Dark Souls & Other Souls-Likes

I'm using a mix of pyromancy for Iron skin (no idea if it's the same name in english) and some quick combustion spam and a 2handed black knight halberd +5 + the stamina shield on the back.

Idk if it's the same as ours (I'd think it would be) but Iron Skin kills your movement speed now. As for the Kings, imo, fast rolling and a good shield will do you much better. I was able to roll flip through the majority of their attacks using the DWGR.

Could always try a faster weapon like Ricard's Rapier, Longsword, BSS and enchant it with either Crystal Magic Weapon, Greater Magic Weapon, Darkmoon Blade, or Sunlight Blade. If you can't use any of those effectively then even a Gold Pine Resin will suffice.

Dark Souls 2: new gameplay mechanics info, SDCC gameplay footage

Starting to hate Minor Taurus Demon :( They cheat hardcore

Dark Souls II Narrative Details Unveiled!
Lord(an)ing over its rivals
by Jack McGlynnJuly 24, 2013

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A recent natter with Dark Souls II Game Director Tanimura San revealed some interesting info about the state of the narrative for his hotly anticipated sequel.

In short, it’s great news for fans of the original’s oblique, scattershot approach to narrative structure....

“The basic style of the story telling is the same. I feel that the user’s imagination is much more fascinating than the story itself.... At this moment, the actual numbers of NPC can’t be revealed. However, it will be the same or a little bit more than the last title. The world is the kingdom once prospered in the past with few survivors.”

And when quizzed whether or not NPCs could be mined for some delicious world building anecdotes or details,

“There will be simple responses like YES/NO, same as the last title. However there will be nothing like dialogue trees.”

Sadly, if you were hoping for a traditional, juicy narrative with plenty of meat on its bones, you’re playing the wrong game.
Actually, that’s completely untrue – We should all be playing Dark Souls.

It's still called Iron Skin, and it's still a "Win the game" button. It's amazing how easy Dark Souls is when you don't succumb to a cascading failure because one hit sent you into an inescapable stunlock scenario. See: Skelewheelie *** in the catacombs. Have I mentioned I hate them yet?

Have you ever encountered black phantom bonewheel skeletons? That's *** horrifying. A single one destroyed my stamina and health in like, 4 seconds.

If it has anything to do with NewGame+ then no, I haven't. I had like 3 hours or less to bring Dark Souls back to GameStop to get the full refund, the Four Kings of New Londo sucked like 2 days by themselves. Granted, I avoided any guides or tips, so for half that time I was trying to figure out the Ruins without the Abysswalking ring from that Wolf.

Exclusive Interview – From Software
Tanimura San, Dark Souls II Director
by Jack McGlynnJuly 23, 2013

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From Software’s storied ‘Souls’ series are real games for real gamers; less with the hand-holding, more with the bone crunching! Minimal narrative takes a backseat to precision controls, creative tactics and generation defining online play.

Also those beasties are genuine nightmare fuel!

With the lurching, inexorable approach of the terrifying-if-tantalising Dark Souls II, we deemed it high time to rap precision combat gameplay with Tanimura San, from the studio that does it best.

IMPORTANT!

Obviously, being a Japanese company, a translator was utilised. Even still, you’ll have to make (very understandable) allowances for any culture clash or jarring translation.

That said, their response was so distinctive, so unique, that to edit (overly) would be to sully their gift. And so, in all its untainted glory, behold From Software on Dark Souls II...

Precise Controls is a bit generous. Maybe that's an interface issue though in general though. Thumbs are imprecise compared to a mouse, but WASD can't get you more than two degrees of movement, Overshooting your target and undershooting your target 16 times before you finally overshoot it.

I know it's not 100% related to Dark Souls but the Summer Games Done Quick have started and they're trying to raise money for Médecins sans frontières (Doctors Without Borders) by making a few speed runs.

If their schedule doesn't change they planned a Dark Souls run on Monday, even if I know it might end up being really early for NAs.

I picked up Dark Souls a few days ago from Steam sales, I have been wanting to do it and a friend kept pushing me to play it. But I was a little scared, because everyone keeps saying its too unfair and hard. I was thinking of playing Demon's Souls first, but went ahead and bought Dark Souls instead, and man how I do love this game :D it's been awhile since i've played an actual challenge. I mean its exaggerating HARD if you play it safe and know the enemy, but still a great challenge and very fun boss fights. For some reason this game also reminds me somewhat of zelda except Zelda boss fights are much easier than than DkS.

I'm glad you enjoy it :)

Dark Souls has an unfair reputation for being insanely difficult, but the blame comes partly from it's slogan "Prepare to Die". I feel people take this to meaning, in the words of Michael (who shouldn't be taken seriously),


However, it's not that at all; it's really a game with high sense of accomplishment. Yes, Dark Souls can be a difficult game. The learning curve is slightly higher than your traditional RPG game, but it isn't a difficult game to learn. You start out with nothing, well, almost nothing.

Throughout the tutorial you learn how to use the controller, learn what messages are and how to read them, how to swing your weapon and lock on, and you find your first bonfire and what they are for.

You then learn one of the most important lessons that almost everyone who doesn't read a guide will fail at least once, learn to run away from an opponent that is beyond your power. You then learn how to pick up items, how to equip them, how to block, and you run into your first fog door (although these are left as a mystery on purpose).

You learn about backstepping, traps, and learn about areas that open up after an event occurs. You meet your first NPC and learn that if you attack an enemy they can die, or if you talk with them they might reward you. This lesson is overlooked by many players, who then attack NPCs after the tutorial and find out that they will fight back, and won't ever stop until you kill them, or you abolish your sins. Though you won't learn about abolishing your sins until after your third boss (including tutorial), and players who warp out or are completely oblivious will miss this NPC and never know about them.

You then learn about jumping, that if you rest at a bonfire enemies will respawn, and you find yourself in a tight spot with multiple enemies attacking you at once and have survive it. You learn about backstabbing, and parry + repost, and that weak enemies can become a threat if armored with a weapon.

You then encounter the boss yet again, but this time you're geared and you've gained some experience. You then learn how to execute a Plunging Attack, and that it can deal massive damage to enemies weak to it. You then learn how to strafe around large enemies, avoid their attacks or get punished, whether it's through losing stamina or massive health. You also learn to find a right opportunity to heal or you get punished.

You then get the message "You defeated!", and find your way out into the open world where you can look around, and find out if you look in hidden ares you might find an item you can pick up. You find the NPC Snuggly, who will always be some mystery to you unless you look up online what it's there for, and finally complete your tutorial being carried away by a crow, to Firelink Shrine.

You will never stop learning, even after having mastered the game and beating it multiple times you will continue to learn about the fantastic lore this game offers. You'll find out secrets that you overlooked your first playthrough, and make builds that prepare yourself for PvP to fight against other players. Then you will die, over and over, until you can learn how to survive all over again.

The tutorial isn't that bad, but many people who've picked up the game ignore all of this, and say the game is too difficult. They then write up an article claiming that the game is far too difficult, unbalanced, unfair, and people who enjoy the game are clearly masochists. If you learn from the lessons given to you, you will not only survive in the game, but be rewarded with a true sense of achievement, something that lacks in far too many games.

I feel sorry for all the giant dads I see now ; ; humanity is a hell of a drug

I feel like there's a lot of overlap between Dark Souls and fighting games. It scratches some of the same itches that Street Fighter does.

That's the best summary of the Dark Souls experience I've ever heard Kali. <3 May have to borrow it if the Tumblr posters in the Dark Souls tag start to bother me with their idiocy again. >_>;


And really high tier PvP is really intimidating.


These are the kind of people that absolutely stomp me. MCROSS98 in particular has annihilated me in every fight I've gone up against him in.

I haven't fought against Ippiki9 yet, but considering he's better than MCROSS (more so that you'd think from what the video shows) I'd be in a lot of trouble.

I've been playing on xbox and pc a lot. Got to a fairly high level on PC thanks to the Forest Hunter Covenant forest. Yay for level 500+ idiots.

after not playing the game for like 3 days...i apparently suck :|

Secondly, how many attunement slots would you say i need :o

Obvious details be: I want to cure myself but not be limited to having to change my attuned spells at every bonfire.

Depends on how far you're willing to go in levels. If you don't care about restricting yourself to 120ish range. Then get the max slots (10) which you get at 50 attunement.

I played with only 4 for a long time and it worked well imo.

Well, not really looking for damage :| but i guess i may just want 5: "Regen","Cure",Iron Flesh, and some pyromancy damage.

so would that be 4 :o and what is actually "worth it" :<

I wouldn't go that far but I agree somewhat.

It was awesome/OP when it didn't hinder your movement speed, but now it makes it kinda meh. Way to easy for enemies to get behind you or you're too slow to dodge their attacks.

Learning to time your rolling/flipping correctly is the best thing you can do to increase your survivability.

well, 30 seconds for a buff is silly, and i'd only really want to use it i think when i knew i was going to get hit with some stupid horrible damage...like fawkin minor taurus demons...

If you wait for them to start their leap-attack animation then as soon as they jump towards you, you roll towards them. You'll end up either under them or right behind them allowing you to get quite a few attacks in for free. Staying up close and side-rolling is probably the easiest way to avoid their attacks.

Couldn't agree with you more. It seems like Ironflesh completely defeats the purpose of From Software's stated goal with the Souls series.

There was an armor set that made you immune to knockdown and stun too, I can't remember what it was called though. You had to really build your character into it though or you'd plod around at 1KM/Eon.

Havel's? It has the highest poise in the game which is what allows you to not be stunned/knocked down by ***.

There are tiers to your poise rating. 77 is typically what really high level/heavy armor wearers shoot for. While a good rating to shoot for at medium/light armor is 56 and another at 41.

Yeah, Havel's is totally it. I remember getting liquified by some dude wearing it hiding behind a door.

I always used Light-Medium armor because I'm pretty good with reflexes. The only fight I can really remember where It probably wasn't a good idea was the Four Kings. I read you're best off High-poise and zerging them before all 4 can gangbang you. I did pretty much the opposite. High agility + Pharis's Blackbow.

The fatass and the dragoon were kinda hard too, but I think that was more just learning tactics than my build. Once I got patient and pecked away at the skinny ***, it wasn't so bad.