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Dark Souls 2 - Farming, Titanite, Human Effigy, Bonfire Ascetic, Fragrant Branch of Yore

From precious Titanite to Bonfire Ascetics, we've got an essential guide to getting your hands on some of the most useful items in Dark Souls 2.

Spread throughout Dark Souls 2 are some extremely helpful items. Some of them allow you to add just a little more potency to your weapons and armour, while others will help you gain access to new characters. Whatever you're hunting down, we've pulled together a list of the most useful items in Dark Souls 2, from precious fragments of Titanite to boss-reviving Ascetics.

Human Effigies

Human Effigies are used to reverse Hollowing, a process that will remove any HP penalties you've acquired as a result of being hollow. Unlike in the first Dark Souls, you can make use of a Human Effigy at any time while playing the sequel. If you don't want to be invaded, you can also burn Effigies at a bonfire to prevent enemy invasions for a limited amount of time.

Cover image for YouTube video[60fps] Dark Souls 2 PS4 vs Xbox One Gameplay Frame-Rate Test
[60fps] Dark Souls 2 PS4 vs Xbox One Gameplay Frame-Rate Test

Where to find Human Effigies

LocationNotes
Brightstone Cove TseldoraBy the peasants is a well you can jump into. Open the chest you find
Iron KeepOn the molten rock by the very first bonfire in the region
LucatielListen to all of Lucatiel of Mirrah's conversations
N/AGranted as a starting gift
Seer's HutInside the chest located upstairs

Where to buy Human Effigies

LocationMerchant
Iron KeepMagerold of Lanafir
The Forest of Fallen GiantsMerchant Hag Melentia
Undead CryptGrave Warden Agdayne

Where to farm Human Effigies

There are a few creature types you can farm if you want to get your hands on a few more Effigies. Here's what you can kill, and where you can find them.

LocationMonster
Forest of Fallen GiantsOld Ironclad Soldiers
Lost BastilleAttack Dogs
No Man's WharfAttack Dogs
Shrine of AmanaAmana Shrine Maidens
Shrine of AmanaLizardmen
Shrine of AmanaUnderwater Dwellers
VariousHollow Infantry
VariousSpider Corpses
VariousSkeletons

If you want to efficiently farm Human Effigies, consider burning a Bonfire Ascetic in Majula. The skeletons below the mansion here are guaranteed to drop the item you're after. You can also burn another Ascetic in the Forest of Fallen Giants - doing so will allow you to open the chest in the cave at the start of the area all over again. If you don't mind grinding out the enemies, you should also consider going to the second bonfire in the Undead Crypt region to kill lots of hollows.

Titanite locations

Titanite items are used to reinforce your armour and weapons. Here's a breakdown of where you can find each flavour of Titanite.

Where to find Titanite Shards

LocationNotes
MajulaInside a chest in Maughlin the Armourer's building

Where to buy Titanite Shards

LocationMerchant
MajulaBlacksmith Lenigrast
Harvest ValleyStone Trader Chloanne

Where to farm Titanite Shards

LocationMonster
Brightstone Cove TseldoraVillagers
Earthen PeakSteelworker Undead
Harvest ValleySkeleton Warrior

Where to find Large Titanite Shards

LocationNotes
Black GulchVarious
Cardinal TowerIn a chest downstairs beneath the bonfire
Harvest ValleyInside the mines
Iron KeepVarious
Lost BastilleHead left from the Tower Apart bonfire and take from corpse.
Lost BastilleOn the ledge above Lucatiel of Mirrah
No Man's WharfInside the hidden room in the short-cut house

Where to buy Large Titanite Shards

LocationMerchant
Harvest ValleyStone Trader Chloanne
Lost BastilleMcDuff the Blacksmith

Where to farm Large Titanite Shards

LocationMonster
Black GulchPool worms
Brightstone Cove TseldoraSpider Humans
Brightstone Cove TseldoraUndead Mages
Brightstone Cove TseldoraVillagers
Doors of PharrosSmaller Gyrm
Iron KeepIronclad Knights

Where to find Titanite Chunks

LocationNotes
Covenant RewardKill an intruder while a member of the Bell Keepers
Forest of Fallen GiantsInside a chest near the Cardinal Tower bonfire
Shaded WoodsInside a chest beyond the third bonfire

Where to buy Titanite Chunks

LocationMerchant
Harvest ValleyStone Trader Chloanne

Where to farm Titanite Chunks

LocationMonster
Black GulchCoal Tar
Brightstone Cove TseldoraUndead Peasants
Doors of PharrosLarge Gyrm
Fancy going another round with a boss? Use a Bonfire Ascetic to bring 'em back to - temporary - life.

Where to find Titanite Slabs

LocationNotes
Covenant RewardTalk to Bell Keepers leader after killing 10 masters as a grey phantom
Forest of Fallen GiantsUse a Pharros Lockstone in the room underneath the ballista trap

Where to buy Titanite Slabs

LocationMerchant
Harvest ValleyStone Trader Chloanne

Where to farm Titanite Slabs

LocationMonster
Brighstone Cove TseldoraFirst region boss
Dragon AerieLizards
Drangleic CastleCrystal Lizards
Drangleic CastleStone Soldier
Drangleic CastleStone Warriors

Where to find Twinkling Titanite

LocationNotes
Doors of PharrosBehind the stone door near the poisoned dogs
Dragon ShrineIn a chest upstairs and to the left of the Drakekeepers
Drangleic CastleOn a corpse in the room with poisonous darts in
Earthen PeakLoot from a corpse after buying ladder from Laddersmith Gilligan
Forest of Fallen GiantsOn corpses around the final bonfire in this region
Iron KeepOn a corpse in the furnace room near the Smelter Demon
Lost BastilleChest behind Steady Hand McDuff
Shaded RuinsOn the corpse guarded by four basilisks

Where to buy Twinkling Titanite

LocationMerchant
Harvest ValleyStone Trader Chloanne

Where to farm Twinkling Titanite

LocationMonster
Dragon AerieCrystal Lizards
Shaded WoodsFlexile Sentry
Shrine of AmanaArchdrake Priestess
Shrine of AmanaArchdrake Soldiers

Bonfire Ascetic locations

You can use Bonfire Ascetics to force enemies in an area to respawn, even after you've destroyed them all. Great news if you're looking to farm some items, although be advised that the enemies will return in a much stronger form. Here's where you can get hold of these handy farming tools.

Where to find Bonfire Ascetics

LocationNotes
Brightstone Cove TseldoraNext to Cromwell the Pardoner in the church
Dragon ShrineIn a chest on the edge of the shrine by the entrance
Lost BastilleUse the cage before the Sinner's Rise bridge to reach the corpse
Iron KeepCross the bridge after the first bonfire. Drop to rocks on your right

Where to buy Bonfire Ascetics

LocationMerchant
Aldia's KeepRoyal Sorcerer Navlaan
Harvest ValleyStone Trader Chloanne
Pilgrms of Dark Covenant leaderDarkdiver Grandahl

Where to farm Bonfire Ascetics

LocationMonster
Pilgrim of Dark trialsPhantoms / Witch Trees

You can also use Bonfire Ascetics to revive bosses in the game. Here's a complete breakdown of who you can bring back to - temporary - life, and which bonfire you need to use to make it happen.

RegionBonfireBoss
Aldia's KeepRitual SiteGuardian Dragon
Belfry LunaUpper RampartsBelfry Gargoyles
Black GulchHidden ChamberThe Rotten
Brightstone Cove TseldoraRoyal Army CampsiteProwling Magus
Brightstone Cove TseldoraLower Brightstone CoveDuke's Dear Freja
Cathedral of BlueThe Blue CathedralOld Dragonslayer
Doors of PharrosOrdeal's EndRoyal Rat Authority
Dragon ShrineShrine EntranceAncient Dragon
Drangleic CastleKing's GateThrone Defender & Watcher
Drangleic CastleKing's GateNashandra
Drangleic CastleUnder Drangleic CastleDarklurker
Drangleic CastleForgotten ChamberTwin Dragonriders
Drangleic CastleCentral Castle DrangleicLooking Glass Knight
Earthen PeakUpper Earthen PeakMytha, The Baneful Queen
Forest of Fallen GiantsCardinal TowerThe Last Giant
Forest of Fallen GiantsCardinal TowerThe Pursuer
Forest of Fallen GiantsThe Place UnbeknownstGiant Lord
Grave of SaintsGrave EntranceRoyal Rat Vanguard
Harvest ValleyThe MinesCovetous Demon
Heide's Tower of FlameHeide's RuinDragonrider
Huntsman's CopseUndead LockawayThe Skeleton Lord
Iron KeepThreshold BridgeSmelter Demon
Iron KeepEygil's IdolOld Iron King
Lost BastilleMcDuff's WorkshopRuin Sentinels
No-Man's WharfUnseen Path to HeideFlexile Sentry
Shaded WoodsShaded RuinsScorpioness Najka
Shrine of AmanaRhoy's Resting PlaceDemon of Song
Sinner's RiseThe SaltfortLost Sinner
Undead CryptUndead DitchVelstadt
Undead CryptUndead DitchVendrick
Undead PurgatoryUndead PurgatoryExecutioner's Chariot

Fragrant Branch of Yore locations

Fragrant Branch of Yores are used to remove petrification effects from NPCs or yourself. Here are all of the currently known locations of these powerful items.

Where to find Fragrant Branch of Yore

LocationNotes
Brightstone Cove TseldoraIn the room just after the Duke's Dear Freja fight
Harvest ValleyJust before the bonfire at The Mines, inside a doorway
Harvest ValleyOn a ledge in the room just after the bonfire at The Mines
Shaded WoodsEquip the Ring of Whispers and speak to Manscorpion Tark
Shaded WoodsIn the same chest that contains the Lion Mage Set
Sinner's RiseIn a chest next to the Primal Bonfire after the Lost Sinner fight
The GutterJust before the Black Gulch bonfire

Where to buy Fragrant Branch of Yore

LocationMerchant
Iron KeepMagerold of Lanafir

We've got an essential Dark Souls 2 covenant guide to help you choose your next faction. The first page of our strategy guide contains even more help.