Skip to main content

Dark Souls 3 - how to play co-op

How to play with others - both co-op and PvP - how to use the summon signs, and how to play with friends.

Dark blue icons of video game controllers on a light blue background
Image credit: Eurogamer

In this section of our guide, we'll cover how to play with people who actually want you there - either to team up in co-op play, face off in PvP, or just hang out and take in the game's spectacular scenery.

On this page:
Where to place your summon signs for co-op and PvP, and how to play the game with friends.

Other pages in this section:

Dark Souls 3: summoning and multiplayer
How to send messages and use Summon Stones, and what the different colours mean.

Dark Souls 3: how to invade other players
How to join other games when the player hasn't invited you, and the penalties you might face for doing so.


[SPOILERS!] Dark Souls 3 vs Dark Souls 1 Graphics ComparisonWatch on YouTube

If you want to to be invited into another player's world, the process is just as straightforward as summoning a player to you. Simply stand where you wish to place your Summon Sign then use either the White Sign Soapstone to lay a co-op marker or the Red Sign Soapstone to lay a PvP marker. Note that you can't leave a Summon Sign in a boss room, even if you've cleared it.

Incidentally, if you still don't have them, the White Sign Soapstone can be purchased from the Firelink Shrine Handmaiden for 500 Souls, and the Red Sign Soapstone can be acquired by killing the spell-casting worm situated outside Rosaria's Bed Chamber in the Cathedral of the Deep.

Once another player finds and activates your Summon Sign, you'll automatically be transported to their world. Note that your health bar and Estus Flask tally will (temporarily) be reduced on arrival if you're joining a co-op game. Don't panic though! These changes are made to better balance co-operative play and your stats will revert to their original levels once you return to your own world. PvP players, however, do not receive a reduction in health when being summoned.

If your Estus stockpile starts to dwindle while you're in another player's game, all is not lost. Whenever a phantom dies in that world (whether they be hostile or friendly), all remaining players will gain one Estus Flask refill.


Where to place your summon sign

This might sound obvious to Dark Souls pros, but it's important to consider WHERE you place your Summon Sign if you hope to be invited into someone else's game. After all, a Summon Sign left in a rarely-visited corner of the world is unlikely to attract much attention.

Placing for co-op

Co-op players in particular should be mindful of this, and always place their Summon Sign in one of two failsafe locations: either directly outside a boss fog gate, or at the bonfire closest to the boss gate, if the approach to the final confrontation is particularly hazardous.

Placing for PvP

If you're looking for PvP action, however, it's generally wisest to leave your sign in a known PvP area. There are no official PvP areas, but popular community locations tend to evolve over time. At present, for instance, most PvP signs can be found near the Road of Sacrifice's flooded forest, and in the area directly after the Pontiff Sulyvahn boss battle room in Irithyll of the Boreal Valley.

Summoning with friends

So far we've focussed on initiating online play with strangers. However, it's just as easy to set-up a multiplayer session with friends in Dark Souls III - and the game's various matchmaking restrictions (which pair you with other players based on your soul- and weapon-level) are waived when you use the following method to team up with buddies.

First, open the 'Settings' menu and switch to the 'Online' tab. Next, locate the box marked 'Password Matching' and enter a password of your choice. Your friends, meanwhile, should enter the same password in the same box in their game.

Next, you'll all want to agree on an in-game meeting point then make your way there. On arrival, non-host players should lay down their Summon Signs (using either the White or Red Sign Soapstones) and these should appear for use in the host's world after a few moments.

Don't forget, however, that certain online restrictions still apply, even if you're playing with friends. For instance, hosts can still only summon two other co-op players at a time, unless they've consumed Dried Fingers first. Additionally, remember that co-op Summon Signs only appear to hosts if that area's boss is still alive.

There's one last thing to consider when attempting to co-op the whole game with friends: as co-op partners are automatically returned home once a boss is dead, you'll need to follow some very specific steps to continue onward as a group. When a boss has been defeated for the first time, and the team is disbanded, everyone should return to the start of the area. Assign the role of host to a new player, then the remaining group members should once again place Summon Signs to join the game. Clear the level and eliminate the boss once more, then repeat the steps with a new host until everyone has completed the area. Finally, you're free to tackle the next location.

For more advice, head back to the first page for the rest of our Dark Souls 3 guide.

Read this next

seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com