Dark Souls 3 ~ Reimagined Weapon Upgrades and Blacksmiths
Time for more Dark Souls 3 fanfic. I adore the weapon upgrade system in Demon’s Souls—mostly for having dozens of really cool rocks, but also for feeling a bit more costly and weighty than any of the other games—so I wanted to imagine what Dark Souls 3 might’ve been like if it had gone for a similar upgrade tree instead of a linear Infusion system. >>CW for body horror, gore, and generally unpleasant descriptions of dead things. Wouldn’t be Dark Souls without it.<<
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❧ UPGRADE MATERIALS ☙
TITANITE – Long ago, a layer of powerful ore was discovered beneath the earth, and was used by the gods to forge the Legendary Slabs. (Normal Weapons)
Titanite Shard – 3 Shards reinforce to +1 , 5 Shards to +2, 8 to +3 ~~ This shard is a small fragment of one such slab, but still holds power in the right hands.
Large Titanite Shard – 2 Large Shards reinforce to +4, 4 to +5, 6 to +6 ~~ This shard is a fragment of such a slab, but still holds great power in the right hands.
Titanite Chunk – 1 Chunk reinforces to +7, 2 Chunks to +8, 3 Chunks to +9 ~~ This chunk is a piece of such a slab, and contains within it an immense power.
Titanite Slab – 1 Slab reinforces to +10 ~~ One of the Legendary Slabs, used in distant eons to forge the weapons of the gods. An incredible power is held within. A weapon treated with this slab will be the equal of any god’s.
ROYALSTONE – A refined and powerful ore, used in forging the weapons of the Lothric Knights. Treatment with Royalstone reinforces and balances a weapon, requiring both great strength and dexterity to wield effectively. (Royal Weapons)
Royalstone Shard – 1 shard to +0, 2 shards to +1, 4 to +2, 6 to +3
Royalstone Chunk – 2 chunks to +4, 4 chunks to +5
Royalstone Gem – 1 gem to +6
MAULSTONE– A lumpy, hefty, stubborn ore, difficult to work with. Once used to forge the inhumanly heavy blades of the Abysswatchers. Treatment with Maulstone renders a weapon weighty and unwieldy, effective only in the hands of the strongest warriors. (Heavy Weapons)
Maulstone Shard – 1 shard to +0, 2 shards to +1, 4 to +2, 6 to +3
Maulstone Chunk – 2 chunks to +4, 4 chunks to +5
Maulstone Gem – 1 gem to +6
WHIPSTONE - This light and springy stone is surprisingly tough. Prized by nomads of the Great Ash Waste, and used to forge their flashing curved blades. A blade treated with Whipstone dances through the air, deadly in the hands of the dextrous. (Sharp Weapons)
Whipstone Sliver – 1 silver to +0, 2 slivers to +1, 4 to +2, 6 to +3
Whipstone Coil – 2 coils to +4, 4 coils to +5
Whipstone Knot – 1 knot to +6
HEAVYSTONE – A common, mundane ore that is malleable but dense. Once used across many lands to forge weapons for rank and file foot soldiers. A weapon treated with this stone will gain a great deal of power, but blunt the skill of its wielder. (Raw Weapons)
Heavystone Shard – 1 shard to +0, 2 shards to +1, 4 to +2, 6 to +3
Heavystone Chunk – 2 chunks to +4, 4 chunks to +5
Heavystone Gem – 1 gem to +6
ZOARITE – A calcified clot of effluvial waste, riddled with impurities. Found commonly in the guts of beasts, ghru, and other swamp-dwelling monstrosities. Knead into a weapon to imbue it with poison. (Rancid Weapons)
Zoarite Scab – 1 scab to +0, 1 to +1, 1 to +2, 2 to +3, 2 to +4, 3 to +5, 4 to +6
Zoarite Lump – 2 lumps to + 7, 2 to +8, 3 to +9, 3 to +10, 4 to +11
Zoarite Rock – 1 rock to +12
HUNGERSTONE – A living knot of Undead viscera. This nameless flesh has been beaten and pulped by Necropolis Butchers in a process to extract as much blood from it as possible. It now craves blood, soaking in every last drop it touches. Knead the flesh into a weapon to impart its insatiable hunger. (Wet Weapons)
Hungerstone Scab – 1 scab to +0, 1 to +1, 1 to +2, 2 to +3, 2 to +4, 3 to +5, 4 to +6
Hungerstone Lump – 2 lumps to + 7, 2 to +8, 3 to +9, 3 to +10, 4 to +11
Hungerstone Tumor – 1 rock to +12
DEMONSTONE – Hot to the touch and stinking of sulfur. Also known as “embergris” by those who hunt demons. Demonstone is aptly named, for it forms over centuries within the guts of adult demons. Weapons treated with Demonstone burn with a furious inner flame, blistering the hands of the wielder with every swing. (Hot Weapons)
Demonstone Scab – 1 scab to +0, 1 to +1, 1 to +2, 2 to +3, 2 to +4, 3 to +5, 4 to +6
Demonstone Lump – 2 lumps to + 7, 2 to +8, 3 to +9, 3 to +10, 4 to +11
Demonstone Rock – 1 rock to +12
GOLDQUARTZ – This toothy white, gold-veined stone is found in crypts and catacombs, growing from the bones of undead. Kept as luck charms by clerics and pilgrims, for it is said to come from the touch of divine blood. A weapon treated with Goldquartz will slowly restore the body and receive power from one’s convictions. (Blessed Weapons)
Goldquartz Oreshard – 1 oreshard to +0, 1 to +1, 1 to +2, 2 to +3, 2 to +4, 3 to +5, 4 to +6
Goldquartz Orechunk – 2 orechunks to + 7, 2 to +8, 3 to +9, 3 to +10, 4 to +11
Goldquartz Geode – 1 geode to +12
PURULITH – Crusted, suppurated organs found inside the writhing bodies of Pus-possessed hollows. Its foetid stench cannot be described. Drips with congealed impurities. Knead into a weapon already tainted with poison to suffuse it with toxic. (Rotten Weapons)
Purulith Blister – 1 blister to +0, 2 to +1, 4 to +2, 6 to +3
Purulith Wart – 2 warts to +4, 4 to +5
Purulith Cyst – 1 cyst to +6
BLACKAMBER – From deep within the roots of Archtrees, this dark, oily sap will occasionally drip and harden into stones prized by witches and outcasts. Can be used to reinforce catalysts, talismans, bows, and any other weapon or tool made out of wood. (Any WOODEN Weapon/Catalyst)
Blackamber Flake – 3 flakes to +1, 5 to +2, 8 to +3
Blackamber Droplet – 2 droplets to +4, 4 to +5, 6 to +6
Blackamber Burl – 1 burl to +7, 2 to +8, 3 to +9
Blackamber Gem – 1 gem to +10
SHIVERSTONE – A flakey and frigid stone found growing from dead flesh in the cold. Weapons treated with Shiverstone sap heat and steal life, inflicting Frostbite. They also become heavy, requiring a good deal of brawn from the wielder to be effective. (Cold Weapons)
Shiverstone Flake – 1 flake to +0, 3 to +1, 5 to +2
Shiverstone Branch – 2 branches to +3, 4 to +4
Shiverstone Crystal – 1 crystal to +5
SUNLIGHTSTONE – This chalky, scaled crystal grows on the corpses of dragons who have been laid to rot in the sunlight. The sun no longer rises on Lothric, making this rare material a precious thing indeed. Treat a weapon with Sunlightstone to lace the blade with jagged scales, from which crackle the fingers of divine Lightning. (Sunlight Weapons)
Sunlightstone Scrap – 1 scrap to +0, 3 to +1, 5 to +2
Sunlightstone Scale – 2 scales to +3, 4 scales to +4
Sunlightstone Crystal – 1 crystal to +5
SAGESTONE – Found in deep caverns where ambient Souls have concentrated within mineral growth. This deeply blue and fragrant crystal is named for the blindfolded sages who once ventured into the caves to seek them out. Treat a weapon with Sagestone to lace the blade with Soul-borne Magic. (Soul Weapons)
Sagestone Shard – 1 shard to +0, 2 shards to +1, 4 to +2, 6 to +3
Sagestone Chunk – 2 chunks to +4, 4 to +5
Sagestone Crystal – 1 crystal to +6
MOONSTONE– A smooth, opalescent droplet. Emits a phosphorescent glow. These stones, sticky to touch, are found frequently within the petrified skulls and vertebrae of those who have perished from Curses. Weapons treated with Moonstone are deeply soaked with Soul-borne magic, exuding a sharp fragrance that clears and bolsters the mind. (Moon Weapons)
Moonstone Grain – 1 grain to +0, 3 to +1, 5 to +2
Moonstone Pebble – 2 pebbles to +3, 4 to +4
Moonstone Pearl – 1 pearl to +5
HUMANSTONE – A glob of pungent human remains, hardened into a rubbery lump that is much heavier than it seems. The result of a macabre refinement process in the Undead Settlement and suffused with dregs of Humanity. If kneaded into a weapon the dregs will respond to the Humanity within the wielder, writhing in deadly agitation. (Dark Weapons)
Humanstone Pellet – 1 pellet to +0, 2 to +1, 4 to +2, 6 to +3
Humanstone Clump – 2 clumps to +4, 4 to +5
Humanstone Rock – 1 rock to +6
EMBERSTONE – A stone of black glass with countless facets. The jagged edges are terribly sharp and cauterize when they cut flesh. Formed of cooled Chaos from the smoldering home of the Demons. When Emberstone is melted into a weapon treated with Humanstone it feeds off the Humanity within the wielder, burning all the hotter the more dregs it consumes. (Chaos Weapons)
Emberstone Splinter – 1 splinter to +0, 3 to +1, 5 to +2
Emberstone Shard – 2 shards to +3, 4 to +4
Emberstone Rock – 1 rock to +5
CORALSTONE – Far beneath the world’s surface a forest of brittle, spiny, colourless growths flourish on the unknown shores of the Deep. This twisted life will sometimes bud, producing soft, jelly-like blooms that brim with Darkness. It is said that those who peer deeply into this cold Dark are forever captured by its calm and inscrutable beauty. (Deep Weapons)
Coralstone Polyp – 1 polyp to +0, 2 to +1, 4 to +2, 6 to +3
Coralstone Bud – 2 buds to +4, 4 to +5
Coralstone Bloom – 1 bloom to +6
FIRE SEED – A waning flame that is still hot. These miniscule embers burn slowly, and thus they can last for eons. Outcasts from the Great Swamp claim that these are pieces of the Chaos Flame created by Witch Izalith. Even today, many pyromancers brave the Great Ash Waste to travel to the Dreg Heap, seeking the last resting place of the demons. A learned pyromancer can use this to fuel one’s pyromancy flame, raising its power.
SHRIVING STONE – A coarse and crackling shell that is often mistaken for a stone. When heated and beaten it releases a pungent acid that can extract impurities and other elements from weapons when they are bathed in it. However, this process also eats away at Titanite, returning any strengthened weapons to their original state.
TWINKLING TITANITE – An altered state of Titanite. Long eons of exposure to certain elements have transformed this Titanite into a sparkling, petrified chunk. Its power has intensified, and with the right coal it can be used to treat unique weapons and enhance their strength. (upgrades Unique Weapons to +5; one Titanite per level)
TITANITE SCALE – Peeled from the corpse of a ravenous crystal lizard, which grew to incredible size and strength from absorbing Souls. The souls taken into the body of the creature have been warped and transformed, and this scale is the result of such transformation. It holds unparalleled power within it, but will require a skilled hand to unlock such potential. (used to transpose a +9 Normal Weapon into a Legendary Weapon; requires a Twisted Soul to perform transposition)
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☛BLACKSMITHS ☚
Wylla Left-Hand ~ The resident smith of Firelink Shrine. She lost her right arm to a Lothric Knight and melted his armor down to build her anvil. Blunt but amicable, uncompromising and honest. She swears to do right by anybody who upholds their end of the bargain, and for everybody else she has deft command over her hammer. From the very start, she offers upgrades along the Normal Weapon path to +3, as well as Heavy (to +3) and Raw ascension (to +6).
Silent Holophael ~ Deep in the catacombs there’s a cramped and stuffy crypt where a headless skeleton draped in faded robes and tarnished bronze works tirelessly at a forge made from a sarcophagus. Two grumpy, talkative skulls rest atop the table next to the anvil, only too happy to blather your ear off about anything they can. If you run some errands for them, they’ll be willing to trade items in exchange for forging your weapons. They can offer ascension to Hot weapons, up to +6, and Sharp weapons to +3.
Shaman Felstaff ~ In the old, tangled forest over the ridge from the Undead Settlement, down a long and winding path through blackened brambles, an ancient ghru sits glumly in a rickety shack. He is loath to trust outsiders, but should you earn his confidence he will take you on as an apprentice of dark sorcery. His knowledge of the forest and its deadly bounty is unparalleled, and can grant fell boons to your weapons with the right materials. Can ascend weapons to Rancid (+6), Wet (+6), and can also use Blackamber to strengthen any weapons made from wood (to +6).
Ylizaveta the Heretic ~ In the Farron Ruins, an aged witch has been locked up and forgotten by the Farron Followers. Her dark arts brought the wrath of the Abysswatchers and their legions down on her, but this was long ago, and her captors have all gone hollow. Ylizaveta’s will, however, is iron. Her sense of purpose and freedom is undaunted. Release her from her cell, and perhaps she can be persuaded to enchant weapons for you back at Firelink Shrine. Offers ascension to Blessed (+6), Soul (+3), and Dark (+3) weapons.
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☛COALS☚
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Sizzling Coal — A hot coal, fresh from the Great Forge of the High Wall. Give to Wylla the Blacksmith to allow Normal and Heavy ascension to +6, and Raw to +9.
Lothric Coal — A coal crackling with a divine energy. Give to Wylla the Blacksmith to allow ascension to Royal (+6) and Sunlight (+5) weapons, as well as Normal ascension to +9 and Raw to +12.
Pale Coal — A coal that burns white without smoke or scent. Give to Wylla the Blacksmith to upgrade unique weapons and Normal Weapon ascension to +10.
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Freezing Coal — A strange coal that burns with an unearthly cold. Give to Ylizaveta the Heretic to allow ascension to Cold (+6) and Moon (+5) weapons (as well as Blessed +12, Soul +6, and Dark +6).
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Ancient Coal — A coal formed from liquid chaos that was old when the world was young. Give to Silent Holophael in the catacombs to allow weapon ascension to Hot +12, Sharp +6, and Chaos +5.
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Writhing Coal — A bubbling, viscous coal that emits the stench of rot. Give to Shaman Felstaff to allow weapon ascension to Rancid +12, Wet +12, Blackamber +10, and Rotten +6.
Eldritch Coal — A coarse lump of boney ridges that wriggle in cold, oozing folds. It is said to have been touched by beings beyond the ken of humankind. Give to Shaman Felstaff to allow weapon ascension to Deep +6.
