Dark Souls’ bonfires are your best friend in the harsh world known as Lordran; while we have no doubt that some challenge runner out there has done the impossible and completed a run without using a DS bonfire, we’re advocates for making the most of them. Bonfires are where you can level up your character, and the average player needs all the levels they can get, especially as some bonfires are right next to fog gates.
Speaking of fog gates, you know what’s normally behind them? Bosses, most of whom are in no mood to deal with you. Not to worry, for we have a Dark Souls bosses guide that not only offers helpful tips on how to defeat them (including the best Dark Souls rings), but also a brief history lesson on how they came to be. We also have a Dark Souls divine weapon guide, should your faith be guiding you through Lordran.
What is a Dark Souls Bonfire?
A Dark Souls bonfire can best be described as a checkpoint with benefits. You need to find these bonfires to avoid having to retrace your steps from the beginning of an area. Some bonfires are in plain sight and easy to find, while others are hidden behind illusionary walls that may require a guide or a bit of luck to discover.
The best example of a hidden bonfire is the one in Darkroot Garden. After reaching the bottom of Undead Parish, go past Andre and the Titanite Demon, then enter Darkroot Garden. If you navigate through the area, you'll eventually find a wall next to a huge stone with a glowing lock – hit the wall! Once you do, the wall disappears, revealing a secret bonfire. This isn’t the only one behind an illusionary wall, so don't hesitate to hit any walls that seem suspicious!
What Can You Do at a Dark Souls Bonfire?
There’s a lot you can do if you take a moment to sit down at a Dark Souls bonfire. The activities range from leveling up your character to upgrading your equipment. Stopping for a minute to catch your breath and take a load off is always a good idea!
Rest
Your Estus flask is your best friend in Lordran, replenishing your health with each swig. However, it does have limited uses before it runs out, and resting at a bonfire is the only way to refill it. Initially, bonfires will only provide you five charges of your Estus, but you can increase this number by bolstering the bonfire. This becomes especially important in the later stages of the game.
It’s crucial to note that resting at a bonfire resets the enemies in the area, except for bosses. This can be both a blessing and a curse, as some enemies can be tricky to bypass. However, respawning them allows you to farm for more souls, enabling you to level up and purchase items.
Kindle
If you’re aiming for more than just five Estus – and you definitely should be – this is where kindling a bonfire comes into play. By using one piece of humanity, you can kindle the bonfire you’re resting at, and the more you kindle, the more Estus you can recover. To bolster your bonfire, you need to defeat Pinwheel and obtain the rite of kindling; this enables you to use humanity to feed the bonfires, increasing the maximum flasks from that bonfire to a maximum of 20.
It’s important to remember that when kindling a bonfire, the effects only apply to that specific bonfire. You must kindle each one individually. Prioritize kindling for the areas you find particularly challenging. Every bit of Estus helps when tackling the more demanding challenges Lordran has to offer!
Reverse Hollowing
Upon death, you become hollow, which prevents you from summoning other players or phantoms to assist you. It’s also impossible to kindle a bonfire while hollow. On the bright side, if PvP isn’t your style, and the idea of being invaded fills you with dread, invasions aren't possible when you’re not human. Those pesky Blades of the Darkmoon have no choice but to leave you alone!
Level Up
A crucial part of the Dark Souls experience is leveling up. If a certain boss or area is giving you trouble, the solution is straightforward: go out there, farm some souls, and spend them on your attributes to become stronger.
Each time you level up, the number of souls you need increases. Fortunately, every enemy in the game drops souls upon death, and late-game foes yield considerably more. You can also find soul packs in the world and earn a substantial amount each time you vanquish a Dark Souls boss.
Be aware that you can only level up at Firelink Shrine. If you die before spending your souls, you'll lose them. Luckily, if you return to the spot where you died, you can retrieve them, provided you don’t die again before reaching them. If you do, those souls are lost for good!
Weapon and Armor Reinforcement
You don’t have to visit a blacksmith to strengthen your weapon if you have a weapon smithbox. However, this only applies to normal upgrades; ascending a weapon requires a professional's help. The stronger your armor, the more damage you can endure. Just like weapons, you can reinforce your armor at a bonfire if you purchase an armor smithbox.
Repair Equipment
No weapon or armor is immune to wear and tear. Over time, your equipment’s condition deteriorates, which can cause your damage output or protection to diminish. Fortunately, with a repair box, you can fix your gear at a bonfire without needing to speak to a blacksmith.
Attune Magic
The most vital aspect of being a sorcerer, pyromancer, or miracle user is selecting your spells, and bonfires are where you can do just that. However, you must purchase or find the spells before they become available to you.
Warp
After defeating Ornstein and Smough in Anor Londo, you can speak with Gwynevere just beyond their boss room. She rewards you with the lordvessel, which allows you to warp between bonfires – no more running around aimlessly!
However, there are some limitations, as you can’t warp to every bonfire. You can warp to the following bonfires:
- Firelink Shrine
- Sunlight altar
- Anor Londo’s first bonfire
- Chamber of the Princess
- Darkmoon tomb
- Tomb of the Gravelord
- Daughter of Chaos
- Stone dragon
- Abyss
- Depths
- Catacombs
- Tomb of the Giants’ first bonfire
- The Duke’s Archives’ final bonfire before Seath the Scaleless
- Crystal Cave
- Painted World of Ariamis
- Undead Parish above Andre
- Sanctuary Garden
- Oolacile Sanctuary
- Oolacile Township
- Oolacile Township dungeon
- Chasm of the Abyss
Did Dark Souls Remastered Add a Bonfire?
Yes, Dark Souls Remastered has one extra bonfire over the original, and it’s a lifesaver for those who despise The Catacombs. You now have a bonfire to warp to in Vamos’ workshop, which is conveniently close to the Pinwheel boss fight – not that you’ll need to face him twice!
And there you have it, everything you need to know about Dark Souls bonfires. If you want to learn more about some characters in this world, check out our Dark Souls Nito, Dark Souls Manus, Dark Souls Gwyn, Dark Souls Gwyndolin, and Dark Souls Sif guides.
If you need a break from the endless cycle of death, consider checking out our picks for the best Switch RPGs or best Switch platformers. If you’re looking for character guides, our Mortal Kombat Mileena and The Witcher 3 Triss articles are great reads!
