Dark Souls - Demon's Souls Spiritual Successor

[quarryman]

You should try dashing up to the entrance of the room, then dashing right back to area in front of the bonfire. This will split the room by pulling only 1 or 2 of the creatures out. Just run fast enough to avoid the bombs being hurled on you and you’ll be okay.

If you’re getting further than that you might be running into the Black Knight down a set of stairs (past the three steel armored guys and the sniper). Don’t bother with him for now, go up the stairs to the left instead.

yep, I’m near the Black Knight.

As mentioned, ignore the black knight. (I assume that’s the big boss sorta guy you’re talking about.) He’s tough at your level, and entirely optional. If you do want to take him on, the key is to backstab him repeatedly while dodging or blocking his attacks.

Beware of splitting too many points between dex and str. A mix can be good to get access to some weapons that require both, but for scaling damage you’ll want to focus on one or the other.

Basically, stats serve two roles: They unlock access to things by meeting certain prerequisites, and they scale your damage output. The former is a this-much-but-no-more kind of thing–that is, if you need 12 dex to get access to a certain weapon, there’s no value at all in having 13 dex. The latter (stat scaling) is where a big investment pays off–every point will make you do more damage.

You want to pick at most one scaling stat to focus on, so you can reap the big damage payoff from going deep.

That said, don’t worry too much about screwing yourself. There are damage options that don’t rely on stat scaling at all that will carry you perfectly well to the end of the game. This is actually one of the most brilliant aspects to the character development system, I think–you can produce a complete wreck of a character, and still keep going by using one of the non-stat-based damage sources.

I should have been a bit more specific as to where I am. I’m getting killed in around thispoint, repeatedly. The “boss” I’m referring to is at 14:57 in that vid. But I’ve been avoiding him.

I’m not looking for an exact solution to this particular section but more general tips or things i might be missing in the gameplay.

Not spreading the stats, I’ll try that so. I’ve been trying to create a tank character with no idea whether that’s possible in the game. Maybe it isn’t.

[Hanacker]

Yeah, don’t go that way. Go up the stairs the guy runs past at 14:51. Have you been doing that and still getting killed? Have you not made it to the Taurus Demon boss? I think you only have to kill a couple more guys after you go up those stairs.

You can go super tanky if you focus on pyromancy and/or elemental weapons. Otherwise you’re going to need to boost one of str, dex, int, or faith (if your favorite weapon has split stat scaling then you can boost more than one). And don’t put anything into resistance no matter how you build.

[Damien_Neil]

I should have been a bit more specific as to where I am. I’m getting killed in around thispoint, repeatedly. The “boss” I’m referring to is at 14:57 in that vid. But I’ve been avoiding him.

I’m not looking for an exact solution to this particular section but more general tips or things i might be missing in the gameplay.

Not spreading the stats, I’ll try that so. I’ve been trying to create a tank character with no idea whether that’s possible in the game. Maybe it isn’t.

Yes, that’s a black knight in that video. Don’t fight him. You can kill him at your current level and gear, but it’ll be really, really hard.

General tips…hm. Get good at backstabbing: Circle around behind an enemy, drop your shield, and attack. Backstabs are a core strategy for dealing with most human-sized enemies.

Push forward. You’re almost to the the boss for this area and the next bonfire is right past him.

If you want a tank character, you’ll want a good investment in endurance, which will let you wear heavier armor. My personal strategy ran to the opposite of a tank–very light armor and almost no health–so I can’t offer much advice on how to play one. Endurance is a very useful stat either way.

I’m really tempted to say that vitality is a bad investment–it’ll help you when you screw up, but it’s useless when you’re on top of your game–but that may be my personal prejudices talking.

[quarryman]

Yeah, don’t go that way. Go up the stairs the guy runs past at 14:51. Have you been doing that and still getting killed? Have you not made it to the Taurus Demon boss? I think you only have to kill a couple more guys after you go up those stairs.

You can go super tanky if you focus on pyromancy and/or elemental weapons. Otherwise you’re going to need to boost one of str, dex, int, or faith (if your favorite weapon has split stat scaling then you can boost more than one). And don’t put anything into resistance no matter how you build.

Yep I’m just getting owned eventually, running out of health regen “potions”. I think I just suck in general but I’m slowly getting that hang of the combat. I spent an hour at least on one section but was never tempted to rage-quit, deaths never feel cheap, just an indication i need to improve.

[Hanacker]

I’m really tempted to say that vitality is a bad investment–it’ll help you when you screw up, but it’s useless when you’re on top of your game–but that may be my personal prejudices talking.

It’s your personal prejudices talking. Unless you’re incredible at the game, you will make mistakes and you will get hit. Sometimes you’ll make two mistakes in quick succession and then more vitality can save you. Strength or dex helps you win fights by getting fights over quicker and giving you less opportunity to make mistakes - vitality helps you win fights by making mistakes less painful. It’s really just a personal preference and play style decision. If you tend to make mistakes in bunches, take more points in vit.

[Hanacker]

Yep I’m just getting owned eventually, running out of health regen “potions”. I think I just suck in general but I’m slowly getting that hang of the combat. I spent an hour at least on one section but was never tempted to rage-quit, deaths never feel cheap, just an indication i need to improve.

What weapon are you using? The same starting one? Is there any specific monster you’re having problems with? For the most part try to draw out monsters one at a time - you usually have a lot of room to fall back. You can try switching to a spear for a while since it lets you keep your shield up while you poke, but some people say that just teaches you bad habits if you want to switch to a different weapon later.

[quarryman]

What weapon are you using? The same starting one? Is there any specific monster you’re having problems with? For the most part try to draw out monsters one at a time - you usually have a lot of room to fall back. You can try switching to a spear for a while since it lets you keep your shield up while you poke, but some people say that just teaches you bad habits if you want to switch to a different weapon later.

No I picked up a morning star.

Which reminds me though. I picked up a bow but haven’t found any arrows, do they need to bought from merchants? Would have expected to have found some by now otherwise…

[Hanacker]

You find a few arrows here and there but you mostly need to buy them.

[Jab]

No I picked up a morning star.

Which reminds me though. I picked up a bow but haven’t found any arrows, do they need to bought from merchants? Would have expected to have found some by now otherwise…

There is a merchant in undeadburg that I believe sells arrows. Before the first bonfire there is a path to the right where there are two spear guys, kill them and go down the stairs there to find a shopkeeper.

[Damien_Neil]

Arrows can be bought from the male undead merchant, who is located very close to your current position. From the undead burg bonfire, go down the stairs and hang a left. There’s an open space that has a descending staircase obscured by barrels and other junk. The merchant is down there; you probably missed him. It’s pretty easy to do.

Play around with different weapons a lot, and don’t worry too much about the base damage stat. A claymore controls entirely differently than a spear, and it’s worth finding which one suits you the best. I used an estus for most of the early section of the game. (I believe there’s one to be found in the cemetary.)

At your point in the game, the speed, reach, and other such characteristics of a weapon are more important than any stats.

That’s about to change, however–you’re very close to the drake sword, which is a massive upgrade over what you’re using now. You can either choose to get the sword and use it, which will make the first third of the game hugely easier, or pass it up in favor of a less unbalanced weapon progression.

Personally, I went with it. If you don’t get it, you will absolutely want to pick a favored weapon and start upgrading it as soon as possible.

If you want the drake sword, look it up on the wiki as soon as you get to the bridge with the dragon. You’ll want a good stock of arrows–100 or so should do the trick.

[Hanacker]

I used an estus for most of the early section of the game. (I believe there’s one to be found in the cemetary.)

If you mean an Estoc, yes there is.

You can either choose to get the sword and use it, which will make the first third of the game hugely easier, or pass it up in favor of a less unbalanced weapon progression.

I think the Drake sword is supposed to be for making a second playthrough quicker and would recommend skipping it, but it’s up to you.

[Damien_Neil]

If you mean an Estoc, yes there is.

I think the Drake sword is supposed to be for making a second playthrough quicker and would recommend skipping it, but it’s up to you.

Right, estoc. Darned names. :>

I’m honestly not sure what the drake sword is for. It’s easy to get, but only if you’re well-spoiled. But the game is, in some sense, supposed to be spoiled–the entire message-on-the-floor system is an explicit in-game mechanism for passing spoilers around! And if you pass up the drake sword, the alternative is weapon advancement which almost demands even more spoilers to understand.

So, for the new player, I think the best thing to do is just understand the drake sword’s place in the spectrum of available choices: It’s a really good weapon available early in the game through a somewhat obscure mechanism. You won’t get anything that’ll equal it for a long, long time. You don’t need it, but it will absolutely make your life a lot easier. If you want to pass it up, you absolutely must figure out the basics of weapon upgrade system sooner rather than later.

[Mind_Elemental]

So, for the new player, I think the best thing to do is just understand the drake sword’s place in the spectrum of available choices: It’s a really good weapon available early in the game through a somewhat obscure mechanism. You won’t get anything that’ll equal it for a long, long time. You don’t need it, but it will absolutely make your life a lot easier.

I agree with most of the advice already given, with a couple of exceptions:

[ol]
[li]The Drake Sword doesn’t retain its advantage for that long – I’m only two or so zones past quarryman and after five upgrades (funded by farming bosses in coop), I already have a weapon that can match it. That said, the Drake Sword is still a huge advance over the knight’s starting weapon, so I heartily recommend grabbing it when you have the chance.[/li][li]As someone who IS playing a tank, I’ve been getting along just fine without backstabs. I’ve invested heavily in endurance so I can carry a heavy weapon, repeatedly take blows on my shield, wear most of my armour, and still move quickly once I take off my gauntlets.[/li][/ol]

[merryprankster]

Am I the only one who kinda hates the soul farming spot in this game? It just feels like too much of a glitch. I liked the reaper a lot better. It was a great farming spot but it felt a lot more deliberate.

[Damien_Neil]

Am I the only one who kinda hates the soul farming spot in this game? It just feels like too much of a glitch. I liked the reaper a lot better. It was a great farming spot but it felt a lot more deliberate.

It’s really not the only or even the best farming spot. I never farmed there. (Assuming you mean the Darkroot Garden spot.)

Ironically, the only time I really farmed souls was to open the garden door.

[CheesyPoof]

I noticed that I don’t seem to have the white sign soapstone anymore. I used it once and was summoned into a boss fight (successful), but now I’m missing it. I didn’t think it was a consumable like that. Do I have to trudge back to that sun guy to get more?

[merryprankster]

It’s really not the only or even the best farming spot. I never farmed there. (Assuming you mean the Darkroot Garden spot.)

Ironically, the only time I really farmed souls was to open the garden door.

Yeah, I meant Darkroot Garden cheese spot. I’m not super far into the game, but I am glad to hear there are other farm spots.

I always find myself doing a bit of soul farming for a spell or piece of gear. I was bummed that I had been hearing that Darkroot was the Reaper equivalent in Dark Souls.

[Jape]

I noticed that I don’t seem to have the white sign soapstone anymore. I used it once and was summoned into a boss fight (successful), but now I’m missing it. I didn’t think it was a consumable like that. Do I have to trudge back to that sun guy to get more?

maybe you placed it in bottomless box? (it is not consumable)

[CheesyPoof]

maybe you placed it in bottomless box? (it is not consumable)

I will have to check that, thanks.

Any tips for the gaping demon? I had summoned the two NPCs and only got to 1/2 before they were vanquished and it was not long before I was.

[Hanacker]

The Gaping Demon is actually really easy once you get his attack pattern down. Stay away from him while his body and head is up. When he puts it on the ground, slowly approach his rear but not close enough to touch him. He’ll charge forward and then you can hit him a few times and back off before he can tail whip you (if you can cut his tail off, even better). Run the hell away when he flies up. If he lands on you it can be game over. You can also snipe him with arrows or magic pretty easily too - just stay behind him and out of tail range.

Oh and add lightning damage to your weapon if you can.