Dark Souls 3: Allies, Invaders, and Defenders

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Dark Souls 3

The name Dark Souls does not inspire cheerful confidence, but despair and horror. As there are Miracle, there are Pyromancies. As there are White Sign Soapstones and (White) Phantoms to summon to one's aid, there are Red Eye Orbs and Invaders, threatening at any moment to shatter one's feeble control of their world. Like summoning Phantoms, a player can only be invaded if they are en-kindled, if they are a Host of Embers.

There are many different types of Invaders. There are the NPC Invaders. These computer controlled enemies invade if the player is a Host of Embers and walks near the correct location. Since these unique enemies offers no evidence of their existence, it is easy to miss these characters unless one researches their location in advance, or is always en-kindled. Since the latter option is nearly impossible, because Embers are limited and death is constant, it doesn't seem like cheating to check for the location of each of these enemies and consume an Ember at the spot. NPC Invaders are tough enemies who will challenge the player, but they are all incorporated into the subtle tapestry of Dark Souls 3, and the rewards for slaying them are worth the frustration. In appearance these enemies match that of any other player, but drenched in blood-red.
The rules for most invaders are the same. The players (Human or Computer) fight until one of them exhausts their health points. If an Invader is killed, they vanish and return to their own world. If a Host is killed, they die like normal, leaving their souls on the ground, and respawn at the last Bonfire they rested at. The victorious player gains souls equal to the number the enemy player had. During an invasion, the Invader doesn't interact with monsters. They can not harm monsters, and monsters don't attack them.

Computer controlled Invaders won't take advantage of this knowledge but invading players will. Most human invaders will use monsters like shields. When injured, they will try to retreat into a thicket of monsters and heal. Most PvP invaders are not interest in a fair fight. They would rather waste everyone's time by standing at some choke-point with a horde of monsters, rather than duel the player one on one. Some player Invaders only want to harass and frustrate the player. Skilled invaders escalate this strategy. Instead of using monsters to defend themselves as they heal, they will attempt to lure the Hosts into combat with monsters. This technique is especially useful against Hosts who have summoned Phantoms. Since communication in Dark Souls 3 is limited to visual cues and gestures, and allied players have no means of verbal communication, an Invader can often convince a hotheaded (or less knowledgeable) Phantom to rush into an area containing a number of powerful monsters, drawing their aggro, and transforming an easy three vs one fight, into a three vs six death trap. That's when Invaders are their most deadly. As the Host and his Phantom allies fend off the swift but predictable attacks of five monsters, the Invader launches his infinitely more skilled attacks and spills souls.
Player vs Player, (PvP) isn't as simple as just Hosts, Phantoms, and blood-soaked Invaders. Dark Souls 3 incorporates nine Covenants. These are factions which players can join, and each cabal impacts the multiplayer aspect of Dark Souls 3 in their own way.

The Warriors of Sunlight are summoned like normal Phantoms but appear golden hued and rising into their favorite posture, Praise the Sun! These hopeful souls are dedicated to helping other players in their PvE quest, and prefer to vanquish bosses, but will help against any invader.

The Way of Blue are for those who seek a torchbearer to aid them in the dark. Their fate is intertwined with the Blue Sentinels and the Dark Moon Covenant. If a player belonging to the Way of Blue is invaded, a member of the valiant Sentinels or fierce Dark Moon will appear to assist them. These latter two factions appear shrouded in deep blue, and remain with the Host until either the Host is defeated, or the Invader(s) is.

Those four covenants are dedicated to the preservation of the Flame, but there are also those seeking its extinguishment.

The most dreadful and despicable are Rosaria's Fingers, who invade as normal Red Phantoms, and slice the tongues from their victims in victory.

Then there are the defenders. Corrupted by minor allegiances, they have forsaken their quest, forgotten the light, and seek to defend the territory of their master. They allow the status quo to remain unaltered. The Watchdogs of Farron defend the Road of Sacrifices unto Farron Keep, invading any en-kindled soul. The Aldrich Faithful defend their foul usurper of Anor Londo in the same manner. Both of these Invaders appear blue with a red tint, a combination of defender and invader.

There's also the Spears of the Church in the Ringed City DLC, whose adherents are summoned to become the boss Halflight, Spear of the Church.
Finally, there are the Mound-Makers, who appear purple, a fusion of blue and red. When they write their Sign with the White Soapstone, it will appear to a Host as purple so they know it is a Mound-Maker. Mound-Makers can also invade with the use of a Red Eye Orb. In either case, they embody both the abilities of Phantoms and Invaders. Like Phantoms they can attack monsters. Like Invaders, they can attack the Host. Unlike Phantoms though, they may not participate in boss battles. Their goal is to kill as many players as possible, so Hosts, Phantoms, and Invaders beware.
Each covenant has a goal, and completing it rewards the player with a talisman. These can be given to the leader of the Covenant, an NPC somewhere in Lordran. Delivering enough talismans will reward the player with bonus spells or items available no where else. Regardless of the Covenant, anyone can be summoned from their White Sign Soapstone a normal, White Phantom (except Mound-Makers, who, as mentioned previously, will be purple).

These two articles about the multiplayer aspect of Dark Souls 3, only illuminate the outline of the skeleton. Next week, an article on my experiences with the forces of light and dark, including some examples of the strangeness, which should push back the darkness and reveal the skin on the bones.

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