Archthrones Multiplayer Guide: Private Servers & Save File Safety

One of the biggest anxieties for any Dark Souls III modder is the risk of the dreaded “Penalized” message—the softban that exiles you to the “Shadow Realm” of cheater-only servers. With a project as invasive as Dark Souls: Archthrones, which completely overhauls the game’s code, the fear of losing your 500-hour vanilla save file or getting your Steam account flagged is valid.

The good news? Archthrones is designed with a strict operational security architecture.

The development team has implemented a “quarantine” system that physically separates the mod’s data from the official Bandai Namco infrastructure. This guide explains how the private server technology works, where your save files actually go, and how to safely engage in co-op without jeopardizing your main account.

The Private Server Infrastructure (DS3OS)

Unlike standard mods that might accidentally ping official servers with modified data, Archthrones does not connect to the standard Dark Souls III matchmaking servers. Instead, it utilizes an integrated implementation of DS3OS, an open-source private server architecture.

How the Connection Bypass Works

When you launch the mod using the specific DarkSoulsIII.exe (v1.15) downpatch, the game client is automatically redirected.

1. Redirection: The mod intercepts the network handshake.
2. Rerouting: Instead of connecting to Bandai Namco’s servers, your client connects to the Archthrones private cluster.
3. Validation: Your save data is validated against the mod’s specific parameters, not the official game’s anti-cheat whitelist.

This effectively neutralizes the risk of a softban. Since your modified game data (new weapons, stats, and maps) is never transmitted to the official validation servers, the official anti-cheat system never “sees” the modification.

Save File Quarantine: The “Roaming” Directory

The second layer of protection is Save File Separation.

In the vanilla game, your characters are stored in %appdata%\DarkSoulsIII. If a mod alters a save file in this folder and you later try to load it online, you will likely be banned.

Archthrones circumvents this by forcing the game engine to read and write to a completely different directory.

Where Are My Archthrones Saves?

The mod stores all progress in a custom folder path:

%appdata%\Roaming\Archthrones

This directory is separate from your standard DarkSoulsIII folder.

• Vanilla Saves: Remain untouched in their original location.
• Mod Saves: Exist only in the Archthrones folder.

Critical Safety Warning: Do not manually copy save files (DS30000.sl2) from the Archthrones folder back to your vanilla folder. While the mod keeps them separate automatically, manually mixing these files creates a high risk of data corruption or bans if you attempt to use a modded character on official servers.

Multiplayer Functionality: Co-op and PvP

Because Archthrones runs on its own server cluster, multiplayer works slightly differently than the base game. You are playing in a “walled garden” populated only by other Archthrones players.

Cooperative Play

The White Sign Soapstone functions identically to the base game. You can summon friends or random players who are also running the mod.

• Password Matching: Works as intended. If you want to play specifically with a friend, set a password in the Network settings to bypass level range restrictions.
• Server Stability: Reliability depends on the private server load. If you experience connection failures, check our [Troubleshooting Guide] for firewall configuration tips.

PvP and Invasions

In the current demo build, competitive multiplayer (Invasions) acts differently. To prevent griefing during the testing phase where balance is still in flux, invasions may be restricted or less frequent. The development team uses server segregation to ensure that a high-level modded player cannot invade a vanilla player, maintaining the integrity of both experiences.

Is It Safe to Play on Your Main Steam Account?

Yes. You do not need a “burner” Steam account to play Archthrones.

Because of the DS3OS integration and Save File Separation, your main account status remains safe as long as you follow the standard installation procedures.

However, if you are extremely risk-averse, standard modding best practices still apply:

1. Backup Vanilla Saves: Before installing, manually copy your %appdata%\DarkSoulsIII folder to a backup location (like a cloud drive or USB).
2. 
   Clean Install: Ensure you start with a clean installation of the game before applying the [Installation Guide] steps to avoid conflicts with older mods like Cinders or Convergence.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)