The Dark Souls series built its reputation on spectacular boss fights and aggressive difficulty. Even as the player grows in power and becomes more confident in their abilities, there are always new challenges and more formidable creatures waiting to send them straight back to the bonfire.
In Dark Souls III, the player will need every chance and every soul they can get to survive. Thankfully, there are many useful soul farming locations throughout the game where the player can grind to increase their level and overcome tough enemies. Most enemies in the souls series can be slain, even if the player is under-leveled. That said, sometimes even just one well-placed level up in vigor or stamina can make the difference between victory and crushing defeat.
Updated on April 27, 2023 by Erik Petrovich: When looking for the best place to farm souls DS3 players should consider a few things first. There are some places that are far better for Dark Souls 3 early soul farming than others, and inexperienced players should all but certainly avoid some of the later-game soul farms on this list. But before all of that, it's a good idea to equip some soul farming gear to make all that effort even more lucrative. Just a handful of items can confer a bonus to souls gained. Before players try some DS3 early soul farming, make sure to go out of the way and pick up a few of these boosts along the way. With all four – plus a mechanic that grants more souls for instant kills – soul intake can be more than doubled.
14 Before Grinding, Get Some DS3 Easy Soul Farm Gear
The best thing a player can do to prepare for a bit of Dark Souls 3 soul farming is to hunt down and equip the right gear. There are five items in the game that can do wonders in improving one's soul intake when killing enemies: The Covetous Silver Serpent Ring (10% boost), the Shield of Want (20% boost), the Symbol of Avarice (50% boost), and the Medicant's Staff (20% boost). Combined, these items will double the number of souls a player acquires, but that's not all.
If players can kill enemies in one hit they will also receive an overkill bonus of 20% extra souls, which means a total 120% bonus with all of these items equipped. The Covetous Silver Serpent Ring comes in three levels, too, with the +3 version only available in The Ringed City Dreg Heap area. This boosts the ring from 10% extra souls to a whopping 35% bonus. All in all, these items at their maximum level give a 125% bonus to souls when killing any enemy, and a 145% boost when killing enemies in one hit.
That's nothing to sneeze at, but coming up with a build that works with all of these items and doesn't suffer from the Symbol of Avarice health-draining effect is a challenge.
13 The Dragon Atop The High Wall Of Lothric
Souls Dropped Per Enemy
- Hollows: 30
- Hollow Soldiers: 30-80
Players struggling in the early game will find it profitable to farm souls by simply running between the first two bonfires on the High Wall of Lothric.
This run is particularly easy as many of the enemies are found kneeling in prayer, making them incredibly easy to backstab, furthermore the dragon on the wall can be used to kill the Hollow Soldiers without any need for combat at all. Players can increase their soul yield with a Covetous Silver Serpent Ring that is acquired by finding the illusionary wall at Firelink Shrine.
12 The Farron Followers in the Snowy Mountain Pass
Souls Dropped Per Enemy
- Farron Follower: 700
While the Corvian Settlement is alright for the purposes of soul farming, there is another area in the Ashes of Ariandel DLC that is a bit more efficient. The twisting paths just ahead of the Snowy Mountain Pass bonfire are full of enemies that are much easier to kill than the ruthless Corvian Knights.
The terrain in this area allows players to effectively separate the roaming groups Farron Followers so they can be picked off one at a time. These enemies have a range of different weaponry and attacks however, they are all vulnerable to being stun locked. A powerful strength weapon at the right level will be able to regularly kill these enemies in a single shot.
11 The Church of Yorshka Loop
Souls Dropped Per Enemy
- Boreal Immolator: 1800
- Pontiff Knight: 900
- Irithyllian Slave: 250
After exiting the Church of Yorshka out the main entrance and turning left, the player can drop attack a Boreal Immolator and proceed to fight their way up to the fog gate for Pontiff Sulyvahn.
After killing the two Boreal Knights near the fog gate, the player can optionally lay their summon sign down for Pontiff Sulyvahn, one of the game's hardest bosses, possibly yielding more souls if they help kill him. Directly opposite the boss arena is a ledge the player can fall off to kill one more knight and exit at the staircase back to the Church. This loop is small which makes it very efficient for quickly generating a large number of souls.
10 The Sewer Centipedes Under Irythill
Souls Dropped Per Enemy
- Sewer Centipedes: 750
Very close to the Distant Manor bonfire is a half-submerged chamber beneath Irythill full of Sewer Centipedes. These monstrous, insectile creatures look like drowned ladies until they attack making them an unpleasant surprise for unsuspecting players.
Despite their nightmarish appearance, they are relatively easy to kill, especially with a strong dexterity weapon. There are nine centipedes waiting to ambush the player in this area and it is necessary to try and draw them one at a time to avoid being overwhelmed. By repeatedly killing the whole room and running back to the bonfire, the player will quickly rack up a hefty soul count.
9 The Helpful Dark Wraiths in the Keep Ruins
Souls Dropped Per Enemy
- Ghru Grunt: 350
- Ghru Conjuror: 350
- Mad Ghru: 600
- Darkwraith: 2500
Should the Ashen One decide to grind up souls before trying to defeat the Abyss Watchers they can farm the Ghru outside of their fog gate.
This run is made far more efficient by the two Darkwraiths who will charge through the courtyard attacking the Ghru, meaning that once the player has cleared the three enemies to the far right they can simply wait for the wraiths to kill the rest. After the Ghru are annihilated, the player can kill the weakened Darkwraiths for more souls before returning to the bonfire.
8 A Tough Yet Rewarding Soul Farm In The Corvian Settlement
Souls Dropped Per Enemy
- Covian Settler: 110
- Crawling Corvian Settler: 90
- Corvian Mage: 180
- Large Corvian Settler: 160
- Sewer Centipede: 750
- Corvian Knight: 2800
The first DLC of Dark Souls 3 sees the ashen one drawn into the painted world of Ariandel. The enemies in this frozen landscape are dangerous and often attack in groups. Since many of the hostiles don't drop a lot of souls, this DLC isn't the best place for farming.
One area where players can successfully grind up levels is the village immediately outside the Corvian Settlement bonfire. While the weaker enemies here only provide a paltry number of souls, there are plenty of them to slay. Furthermore, the Corvian knights are difficult to defeat but well worth the effort. Players struggling with these murderous knights should aim to dodge behind their swings and go for the backstab. Alternatively, magic users will find both Hidden Body and Rapport to be very useful when dealing with these lethal opponents.
7 The Jailers and Gargoyles at the Profaned Capital
Souls Dropped Per Enemy
- Jailer Handmaid: 850
- Headless Gargoyle: 2500
After battling through the Irythill Dungeon, one of the more intriguing levels in Dark Souls III, players will reach the subterranean ruins of the Profaned Capital.
Killing the Jailers and Gargoyles outside the boss arena for Yhorm the Giant is an easy way to gather souls. Since Yhorm is one of the less challenging bosses in the game, unlocking his bonfire will make this run very quick and profitable. The one thing to beware of is getting surrounded by the enemies, so it is important to try and pick them off one at a time or in small manageable groups. Using the pillars for cover will also help the player avoid the jailers' multiple projectiles.
6 Sleeping Giants & the Deacons After Pontiff Sulyvahn
Souls Dropped Per Enemy
- Deacon of the Deep: 600
- Giant Slaves: 3800
Pontiff Sulyvahn is one of the more difficult bosses in Dark Souls III, however, many of the challenges after defeating him are even more grueling. Thankfully, there is a good soul farming area immediately after his boss fight.
Once players have opened all of the doors in Pontiff's arena, they can leave via the small door to the left up the elevator and kill the eight Deacons of the Deep. These enemies can be tricked with the spell Hidden Body, making them easy to pick off without getting swamped by fireballs. After finishing them off, the player can go down to a courtyard full of giants, two of which are alive and snoring. Killing these giants before returning to the bonfire will maximize the number of souls gained from this run.
5 The Guardians Of Anor Londo
Souls Dropped Per Enemy
- Silver Knights: 2500
The inclusion of Anor Londo in Dark Souls III was one of the many rumors surrounding the game's release that turned out correct. The bonfire at the bottoms of the steps to the legendary castle is also a very effective soul farming spot.
The two Silver Knights patrolling the giant staircase are easy to separate and kill one at a time, once players learn their move set. Their high soul yield per kill and proximity to the bonfire make this one of the more efficient places to farm souls as players hone their skills for the battle against Aldritch, Devourer of Gods.
4 The Knights of The Ringed City DLC
Souls Dropped Per Enemy
- Ringed Knight: 7000
The Ringed City DLC was the epic conclusion many Darks Souls fans wanted. As well as having some of the largest areas and toughest boss fights, it also has one of the best enemies for soul farming.
The awesome Ringed Knights found in the DLC's titular area are brilliant for collecting not just souls but also many other items like titanate chunks and slabs. This makes them a particularly useful enemy for players trying to max out their weapons to +10. Killing all four knights can be a challenge, but it is made easier by remembering they are weak to frost and bleed damage. The best strategy for tackling Ringed Knights is to bait their thrust attacks and roll behind them for the backstab.
3 Endless Soul Farming Without Using the Bonfire
Souls Dropped Per Enemy
- Drakeblood Knight: 4000
- Serpent-Man Summoner: 2400
There is a Drakeblood Knight In Archdragon Peak that drops a minimum of 4000 souls per kill and players will not even have to return to the bonfire when farming him.
This knight is not a regular enemy since he is summoned by the first Man-Serpent Summoner encountered at Archdragon Peak. Provided the player doesn't kill the summoner, this enemy can be killed indefinitely, making him possibly the most efficient way to gather souls in Dark Souls III. To maximize efficiency, simply stand behind where the knight summons and backstab him as soon as he materializes. With a good strength weapon like the Demon's Greataxe (one of the best axes in the game), this enemy often requires no more than two hits to be killed, allowing the player to easily rack up over 100,000 souls in 5-10 minutes.
2 A Highly Profitable Soul Farm for Late-Game Magicians
Souls Dropped Per Enemy
- Lothric Knight: 4000
As players progress through the game, they will often find that they have more than enough levels for facing the final bosses. However, soul farming can still be useful for buying new weapons and the necessary upgrade materials to enhance them.
A great spot for gathering souls in the late game is the courtroom immediately outside the bonfire for the Twin Princes boss fight. Here the player can find 4 Lothric Knights descending the Staircase to the boss fight. Four well placed Crystal Soul Spears will make quick work of these knights, making this a great farming spot for mage builds to level up their intelligence, or prepare for the challenges of the DLCs.
1 Winged Knights on the Roof of the Grand Archives
Souls Dropped Per Enemy
- Gertrude Knight: 13000
The Grand Archives is already a great level to replay for the purposes of soul farming. However, players looking for a shorter run need only take the elevator to the right and find their way up to the roof.
On the rooftops above the archive, there is a group of three Gertrude Knights. These knights are tough enemies so it is advisable to try and separate them from each other to kill them one at a time, and even then they will present a considerable challenge. One tactic that works very well is to put 15 levels into intelligence and buy a pyromancy called Rapport. When used right, this spell will make the knights fight each other, meaning the player only has to kill a single weakened knight at the end.
Dark Souls 3 is available now on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S.