Lightning Strikes Twice: Is the Lightning Upgrade Path Worth It in Dark Souls?
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The short answer is: it depends. The Lightning upgrade path in Dark Souls is a double-edged sword (pun intended). It can be incredibly powerful, especially early to mid-game, or for characters with low stat investments. However, its lack of scaling can make it less desirable in the late game compared to fully upgraded normal weapons +15, especially if you’ve invested heavily in Strength or Dexterity.
The Allure of Lightning: Pros and Cons
The Lightning upgrade path offers a unique trade-off: you sacrifice stat scaling bonuses in exchange for a significant chunk of pure Lightning damage. This means your weapon’s damage is less dependent on your Strength, Dexterity, Faith, or Intelligence stats. This makes it particularly appealing in the following situations:
- Low-Level Characters: If you’re just starting out or haven’t invested heavily in offensive stats, a Lightning weapon can provide a significant damage boost. You can deal respectable damage without needing high stat investments.
- “Quality” Builds Still Leveling: If you’re aiming for a balanced “quality” build (equal Strength and Dexterity), a Lightning weapon can fill the gap while you’re leveling your stats.
- Specific Enemy Weaknesses: Lightning damage is highly effective against many enemies in Dark Souls, particularly those clad in heavy armor or dragons.
However, the lack of scaling also presents drawbacks:
- Late-Game Damage Plateau: As you level up and invest in Strength and Dexterity, a normally upgraded weapon (+15) with good scaling can eventually surpass a Lightning weapon in terms of raw damage output, especially after applying a weapon buff.
- Limited Buff Options: Lightning weapons cannot be buffed with spells like Darkmoon Blade, Sunlight Blade, or resins like Charcoal Pine Resin. This further limits their potential damage output in the late game.
- Enemy Resistances: Some enemies are resistant or even immune to Lightning damage, making Lightning weapons less effective in certain areas.
Understanding the Mechanics: How Lightning Upgrades Work
To upgrade a weapon to Lightning, you need to take a +10 normal weapon to the blacksmith at Anor Londo. He will require a Titanite Demon Catchpole and you will need to give him 5000 souls for each weapon upgraded to lightning. After giving him the weapon, you will receive a Lightning +1 weapon. This sets the weapon onto the Lightning upgrade path, which can be upgraded up to +5 using Titanite Chunks.
The process completely removes all Strength, Dexterity, Faith, and Intelligence scaling from the weapon. Instead, the weapon gains a flat amount of Lightning damage in addition to its base physical damage.
Choosing the Right Weapon for a Lightning Upgrade
While you can upgrade almost any weapon to Lightning, some are better choices than others. Generally, weapons with poor scaling are ideal candidates for a Lightning upgrade. This is because you’re not losing much by sacrificing the scaling bonuses. Some popular choices include:
- Zweihander/Claymore: These are excellent greatswords that are relatively lightweight and have versatile movesets. Their decent base damage combined with added Lightning damage makes them potent weapons.
- Rapier-type Weapons: These are popular among players who specialize in backstabs, as the added Lightning damage can significantly boost their critical attack damage.
- Weapons with Naturally Low Scaling: Any weapon that doesn’t scale well with your stats can benefit from a Lightning upgrade, as you’re not losing a significant damage bonus.
Lightning vs. Other Elemental Upgrades
It’s crucial to consider the alternatives before committing to a Lightning upgrade. The Fire and Chaos upgrade paths are other popular elemental options. Both require a weapon upgraded to +5 and they both remove stat scaling. Fire weapons provide flat fire damage and Chaos weapons will scale with humanity. Generally, Lightning damage is considered more consistently useful throughout the game than Fire damage, as more enemies are vulnerable to it.
Lightning’s Niche: PvP and Specific Bosses
Lightning weapons remain viable in PvP (player versus player) combat, especially at lower levels. The consistent damage output, regardless of the opponent’s stats, can be a major advantage.
Additionally, Lightning damage is particularly effective against certain bosses, such as Dragons and those clad in Heavy Armor.
In Conclusion: Weighing the Pros and Cons
The Lightning upgrade path is a viable option in Dark Souls, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Consider your build, playstyle, and progression path before making a decision. If you’re looking for a powerful early to mid-game weapon or have low stat investments, a Lightning weapon can be a great choice. However, if you’re aiming for a late-game powerhouse and are investing heavily in Strength or Dexterity, a fully upgraded normal weapon (+15) with good scaling is likely the better option.
No matter what choice you make, it’s important to know that Dark Souls is a game about experimentation and finding what works best for you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is Lightning good in Dark Souls?
Yes, Lightning damage is generally effective against many enemies in Dark Souls, especially those in heavy armor and dragons. However, its effectiveness diminishes in the late game for characters with high Strength or Dexterity due to its lack of scaling.
2. Are lightning weapons worth it Dark Souls?
They can be worth it, particularly in the early to mid-game and for low-level PvP. They offer a reliable source of damage regardless of your stat investments.
3. Is it worth upgrading Lightning Spear?
The Lightning Spear miracle is a decent early-game offensive miracle, but its damage output falls off in the late game. Upgrading it isn’t a mistake, but there are better offensive miracles to aim for.
4. Should I make my weapon lightning Dark Souls?
It depends on your build and playstyle. Consider your stat investments and the weapon’s scaling before committing to a Lightning upgrade. Having both a Lightning weapon and a +15 normal weapon can be a good strategy.
5. Is fire or lightning better in Dark Souls?
Lightning is generally considered better than Fire due to its more widespread effectiveness against enemies. However, certain enemies are more vulnerable to Fire, so it’s situational.
6. Should I upgrade Zweihander to lightning?
If your build doesn’t focus on Strength or Dexterity, upgrading the Zweihander to Lightning can be a good option. It offers a consistent source of damage regardless of your stats.
7. What is the best lightning scaling weapon in Dark Souls?
Lightning weapons don’t scale with any stats. They have a fixed damage output.
8. Is Lightning Spear worth it ds1?
The Lightning Spear miracle is useful in the early to mid-game, but it’s not a late-game powerhouse. There are stronger offensive miracles available later on.
9. What is the best weapon to upgrade for lightning?
Weapons with poor scaling are generally the best candidates for a Lightning upgrade. The Claymore, Zweihander, and Rapier are popular choices.
10. What is the most op weapon in Dark Souls?
“OP” (overpowered) is subjective, but the Black Knight Halberd and certain buffed weapons like the Chaos Blade are often considered very strong in Dark Souls.
11. What is the strongest weapon in Dark Souls 1?
Many consider the Black Knight Halberd to be among the strongest, due to its high damage output, versatile moveset, and relatively low stat requirements.
12. What is the best strength weapon in Dark Souls?
The Demon’s Greataxe is a powerful Strength weapon with massive damage output, but it’s slow and has a high stat requirement.
13. What is the best armor against lightning in Dark Souls?
Light armor sets like the Great Lord Set and Big Hat’s Set offer decent Lightning resistance, as do medium armor sets like Ornstein’s Set and the Silver Knight Set.
14. What enemies are weak to lightning Dark Souls?
Stone armor/creatures with stone skin, like Belfry Gargoyles and dragons, are generally weak to Lightning.
15. Should I make a lightning Zweihander?
If you’re not focusing on Strength or Dexterity, a Lightning Zweihander is a viable option. It provides consistent damage regardless of your stats. If you are leveling Strength and Dex, a +15 Zweihander is the better bet.
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