Lothric Knight Sword Infusion: The Definitive Guide

The Lothric Knight Sword (LKS), a seemingly unassuming straight sword, holds a coveted spot among Dark Souls 3’s most powerful weapons. Its exceptional reach, fast attack speed, and excellent scaling make it a formidable choice for a wide array of builds. However, to truly unleash its potential, understanding the optimal infusion strategy is paramount. So, what is the best infusion for the Lothric Knight Sword?

The answer, as is often the case in Dark Souls 3, depends heavily on your build and playstyle. However, the general consensus leans towards Sharp infusion for dexterity-focused builds and Refined infusion for quality builds (balanced strength and dexterity). These infusions maximize physical damage output, leveraging the LKS’s impressive scaling. Chaos and Dark infusions are also excellent choices for pyro builds, especially if you have high Intelligence and Faith stats.

Here’s a deeper dive into why these infusions shine, and when other options might be preferable:

Sharp Infusion: The Dexterity King

• Best For: High Dexterity builds (40+ Dexterity).
• Benefits: Significantly boosts Dexterity scaling, turning the LKS into a damage-dealing machine. The already fast attack speed becomes even more deadly, allowing for rapid, consecutive hits.
• Drawbacks: Requires a substantial investment in Dexterity, making it less suitable for builds that prioritize other stats like Strength or Faith.

The Sharp infusion is often considered the “default” best infusion due to the LKS’s naturally good Dexterity scaling. With a Sharp infusion and high Dexterity, you’ll see exceptional damage numbers, especially at higher upgrade levels.

Refined Infusion: The Quality All-Rounder

• Best For: Quality builds with roughly equal Strength and Dexterity (e.g., 40/40).
• Benefits: Balances Strength and Dexterity scaling, providing solid damage output for builds that spread their stats evenly. This is a great starting point for many players.
• Drawbacks: Doesn’t reach the peak damage potential of Sharp infusion on a dedicated Dexterity build or Heavy infusion for dedicated Strength Build.

The Refined infusion is perfect for players who want a versatile character capable of wielding a variety of weapons. It allows you to utilize the LKS effectively while still having the option to experiment with other quality weapons.

Chaos and Dark Infusions: Pyromancer Powerhouse

• Best For: Pyromancy builds with high Intelligence and Faith (e.g., 30/30 or 40/40).
• Benefits: Adds Fire and Dark damage to the weapon, scaling with both Intelligence and Faith. This allows you to deal significant damage to enemies weak to these elements, and the split damage can be very effective against many late-game bosses.
• Drawbacks: Requires a substantial investment in both Intelligence and Faith, making it less suitable for builds that primarily focus on physical damage. Split damage is also less effective against heavily armored enemies with high elemental resistance.

The Chaos and Dark infusions transform the LKS into a potent weapon for pyromancers. The split damage allows you to exploit enemy weaknesses while still maintaining a decent physical damage output. This can be a fantastic choice for players who want to combine melee combat with spellcasting.

Other Infusions: Niche Cases

• Heavy Infusion: Can be viable for Strength builds, especially early on, but generally falls behind Sharp or Refined at higher levels due to the LKS’s inherently better Dexterity scaling.
• Blessed Infusion: Adds Faith scaling and HP regeneration. This is a niche choice that is often overshadowed by Lightning infusions and is best for builds that want passive healing over maximum damage.
• Lightning Infusion: Similar to Blessed, but focuses on Lightning damage and Faith scaling. Also overshadowed by Chaos or Dark for damage potential.
• Raw Infusion: Increases base physical damage but removes scaling. Best used at very low levels or when you have minimal investment in Strength and Dexterity. Not recommended for long-term use.
• Crystal Infusion: Adds Magic Damage. Does not work well for most builds as magic scaling with intelligence is better suited for weapons with higher scaling like the Immolation Tinder or Moonlight Greatsword.
• Hollow Infusion: Best for luck builds. When paired with hollow weapons, a luck build can have high damage.

Ultimately, the best infusion for the Lothric Knight Sword depends on your character build, stats, and playstyle. Experiment with different infusions to find what works best for you.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is the Lothric Knight Sword really that good?

Yes! The Lothric Knight Sword is widely considered one of the best straight swords in Dark Souls 3, and even one of the best weapons overall. Its long reach, fast attack speed, excellent scaling, and relatively low stamina consumption make it a powerful and versatile choice for both PvE and PvP. The Games Learning Society has likely seen many players succeed using this weapon in innovative ways.

2. What stats should I prioritize for the Lothric Knight Sword?

It depends on your chosen infusion. For Sharp, prioritize Dexterity. For Refined, balance Strength and Dexterity. For Chaos or Dark, balance Intelligence and Faith.

3. How do I infuse the Lothric Knight Sword?

You need to give the Transposing Kiln to Andre the Blacksmith at Firelink Shrine. Then, you can select the “Infuse Weapon” option and choose your desired gem. Certain gems require specific coals to be given to Andre before they can be used.

4. Which gems are best for infusing the Lothric Knight Sword?

Sharp, Refined, Chaos, and Dark gems are the most popular and effective choices, depending on your build.

5. Is the Lothric Knight Sword good for beginners?

Yes, it’s an excellent weapon for beginners due to its user-friendly moveset, good damage, and long reach. It’s easy to learn and effective in various situations.

6. How does the Lothric Knight Sword compare to the Longsword?

The Lothric Knight Sword has a longer reach and slightly better scaling than the Longsword. While the Longsword is still a viable option, the LKS is generally considered superior.

7. Can I buff the Lothric Knight Sword after infusing it?

It depends on the infusion. Sharp, Heavy and Refined can be buffed with spells like Crystal Magic Weapon or resins like Charcoal Pine Resin. Other infusions, like Chaos, Dark, Blessed, and Lightning, cannot be buffed.

8. Is the Lothric Knight Sword good for PvP?

Yes, it’s a very popular and effective weapon in PvP. Its long reach, fast attack speed, and versatile moveset make it difficult to counter.

9. Where can I find the Lothric Knight Sword?

It’s dropped by Lothric Knights, which can be found in various locations throughout the game, including the High Wall of Lothric. The knight just down the stairs from the Tower on the Wall bonfire is one of the best spots to farm it.

10. What is the best armor to pair with the Lothric Knight Sword?

The best armor depends on your desired balance between protection and equip load. Generally, medium armor sets like the Knight Set or the Elite Knight Set offer a good balance of both.

11. Is the Lothric Knight Sword viable in the late game?

Absolutely! With the right infusion and upgrades, the Lothric Knight Sword remains a powerful weapon throughout the entire game, including the late game and DLCs.

12. How does the Lothric Knight Sword compare to other straight swords?

It stands out due to its exceptional reach and excellent scaling. While other straight swords like the Irithyll Straight Sword or the Sunlight Straight Sword have their own unique advantages, the LKS is a consistently strong choice.

13. What is the best weapon art for the Lothric Knight Sword?

Its weapon art is Stance. From Stance, use R1 to thrust the sword straight forward. From Stance, use R2 to perform a quick upward slash.

14. Is the Lothric Knight Sword good against bosses?

Yes! Its fast attack speed and long reach allow you to deal consistent damage while maintaining a safe distance from boss attacks.

15. Can I use the Lothric Knight Sword on a faith build?

Yes, but you’d want to infuse it with Lightning or Blessed. It is more common to see people use Chaos or Dark infusion, then raise faith. This is because most weapons with base faith damage and scaling are not nearly as good.

The Lothric Knight Sword is a remarkable weapon that, when infused correctly, can carry you through Dark Souls 3 with ease. Remember to tailor your infusion to your specific build and playstyle for optimal results. Happy slaying, Ashen One! If you would like to learn more about how people are using games as a learning tool, check out GamesLearningSociety.org!