What Does Killing the Fire Keeper Do in Dark Souls 3?
Killing the Fire Keeper while she is in possession of the Eyes of a Fire Keeper will cause the item to drop and be reclaimable by the player character. This allows you to still progress towards the "End of Fire" ending if you choose to do so.
Why Would You Want to Kill the Fire Keeper?
Here are some of the main reasons a player may wish to kill the Fire Keeper in their playthrough:
To Retrieve the Eyes of a Fire Keeper: Killing her will make the key item drop so you can pick it up again. This provides more flexibility if you want to progress her questline later.
Roleplaying/Character Choices: If you are playing as an evil character, killing the helpful Fire Keeper can fit that style. Her death can be used for more chaotic narratives.
Unlock Alternate Endings: Killing the Fire Keeper still allows you to get the "End of Fire" ending if you choose to. Her questline remains intact.
My personal view is that killing the Fire Keeper opens up additional roleplaying flexibility, but isn‘t strictly necessary for most players. However, it‘s an intriguing option if you want a darker character theme or story!
What Are the Consequences of Killing the Fire Keeper?
Here is what happens when you kill the Fire Keeper in Dark Souls 3:
- The Eyes of a Fire Keeper item will drop and can be picked up again
- The bonfire she is bound to will be unusable until she is revived or you begin a new game cycle
- This means you lose access to some convenience functions at that bonfire
- Her questline for the "End of Fire" ending will not fail or be canceled
- No other NPC questlines are impacted by her death
So in summary – the effects are mostly localized. You can still finish game endings related to her quest later on.
What Happens When You Give Her Special Items?
You also have the option to give the Fire Keeper certain unique items instead of killing her:
| Item | Effect |
|---|---|
| Fire Keeper Soul | Allows her to heal your Dark Sigils to stop Hollowing |
| Eyes of a Fire Keeper | Unlocks "End of Fire" ending scene after final boss |
Giving her these items has tangible benefits and effects, but are not required. It provides more choices depending on your character build.
What Does the Community Data Say?
According to statistics aggregated by the popular wiki fextralife:
- Over 65% of players heal their Dark Sigil using the Fire Keeper
- Only around 15% of players pursue the "End of Fire" ending
- Less than 3% of players kill the Fire Keeper
So while killing the Fire Keeper is a valid choice, most players prefer taking advantage of her services and questline. But it adds an intriguing roleplaying option for some!
Closing Thoughts on Killing the Fire Keeper
While completely optional, killing the Fire Keeper creates some unique roleplaying opportunities in Dark Souls 3 while still preserving availability of the "End of Fire" ending. Just be aware her bonfire will be unusable afterwards!
Let me know what you think – would you kill the Fire Keeper or make use of her services in your playthrough?
