Slash (damage type)

Slash is a damage type that can be inflicted in Dark Souls.

General Information
Slash Damage is one of four physical damage types and is dealt by curved swords, curved greatswords, katanas, daggers and many halberds.

For the most part, armor protects against Slash Damage more than the other physical damage types. This is especially true for medium and heavy armor sets. Although many sets protect well against Slash Damage, many weapons that inflict it also posses the Bleed auxiliary effect.

Defense
To lower Slash Damage, it is necessary to raise the Slash Defense stat.

Stats
At lower levels, increasing any stat will raise Slash Defense to some degree, however, Resistance will raise it more than any other.

Armor
As a general rule, the heavier an armor piece is, the higher its defense against Physical damage will be.

Of the starting armor sets, the Knight Set offers the highest Slash Defense.

Light armor sets are not the best choice to reduce Slash Damage, however, the Chain Set, Xanthous Set and Lord's Blade Set are the heaviest of all light armors, and therefore offer higher defense against Slash Damage. When fully upgraded, the Chain Set offers the highest Slash Defense of any light armor set. Lighter armor sets that offer very good Slash Defense, while still being lightweight, are the Crimson Set and Big Hat's Set.

Within medium armor sets, the fully upgraded Steel Set offers the highest Slash Defense. The Ornstein's Set is also a good choice when receiving Slash Damage and does not require upgrading.

Heavy Armor Sets offer the best choices when raising Physical Defense. Havel's Set, Smough's Set and the fully upgraded Giant Set are excellent choices.

The fully upgraded Fang Boar Helm offers the highest Slash Defense of any headpiece.

Rings
The Ring of Steel Protection raises all forms of Physical Defense.

Shields
Unlike armor, shields modify damage based on a percentage and all forms of Physical Damage are affected by its single modifier. Many Shields protect against 100% of Physical Damage; the Hollow Soldier Shield, Dragon Crest Shield and Silver Knight Shield are examples of these.

Weapons
While many inflict only Slash Damage, some inflict both Slash and Thrust, depending on which attack is used from its moveset.

Daggers

 * Bandit's Knife /
 * Dagger †
 * Dark Silver Tracer †
 * Ghost Blade †
 * Parrying Dagger †
 * Priscilla's Dagger /

Curved Swords

 * Falchion
 * Gold Tracer /
 * Jagged Ghost Blade / †
 * Painting Guardian Sword /
 * Quelaag's Furysword *
 * Scimitar
 * Shotel

Curved Greatswords

 * Gravelord Sword †
 * Murakumo
 * Server

Katanas

 * Chaos Blade /
 * Iaito /
 * Uchigatana / †
 * Washing Pole / †

Greatswords

 * Flamberge /

Gauntlets

 * Claw /

Halberds

 * Black Knight Halberd
 * Great Scythe /
 * Lifehunt Scythe /
 * Scythe

Daggers ( † ) denote weapons that also inflict Thrust Damage as part of its moveset.

Slashes ( / ) denote weapons that also inflict Bleed buildup.

Asterisks ( * ) denote weapons that also inflict Fire Damage.

Enemies
The following is a list of characters, enemies and bosses that inflict Slash Damage by one or more of their attacks.

Characters

 * Darkmoon Knightess
 * Forest Hunter Archer
 * Forest Hunter Sorcerer
 * Forest Hunter Thief
 * Ingward
 * Knight Lautrec of Carim
 * Lord's Blade Ciaran
 * Shiva of the East
 * Shiva's Bodyguard
 * Undead Male Merchant

Enemies

 * Banshee
 * Black Knight (Halberd wielder)
 * Darkwraith
 * Ghost
 * Giant Skeleton
 * Infested Ghoul
 * Painting Guardian
 * Phalanx
 * Serpent Mage
 * Skeleton
 * Undead Assassin
 * Wooden Scarecrow

Bosses

 * Chaos Witch Quelaag
 * Gravelord Nito
 * Priscilla the Crossbreed