Welcome to Demon's Souls, a challenging action RPG where you'll explore the cursed kingdom of Boletaria. As a lone warrior, you'll face brutal enemies and formidable bosses like the Tower Knight and the Armor Spider, all while trying to quell the demonic plague consuming the land. Success hinges on mastering combat, managing your resources, and understanding the intricate world design across its five Archstones.
This guide is your key to conquering Boletaria. We'll help you navigate every treacherous path, uncover all hidden secrets, and defeat every boss, from the Phalanx to the Penetrator. Whether you're aiming for 100% completion, seeking optimal upgrade paths, or simply trying to survive the next difficult encounter, you'll find the tips and walkthroughs needed to achieve your goals and see all the game has to offer.
World Order & Perfect Game Tips
Follow the suggested Demon's Souls world order and perfect gameplay tips to avoid missing key items and mechanics, especially World Tendency.
Suggested Play Order:
- 1-1: Boletarian Palace: Gates of Boletaria
- 1-2: Boletarian Palace: The Lord's Path
- 2-1: Stonefang Tunnel: Smithing Grounds
- 4-1: Shrine of Storms: Island's Edge
- 3-1: Tower of Latria: Prison of Hope
- 4-2: Shrine of Storms: The Ritual Path
- 4-3: Shrine of Storms: Altar of Storms
- 1-3: Boletarian Palace: Inner Ward
- 2-2: Stonefang Tunnel: The Tunnel City
- 2-3: Stonefang Tunnel: Underground Temple
- 3-2: Tower of Latria: Upper Latria
- 3-3: Tower of Latria: The Ivory Tower
- 5-1: Valley of Defilement: Depraved Chasm
- 5-2: Valley of Defilement: Swamp of Sorrow
- 5-3: Valley of Defilement: Rotting Haven
- 1-4: Boletarian Palace: The King's Tower
Reasoning for Order: 1-2 is short and leads to upgrades needed for 2-1. 2-1 offers early weapon upgrade materials. 4-1 and 4-2 provide greater soul rewards and helpful HP/MP recovery items. 4-3 is short and features an easier Archdemon with the Storm Ruler sword, enabling access to 1-3. 1-3 offers valuable Moon Grass drops and access to Yuria the Witch for advanced spells. World 5 (Valley of Defilement) is avoided early due to low soul drops, poisonous swamps, and difficult enemies like giant depraved ones.
Perfect Gameplay / First Playthrough Tips:
Reference the Perfect Game Checklist every step of the way
This way you're sure not to miss the important parts accidentally. Manipulating the World and Character Tendencies can be especially tricky. _Link → Checklist: Perfect Game / Platinum Trophy_
DO NOT CONSUME THE DEMON'S SOULS!
There are two types of Souls you can obtain in the game; the normal Consumable Souls that you find lying around throughout the dungeons, and Demon's Souls, which are dropped after defeating the big baddies themselves. DO NOT CONSUME THE DEMON'S SOULS UNLESS THEY HAVE NO OTHER USE! They are able to be traded or used elsewhere for a much better benefit than just increasing your Soul count. There are only 3 in the entire game that have no use except to consume, so unless you're told directly to consume them (or have already looked in the Demon's Souls section), then save them.
Start off better equipped
After clearing W1-1, you'll be able to go to any of the other worlds' first area. Each one has something that massively benefits you right from the get go, so before proceeding with your next level of choice, do some archstone hopping to get the following equipment:
- Blacksmith Boldwin: Heater Shield (unless you already have the Kite Shield from the Knight class)
- W2-1: Crushing Battleax +1
- W5-1: Morning Star, Talisman of God
- W4-1: Talisman of God, Kilij, Crescent Falchion +1, Regenerator's Ring (see Grabbing the Regenerator's Ring early), Fragrant Ring (trade the Brass Telescope with Sparkly the Crow)
- W3-1: Wizard's Shoes, Wizard's Gloves, Wizard's Clothes, Wooden Catalyst, Silver Coronet
World Tendency and Offline Mode
You'll be aiming to get a Pure White World Tendency (PWWT) for each world at the start. To do so, you need to make sure that you do NOT die while in human form in any of them. To avoid this, you need to explore each world while in soul form. While you're in human form, use the outermost stairs in the Nexus to climb up two flights, then hurtle yourself off of the ledge to kill yourself. Promptly pick up your lost souls, then return exploring.
To increase your World Tendency, the boss of each world needs to be defeated. The only other way (other than to go down to Pure Black World Tendency [PBWT] and complete those events) is to defeat invading players while in Online mode.
It's recommended to play in Offline Mode so that you cannot be killed by invading players (if you happen to be in human form), as well as having your worlds influenced by the ever-changing tendencies based on all online players' playing habits.
Once you finally obtain PWWT and complete the events in each world associated with it, you can then send them down to PBWT and complete those events associated with it; just repeatedly kill yourself in human form in each world to get there. PBWT will then spawn one black phantom from a previous NPC (non-player character — anyone the game controls, not you) and one primeval demon that can be killed to shoot your World Tendency back up to PWWT (if done within the same trip / not traveling via archstone).
If you're farming souls, you'll want to stay in PBWT, as you'll receive more souls per enemy kill. Just know that they'll be hitting harde
Settings & Controls
Master Demon's Souls controls and settings. Learn about the Help Menu, Online/Offline modes, button mappings for combat, magic, archery, and special actions.
This guide covers the settings and controls for Demon's Souls. It is recommended for new players to familiarize themselves with these sections.
Settings
The Settings menu allows for customization. Two key areas to explore are:
- Help Menu (Settings → Game → Help Menu): Essential for newcomers to understand game mechanics.
- Online Mode / Offline Mode (Settings → Network → Launch State): Defaults to Online. Selecting Offline disables features like Messages, Bloodstains, and invasions/summoning. While you can manually go Online, playing the first playthrough in Offline mode is recommended for better control over World Tendency.
Controls
The following table details the button mappings for various actions in Demon's Souls:
| Button | General Actions | Using Magic | Using Bow | Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Left Stick | Move | |||
| L3 | ||||
| Right Stick | Camera | |||
| R3 | Camera Reset / Lock-On | |||
| Right | Switch Right-Hand Weapon | |||
| Down | Switch Item | Zoom Out (Aim) | ||
| Left | Switch Left-Hand Weapon | |||
| Up | Switch Magic | Switch Magic | Zoom In (Aim) | |
| Circle | Evade / Sprint (Hold) | Climb Ladder Faster (Hold) | ||
| Cross | Interact | Skip Cut Scenes (Hold) | ||
| Square | Use Item | |||
| Triangle | Two-Hand Weapon | One-Hand Weapon | ||
| L1 | Guard (Shield) | Cast Magic (Left-Hand) | Precision Aim | |
| L2 | Parry / Bash (Shield) | Attack (Left-Hand) | Precision Aim | |
| R1 | Attack | Cast Magic (Right-Hand) | Switch Ammo | |
| R2 | Strong Attack | Attack (Right-Hand) | Shoot | |
| Options | Submenu | |||
| Touch Pad | Toolbelt (Customizable for left/right halves) | Access Photo Mode / Gestures (Photo Mode acts as PAUSE) |
Other Controls
- Holding the Cross button skips cut scenes.
- Holding the Circle button while climbing a ladder allows for faster climbing.
- The game does not have a traditional pause function; the environment continues to progress while menus are open. However, Photo Mode (accessed via the Touch Pad) freezes the game, effectively acting as a pause.
- Combining R1 + Triangle near certain ledges allows you to hop over them.
- Specific weapon actions can be performed with R1 + Square. For example, the Morning Star performs a backward push, while the Kilij executes two quick slices with a backward hop.
Settings & Controls (2)
Learn how to customize your Demon's Souls experience by adjusting game settings, including the Help Menu and Network Launch State for optimal World Tendency. Master controls for combat, magic, and archery.
If you are new to the game, please read each of these sections carefully.
- Settings
- Controls
Settings
Feel free to go through the various settings to customize the game to your liking. There are two points in the Settings that you should definitely visit:
Help Menu
Settings → Game → Help Menu
If you're a newcomer, make sure to go through the entirety of the Help Menu to familiarize yourself with the game.
Online Mode / Offline Mode
Settings → Network → Launch State
The default is Online. If you choose to change it to Offline, the following features will be disabled when you start a new game: Messages, Bloodstains, Eye Stones, including but not limited to invasions, summoning help, and passwords. You can Go Online manually when starting even if you choose to leave it at Offline in the Settings menu.
For your first playthrough, it's recommended to play in Offline mode just for the sake of having full control of your World Tendency progress.
Controls
| Button | General Actions | Using Magic | Using Bow | Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Left Stick | Move | |||
| L3 | ||||
| Right Stick | Camera | |||
| R3 | Camera Reset / Lock-On | |||
| Right | Switch Right-Hand Weapon | |||
| Down | Switch Item | Zoom Out (Aim) | ||
| Left | Switch Left-Hand Weapon | |||
| Up | Switch Magic | Switch Magic | Zoom In (Aim) | |
| Circle | Evade / Sprint (Hold) | Climb Ladder Faster (Hold) | ||
| Cross | Interact | Skip Cut Scenes (Hold) | ||
| Square | Use Item | |||
| Triangle | Two-Hand Weapon | One-Hand Weapon | ||
| L1 | Guard (Shield) | Cast Magic (Left-Hand) | Precision Aim | |
| L2 | Parry / Bash (Shield) | Attack (Left-Hand) | Precision Aim | |
| R1 | Attack | Cast Magic (Right-Hand) | Switch Ammo | |
| R2 | Strong Attack | Attack (Right-Hand) | Shoot | |
| Options | Submenu | |||
| Touch Pad | Toolbelt (You can customize the Touch Pad and assign two different functions to it; one for the left half, one for the right half.) | Access Photo Mode / Gestures (Photo Mode can be used as PAUSE) |
Other Controls
- Holding the Cross button allows you to skip cut scenes.
- Holding the Circle button while climbing a ladder allows you to climb faster.
- You technically cannot Pause in this game. When you go into the Menu, everything continues happening in the background, meaning you can still be killed. However, there IS a Photo Mode you can access by pressing the Touch Pad button and choosing Photo Mode, which does freeze the game in the background, allowing you to have a Pause.
- R1 + Triangle against certain ledges in the Boletarian Palace will allow you to hop over the ledge to the other side / area below.
- L2 + R2 will allow you to do an action specific to certain weapons. For example, the Morning Star will push the enemy backward, whereas the Kilij will do two quick weaker slices in succession, with the second slice having you jump backward a little bit.
Character Creation
Choose your Body Type, Class, and Starting Gift in Demon's Souls. Type A (Female) allows Silver Bracelets for more souls.
Body Type
There are two body types: Type A, considered Female, and Type B, considered Male. Certain armor sets are exclusive to either Type A or Type B. Beyond armor, your chosen body type does not affect character customization or voice options.
Recommendation:
- Start with Type A / Female if you want to equip the Silver Bracelets, which grant more souls upon defeating enemies.
- If soul gain is not a concern, Type B / Male is suggested, as Type A / Female cannot equip the Ancient King's armor set, the best armor in the game that does not slow stamina regeneration.
Class
There are 10 classes to choose from, each with unique starting equipment and statistics. The Royalty class is recommended for a stronger start and to mitigate the game's difficulty, due to its MP-regenerating ring, starting spell, and decent equipment.
Starting Classes & Defaults:
- Soldier: Broadsword, Short Spear, Plate Helm, Coat of Plates, Solider's Shield, Plate Gauntlets, Plate Greaves, 20x Bolt, 10x Crescent Moon Grass, 4x Soldier's Lotus
- Knight: Long Sword, Mail Breaker, Fluted Helm, Fluted Armor, Kite Shield, Fluted Gauntlets, Fluted Greaves, 6x Crescent Moon Grass, 4x Half Moon Grass, Noble's Lotus
- Hunter: Battle Axe, Long Bow, Leather Cap, Leather Armor, Leather Shield, Leather Gloves, Leather Boots, 50x Arrow, 10x Crescent Moon Grass, 10x Augite of Guidance
- Priest: Mace, Talisman of God, Mail Coif, Chain Mail, Heater Shield, Chain Gloves, Hard Leather Boots, 3x Crescent Moon Grass, «Heal»
- Magician: Short Sword, Wooden Catalyst, Wizard's Clothes, Leather Shield, Wizard's Gloves, Wizard's Shoes, 6x Crescent Moon Grass, 6x Fresh Spice, «Flame Toss», «Water Veil»
- Wanderer: Falchion, Dagger, Leather Armor, Wooden Shield, Hard Leather Boots, 8x Crescent Moon Grass, Ed's Sharpening Stone
- Barbarian: 2x Club, Barbarian Clothes, Wooden Shield, Barbarian Armbands, Barbarian Leggings, 5x Crescent Moon Grass, 3x Soul Remains
- Thief: Dagger, Short Bow, Assassin's Mask, Black Leather Garb, Buckler, Black Gloves, Black Boots, 20x Arrow, 8x Crescent Moon Grass, 10x Throwing Knife
- Temple Knight: Halberd, Talisman of God, Mirdan Helm, Mirdan Scale Armor, Heater Shield, Mirdan Gauntlets, Mirdan Greaves, 3x Crescent Moon Grass, «Heal»
- Royalty: Rapier, Silver Catalyst, Silver Coronet, Wizard's Clothes, Buckler, Wizard's Gloves, Wizard's Shoes, Fragrant Ring, Half Moon Grass, Noble's Lotus, «Soul Arrow»
Starting Statistics by Class:
- Soldier: Soul Level 6, Vitality 14, Intelligence 9, Endurance 12, Strength 12, Dexterity 11, Magic 8, Faith 10, Luck 10
- Knight: Soul Level 4, Vitality 10, Intelligence 11, Endurance 11, Strength 14, Dexterity 10, Magic 10, Faith 11, Luck 7
- Hunter: Soul Level 6, Vitality 12, Intelligence 10, Endurance 13, Strength 11, Dexterity 12, Magic 8, Faith 8, Luck 12
- Priest: Soul Level 6, Vitality 13, Intelligence 11, Endurance 12, Strength 13, Dexterity 8, Magic 8, Faith 13, Luck 8
- Magician: Soul Level 6, Vitality 9, Intelligence 15, Endurance 10, Strength 9, Dexterity 11, Magic 15, Faith 6, Luck 11
- Wanderer: Soul Level 6, Vitality 10, Intelligence 10, Endurance 11, Strength 11, Dexterity 15, Magic 9, Faith 7, Luck 13
- Barbarian: Soul Level 9, Vitality 15, Intelligence 7, Endurance 13, Strength 15, Dexterity 9, Magic 11, Faith 8, Luck 11
- Thief: Soul Level 9, Vitality 10, Intelligence 13, Endurance 10, Strength 9, Dexterity 14, Magic 10, Faith 8, Luck 15
- Temple Knight: Soul Level 4, Vitality 11, Intelligence 8, Endurance 13, Strength 14, Dexterity 12, Magic 6, Faith 13, Luck 7
- Royalty: Soul Level 1, Vitality 8, Intelligence 12, Endurance 8, Strength 9, Dexterity 12, Magic 13, Faith 12, Luck 7
Starting Gift
You can choose one starting gift to begin the game with. The most beneficial gift is the Providential Ring, which increases Item Discovery and is required for the King of Rings trophy.
Available Starting Gifts:
- 10x Augite of Guidance
- 5x Grass Jelly
- 5x Elixir
- 3x Bright Water
- Providential Ring
- 10x Kunai
- 5x Fire Bomb
- 10x Soul Remains
- 10x Fire Arrow
Deluxe Items Bundle
If you purchased the Deluxe Edition, you can also choose to receive the Deluxe Items Bundle. These items are stored with Stockpile Thomas in the Nexus.
Deluxe Items:
- 5x Renowned Warrior Soul
- 2x Storied Warrior Soul
- 1x Legendary Hero Soul
- 3x Preservation Grains
- 3x Phosphorescent Grains
- 3x Bearbug Grains
- Ritual Blade
- Hoplite Shield
- Red-Eye Knight Helmet
- Red-Eye Knight Cuirass
- Boletarian Royalty Clothes
- Red-Eye Knight Gauntlets
- Boletarian Royalty Armband
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