Dark Souls II - share your experiences, stories and builds!

Started by Hemingway, March 26, 2014, 12:14:17 PM

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Shjade

Quote from: Juicy Lucy on April 14, 2014, 07:45:16 PM
I recently beat DS2 on NG+6 and I can safely say that I'm not bored at all :) PVP in the BoB is really my strong suit, and I'm proud to say that I'm almost a R3.  My build is (or was) CMW Moonlight GS.
...this was more impressive until you noted your build. There's a reason that got nerfed. >.>
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Drake Valentine

Praise Nahr Alma!

I will probably go back to BoB, just couldn't find many worlds to invade for some reason at one point so joined the Sun Bros.

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Inkidu

Honestly, I'd be happy to feel like I accomplished something. I thought I had by taking down four named enemies with health bars that cover the bottom of the screen (because I've learned DS fans have weird definitions of what and what doesn't constitute a boss) but that hasn't really done anything.
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Kythshera

Quote from: Shjade on April 14, 2014, 07:53:39 PM
...this was more impressive until you noted your build. There's a reason that got nerfed. >.>

That's only my BoB character, and it was a real doozy.  I tend to love roleplaying, so she was a hardcore witch bitch who would abuse everything to get the upper hand.

My NG+1 character is a SL150 Old Leo Grand Lance knight.  God I love that weapon <3

Inkidu

I got past No-Man's Wharf and now am in the Forgotten Bastille. Finally got enough strength points to wield a bastard sword so I'm rocking that right now with a shield.

One day bastard swords will be depicted properly in games and I'll just cry of sheer joy. Dark Souls II is not that game.

EDIT: Those Igors in the Forgotten Bastion are pathetic. I fear a standard hollow over those things.

EDIT: I think I'm done with this game. I got to the Ruin Sentinels and I don't think I'm going to be able to pass them. Barring the fucking bushwhacking the first one will give you when you drop down (unavoidable unless you're luck or already know it's coming, so don't tell me with a straight face this game is entirely fair), I think the second and third jump up on you after killing the first, though it might only jump up once one falls off the platform. I just don't think it can reasonably be done without online help or a guide.

If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Chris Brady

Dark Souls IS fair in that it doesn't change the basic rules on you.  If there's a series of death pits in a level, there won't be one that won't kill you.  Like the typical trolling that the various Mario games did.  Where not ALL pits or pipes were death traps or unusable, but you had to guess.  Dark Souls won't do that to you, if a certain drop kills you, ALL the same drops will kill you.

But that's the only thing that's 'fair' about Dark Souls in my experience.

And what's your complaint about the Bastard Sword, anyway?  The original blade that was called a Bastard Sword was in fact, the grandfather to the Estoc, that was the grandfather of the Rapier.  it was a tapering to a point, typically two to one hand and half hilt blade that was harder than the average long sword (which unlike D&D's renaming it, was typically a 40-48" long two handed sword) which could be used in one or two hands, if you were strong enough.
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Inkidu

Quote from: Chris Brady on April 15, 2014, 03:05:12 PM
Dark Souls IS fair in that it doesn't change the basic rules on you.  If there's a series of death pits in a level, there won't be one that won't kill you.  Like the typical trolling that the various Mario games did.  Where not ALL pits or pipes were death traps or unusable, but you had to guess.  Dark Souls won't do that to you, if a certain drop kills you, ALL the same drops will kill you.

But that's the only thing that's 'fair' about Dark Souls in my experience.

And what's your complaint about the Bastard Sword, anyway?  The original blade that was called a Bastard Sword was in fact, the grandfather to the Estoc, that was the grandfather of the Rapier.  it was a tapering to a point, typically two to one hand and half hilt blade that was harder than the average long sword (which unlike D&D's renaming it, was typically a 40-48" long two handed sword) which could be used in one or two hands, if you were strong enough.

That's my point it's a hand and a half blade. It's mean to be swung with a combination of both hands or one (when properly trained) and it could also be wielded with all but the largest of shields, but in most games they're treated as a claymore Dark Souls II included. It should sit somewhere between a longsword and a great sword, but it's not. Mount & Blade: Warband has it as correct as I've ever seen it. It's a one handed blade mounted and a two-hander on foot.

EDIT: The Sentinels are absurdly easy on their own. In fact the most dangerous thing I've fun into in the Lost Bastion is the hollow knights with the greatswords. They attack you four at a time. I just don't want to deal with the death-reclaim circle if the Sentinels behave like I think they do.
If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Shjade

Quote from: Inkidu on April 15, 2014, 11:12:51 AM
I got to the Ruin Sentinels and I don't think I'm going to be able to pass them. Barring the fucking bushwhacking the first one will give you when you drop down (unavoidable unless you're luck or already know it's coming, so don't tell me with a straight face this game is entirely fair), I think the second and third jump up on you after killing the first, though it might only jump up once one falls off the platform. I just don't think it can reasonably be done without online help or a guide.
Luck, already know it's coming, or good reflexes. Went into that fight blind, was surprised by the abrupt drop, saw a large thing on my left side swinging something and reflex-rolled through it. Fight went fine after that, though it took a long time (1v2 always makes me play cautious). The second and third join in when you either kill the first or get too close to them.

That's a fight I farm for co-op souls and tokens of fidelity by basically solo-tanking the sentinels with a Red Eye Ring on (draws monsters' attention to you, thereby keeping the host safer) and letting the host unload on them, or just soloing them for them if they're not using a ranged build (it can be dangerous to melee the sentinels even while they're swinging at someone else given the wide range of their swings, and it's harder to time your evasion if they're not swinging at you).

That fight's really not that difficult, all things considered. The double Pursuers fight is much, much harder (but optional).

Sidenote, if you're on PS3 I could try helping you out. I say "try" because summoning for co-op isn't a guaranteed thing, which is still annoying.
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Inkidu

Playing online is not an option for me sadly, so keep that well in mind when you say fights are "easy".

EDIT: Okay, so with no other options (should I have hit my first primal bonfire by Forgotten Bastion because as usual: Heck if I know what I'm doing). I took on the Sentinels again. This time I said fuck it and jumped off the platform you land on. It was either die on the platform or die on the fall, so I lived, barely (because two did get some hits on me.) Popped some estus juice and took them out on the ground.

Well, I went ahead and found a Pharaoh door or whatever  they're called and ended up in a bell tower. Well. I went ahead past the killer midget and got locked into the belfry. Well... I couldn't go back so I went forward.

Surprise, surprise! Belfry Gargoyles! Two of them. Well I go okay, and take down one. Then two show up. I thoroughly crap my pants and basically dodge and weave. My poise is high enough to take most attacks on the shield, but that fight was so long I thought I was going to lose my shield and I did not prepare another one in my quick select to save on weight. Still, I managed to beat them first go, got a useless ring for my build and a bonfire, which I think I have to use to get out of that bonus area.

I think I'm able to do half the shit I do because no one tells me I shouldn't. I don't think I was supposed to be able to take down like eight of those freaking gargoyles. 
If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Shjade

Five gargoyles in that fight, and that's a rough one if you're going in blind. Nice job! =D

If I say a fight in Dark Souls 2 is easy, that means it can be soloed easily, so offline isn't really an issue. If it requires a phantom, it's clearly not easy. ;p The Lost Sinner fight on NG+, for instance, I haven't even attempted to solo yet.

The belfry is a special pvp-oriented area; you probably got locked in because someone was immediately invading you. It's like the forest was in Dark Souls 1, where there's a covenant (in this case, the Bell Covenant) dedicated to invading people in that specific zone. There are two of them - Belfry Luna and Belfry Sol - but you won't be seeing Sol for quite a while.

Glad to hear you're progressing. ^.^

Stats note: Poise is only relevant to hits you actually take; how well you can block hits is related to the shield's Stability stat.
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Inkidu

Quote from: Shjade on April 16, 2014, 12:36:23 AM
Five gargoyles in that fight, and that's a rough one if you're going in blind. Nice job! =D

If I say a fight in Dark Souls 2 is easy, that means it can be soloed easily, so offline isn't really an issue. If it requires a phantom, it's clearly not easy. ;p The Lost Sinner fight on NG+, for instance, I haven't even attempted to solo yet.

The belfry is a special pvp-oriented area; you probably got locked in because someone was immediately invading you. It's like the forest was in Dark Souls 1, where there's a covenant (in this case, the Bell Covenant) dedicated to invading people in that specific zone. There are two of them - Belfry Luna and Belfry Sol - but you won't be seeing Sol for quite a while.

Glad to hear you're progressing. ^.^

Stats note: Poise is only relevant to hits you actually take; how well you can block hits is related to the shield's Stability stat.
See, no idea what I'm doing, none at all! I'm progressing in as much as I keep making my character put one foot in front of another in a single direction. :\
If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Shjade

And that's how it works. You find out what you're doing by doing things. ^.^
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Inkidu

Nope probably most definitely done with the game now. Not a boss, not the lack of direction. The sound of creaking leather will probably haunt my nightmares from now. Whatever those exploders are they're cheap. That's a lot of damage to throw around for something that doesn't even take any damage when it explodes.

Nope that and combined with the fact that the first bonfire in Sinner's Rise has four crossbowmen right on top of the bonfire, which is absurdly cheap as fuck. I'm done. I could have had another bonfire between me and it, but noooooo there was a statue that I just couldn't break. Fuck. That. Noise. If I wanted to pay money to have someone abuse me I'd go to Amsterdam!

I get that the game is hard, but there's hard and then there's mean, petty, and spiteful. The Dark Souls series is just that. Fromsoftware doesn't want to challenge players, it wants to punish them for playing the game they created, and they get paid to do so. 

*claps hands together*

Out!

EDIT: They should rename Dark Souls 2 "Abusive Relationship Simulator 2014". I know, just know I'm going to go back to it. I could quit DS I easier because I didn't have money in it... and well it was pretty mediocre. :|

That and I just realized my back track won't be so bad. I'm still fucking livid over losing 20K souls just because this particular bonfire is covered by four or so crossbowmen. *sticks the game the bird*

EDIT: Oh the Lost Sinner how I hate thee. I should have won that fight with my eyes closed, but he's got some hitbox dissonance or something. Not matter how I moved or dodged he could at least hit my shield with his whole combo most times. He's got some unreal cover for a guy whose hands are literally bound.

*sticks the game the bird again*

I didn't go through exploders and skull-tails to die because this guy refused to have any of his attacks circled around. Come on game!
If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Shjade

Yeah, the Sinner's Rise bonfire is kinda bullshit. I don't know why they arranged that one the way they did.

Lost Sinner, on the other hand, is much like Artorias from Dark Souls' DLC: if you're trying to block/circle around him, you're kinda doing it wrong. You CAN do it with a greatshield, or just a really high stability standard shield, but it's the slow, choppy way to do it. His sword is so long and his swings are so fast that trying to block and then attack through the combo will usually get you punished or just whiffing the attack (unless, again, greatshield to be right in his face the whole time), and dodging away is unlikely to get you an opening to attack. You have to man up and dodge into his attacks to get to his back.

Also, lighting the torches in his chamber apparently makes the fight a lot easier. This is what I'm told, at least; I've never bothered lighting them. You can, though, since you went through the belfry first so you should have the Bastille key to open the doors to light the lamps. They're up those stairs on either side of the boss door. Need a lit torch, though, which means either carrying a lit torch down there from the bonfire or using a Flame Butterfly to ignite your torch once you're there.
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Inkidu

Quote from: Shjade on April 16, 2014, 06:13:33 PM
Yeah, the Sinner's Rise bonfire is kinda bullshit. I don't know why they arranged that one the way they did.

Lost Sinner, on the other hand, is much like Artorias from Dark Souls' DLC: if you're trying to block/circle around him, you're kinda doing it wrong. You CAN do it with a greatshield, or just a really high stability standard shield, but it's the slow, choppy way to do it. His sword is so long and his swings are so fast that trying to block and then attack through the combo will usually get you punished or just whiffing the attack (unless, again, greatshield to be right in his face the whole time), and dodging away is unlikely to get you an opening to attack. You have to man up and dodge into his attacks to get to his back.

Also, lighting the torches in his chamber apparently makes the fight a lot easier. This is what I'm told, at least; I've never bothered lighting them. You can, though, since you went through the belfry first so you should have the Bastille key to open the doors to light the lamps. They're up those stairs on either side of the boss door. Need a lit torch, though, which means either carrying a lit torch down there from the bonfire or using a Flame Butterfly to ignite your torch once you're there.
I just killed the guys and rested at the bonfire until the crossbowmen stopped spawning.

Anyway, I have no idea what key you're talking about. I have found no key. I typically don't use torches because I'm a sword and board on the build and that kind of messes with my shield arm.

Also, why bother referencing the DLC for a game I think I've made clear I didn't finish? I mean how am I supposed to get that reference? :\
If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Shjade

You don't need to get the reference, I was just making a comparison and then explaining the comparison. ;p

The key is in the area below the bonfire at Belfry Luna. There's a ladder down to an alley full of dogs? Key's in there.
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Inkidu

Quote from: Shjade on April 16, 2014, 06:29:42 PM
You don't need to get the reference, I was just making a comparison and then explaining the comparison. ;p

The key is in the area below the bonfire at Belfry Luna. There's a ladder down to an alley full of dogs? Key's in there.
The bonfire at the end of the belfry? If so, thank God. I was afraid I was going to have to backtrack past the exploders again. at

EDIT: The tutorial was not as straightforward as I thought. :\

I watched my brother play for a bit and missed the tutorial on parrying (still knew how to do that from the last game more or less), plunge attacks, guard breaks, and jump attacks. :P

EDIT: So I went back, got killed a couple of times, got the key, lit the sconces. Kicked the Sinner's ass. What lighting the torches (from what I've observed) eliminates his jump to break your lock-on.

So he's my first grand soul, which is apparently usable for souls. :\

I'm busy picking through my considerable collection of point metal things trying to figure out what to pack. I've got that +5 winged spear, and it's not as impressive as I hoped it be.

EDIT: Dear God, I think I might actually be beginning to like this game. Actually I'm sure I'll like it once the need to progress is gone. It's just can it keep me interested enough and all that jazz.
If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Shjade

Yeah, having his room lit lets you stay locked on farther away, though you don't really NEED to be locked on to him all the time. I've heard it also slows him down a little bit, but I don't know if that's true or just someone's impression of the fight seeming slower for some reason.

Regardless, glad you got him! =D I believe you can use the Lost Sinner's soul for souls without breaking the game, but if you're worried about it just wait to use it until you open the door that requires all four great souls first.
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Inkidu

Quote from: Shjade on April 16, 2014, 09:59:52 PM
Yeah, having his room lit lets you stay locked on farther away, though you don't really NEED to be locked on to him all the time. I've heard it also slows him down a little bit, but I don't know if that's true or just someone's impression of the fight seeming slower for some reason.

Regardless, glad you got him! =D I believe you can use the Lost Sinner's soul for souls without breaking the game, but if you're worried about it just wait to use it until you open the door that requires all four great souls first.
No I didn't get the slower feel.

It was kind of important that I stay locked on since I use a shield a lot. He'd jump back I'd lose him, turn before I could adjust and he'd gank me. So I'm glad he's behind me. I guess I'm taking the yore branch to depetrify the lady over the switch.

I'm kind of disappointed to see that Fromsoftware couldn't resist Japanese anime buster swords. I liked Dark Souls's realistic greatswords.

If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Shjade

It's funny: some of the swords that were silly-huge in Dark Souls were trimmed down in Dark Souls 2 (namely the Moonlight Greatsword, which just looks like a blue claymore in DS2 but was Benhart's goofy-fat blue sword in Dark Souls), but others were inflated (most obviously the Greatsword, which is now ridiculous).
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Inkidu

Quote from: Shjade on April 16, 2014, 10:15:53 PM
It's funny: some of the swords that were silly-huge in Dark Souls were trimmed down in Dark Souls 2 (namely the Moonlight Greatsword, which just looks like a blue claymore in DS2 but was Benhart's goofy-fat blue sword in Dark Souls), but others were inflated (most obviously the Greatsword, which is now ridiculous).
I think for my next game I'm going to go duelist. Cestus and sword (probably not falchion) or I might rock a couple situationally.
If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Shjade

If you want to go with a caestus for dual wielding, you might as well go dual caestus for powerstance fisticuffs. Sort of a waste to use one with a sword; I'm pretty sure they're incompatible weapon types to powerstance together.
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Inkidu

Quote from: Shjade on April 16, 2014, 10:20:24 PM
If you want to go with a caestus for dual wielding, you might as well go dual caestus for powerstance fisticuffs. Sort of a waste to use one with a sword; I'm pretty sure they're incompatible weapon types to powerstance together.
Doesn't power stance require joining the Covenant of Champions, which in turn removes a lot of the AI's shackling?
If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Shjade

No. Power stance just requires you to have 150% of the required stats for wielding whichever weapon requires the higher stats (so if you wanted to power stance, say, a bastard sword (20 str/11 dex) and a longsword (10 str/9 dex), you'd need 30 strength and 17 dexterity. If you wanted to PS a falchion (9/13) and a scimitar (7/16), you'd need 14 strength and 24 dex. Int/faith requirements are irrelevant for powerstance, only str/dex requirements matter.

All the Covenant of Champions does is null co-op and inflate NPC stats. The max rank reward is a ring that makes your bare hands hit harder. It doesn't do anything else special.
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Drake Valentine

I head dualing those two magic swords were good. Not sure of their name, I dont have the faith requirement for em. You can cast with them too but not as fast as staff or other item. I might make another character build for them.

"When I'm Done With You, You'll Be a:
Raped, Bloody, And Humiliated, Little Alice in Wonderland."

Introduction | O&Os | O&Os2 | IM RP Request(Canceled 04/11/2010) | A&As(Updated 10/29/13) | Solo RP Request (Updated 09/20/14)
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