Control schemes for all platforms for Dark Souls 2 are listed on this page. Click on the tabs to see the one you're interested in.
Controls Layout
Playstation 3
- Left Stick: Player Controls.
- Right Stick: Camera Controls.
- D-Pad: Selected Items and Equipment
- Up: Cycle remembered spells.
- Down: Cycle equipped items.
- Left: Swap left hand weapon.
- Right: Swap right hand weapon.
- TRIANGLE:
- Press to two-hand right hand weapon.
- Hold down to two-hand left hand weapon.
- Hold down with weapons of the same category; It will change your stance to dual wielding. (Only if you have 1.5x the strength/dexterity parameter requirement of each weapon)
- CROSS (X): Action.
- SQUARE: Use selected item.
- CIRCLE:
- Run: Left stick forward + hold Circle
- Jump: Run forward + press L3 (PS3 has a setting in the Options menu where you can switch jumping to the circle button instead of the L3 button)
- Backstep: Tap Circle
- Slide down ladder: Hold down on the left stick, and hold Circle
- Fast climb Ladder: Hold up on the left stick, hold Circle
- Fall off ladder: Tap Circle
- Roll: Left Stick Forward/Back/Right/Left + Tap Circle
- R1 / L1 : Attack.(L1 Attacks when weapon is equipped in off-hand)
- Forward + R1/L1: Guard Break.
- While falling + R1/L1 Takedown.
- Behind Foe + R1/L1 Backstab (must not be blocking).
- Tap Circle + Double Tap R1/L1 : Dash Attack
- R2 / L2 : Heavy Attack.
- Forward + R2/L2: Jumping Attack.
- R3: Target lock/release.
- Swap target by moving the Right Stick. Move it in the direction of the preferred target, from its current position.
- L1: Guard (shield), Attack (weapon, catalyst).
- L2: Parry (small shield), Bash (large shield), Parry (weapon).
- After successful Parry: R1 to riposte when enemy is on the ground.
- L3:
- Hold Circle + Left Stick + L3: Jump.
- On ladder:
- Slide down ladder: Hold down on the left stick, and hold down Circle
- R1/R2: Upward attack.
- L1/L2: Downward attack.
- Hold Circle + Left stick: Climb faster.
- Select: Gestures.
- Start: Menu.
Xbox 360
- Left Stick: Player Controls.
- Right Stick: Camera Controls.
- D-Pad: Selected Items and Equipment
- Up: Cycle remembered spells.
- Down: Cycle equipped items.
- Left: Swap left hand weapon.
- Right: Swap right hand weapon.
- Y:
- Press to two-hand right hand weapon.
- Hold down to two-hand left hand weapon.
- Hold down with weapons of the same category; It will change your stance to dual wielding. (Only if you have 1.5x the strength/dexterity parameter requirement of each weapon)
- A: Action.
- X: Use selected item.
- B:
- Run: Left stick forward + hold B
- Jump: Run forward + press L3 (Xbox has a setting in the Options menu where you can switch jumping to the B button instead of the L3 button)
- Backstep: Tap B
- Slide down ladder: Hold down on the left stick, and hold B
- Fast climb Ladder: Hold up on the left stick, hold B
- Fall off ladder: Tap B
- Roll: Left Stick Forward/Back/Right/Left + Tap B
- RB: Attack.
- Forward + RB: lunge guard break(can be used with any weapon)
- While falling + RB: Takedown.
- Behind Foe + RB: Backstab (weapon, must not be blocking when you press RB).
- Tap B + Double Tap RB: Dash Attack
- RT: Heavy Attack.
- Forward + RT: Jumping Attack.
- R3: Target lock/release.
- Swap target by moving the Right Stick. Move it in the direction of the preferred target, from its current position.
- LB: Guard (shield), Attack (weapon, catalyst).
- LT: Parry (small shield), Bash (large shield), Parry (weapon).
- After successful Parry: RB to riposte when enemy is on the ground.
- L3:
- Hold B + Left Stick + L3: Jump.
- On ladder:
- Slide down ladder: Hold down on the left stick, and hold down B
- RB/RT: Upward attack.
- LB/LT: Downward attack.
- Hold B + Left stick: Climb faster.
- Back: Gestures.
- Start: Menu.
PC
- W/A/S/D: Player Controls.
- I/J/K/L: Camera Controls.
- ↑/←/↓/→: Selected Items and Equipment.
- Up: Cycle remembered spells
- Down: Cycle equipped items.
- Left: Swap left hand weapon.
- Right: Swap right hand weapon.
- LMB: Attack with left-hand weapon.
- RMB: Attack with right-hand weapon.
- Shift+LMB: Interact.
- E: Use selected item.
- Z: Toggle walk/run,
- X: Toggle run/sprint.
- Space: Sprint.
- F: (While sprinting) Jump.
- M: Toggle Block
- O: Reset Camera/Target Lock/Release
- N: Equiv to "Y" can press or hold.
Using a Controller on PC
If you are having a hard time getting your controller to work on Steam, you need to:
Go to Start menu/Control Panel/Device Manager
Open the Human Interface Device menu
Right click on any HID-compliant game controller and select Disable.
Re-start Dark Souls
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
15 Mar 2020 15:03
Is there a control mechanic to quickly access your first equiped item like in DS1 and DS3? You know while you hold the down button.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
25 Jan 2020 02:15
Why tf is the whole keyboard setting completely different than DS1 and DS3 just why ?
- Anonymous
04 Feb 2019 20:40
I play on pc and use autohotkey to use jump attack and break guard. Missing it you will not be able to resist the dark invaders. Most buttons have to be changed because it is difficult to control. When using shields I can only move to the right. on the keyboard, pressing multiple keys at the same time will lead to a freezing delay... finally, I can get close to the end of the game.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
10 May 2018 16:12
how do one cancel actions ?
even scripted ghost can do that, so it looks like an allowed action.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
06 Apr 2018 14:46
How can i do Target Lock on my qwerty ? is useful this combination for beat King Vendrick.
- Anonymous
06 Apr 2018 14:45
How can i do Target Lock on my qwerty ? is udeful this compination for beat King Vendrick.
- Anonymous
03 Apr 2018 18:03
is it just me or is the timing for the gaurd break attack completely different than the kick in ds1? took me fuckin hours to realize you have to move the stick slightly before hitting the attack button to get it to work
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
30 Mar 2020 15:01
How can i turn on lock enemy?please anyone help
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