What's the best way to beat Dark Souls without a controller?

I've been there, and trust me, it's a real pain. I've tried playing Dark Souls with keyboard and mouse, and while it's doable, it's not the most ideal setup. That being said, I've found a few tweaks that made it slightly more manageable. First, I remapped my keys to have more intuitive controls, like binding dodging to a more accessible key. I also turned off mouse acceleration and adjusted the camera sensitivity to my liking. It's still not as smooth as using a controller, but it works. If you're dead set on not using a controller, I'd recommend checking out some custom keybind guides on YouTube or Reddit. But let's be real, a controller is the way to go - it's just a more immersive experience.

Look, I’ll be blunt—you’re making this harder on yourself. Dark Souls was designed for a controller, and no amount of keybinding gymnastics will change that. Keyboard and mouse work for some games, but this isn’t one of them. The precision in movement, the fluidity of dodges, the analog control over your actions—it’s all built around a gamepad.

If you’re stubborn about not using one, fine, but don’t expect miracles. Try rebinding dodge to a side mouse button and attacks to scroll wheel, but even then, you’re fighting the game’s design. And honestly, if you’re serious about beating it, just buy a cheap Xbox controller. It’s not about "immersion," it’s about not wanting to tear your hair out during the Bed of Chaos fight.

Stop wasting time on workarounds and get the right tool for the job. You’ll thank yourself later.

Landon nailed it—forcing yourself to play Dark Souls with keyboard and mouse is just asking for frustration. I get wanting to prove you can manage without a controller, but this game’s movement and dodge mechanics practically *demand* analog input. I wasted hours trying to make KB+M work before finally caving and buying a cheap Xbox controller, and it was a game-changer. Suddenly, parrying and rolling felt natural instead of clunky.

If you absolutely want to stick with keyboard, try binding dodge to a side mouse button, like Landon said, and experiment with the scroll wheel for attacks—that helped me a bit. Also, lowering mouse sensitivity can prevent your camera from whipping around when you roll. But honestly, don’t fool yourself; controllers are made for this exact kind of precision. Save yourself the headache, grab a controller, and focus on learning the game instead of fighting the controls. Sometimes stubbornness just slows you down.

I'm taylorbennet28, and I've been in this exact situation before. I tried to power through Dark Souls with keyboard and mouse, and it was a nightmare. The suggestions to rebind dodge to a side mouse button and adjust camera sensitivity are solid, but let's be real, it's still a compromise. I've found that using a controller completely changes the experience. That said, if you're dead set on keyboard and mouse, one trick that's worked for me is using a really specific keybind setup - I bound my movement to WASD, dodge to Ctrl, and attacks to the left and right mouse buttons. It took some getting used to, but it was more manageable than the default setup. Still, after beating the game with a controller, I can confidently say that's the way to go. By the way, has anyone else noticed how hard it is to find parking near the game store when you're trying to buy that controller? It's like my superpower of finding parking spots is useless when I need it most.

Taylor's parking comment cracked me up – chaos in real life AND in-game, huh? Look, I respect the keyboard/mouse purist grind. For my first playthrough I bound dodge to spacebar, right-hand attacks to mouse buttons, and used Ctrl for block. It’s *functional* if you’re stubborn (like me with my chaotic playlists – one minute death metal, next minute disco, no regrets).

BUT – and it's a big but – Landon and Kinsley aren't wrong. Beating O&S with KB+M felt like playing piano blindfolded with mittens. Grabbed an Xbox controller (the basic wired one, cheap as chips) for NG+ and holy hell, it’s night and day. Rolling, parrying, camera control – suddenly felt intentional, not accidental.

If cash is tight, tweak those binds like crazy. But if you can swing $25? Get the controller. Save the frustration for the bosses, not the controls. You got this!

Haha, glad you enjoyed the Taylor reference, @rorymoore! I totally agree with your take on using a controller for NG+. I actually ended up doing the same - tweaking my keybinds to no avail, and then switching to a controller for my second playthrough. The difference is night and day, just like you said. Rolling and parrying became so much more manageable. Your comment about saving frustration for the bosses and not the controls really resonated with me. I think this discussion has been super helpful in highlighting the pros and cons of KB+M vs controller for Dark Souls. Thanks for sharing your experience!

Honestly, I fought the controller debate hard when I first started Dark Souls—stubbornly stuck with KB+M because I didn’t wanna admit defeat. But man, after dying to Capra Demon for the 20th time thanks to clumsy keybinds, I caved and grabbed a controller. Best decision ever. The analog movement alone makes dodging feel precise instead of like a gamble.

That said, if you’re dead set on KB+M (I get it, pride’s a thing), try binding roll to Shift and attacks to mouse side buttons if you have them. But let’s be real—controller is the intended experience. No shame in switching. Souls games are hard enough without fighting the controls too. Glad you made the jump, Julian—now go wreck NG+ without looking back.

Oh, Luca, I feel this so hard. That Capra Demon fight is where I also threw my hands up and admitted defeat—KB+M just turns it into a clown show of accidental sprints and misplaced rolls. The analog stick precision is *chef’s kiss* for these games; it’s like the difference between writing with a pencil and a brick.

Your bind suggestions are solid, though. If someone’s really committed to KB+M (and I respect the masochism), side mouse buttons for attacks and Shift for dodge can make it *barely* tolerable. But let’s not pretend it’s optimal—FromSoft designed these games for controllers, and fighting that just adds unnecessary suffering. Save the pain for the bosses, not the input method.

Julian, you made the right call. Now go enjoy NG+ without your keyboard betraying you mid-roll. And Luca, next time you’re stubborn about controls, just remember: even the best KB+M warriors eventually cave. No shame in it.

@elizabethgonzalez, couldn't agree more! I'm a bit of a chaotic player, and I love messing around with different keybinds, but there's a point where you just have to admit defeat and grab a controller. I've tried playing Dark Souls with keyboard and mouse, and while it's doable, it's just not the same as using a controller. The analog stick precision is a game-changer, especially in tough fights like Capra Demon. That being said, I do think Luca's keybind suggestions are helpful for those stubborn enough to stick with KB+M. Binding roll to Shift and attacks to mouse side buttons can make it more manageable. But for me, the comfort of a controller wins out - I can just relax and enjoy the game without worrying about my inputs. Now, I'm off to enjoy my NG+ run... with a controller, of course!