Mods for the Dark Souls series are notably a little harder to install than for many other games out there. Part of this is thanks to the online-required feature of the games, making it possible for invasions and online events to occur at any time in a normal playthrough. However, this also makes it incredibly hard to mod the game without being banned.
Singleplayer-only mods tend to be the least noticeable for anti-cheat systems, so be sure to only use these Dark Souls easy mode mods in offline and disable them when going online. When it comes to making the game easier to play, there are two types of mods: "mega mules" containing upgraded characters and straightforward game-altering addons.
Updated May 2, 2022 by Erik Petrovich: Dark Souls games are known for being insanely difficult. Although most of the community agrees that nothing should change about the franchise's difficult learning curve, there are some modders out there who want to let everyone enjoy these gaming masterpieces. Each of Dark Souls, Dark Souls 2, and Dark Souls 3 have a variety of mods available that either directly or indirectly alter the difficulty of these games - for example, one Dark Souls difficulty mod increases vendor inventories to subtly reduce the challenge, while another flat-out makes enemy attacks weaker and Health values lower. Try out a few to find a comfortable difficulty level, but beware of making the game too easy and ruining any sense of challenge entirely.
How To Install Dark Souls Mods
Modding a Dark Souls game is a different beast than, say, modding The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The latter is able to work with the Steam Workshop, while Dark Souls requires players to go through each part of the installation on their own. There are some tools out there like Mod Managers that make it a little easier, but the most exact way to get them working is to understand the installation process and try it manually. This is not recommended for players new to modding, as the process tends to be different depending on the addons.
Check The Pre-Requisites
Every single mod out there has some kind of pre-requisite addon, except the basic script extenders and other engine enhancing addons. Always check the prerequisites for each mod you want to install and make sure those are properly set up before attempting the addon. While there, check the comments (or a readme, if available) for the recommended load order – loading prerequisites after their associated mod tends to break the game.
Use Nexus or a Custom Mod Manager
The Nexus Mod Manager is the most straightforward way to install mods for just about every game. It is an all-inclusive manager that links mods downloaded from the Nexus to their associated games automatically. There are other custom mod managers available for each game, too, though these tend to be less supported than the Nexus Mod Manager.
Dark Souls Mods That Alter Saves
The number one way to make Dark Souls easier is to play on a save that already has everything unlocked. These mods are also the least traceable in the Dark Souls series as they don't change anything about the game itself. Instead, they add a variety of custom saves that let players take on the game in almost any way.
Many Mega Mule saves already have the game finished, though, and the player will have to embark on a NG+ campaign. Although it will be much easier to take on when equipped with exactly what the player's wants, NG+ is still a massive leap in difficulty from regular gameplay.
Dark Souls 3 Infinite Possibilities Mega Mule
The Dark Souls 3 Mega Mule addon is perhaps the most comprehensive save state mod for the game. It claims to offer players the ability to "make ANY build you want without replaying the game." It's comprehensive, detailed, and opens so many doors for the player that it can be hard to choose a direction.
Dark Souls 2 Perfectionist
Dark Souls 2 is not as well-liked by the Dark Souls community for a variety of reasons, and as such, the mod availability for the game is a little lacking. However, the SOTFS Ultimate Perfectionist Savegame addon serves much of the same purpose as the Dark Souls 3 Mega Mule. It is only one save, unfortunately, but it has quite literally everything unlocked, allowing the player to take on NG+ in any way they wish in the second Dark Souls game.
Dark Souls Remastered Mega Mule
The Dark Souls Remastered Mega Mule addon is a little bit different than the Dark Souls 3 version. It comes in a variety of versions, one without any cheat, one with cheats, and one with 100% unlocked game progression. The creator recommends downloading the fully unlocked Mule, Version Three, as long as the player is OK with Cheat Engine having been used.
Dark Souls Mods That Indirectly Reduce Difficulty
Aside from using altered save states, the other way to make the games easier is to install mods that change game files and mechanics to reduce the difficulty in an indirect way. A few mods stand out for their popularity and creator support, though there are lots of tiny mods that change other minutia about Dark Souls mechanics across the franchise.
If you don't want to completely cheese the Dark Souls series, consider installing one of these mods that make the games easier without completely breaking them. There are mods that directly reduce enemy power, but it's more fun to reduce the learning curve in other ways to preserve the challenge as much as possible.
Dark Souls 3 Honest Merchant
The Dark Souls 3 Honest Merchant mod makes every item in the game available for purchase. It's a lot nicer than having to spend time hunting down enemies for a small chance at a drop, but it's also a great way to run out of money quickly. This makes the game easier by improving the availability of rare items within a relatively fair new framework.
Dark Souls 2 Increased Durability
One problem with Dark Souls 2, amidst all its other well-known issues compared to other games in the Souls series, is that weapons had a tendency of breaking incredibly quickly. Sure, Repair Powder fixes that real quick, but it doesn't fix the problem of the unnecessary mechanic. The Increased Durability mod for Scholar Of The First Sin makes weapon breaks much less common, and there are a few different options for players to choose from when installing the mod.
Dark Souls Remastered Better Rolling
The Dark Souls Remastered Better Rolling mod is straightforward and does what it says on the tin, so to speak. Instead of fat rolling, players will heavy roll. Instead of heavy rolling, players will medium roll. Instead of medium rolling, players will fast roll. And instead of a fast roll, players will dash in a way very similar to the dashing mechanics of Bloodborne.
Dark Souls Mods That Make Enemies Weaker
Making the Dark Souls series easier is no small task, as the games are designed to be challenging at their core. There are two major mods that offer a reduction in difficulty across the board by altering enemy health and damage values for the first and last Souls games made by the same creator: Dark Souls 3 Easy Mode and Dark Souls Easy Mode. Uploaded by Dangel_Deviliono, each of these two mods reduces damage by 50%, 75%, or 95% depending on the player's preference. Be warned, though, full satisfaction is not guaranteed when downing the Soul of Cinder or Gwyn.
An option for Dark Souls 2 players is the Dark Souls 2 Easy Mode mod by lordranhomeboy. This mod works differently than the Dark Souls 3 and Dark Souls Remastered equivalents, though, because it doesn't change enemy values. Instead, it buffs the player's spells, increases drop rates, increases souls across the board, and reduces the cost of leveling up.
These types of mods are great to learn and get used to the game's mechanics and useful for screenshots and lighthearted exploration in general, but don't rely too heavily on them or you won't fully appreciate the true challenge that the franchise is so well known for.