What Happens When a Summoned NPC Dies in Dark Souls? A Comprehensive Guide
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The world of Dark Souls is unforgiving, and death is a constant companion. This holds true not only for the player character but also for the NPC summons you might rely on to help you overcome its challenges. But what exactly happens when your valiant, albeit AI-controlled, ally falls in battle? The short answer is: it depends on the context. Generally, if an NPC phantom is summoned for a boss fight, their death during the encounter does not prevent you from summoning them again in subsequent attempts, as long as you meet the summon requirements each time. However, permanently killing the NPC in the game world will typically make them unavailable as a summon for the rest of your playthrough.
Understanding NPC Summons in Dark Souls
Before diving deeper into the implications of an NPC summon’s death, it’s crucial to understand how summoning works in the first place. In the Dark Souls series, summoning allows you to bring either other players or specific NPCs into your game world to assist you in tackling difficult areas or boss fights.
To summon an NPC, you generally need to meet the following criteria:
- Be in Human Form: This is a universal requirement across the series. You need to reverse hollowing at a bonfire, consuming a Humanity item in Dark Souls or an Ember in Dark Souls 3.
- Boss is Alive: The boss of the area must still be alive. Once you defeat the boss, the summon signs for that area disappear.
- Find the Summon Sign: NPC summon signs typically appear near the boss fog gate or at specific locations within the area leading to the boss.
Once you’ve met these criteria, you can interact with the summon sign to bring the NPC into your world. But what happens if they fall in battle?
The Fate of Summoned NPCs
As previously stated, an NPC phantom’s death during a boss fight is generally not permanent for summoning purposes, as long as the requirements for summoning are still fulfilled. Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
- Death During Boss Fights: If an NPC summon dies during a boss fight, their death does not prevent you from summoning them again for subsequent attempts. The summon sign will reappear in its original location when you re-enter the area or reload the game, assuming you’re still in human form and the boss is still alive. For example, in Bloodborne, Alfred can die multiple times against the Blood-Starved Beast and still be available for summoning on subsequent attempts.
- Death Before Reaching the Boss: If an NPC summon dies before you reach the boss fog gate, it’s generally a wasted summon. While it is possible to reload the game and hope the sign reappears, it is never guaranteed.
- Permanent NPC Death: Killing an NPC permanently in the game world prevents you from summoning them as a phantom. This is a crucial distinction. For example, if you kill Solaire of Astora before he places his summon sign, you won’t be able to summon him for the rest of your playthrough.
- Questline Impact: The death of an NPC can also have an impact on your questlines. Many NPCs are tied to specific quests, and their death can either alter the quest’s outcome or prevent you from completing it altogether.
- Exceptions and Special Cases: Some NPCs have special circumstances surrounding their summoning. For example, Solaire’s fate in Dark Souls is tied to the player’s actions in Lost Izalith. If the player fails to prevent Solaire from being corrupted by the Sunlight Maggot, he will become hostile and his summon sign will disappear.
FAQs About NPC Summons and Death in Dark Souls
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the nuances of NPC summons and their potential demise in Dark Souls:
1. Can I revive dead NPCs in Dark Souls?
No, there’s no way to directly revive a dead NPC in Dark Souls without using console commands on PC. Once an NPC is killed, whether by you or by other factors, they’re gone for the remainder of your playthrough. There are a few exceptions, such as the Fire Keeper in Firelink Shrine, who can be revived in the first game through the Knight Lautrec of Carim questline.
2. Does Solaire die permanently?
No, Solaire does not die permanently as a summon as long as you follow his questline correctly. You can summon him even if he dies as a phantom in a fight. However, there are certain quest scenarios where Solaire could meet his end.
3. How do NPC summons work in Dark Souls?
You need to be in human form, and the area boss must still be alive. NPC summon signs generally appear near a boss fog gate if one is available for that particular boss. This is also how you summon other players for co-op.
4. Do NPCs forgive you in Dark Souls?
Yes, the player may request absolution from Oswald of Carim inside the belltower of the Undead Parish, after ringing the Bell of Awakening. This resets NPC hostility and allows you to rejoin covenants you may have angered.
5. Can you heal NPC summons?
Not directly. However, if you haven’t entered the boss arena yet, you can banish them with the black separation crystal, quit the game, and re-summon them. They’ll be back with full health.
6. Is Solaire the Nameless King?
No. For the longest time, fans thought he was Gwyn’s lost son, stripped from the annals of history. But that turned out to be the Nameless King, an optional boss fight in Dark Souls 3.
7. Is Solaire the big worm?
No. Solaire was canonically corrupted by the Sunlight Maggot but not killed and over thousands of years transformed into the giant worm we encounter in the Smoldering Lake.
8. Can I save Solaire after he goes insane?
Yes! Go beat the Firesage, go beat the Centipede Demon, talk to him at the Lost Izalith bonfire, then go back and talk to him where you killed the red-eyed bug. Since it’s not there, it can’t hurt him. He’ll be super sad about it, but then can assist with the final boss.
9. Are there consequences for killing NPCs in Dark Souls?
Yes. Killing Lautrec early gives you his ring but prevents you from getting his armor. Killing the Undead Burg merchant gives you his uchigatana, but you will have no source of repair powders and lloyd’s talismans until you get to Oolacile.
10. Why do NPCs not Respawn in Dark Souls?
They aren’t branded with the Darksign, so they don’t respawn. Some NPCs, however, like the crestfallen warrior, do in fact go hollow and can be found in various points of the game.
11. Does Solaire have a face?
While his helmet design covers his entire face, it is his armor that fans have often drawn attention to. However, despite so many eyes being on the sun-covered cloth, few picked up on the fact that it actually hides a face.
12. Why is Solaire looking for a sun?
Solaire wishes to find his own sun and become as grossly incandescent as his ancestors, a fitting goal for a Warrior of Sunlight.
13. Is Solaire a child of Gwyn?
While he was theorized by some fans to be Gwyn’s firstborn son in disguise, this was later proven not to be the case in Dark Souls III.
14. What happens if you save Solaire?
If he’s alive by the time you reach the end of the game, you can even summon him to fight the final boss, Gwyn, Lord of Cinder.
15. Is it OK to summon in Dark Souls?
Yes, it is a legitimate game mechanic, and making use of it is fine. You can’t go back to defeating a boss solo without prior experience, but unless you already have the urge to do that, it’s not really important.
Final Thoughts
The intricacies of NPC summons and their potential deaths add another layer of depth to the already complex world of Dark Souls. Understanding the rules governing summons, the consequences of killing NPCs, and the potential impact on questlines is crucial for navigating the game effectively. So, the next time you summon an NPC for a boss fight, remember that their sacrifice might not be in vain, but their life in the broader game world is far more valuable! Consider exploring resources from organizations such as the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org to deepen your understanding of the mechanics and design of the Dark Souls games and the many ways we learn through playing games.