Understanding The Dark Souls 3 Trophy List

Understanding the Dark Souls 3 Trophy List

Dark Souls 3 trophy hunting is no walk in the park, my friends. If you have ever played any FromSoftware title before, you already know that these platinum trophies are notoriously difficult to unlock. The Dark Souls 3 trophy list consists of 43 total trophies, including the coveted platinum trophy that every dedicated player dreams of earning. This comprehensive Dark Souls 3 Trophy Guide will walk you through everything you need to know to collect them all and join the elite club of players who have mastered this punishing action RPG.

The trophy list is divided into several categories based on story progression, covenant completion, magic discovery, weapon upgrades, and multiplayer interactions. Some trophies are straightforward and will naturally unlock as you progress through the main storyline. However, others require you to go out of your way, join specific covenants, upgrade weapons to their maximum potential, or discover every secret the game has to offer. Platinum trophy completion typically takes between 60 to 100+ hours depending on your familiarity with the game and how efficiently you follow a completionist path.

Before we dive deep into the specifics, it is essential to understand that Dark Souls 3 does not have a traditional New Game Plus trophy. Instead, you will need to make multiple playthroughs using different builds and making specific choices to unlock all the required items and achievements. This might sound tedious, but trust me, the journey is absolutely worth it. The sense of accomplishment you will feel when that platinum trophy pops is unmatched in the gaming world.

Story Progression Trophies

The story progression trophies form the backbone of your Dark Souls 3 Trophy Guide journey. These are the trophies you will earn simply by playing through the game and defeating the major bosses. However, some of these have hidden requirements that you need to be aware of before starting your playthrough. Let me break down each one so you know exactly what to expect.

Cinder of a Lord is one of the most important trophies in the game, requiring you to defeat the Soul of Cinder, the final boss. This trophy is absolutely mandatory for platinum completion, and it will be your primary goal during your first playthrough. The Soul of Cinder is an incredibly challenging boss that changes its combat style based on your playstyle, making every fight feel unique and demanding.

The Tower of the Sun trophy unlocks after defeating the Lothric, Younger Prince boss at the top of the High Wall of Lothric. This is one of the earlier bosses you will encounter, and most players should be able to reach this point within the first few hours of gameplay. However, do not let its early placement fool you, as this boss can still provide a decent challenge for newer players. The twin princes fight involves dealing with both Lothric and his older brother Lorian, who can be quite aggressive when working together.

Other essential story trophies include Midnight (Defeat the Soul of the Abyss), Age of Dark (Complete the game ending of your choice), Dark Soul (Reach the ending of your choice), and The End of Fire (Witness the ending linked to fire). These trophies cover the various endings available in Dark Souls 3, which means you will need to make specific choices and potentially manipulate your Chalice Dungeons to access all of them.

Covenant Trophies and How to Join Them

Covenant trophies are some of the most time-consuming achievements in the Dark Souls 3 Trophy Guide. There are eight covenants in total, and each one has its own trophy associated with reaching rank 2 within that covenant. Ranking up in covenants typically requires you to offer covenant-specific items to the relevant NPC or statue. This means you will need to spend significant time farming these items, which can be tedious but is absolutely necessary for platinum.

The Way of Blue covenant is automatically joined when you start the game, and its trophy simply requires you to be a member when certain conditions are met. This is the easiest covenant trophy and should unlock naturally during your playthrough. However, you will need to actively participate in player invasions to rank up, which can be frustrating for players who prefer solo play.

The Blue Sentinels and Blades of the Darkmoon covenants both involve protecting players who are invaded. You will need to successfully defend hosts of embers a certain number of times to reach rank 2 and unlock the associated trophies. The Mound Makers covenant is particularly interesting because you can earn the trophy by helping or harming other players, making it one of the more unique covenant experiences in the game.

For the Rosaria, Fingers of Rebellion covenant, you will need to offer tongue decorations to Rosaria to rank up. This is one of the more straightforward covenants but requires you to sacrifice your ability to level up every time you want to rank up, as offering tongues resets your debuffs. The Aldrich Faithful and Watchdogs of Farron covenants involve invading other players' worlds in specific areas, while the Spear of the Church covenant requires you to defend against player invasions during the Halflight, Spear of the Church boss fight.

Weapon and Upgrade Trophies

Weapon upgrade trophies are where many players struggle in their Dark Souls 3 Trophy Guide journey. These trophies require you to upgrade various weapons to their maximum level, which means you will need to collect numerous upgrade materials throughout your playthroughs. The key weapons to focus on are the Estus Shard, Undead Bone Shard, and the various boss soul weapons.

The Sage trophy requires you to learn all spells, which means you will need to find every scroll and attune every spell available in the game. This includes pyromancies, sorceries, and miracles. Some spells are hidden behind secret walls or require specific covenant rankings to unlock. You will need to carefully explore every area and talk to every NPC to ensure you do not miss any of these valuable magical discoveries.

The Bond trophy involves reaching rank 2 in the Sunlight Altar covenant by accumulating enough Sunlight Medals. This is a significant time investment, but it becomes much easier once you have access to the Sunlight Straight Sword, which provides a chance to earn medals when defeating bosses. Make sure to always have this covenant equipped when tackling bosses to maximize your medal accumulation.

Weapon mastery trophies like Duelist (Equip a weapon in both hands) and Morion (Have a weapon with minimum requirements in each slot) are relatively simple but often overlooked by newer players. Take your time to experiment with different weapon configurations and ensure you have equipped items in every available slot before attempting these trophies.

Multiplayer and online Trophies

Online trophies can be hit or miss depending on the current player population and your platform of choice. The Speechcraft trophy requires you to perform a gesture while a certain condition is met, which sounds simple but can be surprisingly difficult to pull off in the chaotic environment of online play. Make sure to practice your gestures in the safe areas before attempting this trophy in a live multiplayer setting.

The Knight trophy involves reaching rank 2 in the Warriors of Sunlight covenant by offering 30 Sunlight Medals. This is one of the more straightforward online trophies as long as you actively help other players with boss fights. Using a soapstone sign to assist other players with difficult bosses will earn you medals while also helping the community, making this a win-win situation for everyone involved.

A Paladin's Duty is another covenant-related trophy that requires you to defeat 30 invaders while part of the Blue Sentinels or Blades of the Darkmoon covenants. This can be a waiting game depending on how active the invasion meta is on your server. Sometimes you will get consistent invasions to deal with, while other times you might wait for extended periods without any action.

Tips for Efficient Platinum Completion

Efficiency is key when working through this Dark Souls 3 Trophy Guide. There are several strategies you can employ to minimize the number of playthroughs required for platinum. First, always keep a save file backup before making major decisions that could lock you out of certain trophies or endings. This way, you can reload and make different choices without starting an entirely new game.

Second, create a checklist of all the trophies you have unlocked and cross-reference it regularly. The last thing you want is to reach the end of your final playthrough only to discover you missed something that requires you to start over. Use external resources and community guides to verify you are not missing any obscure requirements that might not be immediately obvious from the trophy descriptions.

Third, prioritize covenant grinding during your first playthrough when your character is still fresh and powerful. Some covenants have time-limited events or seasonal activities that can make ranking up significantly easier or harder depending on when you attempt them. Keep an eye on community discussions for optimal farming routes and strategies that can save you hours of frustration in the long run.

Finally, do not get discouraged by setbacks. Dark Souls 3 is a challenging game, and trophy hunting only amplifies that difficulty. Take breaks when you feel frustrated, and approach difficult sections with a clear mind. The platinum trophy will feel all the more sweet when you finally earn it, knowing that you overcame every obstacle this incredible game threw at you.

Final Checklist for Platinum Trophy Hunters

Before you begin your trophy hunting journey, print out or save a detailed checklist of all 43 trophies. As you progress through your Dark Souls 3 Trophy Guide experience, mark off each trophy as you earn it. This visual progress tracker will help you stay organized and motivated throughout the long platinum journey ahead.

Remember that some trophies require online functionality, so make sure your PlayStation Network or Xbox Live accounts are properly set up and connected. Some trophies also have hidden requirements that are not revealed until you unlock them, so always be on the lookout for any opportunities that might seem unusual or out of the ordinary.

The platinum trophy for Dark Souls 3 is called "Transcendent Achievement" and represents one of the most challenging platinums in the entire Souls series. Completing it will prove your dedication, skill, and perseverance in one of the most rewarding games ever created. Good luck, Ashen One, and may your journey through Lothric be filled with triumph and accomplishment!