Dark Souls 3: A Complete Guide To Pyromancy (2024)

Pyromancy is one of three schools of magic that players can use in Dark Souls 3. Using the power of flame, pyromancies allow you to enhance your character with powerful buffs, devastating projectile attacks, and even utility effects such as healing. Pure casters and hybrid builds can get some benefit out of pyromancy.

Related: Dark Souls 3: A Complete Guide To Infusions

Using pyromancies is a little more convoluted than sorceries and miracles due to the small roster of catalysts. However, this issue is small considering the versatility and raw power that pyromancies bring to the table. If you want to scorch the competition, you'll want to understand the ins and outs of this powerful school of magic.

Updated July 29th, 2021, by Charles Burgar: Pyromancies provide some of the most enjoyable builds and playstyles you'll find in Dark Souls 3. To help players create a character that uses pyromancies, we've updated this guide to emphasize certain mechanics while making the entire guide easier to read. A table of contents section has also been added to conveniently jump to the section you're interested in.

Why Use Pyromancy?

Pyromancy has the other schools of magic beat through versatility and visual flair. Sorcerers have great damage output and buffs, and miracles provide healing and other utility effects. Pyromancies provide both.

If that wasn't enough, pyromancies also have some of the most jaw-dropping spells in the game from a visual standpoint. Chaos Bed Vestiges, Firestorm, and Black Serpent are some of the coolest looking spells you'll find in Dark Souls 3. Pyromancies look cool, dish out tons of damage or utility, and can be used fairly early in a playthrough. If you can stand the strange scaling that pyromancies use, you're left with a powerful school of magic that is useful in every situation.

Attuning And Casting Pyromancies

Casting a pyromancy will require two things: an attuned pyromancy and a catalyst. This can be somewhat cumbersome if you're new to magic builds, so let's go over how to do both.

Attuning Pyromancies

Attuning a pyromancy can be done at any bonfire in Dark Souls 3. Rest at a bonfire, select the "Attune Spell" option, then you'll be greeted with a UI that will let you select which spells you wish to use.

Related: The Best Dark Souls 3 PVE Builds, Ranked

Like all schools of magic, you'll need attunement slots to equip pyromancies. Your Attunement stat determines your attunement slots. Some rings, such as the Darkmoon Ring, grant additional attunement slots if you want to shift your stats towards something else.

Pyromancy Catalysts

Casting a pyromancy will require a catalyst. Pyromancers have this the worst out of every caster, as they only have four catalysts to choose from.

1. Pyromancy Flame
2. Pyromancer's Parting Flame
3. White Hair Talisman
4. Demon's Scar

As rough as that sounds, the Pyromancy Flame will cover all of your burning desires. You can obtain a Pyromancy Flame at the very beginning if you start as the Pyromancer class. If you chose a different starting class, Cornyx of the Great Swamp will give you one after you free him.

Pyromancer's Parting Flame deals slightly less damage than the normal variant. However, casting any pyromancy will leave a trail of fire that can damage nearby enemies. You might prefer this catalyst over the default variant if you play a pyromancer/melee hybrid character. You'll find this item during the Ashes of Ariandel DLC.

Related: Things You Might Have Missed In Dark Souls 3

The White Hair Talisman has strange scaling, only using your Intelligence stat if it's equal to or higher than your Faith. This means that pyromancy builds that focus more on Faith are paradoxically worse off using this talisman. Only use this talisman if you're using pyromancies solely for buffs. You can find this catalyst in a lava pit inside the Smouldering Lake.

Finally, the Demon's Scar is a curved sword that can cast pyromancies with its heavy attack. It's difficult to parry, looks incredible, and can open enemies up to pyromancy combos if you land certain combos. Melee builds that want to turn up the heat will love this weapon. Transpose the Soul of the Demon Prince to craft this weapon.

Managing FP

FP, shorthand for Focus Points, is the resource required to cast pyromancies and various spells in Dark Souls 3. If you're new to spellcasting, this system might be somewhat confusing to you. In essence, FP is non-regenerating Stamina that all spells need. If you run out of FP, you can't cast spells.

Regaining FP is mainly done by consuming Ashen Estus Flasks, something you'll need to allocate at Andre the Blacksmith in Firelink Shrine. Beyond that, you'll need to use consumables that grant FP or use the Farron Ring to reduce how much FP you use.

If you want to be optimal, make a character with 26 Attunement. This will allow a single +10 Ashen Estus Flask will fully restore an empty FP bar, allowing you to take full advantage of your pyromancies and other spells. You'll also have four spell slots to work with.

Unlocking Pyromancies

Nearly every pyromancy in Dark Souls 3 is purchased from a pyromancer merchant, requiring Souls and a potential Pyromancy Tome. A few pyromancies can be found in the game world or transposed from boss souls, so keep your eyes peeled as you're out exploring.

Related: Dark Souls 3: Every Ring And Where To Find Them

There are two pyromancy vendors in Dark Souls 3: Cornyx of the Great Swamp and Karla. Cornyx handles most of the game's pyromancies. Karla handles dark pyromancies that deal dark damage.

Where To Find Cornyx Of The Great Swamp

You'll find Cornyx at the Undead Settlement, locked in a cage on the second floor of a building.

From the Undead Settlement bonfire, make your way to the mob of undead surrounding a fireplace. Hang right and cross the wooden bridge. Kill the Hollows inside, then open the door to reveal a stone bridge. Instead of crossing the bridge fully, look for the ledge under the bridge. Land on the ledge to find a hidden bonfire and a path to the top of the building. You'll find Cornyx locked in a cage up there. Speak to Cornyx to free him.

Where To Find Karla

Karla can be found in Irithyll Dungeon midway through your playthrough. She's located in a jail cell near the end of the dungeon, found just after you fight a large group of jailers. You'll need the Jailer's Key Ring to free her, which can be found in the Profaned Capital.

Instead of traveling to Yhorm, head down the ladder beside the Profaned Capital bonfire. A path will lead your outside towards a poison swamp with a building in the center of the swamp. Run to the church, climb up the ladder, then stick to the left side of the roof to find a staircase in the middle of a wall. Jump onto the staircase and follow the path to find the keyring. Backtrack to Karla's cell to free her.

Scaling Pyromancy

Pyromancy scales off of your Intelligence and Faith equally. Both stats hit their "soft cap"—where the effectiveness of each stat starts experiencing diminishing returns—at 30 points each. Due to this split stat distribution, pyromancers can use sorceries or miracles if they have the respective catalyst in hand.

Related: Awesome Dark Souls 3 Mods That Make The Game Even Better

Beyond stats, pyromancies also become stronger if your catalyst is upgraded. Dark Souls 3 lets you upgrade your pyromancy catalysts with Titanite. Cornyx is the only NPC that can upgrade pyromancy catalysts for you, so be sure you've rescued him if you want to play a pyromancer.

Every Pyromancy Tome

Pyromancy vendors won't teach you much without Pyromancy Tomes. There are five tomes in Dark Souls 3, each unlocking a few unique pyromancies for sale. Here's where you can find each of them.

Great Swamp Pyromancy Tome

Run down to the Crucifixion Woods, staying close to the right side of the swamp. You'll find the tome nestled between a tree and the fortress wall that runs along the northern end of the woods.

Carthus Pyromancy Tome

Cross the first bridge in the catacombs, the one protected by a red-eyed skeleton. In the next room, run up the stairs that lead left. Hang left and follow the path until you reach a ladder. Climb down the ladder, then follow the path again. When you enter a room with a red-eyed skeleton, immediately turn right to find an illusory wall. Enter the hidden room to find the tome.

Izalith Pyromancy Tome

Enter the first room on your left. Run to the end of the following room to find the tome beside a petrified goat statue.

Quelana Pyromancy Tome

Run through the door directly in front of you. The end of the hallway will lead to another room. Kill the goat, run into the next room, then kill the quadrupedal goats inside. Hang right to enter a hall. Turn right inside the hall to continue.

You should now be in a room with levitating fire orbs. Immediately turn left to find yet another hallway. Inside the hall, enter the first room on your right. You should now be staring at a brick wall covered in ashen branches. Hit the wall directly in front of you to reveal an illusory wall. You'll find the tome to the left of this hidden room.

Grave Warden Pyromancy Tome

You'll find this tome in High Lord Wolnir's boss arena. Interact with the chalice, then grab the item directly ahead.

If you don't grab the item but kill Wolnir, you can still grab the tome by backtracking to the chalice room. It'll be on a corpse in the far left corner of the room.

Every Pyromancy

Covering each pyromancy is out of the scope of this guide. However, our Dark Souls 3 Every Pyromancy Explained guide covers what each pyromancy does and how to obtain them.

Next: Dark Souls 3: Character Builds That Make The Game Way Easier