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Miyazaki Offers New Info About Dark Souls III's Magic System
From Software's Dark Souls III graces the cover of Game Informer's October issue, and we traveled to the studio's Tokyo, Japan location to pick series creator Hidetaka Miyazaki's mind about the sequel. One of our big questions revolved around how magic works in Dark Souls III, and Miyazaki offered some insight into new strategic options for spells and how magic systems will be governed.
Miyazaki confirms that fans can look forward to staple magic abilities returning, like fireball-slinging pyromancy and miracles. However, From Software is working hard to distinguish spells from one another as you improve your character.
"We will make sure that they are not just the same type of spells with different attributes (i.e. Spear type, lightning type) but actually have specific characteristics that can enhance the players' play styles and strategies," Miyazaki says. "Players will be able to have more criteria to accurately choose the different types of spells to best fit their tactics and strategies. This is similar to the thinking behind the characterization of each weapon and their specific battle arts."
Similar to battle arts, Miyazaki hinted that magic would have its own system that would provide players new options with core spells.
Another change coming to the magic system affects limitations on usage. In the previous two Dark Souls games, magic was limited by the number of available charges, which refresh when you sit at a bonfire. Magic in Dark Souls III will be ruled by a more traditional MP bar, similar to Demon's Souls. "By changing the magic management system to an MP scheme, options and freedom of utilization should increase. This way we can better clarify the differences in managing items and magic," Miyazaki says.
Unfortunately, we didn't get to see magic in action during our trip to From Software, but this new information offers some great insight into how players with a penchant for spell casting can choose to approach encounters. For more info on what's changing in Dark Souls III and what's staying the same, read this article.
Keep visiting the site throughout the month, as we’ll be rolling out several interesting Dark Souls features, including more insight into the mind of Miyazaki, a special Let’s Play of the original game, and more. Click on the banner below to visit our Dark Souls III hub and follow our coverage.
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