What Does Hollowing Do to You in Dark Souls 3? A Comprehensive Guide
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In Dark Souls 3, the concept of hollowing is a multifaceted mechanic that influences both the narrative and gameplay experience. At its core, hollowing is a state tied to the player character’s mortality and their connection to the Dark Sigil, a mark they acquire through specific interactions. Simply put, hollowing changes the appearance of your character and unlocks certain story paths, but it doesn’t have direct negative effects on your gameplay abilities. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of its effects:
Initially, the primary consequence of hollowing is visual. As your hollowing stat increases, your character begins to look more decayed, turning into a shriveled, emaciated version of their former self – often likened to “beef jerky”. This aesthetic change is purely cosmetic; it doesn’t affect your stats or combat abilities. The level of decay is directly tied to your hollowing count.
Beyond aesthetics, hollowing also serves as a gateway to certain game mechanics. Notably, it’s the key to the Londor questline. When you allow Yoel of Londor to draw out your “true strength,” you gain a Dark Sigil. Each time you die, your hollowing stat increases based on the number of Dark Sigils you have. This increase in hollowing, in turn, unlocks five free levels from Yoel, an otherwise unavailable benefit.
Furthermore, progressing in the hollowing state will bring Yuria of Londor to Firelink Shrine, beginning the questline for the “Usurpation of Fire” ending. This pathway culminates in a unique ending, making hollowing an integral part of achieving one of Dark Souls 3’s multiple endings.
Finally, hollowing interacts with Hollow infusions. Infusing weapons with a Hollow gem will add damage that scales with your Luck stat, effectively creating a Hollow/Luck build. Importantly, the level of your hollowing does not affect the scaling from hollow infusions. The scaling is solely dependent on the Luck stat.
In short, hollowing in Dark Souls 3 is primarily a visual and narrative mechanic that grants access to free levels and a unique questline. While it changes your appearance dramatically and is tied to the number of deaths, it does not inherently weaken your character, making it a strategic choice rather than a penalty for dying.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Hollowing in Dark Souls 3
Here are some frequently asked questions with detailed answers about hollowing in Dark Souls 3:
1. Is there a gameplay disadvantage to being hollow in DS3?
No, there is no direct gameplay disadvantage to being hollow in Dark Souls 3. Your stats, attack power, and overall combat effectiveness remain unchanged by the degree of your hollowing. The only significant change is the aesthetic one – a visual decay. Your ability to fight and explore is not hampered by being hollow.
2. Does hollowing affect the effectiveness of weapons?
No, hollowing itself does not affect the base damage or scaling of your weapons. However, Hollow infusions scale damage with the Luck stat, allowing a build focused on luck and hollowing to be effective. However, the amount of hollowing will not affect scaling. It’s the luck stat itself. The hollowing state itself is merely a condition for activating the questline and unlocking the free levels from Yoel, and a way to make you look like a raisin.
3. How do I get the Dark Sigils that make me hollow?
You get Dark Sigils by interacting with Yoel of Londor at the Undead Settlement. Once you have one sigil, you accumulate more hollowing every time you die. Each draw of your true strength grants you another sigil. You get the first Sigil simply by speaking to Yoel, and the following Sigils after reaching 2, 6, 12, and 16 points of hollowing.
4. What does Hollowing 99 mean in Dark Souls 3?
Reaching hollowing 99 in Dark Souls 3 means you’ve accumulated a significant amount of deaths, have all five Dark Sigils, and have undergone the full extent of the cosmetic decay. You will look as shriveled as possible, but no gameplay changes occur at hollowing 99. It does not unlock any special benefits beyond that of having any hollowing level for the Londor quest and Hollow infusion purposes.
5. How does the Dark Sigil affect hollowing?
The Dark Sigil acts as a multiplier for the amount of hollowing you accumulate when you die. If you have one sigil you will get 1 point of hollowing per death. If you have 2 Sigils, you gain 2 points per death, etc. The more Dark Sigils you have, the faster you will increase your hollowing stat upon death.
6. How do I reverse hollowing in Dark Souls 3?
You can reverse hollowing in Dark Souls 3 by using a Purging Stone or by requesting dissolution at either the Statue of Velka or the Purging Monument. The Purging Stone only removes the aesthetic effect (your character’s shriveled appearance). To remove your hollowing stat and sigils, you will need to pay with souls at either of those two statues.
7. Does reversing hollowing remove Dark Sigils?
No, using a Purging Stone only removes the visual effect of hollowing. It does not remove the Dark Sigils themselves, nor the hollowing stat itself. You must pay souls to remove the Dark Sigils at the aforementioned statue locations, but that will also abort the questline.
8. What are the benefits of being hollow?
The primary benefits of being hollow are access to the free level ups from Yoel of Londor, starting the Yuria of Londor questline and the ability to make use of hollow infusions which scales damage off your luck stat.
9. Should I remove my Dark Sigils?
Removing your Dark Sigils will stop you from advancing the Londor storyline. However, the only way to undo the cosmetic effects is to reset the hollowed stat using purging stones. If you don’t care for the Yuria questline or a Hollow/Luck build, then you should remove the sigils. It comes down to personal choice.
10. What is a Hollow infusion and how does it work?
A Hollow infusion is a type of weapon infusion that reduces base weapon damage, does not change its natural scaling, but adds damage that scales with the Luck stat. This is the main synergy between luck and hollowing. The more Luck, the more damage you get from the scaling on hollow weapons.
11. Can hollowing permanently change my character?
Yes, if you do not remove your Dark Sigils, your character will remain affected by hollowing. You can, however, reverse the visual change by using Purging Stones. You must visit either the statue of Velka or the purging monument if you want to reset your hollowing stat.
12. Does hollowing affect my covenant sign?
Yes, while hollow, your covenant sign at the top left of the screen will visually change. It’s another cosmetic side-effect. It will appear more decayed, similar to your character’s appearance.
13. Can I still use co-op while hollow?
Yes, being hollow does not affect your ability to summon or be summoned for cooperative play. Your hollowing status has no impact on online play functionality.
14. Does hollowing have any connection to the story?
Yes, hollowing is directly tied to the story of the Londor questline and the “Usurpation of Fire” ending. Engaging with the mechanic is integral to that storyline and achieving that particular ending. The story explains hollowing as a form of curse.
15. How much does it cost to remove hollowing?
To remove your hollowing stat through the statues of Velka or the purging monument, it costs your current Soul Level multiplied by 100 souls. This cost increases with your level, so it’s expensive to completely remove hollowing later in the game.
By understanding these points, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the intricacies of the hollowing mechanic in Dark Souls 3, whether you are looking to embrace the curse or rid yourself of it.