Visual representation of your current equip load against your max equip load and desired roll thresholds.
Equip Load Breakpoints Table
Equip Load %
Roll Type
Description
< 30%
Fastest Roll
Maximum mobility, shortest recovery.
30% – 69.9%
Fast Roll
Excellent mobility, standard fast roll.
70% – 104.9%
Mid Roll
Slightly slower roll, larger recovery frames.
105% – 139.9%
Heavy Roll
Slow, heavy roll with significant recovery.
≥ 140%
Fat Roll
Extremely slow and ineffective roll, heavily punished.
Dark Souls 3 Weight Calculator – Optimize Your Equip Load for Peak Performance
In the brutal world of Dark Souls 3, every millisecond counts, and your character's agility directly dictates your ability to survive. Central to this agility is the concept of Equip Load, which determines the speed and effectiveness of your dodges, rolls, and general movement. This Dark Souls 3 weight calculator is your essential tool for understanding and optimizing your character's equip load, ensuring you can master the game's demanding combat mechanics.
What is a Dark Souls 3 Weight Calculator?
A Dark Souls 3 weight calculator is an online tool designed to help players determine their character's current Equip Load percentage based on their equipped gear and their character's maximum equip load capacity. By inputting your current weight and your character's maximum, the calculator instantly shows your percentage, allowing you to see how close you are to critical breakpoints that affect your rolling speed.
Who should use it:
New Players: To understand the basic mechanics of equip load and why their character feels sluggish.
Build Creators: To plan gear choices and stat allocations for specific combat styles (e.g., fast-roll builds, heavier armored characters).
PvP Players: To fine-tune their builds for maximum responsiveness and competitive advantage.
PvE Players: To ensure they have enough mobility to dodge challenging boss attacks effectively.
Common misconceptions:
"More weight is always bad": While high equip load significantly hinders rolling, some builds utilize heavier armor for poise and defense, accepting a slower roll. The calculator helps balance these tradeoffs.
"Equip Load only affects rolling": It also impacts stamina recovery speed slightly and how quickly you get up after being staggered.
"Max Equip Load is fixed": Your character's Max Equip Load can be increased through leveling Vigor and equipping specific rings like the Havel's Ring or Ring of Favor.
Dark Souls 3 Weight Calculator Formula and Mathematical Explanation
The core of the Dark Souls 3 weight calculation is straightforward percentage computation. It helps players understand their current burden relative to their maximum carrying capacity.
Sum Current Equip Weight: Add up the weight of all your currently equipped items: armor pieces (head, chest, arms, legs), weapons (main hand, off-hand), shields, and rings that have weight.
Determine Max Equip Load: This value is primarily determined by your character's Vigor stat. Each level in Vigor slightly increases your Max Equip Load. Additionally, rings like Havel's Ring or the Ring of Favor and Protection significantly boost this stat.
Divide Current Weight by Max Load: Take the total weight of your gear and divide it by your character's maximum carry capacity. This gives you a decimal representing your load as a fraction of your max.
Multiply by 100: Multiply the resulting decimal by 100 to convert it into a percentage. This final number is your character's Equip Load Percentage.
Variables Explained:
Variable
Meaning
Unit
Typical Range
Current Equip Weight
Total weight of all equipped items (armor, weapons, shields, rings).
kg (Kilograms)
10.0 – 100.0+
Max Equip Load
The maximum weight your character can carry before suffering severe mobility penalties. Influenced by Vigor and rings.
kg (Kilograms)
40.0 – 120.0+
Equip Load Percentage
Your current total weight as a percentage of your maximum equip load.
% (Percent)
0.1% – 140.0%+ (100% is a key breakpoint)
Practical Examples
Example 1: The Nimble Caster
A player wants to create a magic-focused build that relies heavily on dodging enemy spells and melee attacks. They prioritize speed and evasion above all else.
Inputs:
Current Equip Weight: 35.5 kg (Light armor, catalyst, minimal shield, magic rings)
Max Equip Load: 70.0 kg (Base Vigor, possibly Ring of Favor)
Desired Roll Type: Fast Roll (Under 70%)
Calculation:
Equip Load % = (35.5 / 70.0) * 100 = 50.71%
Weight Remaining = 70.0 – 35.5 = 34.5 kg
Interpretation: With 50.71% Equip Load, this character achieves a Fast Roll. They have 34.5 kg of weight capacity remaining, offering flexibility to swap in heavier armor pieces or weapons if needed without exceeding the 70% breakpoint. This build is ideal for players who enjoy a high-risk, high-reward playstyle.
Example 2: The Poise Tank
Another player wants to create a heavily armored knight build, focusing on tanking hits and resisting enemy stagger due to high Poise. They are willing to sacrifice some roll speed for superior defense.
Inputs:
Current Equip Weight: 95.2 kg (Heavy armor set, large shield, greatsword, Havel's Ring)
Max Equip Load: 115.0 kg (High Vigor, Havel's Ring equipped)
Desired Roll Type: Heavy Roll (Under 105%)
Calculation:
Equip Load % = (95.2 / 115.0) * 100 = 82.78%
Weight Remaining = 115.0 – 95.2 = 19.8 kg
Interpretation: At 82.78% Equip Load, this character falls into the Mid Roll category. While not as agile as the caster, they maintain decent mobility and can still execute a functional roll. They have 19.8 kg of capacity left, which might be enough to slightly upgrade a weapon or add another utility item without pushing them into the very slow Heavy Roll category (105%+). This demonstrates a trade-off: high defense and poise at the cost of agility.
How to Use This Dark Souls 3 Weight Calculator
Using our Dark Souls 3 weight calculator is simple and designed to give you quick, actionable insights:
Step 1: Determine Current Equip Weight. Go into your game's equipment menu. Add up the weight values of your helmet, chest armor, gauntlets, leggings, your primary weapon(s), your off-hand item(s) (shield, catalyst, etc.), and any rings that contribute to weight.
Step 2: Determine Max Equip Load. Check your character's status screen. Your Max Equip Load is listed there. Remember, this stat increases with Vigor and can be significantly boosted by rings like Havel's Ring or the Ring of Favor.
Step 3: Input Values. Enter your calculated Current Equip Weight into the first field and your character's Max Equip Load into the second field.
Step 4: Select Desired Roll Type. Choose your preferred roll threshold from the dropdown menu. The default (70%) is highly recommended for most builds.
Step 5: Click Calculate. The calculator will instantly display your Equip Load Percentage, the remaining weight capacity you have, and whether your current gear meets your desired roll type.
How to read results:
Main Result (Equip Load Percentage): This is the most crucial number. Aim to keep it below 70% for fast rolls, below 100% for mid rolls, and below 105% for heavy rolls.
Weight Remaining: This tells you how much more weight you can add before hitting your Max Equip Load. It's useful for knowing how much room you have for upgrades or other items.
Roll Type Indicator: The calculator implicitly informs you if your current setup matches your desired roll type based on the percentage.
Decision-making guidance:
If your percentage is too high: Consider lighter armor pieces, swapping weapons, or using rings that increase max equip load (like Havel's Ring or Ring of Favor).
If you have significant weight remaining: You can afford to wear heavier armor for better defense and poise, or use more powerful weapons.
For PvP: Staying under 70% is almost always optimal for maximum evasiveness.
Key Factors That Affect Dark Souls 3 Weight Results
Several factors interact with your equip load and overall build strategy:
Vigor Stat: This is the primary stat that directly increases your Max Equip Load as you level it up. Higher Vigor allows you to wear heavier gear while maintaining mobility.
Havel's Ring: This iconic ring provides a substantial boost to your Max Equip Load, making it indispensable for many heavy armor builds.
Ring of Favor and Protection: While offering boosts to HP, Stamina, and Equip Load, its benefit to Equip Load is generally less pronounced than Havel's Ring, but it's a strong general-purpose ring.
Armor Weight: Different armor sets have vastly different weight values. Heavy armor like Havel's Set or Gundyr's Set offers high defense and poise but contributes significantly to your Current Equip Weight. Light armors are ideal for fast-roll builds.
Weapon Size and Type: Larger, heavier weapons (Greatswords, Ultra Greatswords, Greathammers) naturally weigh more than smaller weapons (daggers, straight swords, catalysts).
Shields: Greatshields are notoriously heavy and can quickly push your Current Equip Weight towards the limit, even with high Max Equip Load.
Poise: While not directly part of the weight calculation, high poise (often achieved with heavier armor) allows you to withstand enemy attacks without being staggered. This is a key trade-off: sacrifice roll speed for higher poise.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: What is the maximum possible Equip Load in Dark Souls 3?
A: There isn't a strict "maximum possible" due to scaling and ring combinations. However, with very high Vigor (99) and rings like Havel's Ring +3, you can reach well over 100 kg, allowing for extremely heavy armor sets.
Q2: Is it ever good to be over 70% Equip Load?
A: Yes, for specific builds. If you require very high Poise to trade hits effectively or are using a Greatshield, accepting a Mid Roll (70-100%) or even a Heavy Roll (100-105%) might be necessary for your build's core strategy. However, for most aggressive or defensive playstyles, staying under 70% is generally preferred.
Q3: How much does Vigor increase Max Equip Load?
A: Vigor provides small, incremental increases to Max Equip Load per level. The exact amount varies slightly but is generally around 0.5-1 point per level, with larger gains in specific soft-cap ranges. Rings provide much more significant boosts.
Q4: Can I respec my stats to change my Equip Load?
A: No, you cannot respec your stats in Dark Souls 3. Your Vigor investment is permanent for that character. If you need more Equip Load, you must rely on rings or accept a heavier load.
Q5: Does weapon weight matter more than armor weight?
A: All weight contributes equally to your Current Equip Weight. A heavy weapon might weigh 15kg, while a full heavy armor set could weigh 50kg. It's the total sum that dictates your percentage.
Q6: What is the difference between Mid Roll and Heavy Roll?
A: Mid Roll (70-100% Equip Load) is slower than a Fast Roll and has a longer recovery period. Heavy Roll (105-139.9% Equip Load) is significantly slower, with a very large recovery window, making it extremely difficult to use effectively in combat. Anything 140%+ is a Fat Roll, which is almost unusable.
Q7: Should I prioritize staying under 70% or getting more Poise?
A: This depends entirely on your build and playstyle. Aggressive players and casters often prioritize the Fast Roll. Players using large weapons or wanting to tank hits might prioritize Poise and accept a slower roll. Our Dark Souls 3 weight calculator helps you find the balance.
Q8: What happens if I exceed 140% Equip Load?
A: You perform a "Fat Roll." This is an extremely slow, sluggish movement with a very long recovery time, leaving you highly vulnerable. It is almost never a viable option for any build in Dark Souls 3.