DARK Souls 3 Deluxe Edition: DLC Contents and Value

What Does the Deluxe Edition Include?

DARK SOULS 3 deluxe edition includes the base game and both expansions: Ashes of Ariandel and The Ringed City. That gives you the main journey through Lothric plus two additional adventures with their own areas, bosses, weapons, and spells. The buying decision comes down to whether you want those expansions bundled with your first purchase or added to a copy you already own.

Included content	What you get
Dark Souls III	The base campaign, character progression, exploration, bosses, and multiplayer features
Ashes of Ariandel	An additional DLC adventure accessible from the Cathedral of the Deep
The Ringed City	An additional DLC adventure, including the Covetous Gold Serpent Ring +3

Buying the bundle gives you access to the expansions, but you still reach their entrances through normal gameplay. You begin with the main game's opening and build your character before tackling the additional areas.

What Each DLC Adds

Image: Steam / FromSoftware, Inc.

Ashes of Ariandel

Prepare for Ariandel by reinforcing your weapon and improving your healing. Estus Shards increase your total flask uses, while Undead Bone Shards increase how much your flasks restore.

Take Estus Shards to Blacksmith Andre in Firelink Shrine and burn Undead Bone Shards at the shrine's bonfire. The base game contains 11 Estus Shards and 10 Undead Bone Shards, letting you work toward 15 flask uses shared between Estus and Ashen Estus.

Its entrance appears well before the end of the base campaign, but the enemies make this a demanding detour. Save the main push through Ariandel for late in your playthrough, especially while learning the game's combat.

The Ringed City

The Ringed City has a useful connection to achievement cleanup: its equipment can help with the offline farming needed for covenant rewards. Those rewards include rings and spells required for the base game's collection achievements.

There is also equipment with practical uses outside the expansion. The Covetous Gold Serpent Ring +3, for example, increases Item Discovery and can help when farming enemy drops.

These additions give you more reasons to explore and develop a character. Equip Item Discovery gear when farming covenant items from enemies.

How to Access Both Expansions

Owning the DLC and reaching it are separate steps. Each expansion has an entrance within your existing playthrough.

Image: Steam / FromSoftware, Inc.

Entering Ashes of Ariandel

1. Progress to the Cathedral of the Deep.
2. Reach the Cleansing Chapel bonfire.
3. Speak with Gael inside the chapel to enter Ashes of Ariandel.

Keep progressing through the base game if the expansion's enemies overwhelm you. An accessible entrance does not make it an early-game difficulty match.

Entering The Ringed City

There are two routes into the expansion:

• Use the access bonfire in the final boss room of Ashes of Ariandel.
• Use the access bonfire near the base game's final boss at the Kiln of the First Flame.

You therefore do not have to finish Ariandel to enter The Ringed City through the Kiln route.

For a straightforward play order, progress through the base campaign until your character is ready for late-game encounters, then tackle Ashes of Ariandel followed by The Ringed City. After finishing the base game's ending, choose to continue your current journey if you still have DLC to explore; you can start New Game Plus later from Firelink Shrine.

Deluxe, Standard, or The Fire Fades?

The standard edition contains the base game. The Deluxe Edition adds both expansions, while The Fire Fades Edition also includes the base game and both DLC adventures.

Image: Steam / FromSoftware, Inc.

Compare the actual contents and total price of the package available for your platform. The edition name alone should not decide the purchase.

• Starting from scratch: Compare the bundle against the combined cost of the base game and both expansions.
• Already own the base game: Compare the Season Pass against buying Ashes of Ariandel and The Ringed City separately before purchasing another complete package.
• Already own one expansion: Price the missing DLC individually to avoid paying for overlapping content.

Check the Dark Souls III purchase options on Steam when comparing PC packages. Use the price available at checkout instead of an old sale price when calculating the difference.

Do You Need the DLC for All Achievements?

Dark Souls III has 43 Steam achievements, and neither expansion is required to unlock them. The DLC rings and spells are excluded from the base game's collection requirements.

That distinction matters for Master of Rings, Master of Sorceries, Master of Miracles, and Master of Pyromancies. You can pursue those achievements with the standard edition.

The expansions can still help with the work involved. Collect the Covetous Gold Serpent Ring +3 in The Ringed City before lengthy offline covenant farming if you own the DLC. Its Item Discovery bonus helps with drops, although the ring itself does not count toward Master of Rings.

Buy the additional content for its areas, equipment, and boss fights. Achievement completion alone does not require the larger package.