We’ll run you through the best way to farm these enemies, as well as how to access this late-game farming spot earlier than intended.
Farming Lothric Knights
The best way to farm Refined Gems is by killing Lothric Knights, specifically those that roam Lothric Castle. Unfortunately, Lothric Knights in other areas don’t drop Refined Gems. So you’ll have to either wait until you access Lothric Castle at the end of the game, or perform a sequence break to get there early. However you gain access to Lothric Castle, you’ll want to boost your item discovery stat before you start farming. Items like the Crystal Sage’s Rapier, the Symbol of Avarice and the Covetous Gold Serpent Ring will raise your item discovery, increasing the chance that Knights will drop Refined Gems. For a detailed rundown on item discovery-boosting gear, check out our guide on speeding up farming in Dark Souls 3. Once you’ve equipped some suitable farming gear, head to the Dragon Barracks Bonfire to start the farm. Head through the huge archway to the left of the Bonfire, then walk up the stairs to your right. Make a hard left turn at the top of the staircase and follow this path around until you see a Lothric Knight with its back to you. This Knight is the target of the farm. This red-eyed variant of the Lothric Knight is stronger than its normal counterpart, but it’s still worth taking it out for its increased drop rate over other Knights in the area. Once the Knight is dead, loot its corpse and head back down to the Bonfire to reset the area and try again until it eventually drops a Refined Gem.
How To Reach Lothric Castle Early
Since Lothric Castle is an end-game area, you can find yourself waiting a long time to farm Refined Gems if you progress through the game’s intended route. Luckily, you can access the Castle much earlier if you’re willing to go through a tough fight to get there. Warp to the Vordt of The Boreal Valley Bonfire, then head up the stairs to the Dancer of The Boreal Valley boss arena. Kill the friendly NPC, Emma, at the back of the room, and pick up the Basin of Vows from her corpse. After a few seconds, the Dancer of The Boreal Valley fight will start. Fighting her early is a huge challenge, but it can be done with some practice. Persevere and you’ll make it through. If you can defeat the Dancer here, you’ll have access to the Castle from the beginning of the game. With freedom to explore the Castle, you can upgrade your weapon to +9 early and get to farming Refined Gems without the hassle of completing the whole game first.
