Negative Status Effects (Dark Souls II)

Negative Status Effects in Dark Souls II are effects on characters' and enemies' performance, largely but not solely detrimental in nature.

Negative status effects are usually "built up" by attacks that inflict that effect, with a bar appearing when the player is receiving buildup of the effect. When the bar fills, the effect triggers, and the bar empties at a rate dependent on the individual effect, usually ignoring any further buildup until it has emptied. Resistances to status effects generally work by lengthening the bar, thus requiring more buildup to trigger the effect.

Effects
Compared to the original games, Dark Souls II adjusted many of the game mechanics, particularly death and hollowing, and therefore changed some status effects in relation to the original.

Bleed
If the bleed meter fills completely the target has drastically lowered stamina-revovery and has their maximum HP reduced for a short period of time. It also adds a movement penalty to the target which causes slower roll recovery, lower agility and speed.

Poison
The Poison effect drains the target's HP over a period of 20 seconds. This lasts until the Poison is either cured, expired or death occurs. The total damage dealt to HP if left uncured is approximately 1,100 points.

Curse
Rather than killing the player, Curse immediately reduces HP equal to one level of hollowing when the bar fills. If a player is cursed while human, they will lose HP but still be able to summon other players. For a hollow player, being cursed has the same effect as hollowing further from dying. This also includes any changes in appearance, such as loss of hair. Upon reaching full hollowing, curse will no longer affect players until they become human again.

Curse is inflicted by Curse Jars and certain enemies such as Lion Warriors. As of the Crown of the Old Iron King DLC, Curse is also built up in certain areas of Brume Tower. The areas will no longer inflict Curse once the corresponding Ashen Idol has been eliminated.

Nashandra and The Pursuer are the only bosses in Dark Souls II that can curse the player.

Included in the Crown of the Old Iron King DLC, and hidden in Brume Tower, is the Hollow Skin. This headpiece, when worn, makes the player completely immune to the Curse status effect.

Petrification
Similar to the original game's Curse, Petrify instantly kills the player once afflicted. It also reduces HP by double the amount of other sources. This means players will hollow by two steps, rather than one. Petrify is inflicted by Basilisks, Kobolds in Aldia's Keep, and the Rats in Doors of Pharros.