Why is Faith So Bad in Dark Souls 3? A Deep Dive

The perception that faith builds are “bad” in Dark Souls 3 stems from a confluence of factors, primarily concerning its PvP unreliability, its delayed gratification in PvE, and the fact that its potential is often misunderstood. While some argue that faith-based builds can be powerful and even meta-breaking under the right circumstances, the reality is that players must overcome significant hurdles to reach that point. Faith’s inherent weaknesses, compared to more easily accessible builds like strength or dexterity, make it a less attractive option for many players, especially newcomers.

The core issues are these:

1. Miracles are Slow and Telegraphed: In Player vs. Player (PvP) combat, most offensive miracles have long casting times and are easily dodged. A skilled opponent will almost always punish you for attempting to cast a miracle offensively. While hyper armor on certain talismans helps, it’s often not enough to reliably land a hit against a seasoned player. This leaves faith builds relying on unpredictability and catching opponents off guard, strategies which are difficult to execute consistently.

2. Inconsistent Damage Output: Even with high faith stats and optimized gear, the damage output of miracles can be underwhelming, especially against enemies with high elemental resistance. While certain miracles like Lightning Stake and Lightning Arrow can deal significant damage, their effectiveness is heavily dependent on the enemy and the surrounding environment. This inconsistency forces faith builds to rely on weapon buffs or weapon arts for consistent damage, diluting the “pure faith” experience.

3. Late-Game Power Spike: Faith builds truly shine in the late game, after acquiring key miracles, talismans, and weapons. However, this means enduring a relatively weak early to mid-game experience. Many players find this initial struggle frustrating and may give up on the build before reaching its full potential. The investment in faith early on doesn’t provide the immediate returns that other builds offer, making it a less appealing choice for impatient players.

4. Limited Early-Game Options: Unlike sorceries or pyromancies, which have access to powerful offensive spells relatively early in the game, faith builds are largely reliant on healing and buffing miracles in the early stages. While these miracles are useful, they don’t provide the same offensive punch as their arcane counterparts. This lack of early-game firepower can make progressing through the game challenging and tedious.

5. High Stat Investment: Faith builds require a significant investment in multiple stats, including faith, vigor, attunement, and sometimes strength or dexterity to meet weapon requirements. This high stat investment leaves less room for error and requires careful planning throughout the game. Players need to carefully manage their resources and prioritize their stat allocation to avoid becoming too weak in any particular area.

6. Dependence on Weapon Buffs: Because direct offensive miracles aren’t always viable, many faith builds rely on weapon buffs like Lightning Blade or Darkmoon Blade to deal significant damage. However, these buffs require consistent reapplication and are vulnerable to being dispelled by certain spells or items. This reliance on buffs adds another layer of complexity and risk to faith-based combat.

In summary, the perception that faith builds are “bad” in Dark Souls 3 stems from their inherent weaknesses in PvP, their inconsistent damage output, their late-game power spike, and their high stat investment. While skilled players can overcome these challenges and create powerful faith-based builds, the learning curve is steep and the initial struggle can be daunting. This makes faith a less attractive option for many players, especially those new to the game or unfamiliar with the nuances of Dark Souls 3’s combat system.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Faith Builds in Dark Souls 3

Here are some frequently asked questions about faith builds in Dark Souls 3 to provide additional insight and address common concerns:

1. Are faith builds viable in Dark Souls 3?

Yes, faith builds are viable, but they require a specific playstyle and a good understanding of the game mechanics. Faith builds shine in PvE due to their healing capabilities, buffing abilities, and high damage output against certain enemies. In PvP, faith builds are more challenging but can be effective with the right strategy and setup. The key is understanding the strengths and weaknesses of faith-based miracles and adapting your playstyle accordingly.

2. What is the best starting class for a faith build?

The Cleric is the most obvious choice, because it starts with high faith and attunement. The Knight is also a viable choice, due to its high vigor and endurance, which makes it more survivable in the early game. Ultimately, the best starting class depends on your preferred playstyle and stat allocation.

3. What are the best early-game miracles for a faith build?

Heal Aid and Tears of Denial are the best early game miracles. Heal Aid provides essential healing, while Tears of Denial offers a valuable safety net against sudden death. These two miracles greatly increase a faith build’s survivability and make progress throughout the game much easier.

4. What are the best talismans for a faith build?

Yorshka’s Chime is considered to be the best talisman when you have 50+ faith.

5. How much faith should I have?

Most players should have 60 faith to receive the best scaling for miracles.

6. What are the best weapons for a faith build?

Weapons that scale well with faith include the Wolnir’s Holy Sword, Lothric Knight Greatsword (infused with Lightning), and weapons buffed with Lightning Blade or Darkmoon Blade. The blasphemous blade is also a strong choice for a faith scaling weapon.

7. How do I make faith viable in PvP?

Making faith viable in PvP requires a different approach than in PvE. You need to rely on unpredictability, catch opponents off guard, and use hyper armor to land your spells. Experiment with different miracles and strategies to find what works best for you.

8. Is a faith/strength build viable?

Yes, a faith/strength build can be very powerful. This build combines the raw damage of strength weapons with the healing and buffing capabilities of faith. It allows for a more aggressive and versatile playstyle.

9. Is a faith/dexterity build viable?

Yes, a faith/dexterity build can also be very effective. This build focuses on using fast-attacking weapons and buffing them with faith-based spells. It allows for a more agile and mobile playstyle.

10. What are the most useful miracles for PvE?

The most useful miracles for PvE include Great Heal, Lightning Stake, Tears of Denial, Dorhys’ Gnawing, Lightning Arrow, and Blessed Weapon. These miracles provide a combination of healing, damage, and utility that can greatly enhance your PvE experience.

11. How important is attunement for a faith build?

Attunement is crucial for a faith build, as it determines how many FP (Focus Points) you have, which are required to cast miracles. You need enough attunement to cast the miracles you want to use without running out of FP too quickly. Most players aim for around 30-40 attunement.

12. How does luck affect a faith build?

While luck primarily affects item discovery and bleed build-up, it doesn’t directly impact the effectiveness of miracles. However, some weapons scale with luck and faith, so it can be a useful stat to invest in depending on your chosen weapon.

13. How does the scaling for faith weapons work?

Faith weapons typically have scaling grades from ‘E’ to ‘S’, indicating how well they benefit from your faith stat. Higher grades translate to greater damage increases as your faith stat increases. Pay attention to these scaling grades when choosing your weapons.

14. What are the best rings for a faith build?

Essential rings for a faith build include the Ring of the Sun’s First Born (boosts miracle damage), Morne’s Ring (boosts miracle damage), Sage Ring (reduces casting time), and Prisoner’s Chain (increases vigor, endurance, and vitality).

15. Where can I learn more about Dark Souls 3 builds and strategies?

There are many online resources available, including forums, wikis, and YouTube channels dedicated to Dark Souls 3. A community such as the Games Learning Society might also be beneficial. You can explore these resources to find more information about faith builds and other aspects of the game. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more about the Games Learning Society.