How to Get the Dark Sword in Dark Souls 3
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How to Get the Dark Sword in Dark Souls 3
Dark Sword Tips
The Dark Sword is arguably the most powerful straight sword in Dark Souls 3 and was famously dominant in PvP for much of the game’s lifecycle. Even after balance patches it remains excellent — high damage, good range, and versatile infusion options make it a top choice for any build investing in Strength and Dexterity. The farming process takes 15–30 minutes with maximum item discovery, making it one of the more accessible powerful weapons to obtain. Once you have it at +10 with the right infusion it will carry you comfortably through the rest of the game including the final boss.
FAQ
⚡ Quick Answer
How to Farm the Dark Sword
The Dark Sword drops from Darkwraith enemies in Farron Keep — specifically the ones patrolling near the Keep Ruins and Old Wolf of Farron bonfires. The drop rate is roughly 20% with 100 item discovery. Equip the Covetous Gold Serpent Ring and the Symbol of Avarice helmet to maximize your chances.
1
Reach Farron Keep. Farron Keep is accessed after defeating the Abyss Watchers or by progressing through the Road of Sacrifices. The Keep is a large poison swamp area — navigate to the Keep Ruins bonfire or the Old Wolf of Farron bonfire, both of which have Darkwraith enemies nearby.
2
Find the Darkwraiths. Darkwraiths are tall, dark humanoid enemies wearing tattered black cloaks — they wield the Dark Sword themselves and use a distinctive lunge attack. There are two reliable spawn locations: one near the Keep Ruins bonfire (1 Darkwraith near the three pillars in the swamp) and two near the Old Wolf of Farron bonfire up the ladder.
3
Maximise item discovery before farming. Equip the Covetous Gold Serpent Ring (+50 item discovery, found in Irithyll Dungeon), the Symbol of Avarice helmet (+50 item discovery, drops from Mimics), and use a Rusted Gold Coin (+50 item discovery for 60 seconds). At 300+ item discovery the Dark Sword drop rate becomes very consistent — expect one every 5–10 kills.
4
Farm the loop efficiently. Rest at the Keep Ruins bonfire, kill the nearby Darkwraith, then rest again to reset it. This is the fastest single-enemy loop for the sword. If you want more kills per run, include the two Darkwraiths near the Old Wolf of Farron bonfire in your circuit — rest there, kill both, fast travel back to Keep Ruins, repeat.
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One of the best straight swords in the game: the Dark Sword has the highest base damage of any straight sword in Dark Souls 3 at +10. It scales with Strength and Dexterity and infuses well with Heavy, Sharp, or Refined depending on your build. Its long reach and high damage make it dominant in both PvE and PvP.
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Requires 16 Strength and 16 Dexterity: the Dark Sword has balanced stat requirements accessible to most builds that have progressed to Farron Keep. It uses standard Titanite to upgrade, reaching +10 with Titanite Slabs — the same upgrade path as most other standard weapons.
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Best infusion for Refined builds: a Refined Dark Sword scales equally with Strength and Dexterity — with 40/40 it achieves the highest AR of any infusion. For pure Strength builds use Heavy infusion; for pure Dexterity use Sharp. All three perform excellently at their respective stat breakpoints.
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Darkwraiths are tough — come prepared: Darkwraiths deal significant dark damage and have a fast lunge that catches players off guard. Keep your shield up or dodge their attacks rather than trading — they hit hard for a farming enemy. Full Estus before each attempt is recommended at lower levels.
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Crystal Sage’s Rapier boosts item discovery too: equipping the Crystal Sage’s Rapier in your offhand adds +50 item discovery without occupying a ring slot — it stacks with the Covetous Gold Serpent Ring. You do not need to attack with it, just have it equipped in your left hand for the passive bonus.
Where do Darkwraiths spawn in Dark Souls 3?
Darkwraiths spawn in Farron Keep near the Keep Ruins bonfire (one enemy in the swamp near the stone pillars) and near the Old Wolf of Farron bonfire (two enemies up the ladder). These are the only reliable Darkwraith spawn locations for farming the Dark Sword.
What is the drop rate for the Dark Sword in Dark Souls 3?
The base drop rate is around 20% at 100 item discovery. With maximum item discovery (Symbol of Avarice + Covetous Gold Serpent Ring + Crystal Sage’s Rapier offhand = 300 discovery) the effective rate rises significantly — most players obtain the sword within 10–15 kills at maximum discovery.
What is the best infusion for the Dark Sword in Dark Souls 3?
Refined infusion is best for quality builds with 40 Strength and 40 Dexterity, giving the highest AR. Heavy infusion is best for pure Strength builds (60 Strength), and Sharp is best for pure Dexterity builds (80 Dexterity). All three perform at the top tier of straight sword damage at their respective stat peaks.
Can you get the Dark Sword before fighting the Abyss Watchers?
Yes — Farron Keep is accessible before defeating the Abyss Watchers by progressing through the Road of Sacrifices. The Darkwraiths are present regardless of whether you have beaten the area boss, so you can farm the Dark Sword as early as you can reach the Keep Ruins bonfire.