World Tendency & Character Tendency
World Tendency and Character Tendency are two of the most unique and impactful mechanics in Demon's Souls. These hidden systems dynamically alter the game world and your interactions within it, influencing enemy difficulty, item drops, and the availability of certain events. Mastering these tendencies is crucial for unlocking all secrets, obtaining rare items, and achieving specific endings.
World Tendency affects each of the five worlds independently, ranging from Pure White to Pure Black. Actions like defeating bosses or dying in human form shift the tendency towards White, making the world easier and revealing new paths or items. Conversely, dying in soul form or killing specific NPCs can push it towards Black, increasing enemy aggression and spawning powerful Black Phantoms. Character Tendency, on the other hand, tracks your alment as either purely good or evil, primarily influenced by your actions towards NPCs and other players.
Understanding World Tendency:
- Pure White Tendency: Enemies are weaker, fewer in number, and specific items or pathways (like the Valley of Defilement's hidden area) become accessible.
- Pure Black Tendency: Enemies are stronger and more numerous. Powerful Black Phantom versions of enemies and even NPCs appear, offering unique drops and challenges.
- Shifting Tendency: Tendency shifts occur based on player actions:
- Towards White: Defeating bosses, defeating invaders in your world, using the 'Evacuate' miracle or 'Homecoming' spell, and killing specific NPCs in their world.
- Towards Black: Dying in soul form, killing friendly NPCs, and being invaded and defeated by an enemy player.
- World Tendency Events: Specific events only occur at certain tendency levels, such as the appearance of the Dragon Bone Smasher weapon at Pure White World Tendency in the Shrine of Storms.
Understanding Character Tendency:
- Pure White Character Tendency: NPCs are friendlier, and certain quests may be easier.
- Pure Black Character Tendency: NPCs may become hostile, and the Mephistopheles questline becomes available.
- Shifting Tendency:
- Towards White: Defeating Black Phantoms in your world.
- Towards Black: Invading and killing other players in their worlds.
Tips for Managing Tendency:
- Plan Ahead: Decide which tendency you want to achieve for a specific world before you start manipulating it.
- Use Soul Form: To shift World Tendency towards White, die in Soul Form or defeat bosses. To shift towards Black, die in Soul Form or kill friendly NPCs.
- Online Play: Invading and defeating other players shifts your Character Tendency towards Black. Being invaded and defeating the invader shifts your World Tendency towards White.
- Patience: Achieving Pure White or Pure Black Tendency can take time and multiple cycles of entering and exiting the game.