Forging Chaos: A Comprehensive Guide to the Chaos Zweihander in Dark Souls 1
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The Chaos Zweihander is a formidable weapon in Dark Souls 1, prized for its high damage output and fire-based attacks. Obtaining it requires a specific process involving upgrading, embers, and a bit of daring. This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to forge this powerful weapon, along with answers to frequently asked questions.
Crafting the Chaos Zweihander: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating a Chaos Zweihander involves a multi-stage upgrade process, requiring specific materials, a blacksmith, and a certain ember. Here’s the detailed breakdown:
Step 1: Obtain a Zweihander
First, you’ll need the base weapon itself: the Zweihander. It can be found early in the game in the Graveyard area near Firelink Shrine. It’s a large greatsword requiring 24 Strength and 8 Dexterity to wield effectively.
Step 2: Upgrade Your Zweihander to +5 (Standard)
Before you can even think about chaos infusion, your Zweihander needs to be upgraded to +5 on the standard upgrade path. This involves visiting Andre the Blacksmith in the Undead Parish and spending souls and Titanite Shards. This is the base upgrade for most weapons and is crucial for later transformations. You will find it in chests, enemies or can be purchased from merchants.
Step 3: Ascend to Fire +5
Once your Zweihander is at +5, you must ascend it to Fire +5. This requires a visit to Vamos the Skeletal Blacksmith in the Catacombs. Vamos requires a weapon to be standard +5. You’ll need to collect Green Titanite Shards for the first part of the fire upgrade and then Large Titanite Shards for the later upgrades. You’ll also need to use Red Titanite Chunks for upgrading to +4, and finally a Red Titanite Slab for the +5 upgrade. All of these can be acquired from various locations throughout the game, with Red Titanite Chunks mainly found in the Demon Ruins and Izalith. The Red Titanite Slab is rarer, but can be acquired through different means like trading with Snuggly the Crow or found in hidden locations throughout the game.
Step 4: Acquire the Chaos Flame Ember
To transform a fire weapon into a chaos weapon, you’ll need the Chaos Flame Ember. This ember is obtained by defeating the Ceaseless Discharge boss in Demon Ruins, and then navigating a small area through the lava. Once you beat Ceaseless, you must run past the giant Taurus Demons and through the area where the Chaos Flame Ember is. This is arguably one of the more difficult parts of the Chaos Zweihander creation process.
Step 5: Transform to Chaos +0
With your Fire +5 Zweihander and the Chaos Flame Ember, return to Vamos the Skeletal Blacksmith. He can now ascend your Fire +5 Zweihander to Chaos +0 using the Chaos Flame Ember.
Step 6: Upgrade Your Chaos Zweihander to +5
Finally, upgrade your Chaos Zweihander to +5 by using Titanite Shards all the way up to +4. From there, a Titanite Slab is required to get to +5.
The Finished Product
Once fully upgraded, the Chaos Zweihander boasts impressive fire damage with a bonus damage scaling that depends on your humanity level. Having up to 10 humanity greatly increases the damage output of a chaos weapon, making it a devastating option for both PvE and PvP. The split damage does come with the caveat of being weakened by enemies with high fire resistance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some common questions players have about the Chaos Zweihander and related mechanics:
1. Does the Chaos Zweihander scale with stats?
No, the Chaos Zweihander does not scale with standard stats like Strength or Dexterity. Instead, its bonus damage scales with your soft humanity, up to a maximum of 10. This means the more humanity you hold, the more damage the chaos part of the weapon will deal.
2. Is the Chaos Zweihander better than a Fire Zweihander?
Yes, in most situations, the Chaos Zweihander will be better than the Fire version due to the bonus damage scaling with humanity. As long as you maintain 10 humanity, it will outpace the Fire version. However, if you die, it’ll become weaker, while the fire version remains stable in damage.
3. Where can I find Red Titanite Chunks?
Red Titanite Chunks are primarily found in the Demon Ruins and Lost Izalith. They are dropped by specific enemies like the Taurus Demons and can also be found in chests. You also can buy unlimited amounts from the giant blacksmith in Anor Londo.
4. Where can I find a Red Titanite Slab?
Red Titanite Slabs are rarer. You can find one in the Painted World of Ariamis, trade with Snuggly the Crow, or have a chance to get one from the Darkwraiths in New Londo Ruins, making it one of the rarer materials to acquire.
5. How do I get the Large Ember?
The Large Ember, essential for upgrading standard weapons to +5, is found in a chest in the Depths area.
6. Is the Zweihander a good weapon for beginners?
While the Zweihander is powerful, it’s a bit slow, requiring a good understanding of attack timing. It’s great for staggering enemies and dealing huge damage, but beginners may find other, faster weapons easier to handle.
7. What other weapons are good for a Chaos infusion?
Many weapons work well with a **Chaos infusion**, including the **Claymore**, **Estoc**, **Gargoyle Halberd**, **Falchion**, **Battle Axe**, and **Mace**. The **Composite Bow** is often considered one of the best Chaos weapons due to its scaling.
8. Does the Chaos Blade scale the same way as Chaos infused weapons?
No, the **Chaos Blade** scales differently, it's primary scaling is still Dexterity, but gains a little extra damage from Humanity. However it doesn't deal fire damage, but rather physical damage. It also damages you when you hit enemies.
9. How do I pronounce “Zweihander”?
It’s pronounced “Ts-v-eye-hen-der”.
10. How big is a Zweihander?
Historically, Zweihänders are large swords, typically at least 1.4 meters (4 ft 7 in) in length and weighing around 2 kg (4.4 lbs).
11. Can I upgrade my Zwei to Lightning or another element?
Yes, after reaching +10 on the standard upgrade path, you can change your weapon into a Lightning weapon with the blacksmith in Anor Londo or other elements with the appropriate embers and materials. This cannot be done once it is fire or chaos.
12. Are there any downsides to using a Chaos weapon?
Yes, the main downside to a **Chaos weapon** is the lack of stat scaling and the split damage. Some bosses and enemies in the game will have high fire resistance, meaning the damage will be significantly reduced.
13. Is Chaos or Dark damage better?
This depends on your build and situation. **Chaos** scales with humanity, while **Dark** damage is effective against certain types of enemies and is less common. For a pyromancer build, both are viable options.
14. Does completing the game increase enemy level?
No, enemies do not scale with your soul level in **Dark Souls 1**. Their difficulty increases in **New Game+** (NG+) and beyond.
15. Is the Zweihander in Elden Ring?
Yes, the Zweihander is also available in Elden Ring as a colossal sword, and can be found in the Weeping Peninsula.
By following this guide, you should be well-equipped to create your own devastating Chaos Zweihander in Dark Souls 1. The weapon’s high damage and scaling with humanity make it a potent choice for many builds, as long as you are able to meet the material requirements. Enjoy your journey through Lordran, wielding this formidable weapon.