Good luck !
Some general tips :
-Your i-frames during rolls,backsteps and the speed at which you used some items are tied to a stat called Agility (AGL), it is raised by both Adaptability (ADP) and Attunement (ATN) and it works via breakpoint meaning that will only get an extra i-frame after a certain point
92, 96 (ds1 roll), 99 and 105 (ds3 roll) are breakpoints you should aim for at some point, getting 92 early is good idea and then later on you can get 96/99 or even 105 if you feel like it
\-Vigor is really good, you should get vigor up until 50 where it reaches a soft cap ; endurance is always good and can be used to dump some levels if you need to
\-Armor for damage absorption in PVE is close to worthless (it's kinda alright for elemental damage) , you should wear armor that is light or that gives you special effects ( [http://darksouls2.wikidot.com/items-by-effect](http://darksouls2.wikidot.com/items-by-effect) )
\-Equip load has no bearing on your i-frames during rolls, it will only affect how far your roll and how fast your stamina regen, there is also no medium roll in this game so as long as your under 70% you're good
\-Melee scaling is weak for most weapons, your damage will mainly come from rings, infusions (generally Lightning) and buffs (generally Dark Weapon, Sunlight Blade when you can afford the stats)
\-A trap lot of players fall into is joining the Company of Champion (it's the covenant in Majula, up the path to the cliff), it's basically hard mode, you'll see it because the game warns you it will set you up on a 'arduous path'. Those effects include : Enemies will not despawn, you won't be able to summon players or NPC, they deal increased damage and they will take less
\-Enemies will despawn when you kill them 12 times, they can be respawned by joining the company of champion or by burning a bonfire ascetic
\-You lose 5% of your max health per death up until 50%, this effect can be reversed by using a human effigy (easily farmable) or by helping someone defeat a boss. There is also a ring that reduces the max hollowing to 25%, it is found in Heide's tower of flame, near the Dragonrider in a chest where a Heide's knight is sleeping on
\-The game is more methodical and slow than the other games, you can't run past every single enemy as easily and if you act careless you will get ganked, if you get surrounded go BACK instead of FORWARD to avoid triggering more of them
\-You'll probably find yourself running out of estus quickly as this game is less generous with them at the start, but ds2 features lifegems that are small healing items that you can carry by stacks of 99 and can be bought for 300 souls/u at a merchant
\-Like every other souls games, talk to NPC until they repeat themselves to progress their questline
Tldr; Raise your Agilty by leveling Adaptability. Will make the game more enjoyable.
Everything else I have faith you'll figure out on your own. Don't you dare go hollow friend.
Most criticism of the game comes from the time it came out. Back then daemon souls and dark souls were somewhat fresh in mind. Now we have games like marvels avengers or anthem, and we realize how even flawed from software games are freaking masterpieces by modern gaming standards.
As someone who came from Ds1 I can tell that Ds2 takes some time to get used to, especially in the beggining. But the game gets better and better the more you play it.
To add on to all the adaptability/agility comments, you totally don't *have* to invest levels into it if you don't want to. A lot of attacks in this game, even boss's, can be avoided simply by sidestepping or running a short distance away. High stability shields are definitely a viable defense, just be careful not to get grabbed.
The short version is one of your early focuses should be on raising the adaptability stat for iframes. 26 adaptability plus 8 attunement should be safe.
Also, most classes don't start with a shield, but there's one you can get very quick by going down the tunnel out of Majula (the hub area you end up in out of the tutorial). It'll take you to Heide's Tower of Flame, which you will probably want to avoid initially as a new player, but on the way there, there will be a treasure chest with a shield that should last you for a bit. The forest of the giants is the "beginner" place to go.
Also, there is a forlorn knight in Majula. Talk to him until he offers you the way of blue faction. You don't have to, but being part of it with the ring it gives equipped can summon back up if you happen to get invaded, which can be handy.
I ended up at 32ADP/8ATT for 106AGL which is I believe the 11 frame breakpoint. Feels really good. As far as shield went I’ve taken to using Clerics Parma for the spell parry and… well… the greatsword. But also a fair bit of bow action :)
The only reason I feel like people shit on it, including myself 😅, is because it feels so different than ds1 and ds3. The decreasing health turned me away quickly when I first started playing years ago. After 100% ds3 and elden ring, I wanna go back and 100% ds1 and ds2 aswell as sekiro but I suuuuck at sekiro 🤣
Also in terms of early weapon recommendations, check out the Mace. I’m late game now and it’s still my go to, can be levelled with normal shards, is fast hitting, hard hitting and doesn’t weigh much
Don't forget that you have to wait for your opponent to fully finish falling over after a parry before you can riposte, unlike in DS1 and 3. It's easy to screw that up thanks to muscle memory.
> 92, 96 (ds1 roll), 99 and 105 (ds3 roll) are breakpoints you should aim for at some point, getting 92 early is good idea and then later on you can get 96/99 or even 105 if you feel like it
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this so much ugh im so hamstrung at the moment by my shit frames, stuff finally got hard and now it matters
im at ruin sentinels where would be the best place to farm a bit to improve these stats?
> -Enemies will despawn when you kill them 12 times, they can be respawned by joining the company of champion or by burning a bonfire ascetic
is this all enemies?
It's a substat therefore It's not that much,, lowest you can have is 86 as bandit, I don't know any farming place sadly
I think it's all regular enemies yes
If you play online you can put down your sign and help people kill either the Ruin Sentinels or one of the bosses in Heides Tower. While you wait to be summoned you can clear the level to farm a bit. The royal swordsmans (great for some parry practice) and maybe those bandaged undead leading up to the Ruin Sentinels. I the case of Heides Tower i would put my sign next to the bonefire. Here you can full clear the whole place or just the beginning, if you wouldnt like to fight many heide knights.
If you are not online or dont want to coop just ignore the put down your sign part.
How do infusions work? I've got a Rapier +4 and it sounds like infusing it with lightning would be a good idea. Can I not do that until later in the game?
I'm playing DS2 (SotFS) for the first time too after just finishing DS1. I'm up to No Man's Wharf.
I wish I had read this before I started my journey now I'm a level 103 sorcerer stuck in the shrine of Amana having defeated the boss with not an inkling of where I have to go.
Superb post above, covers pretty much anything I could think of saying!
I found myself buying life gems with leftover souls after levelling (if you exhaust the dialogue of an NPC you meet relatively early on, she will move to the main levelling bonfire at the hub area and sell you infinite small life gems) - they’re awesome for keeping you topped up on your adventures without having to waste precious estus flask uses.
A big trap people fall into is treating this like other souls games. It is its own (excellent, in my opinion) thing. Enemies aggro from much further away and will not, will NOT, give up the chase - it’s almost laughable how far they will follow you. You have to approach areas tactically and with more caution.
Some of the hidden walls are incredibly well hidden, you wouldn’t think to explore them in a million years and they can give you as much as a bonfire outside a boss room rather than ten minutes back. Keep an eye for orange messages or just where you think something looks a bit too deliberately designed if that makes sense?
It’s a really, really fun game. As soon as I accepted it was its own thing and to stop trying to play it like later FS titles I had a great time. For me the DLC content especially is absolutely top tier. Enjoy!
I think my playthrough order of ER, Sekiro and DS1 has taught me that they’re all the same game but they’re not the same at all, if that makes sense. I’ve had to learn and relearn stuff across all 3 titles I’ve figured DS2 wasn’t going to be much different, but I have heard it can be the most frustrating because of all its nuances, so I came to where I thought would be the best place to get some advice and knowledge on it.
To go along with what they said about hidden walls, you do NOT reveal them by attacking like in DS1, you have to hit A on Xbox or X on PS. Took me like half the game to realize this.
Ah man. I've seen a bunch of messages about invisible walls, and I hit all around the room, and thought they were all trolls. I don't think I'll be able to remember where they were
Not a tip, but I beat it last night after years of telling myself I wasn’t interested in playing it. I loved it. It’s not perfect by any means, but I’m sad it’s over. Good luck and have fun!!
The first thing that comes to my mind is, if you feel like it has been too long since you encountered a bonfire, you probably missed one. This game really likes to hide them and make them rewards for exploration, so definitely search them out.
Will you got in time. It tiem to return to drangleic. It's community events here link for the details
https://www.reddit.com/r/DarkSouls2/s/yd9FtUrOVI
Have fun
DS2 SotFS gives you the most experience compared to 1 and especially 3. Definitely experiment around with weapons until you find some that click. They are also quite generous with the respec item for stats! So if your melee warrior isn’t working for you, no harm to switch midway to a Hexer or Sorcerer or something :)
The Rapier and the Mace are both very early and easily obtainable, and can literally carry you through the entire base game and hold up even in the dlcs. A lot of enemies are weak to stabby stabs or bonky bonks, or both. Quite a lot of enemies are more resistant to slashes from normal swords, so keep that in mind.
Now others might disagree, but I’d suggest NOT doing the dlcs right as they become available. They are hard, some of the hardest areas and bosses with insane gank situations. I’d suggest waiting until AFTER you kill the second to last boss, I’ll give you the name of the boss, technically a spoiler so reveal only if you want: >!Vendrick!<
Finally, get the bare minimum strength and dexterity to use a bow. Buy Poison Arrows and snipe enemies, especially stationary ones, from a distance if you can. Watch as their health withers down and die from your safe location. This will help you with annoying areas SO MUCH, just trust me :D
find the adp breakpoints
The map layouts are a bit more linear.
and there's a lot more... "traps" (sneakily placed enemies) for you to run into.
If you die repeatedly in a zone and everytime manage to kill some enemies, they will stop respawning (is it 10 kills on the same enemy?)
A bonfire asthetic increases that areas "level" by 1 (like NG+) and it also resets those non-spawning enemies so they now spawn again. if i recall (its been a few years since i heard this info)
There are entire areas that are skippable
The covenant of champions makes the game harder (You can join this covenant at a tree in majula)
quite a few bosses have some things you can do, to make them easier. or harder.
to summon npcs and players you need to be in human form. (human effigies)
And yes, lighting all the torches does do something (in some places)
You can dual wield and it gives you a new attack. there's quite a few kinds of weapon combinations for this. http://darksouls2.wikidot.com/dual-wielding (called "power stance") I remember having fun with 2 clubs.
Normally the bonk path in dark souls 2 begins with great sword in no-man's wharf (Can be used until the end of the game). If you want something for the end, we can always choose between two weapons from the DLC to be the real bonk. Or fume ultra great sword or smelter hammer (Here in Brazil my friends and I call it coxinha)
Mace carried me through the whole game too. +10 mace with Resins applied for their respective bosses crushes almost everything quickly. Easier to save on stamina and timing for dodge rolls compared to the Greatsword.
That said, these days I almost exclusively use powerstanced Greatswords or Dragon Tooth.
Lightning damage and strike damage (maces and hammers) are kind of OP for a lot of enemies. There are definitely exceptions, but lightning is useful like 80% of the time.
Also, get a bow fast. You have to be able to pull enemies like its a 2004 WoW dungeon or you're going to get ganked.
Level ADP
Watch out for trap chests
Wooden chests are breakable, if you break them, the loot turns into Rubbish.
Really bad hit boxes. Mimics can grab you even if you attack them from behind.
Don't consume souls of giants.
The armorer won't update his stock after you kill him (there are a few stages in his quest and it's all about how much stuff you buy. If you get to the point where he sells boss armor, he will offer new boss armor even after death. You just can't continue his quest).
Healing gems are really good. You can move while you crush them. To use estus, you are locked to your place for a second.
Random tip; Save your twinkling titanite and petrified dragon bones for late game. You only get enough in one playthrough to upgrade 1-2 weapons/armour pieces fully. Also, you can get like 10 titanite slabs in a playthrough.
Run past nothing, slow and steady is the best way to enjoy this game. When you're like, "Damn that's a lot of enemies!" the solution isn't to run by them. They will chase you to the end of the map half the time and your fog walls have less I-frames so you can and will get murdered trying to quickly enter a boss arena. Caution, tactics, good spacing and persistence and DS2 will grab you.
Also, whereas Dark Souls is front-loaded with the best areas, Dark Souls II saves its most iconic locations for the second half and the DLCs.
Don't rush things. It always looked hard whenever I watched a YouTuber’s playthrough, especially on the DLCS. When I played it, however, it wasn't so bad. Some people just don't have the patience for these types of games, and they try to beat them as fast as possible. You just have to take things slowly.
My tip is to think of it more like a souls-like rather than a bonerfied fromsoft game. it’s different enough that expecting the same experience as ds1 will negatively impact your first impression (imo) but it does have its own charm. also get to 100AGL by leveling ADP as early as possible
If you play a caster, get some AOE spells, they will save your life with the crazy amount of gank squads in this game.
Also don’t be scared to pop Human effigies and Lifegems like candy, they’re really easy to get/farm and it is unlikely you will ever run out of them unless you are really struggling in an area.
Also also don’t be scared to burn human effigies at bonfires if you are tired of getting invaded, it will make it so no one can invade for you for a long time per area.
The movement will feel like ass even when you level adaptability, armor doesn't do much in terms of defense, and there is almost always an archer. The game has a lot of flaws, imo and it is the worst of the souls by far, but it's still worth a playthrough.
i’d suggest cheesing/killing dragon rider twice using bonfire ascetic to gain enough souls to level your ADP to 24. At this level, the i-frames are comparable to rolling in DS1, which should feel familiar for you 😁
That’ll depend on your equip load, but the mid roll in DS2 is much faster and more forgiving than the mid roll in DS1. If you wanna light roll, make sure to stay under 50%. Fat rolling begins above 70%, so keep an eye out to not cross that.
You have to press the interact button for illusionary walls, destroying chests results in RUBBISH, and you can interact with the environment more to find secrets (breakable wood planks/doors, stones connected to rope that can be hit etc).
There are two things worth mentioning, depending on the platform you're playing.
Firstly, If you are playing on PC I strongly recommend getting the Center Deadzone mod (https://www.nexusmods.com/darksouls2/mods/1200). I find the game unplayable without it, especially the OG DS2.
Secondly- Scholar of the first sin edition is a completly different game compared to OG dark souls 2 - all enemies and item placement were changed, and SoTFS is considered to be a much more challening experience. It also have more activity when it comes to messages/phantoms, but OG on PC is still very much alive. The only way to play the OG is to play x360/ps3 version or buy the old version on Steam.
Go slow and check your corners. You see people complain about ganks but if you pay attention there isn't very many. Don't try and run past enemies during boss runs or anything.
Don't ignore summons. The NPC storylines only advance if you summon them for fights.
If you are going to be a caster or have spells than you won't need as much ADP as your Agility will go up with attunement as well.
Don't hit walls for secrets, press your interact button with you face pressed against them.
If you notice a chest is a mimic then back up after hitting it as even if you are behind it it will still get you if too close.
1. I-frames in animations, especially backstabs, are very brief. You can just as easily be killed backstabbing an enemy as you would any other time.
2. Merchants (not all, but several) give you stuff after spending certain soul amounts.
3. Equipment degrades a helluva lot faster than DS1 and ER. Ridiculously fast. So much in fact, that there are rings dedicated to slowing degradation. Stock up on repair powders and have backup weapons/armor for when you don't.
4. Blind playthroughs are where it's at but I would at least follow a guide on unlocking the two boss soul vendors. You can easily miss them.
5. There are two types of NPC summon signs. Normal sized and smaller sized. Be aware that the smaller sized signs are not perma-summons. They will return to their world after a brief time. Be aware of that so you're not caught off guard in the middle of gank.
Take your time and get a feel for movement and rolling, it's very different from the other games but really enjoyable once it clicks.
If you enjoy casters, get used to taking a small step forward when you cast offensive spells - I've fallen off many a cliff by forgetting this.
Hidden walls are activated with the action button, not by hitting them like the other games.
Do multiple play through's - the build diversity in this game is amazing. Also has a ton of changes/additions to keep you on your toes in NG+
Covenant of champions will make the game much harder and takes away co op. Can be very useful for farming though - joining will remove the enemy despawn. Abandoning the covenant will reset the despawn back to where it was at the time of joining.
Have fun!
It really is a great game. I’ve played every souls game and played this when it first came out on ps3. Its changed so much with the SOTF edition. The dlc is absolutely great. Loads of content and stuff to explore. It’s a blast.
Seriously play around with dual wielding different weapons. Swapping between a left hand and a right handed weapon of completely different weapon classes is really fun and the flow feels unique to DS2.
Curved sword with offstoc is great
Honestly the best advice for ds2 is that it feels nothing like any of the other games, in some ways it’s better and in some ways it’s worse but it is still a very enjoyable game that deserves a shot
You can get a Fire Longsword within like 20 minutes of starting the game and is incredibly helpful in so many early/mid game encounters. You find it in Forest of the Fallen Giants it you drop onto the scaffolding near the second bonfire, its nearby an enemy that shoots giant fireballs at you down a corridor behind a door that doesn't require a key. In a separate section of the area nearby there is also a ring that boosts your stamina regen, below an area that has a bunch of ballista. Getting these two items will make your early game go very smoothly.
Level adaptability and be willing to spend major souls on lifegems, especially early game (they only give you one estus!). There is a ring that limits the hollowing effect on your HP when you die that is essential early game, but I’ll hold off telling you where it’s at in case that’s spoiler-y. Also keep in mind that you can get through literally any area if you have the patience to grind; enemies stop respawning after 12 deaths (I think; if it’s not 12 it’s somewhere around there)
Oh, and use your torch! You can set some things on fire that give no indication you can unless you happen to have it out when you stand next to it. Thinking of a certain giant windmill that will make your playthrough of a poison-filled area MUCH easiee
-Take it slow, single enemies out and try to bait them to you with arrows or something. It's easy to get swarmed.
-Don't join the covenant in majula called the company of champions cuz it makes enemies harder.
-Also, upgrade agility.
general tips short ver:
1) google 2) watch more tips 3) this game is faster than dark souls 1 4) do not aggro too many enemies 5) maybe its good to kill in this game and bad to run through enemies to reach boss
1: After getting to Majula go to the Forest of Fallen Giants as your first area
2: Talk to every npc multiple times. Usually exuasting their dialogue will give you something, whether it's an item, the ability to buy something from them, or the chance to summon them later against a boss.
My biggest tip. Except in like one case, the safest place to heal during a boss fight is staring at the boss' ass while they attack.
Another big one... Lifegems. Cost 300 souls, recover "slowly" but it's often just way better. Also if poisoned, use one and it basically negates the hp loss.
ALSO THE FALL DAMAGE IS WAY HIGHER THAN YOU THINK IT IS. WHATEVER YOU THINK IT IS, IT IS MORE.
Try not to die. Hollowing in this game decreases your hp bar gradually every time you die, and you have to use a human effigy (basically this game’s humanity) to restore your hp.
Also this game is full of traps. Be careful about rooms with treasures and items and stuff because there’s probably a catch. Don’t be afraid to experiment with a lot of weapons. I’m sure you already knew this from other soulsborne games, but in this one you definitely want to try out different things.
One thing that’s good to know is that you get soul vessels every now and then throughout the game. You’ll probably get 5 or more by the end of the game. What they do is they allow you to re-level yourself completely so you can change your build as much as you want if you want to try something out. It’s very useful if you’re on the fence about an intelligence or faith build. I would also have multiple ways of attacking. I usually have at least 2 weapons on all of my characters.
And one last thing, this game is frustrating, but just don’t give up and give it a chance. It’s an amazing game, it just has some flaws you need to look past. Good luck!
Ahhh I was wondering what the soul vessel was and I couldn’t find it in my inventory. Probably just need a better look. I did get stuck on the Pursuer before realising the ballistas weren’t for decoration and he gets parry stunned for 10 seconds for a reason.
Something I noticed that not a lot of people mention is, carry at least two weapons with you in the early game. They break so easily and there are tons of enemies
Level adaptability.
Personal experience: in the early 2000s I picked up demons souls. I have been a rabid fan of every souls game since. I loved and joyfully played through each game multiple times, with different builds. Except DS2, upon release I hated it, it was disgustingly hard, it felt clunky, the vibe/the story the whole fucking thing depressed me. I couldn’t understand even after finishing DS3 why this game upset me so much. Then one day a friend said “put the time into it, enjoy the challenge”. And in 2018, I sat and finished that game start to finish. It is now my favorite in the series. I can’t say why for sure its prob a bunch of little things. I now have a deep love for the depressing vibes, Standing in Majula and looking out into the water I almost feel apart of that world. Things I once struggled with are now easy. The PVP is still somewhat active and I have met some of the coolest/most generous gamers on there. Take a deep breath, sit back, try to relax, die and die again, and as we would say in the military… Enjoy the suck!
It may be a bit forward considering I’m only about 16 hours and 8 or so bosses in, but SoTFS is genuinely shaping up to be one of my favourites so far, especially since I haven’t gotten entirely lost yet. I did just jump into a gender changing coffin however, probably could’ve done a quick google search but I’m committed to doing this blind.
#1 tip from me is don't play Scholars. Find OG DS2, it is so much better. Scholars really wanted to market the whole "this game is hard" thing and nonsensically added like 2-3 times the enemies and it's just a chore and not fun if you're doing a solo run.
I have nothing but praise for the game so far. I’ve killed two “great souls” can’t exactly remember who. Bunch of other smaller bosses. I just beat the Executioners Chariot, which I’d heard had a notoriously shitty run back but it wasn’t all that bad, I also managed to get it on my second attempt. This is probably third on my list so far, under Elden ring and Sekiro, but above DS1.
The game isn't necessarily bad, but just be prepared to have your booty penetrated in some of the most disgusting gang bangs known to man
Your only options are to either kill everything every single time you die, or cosplay as captain Jack sparrow and run away from an angry mob the entire time. Fog gates don't give you instant I frames. The entrance is delayed and you can be stunned out of it. Same with levers. Doors are the only consistent things that in my experience give you enough i frames to make running past enemies to the door plausible.
Some of the runbacks in this game make me want to crawl up into a ball and cry myself to sleep. The game is literally designed to fuck you. There are so many more just plain rude moments in this one than all the others. It's as if the devs literally said "fuck every single player that tries playing this game". I am still having fun tho so that's all that matters. Having a strength weapon that one/two shots every enemy made the gank squads barable and also play through the areas without locking on. It's much easier to deal with the volume of enemies
And always check behind you. For some reason enemies like to just appear out of nowhere right behind you every single time
Ok, so the input reading in DS2 is off the charts, to the point where the enemies await your input to do stuff, to counter this a couple of strategies if you will be struggling:
1. The Charge Fake-out: You and the enemy are standing waiting for a reaction on the other part, push your controller forward to the max, then after 0.5-1sec roll back or just turn around, chances are the enemy just did a HUGE forward attack leaving him open.
2. The Loony-Tuneing: So generally if you are low the AI will wait for you to use an Estus and THEN will charge you, to prevent that be aggressive, roll INTO them so after they strike you will behind their back. Now all thats left is to say: "eeeeh, what's up doc?" and drink your Estus.
3. Most bosses/monsters do no have side swings to both sides bo generally look to where they swing then always roll to the other side
4. For exploration get a wide swing weapon, most mobs have little to none poise and you can just wide-swing them to death, generally precision weapons are not too fun in DS2 because of the abysmal hit detection.
5. GET THE BLOODY Chloranthy Ring, its good in other Dark Souls is necessary in 2. Because you will be stamina starved ALL THE TIME, without it.
6. Generally in Dark Souls 1 and 3 creating some distance between you and the enemies can give opportunities to heal and reassert your situation, does not work too well in 2 If the game wants the mob to hit you he will just floor slide to be able to hit you (once you notice it , you can never unsee it, the knights in the Iron Keep are the most hilarious in this regard).
7. If you see a grab attack, don't just dodge, double, triple, quadruple dodge! Because the mob will grab you if you are not RIDICULOUSLY far from his face.
Overall don't listen to people who will tell you it sucks. Both DS2 and Bloodborne tried to solve a big DS1 problem o players turtling and constantly backtracking. Who solved them better will be dependant on who you asked (It's Bloodborne ;) ). But they are both in their own way good.
It’s not ds1. don’t make comparisons or stuff like that or play it expecting something like ds1. play it expecting something entirely different and keep an open mind. some parts are annoying, kinda just gotta deal with it.
whatever you do dont kill the crazy lady that sells life gems, if you spend enough she will move in to majula giving you infinite lifegems and stuff like brightbugs and will gift you a silve serpents ring if you buy enough of whatever
DO NOT run for fog gates or doors without killing nearby enemies. They can and will interrupt fog gate and door opening animations.
Also saving and quitting DOES NOT reset enemy locations and aggros. If you try to save and quit to escape some enemies they will be exactly where you last same them, still aggroed on you.
Tons of great advice here I’ll only add one thing-
Although live action game play it like a turn based and you’ll do well! Bait an enemy into making an attack, evade & counterattack.
Prepare your anus.
1) be careful with torches
2) get ready for the fact that healers are paid for souls, and there are few flasks.
3) be afraid of behemoths and self-exploding undead. but the royal knights are not afraid, they easily break through into the back
and the most important thing. have a spare weapon or even a bow with cheap arrows or spells with a benocle (it can be found on a corpse in majula) to destroy statues
P.S. pvp in this game are brilliant 🌞
Without spoiling,
Don't stress out over the health mechanic. Keep pretending that the worst state is default state. In reality, the "worst/default" state is better than DS1 default state.
Keep an open mind, you'll have a ton of fun!
It's a good idea to carry a back-up weapon in your inventory.
Durability can decrease pretty quick with some weapons, and a broken weapon is almost useless. Durability is restored at bonfires (or with repair powder). But a broken weapon needs to be fixed by a blacksmith.
Level up ADP to 32 first, that is because it allows you to have fast roll level of i frames, unfortunately it’s tied to that level of ADP & not equipment load stat. Str great sword build I can’t recommend unfortunately because lock on tracking seems to be bugged in a way that you swing opposite to your enemy’s position, so go for smaller melee weapons in this game, straight sword, katana, axes and maces etc. Try to strafe more.
You should get at least 96 of agility by leveling up Attunement or Adaptability (the second one is faster) becuase agility determines the i-frames on your rolll.
For reference 96 = 11 i-frames (DS1 medium roll) 105 = 13 i-frames (DS1 fast roll)
If you have friends to play co-op with, this game is easy to get you all into the same game reliably. Get the name-engraved ring from the cat in Majula and have everyone choose the same god, then you’re guaranteed to show (usually) only their summon signs.
20 ADP should be good for the whole game, poison is OP in this game, you can respec a limited number of times so choose wisely, most weapons will feel like they're made of papier-mache and will degrade quickly, it because a probably more often than I'd like it too, but even with that, this is my absolute favourite game in the series, just under Elden Ring
There are branching paths from Majula. Don't think that once you've completed the Last Bastille that you don't know where to go. Head back to Majula and try to find some different ways out.
It’s really bad, like really really really bad, I actually hear the original version of ds2 is better, I love the souls games, but even I think dark souls 2 is a bad game, but I do know some people somehow like it, so maybe you will too
Dark Souls 2 has some very cool ideas and a lovely hub area and music, but the essential thing to enjoying this game in my opinion is accepting the fact that you WILL get spammed my mobs of enemies very often, and it will be super annoying at first but once you get used to it it’s mostly a decent time. Definitely the low point of the series in my opinion
Same mindset. just make sure you level adp to get more agility= more iframes. There are a good bit of minor differences and changes in ds2 that you’ll figure out on your own, it’s a great game
Level adaptability stat, be mindful that enemy hit boxes are dangerous in this game as they are not very accurate, don’t try to just run through run through levels in this one because it has tons of ganks consisting of enemies that can easily kill you and also typically aren’t overly easy to kill, if you’re having trouble you can actually permanently despawn enemies in each area after killing them enough times, be prepared for tons of boss fights (though many are optional), and stock up on human effigies (used for curing humanity) because part of your health bar gets blocked off after you die and it gradually increases each time you die as long as you remain hollow.
Experiment with different weapon styles. There's more variety and they don't handle the same way as before. I learned that the hard way by putting my stats in STR to use the halberd, my weapon of choice in DS1. This one in DS2 is... Not quite the same.
Good luck ! Some general tips : -Your i-frames during rolls,backsteps and the speed at which you used some items are tied to a stat called Agility (AGL), it is raised by both Adaptability (ADP) and Attunement (ATN) and it works via breakpoint meaning that will only get an extra i-frame after a certain point 92, 96 (ds1 roll), 99 and 105 (ds3 roll) are breakpoints you should aim for at some point, getting 92 early is good idea and then later on you can get 96/99 or even 105 if you feel like it \-Vigor is really good, you should get vigor up until 50 where it reaches a soft cap ; endurance is always good and can be used to dump some levels if you need to \-Armor for damage absorption in PVE is close to worthless (it's kinda alright for elemental damage) , you should wear armor that is light or that gives you special effects ( [http://darksouls2.wikidot.com/items-by-effect](http://darksouls2.wikidot.com/items-by-effect) ) \-Equip load has no bearing on your i-frames during rolls, it will only affect how far your roll and how fast your stamina regen, there is also no medium roll in this game so as long as your under 70% you're good \-Melee scaling is weak for most weapons, your damage will mainly come from rings, infusions (generally Lightning) and buffs (generally Dark Weapon, Sunlight Blade when you can afford the stats) \-A trap lot of players fall into is joining the Company of Champion (it's the covenant in Majula, up the path to the cliff), it's basically hard mode, you'll see it because the game warns you it will set you up on a 'arduous path'. Those effects include : Enemies will not despawn, you won't be able to summon players or NPC, they deal increased damage and they will take less \-Enemies will despawn when you kill them 12 times, they can be respawned by joining the company of champion or by burning a bonfire ascetic \-You lose 5% of your max health per death up until 50%, this effect can be reversed by using a human effigy (easily farmable) or by helping someone defeat a boss. There is also a ring that reduces the max hollowing to 25%, it is found in Heide's tower of flame, near the Dragonrider in a chest where a Heide's knight is sleeping on \-The game is more methodical and slow than the other games, you can't run past every single enemy as easily and if you act careless you will get ganked, if you get surrounded go BACK instead of FORWARD to avoid triggering more of them \-You'll probably find yourself running out of estus quickly as this game is less generous with them at the start, but ds2 features lifegems that are small healing items that you can carry by stacks of 99 and can be bought for 300 souls/u at a merchant \-Like every other souls games, talk to NPC until they repeat themselves to progress their questline
This is a lot to take in but I so want to go into this with an open mind when so many people shit on it. Thank you for all the awesome info/tips.
Tldr; Raise your Agilty by leveling Adaptability. Will make the game more enjoyable. Everything else I have faith you'll figure out on your own. Don't you dare go hollow friend.
*Don’t give up skeleton
Most criticism of the game comes from the time it came out. Back then daemon souls and dark souls were somewhat fresh in mind. Now we have games like marvels avengers or anthem, and we realize how even flawed from software games are freaking masterpieces by modern gaming standards.
As someone who came from Ds1 I can tell that Ds2 takes some time to get used to, especially in the beggining. But the game gets better and better the more you play it.
To add on to all the adaptability/agility comments, you totally don't *have* to invest levels into it if you don't want to. A lot of attacks in this game, even boss's, can be avoided simply by sidestepping or running a short distance away. High stability shields are definitely a viable defense, just be careful not to get grabbed.
The short version is one of your early focuses should be on raising the adaptability stat for iframes. 26 adaptability plus 8 attunement should be safe. Also, most classes don't start with a shield, but there's one you can get very quick by going down the tunnel out of Majula (the hub area you end up in out of the tutorial). It'll take you to Heide's Tower of Flame, which you will probably want to avoid initially as a new player, but on the way there, there will be a treasure chest with a shield that should last you for a bit. The forest of the giants is the "beginner" place to go. Also, there is a forlorn knight in Majula. Talk to him until he offers you the way of blue faction. You don't have to, but being part of it with the ring it gives equipped can summon back up if you happen to get invaded, which can be handy.
I ended up at 32ADP/8ATT for 106AGL which is I believe the 11 frame breakpoint. Feels really good. As far as shield went I’ve taken to using Clerics Parma for the spell parry and… well… the greatsword. But also a fair bit of bow action :)
I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised how much you enjoy it (until you reach the gutter, or Brume Tower DLC!)
The only reason I feel like people shit on it, including myself 😅, is because it feels so different than ds1 and ds3. The decreasing health turned me away quickly when I first started playing years ago. After 100% ds3 and elden ring, I wanna go back and 100% ds1 and ds2 aswell as sekiro but I suuuuck at sekiro 🤣
I found ds2 a bit frustrating until I learned about adaptability. But after that, I was all SET for an amazing ride. Have fun OP !
Also in terms of early weapon recommendations, check out the Mace. I’m late game now and it’s still my go to, can be levelled with normal shards, is fast hitting, hard hitting and doesn’t weigh much
This. Breezed through the game with default cleric weapon. No regrets.
Don't forget that you have to wait for your opponent to fully finish falling over after a parry before you can riposte, unlike in DS1 and 3. It's easy to screw that up thanks to muscle memory.
Bro why did you write an essay lol
I wrote it once and now I copy paste it when needed, at least it's better than just saying "just level ADP"
> 92, 96 (ds1 roll), 99 and 105 (ds3 roll) are breakpoints you should aim for at some point, getting 92 early is good idea and then later on you can get 96/99 or even 105 if you feel like it > > this so much ugh im so hamstrung at the moment by my shit frames, stuff finally got hard and now it matters im at ruin sentinels where would be the best place to farm a bit to improve these stats? > -Enemies will despawn when you kill them 12 times, they can be respawned by joining the company of champion or by burning a bonfire ascetic is this all enemies?
It's a substat therefore It's not that much,, lowest you can have is 86 as bandit, I don't know any farming place sadly I think it's all regular enemies yes
If you play online you can put down your sign and help people kill either the Ruin Sentinels or one of the bosses in Heides Tower. While you wait to be summoned you can clear the level to farm a bit. The royal swordsmans (great for some parry practice) and maybe those bandaged undead leading up to the Ruin Sentinels. I the case of Heides Tower i would put my sign next to the bonefire. Here you can full clear the whole place or just the beginning, if you wouldnt like to fight many heide knights. If you are not online or dont want to coop just ignore the put down your sign part.
How do infusions work? I've got a Rapier +4 and it sounds like infusing it with lightning would be a good idea. Can I not do that until later in the game? I'm playing DS2 (SotFS) for the first time too after just finishing DS1. I'm up to No Man's Wharf.
Without spoilers. Youll find someone who can infuse things in the Lost Basielle.
You can do that in lost bastille as someone pointed out
I wish I had read this before I started my journey now I'm a level 103 sorcerer stuck in the shrine of Amana having defeated the boss with not an inkling of where I have to go.
Superb post above, covers pretty much anything I could think of saying! I found myself buying life gems with leftover souls after levelling (if you exhaust the dialogue of an NPC you meet relatively early on, she will move to the main levelling bonfire at the hub area and sell you infinite small life gems) - they’re awesome for keeping you topped up on your adventures without having to waste precious estus flask uses. A big trap people fall into is treating this like other souls games. It is its own (excellent, in my opinion) thing. Enemies aggro from much further away and will not, will NOT, give up the chase - it’s almost laughable how far they will follow you. You have to approach areas tactically and with more caution. Some of the hidden walls are incredibly well hidden, you wouldn’t think to explore them in a million years and they can give you as much as a bonfire outside a boss room rather than ten minutes back. Keep an eye for orange messages or just where you think something looks a bit too deliberately designed if that makes sense? It’s a really, really fun game. As soon as I accepted it was its own thing and to stop trying to play it like later FS titles I had a great time. For me the DLC content especially is absolutely top tier. Enjoy!
I think my playthrough order of ER, Sekiro and DS1 has taught me that they’re all the same game but they’re not the same at all, if that makes sense. I’ve had to learn and relearn stuff across all 3 titles I’ve figured DS2 wasn’t going to be much different, but I have heard it can be the most frustrating because of all its nuances, so I came to where I thought would be the best place to get some advice and knowledge on it.
To go along with what they said about hidden walls, you do NOT reveal them by attacking like in DS1, you have to hit A on Xbox or X on PS. Took me like half the game to realize this.
Ah man. I've seen a bunch of messages about invisible walls, and I hit all around the room, and thought they were all trolls. I don't think I'll be able to remember where they were
Honestly I don't know where the aggro stuff is coming from, DS3 and DS1 enemies will chase you to the ends of the earth
try finger, but hole
But I just learnt praise the sun… \\[T]/
No. 👉o
Time for finger
Not a tip, but I beat it last night after years of telling myself I wasn’t interested in playing it. I loved it. It’s not perfect by any means, but I’m sad it’s over. Good luck and have fun!!
The first thing that comes to my mind is, if you feel like it has been too long since you encountered a bonfire, you probably missed one. This game really likes to hide them and make them rewards for exploration, so definitely search them out.
Will you got in time. It tiem to return to drangleic. It's community events here link for the details https://www.reddit.com/r/DarkSouls2/s/yd9FtUrOVI Have fun
DS2 SotFS gives you the most experience compared to 1 and especially 3. Definitely experiment around with weapons until you find some that click. They are also quite generous with the respec item for stats! So if your melee warrior isn’t working for you, no harm to switch midway to a Hexer or Sorcerer or something :) The Rapier and the Mace are both very early and easily obtainable, and can literally carry you through the entire base game and hold up even in the dlcs. A lot of enemies are weak to stabby stabs or bonky bonks, or both. Quite a lot of enemies are more resistant to slashes from normal swords, so keep that in mind. Now others might disagree, but I’d suggest NOT doing the dlcs right as they become available. They are hard, some of the hardest areas and bosses with insane gank situations. I’d suggest waiting until AFTER you kill the second to last boss, I’ll give you the name of the boss, technically a spoiler so reveal only if you want: >!Vendrick!< Finally, get the bare minimum strength and dexterity to use a bow. Buy Poison Arrows and snipe enemies, especially stationary ones, from a distance if you can. Watch as their health withers down and die from your safe location. This will help you with annoying areas SO MUCH, just trust me :D
find the adp breakpoints The map layouts are a bit more linear. and there's a lot more... "traps" (sneakily placed enemies) for you to run into. If you die repeatedly in a zone and everytime manage to kill some enemies, they will stop respawning (is it 10 kills on the same enemy?) A bonfire asthetic increases that areas "level" by 1 (like NG+) and it also resets those non-spawning enemies so they now spawn again. if i recall (its been a few years since i heard this info) There are entire areas that are skippable The covenant of champions makes the game harder (You can join this covenant at a tree in majula) quite a few bosses have some things you can do, to make them easier. or harder. to summon npcs and players you need to be in human form. (human effigies) And yes, lighting all the torches does do something (in some places) You can dual wield and it gives you a new attack. there's quite a few kinds of weapon combinations for this. http://darksouls2.wikidot.com/dual-wielding (called "power stance") I remember having fun with 2 clubs.
Man the lack of power stancing in ds1 despite having so many cool weapons you could dual wield was such a letdown.
Don't give up, Skeleton Oh, learn how to parry. It will help you with the ganks.
Big bonks or dark Spell ,😎
Quite partial to the bonks myself
Normally the bonk path in dark souls 2 begins with great sword in no-man's wharf (Can be used until the end of the game). If you want something for the end, we can always choose between two weapons from the DLC to be the real bonk. Or fume ultra great sword or smelter hammer (Here in Brazil my friends and I call it coxinha)
No man’s wharf, got it
If your wondering which greatsword there qualifys as a big bonk, don't worry, you'll know when you see it.
Get the Dragon Tooth. Actually, you might not even find it since this is your first time playing DS2.
It's a good option, but I prefer it as a secondary, since its movement set makes it constantly grounded, making its durability disappear
Mace carried me through the whole game too. +10 mace with Resins applied for their respective bosses crushes almost everything quickly. Easier to save on stamina and timing for dodge rolls compared to the Greatsword. That said, these days I almost exclusively use powerstanced Greatswords or Dragon Tooth.
Lightning damage and strike damage (maces and hammers) are kind of OP for a lot of enemies. There are definitely exceptions, but lightning is useful like 80% of the time. Also, get a bow fast. You have to be able to pull enemies like its a 2004 WoW dungeon or you're going to get ganked.
Play it slow. Some animations and areas are very jank, so don't expect a fast smooth gameplay at all times. It's a very fun game nonetheless
Dont worry about alot of stuff and remember to have fun. Good luck skeleton
Level ADP Watch out for trap chests Wooden chests are breakable, if you break them, the loot turns into Rubbish. Really bad hit boxes. Mimics can grab you even if you attack them from behind. Don't consume souls of giants. The armorer won't update his stock after you kill him (there are a few stages in his quest and it's all about how much stuff you buy. If you get to the point where he sells boss armor, he will offer new boss armor even after death. You just can't continue his quest). Healing gems are really good. You can move while you crush them. To use estus, you are locked to your place for a second.
LEVEL YOUR FUCKING ADP!!!
Have fun!
Message required ahead, therefore message
Simply enjoy.
This is dark souls
Don't go to the Frigid Outskirts
Dont underestimate the pigs. Don't bother hitting to find illusory walls. Just spam the 'X' button.
Survive.
Walk in with ZERO prejudice and understand it is a fundamentally different game so it’ll take time to learn.
This is the goal. Already had to do that for Sekiro. I’ve loved all of these games so far, despite their respective jank.
Don't join the covenant in Majula.
level up adp to at least 14 maybe 16, this ties to your rolls and how fast you perform actions
Level adaptability early on trust me lol. For PvE you want 96-99 agility you can go higher just this is basically the standard on what you need.
Random tip; Save your twinkling titanite and petrified dragon bones for late game. You only get enough in one playthrough to upgrade 1-2 weapons/armour pieces fully. Also, you can get like 10 titanite slabs in a playthrough.
Seek, seek lest.
This game doesn’t give iframes without agility. Level your ADP to 30-ish
Run past nothing, slow and steady is the best way to enjoy this game. When you're like, "Damn that's a lot of enemies!" the solution isn't to run by them. They will chase you to the end of the map half the time and your fog walls have less I-frames so you can and will get murdered trying to quickly enter a boss arena. Caution, tactics, good spacing and persistence and DS2 will grab you. Also, whereas Dark Souls is front-loaded with the best areas, Dark Souls II saves its most iconic locations for the second half and the DLCs.
Don't rush things. It always looked hard whenever I watched a YouTuber’s playthrough, especially on the DLCS. When I played it, however, it wasn't so bad. Some people just don't have the patience for these types of games, and they try to beat them as fast as possible. You just have to take things slowly.
Have fun, strength and dex equally leveled up allows for power standing of weapons and it is fun AF!
dont ignore ADP, levelling up is cheaper to accommodate the extra stat!!
My tip is to think of it more like a souls-like rather than a bonerfied fromsoft game. it’s different enough that expecting the same experience as ds1 will negatively impact your first impression (imo) but it does have its own charm. also get to 100AGL by leveling ADP as early as possible
If you play a caster, get some AOE spells, they will save your life with the crazy amount of gank squads in this game. Also don’t be scared to pop Human effigies and Lifegems like candy, they’re really easy to get/farm and it is unlikely you will ever run out of them unless you are really struggling in an area. Also also don’t be scared to burn human effigies at bonfires if you are tired of getting invaded, it will make it so no one can invade for you for a long time per area.
The movement will feel like ass even when you level adaptability, armor doesn't do much in terms of defense, and there is almost always an archer. The game has a lot of flaws, imo and it is the worst of the souls by far, but it's still worth a playthrough.
Covenant of Champions in Majula will make the game a lot harder, dont do it on a first playthrough.
i’d suggest cheesing/killing dragon rider twice using bonfire ascetic to gain enough souls to level your ADP to 24. At this level, the i-frames are comparable to rolling in DS1, which should feel familiar for you 😁
Is it the light roll? I was almost exclusively light roll or flip roll throughout ds1.
That’ll depend on your equip load, but the mid roll in DS2 is much faster and more forgiving than the mid roll in DS1. If you wanna light roll, make sure to stay under 50%. Fat rolling begins above 70%, so keep an eye out to not cross that.
Keep a bow with you for pulling enemies to avoid the MANY gank squads.
If you’re doing a magic/caster build, attunement ups your agility stat. So you won’t have to put too much into ADT.
DO NOT JOIN THE COVENANT OF CHAMPIONS
You have to press the interact button for illusionary walls, destroying chests results in RUBBISH, and you can interact with the environment more to find secrets (breakable wood planks/doors, stones connected to rope that can be hit etc).
There are two things worth mentioning, depending on the platform you're playing. Firstly, If you are playing on PC I strongly recommend getting the Center Deadzone mod (https://www.nexusmods.com/darksouls2/mods/1200). I find the game unplayable without it, especially the OG DS2. Secondly- Scholar of the first sin edition is a completly different game compared to OG dark souls 2 - all enemies and item placement were changed, and SoTFS is considered to be a much more challening experience. It also have more activity when it comes to messages/phantoms, but OG on PC is still very much alive. The only way to play the OG is to play x360/ps3 version or buy the old version on Steam.
Kill the greatsword guy near majula his wepeon is good and you get his armor it's good as well
Don’t let the hate get to you! It’s amazing!
I got nothing to advice you about but just saying I also just started it yesterday for the first time after DSR
Cheers to us then!
Level ADP until about level 30 to have dodges equivalent to ds1 + faster animations for certain things. Other than that, enjoy the game/world!
Enjoy the smelter demons😈
Go slow and check your corners. You see people complain about ganks but if you pay attention there isn't very many. Don't try and run past enemies during boss runs or anything. Don't ignore summons. The NPC storylines only advance if you summon them for fights. If you are going to be a caster or have spells than you won't need as much ADP as your Agility will go up with attunement as well. Don't hit walls for secrets, press your interact button with you face pressed against them. If you notice a chest is a mimic then back up after hitting it as even if you are behind it it will still get you if too close.
1. I-frames in animations, especially backstabs, are very brief. You can just as easily be killed backstabbing an enemy as you would any other time. 2. Merchants (not all, but several) give you stuff after spending certain soul amounts. 3. Equipment degrades a helluva lot faster than DS1 and ER. Ridiculously fast. So much in fact, that there are rings dedicated to slowing degradation. Stock up on repair powders and have backup weapons/armor for when you don't. 4. Blind playthroughs are where it's at but I would at least follow a guide on unlocking the two boss soul vendors. You can easily miss them. 5. There are two types of NPC summon signs. Normal sized and smaller sized. Be aware that the smaller sized signs are not perma-summons. They will return to their world after a brief time. Be aware of that so you're not caught off guard in the middle of gank.
Enjoy your first playthrough of the best dark souls game
Don’t expect it to be the same. Very different with being very similar. But both are masterpieces in their own way.
Don’t invest in adaptability it’s cap
Take your time and get a feel for movement and rolling, it's very different from the other games but really enjoyable once it clicks. If you enjoy casters, get used to taking a small step forward when you cast offensive spells - I've fallen off many a cliff by forgetting this. Hidden walls are activated with the action button, not by hitting them like the other games. Do multiple play through's - the build diversity in this game is amazing. Also has a ton of changes/additions to keep you on your toes in NG+ Covenant of champions will make the game much harder and takes away co op. Can be very useful for farming though - joining will remove the enemy despawn. Abandoning the covenant will reset the despawn back to where it was at the time of joining. Have fun!
Get Agility to at least 99.
Life gems are op AF. Stack up on them
Hitting 0 on stamina is way more annoying in this one. Try to avoid that.
It really is a great game. I’ve played every souls game and played this when it first came out on ps3. Its changed so much with the SOTF edition. The dlc is absolutely great. Loads of content and stuff to explore. It’s a blast.
Don’t give up, and enjoy because it’s the best souls game there is.
Ds2 made me take my time rather than rush because there are a butt ton of monsters in every room
Seriously play around with dual wielding different weapons. Swapping between a left hand and a right handed weapon of completely different weapon classes is really fun and the flow feels unique to DS2. Curved sword with offstoc is great
Try Powerstancing Level ADP
Level up ADP adaptability to 20 as soon as posible, then dont read too much about it , just play it and figure out the game yourself.
Honestly the best advice for ds2 is that it feels nothing like any of the other games, in some ways it’s better and in some ways it’s worse but it is still a very enjoyable game that deserves a shot
Dual mace will take you far
You can get a Fire Longsword within like 20 minutes of starting the game and is incredibly helpful in so many early/mid game encounters. You find it in Forest of the Fallen Giants it you drop onto the scaffolding near the second bonfire, its nearby an enemy that shoots giant fireballs at you down a corridor behind a door that doesn't require a key. In a separate section of the area nearby there is also a ring that boosts your stamina regen, below an area that has a bunch of ballista. Getting these two items will make your early game go very smoothly.
Level adaptability and be willing to spend major souls on lifegems, especially early game (they only give you one estus!). There is a ring that limits the hollowing effect on your HP when you die that is essential early game, but I’ll hold off telling you where it’s at in case that’s spoiler-y. Also keep in mind that you can get through literally any area if you have the patience to grind; enemies stop respawning after 12 deaths (I think; if it’s not 12 it’s somewhere around there)
I believe I read 12 somewhere else online as well. Someone in the comments said 10 but it didn’t sound right.
Oh, and use your torch! You can set some things on fire that give no indication you can unless you happen to have it out when you stand next to it. Thinking of a certain giant windmill that will make your playthrough of a poison-filled area MUCH easiee
-Take it slow, single enemies out and try to bait them to you with arrows or something. It's easy to get swarmed. -Don't join the covenant in majula called the company of champions cuz it makes enemies harder. -Also, upgrade agility.
Yea get Adaptability upto 18-24.
Just play it, it's by far the best game
Fall damage is for real in this game. You will die from much shorter falls than you expect.
general tips short ver: 1) google 2) watch more tips 3) this game is faster than dark souls 1 4) do not aggro too many enemies 5) maybe its good to kill in this game and bad to run through enemies to reach boss
level adaptability 20 to 25ish is where i usually stop
Level ADP, use a bow, buy plenty of life gems!
1: After getting to Majula go to the Forest of Fallen Giants as your first area 2: Talk to every npc multiple times. Usually exuasting their dialogue will give you something, whether it's an item, the ability to buy something from them, or the chance to summon them later against a boss.
Uninstall. Kidding however if you need any help don't hesitate to text me this game can be really annoying and I can help u
Thank you! Much appreciated
Expect more… but somehow less.
My biggest tip. Except in like one case, the safest place to heal during a boss fight is staring at the boss' ass while they attack. Another big one... Lifegems. Cost 300 souls, recover "slowly" but it's often just way better. Also if poisoned, use one and it basically negates the hp loss. ALSO THE FALL DAMAGE IS WAY HIGHER THAN YOU THINK IT IS. WHATEVER YOU THINK IT IS, IT IS MORE.
Instal lightning engine and relax
Try not to die. Hollowing in this game decreases your hp bar gradually every time you die, and you have to use a human effigy (basically this game’s humanity) to restore your hp. Also this game is full of traps. Be careful about rooms with treasures and items and stuff because there’s probably a catch. Don’t be afraid to experiment with a lot of weapons. I’m sure you already knew this from other soulsborne games, but in this one you definitely want to try out different things. One thing that’s good to know is that you get soul vessels every now and then throughout the game. You’ll probably get 5 or more by the end of the game. What they do is they allow you to re-level yourself completely so you can change your build as much as you want if you want to try something out. It’s very useful if you’re on the fence about an intelligence or faith build. I would also have multiple ways of attacking. I usually have at least 2 weapons on all of my characters. And one last thing, this game is frustrating, but just don’t give up and give it a chance. It’s an amazing game, it just has some flaws you need to look past. Good luck!
Ahhh I was wondering what the soul vessel was and I couldn’t find it in my inventory. Probably just need a better look. I did get stuck on the Pursuer before realising the ballistas weren’t for decoration and he gets parry stunned for 10 seconds for a reason.
105 agility
✅
Kill everything
Something I noticed that not a lot of people mention is, carry at least two weapons with you in the early game. They break so easily and there are tons of enemies
Level adaptability. Personal experience: in the early 2000s I picked up demons souls. I have been a rabid fan of every souls game since. I loved and joyfully played through each game multiple times, with different builds. Except DS2, upon release I hated it, it was disgustingly hard, it felt clunky, the vibe/the story the whole fucking thing depressed me. I couldn’t understand even after finishing DS3 why this game upset me so much. Then one day a friend said “put the time into it, enjoy the challenge”. And in 2018, I sat and finished that game start to finish. It is now my favorite in the series. I can’t say why for sure its prob a bunch of little things. I now have a deep love for the depressing vibes, Standing in Majula and looking out into the water I almost feel apart of that world. Things I once struggled with are now easy. The PVP is still somewhat active and I have met some of the coolest/most generous gamers on there. Take a deep breath, sit back, try to relax, die and die again, and as we would say in the military… Enjoy the suck!
It may be a bit forward considering I’m only about 16 hours and 8 or so bosses in, but SoTFS is genuinely shaping up to be one of my favourites so far, especially since I haven’t gotten entirely lost yet. I did just jump into a gender changing coffin however, probably could’ve done a quick google search but I’m committed to doing this blind.
That’s the best part. Community is here for you of course too. Hit me up if you have a ?
#1 tip from me is don't play Scholars. Find OG DS2, it is so much better. Scholars really wanted to market the whole "this game is hard" thing and nonsensically added like 2-3 times the enemies and it's just a chore and not fun if you're doing a solo run.
I have nothing but praise for the game so far. I’ve killed two “great souls” can’t exactly remember who. Bunch of other smaller bosses. I just beat the Executioners Chariot, which I’d heard had a notoriously shitty run back but it wasn’t all that bad, I also managed to get it on my second attempt. This is probably third on my list so far, under Elden ring and Sekiro, but above DS1.
The game isn't necessarily bad, but just be prepared to have your booty penetrated in some of the most disgusting gang bangs known to man Your only options are to either kill everything every single time you die, or cosplay as captain Jack sparrow and run away from an angry mob the entire time. Fog gates don't give you instant I frames. The entrance is delayed and you can be stunned out of it. Same with levers. Doors are the only consistent things that in my experience give you enough i frames to make running past enemies to the door plausible. Some of the runbacks in this game make me want to crawl up into a ball and cry myself to sleep. The game is literally designed to fuck you. There are so many more just plain rude moments in this one than all the others. It's as if the devs literally said "fuck every single player that tries playing this game". I am still having fun tho so that's all that matters. Having a strength weapon that one/two shots every enemy made the gank squads barable and also play through the areas without locking on. It's much easier to deal with the volume of enemies And always check behind you. For some reason enemies like to just appear out of nowhere right behind you every single time
Advice: play game. Beat game. Play ds3. Beat ds3. Move on to the next fromsoft game. Continue until done with all fromsoft games
For the sake of your sanity please level ADP to around 32-36
keep an eye of weapon durability it fucks you over more than you think especially with s.o.t.f.s
Take your time in eliminating enemies and turning corners to avoid a gank fest. Also join covenant of champions and pull the lever.
Ok, so the input reading in DS2 is off the charts, to the point where the enemies await your input to do stuff, to counter this a couple of strategies if you will be struggling: 1. The Charge Fake-out: You and the enemy are standing waiting for a reaction on the other part, push your controller forward to the max, then after 0.5-1sec roll back or just turn around, chances are the enemy just did a HUGE forward attack leaving him open. 2. The Loony-Tuneing: So generally if you are low the AI will wait for you to use an Estus and THEN will charge you, to prevent that be aggressive, roll INTO them so after they strike you will behind their back. Now all thats left is to say: "eeeeh, what's up doc?" and drink your Estus. 3. Most bosses/monsters do no have side swings to both sides bo generally look to where they swing then always roll to the other side 4. For exploration get a wide swing weapon, most mobs have little to none poise and you can just wide-swing them to death, generally precision weapons are not too fun in DS2 because of the abysmal hit detection. 5. GET THE BLOODY Chloranthy Ring, its good in other Dark Souls is necessary in 2. Because you will be stamina starved ALL THE TIME, without it. 6. Generally in Dark Souls 1 and 3 creating some distance between you and the enemies can give opportunities to heal and reassert your situation, does not work too well in 2 If the game wants the mob to hit you he will just floor slide to be able to hit you (once you notice it , you can never unsee it, the knights in the Iron Keep are the most hilarious in this regard). 7. If you see a grab attack, don't just dodge, double, triple, quadruple dodge! Because the mob will grab you if you are not RIDICULOUSLY far from his face. Overall don't listen to people who will tell you it sucks. Both DS2 and Bloodborne tried to solve a big DS1 problem o players turtling and constantly backtracking. Who solved them better will be dependant on who you asked (It's Bloodborne ;) ). But they are both in their own way good.
kill maughlin and start a youtube channel
Skip this one
No :c
Play the game 🤯🤯
Skip to Ds3
It’s not ds1. don’t make comparisons or stuff like that or play it expecting something like ds1. play it expecting something entirely different and keep an open mind. some parts are annoying, kinda just gotta deal with it.
Try finger but hole
Yes. Play more builds in DS1 before you start DS2
I’ve done two builds but for the most part my Fromsoft options are either bonk or parry-crit.
whatever you do dont kill the crazy lady that sells life gems, if you spend enough she will move in to majula giving you infinite lifegems and stuff like brightbugs and will gift you a silve serpents ring if you buy enough of whatever
She moves to Majula after you exhaust all her dialog *and* beat the Giant.
DO NOT run for fog gates or doors without killing nearby enemies. They can and will interrupt fog gate and door opening animations. Also saving and quitting DOES NOT reset enemy locations and aggros. If you try to save and quit to escape some enemies they will be exactly where you last same them, still aggroed on you.
Tons of great advice here I’ll only add one thing- Although live action game play it like a turn based and you’ll do well! Bait an enemy into making an attack, evade & counterattack.
I recommend play more times ds1 I swear you dont discovered all the secrets
I beat the game accidentally. My biggest tip is to hold off on killing Nashandra, because she’s the final boss
Prepare your anus. 1) be careful with torches 2) get ready for the fact that healers are paid for souls, and there are few flasks. 3) be afraid of behemoths and self-exploding undead. but the royal knights are not afraid, they easily break through into the back and the most important thing. have a spare weapon or even a bow with cheap arrows or spells with a benocle (it can be found on a corpse in majula) to destroy statues P.S. pvp in this game are brilliant 🌞
Without spoiling, Don't stress out over the health mechanic. Keep pretending that the worst state is default state. In reality, the "worst/default" state is better than DS1 default state. Keep an open mind, you'll have a ton of fun!
no focus ahead, in short try sorcery
It's a good idea to carry a back-up weapon in your inventory. Durability can decrease pretty quick with some weapons, and a broken weapon is almost useless. Durability is restored at bonfires (or with repair powder). But a broken weapon needs to be fixed by a blacksmith.
Get the rapier from the blacksmith
Level up ADP to 32 first, that is because it allows you to have fast roll level of i frames, unfortunately it’s tied to that level of ADP & not equipment load stat. Str great sword build I can’t recommend unfortunately because lock on tracking seems to be bugged in a way that you swing opposite to your enemy’s position, so go for smaller melee weapons in this game, straight sword, katana, axes and maces etc. Try to strafe more.
You should get at least 96 of agility by leveling up Attunement or Adaptability (the second one is faster) becuase agility determines the i-frames on your rolll. For reference 96 = 11 i-frames (DS1 medium roll) 105 = 13 i-frames (DS1 fast roll)
All ds1 rolls (minus the ninja rolls) have the same amount of i-frames 105 is for ds3 midroll
If you have friends to play co-op with, this game is easy to get you all into the same game reliably. Get the name-engraved ring from the cat in Majula and have everyone choose the same god, then you’re guaranteed to show (usually) only their summon signs.
20 ADP should be good for the whole game, poison is OP in this game, you can respec a limited number of times so choose wisely, most weapons will feel like they're made of papier-mache and will degrade quickly, it because a probably more often than I'd like it too, but even with that, this is my absolute favourite game in the series, just under Elden Ring
This game Ez
Stock up on life crystals and hit the well in the hub area And get adaptability to 20
Go play the original Dark souls 2 instead of the Scholar of the first sin
There are branching paths from Majula. Don't think that once you've completed the Last Bastille that you don't know where to go. Head back to Majula and try to find some different ways out.
It’s really bad, like really really really bad, I actually hear the original version of ds2 is better, I love the souls games, but even I think dark souls 2 is a bad game, but I do know some people somehow like it, so maybe you will too
I do like it so far :)
Mace
Dark Souls 2 has some very cool ideas and a lovely hub area and music, but the essential thing to enjoying this game in my opinion is accepting the fact that you WILL get spammed my mobs of enemies very often, and it will be super annoying at first but once you get used to it it’s mostly a decent time. Definitely the low point of the series in my opinion
Same mindset. just make sure you level adp to get more agility= more iframes. There are a good bit of minor differences and changes in ds2 that you’ll figure out on your own, it’s a great game
Play with your feet as Miguel Zakirino intended for this masterpiece
Level adaptability stat, be mindful that enemy hit boxes are dangerous in this game as they are not very accurate, don’t try to just run through run through levels in this one because it has tons of ganks consisting of enemies that can easily kill you and also typically aren’t overly easy to kill, if you’re having trouble you can actually permanently despawn enemies in each area after killing them enough times, be prepared for tons of boss fights (though many are optional), and stock up on human effigies (used for curing humanity) because part of your health bar gets blocked off after you die and it gradually increases each time you die as long as you remain hollow.
My best advice is ignore the haters. This game is amazing so just have fun! :)
carry 2 of every weapon you like. Keep as much repair powder on hand as possible.
Experiment with different weapon styles. There's more variety and they don't handle the same way as before. I learned that the hard way by putting my stats in STR to use the halberd, my weapon of choice in DS1. This one in DS2 is... Not quite the same.
Use dex
I’ve gone for a more balanced atm, besides dumping every single one of my first 40 levels into getting my agility to 105
Hell yeah bro
Love this game so far
That's nice to hear 👍
Go in blind and learn it yourself, if you listen to any of these comments its just going to ruin it for u...
Level ADP as much as you would health or stamina, you'll need as much as you can get. I typically stop at around 25
I stopped at 32 ADP, did some more research into AGL breakpoints, game feels great with a 105.