1981

Ok, thanks! Were you both running around to avoid the king while your helper was preparing?

1982

It was just him and I, and I summoned him at the start of the level. He Mokoto’d there. It was pretty funny when he one shoted the invading player, the guy rounded a corner and than Bam…dead. Hyper mode is no joke, I actually have started a second character to build in that direction.

1983

I guess you dispensed with Biorr. With his help Penetrator was the shortest boss fight in NG+ and NG++ for me (and not Adjudicator as I earlier claimed). I got off only one or two casts of Soul Ray and the baddie was down. Couldn’t really call it a fight any more. An execution would be more apt. Still, very nice to be on that side of the equation for once.

1984

I think I used it only in one session (when farming the red knights just before 1-4) during 3.5 play-throughs. I did fine without it but then again I was always offline. I was too impatient to take my health down after every level entrance. Come to think of it, I never even used the Makoto even though I ended up with two of them. Maybe it works quick enough.

1985

The Mokoto is quick enough, but even with the Morion Blade and Clever Rat’s ring equiped I just didn’t min/max my stats enough for it to be worth while.

While the damage the dedicated build can dish out is impressive, I actually prefer melee to any sort ranged combat.

1986

No, not yet I hadn’t. And as you say, Biorr was a murder machine in NG+ although I still did the bulk of the damage. I just wanted to try out the whole Soul/Body full coop approach to the game to spice things up with black phantoms and the like. I only kill NPCs right before the last fight.

To get the ring trophy, do you have to have them all in your inventory? I ask because I’m almost sure I’ve had a few rings disappear at this point, including the Foe ring. It’s no big deal to do the mephistopheles thing again, but it’s kind of annoying.

1987

I don’t have my Asian copy on hand (I +5ed the makoto trying to figure out how to make it worthwhile), but does upgrading it speed up the bleeding? It takes forever to reduce health, and I’d like to be at least as fast as inflicted poison or something.

1988

I guess it just doesn’t bother me to wait a few moments for my health to get down. I suppose it’s pretty subjective though.

1989

One of things I’m so impressed with about this game - apart from the fact that it’s moody as hell - is that when I die it never feels cheap. I feel a bit stung if I drop 40k+ souls, but it’s always because I was impatient or screwed up somehow, I never feel like a die is being rolled somewhere matching my HIT against the monster’s DEF: if I miss, then I miss.

Today I dispatched Flamelurker and The Adjudicator and did some more exploring. I much prefer the stone and wind of 4-1 to the caves and platforms of 5-1. For DS2 more castles and dungeons (3-1 is amazing!) and less swamps and wooden platforms plz, kthxbye!

1990

BALLS, false king stole a soul level. Do I get it back when I kill him…?

Edit: It’s on my bloodstain.

1991

Not actually on the avatar, this I know. I had all copies of many of the different ring types in storage with Stockpile Thomas when I got my final ring and the trophy.

I don’t know for sure but I guess you need to own them at the same time. It’s probably not enough that you have had them at some point. At least that seems intuitive. Did I understand correctly that your experience seems to confirm this theory?

1992

World 5 is just unlikable. Although 3-2 is similar. (platforms and a dark ass swamp)

1993

PLease do not put Plague babies in DS2!!!

1994

I totally avoided looking at the babies closely. I do NOT want them in my permanent memory – or dreams.

1995

Man those things were creepy…
I’m having a really hard time with the false king, and I’m starting to feel like I may have spread my stats out too much. Whenever I fight other players, I’m doing menial damage and getting my ass kicked pretty easily if I slip up. I’m still in my first play through, is it possible I’m playing people from their 2nd playthrough and up? I’m also really regretting ignoring all forms of casting until level 60ish, I’m just realizing now how incredibly useful it can be. So, all in all, I’m debating starting a new character once I finish my first playthrough with this character, and going about things with more of a solid idea of what I want my character to be.

1996

People yes, characters no. “you must both be within (10 + (Soul Level/10)) levels of the other” so at level 70 the opponents are within ±17 levels. More detailed information here.

Player skill counts for a lot. If your enemy is an experienced player with a new character it will be a tough fight.

1997

I’m fiddling around with a Thief/Magic User for my second character - magic and arrows from afar and dual-wielding daggers for close work. Does anyone have weapon suggestions for her? The Baby’s Nail probably mainhand, and maybe Makoto offhand? Or is that going to take up too many colourless demon’s souls and I’d be better with one unique weapon and something Moon- related in the other paw?

1998

Have you already considered and discarded the parrying dagger? I’ve never used it, but presumably it lives up to its name for off hand use.

1999

Ah, right, I hadn’t thought of that; mostly because my parrying skill sucks :o Perhaps I’ll give it a whirl.

The wiki does not advise dual wielding because the offhand weapon cannot perform combos, but only repeats the same attack, but I just don’t like the idea of an Assassin who not only doesn’t dual wield stabby things, but, HORROR!, carries a shield. The shield will be all but useless anyway - I’m hoping to not be in a position where I need to block something - so why not grab the extra damage? I guess I could offhand a Catalyst for some melee/magic application.

2000

On that note, for a new player starting out. What are good weapons for the thief that I should pursue in the early levels. I’ve just beaten Phalanx a couple times with different characters and settled on the thief. I’m just not sure what weapons to go after. I’m thinking the uchigata thing and a rapier for slashing and piercing. Is that a good/safe route to take?