’s arsenal. Practice makes perfect—experiment with different enemies and scenarios to refine your technique and dominate the game’s most fearsome foes.
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Infinite Stamina Glitch: Abuse rolling and two-handing to regenerate stamina indefinitely, outlasting any opponent
Dark Souls III is notorious for its punishing difficulty, but players have discovered exploits to tip the scales in their favor. One such exploit is the Infinite Stamina Glitch, a technique that allows you to regenerate stamina indefinitely by manipulating the game’s mechanics. This glitch hinges on the interplay between rolling and two-handing weapons, exploiting a quirk in stamina regeneration to outlast even the most relentless opponents.
To execute this glitch, start by equipping a weapon capable of being two-handed. Ensure your stamina bar is not fully depleted but low enough to trigger the regeneration delay. Begin by two-handing your weapon, which temporarily increases your stamina regeneration rate. Immediately after, perform a roll, which resets the regeneration timer. The key is to time these actions precisely: two-hand just before your stamina starts regenerating, then roll as soon as the regeneration begins. This resets the timer, allowing you to repeat the process indefinitely.
The effectiveness of this glitch lies in its ability to bypass the game’s intended stamina limitations. Normally, stamina regenerates slowly after depletion, leaving you vulnerable. By abusing the two-handing mechanic, you create a loop where stamina regenerates faster than it’s consumed, effectively granting infinite stamina. This is particularly useful in prolonged boss fights or against enemies with high aggression, as it allows you to dodge, attack, and heal without pause.
However, mastering this glitch requires practice. The timing between two-handing and rolling must be precise, or the loop will break. Additionally, this exploit works best with weapons that benefit from two-handing, such as greatswords or ultra greatswords. Lighter weapons may not provide enough of a regeneration boost to sustain the glitch. Experiment with different weapons and timing to find the optimal setup for your playstyle.
While the Infinite Stamina Glitch can trivialize certain encounters, it’s important to consider its impact on the game’s balance. Dark Souls III is designed to challenge players, and exploiting glitches like this can diminish the sense of accomplishment. Use this technique sparingly, perhaps only when facing particularly frustrating bosses or areas. Ultimately, the decision to cheese the game rests with you, but remember: the true reward in Dark Souls III comes from overcoming its challenges through skill and perseverance.
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NPC Summon Abuse: Summon NPCs to tank damage while you focus on high-damage, low-risk attacks
In Dark Souls III, NPC summon abuse is a tried-and-true method for trivializing even the most daunting boss encounters. By leveraging the AI behavior of summoned allies, players can shift the burden of tanking damage onto their NPC companions, freeing themselves to deal high damage from a safe distance. This strategy hinges on understanding which NPCs are most effective for each fight, their summon conditions, and optimal positioning to maximize their survivability.
To execute this tactic, first identify the NPC summon available for the boss fight. For example, Anri of Astora and Horace can be summoned for the Aldrich, Devourer of Gods fight, provided you’ve progressed their questline. Summon them just before engaging the boss, ensuring they’re positioned to aggro immediately. Equip a high-damage, low-risk weapon like a bow or a spellcasting catalyst, and focus on attacking from the boss’s flanks or rear. NPCs like Horace, with his high health and damage output, excel at drawing aggro, allowing you to chip away at the boss’s health bar without taking significant risks.
However, this strategy isn’t foolproof. NPCs have finite health and can be overwhelmed if the boss targets them exclusively. To mitigate this, monitor their health bars and use healing items like the Green Blossom or Homeward Bone to reposition if they’re in danger. Additionally, some bosses have area-of-effect attacks that can damage both you and your NPCs, so maintain a safe distance and prioritize dodging over continuous attacks.
The key to success lies in balancing aggression with caution. While NPCs tank damage, avoid greedily attacking and instead focus on consistent, safe damage output. For instance, during the Sister Friede fight, summon Father Ariandel and position yourself to snipe the boss’s weaker phase transitions. This approach not only reduces your risk but also speeds up the fight, minimizing the chances of NPCs dying or the boss resetting.
In conclusion, NPC summon abuse is a powerful tool for cheesing Dark Souls III bosses, but it requires preparation, positioning, and restraint. By understanding NPC strengths, summon conditions, and boss behaviors, players can turn even the most brutal encounters into manageable, low-risk victories. Just remember: while cheesing may make the game easier, the true satisfaction comes from mastering the mechanics—so use this strategy sparingly and responsibly.
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Weapon Arts Spam: Exploit weapons with low-cost, high-damage weapon arts for quick kills
In Dark Souls III, weapon arts are a game-changer, offering unique abilities tied to specific weapons. Some of these weapon arts have incredibly low stamina costs but deal disproportionate damage, making them prime candidates for spamming. The key to this strategy lies in identifying weapons like the Ledo’s Great Hammer or Murakumo, whose weapon arts can be activated repeatedly with minimal stamina investment. By exploiting these low-cost, high-damage abilities, players can overwhelm enemies or bosses before they have a chance to retaliate. This method is particularly effective in PvE, where AI opponents often struggle to adapt to rapid, repetitive attacks.
To execute weapon arts spam effectively, prioritize stamina management and timing. Equip the Chloranthy Ring and Prisoner’s Chain to increase stamina recovery speed, allowing you to chain weapon arts with minimal downtime. For example, Ledo’s Great Hammer’s weapon art, Perseverance, costs only 15 stamina but deals massive damage in a wide arc. Pair this with the Grass Crest Shield for additional stamina regeneration during brief pauses. Against bosses like Vordt of the Boreal Valley, position yourself at mid-range and spam the weapon art during their recovery animations or after dodging their attacks. This approach turns stamina efficiency into a lethal advantage.
While weapon arts spam is powerful, it’s not without risks. Over-reliance on this tactic can lead to stamina depletion if not managed carefully, leaving you vulnerable to counterattacks. Additionally, some bosses or enemies may have fast combos that punish repetitive patterns. To mitigate this, mix in occasional rolls or light attacks to disrupt predictability. For instance, after two weapon art activations, follow up with a roll and a single R1 attack to reset the rhythm. This keeps your strategy dynamic while still capitalizing on the exploit.
Comparatively, weapon arts spam stands out as one of the most accessible cheese strategies in DS3, requiring no rare items or complex setups. Unlike poison or bleed builds, which rely on stacking specific effects, this method hinges on a single weapon and basic stamina management. It’s also more forgiving than parry-spam, which demands precise timing. For players seeking a balance between efficiency and simplicity, weapon arts spam is a go-to tactic. Just remember: the goal isn’t to break the game, but to bend its mechanics to your advantage with style.
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Frequently asked questions
"Cheese" in DS3 refers to strategies or tactics that exploit mechanics, enemy behavior, or level design to defeat bosses or enemies with minimal risk or effort, often considered unconventional or unfair.
Common cheese strategies include using the environment to your advantage (e.g., luring enemies into traps), exploiting AI behavior (e.g., pulling bosses to specific areas where they get stuck), or using overpowered builds or items to trivialize fights.
Cheesing is a matter of personal preference. While some players view it as a creative way to overcome challenges, others believe it undermines the intended difficulty and design of the game. Ultimately, it’s up to the player to decide how they want to experience DS3.
