Dark Souls is notorious for its vast amounts of lore and history. Players aren't given this information through exposition, however. Much like the main story itself, players learn of mythical characters and figures mostly through item descriptions and environmental storytelling.
Those who are remembered as legends in the Souls series had notable characteristics that set them above their peers. Intelligence is the most notable trait of all, however. If it wasn't for intelligent characters, Sorceries simply wouldn't exist and man would likely be in a permanent age of darkness. From book smarts to smart actions, here are the 10 most intelligent characters across the Dark Souls series, ranked.
10 Sweet Shalquior
Many Dark Souls fans disliked the direction From Software took Dark Souls 2 in, but the NPCs in that game were undeniably fascinating.
Sweet Shalquior is a cat NPC that hangs out in Majula. She comments on most of the bosses you kill throughout the game, giving valuable lore and story nuggets to invested players. She somewhat resembles the crestfallen warrior present in the first Dark Souls, only more informative and less degrading. She even laughs the same. Her knowledge of the Souls universe demonstrates her large amount of wisdom and intelligence.
9 Darkstalker Kaathe
Kaathe is Frampt's brother in Dark Souls, looking exactly the same as his other long-necked relative. Finding Kaathe is a large ordeal for most players, but his dialogue is more than worth the trouble.
Kaathe is the only NPC in the first Souls game that actually explains the history of the universe. There were 3 lord souls that were created long ago, but a fourth soul was found by your progenitor. It was called the Dark Soul. Gwyn trembled at the idea of an age of human reign and darkness, so he perpetuated the cycle of flame to prevent it from occurring. Kaathe might have a negative opinion on the age of fire, but his explanation of the lore from his perspective makes him one of the most intelligent and interesting characters in the series.
8 Velka
Velka isn't an intractable character in the series, but her presence can be felt in nearly every level. She is the goddess of sin, with many items and statues dedicated to her.
She defines sin and punishment for it. Various items such as her rapier and the Ring of Sacrifice are all based on her. Not only does it take a lot of intelligence to determine how to equate sin, but lore entries on her talisman suggest that Velka favored intelligence rather than raw faith, with the talisman in-game using intelligence instead of faith for all miracles cast.
7 Dark Sun Gwyndolin
Gwyndolin is a tough boss fight in the original Dark Souls that many players might have missed. Those that fought him remember the never-ending hallways and throwing daggers.
Beyond the fight itself, Gwyndolin had to manage her own Darkmoon covenant while keeping Anor Londor maintained—which he does entirely on his own in the third installment. Finally, he tried to maintain the image of his parents by using Gwynevere to lure unworthy hollows to their demise. If that doesn't take intelligence and wisdom to pull off, then nothing else does.
6 Andre of Astora
This fan-favorite blacksmith sure has a lot of lore and speculation tied to him. Whatever you believe of his origins, it is no small feat to repair and infuse all weapons handed to you in an instant.
Andre can be found in the first game under a church. He keeps himself isolated from the horrors that lurk beyond his room to hone in on his craft. He also makes a return in the third game as the main blacksmith in Firelink Shrine. His dialogue is nothing groundbreaking but shows Andre has a sense of humility and humbleness that is rarely seen in the series. On top of his phenomenal smithing skills, it is hard to find a better or smarter smith in the series.
5 Sif
Can you think of many games that have a loyal wolf that can wield a greatsword? Sif might not be able to talk, but his unmatched loyalty and combat skill make him one of the smartest and most skilled animals in the Souls series, possibly in video games period.
Players come across this massive wolf in the first Dark Souls. He is protecting his master's grave. Fans will come to know his master as the legendary Artorias, one of the most skilled swordsman and one of the hardest bosses in the original game. Sif stood by his master's side and protected him with his life, learning how to use a sword from him. It is a touching moment having to fight him, especially after playing the Artorias of the Abyss DLC.
4 Patches
If any common human deserved to be on this list, it is Patches. This troll of a character will flat out lie to the player and try to get them killed. Yet, his fondness for kicking people down holes is something to be applauded.
Players usually encounter him in the Tomb of the Giants in Dark Souls. He mentions a massive amount of treasure at the bottom of a pit the player can't see down, simply because the entire zone is pitch black. He kicks you down it and hopes you die to he can loot things off of you. He continues this tradition in the third game by locking a player in a tower with no way out that falling 3 stories down. While he might be frustrating for newer players, you can't deny his creativity in trying to kill others and take their stuff. Dark Souls is an unforgiving experience, and Patches does everything to reinforce that message.
3 Big Hat Logan
Logan is equal parts genius and insane. His intelligence is partly due to his knowledge and teachings from the Vinheim Dragon School of magic, but plenty of his smarts come from his lust for uncovering books and scrolls.
Players meet him in Sen's Fortress trapped, likely on his way to The Dukes Archives to learn of Seath's incredibly strong sorceries. His undead nature, instead of making him forgetful and melancholy, gave him the inspiration to explore Lordran and uncover all of its secrets. He is also slated to be the creator of the Soul Spear, one of the strongest sorceries in the series. Humans can't get much smarter than this.
2 Seath the Scaleless
If you use any sorceries in Dark Souls, you can thank Seath the Scaleless for them existing. He is considered the founder of Sorcery with his hundreds of twisted experiments.
Betraying his own kind while helping Gwyn, Seath obtained a Lord Soul and used its power to experiment and research everything relating to magic. His quest for ultimate knowledge ultimately made Seath insane. Players also get the Moonlight Greatsword from slicing his tail off in Dark Souls, being a fantastic greatsword for spellcasters. He is easily one of the smartest characters in the series.
1 Aldia
So how can you top discovering Sorceries? Well, breaking away from the entire cycle of Dark Souls 2. Breaking away from the entire cycle of Dark Souls 2 single-handedly is something else entirely.
Aldia, while not a genetic master, found a way to change his very being in order to circumvent the entire cycle Dark Souls is known for. Past that, Aldia comments on all of the DLC characters present in Dark Souls 2 and other main characters. He is also one of the last bosses in the game, meaning to test the player's true strength and if they are worthy of the throne. He helps determine the ending of Dark Souls 2 as well. Seath might have discovered Sorcories, but no one has been able to circumvent the entire curse cycle beside him.