Undead Settlement

By the time you're in this area in NG+0, you should have a +3 weapon. Enemies in this area drop Titanite Shards and Fire Gems. The Cage Spiders drop Fading Souls. It can be easy or difficult to farm souls in this area, depending on your weapon and the types of enemies. The regular enemies can easily be dispatched of in 2 or 3 hits with R1 by using a Raw infused Broadsword+3 or a Raw infused Longsword+3. The Cage Spiders are vulnerable to thrust attacks. A fully charged R2 of a Raw infused Longsword+3 or Broadsword+3 is enough to one-shot a Cage Spider. However, the Cathedral Evangelists and the Hollow Manservants who wield great machetes have immense damage absorption. Each Cathedral Evangelist can be backstabbed to death, but a Hollow Manservant is immune from backstab. While a Cathedral Evangelist can be dealt with using a straightsword, you might find it more effective to 2-hand a Raw infused Claymore+3 and stagger him with each R1. Before farming souls in the Undead Settlement, ensure you have defeated Hodrick, who invades you near the Dilapidated Bridge bonfire, and have befriended the giant archer and always carry his Young White Branch.

Starting from the Undead Settlement bonfire, make your way into the nearby building and kill all enemies within: 2 Peasant Hollows near the entrance and 4 Thralls waiting to ambush you. There is a 3rd Peasant Hollow hiding around a corner of the building, near where you would find Loretta's Bone; kill him as well. The cluster of enemies near the burning pyre should be eliminated one at a time, saving the Cathedral Evangelist for last. From the burning pyre, take the left path and press on to the location where 2 Thralls are waiting to ambush you; kill all Peasant Hollows along the path and the Thralls as well. Enter the building where you would find the Warrior of Sunlight covenant badge, kill the Cage Spider near a shiny, head down the stairs and eliminate the nearby Cage Spider. A red-eyed Peasant Hollow will approach you. Let him come near you and away from 2 Cage Spiders and then eliminate him and the 2 Cage Spiders. Press on your way to the Dilapidated Bridge bonfire, eliminating all enemies who try to ambush you, including a Thrall, before fighting the Cathedral Evangelist who stands on a bridge. If you're low on Estus and/or HP, rest at the Dilapidated Bridge bonfire. Now proceed on your way to the Cursed-Rotted Greatwood boss arena. Carefully dispatch of the Hollow Manservant, before heading to the area where the giant archer is shooting his arrows. If you want, let the giant archer farm souls for you. After eliminating all nearby Peasant Hollows, head into the nearby building and kill all 3 Peasant Hollows. There is also a Thrall waiting to ambush you from atop a nearby building. In NG+0, while equipping only the Silver Serpent Ring+0, each round yields approximately 4,190 souls.

Farming souls: Undead Settlement, Dark Souls III

Below are some data on the approximate amounts of souls you would obtain if you use the above route for soul farming in various NG cycles. The data were gathered while equipping the Silver Serpent Ring+3, Symbol of Avarice, and Shield of Want. Each number within parentheses is the approximate percentage increase from the previous NG cycle.

• NG+0: 9,918
• NG+1: 51,602 (520.3%)