10 Video Game Mechanics You Totally Ignored (But Shouldn't Have)

To complete Dark Souls, mastering the basics isn't good enough. FromSoftware's unforgiving title contains a deluge of obscure systems that players can miss unless they experiment heavily or dive into community discussions. If you can't get to grips with stamina recovery techniques and poise breakpoints, you'll be struggling early in your playthrough.

Although players initially want to focus on overpowering weapons and healing potions, rolling proves more reliable. Obviously, rolling allows players to reposition quickly, avoid incoming attacks, and create space between themselves and enemies. Unlike simply running or walking, rolling is faster and has a built-in defensive utility.

But there's more to it than that. While in mid-roll, there's a few frames where the player cannot be damaged, even if their hitbox overlaps with an enemy’s attack. Timing the roll so the invincibility frames (or iFrames) align perfectly with an enemy’s strike can turn the most challenging enemies into a cake-walk.

Instead of blocking and taking chip damage or risking guard break, iFrames let players negate damage entirely. This is especially useful against elemental attacks, grabs, or high-stamina-draining moves.

Pulling off iFrames is far from easy, but mastering this single technique dramatically boosts your chances of survival.