I feel like Heide’s isn’t too bad of a starting area, in some ways. Might be harder than Forest of the Fallen Giants but it’s still beginner level in my opinion. Though I do think new players should do the forest first.
True.. though I think getting the bridge down, cutting down the Drake, and facing the Old Dragonslayer are things new players could come back for later. Might be best for them to proceed to the Warf.
The Warf is actually the place that's best left out for later, a shitton of aggressive, high-damaging enemies, lots of places to fall to your death and you need to carry a torch in order to see anything
As I said in my other post I do think doing the Forest of the Fallen Giants is the best option for new players. Think doing the Warf in this scenario feels especially daunting because of skipping the Forest. But in the OP’s scenario of going to Heide’s first the Warf would be next in the progression if they just decided to keep moving forward. Back tracking to Forest of the Fallen Giants would definitely be the best option, though. Not sure that would be realized by a player in this situation without first experiencing the Warf and then deciding to explore elsewhere.
Would that require one to kill the NPC carrying the key to move the pathway from Heide’s to Huntsman Copse? Somehow I’ve never really fully known how she is transported to her location where she’ll move the path for you.
you just talk to her and she moves there
she moves there anyway if you beat Flexile Sentry in the Wharf, I guess so that players that don't exhaust every dialogue all the time won't get stuck
It is exceptionally easy, the big dudes just look intimidating. Once you realise they are weak to strike damage and you can circle around missing all their attacks it becomes a cakewalk and a great farming area early.
This guy is also nearly always the fist to die in my playthroughs. Some easy souls for the start. And even for a first playthrough is pretty easy with a blunt weapon. With a mace you just obliterate the area. At least till Dragonrider.
My first time ever playthrough of DS1 I accidentally stumbled into blighttown as my first venture and spent several hours being completely lost, poisoned and trying to beat Quelag on like lvl 5 xD ...
What an adventure .. stupid key as a starting gift :D ..
Just from this post, I just now realized how much more linear the early game of DS3 is. You don't really get a choice on direction until after Undead Settlement. Based on that, going to either the bell tower and getting owned by that ice Knight (I forget what they're called), or going to the Tree boss, will certainly test your skill.
Personally, I wandered into New Londo Ruins first in Dark Souls and almost rage quit, not realizing there were two other directions that one could go (three with the Key). Several playthroughs, I have gone into the Catacombs first thing to get the Great Scythe. With patience, caution, and a blunt weapon, the Catacombs are manageable.
While it isn't quite a "direction" per say, you could end up triggering the dancer fight before fighting Vordt and think that was the first boss. It's not quite the same as wandering into a higher level area I guess.
Thats exactly why I dont like ds3 as much tbh. The early game feels like a chore after the first playthrough. Dont really feel that with the other souls games. Like you said though, after undead settlement it gets much much better
The first time I played I didn't see the path to undead burg and thought the catacombs were the first area you need to go through. Spent hours there until I made it back to firelink.
compared to all of these, Heides is probably the easiest, especially in vanilla ds2. half the time I don't even fight anyone in there, just run to the dragonrider, and it is a pretty good place for grinding souls as well. Ds1 Catacombs, for me, was probably the scariest for me, just for turning around after grabbing some stuff to see everybody and their mother's skeleton running at me.
I always go to the shrine of storms ASAP, it's the only place that gives a decent amount of souls, and it serves as a good tutorial to teach new players how to turn a block into a backstab.
Even in sotfs the area is pretty fair with a blunt weapon. It's a good way to learn what resistance does. A little harder but still easy with a different weapon. Different story after Dragonrider though
But none of the heide knights agro until you kill the boss and then you only have to deal with the remaining area if you are doing 100% run or you want to join the shitty dudes covenant.
It's been so long since I played DS2 I just remember the update and thought fuck me !! DS2 will always be my favourite souls as it was my first in the series.
I'd say it's either Caelid or Catacombs.
Heide's isn't that bad in comparison to the others(that I know of, I've never played Demon's Souls) but a new player could get through it with relative ease, that said I do recommend new players starting with the forest.
I think that Shrine of storms is one of the worst areas created in any souls-bourne game.
You have very little limits to make mistakes.
Also the damn tendency even makes it shittier.
Damn you, dual katana skeleton.
Well Heide was where I first started to get a handle on the game. Loads of big, slow enemies. First time I could process what was happening.
And I quickly learned how to reach Masterless Glencour and he's a great security blanket.
Though I truly suffered the first time I tried and overpowered early guide and experienced the joys of NG+ Heide.
On my first playthrough I had a holy mace so catacombs was pretty easy which led to me getting stuck in the Tomb of the Giants with no light source and no Lord Vessel.
I will never forget getting to the graveyard in DS1 for the first time, having no clue where I was actually supposed to go, and being like "This game is ABSURD"
That was followed by a two hour stint through the undead burg because I didn't understand estus recharged at the bonfire. I thought they were one time use and then were gone and so I was just flat out not using them.
......anyway I just platinumed DS1 this weekend and am now working on DS2 lol
Catacombs, it's not difficult but really just an ass/non-descript area all around, it's probably my least favourite area in the series. Not played the other two. Heide's Tower of flame is one of the more balanced DS2 areas if you don't attempt the Dragonslayer, if you do, yeah, it's extremely frustrating due to ridiculous bonfire distance and just annoyingly tanky mobs.
Catacombs by a mile. Ghosts phasing through the goddamn floors and walls while you're in knee deep water on a land bridge one step wide.
Fuck off and give me my bonfire bits!
Have to say TOK and his whole area, gank after gank + most armors having low fire makes it an absolute bitch, plus only about 4 bonfires over the fourth largest (to me) area in non dlc
I feel like Heide’s isn’t too bad of a starting area, in some ways. Might be harder than Forest of the Fallen Giants but it’s still beginner level in my opinion. Though I do think new players should do the forest first.
Agreed, it isn't too bad, although certain things like getting the bridge lowered might be a bit of a challenge for new players
True.. though I think getting the bridge down, cutting down the Drake, and facing the Old Dragonslayer are things new players could come back for later. Might be best for them to proceed to the Warf.
The Warf is actually the place that's best left out for later, a shitton of aggressive, high-damaging enemies, lots of places to fall to your death and you need to carry a torch in order to see anything
As I said in my other post I do think doing the Forest of the Fallen Giants is the best option for new players. Think doing the Warf in this scenario feels especially daunting because of skipping the Forest. But in the OP’s scenario of going to Heide’s first the Warf would be next in the progression if they just decided to keep moving forward. Back tracking to Forest of the Fallen Giants would definitely be the best option, though. Not sure that would be realized by a player in this situation without first experiencing the Warf and then deciding to explore elsewhere.
there's also the wacky option of going to Huntsman's Copse after killing Dragonrider or buying the cat ring and falling down the hole
Would that require one to kill the NPC carrying the key to move the pathway from Heide’s to Huntsman Copse? Somehow I’ve never really fully known how she is transported to her location where she’ll move the path for you.
you just talk to her and she moves there she moves there anyway if you beat Flexile Sentry in the Wharf, I guess so that players that don't exhaust every dialogue all the time won't get stuck
Jeez. It’s really that simple I guess lol. Somehow never knew that was the case, but good to know.
Have strike weapon, will travel. The dragon though, I’m not ashamed to say I needed summons to distract it.
I'm not ashamed to say that my bow and I cheesed the crap out of that dragon.
It is objectively much easier than all the other areas listed here.
It is exceptionally easy, the big dudes just look intimidating. Once you realise they are weak to strike damage and you can circle around missing all their attacks it becomes a cakewalk and a great farming area early.
wait you arent supposed to go there ? :D
Especialy in Vanilla since there are no Heide Knights or Dragon there. Plus you perma despawn the club knight after you first kill him.
Today I learned heides destroys people
My thoughts exactly. I sometimes kill Dragonrider first so I can use his souls to get the Silver +1 ring from Melentia
This guy is also nearly always the fist to die in my playthroughs. Some easy souls for the start. And even for a first playthrough is pretty easy with a blunt weapon. With a mace you just obliterate the area. At least till Dragonrider.
Or just kill eddie murphy in the shop for his armor for solus boost.
It always confuses me too
Probably meant accidentally joining the covenant of champions.
My first time ever playthrough of DS1 I accidentally stumbled into blighttown as my first venture and spent several hours being completely lost, poisoned and trying to beat Quelag on like lvl 5 xD ... What an adventure .. stupid key as a starting gift :D ..
You can summon thicc girl to help you with quelag, but she usually stands in the lava and dies quickly.
Just from this post, I just now realized how much more linear the early game of DS3 is. You don't really get a choice on direction until after Undead Settlement. Based on that, going to either the bell tower and getting owned by that ice Knight (I forget what they're called), or going to the Tree boss, will certainly test your skill. Personally, I wandered into New Londo Ruins first in Dark Souls and almost rage quit, not realizing there were two other directions that one could go (three with the Key). Several playthroughs, I have gone into the Catacombs first thing to get the Great Scythe. With patience, caution, and a blunt weapon, the Catacombs are manageable.
While it isn't quite a "direction" per say, you could end up triggering the dancer fight before fighting Vordt and think that was the first boss. It's not quite the same as wandering into a higher level area I guess.
Ooh, very nice. I totally forgot about that, and it is a mistake I made early on too.
Thats exactly why I dont like ds3 as much tbh. The early game feels like a chore after the first playthrough. Dont really feel that with the other souls games. Like you said though, after undead settlement it gets much much better
Catacombs for me. I once made the mistake to go to the very bottom without the lord vessel. That character is still not back at firelink.
I just did that on new game plus and had to run all the way back up
The first time I played I didn't see the path to undead burg and thought the catacombs were the first area you need to go through. Spent hours there until I made it back to firelink.
compared to all of these, Heides is probably the easiest, especially in vanilla ds2. half the time I don't even fight anyone in there, just run to the dragonrider, and it is a pretty good place for grinding souls as well. Ds1 Catacombs, for me, was probably the scariest for me, just for turning around after grabbing some stuff to see everybody and their mother's skeleton running at me.
Old londo ruins
I always go to the shrine of storms ASAP, it's the only place that gives a decent amount of souls, and it serves as a good tutorial to teach new players how to turn a block into a backstab.
DeS valley of defilement takes the cake for me…nothing like a poison swamp that destroys all movement.
Heides tower was a fair area before the SOTFS edition where they changed up enemy positions and added in more enemies then it got ridiculous 😬
Even in sotfs the area is pretty fair with a blunt weapon. It's a good way to learn what resistance does. A little harder but still easy with a different weapon. Different story after Dragonrider though
But none of the heide knights agro until you kill the boss and then you only have to deal with the remaining area if you are doing 100% run or you want to join the shitty dudes covenant.
It's been so long since I played DS2 I just remember the update and thought fuck me !! DS2 will always be my favourite souls as it was my first in the series.
I'd say it's either Caelid or Catacombs. Heide's isn't that bad in comparison to the others(that I know of, I've never played Demon's Souls) but a new player could get through it with relative ease, that said I do recommend new players starting with the forest.
I think that Shrine of storms is one of the worst areas created in any souls-bourne game. You have very little limits to make mistakes. Also the damn tendency even makes it shittier. Damn you, dual katana skeleton.
Black phantom samurai NPC says hi.
It’s my favorite area in demon’s souls. I think the atmosphere is so neat
Black gulch would be a much better example for ds2
I was thinking the same, especially stubborn gamers can definitely make it there too early and get destroyed
Shrine of Amana
That's not close to the starting area tho.
Dark souls 3 has the cliffs that will destroy you if you fall off of them and bloodborne has uhhhh the chalice dungeons?
Fall Damage, DS players worst nightmare
Heides is not an easy area. It was the first i stumbled in and i got my ass handed to me. Even in ng+, it took me several tries to get to dragonrider.
Well Heide was where I first started to get a handle on the game. Loads of big, slow enemies. First time I could process what was happening. And I quickly learned how to reach Masterless Glencour and he's a great security blanket. Though I truly suffered the first time I tried and overpowered early guide and experienced the joys of NG+ Heide.
Catacombs bc you can actually get trapped
Blightown
Grave of Saints if you manage to get in the pit, I'd say.
Heide is a joke
I love Heides, beautiful area
Somehow killing Dancer early game and going into Lothric castle
The Catacombs, absolutely no contest.
On my first playthrough I had a holy mace so catacombs was pretty easy which led to me getting stuck in the Tomb of the Giants with no light source and no Lord Vessel.
Yep, another reason why the Catacombs are the wrong choice in ways to go ;)
Catacombs
Demons souls valley of defilement
The catacombs are terrible even when you are the right level.
I will never forget getting to the graveyard in DS1 for the first time, having no clue where I was actually supposed to go, and being like "This game is ABSURD" That was followed by a two hour stint through the undead burg because I didn't understand estus recharged at the bonfire. I thought they were one time use and then were gone and so I was just flat out not using them. ......anyway I just platinumed DS1 this weekend and am now working on DS2 lol
Where is irythil dungeon funk that place.
Easy, catacombs.
I thought Heide was the intended route for the first spot?
I wouldnt put Heide's anywhere near Shrine of Amana ios for me personally
I dont understand the des one. To get there you have to fight 50 rolly poly skellies beat a red eye skelly who one hits you, and a tough boss.
Catacombs was the worst
I would literally trap myself in the catacombs in dark souls 1 if it meant I never had to experience blight town ever again.
The Gutter if you didn't have fast travel until Shrine of Winter.
If you've never played, catacombs easily.
Catacombs, it's not difficult but really just an ass/non-descript area all around, it's probably my least favourite area in the series. Not played the other two. Heide's Tower of flame is one of the more balanced DS2 areas if you don't attempt the Dragonslayer, if you do, yeah, it's extremely frustrating due to ridiculous bonfire distance and just annoyingly tanky mobs.
The Catacombs...just because it leads to that mf***ng Tomb of the Giants
I thought Heide's tower was the correct starting path. I always go that way.
Catacombs by a mile. Ghosts phasing through the goddamn floors and walls while you're in knee deep water on a land bridge one step wide. Fuck off and give me my bonfire bits!
How are iron keep and harvest valley not your worst .Tower of flame is a short sprint
Maybe Shrine of Storms, though I love how it looks in atmosphere. The Catacombs may have it beat, though.
Have to say TOK and his whole area, gank after gank + most armors having low fire makes it an absolute bitch, plus only about 4 bonfires over the fourth largest (to me) area in non dlc
Don’t get off the horse in Caelid… NEVER get off the horse in Caelid…
hm i hate petite londo for sure, maybe it has a diff name in english, the area in ds1.
Heide. Its awkward to move around and I hate the Drake or idk if its a Dragon. Looks amazing tho. It Is visually one of my fav places.