#also utility sorceries are MVP and stealth is halfway viable if you have both Spook and Hidden Body

[sablegear0]

Been having a lot of fun dicking around with pyromancies in Dark Souls 3 lately.

For one, turns out Boulder Heave (from the soul of the Stray Demon on the Faron Keep bridge) is actually kind of good... in certain situations.

It has a short range but deals big stagger and can knock most humanoid enemies down. If its firing arc isn't interrupted (ie. if you aim off a ledge) it drops straight down after the end of its arc, which lets you hit enemies directly below you where a lock-on, bow, or thrown weapon wouldn't allow you to aim!

Recommended uses: Staggering invaders, especially heavily-armoured ones. Also chunking the Silver Knights off their perches just past Pontiff Sulyvahn's boss arena/on the way to Anor Londo. (Notably I was combining it with Spook and Hidden Body to sneak up on them, but it's probably doable if you're quick on the dodge and maybe have Sage's Ring equipped for faster casting)

Also it turns out some of the Chaos pyromancies are pretty borked against bosses.

Aldrich, Devourer of Gods really doesn't like fire damage. Chaos Bed Vestiges (transposed from the soul of the Old Demon King) does about 400dmg on a direct hit with the Witch's Ring equipped, and ~100 dmg on a glancing blow. It does cost a big chunk of FP though, so you only get a few casts at a time and have to keep yourself topped up.

If you're careful about dodging their big attacks and refilling on Ashen Estus, it just about trivializes the fight. Especially with the Sage's Ring. (I've also been testing it out on Dancer of the Boreal Valley, which seems to be promising, though at time of posting I am stopping for the day.)