The jump mechanic in Dark Souls 3 seems inconsequential. In fact, jumping in Souls games is a very underutilized mechanic. However, in certain situations and areas, it can indeed be a very useful move.
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How to Jump in Dark Souls 3
To jump in Dark Souls 3, sprint first by holding down the “backstep” button, which is Circle for the PlayStation and B for Xbox. While sprinting, press L3 or the left thumbstick to perform the jump.
That’s all it takes to jump in Dark Souls 3. It’s a mechanic people don’t use often when compared to dodging or sprinting, but given the correct situations, it can have its useful moments.
When Is It Useful to Jump?
There are certain situations in Dark Souls 3 where jumping is beneficial. Most players use jump to get from one platform to another, reaching places that would have taken longer to get to if they followed the game’s basic path towards it.
One very good and well-known example of this is the area above Firelink Shrine. There is an Estus Shard located just above Firelink Shrine which you can get to by purchasing the Tower Key from the Shrine Handmaid. The Tower Key costs 20,000 Souls, which a lot of players believe is Souls better spent elsewhere, particularly on upgrading their characters.
Thankfully, players can bypass the key by simply going upstairs and back outside Firelink Shrine to find a tree right beside the structure. The player can then run up this tree and jump onto the roof of the shrine. This will allow them to get to the Estus Shard without having to spend 20,000 Souls.
The Jump mechanic in Dark Souls 3 is heavily used by speedrunners to skip levels and end the game quicker. This is a matter you really don’t have to get into if you just want to play the game casually.
When playing the game, whenever you come across a platform that’s within jumping distance, make sure to do so. Chances are, there’s an item there waiting for you. Just keep in mind to refrain from using jumps during combat. That’s what dodging is for.
