Using the Keyboard and Mouse

The PC version of Dark Souls II has button notations and button prompts currently only displaying as Xbox 360 gamepad buttons. To help confused players, this guide attempts to translate the Xbox 360 button notations to keyboard and mouse button notations, and suggests an alternative control scheme to the unwieldy default ones.

Note (general controls)

Game Version 1.01; Calibrations 1.05

• There is no support for mouse buttons beyond left, right, and middle mouse buttons.
  
• You cannot leave a keyboard keybind blank.
  
• You can only switch between locked-on targets using the keyboard's camera controls (default IJKL). You cannot switch lock-on target with the mouse.
  
• Left and right mouse buttons have an increased input delay compared to keyboard buttons; acts as a buffer in determining whether or not you single- or double-clicked them.
  
  • It is incredibly difficult to do a Move forward + RB/RT attack (guard break and plunge attack) using the keyboard and mouse simultaneously: you must manually time the input against the mouse button input delay and there exists no dedicated button for these attacks.
• There are PC-exclusive actions used to alleviate potential problems with keyboard ghosting/key rollover, and to alleviate the lack of analog movement. Lock Guard (toggle), Auto-Run (toggle), Auto-Walk (toggle), Walk (hold).
  
  • Lock guard can be described as Auto-Guard (toggle); Lock Guard keeps the shield/weapon raised to defend from attacks. Lock Guard only works when in a position where you can block with Light Attack. A small icon displaying whether or not the toggles are active will display in the current buffs/debuffs area of your HUD.
• You cannot have a modifier key (shift, control, alt) have a function of its own while it is already a part of a keybind combination. I.e., if Control + Left Click is bound to Left-hand Weapon Switch, Control itself cannot be bound as Jump afterwards.
  
• You cannot bind:
  
  • F1-12, System Requirements, Scroll Lock, Break, Caps Lock, Applications Key, Number Lock, `-=[]\;',./,.

Navigating menus with the mouse

• Left-clicking on a highlighted item is equivalent to pressing A on the gamepad.
  
• Alternatively, click the text or icon describing the command (i.e. click on A: Confirm); unfortunately, the hurtbox of the textual command may not register your mouse click. This issue can be resolved by:
  
• Right-clicking anywhere on a menu screen opens a context menu; every available command except "A: Confirm" can now be selected by left-clicking on it.

Default control scheme

In-game (Xbox 360 gamepad || Keyboard ||| Mouse)

• LS || WASD = Move character.
  
• L3 || F ||| Shift + Middle mouse click = Jump. (Can be changed to overlap with B within the menu options)
  
• RS || IJKL ||| Mouse = Move camera / Change locked-on target (N/A with mouse).
  
• R3 || O ||| Middle mouse click = Reset camera/Target lock/Release.
  
• D-Pad
  
  • D-Pad Up || Arrow key Up ||| Mouse wheel Up = Switch spells.
    
  • D-Pad Down || Arrow key Down ||| Mouse wheel Down = Switch items.
    
  • D-Pad Left || Arrow key Left ||| Control + Left mouse click = Switch left weapon.
    
  • D-Pad Right || Arrow key Right ||| Control + Right mouse click = Switch right weapon.
• A || Enter ||| Shift + Right mouse click = Interact.
  
• B || Spacebar = Dash/Backstep/Roll
  
• X || E ||| Shift + Left mouse click = Use item.
  
• Y || N ||| Control + Middle-click = Wield right weapon two-handed.
  
• LB || U ||| Left mouse click = Attack (left hand).
  
• LT || Y ||| 2x Left mouse click = Strong attack (left hand).
  
• RB || H ||| Right mouse click = Attack (right hand).
  
• RT || G ||| 2x Right mouse click = Strong attack (right hand).

In-game (Keyboard)

• M = Toggle lock guard.
  
• X = Toggle auto-run.
  
• Z = Toggle auto-walk.
  
• Left Alt = Walk.

Navigating menus (Xbox 360 gamepad || Keyboard)

• Start || Escape = Open Start menu.
  
• Back || T = Open Gesture menu.
  
• D-Pad || Arrow keys = Move highlight cursor.
  
• A || Enter = Confirm.
  
• B || Backspace = Cancel.
  
• X || E = Function 1.
  
• Y || N = Function 2.
  
• LB || Shift + Arrow key left = Toggle menu (left).
  
• RB || Shift + Arrow key right = Toggle menu (right).

Suggested control scheme

In-game (Xbox 360 gamepad || Keyboard ||| Mouse)

• LS || ESDF = Move character.
  
• L3 || Spacebar = Jump. (Can be changed to overlap with B within the menu options)
  
• RS ||| Mouse = Move camera / Change locked-on target (N/A with mouse).
  
  • RS Right || Tab = Next target.
• R3 ||| Middle mouse click = Reset camera/Target lock/Release.
  
• D-Pad
  
  • D-Pad Up ||| Mouse wheel Up = Switch spells.
    
  • D-Pad Down ||| Mouse wheel Down = Switch items.
    
  • D-Pad Left ||| Control + Left mouse click = Switch left weapon.
    
  • D-Pad Right ||| Control + Right mouse click = Switch right weapon.
• A || T = Interact.
  
• B || A = Dash/Backstep/Roll
  
• X || X ||| Alt + Mouse wheel Down = Use item.
  
• Y II C ||| Control + Middle mouse click = Wield right weapon two-handed.
  
• LB || W (intended for use in combination with Move Forward to do a Guard Break attack) ||| Left mouse click = Attack (left hand).
  
• LT || 3 (intended for use in combination with Move Forward to do a Plunge attack) ||| Alt + Left mouse click = Strong attack (left hand).
  
• RB || R (intended for use in combination with Move Forward to do a Guard Break attack) ||| Right mouse click = Attack (right hand).
  
• RT || 4 (intended for use in combination with Move Forward to do a Plunge attack) ||| Alt + Right mouse click = Strong attack (right hand).

In-game (Keyboard)

• Q = Toggle auto-run.
  
• Z = Toggle auto-walk.
  
• Left shift = Walk

Navigating menus (Xbox 360 gamepad || Keyboard)

• Start || Escape = Open Start menu.
  
• Back || V = Open Gesture menu.
  
• D-Pad || Arrow keys = Move highlight cursor.
  
• A || Enter = Confirm.
  
• B || Backspace = Cancel.
  
• X || Delete = Function 1.
  
• Y || Insert = Function 2.
  
• LB || Page Up = Toggle menu (left).
  
• RB || Page Down = Toggle menu (right).

Navigating menus (Xbox 360 gamepad || Keyboard)

• Start || Escape = Open Start menu.
  
• Back || V = Open Gesture menu.
  
• D-Pad || Arrow keys = Move highlight cursor.
  
• A || End = Confirm.
  
• B || Home = Cancel.
  
• X || Delete = Function 1.
  
• Y || Insert = Function 2.
  
• LB || Page Up = Toggle menu (left).
  
• RB || Page Down = Toggle menu (right).

[Certez]

There is kick in this game u noob

[matrixdll]

I mostly roll with the DS1 layout.
Xpad - Keyboard:
A - E (use)
X - Q (consume item)
Y - R (two-hands weapon holding, swap to light the torch)
B - Space (dash/roll/jump)

LB - Shift (left weapon attack / shield holding)
LT - Alt (left weapon strong attack / parry with a dagger/shield)
RB - Left mouse button (right weapon attack)
RT - RMB (right weapon strong attack)

D-Pad:
Left - C (change left-hand weapon)
Right - V (change right-hand weapon)
Up - Tab (change spells)
Down - F (change items)

Pros for using keyboard:
+ Controlled walking speed
+ Being able to switch/use items and spells on the go, looking around at the same time (can be done on a gamepad only with a side tap of an index finger, twisted in "clever girl" "velociraptor claw" mode.

Cons:
- Dual-wielding is uncomfortable

[Homuya]

if you dont want mouse delay there is a ez way to fix it, disable double clicking. Sad thing is you have to do it each time you start the game

[Kiowa]

Guide does a better fucking job at explaining the controls than the game itself, good job

[Hunter]

I changed my attacks to ZXCV because fuck the delay on the mouse.

[Uzeleeze]

i use keyboard i do E for flask Q for pickup and use shit and hold space to run and press space to roll and hold space + F to jump works great

[DeadLegion]

It's possible to switch btw your spells with mouse and keyboard at the same time - twice faster. Useful, when you have 9 different spells e.g.

[GipakatreHCX]

i have finished this game with my keyboard and my mouse , its really hard but i have finished this game and .. i think this is doesn't hard ... really its easy ( sorry for my english )

[RageMaster]

" You cannot switch lock-on target with the mouse." Duhhhh It does work.

[Mr.Bonis]

You can change targets with the mouse, you just have to move it