Dark Souls III is the culmination of FromSoftware's dark fantasy trilogy, combining the interconnected world design of the original with the faster, more aggressive combat of Bloodborne. The game features 19 main bosses and 6 DLC bosses, several of which rank among the best encounters in the Soulsborne catalog — the Nameless King, Sister Friede, and Slave Knight Gael are legendary fights. The build variety is enormous with over 200 weapons, dozens of spells across four magic schools, and an infusion system that tailors weapons to any stat spread. The Ringed City DLC provides the definitive conclusion to the entire Dark Souls saga.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key synergies |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
High Wall of Lothric
Key resources: Estus Shards, Lothric Knight Sword, Cell Key, Vordt's Great Hammer Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Lothric Knight Sword upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Farron Keep
Key resources: Sage's Coal, Farron Coal, Abyss Watchers Soul, Dreamchaser's Ashes Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Lothric Knight Sword upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Irithyll
Key resources: Pontiff Soul, Ring of Favor, Excrement-covered Ashes, Dorhys' Gnawing miracle Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Lothric Knight Sword upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Archdragon Peak
Key resources: Nameless King Soul, Dragonslayer Swordspear, Dragon Chaser's Ashes, Twinkling Titanite farming Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Sellsword Twinblades max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Ringed City
Key resources: Gael's Greatsword, Frayed Blade, Ringed Knight weapons, Filianore's Chime, story conclusion Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Sellsword Twinblades max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (High Wall of Lothric — Farron Keep)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials — you'll need them later
- Focus on Lothric Knight Sword once accessible
Mid Game (Irithyll)
- Push Lothric Knight Sword to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Sellsword Twinblades
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Archdragon Peak — Ringed City)
- Max out Sellsword Twinblades — this is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment — Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials — Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear — Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Irithyll farming — This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early — Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Raw infusion removes all stat scaling but increases base damage. A Raw Longsword outdamages every other infusion until you have 20+ in a damage stat, making it the best early-game infusion for any build.
- Farm Irithyll during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build — some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Dark Souls III Guides
- Dark Souls III Dark Souls III Overview
- Dark Souls III Best Builds
- Dark Souls III Tier List
- Dark Souls III Walkthrough
- Dark Souls III Beginner's Guide
- Dark Souls III Tips & Tricks
- Dark Souls III Weapons Guide
- Dark Souls III Combat Guide
- Dark Souls III Boss Guide
- Dark Souls III Maps & Locations
- Dark Souls III Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Dark Souls III, check out these related guides:
- Elden Ring Crafting Guide — rpg game with similar mechanics
- Baldur's Gate 3 Crafting Guide — rpg game with similar mechanics
- Cyberpunk 2077 Crafting Guide — rpg game with similar mechanics
