What Does Bleed Do in Dark Souls 3? A Comprehensive Guide

In the brutal world of Dark Souls 3, Bleed is a powerful status effect that can turn the tide of battle, or at least make it significantly easier. Simply put, Bleed damage is a form of damage that bypasses enemy defenses and inflicts a percentage of their maximum health, plus a flat amount of physical damage. However, it’s not a straightforward damage-over-time effect like Poison or Toxic. Instead, Bleed works on a build-up mechanic, requiring multiple hits with weapons that inflict the status to trigger its effect. Once the Bleed bar on the target is full, it will proc, resulting in a massive health chunk being instantly depleted.

The key aspects of how Bleed functions can be broken down as follows:

• Build-up: Each successful attack with a Bleed-inducing weapon adds to the target’s Bleed meter. Different weapons have different Bleed values, affecting how quickly the bar fills.
• The Proc: Once the meter is full, a percentage of the enemy’s health (typically 15% in addition to a flat physical damage amount) is immediately lost. This damage is generally unaffected by the target’s armor or resistances.
• Immunity Phase: After a Bleed proc, the target becomes briefly immune to further Bleed procs while their invisible Bleed bar resets. This means you can’t spam Bleed attacks for continuous massive damage. There is a reset period until the enemy can be affected again.

Bleed mechanics offer a high-risk, high-reward playstyle. It’s about applying consistent pressure, timing your attacks, and knowing which enemies are susceptible to it, as certain foes possess resistance or complete immunity to bleed, making it far less effective. Let’s delve into more detail regarding this unique status ailment and answer some frequently asked questions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Bleed in Dark Souls 3

How does Bleed scale in DS3?

Bleed weapon infusions primarily scale with the Luck stat. When you use a Blood Gem to infuse a weapon, it gains Bleed build-up at the cost of some base physical damage and scaling. The amount of Bleed build-up will increase the higher your Luck stat is. The Luck stat has a hard cap of 40 in terms of its benefit to Bleed, meaning investing beyond that point provides minimal gain.

What weapons are best for Bleed builds?

While many weapons can inflict Bleed through infusions, certain weapons are naturally better suited for a bleed build. The Warden Twinblades are widely regarded as one of the most effective bleed weapons due to their innate bleed buildup and fast attack speed. The Carthus Curved Sword is another strong contender, offering a great balance of damage and bleed build-up. Other viable options include katanas, daggers, and claws, depending on your desired playstyle.

Is Bleed viable in PvE?

Yes, bleed is viable in PvE against the majority of enemies and bosses. It’s particularly useful against large health pools as the percentage-based damage is effective against anything with a decent amount of health. However, some bosses and enemies are immune, and relying solely on Bleed can leave you vulnerable. A combination of Bleed and physical damage is usually optimal for PvE.

What bosses are immune to Bleed?

Several bosses are completely immune to bleed damage. These include:

• Vordt of the Boreal Valley
• Curse-Rotted Greatwood
• High Lord Wolnir
• Old Demon King
• Yhorm the Giant
• Dragonslayer Armour
• Darkeater Midir

These bosses require alternate strategies or elemental damage as Bleed is completely useless against them.

How much Luck should I have for a Bleed build?

For a dedicated Bleed build, at least 30 Luck is highly recommended for significant Bleed build-up. If you’re planning to heavily rely on bleed, reaching 40 Luck is optimal to maximize the effectiveness of your Bleed weapons. Going beyond 40 provides minimal returns to Bleed and should be avoided if you want to maximize other stats.

Is Luck worth investing in even if I’m not doing a bleed build?

Yes, Luck is still valuable, even for non-bleed builds due to its effect on Item Discovery, which increases the chances of enemies dropping rare items. While not as impactful as in Bloodborne, more item discovery is always nice for better gear. However, if you aren’t going for a bleed build, its usefulness is lower than other stats.

How do I inflict Bleed?

You inflict Bleed by hitting enemies with weapons that have bleed buildup. This can be a weapon infused with a Blood Gem, or a weapon that already has innate bleed. Faster weapons like the Warden Twinblades are good at applying Bleed because of their higher attack rate, while heavier weapons will inflict more damage but be slower to inflict the status.

How does the Hollow infusion affect Bleed?

The Hollow infusion increases Luck, meaning it can indirectly increase bleed buildup if used on a weapon with Bleed. If your character is hollow, the hollow weapon will add a significant amount of luck. This synergy between hollowing and luck is advantageous for Bleed builds.

Does Bleed damage stack?

No, Bleed damage itself does not stack. Instead, the status effect’s damage proc applies once the invisible meter is full and is based on the target’s total health. The only thing that stacks is the build up.

Can you parry and riposte a Bleed enemy?

Yes, you can parry and riposte enemies that have bleed, but this has no direct impact on the buildup of the status itself. A parry can create an opening for applying your next few hits.

Is it good to use Carthus Rouge for a bleed build?

Yes, Carthus Rouge is very effective for bleed builds. When applied, it adds Bleed build-up to your weapon for a short period. It’s a good choice for builds that already utilize Bleed to proc the effect faster.

Is a Bleed build the easiest way to play DS3?

Bleed can make certain sections of the game easier, but it’s not universally the easiest build. Some bosses are immune to bleed and require different strategies. Bleed builds are potent, but they require some knowledge and timing to be truly effective.

Does bleed scale with weapon damage?

Bleed damage is not directly related to your weapon’s attack damage. It depends on the percentage of enemy’s health and the flat damage which the weapon will inflict. Thus, increasing the base attack damage of your weapon will not make your bleed hits more effective.

Is Sister Friede weak to Bleed?

Yes, Sister Friede is vulnerable to bleed. While strike damage is her main weakness, bleed is a very good alternative and can help bring her down in a few hits.

Is it harder to play with a Bleed build in PvP?

Bleed builds can be quite strong in PvP, but they also come with risks. While Bleed can deal very high damage, other players might use builds that are more adept at evasion or healing through bleed damage. It can be good, but it is not a guaranteed win in PvP situations.

Bleed builds offer a unique, powerful, and sometimes devastating way to experience Dark Souls 3. They’re not always the most straightforward, but with careful planning, understanding of the mechanics, and knowledge of your enemies, a Bleed build can be a very viable way to beat the game.