The Five Best Dexterity Builds in Dark Souls 3

Dexterity is one of the nine stats in Dark Souls III. Primarily, it is important because it increases the damage done using Dexterity-based weapons. However, it has side-benefits such as a reduction in fall damage as well as a reduction in spellcasting time. Regardless, since Dexterity increases the damage done using Dexterity-based weapons, it should come as no surprise to learn that Dexterity builds are very common.

What Does a Basic Dexterity Build Look Like in Dark Souls III?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Dexterity builds can be very different from one another. After all, different players are planning to use different gear, meaning that they are going to tailor their build to suit their personal preferences.

For instance, it is very common to see people using Prisoner’s Chain because it provides 5 Vigor, 5 Endurance, and 5 Vitality. As a result, they might raise both their Vigor and their Endurance to 35 so that the ring can bring them to the soft cap of 40, thus freeing up 10 points that can be spent on other stats. Meanwhile, someone who won’t be using Prisoner’s Chain won’t have those boosts, meaning that they will need to put in points to make up for them.

In any case, it can be useful for interested individuals to get a look at the general expectations for a Dexterity build in Dark Souls III. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Dexterity is the foundation for Dexterity builds.

Endurance is a big deal

However, Endurance isn’t that far behind because it means more stamina, which in turn, means more attacks, blocks, and dodges. Something that is particularly important because Dexterity builds are reliant on faster though somewhat weaker attacks than their Strength-based counterparts. Besides this, Vigor can be pretty important as well.

Yes, players should do their best to avoid getting hit by their enemies. Unfortunately, most of us will make mistakes from time to time, meaning that it is a good idea to have some insurance in the form of extra health.

On the plus side, there is little need for Vitality because Dexterity builds should be using lightweight gear, so that means points that can be put into other stats. As for Faith and Intelligence, those can see significant variation depending on the exact weapons, spells, and miracles that interested individuals have in mind.

Here are five of the best Dexterity builds in Dark Souls III:

1. Brigand Twindaggers

Brigand Twindaggers don’t have the greatest reach. After all, daggers are daggers. However, Brigand Twindaggers make up for that by being very fast, which combines with their damage-dealing capabilities to offer the highest DPS from daggers that can be found in the entire game.

There are a number of things that interested individuals should keep in mind about getting the most value out of these weapons. First, they are going to want to go all-in on Dexterity, which in more practical terms, means hitting 60. Second, they are going to want to use a Sharp Gem to give the Brigand Twindaggers a higher Dexterity scaling, thus enabling them to get more value out of their Dexterity stat.

Third, they are going to want plenty of Endurance as well because they will need that stamina to sustain their onslaught. Fourth, while the Brigand Twindaggers will require interested individuals to close in on their enemies, they do come with Quickstep. Something that can be used to excellent effect both on the offense and on the defense.

2. Sellsword Twinblades

The Sellsword Twinblades are another excellent choice, which is very convenient because these are the starting weapons for the Mercenary. Regardless, a lot of the suggestions for Brigand Twindaggers hold true for Sellsword Twinblades.

For example, interested individuals should still hit 60 Dexterity. Likewise, interested individuals should still use a Sharp Gem to raise their Dexterity scaling. However, there are other suggestions that might prove useful as well.

For instance, the sheer speed of the Sellsword Twinblades makes certain items much more useful with them than with their slower counterparts. One excellent example would be the various Resins that can be used to give them extra elemental damage.

Another excellent example would be the Pontiff’s Eyes, which are either useless or next-to-useless on slow weapons but can prove to be much more beneficial when the player can launch a flurry of attacks.

3. Claymore

Claymore users are not held in high regard. This is because the weapon is seen as a common choice for beginners, with the result that it tends to be used to less than optimal effect. However, it is exactly this that makes the Claymore a solid if not necessarily spectacular choice. Simply put, it is a weapon that combines respectable performance with a solid move-set, thus making it well-suited for a wide range of situations.

On top of this, the Claymore has Hyper Armor, which is useful for players who are concerned about getting staggered. Of course, if interested individuals want to use this weapon with a Dexterity build, they are going to need to make it Sharp.

4. Murakumo

Murakumo is a rather famous name in Japanese culture. After all, the Kusanagi was once called the Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, which translates to something along the lines of “Heavenly Sword of Gathering Clouds.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, Dark Souls III’s Murakumo is a very solid choice.

Its huge size makes it very easy to keep opponents on guard even if they are ducking and dodging. Furthermore, its Hyper Armor provides interested individuals with the chance to retaliate even if their opponents manage to get the drop on them.

5. Katanas

There are a number of katanas that can be found in Dark Souls III. A lot of them make solid choices for Dexterity builds. In part, this is because they tend to have long range combined with solid movesets.

However, it should also be mentioned that they tend to have either A or S Dexterity scaling, thus putting them in an excellent position to capitalize on high Dexterity by default.

Regardless, there are some katanas that manage to stand out. For example, the Frayed Blade is good for someone who doesn’t want to dedicate all of their points to Dexterity but instead wants to spread them out somewhat. In contrast, if someone has chosen to go all-in on Dexterity, well, they might want to pick up the extra-long Washing Pole.

You can also read:

• Dark Souls 3 Review
• Ranking the Top Five Bosses in Dark Souls 3
• Ranking the Top Five Spells in Dark Souls 3