Is Infusing Worth It in Dark Souls 3? A Master Forger’s Guide

Absolutely! Infusing weapons in Dark Souls 3 is not just worth it, it’s often essential for optimizing your build and maximizing your damage output. It allows you to tailor your weaponry to your specific stats, playstyle, and even the challenges you face. However, the how and why are more nuanced than a simple yes or no. Let’s dive deep into the art of infusion, and I’ll share the wisdom I’ve gleaned from countless hours spent toiling over the blacksmith’s forge in Firelink Shrine.

The Art of Weapon Infusion: More Than Just a Polish

Infusion is a transformative process in Dark Souls 3, allowing you to modify your weapons with various gems, altering their damage types, scaling, and even secondary effects. Think of it as enchanting, but with a tangible, material component. You’re not just slapping a spell on something; you’re fundamentally changing its properties.

The core concept is that infusions trade base damage for scaling, or vice versa, and can introduce elemental damage types like fire, lightning, or dark. The “best” infusion is entirely dependent on your stats. A Strength-focused character will benefit immensely from a Heavy infusion, turning their weapon into a Strength scaling powerhouse. Conversely, a Dexterity build will thrive with a Sharp infusion. Casters can leverage Crystal, Simple, Chaos, Dark, or Lightning infusions to capitalize on their Intelligence and Faith stats.

Understanding Scaling: The Heart of Infusion

Scaling refers to how much bonus damage you gain from your character’s stats. Weapons have scaling grades ranging from E (minimal bonus) to S (massive bonus) for Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Faith. Infusions directly influence these scaling grades. A weapon with a C scaling in Strength might jump to an A or even S with a Heavy infusion, making it far more effective for a Strength build.

However, base damage is just as important. While infusions can increase scaling, they often reduce the weapon’s initial attack power. It’s a balancing act: a weapon with high base damage and poor scaling might be better without an infusion if your stats are low. Experimentation is key. Use online tools or, better yet, test it yourself against enemies.

When to Infuse: Timing Your Forging

The “when” of infusion is less critical than the “how” and “why.” Infusing a weapon at +0 will have the same effect as infusing it at +10. The damage values will remain consistent. The priority is understanding what infusion to apply, based on your build and needs.

Key Infusion Types and Their Uses:

• Raw: Great for early game builds or characters with low stats. Increases base damage but reduces scaling, providing a boost before you’ve invested heavily in Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, or Faith.
• Heavy: Maximizes Strength scaling. Ideal for Strength-focused builds, turning weapons like the Greatsword into devastating tools.
• Sharp: Maximizes Dexterity scaling. A must-have for Dexterity builds, making weapons like the Sellsword Twinblades incredibly potent.
• Refined: Balances Strength and Dexterity scaling. A good option for quality builds (characters with decent levels in both Strength and Dexterity).
• Crystal: Adds Magic damage and Intelligence scaling. Perfect for sorcerers and those using magic-infused weapons.
• Simple: Adds Magic damage and FP regeneration. Useful for casters who need steady FP recovery during prolonged battles.
• Lightning: Adds Lightning damage and Faith scaling. Essential for Faith-based builds, particularly clerics and paladins.
• Chaos/Dark: Adds Fire or Dark damage, respectively, scaling with both Intelligence and Faith. Excellent for pyro builds or characters with balanced Intelligence and Faith stats.
• Bleed/Poison: Adds Bleed or Poison buildup. Useful for inflicting status effects, but often less reliable than direct damage infusions.
• Hollow: Increases Luck scaling and provides bonus Luck when hollowed. Niche infusion for very specific builds focused on item discovery or bleed/poison builds.

Beyond the Basics: The Nuances of Infusion

• Buffing Infused Weapons: Most elemental infusions (Fire, Lightning, Dark, Chaos, Deep, Magic, Poison, and Bleed) cannot be buffed with spells or resins. However, Raw, Heavy, Sharp, Refined, and Hollow infusions can be buffed. Plan your build accordingly.

• Weapon Choice Matters: Some weapons naturally lend themselves to certain infusions. A weapon with innate Dexterity scaling will often benefit more from a Sharp infusion than a Heavy one, and vice-versa.

• Enemy Weaknesses: Understanding enemy weaknesses is crucial. Some enemies are highly resistant to fire, while others are vulnerable to lightning. Changing your infusion based on the area can significantly increase your effectiveness.

• Experimentation is King: Don’t be afraid to try different infusions. Use a Shriving Stone to revert your weapon to its original state and experiment with others.

The Games Learning Society and Your Learning Journey

Understanding the intricacies of infusion is part of the broader learning experience that Dark Souls 3 offers. The game’s complex mechanics, intricate world, and challenging combat encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and persistence – skills that are valuable both in-game and in real life. Organizations like the Games Learning Society recognize the educational potential of games like Dark Souls 3. Check out GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more about how games can foster learning and development.

Conclusion: Forge Your Own Path

Infusion is a core mechanic in Dark Souls 3, and mastering it is essential for creating a powerful and effective character. By understanding the different infusion types, scaling mechanics, and their impact on your build, you can transform your weapons into instruments of devastating power. So, get to the forge, experiment with different combinations, and forge your own path to victory!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Weapon Infusion in Dark Souls 3

1. What does infusing a weapon actually do?

Infusing a weapon changes its damage type, scaling stats, and sometimes adds special effects like bleed or poison. It typically involves trading base damage for scaling or adding elemental damage.

2. Can I infuse any weapon in Dark Souls 3?

No, only weapons that are “infusable” can be modified. Weapons with innate elemental damage or special effects often cannot be infused.

3. How do I infuse a weapon?

Speak to Andre the Blacksmith in Firelink Shrine, select “Infuse Weapon,” choose the weapon, and then select the desired gem.

4. Can I remove an infusion?

Yes, you can use a Shriving Stone to remove an infusion, reverting the weapon to its original state while retaining any reinforcement levels.

5. What’s the best infusion for a Strength build?

Generally, the Heavy infusion is best for Strength builds, as it maximizes Strength scaling.

6. What’s the best infusion for a Dexterity build?

The Sharp infusion is typically the best choice for Dexterity builds, as it maximizes Dexterity scaling.

7. Can infused weapons be buffed with spells or resins?

Only weapons with Raw, Heavy, Sharp, Refined, or Hollow infusions can be buffed. Elemental infusions (Fire, Lightning, Dark, Chaos, Deep, Magic, Poison, Bleed) cannot be buffed.

8. Does upgrading my weapon affect the infusion?

No, upgrading a weapon to +10 doesn’t change the properties of an existing infusion. The infusion will still provide the same benefits and drawbacks.

9. What’s the purpose of the Raw infusion?

The Raw infusion increases base damage but reduces scaling, making it useful for early-game characters or those with low stats.

10. How does Luck affect infusions?

The Hollow infusion scales with Luck and provides bonus Luck when hollowed, making it useful for specific bleed/poison builds or item discovery builds.

11. What are Chaos and Dark infusions good for?

Chaos and Dark infusions add Fire and Dark damage, respectively, scaling with both Intelligence and Faith. They’re excellent for pyromancer builds or characters with balanced Intelligence and Faith stats.

12. What is the Simple infusion for?

The Simple infusion adds Magic damage and FP regeneration, making it beneficial for casters who need to sustain their FP pool.

13. Is it better to have high base damage or high scaling?

It depends on your build. If you have high Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, or Faith, scaling is usually better. If your stats are low, base damage might be more effective.

14. Are bleed and poison infusions viable?

Bleed and poison infusions can be viable, but they’re often less reliable than direct damage infusions, as enemies can have resistance or immunity to these status effects.

15. Can I infuse multiple weapons at once?

You can only infuse one weapon at a time through Andre the Blacksmith. However, you can apply resins or buffs to multiple weapons simultaneously, but those are temporary effects, not permanent infusions.