In Dark Souls 3, Hidetaka Miyazaki made a bold and unexpected decision to include an essentially useless dragon form, and this has sparked a variety of reactions from the game’s community. On the surface, transforming into a dragon seems amazing, but in Dark Souls 3, that’s not quite the case.
Despite its aesthetically pleasing design, many players consider dragon form to be one of the least practical transformations in the game, a decision that, paradoxically, might be one of Hidetaka Miyazaki’s most ingenious moves.
Dark Souls 3’s Dragon Form has More Cons Than Pros
The Dragon Form does have some pros, such as allowing the use of dragon stones, which offer unique abilities like a battle roar that can break an enemy’s guard for a free riposte. However, these abilities come with significant drawbacks. For instance, the Dragon Head and Twinkling Dragon Head stones take a considerable two seconds to cast, making them impractical in combat.
In PvP, the Dragon Form can serve as a badge of honor, signaling to others that the wearer is a master of ceremonies in PvP Fight Clubs. However, this is more of a cosmetic choice rather than a practical one. Players have criticized the form’s lack of viability, especially compared to previous iterations of the Dragon Covenant in Dark Souls games.
Community-Wide Criticism of Dark Souls 3’s Dragon Mode
Players have criticized the dragon form for its lack of viability in combat. The transformation leaves characters vulnerable due to reduced resistance and no poise. The abilities provided by the stones are often slow to cast and offer limited advantages, leading many to question the point of using the dragon form at all.
In Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2, the dragon form offered significant advantages, including increased unarmed damage, special animations, and lore that added depth to the game. However, in Dark Souls 3, the dragon form feels like a step back, offering little in terms of gameplay benefits or lore.
Yet, there is a certain brilliance in this decision. By making dragon form “absolutely f**king worthless,” as YouTuber Otzdarva puts it, Miyazaki may have been reinforcing a core theme of the Dark Souls series: the struggle for power and the inherent risks involved.
This raises the question of whether this was a bit of a stretch in decision-making. Miyazaki has previously admitted to not making a decision for DS3 stating that it’d be the self-destruct button for the game.
Was This a Genius move or a Mistake from Miyazaki?
Despite its shortcomings, some players have found niche uses for the dragon form. Bow-only runs benefit from the dragon form’s damage boosts, which can be further enhanced with certain rings and stones. However, these niche uses do little to offset the overall disappointment surrounding the dragon form in Dark Souls 3.
Hidetaka Miyazaki’s decision to include a seemingly worthless Dragon Form could be seen as a stroke of genius for its ability to evoke strong reactions and discussions among players. The disappointment surrounding the Dragon Form in Dark Souls 3 reflects a broader sentiment about the game’s design choices. Many players feel that FromSoftware missed an opportunity to expand on the concept and deliver a more compelling gameplay experience.
