Which Covenant is Best for Co-op Dark Souls?
The Warrior of Sunlight covenant is undeniably the best choice for co-op in Dark Souls. Its focus on jolly cooperation, combined with tangible benefits for assisting other players, makes it the most rewarding and effective covenant for those seeking a strong multiplayer experience.
Why Warriors of Sunlight Dominate Co-op
The Warriors of Sunlight covenant is specifically designed to promote and reward cooperative gameplay. This focus, combined with the lore and community surrounding the covenant, makes it the premier option for players who enjoy playing together.
Core Benefits and Mechanics
- Increased Visibility: Sunlight Warriors leave gold summon signs, which are more noticeable and enticing to players seeking assistance. This significantly increases the chance of being summoned compared to regular white summon signs.
- Sunlight Medals: Successfully assisting a host in defeating a boss grants a Sunlight Medal. These medals are the covenant’s currency and are used to rank up and obtain unique rewards.
- Faith Scaling: Joining the covenant reduces the Faith requirement for the Lightning Spear miracle. This allows faith-based builds to access this powerful offensive spell earlier in the game.
- Lore and Community: The Warrior of Sunlight covenant has a strong association with the beloved character Solaire of Astora, a symbol of optimism and cooperation. This encourages a positive and supportive community among its members.
- Increased Healing Potency: Having multiple players alive during a boss fight grants a slight boost to the potency of estus flasks and humanity.
- No Restrictions on Summoning: Unlike other covenants, warriors of Sunlight are not restricted to the soul level of the host during coop summoning. They are allowed to summon characters 10 levels above or below their own character’s soul level. This allows a wider audience to benefit from the player’s help.
Alternative Covenant Considerations
While Warriors of Sunlight are the clear frontrunner, other covenants offer limited co-op benefits:
- Way of White: Provides a slight increase in the chance of being matched with other Way of White members, primarily for assistance against invaders. Not as directly focused on boss co-op.
- Princess’ Guard: Grants access to miracles that can benefit co-op partners, but its focus is more on healing and support than direct assistance.
- White Phantom: Allows co-op with others, but offers no specific advantages or rewards related to the co-op experience.
Why Warriors of Sunlight are superior
Warriors of Sunlight is superior because of its specific focus and benefits towards cooperation. As the name suggests, the covenant’s purpose is to provide assistance through jolly cooperation, offering the strongest, most noticeable, and most rewarding experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to provide a comprehensive understanding of co-op covenants in Dark Souls:
1. How do I join the Warrior of Sunlight covenant?
Find the Sunlight Altar after defeating the Taurus Demon. You’ll need 25 Faith to join. However, you can reduce this requirement by 5 for each time you successfully assist a host in defeating a boss as a white phantom.
2. What are Sunlight Medals used for?
Sunlight Medals are used to rank up within the Warrior of Sunlight covenant at the Sunlight Altar. Ranking up unlocks new items and improves the effectiveness of miracles.
3. What rewards do I get for ranking up in the Warrior of Sunlight covenant?
You receive the Lightning Spear miracle upon joining. Ranking up further grants additional miracles and increases their effectiveness, boosting your co-op support capabilities.
4. How can I increase my chances of being summoned as a Sunlight Warrior?
Place your gold summon sign in high-traffic areas near bonfires or before boss fog gates. Ensure your soul level is within a reasonable range for the area.
5. Does my weapon upgrade level affect my ability to be summoned?
Yes, matchmaking is based on both soul level and weapon upgrade level. Try to keep your weapon upgrades appropriate for the area you’re in.
6. What are the level restrictions for co-op summoning in Dark Souls?
The general rule is +/- 10% of your soul level + 10 levels. There are online tools and calculators to help determine summon ranges. This is not applied to Warriors of Sunlight who are not restricted by level for coop summoning.
7. Can I co-op with friends who are much higher or lower level than me?
Not usually. The soul level restrictions prevent significant level disparities. However, using a password matchmaking system (if available in a specific Dark Souls game or mod) can bypass these restrictions.
8. Are there any downsides to joining a covenant for co-op?
Joining a covenant can sometimes affect your interactions with other players (e.g., increased invasion frequency if you are in certain covenants). The Warrior of Sunlight covenant has very few downsides, primarily revolving around the initial Faith requirement.
9. Can I leave a covenant and join another one?
Yes, you can leave a covenant by speaking to the leader of another covenant. However, leaving a covenant often carries a penalty, such as losing half of your offerings to the previous covenant.
10. What is the best way to farm Sunlight Medals?
The most reliable way is to successfully assist hosts in defeating bosses. Alternatively, you can farm them from certain enemies, such as the Chaos Bugs in the Demon Ruins, although this method has a low drop rate.
11. Does being human or hollow affect my ability to co-op?
You must be human to summon other players or be summoned yourself. You can restore humanity by using Humanity items at a bonfire.
12. What role should I play as a co-op phantom?
Your role depends on your build and the host’s playstyle. Generally, you should support the host by dealing damage, drawing aggro, and providing healing. Communicate with the host using gestures to coordinate your actions.
13. How does the Way of White covenant help with co-op?
The Way of White slightly increases the likelihood of being matched with other Way of White members. This provides a small chance of finding co-op partners, but it’s less focused on proactive co-op compared to the Warriors of Sunlight.
14. What are the best areas to place my summon sign for co-op?
Popular areas include before boss fog gates, near bonfires, and in areas known for their difficulty. Common choices include Undead Parish, Depths, Blighttown, and Anor Londo.
15. Is there a difference in co-op between Dark Souls, Dark Souls II, and Dark Souls III regarding covenants?
Yes. While the core concept remains the same, the specific benefits and mechanics of each covenant differ across the games. However, the Warrior of Sunlight (or similar covenants) consistently provide the best rewards and opportunities for cooperative play in each installment. In short, Warrior of Sunlight is a great coop covenant because it is not restricted by soul level, like other covenants in the game.