Can You Drop Sunlight Medals? The Definitive Answer and FAQ
No, you cannot drop Sunlight Medals in any Dark Souls game. Sunlight Medals are covenant items tied to the Warrior of Sunlight covenant, and like most covenant items, they are designed to be earned through specific in-game actions rather than traded or gifted between players. Attempting to drop a Sunlight Medal will simply result in the item disappearing.
Understanding Sunlight Medals
Sunlight Medals are crucial for ranking up in the Warrior of Sunlight covenant. This covenant, famously embodied by the iconic Solaire of Astora, emphasizes cooperative gameplay. Joining the covenant and offering Sunlight Medals allows players to unlock unique rewards, including powerful miracles.
How to Obtain Sunlight Medals
Understanding that you can’t drop them naturally leads to the question: how do you get them? There are two primary methods:
Cooperative Play
The main way to acquire Sunlight Medals is by successfully assisting other players in defeating bosses. As a member of the Warrior of Sunlight covenant, place your summon sign near a boss fog gate. If a player summons you and you both triumph over the boss, you’ll receive a Sunlight Medal. This encourages players to engage in cooperative gameplay and help each other overcome challenging encounters. The summon sign appearance differs slightly from a regular white summon sign as it is a golden color.
Farming
While less honorable than cooperative play (in the spirit of Solaire), Sunlight Medals can also be farmed from specific enemies. The primary enemies that drop Sunlight Medals are:
- Dark Souls 1: Chaos Bugs in the shortcut from the Demon Ruins to Lost Izalith.
- Dark Souls 2: Falconers in Things Betwixt (Scholar of the First Sin edition).
- Dark Souls 3: Lothric Knights on the High Wall of Lothric.
Farming Sunlight Medals often requires patience and persistence. Equipping items that increase item discovery, such as the Symbol of Avarice, Crystal Sage’s Rapier, and Gold Serpent Ring, can significantly improve your chances of finding these elusive medals.
Why Can’t You Drop Sunlight Medals?
The inability to drop Sunlight Medals, and most covenant items, is a deliberate game design choice. This restriction prevents players from easily boosting their covenant rank by simply receiving medals from others. It ensures that players actively participate in the covenant’s intended activities, such as cooperative play or facing specific challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Sunlight Medals
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify aspects related to Sunlight Medals:
1. What are the benefits of joining the Warrior of Sunlight covenant?
Joining the Warrior of Sunlight covenant offers several benefits, including the ability to display a golden summon sign for easier identification, access to unique miracles like Lightning Spear, Great Lightning Spear, and Sunlight Spear, and the satisfaction of helping other players overcome challenging bosses.
2. How do I join the Warrior of Sunlight covenant?
The method varies between games:
- Dark Souls 1: Find the altar of the Sunlight covenant near the Undead Parish. If you have enough faith (25, reduced to 5 if you’ve helped defeat bosses as a white phantom) you will be able to join.
- Dark Souls 2: Find the altar of the Sunlight covenant in Heides Tower of Flame.
- Dark Souls 3: Find the altar of the Sunlight covenant within the Undead Settlement.
3. How many Sunlight Medals do I need to max out the covenant rank?
The number of Sunlight Medals required to reach the maximum covenant rank differs slightly across the Dark Souls series. Typically, you need to offer around 30 Sunlight Medals.
4. Can I lose progress in the Warrior of Sunlight covenant?
Yes, abandoning the covenant in Dark Souls 1 will reset your offering progress and remove any granted miracles, which will require you to rejoin the covenant and offer medals from the beginning if you want to regain your lost progress. In Dark Souls 2 and Dark Souls 3, abandoning a covenant will not reset your progress, but you will lose any benefits associated with the covenant until you rejoin.
5. Does item discovery affect the drop rate of Sunlight Medals?
Yes, increasing your item discovery stat can significantly improve the drop rate of Sunlight Medals from enemies. Equip items like the Symbol of Avarice, Crystal Sage’s Rapier, and Gold Serpent Ring to maximize your item discovery.
6. Is it better to farm Sunlight Medals or earn them through cooperative play?
This depends on your preferences and skill. Cooperative play is generally more enjoyable and aligned with the covenant’s spirit, but it can be time-consuming if you’re struggling to find players to assist. Farming can be more efficient if you have a good farming route and high item discovery, but it can be repetitive and monotonous.
7. What bosses are the best to assist with for Sunlight Medals?
Generally, the most popular and challenging bosses are the best options, as more players will be seeking assistance. Bosses like Ornstein & Smough (Dark Souls 1), The Pursuer (Dark Souls 2), and the Pontiff Sulyvahn (Dark Souls 3) are good choices.
8. Can I earn Sunlight Medals by helping players who are not in the Warrior of Sunlight covenant?
Yes, you can earn Sunlight Medals by assisting any player as long as you are a member of the Warrior of Sunlight covenant. The player you are assisting does not need to be in the same covenant.
9. Does the difficulty of the boss affect the chances of getting a Sunlight Medal?
No, the difficulty of the boss does not affect the chances of obtaining a Sunlight Medal. As long as you successfully assist in defeating the boss, you will receive a Sunlight Medal.
10. Can I use bonfire ascetics to farm Sunlight Medals from enemies?
Yes, in Dark Souls 2, you can use bonfire ascetics to respawn enemies and bosses, allowing you to repeatedly farm for Sunlight Medals. However, be aware that using bonfire ascetics also increases the difficulty of the area. This tactic does not work in the other Dark Souls games.
11. What happens when I offer Sunlight Medals at the covenant altar?
Offering Sunlight Medals at the covenant altar increases your rank within the Warrior of Sunlight covenant. As you rank up, you unlock rewards such as unique miracles.
12. Can I trade Sunlight Medals with other players through glitches or exploits?
While glitches and exploits may exist, attempting to use them to trade Sunlight Medals is highly discouraged. It can potentially corrupt your save file and may violate the game’s terms of service. It is also against the intended spirit of the game.
13. Are there any other covenants that are similar to the Warrior of Sunlight covenant?
Yes, other covenants in the Dark Souls series promote cooperative gameplay, such as the Way of Blue and the Blue Sentinels. However, the Warrior of Sunlight covenant is unique in its focus on jolly cooperation and rewards.
14. How do I know if I’m successfully summoned as a Warrior of Sunlight?
When you are summoned as a Warrior of Sunlight, your summon sign will appear as a golden color to other players. You will also have a golden aura around your character.
15. Is the Warrior of Sunlight covenant worth joining?
Absolutely! The Warrior of Sunlight covenant offers a unique and rewarding experience centered around cooperative gameplay. The ability to help other players, access powerful miracles, and embody the spirit of Solaire makes it a worthwhile choice for any Dark Souls player.
In conclusion, while you can’t drop Sunlight Medals, understanding how to obtain them through cooperative play and farming, and appreciating the design choices behind their acquisition, enhances your overall Dark Souls experience. Embrace the spirit of jolly cooperation, and may the sun shine upon your adventures!