The Official Souls Forum (Demon/DS1/DS2)

[Killphil]

This is a call to all members seasoned and new who enjoy the Souls series and wish to discuss anything and everything in either game. From Demon Souls to Dark Souls, and now Dark Souls 2. Discuss anything and everything in regards to the game franchise in this thread!

-Lore
-Equipment
-Character Builds
-Strategies
-PvP stories
-Progress in the game
-Help for struggling players

You name it. I'm making this because aside from mk, this is the ONLY other game that I've been playing for the last 2 years. If my entire game library was destroyed and only those two were left, I wouldn't be terribly upset. Now without further ado.... Enenra , LETHAL LEGEND Phase 3 (the incredible comic maker? holy cow!) Son ov Timett.

To start things, I have 6-7 characters in the game, as I'm always making new ones these days. I don't generally like faith builds, so thats what I'm doing with my current deprived. I don't level much higher than say 120, but I may start with the addition of the Colosseum in the dlc. We'll continue to discuss as more is added to the convo though.

Adding the character builder here for ease of access: http://mugenmonkey.com/darksouls/

 

[Son ov Timett]

I only have 1 build (pure melee) 140 hours in. SL 64, 40 Dex, 40 Endurance. I just finished getting my required Souvenirs of Reprisal for Darkmoon +3 and DM miracle, so I'll be putting atleast 30 in to Faith at some point.

In brief, this game fn slays!

 

[Killphil]

Holy cow! I prefer melee really, as about half my builds are either strength or dexterity based. +3 Darkmoon is a very impressive feat, and I've only accomplished the task once before. Is this still your first playthrough Son ov Timett?

 

[Son ov Timett]

Yep, earned all those Souvenirs legit via PVP, it just would not feel the same farming them in the Painted World. I've finished everything sans the DLC and Kiln of the First Flame. I'm debating whether or not to do a NG+, a new build, or just end the game all together. This game is a damn time sink, as great as it may be.

 

[Killphil]

You are in for a big treat with the dlc. NG+ will also be quite a shock. Be sure to upgrade your armor! The paladin armor is one of the best armors in the game.

Btw I don't know if you noticed, but how do you feel about certain buffs/nerfs that were applied to the game with the addition of the dlc?

 

[Son ov Timett]

I started playing after the patch, so don't have the faintest clue on any nerfs/buffs. They need to nerf dark magic though, that shit is fn stupid. I usually roll with black iron+5 chest, black iron gauntlets +5, crimson waistcloth+5, head variable, with Wolf and ROFAP rings. My vitality is at 15, so need to stay well protected, also provides really good poise.

 

[smokey]

Im on 4 kings on my NG+ SL10 pyro-wraith atm, its doing my friggin nut in, but SL10 darkwraith is so much fun!

 

[Son ov Timett]

If I went Str I would wield the Dragon Greatsword, slow as all hell, but that thing packs a friggin punch and looks damn cool. I roll with 192 Stamina, and two hits from that thing breaks my guard.

Black Knight Great Axe is supposed to be the fastest of the high strength based weapons, but Zweihander by all accounts is solid.

 

[Impose]

This actually is one game I can give endless help with should people need it

I have well over 800 hours logged on dark souls, along with over 5 tournaments won. Including zero poise tournaments and limit tournaments.
I've beaten Peeve, Freeminds, D_invader and a whole host of others. Dark Souls is honestly the best game I have ever played in my life and I'd love to help others enjoy it as much as I have.

I'll glady teach anything anyone wants to know, PvP builds, tactics, parry timings, delay timings, hit boxes, damage on counter, PvE help. Anything.

 

[Killphil]

Artorias is so cool. I'm still hung up on it.

This is my first souls game ever, and I'm going a heavy strength build. I have a Zweihander +5, is this a good weapon and worth all the upgrading for a strength build? Especially since I'll be wearing Artorias' armor soon enough.

For me, it's a toss up between Zweihander and Black Knight's Halbert.

If you're going heavy strength, then don't modify the Zwei. Just get it to +15 and carry resins with you. Nothing like adding Fire/Lightning/Poison to your blade whenever you want. With the Artorias set just check your poise. I think the number should be around 40-50, which should be fine. Are you familiar with how poise works in the game yet?

 

[Phase 3]

I put somewhere over 100 hours into Dark Souls across two different characters.

Main character, if I'm not mistaken, is around 160SL and I lost count of how many times I've restarted a NG+ on that file. My other character only cleared the game once and was created for the sole purpose of experimenting with a magic build that didn't particularly impress me.

I can be somewhat of goal-oriented completionist which, in many instances, causes me to take an extended (or permanent) break from games once I've conquered them. Because of this, I haven't spent as much time with Demon's Souls or Dark Souls after getting their platinum trophies; however, I did return briefly to Dark Souls when the dlc was released.

My main characters are often archetypal Paladins with a lot of strength and faith, although once you get to a high enough Soul Level and start hitting caps, you become pretty well rounded anyway. Regardless of stat allocation, my playstyle revolves around having a sturdy shield, some poise-heavy armor and the occasional Miracles to provide much needed versatility.

Hopefully more people check out this thread; there are a lot of discussion topics worth exploring, such as: preferred weapons, favorite bosses, worst memories, lore speculation, etc.




On a side note, I almost feel guilty because I made no accompanying crudely-Photoshopped image or any other attempt to make this post even remotely humorous.

 

[Enenra]

On a side note, I almost feel guilty because I made no accompanying crudely-Photoshopped image or any other attempt to make this post even remotely humorous.

I liked it anyways because you're Phase 3 and I say ten hail maries in your name every night.

 

[Killphil]

snip

Well its not a comic per say, but how about a video?

 

[Impose]

Artorias is so cool. I'm still hung up on it.

This is my first souls game ever, and I'm going a heavy strength build. I have a Zweihander +5, is this a good weapon and worth all the upgrading for a strength build? Especially since I'll be wearing Artorias' armor soon enough.

For me, it's a toss up between Zweihander and Black Knight's Halbert.

What you want to decide early when you make builds designed around single stats is what weapon it is you need and whether or not you are going to be going with what is called a scaling build

Obviously we all know that a zweihander takes massive amounts of strength to wield, however the question becomes do you want to +15 it and use the stats to gain damage. Or do you wish to only get the required strength to wield it then upgrade it along a nonscaling path.

If you want my personal opinion, the Zweihander has some of the worst scaling of weapons in this game. (C/D) It is a horrible weapon for a scaling build.

My advice would be to get the required strength to wield it one handed (since I'm assuming this is pve) then stop and spend the rest of your points into vit/end.

 

[Son ov Timett]

Also, slabs are pretty hard to come by until you enter the kiln, so until your dead set on a weapon, leave it at +14. You can get an easy slab by killing the Stray Demon upon your return to Undead Asylum.

 

[Killphil]

I am, my poise is 46. (Thanks Son ov Timett for explaining it to me.) But the Zwei is a good sword? I can carry it with me though the game?

I used it for one of my builds. Its only different from the greatsword by the heavy attack. You can always carry a backup. Edit: Just checked, you actually need 32 str and 18 dex to wield the black knight halberd.

Your poise is almost enough to take a swing from a greatsword and not flinch. No big deal, as greatswords have been heavily nerfed to the point where I question usefulness at times. In short, someone would need a pretty big weapon to make you flinch, or at least hit you a few times beforehand.

 

[Impose]

Ok. Can you recommend a good monster damage, high strength sword? I'm leveling vitality, endurance, and strength, and I leveled everything else just decent enough to accomplish whatever I needed it for. But I'm mostly going strength and endurance.

Ok. When you say monster weapon I assume you mean an Ultra Greatsword/Axe

My question I now pose to you. Well part question part statement. There is no bad weapon in this game for pve besides maybe whips. Weapons are all style based.

That said obviously I can reccomend to you some of the better ones. My question, do you wish to be a pure strength build (by that I mean using a weapon that scales heavily with strength and you are rewarded well for investing stats into it) or do you wish to do more of the tank build?

The differences between the two are easily found. With pure strength builds you see the sort of offensive berserker. Tank builds are just that, tankier but still able to do damage.

 

[Impose]

Berserker. Most definitely. I was looking for the term since I knew I wasn't a tank, I just want huge damage and I like the look and feel of ultra great swords.

Killphil My strength is high enough for both, it's pretty good actually.

Then, my friend, I reccomend to you this monster

S scaling in strength (best that exists). Some of the better animations for the largest weaons in this game. And pretty cool looking too boot.

http://darksouls.wikidot.com/demon-s-greataxe

Also just so you know. The scaling for stats has massive diminishing returns past 40. So be careful how much past about 50 you put into a single stat point

 

[Killphil]

Then, my friend, I reccomend to you this monster

S scaling in strength (best that exists). Some of the better animations for the largest weaons in this game. And pretty cool looking too boot.

http://darksouls.wikidot.com/demon-s-greataxe

Also just so you know. The scaling for stats has massive diminishing returns past 40. So be careful how much past about 50 you put into a single stat point

It says A there, has it been changed since the patch?

 

[Impose]

It says A there, has it been changed since the patch?

Once its upgraded to +11 it becomes S scaling

 

[Impose]

Cool, thank you. I'll look out for that.

That's what I heard. Figured in lower 40s I'd focus on vitality instead of strength.

You need at least 46 strength to swing that hammer one handed

Not sure if you know but you can actually 2h swing every weapon in this game besides one or two with less strength then it says is required to wield.

 

[Killphil]

Once its upgraded to +11 it becomes S scaling

I see. I totally overlook this stuff even though I've played through this game so much. I never got into the tournament thing, but my friend is interested in doing so. Really glad the limited equipment/weapon tournaments weren't a myth. lol

 

[Impose]

I see. I totally overlook this stuff even though I've played through this game so much. I never got into the tournament thing, but my friend is interested in doing so. Really glad the limited equipment/weapon tournaments weren't a myth. lol

They certainly exist.

Zero poise tournaments are by far some of the most entertaining things to watch ever.

 

[Impose]

I two hand everything for the damage and mobility increase (no shield), I figured that out. Thanks man

No problem dude. Lemme know if you need anything else. I do reccomend at least having the grass crest shield equipped to help with the stamina you will surely lose from your heavy load of equipment.


I'm really happy to see people playing Dark Souls

 

[Son ov Timett]

Ok. When you say monster weapon I assume you mean an Ultra Greatsword/Axe

My question I now pose to you. Well part question part statement. There is no bad weapon in this game for pve besides maybe whips.
.

Dark Hand lol. So damn fun in PVP though, albeit "risky".

Enenra, which rings ye be using?