How to get more Human Effigies in Dark Souls 2

One of the more difficult game mechanics to deal with in Dark Souls 2 is the element of humanity. Unlike in the previous Dark Souls game, FROM Software want to encourage you to play as a human in Dark Souls 2, but when dying reset you to hollow and handicaps your health bar, it certainly isn’t a straightforward task, and you’ll need to find plenty of Human Effigies in Dark Souls 2 to stay human and enjoy the perks that come along with it.


First things first: take a look at our recently published Dark Souls 2 Survival Guide to help you prevent unnecessary deaths and preserve your humanity that little bit longer. If you do die, however, don’t simply chug another Effigy straight away, but rather keep playing as normal until you reach a point where it is absolutely necessary (for example, if you reach a boss or die enough times to cut your health bar in half). It’s generally helpful to play with the health handicap, as it means you will be more careful and utilise your best survival skills to progress through the game.

Dark Souls 2 Human Effigy Guide

If you do get to the point where you run out of Human Effigies, there are a few things that you can do in order to gain some more. You will probably have noticed by this point that while some merchants to stock them, they only have a limited supply which, once exhausted, will not refresh. The main culprit of this in the early game is the Merchant Hag Melentia, who resides next to the bonfire at Cardinal Tower in the Forest of Fallen Giants. Once you have spent a few souls with her, you will be able to exhaust her dialogue until she says that she’s going to move on and that she has a bargain for you next time you meet. From this point, you can travel back to Majula and find her leaning against a wall near the bonfire, which triggers her to start replenishing her stock dependant upon your progress in the game. She sells Human Effigies for 1,500 souls apiece, which is a worthy trade off for getting half of your health bar back.

Another way to get more Human Effigies is to trade Prism Stones with Silky the Crow, found in Things Betwixt at the end of the first tutorial fog gate found on the left. You can kick a ladder once you’re there to provide a shortcut to Silky, who appears as an empty nest. Stand on the nest, open your inventory and select a Prism Stone. Be sure to choose the “Leave Item” option and NOT the “Discard” option, as the latter will cause the item to vanish forever. Once you have left the Prism Stone in the nest, you will be rewarded with a random item, one of which can be a Human Effigy. Though this method is slightly more inconsistent, it makes up for it by the fact that you can purchase unlimited Prism Stones from Sweet Shalquoir, the Cat merchant in Majula.

Dark Souls 2 Human Effigy Drop Locations

If you’re feeling like earning some souls along the way in your quest for Human Effigies, head over to The Lost Bastille and clear out the dogs from the area. The drops are randomised but again it has proven to be a hotspot for more frequent Human Effigy drops for many players, including myself. Be aware that the enemies in Dark Souls 2 will only respawn 12 times, so this method is not unlimited and may yield varied results.

Along with patch 1.03, using your White Sign Soapstone to allow another player to summon you into their world for help with a boss will also also restore your humanity upon successful completion. If there were any bosses that you found particularly easy to deal with, try travelling back to their location and leaving a summon sign outside where the fog gate was originally situated. It may take a short while for someone to summon you, so be patient. One of the easier bosses for this purpose in my experience is the Old Dragonslayer, as the arena is large and he is easily distracted by other players, allowing you to overwhelm him after his attacks and retreat to a safe distance to heal if things get ugly.

Items that preserve Humanity in Dark Souls 2

The final way of preserving your humanity is to equip the Ring of Life Protection, which will prevent you from turning hollow upon death, but will also break and requires 3,000 souls to repair each time it breaks. While it is technically feasible to use this method, it will likely be a massive drain on souls in the early stages of the game. See our Rings Guide for more information on other helpful Rings in Dark Souls 2.


Did you find these hints and tips helpful? Have you found any other methods to get more Human Effigies in Dark Souls 2? Let us know in the comments section below! 

For more assistance with Dark Souls 2, see our Dark Souls 2 Hints, Tips and Guides page! 

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