In order to cast spells inDark Souls 3, players need to attune themat a bonfireas well as equip a catalyst. Which kinds of spells the Ashen One can unleash is determined by the type of catalyst; Staves for sorceries, Pyromancy Flames for pyromancies, as well as Talismans and Sacred Chimes for miracles. The last two mostly differentiate from one another by (usually) possessing weapon skills unique to their class. Unfaltering Prayer, which grants hyper armor while casting, is the feature of Talismans, while Gentle Prayer, which grants slow HP recovery over time, is the equivalent for Sacred Chimes.
RELATED:Dark Souls 3: Most Powerful Spells, Ranked
However, the other key difference is thatSacred Chimesgenerally have a higher Speff Buff stat: a hidden mechanic that dictates the power of miracles cast. For this reason, quite a fewmiracle buildschoose Sacred Chimes, though they should be careful not to invest precious resources in the lackluster ones. There are seven such catalysts inDark Souls 3, and each specializes in different playstyles – whether it is zapping foes with lightning, rapid casting, or even blaspheming and embodying the power of dark miracles. However, some occupy significantly more viable niches than others.
Updated on June 22, 2025, by Reyadh Rahaman:What will be considered thebest Sacred Chime in DS3will vary depending on the player’s level. This is due to certain Sacred Chimes possessing uneven scaling curves, meaning that as one levels up, a chime’s effectiveness will change. Sometimes, a chime will get better boosts from the player’s stats, while other times these boosts will be minuscule. As such, it would be best to swap which Sacred Chime someone is using when the player enters the mid or late part of Dark Souls 3.
7Crystal Chime
This odd chime can be found in a small room at the end of a hallway in the Grand Archives on the second floor. However, one will need to get past a red-eyed Lothric knightwielding a spearto acquire it. Despite this not being a very tough foe, the Crystal Chime may not be worth the time to collect.
It can cast both sorceries and miracles, yet has such poor scaling thatneither will ever be very powerful. Unlike other chimes that have a split Spell Buff growth between Faith and Intelligence, dark spells do not get a boost. Most of the time, if a caster build is leveling both Int and Faith, they intend to specialize in dark (or fire) spells, however, the Crystal Chime’s inability to lend itself properly to this playstyle makes it only suitable for sorceries and miracles. Though, since it needs investment into both stats anyways, the souls invested will never be worth its lack of efficiency.
The Crystal Chime’s Spell Buff, Stats Requirements, & Parameter Bonuses
6Saint-Tree Bellvine
Found in theCathedral of the Deeparea, outside the cathedral proper, it is located in a shallow riverbed guarded by three of the disgusting corpse grub enemies. By itself, the Saint-Tree Bellvine cannot unleash much Faith-based damage, though it has other qualities that make it useful for a caster.
When wielded, it grants the user maximum casting speed; equal to having 50 Dexterity. This lets players launch lighting spears and arrows at remarkable speeds, albeit with middling impacts. Interestingly, this effect is applied to all spells cast, not just miracles, and even affects other held catalysts. If one holds this chime in one hand, they can hold any other kind of catalyst in the other to deploy swifter spells than normally possible, making the Saint-Tree Bellvine an excellent offhand tool for any caster build who needs some more speed.
The Saint-Tree Bellvine’s Spell Buff, Stats Requirements, & Parameter Bonuses
5Caitha’s Chime
As the only Sacred Chime that grants a Speff Buff bonus to dark miracles, Caitha’s Chime is the ideal catalyst for those running a more blasphemous build. Being able to unleash wicked spells like the sinister Dorhys' Gnawing and ever-terrifying Lifehunt Scythe make it an excellent tool for an offense playstyle.
RELATED:Lore-Rich Games To Play If You Love The Souls Series
Since it requires both Intelligence and Faith investment, however, players will need to dump a lot of souls into two stats for Caitha’s Chime to reach optimal effectiveness.
The Caitha’s Chime’s Spell Buff, Stats Requirements, & Parameter Bonuses
4Sacred Chime Of Fillianore
Attained from Shira, Knight of Fillianore, players will need to either accept her request to slayDarkeater Midiror slay the knight herself to acquire this Sacred Chime. This gift from Fillianore, one of the last gods players will ever see in theDark Soulsuniverse, is very interesting in regards to its lore.
RELATED:Dark Souls 3: The Best Faith Builds For PVE (& For PVP)
Its skill, Pray for Favor, acts much like the Gentle Prayer skill found on most chimes, though has effects that extend to nearby allies and remains active even if the Sacred Chime of Fillianore is unequipped. This makes it handy if one is engaged in co-op gameplay.Despite having the highest Spell Buff stat out of all miracle catalysts, its scaling makes it fall short of being the best Sacred Chime inDS3.
The Sacred Chime Of Fillianore’s Spell Buff, Stats Requirements, & Parameter Bonuses
3Priest’s Chime
This chime can be bought from everyone’s favorite unhollowed thrall, Greirat, though only after he returns from his expedition to the Undead Settlement. Trading 4000 souls with the stooping man in a holed hood will grant it to the Ashen One, and it is very much worth the price.
The Priest’s Chime offers the best scaling and Spell Buff stat out of all Sacred Chimes while the player is under 45 Faith, making it ideal for the early and mid-game. It is also very easy to acquire and has one of the lowest stat requirements out of all Sacred Chimes, which further strengthens its position as the ideal beginner miracle catalyst.
The Priest’s Chime’s Spell Buff, Stats Requirements, & Parameter Bonuses
2Cleric’s Sacred Chime
Even easier to obtain than the Priest’s Chime is the Cleric’s Sacred Chime, as it is given to the Cleric class as a starting item. While it may be optimal to swap it out for the Priest’s Chime when that becomes available, players should not forget about this starting catalyst.
At the same point that the Priest’s Chime’s scaling becomes less optimal, the Cleric’s Sacred Chime comes into its true power.Due to its Speff Buff scaling, the Cleric’s Sacred Chime is best used between 45 and 50 Faith for ideal damage numbers.
The Cleric’s Scared Chime’s Spell Buff, Stats Requirements, & Parameter Bonuses
1Yorshka’s Chime
With great power comes great responsibility.To acquire the best Sacred Chime in the game, one must kill the NPC for which it is named: Company Captain Yorshka.Since she is thecovenant leaderof the Blades of the Darkmoon, killing her will make it impossible to get the Darkmoon Blade miracle and the Darkmoon Ring covenant rewards, so it is recommended to obtain these before betraying this minor deity.
As the chime with the highest Faith requirement of 30, it is understandably an end-game item.Yorshka’s Chime possesses some of the best scaling stats and a higher Spell Buff stat compared to other Faith-oriented catalysts, including all Talismans–it is ideal to use after one’s character passes 50 Faith, which is when the Cleric’s Sacred Chime stops being optimal. With Yorshka’s Chime in hand, no adversary is safe from the Ashen One’s miracles.
The Yorshka’s Chime’s Spell Buff, Stats Requirements, & Parameter Bonuses
Dark Souls 3is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows.
