What Crown Prevents Hollowing in Dark Souls 2?
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The simple answer is: any of the four crowns, when combined with Vendrick’s blessing, prevent hollowing in Dark Souls 2. This means the King’s Crown (obtained from the Undead Crypt) and the three DLC crowns – the Crown of the Sunken King, the Crown of the Old Iron King, and the Crown of the Ivory King – will grant this ability. To acquire this blessing, you must collect all four crowns and speak to King Vendrick’s hollowed form in the Undead Crypt. Specifically, you interact with his clothing to enter his memory and speak with him. After doing so, you will get a message that a strong heat has returned to the crowns.
This mechanic offers a powerful benefit: you will not turn into a hollow upon death or lose health if you are wearing one of these blessed crowns. You will still lose souls upon death, but your maximum health bar will not decrease due to hollowing, essentially preserving your human state.
Understanding Hollowing in Dark Souls 2
Hollowing is a core mechanic in Dark Souls 2, representing your character’s slow descent into undeath. Each time you die, you lose a portion of your maximum health bar, progressively becoming more hollow. This continues until your maximum health reaches 50% of its original value, severely hindering your survivability. The game is designed so that players have the ability to return to their human form, but the crowns mentioned above offer a permanent solution to hollowing while worn and blessed.
The Power of the Blessed Crowns
Once you have obtained the King’s Crown and the three DLC crowns, and spoken to Vendrick after defeating him, each crown is imbued with a special power to prevent hollowing upon death. This means as long as you have one of these crowns equipped, you will not experience the negative effects of hollowing. This effect, similar to that of the Ring of Life Protection, keeps you in human form upon death, saving you the hassle of constantly reversing hollowing. Additionally, each crown will also prevent the build up of the Curse stat.
Beyond Hollowing Prevention: Individual Crown Abilities
While preventing hollowing is a significant benefit, each of the four crowns also possesses unique properties:
- King’s Crown: Offers no additional effects beyond preventing hollowing and curse build up once blessed by Vendrick.
- Crown of the Sunken King: Found in Shulva, Sanctum City. Though it does not grant special powers, its blessing to prevent hollowing is vital.
- Crown of the Old Iron King: Located within Brume Tower. Once blessed by Vendrick, this crown regenerates spell casts every two minutes. The effect is slightly weaker than using an Amber Herb. The timer starts when the crown is equipped and resets when it is removed or you go through a loading screen. This makes it ideal for spell casters.
- Crown of the Ivory King: Found in Eleum Loyce. Once blessed, provides no special abilities besides the hollowing prevention and curse resistance.
Obtaining the Crowns and Vendrick’s Blessing
Here’s a quick rundown of how to acquire these items and unlock their full potential:
- King Vendrick’s Crown: After defeating Vendrick in the Undead Crypt, obtain his soul. In the same area where he was defeated, go to the left and you’ll find his crown in a chest in the left corner.
- Crown of the Sunken King: Travel to the Shulva, Sanctum City area, accessed through a monument with snakes near a bonfire.
- Crown of the Old Iron King: Located within Brume Tower, found in the Iron Keep DLC.
- Crown of the Ivory King: Found in the Eleum Loyce area.
- Vendrick’s Blessing: After obtaining all four crowns, return to Vendrick’s hollowed husk in the Undead Crypt. Interact with his clothing to enter his memory and speak with him. This interaction will grant the crowns the ability to prevent hollowing.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What exactly does hollowing do in Dark Souls 2?
Hollowing reduces your maximum health bar each time you die, progressively decreasing it to a minimum of 50% of your original value. It effectively makes the game harder as you continuously lose health.
2. How do I get Vendrick’s Blessing?
You need to collect all four crowns, defeat Vendrick, then interact with his clothing in the Undead Crypt to enter his memory and speak with him. This will imbue the crowns with the blessing.
3. Does the Ring of Binding also prevent hollowing?
The Ring of Binding does not prevent hollowing; it only limits the health reduction from hollowing to 75% of your total health rather than 50%. It does not keep you from turning hollow.
4. Is there a way to reverse hollowing?
Yes, you can reverse hollowing by using a Human Effigy or by assisting another player in defeating a boss, after which they will reward you by reversing your hollowing.
5. Do any other items prevent hollowing?
The Ring of Life Protection is another method to prevent hollowing, but it breaks upon death and must be repaired. Once broken it’s effectiveness is no longer available until repaired or re-acquired. The blessed crowns are far more convenient and do not break.
6. Which crown is considered the best?
The Crown of the Old Iron King is often considered the best due to its ability to regenerate spell casts. However, the choice depends on your playstyle.
7. Do the crowns also prevent curse buildup?
Yes, each of the four blessed crowns prevents the buildup of the Curse stat while equipped.
8. Where can I find the Crown of the Sunken King?
The Crown of the Sunken King is found in Shulva, Sanctum City, accessed through a specific monument near a bonfire.
9. Where can I find the King’s Crown?
The King’s Crown is located in the Undead Crypt, in the same area where you fought King Vendrick, after he is defeated.
10. Does the Ring of the Dead prevent hollowing?
The Ring of the Dead does not prevent hollowing; it only makes you appear human while in hollow form. It has no other utility.
11. What is the effect of the Crown of the Ivory King?
Once blessed, the Crown of the Ivory King primarily provides hollowing prevention and curse resistance, without any special ability.
12. Do the crowns have to be repaired?
No, unlike the Ring of Life Protection, the crowns do not break or require repair. They are a permanent and reusable solution to hollowing as long as you wear one.
13. What happens if I die without wearing a blessed crown?
If you die without wearing a blessed crown, you will still become hollowed and lose maximum health as normal.
14. Are there other ways to restore spell casts besides the Crown of the Old Iron King?
Yes, you can restore spell casts using Amber Herbs, but they are consumable items, making the crown’s regenerative power more convenient.
15. Do I need to be human to use the crowns’ hollowing prevention ability?
Yes, you need to be in human form when first wearing one of the blessed crowns before you die, in order for the effect to activate. After the first death, this will no longer matter and you can wear the crown in any state.
Conclusion
In Dark Souls 2, the blessed crowns are essential for anyone struggling with the detrimental effects of hollowing. By collecting the King’s Crown and the three DLC crowns and securing Vendrick’s blessing, you gain a powerful, permanent solution to this challenging game mechanic. Each crown offers unique benefits, with the Crown of the Old Iron King standing out for its spell-restoring ability. Understanding how to obtain and utilize these crowns will greatly enhance your Dark Souls 2 experience, allowing you to focus on the challenges ahead without the constant worry of hollowing.