Dark Souls II

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Dar Klink said:
What's your character's name in-game? I actually summoned two people for that the other day... it was with a smaller white soapstone. I think after the fight we ran off to that ballista room so the two could finish off killing stuff for their time limit.

Gaiseric. :badbone:

Just wrecked the
Sentinels of Ruin. Neat boss. Reminiscent of O&S, but kinda on easy mode since they sort of take turns...

rashikal said:
Does anyone else think the Falconer armor set in Dark Souls 2 is a reference to Berserk?

"Domestic Volgen soldiers are infamously timid, so it is no wonder that this fierce band of mercenary falconers was hired to compensate.

In practice they serve as bodyguards for the affluent elite, and they serve well, such that nobody dares scrutinize their backgrounds.”

tumblr_inline_n45qgrsbdM1qbrd8n.png

It's tempting, but it feels like quite a stretch given that no armor elements truly coincide. I feel like there's probably a real-world counterpart it's based on. Anyway, the Band of the Falcon wasn't known for actual falconry, and it sounds like these guys were. But sure, I understand the idea behind your thought.
 

Dar_Klink

Last Guardian when? - CyberKlink 20XX before dying
Walter said:
Gaiseric. :badbone:
Damn, I'm sure I would have remembered seeing that. I'm sure a lot of people summon for that fight, but still, would have been a funny coincidence. My current character is named Schiele after the painter. CLOSE ENOUGH TO SCHIERKE THOUGH! My first Demon's Souls character was named Farnese and had her and Owen's haircut though. :troll:

I played 200+ hours on PS3 and now I'm quite far into my first character on PC... I'd even say I like Dark Souls 1 more, but this game has more replayability I guess. Going with a faith build using powerstanced lightning estocs. Mostly been PVPing in the Bell Covenant to get chunks.
 
First impressions. I had hundreds of hours in Dark Souls I, and felt like a complete noob when I started DS II. Made a Knight , and at the first, found everything harder. ( mostly the controls). Also, there's always that constant fear of going into an area you're not ready.
I saw many bloodspots everywhere, marking where other players had died. So many. Even in noobish areas.
Forest of the giants was easy, and after training against the knights in Heides tower of flame , I felt like I was getting back on my feet with the combat and controls. Took me a lot of deaths to finally feel more apt to "survive" ;)

Right now I've logged about 13 hours into the game, killed the pursuer, flexile sentry, the giant ,old dragonslayer, dragonrider, bell gargoyles, ruin sentinels ... Now going for the Lost Sinner ;)
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Forgive my long reply, but I had something to say about almost every sentence you wrote. All positive.

Sankari said:
First impressions. I had hundreds of hours in Dark Souls I, and felt like a complete noob when I started DS II.

Same. Though I wasn't initially pleased by my shift back to noobtown, I'm much more capable now that I've made the adjustment (around 95 Agility, I started feeling like my old self). Went back and tried DS1 for comparison, that game's controls feel so simple now...

Also, there's always that constant fear of going into an area you're not ready.

Which was EXACTLY what I was looking forward to in this game. I actuall feel sad as I slowly extinguish that sense of dread and fear the further I progress, but it's a part of the game. I can't imagine people playing through new zones with a party... I can understand needing help with a boss every now and then, but exploring a new area? Fuck that noise.

I saw many bloodspots everywhere, marking where other players had died. So many. Even in noobish areas.

:ganishka: I had my fair share of laugh out loud moments early on when I was still getting used to the controls and learning the areas; falling off cliffs to my death, being killed outright by incompetent hollows. Etc. The shame I felt was riveting. :void:

Forest of the giants was easy, and after training against the knights in Heides tower of flame , I felt like I was getting back on my feet with the combat and controls. Took me a lot of deaths to finally feel more apt to "survive" ;)

The first two enemies in Heide's area... I found the zone early on, and while the first one was intimidating, I was cautious and managed him on the first try to my surprise. That second guy, with the mace... fuck. I think I died probably 12-15 times to him before I took him down. Agile AND powerful, with a moveset that sweeps well beyond its anticipated range. He was easily the toughest "normal" enemy in the game for me so far. For comparison, Giant took me 1x, Pursuer took me 3x, and Sentinels took me 2x.

Right now I've logged about 13 hours into the game, killed the pursuer, flexile sentry, the giant ,old dragonslayer, dragonrider, bell gargoyles, ruin sentinels ... Now going for the Lost Sinner ;)

:isidro: Nice! I'm about 12 hours in, and have taken down: Giant, Pursuer, Sentinels and Dragonrider. Still a lot to do, thankfully.

The world and lore seems to lack a unifying element (DS1 was set in Lordran and of course had Gwyn and bonfires/flames in general as unifying themes), and that's been bothering me. Perhaps there will be more bits of lore to connect things up, but right now a lot of the enemies/areas/lore seem like a real mishmash. That being said, I think the actual game playing part is worlds better than DS1. So I really can't complain. I just haven't yet stumbled onto something lore-wise that took my breath away.

Despite these misgivings, I'm in love with the game. I know this because just like DS1, when I'm not playing it, I'm thinking about it. Very few games do that to me.

Some starting game spoilers for those who have also played DS1:

Anyone else get an Ash Lake vibe from Things Betwixt? The stone pillars could be the remnants of the stone archtrees, and the beach area's color pallette (along with the "trees") looks so much like it to me.
 
I also felt what you mentioned, about the Lore. So far I can't quite connect the Lore and the World. The NPCs don't seem to offer as much significant dialogue , and they all seem kinda lost. At the first game the story development had a great pace. I hope it will catch up soon.

The topography is quite confusing as well

I loved rushing the bell tower for the Gargoyles. So much fun being invaded. I had a fight against 2 grey invaders at the top , and its filled with those dwarven guardians. Loved it. Died 12 times but kept going in just for the fights ;)
Killed a bunch of red invaders too. So far I've enjoyed the multiplayer element much more than the first game. I also upgraded my internet provider and speed just for this game ;D
 

Walter

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Staff member
I actually haven't been invaded once. Kinda bums me out, but I'm thankful I haven't been totally ganked en route to a boss or something.

I plan to invade more once I get a better equip set. Right now playing with leather armor set and drangleic intermingled due to weight restrictions.
 
One thing I noticed about DSII is that you seem to level up quicker than you do in the earlier Souls games and the enemies come in mobs more than in previous titles also. I finished the game a couple of weeks ago but it was really enjoyable despite being slightly disappointed with it.
 

Kompozinaut

Sylph Sword
Walter said:
Anyone else get an Ash Lake vibe from Things Betwixt? The stone pillars could be the remnants of the stone archtrees, and the beach area's color pallette (along with the "trees") looks so much like it to me.
I've heard other people say the same thing, though it never left that impression on me. Just know that you aren't alone!
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Sinner down.

Some stats on everyone who's playing the game: http://farfire.darksoulsii.com/pc/players/index.html
 
If you hadn't heard elsewhere, the Lost Sinner is the Boss they nerfed the hell out of, I can see an argument for why she needed it on NG+ given the new dynamic the NG+ brings to that fight, but in NG nerfing her health, and ESPEECIALLY her recovery time between attacks makes that boss a joke now.

She used to be as aggressive and relentless as Artorias from DK1, she didn't have and different moves than what she has now, but she would really wail on you and not give you any time to drink Estus, period.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Jaze1618 said:
She used to be as aggressive and relentless as Artorias from DK1, she didn't have and different moves than what she has now, but she would really wail on you and not give you any time to drink Estus, period.

I did get an Artorias vibe from the pace of the battle, but indeed it's not quite as challenging. Too bad about the nerf.
 
I was enjoying the fight with her. Now that I've heard about the Nerf I'm sorta bummed. I like challenging bosses. Had a blast in DS I trying to cut the tail of Kalameet , or dueling Manus, father of the Abyss. I love this series because of how dark and medieval it is, also for the difficulty and constant dread.

(on a side note, they really should release more statues/figures/collectibles from this series)
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Well, as a virtual newbie to the series (I put a few hours into DS1 but never got into it), I can say I'm in love as well (almost 40 hours play time since Friday!). I feel like I had a breakthrough yesterday in that I finally settled once and for all on always having below 25% armor for max speed/roll (sadly I wasted a lot of souls on armor upgrades before determining they're largely useless). You can just take on enemies so much more competently than whatever defensive benefit you get from heavy armor (and the leather shield is plenty of protection if you fuck up).

If I could do it over again I would have put virtually nothing into strength and could have basically just used my starting gear (Swordsman) until I found something lighter/upgraded my vit. I'm using a Scimitar +5, my bread and butter, and a Rapier +3 as my alternate; it's same weight, different style, good for tight places, and lots of fun. It stacks a surprising amount of damage with each successive attack too, kind of the perfect weapon for pinpoint attack combat. As I find myself forgetting to bother with the shield more and more, I'm toying with the idea of going dual wield and wreaking havoc. There's nothing more satisfying than parrying with the rapier, knocking down your enemy, and then stabbing them through the heart. :zodd:

It's not all fun and games though. I ended the night on a high where it seemed like nothing was a match for me, but earlier yesterday I was feeling similarly confident and blew about 10,000 souls getting killed by a pack of dogs, about the lamest enemy in the game. It wasn't the first time and won't be the last; I know whenever I get overconfident and unafraid, that's when a mob of losers is going set me straight. Which I love about the game, as even the lowest thing can kill you if you don't play it right, so it's an ebb and flow process ("I'm king of world! ...and I'm dead. Fuck."). I imagine that's the major appeal for many (I know I've heard Walter extolling this virtue), that your number one survivability factor is your skill playing your character, not your character's raw stats so you can just stand there and win by default. Anyway, I'm quite enjoying it.
 

Walter

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So glad you're enjoying yourself, Griff. But don't get so spoiled that it stops you from properly diving into DS1. :daiba:

Griffith said:
If I could do it over again I would have put virtually nothing into strength

You actually CAN reallocate all of your stat points. There's an item that I found just last night that allows this. I'm guessing you only get a few of these though. Maybe even only one.

Griffith said:
I'm using a Scimitar +5, my bread and butter,

Same. I just love the moveset, and its speed. Nothing else compares, for me. But I hope my advice to you on this subject didn't stop you from experimenting with a STR build, because those are also lots of fun (and what I'll be doing immediately after retiring this DEX character). It's just not my personal style. That being said, the Scimitar's durability is a piece of shit. Can't wait to find a suitable replacement. Hopefully I'll soon find a sweet katana as a suitable upgrade, but those are also historically fragile. While we're on the subject, is it just me, or is the Falchion slightly slower, but has the same moveset? What's the point of that?

As I find myself forgetting to bother with the shield more and more, I'm toying with the idea of going dual wield and wreaking havoc.

I've been unimpressed with the dual-wielding capability in this game. I haven't experimented too much with it, but it seems that dual-wielding limits your attack options to bumpers only. Trigger attacks just do a little twirly thing, which I'm almost positive is not a parry maneuver; perhaps it's just for show? And in terms of speed, it's no faster than successive swings with one weapon. So for pure power output, it actually makes more sense to dual-hand the scimitar, which is what I do pretty much all the time now. Edit: Just found this video, which explains the system. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhDBihev4G8

I ended the night on a high where it seemed like nothing was a match for me, but earlier yesterday I was feeling similarly confident and blew about 10,000 souls getting killed by a pack of dogs, about the lamest enemy in the game.

DARK SOULS. :ganishka: After experimenting online, I've been able to get over that sense of failure when I lose thousands of souls. You can earn them all back in spades by playing co-op. And I've had a BLAST teaming up and stomping through zones with complete strangers. I try to end the night on a positive note, whenever possible (just like a real relationship! :carcus: )

I imagine that's the major appeal for many (I know I've heard Walter extolling this virtue), that your number one survivability factor is your skill playing your character, not your character's raw stats so you can just stand there and win by default. Anyway, I'm quite enjoying it.

Yep. Of course, your survivability scales up with leveling, but in terms of actual combat: learning enemy patterns, good manueverability and successfully executing attacks, that's all skill and only comes from experience, not equipment or stats.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Walter said:
So glad you're enjoying yourself, Griff. But don't get so spoiled that it stops you from properly diving into DS1. :daiba:

I don't know, will I be able to go back? I mean, I wasn't even there to begin with. =)

Walter said:
You actually CAN reallocate all of your stat points. There's an item that I found just last night that allows this. I'm guessing you only get a few of these though. Maybe even only one.

Is there a max to how many levels/points you can assign though? In the long game I don't mind having so many points assigned around to various places because my end game/ng+ plan is to make the guy versatile and powerful enough he can do anything well. So if I want to armor up and make him into a strength tanker I can, at least to a degree.

Walter said:
Same. I just love the moveset, and its speed. Nothing else compares, for me. But I hope my advice to you on this subject didn't stop you from experimenting with a STR build, because those are also lots of fun (and what I'll be doing immediately after retiring this DEX character). It's just not my personal style.

Me either, and trust me I was and still am experimenting with everything. At the outset I created a warrior, knight, and swordsman and there was just no comparison to the movement of the swordsman/scimitar for me. The other two were just too clunky and my forays into that style since always leaves me with the same impression. Not that I didn't start with a simple block/counter routine anyway. I'd recommend trying the rapier though as you could tell by my raving. It's not going to replace the scimitar for you, but it's a fun alternative in it's own right, and...

Walter said:
That being said, the Scimitar's durability is a piece of shit. Can't wait to find a suitable replacement. Hopefully I'll soon find a sweet katana as a suitable upgrade, but those are also historically fragile.

...yeah, a second sword is basically required as the durability on small swords is pretty abysmal in general. I always have a few burners on hand in addition to my legit backups just in case I'm on an extended foray.

Walter said:
While we're on the subject, is it just me, or is the Falchion slightly slower, but has the same moveset? What's the point of that?

The biggest difference I see is the falchion's basic attacks are more horizontally oriented, so in addition to being slower it'll also fuck you over in a hallway or next to a pillar/pole (something you rarely, if ever, have to worry about with the scimitar and never with the rapier). I know from painful experience. It gives decent damage at a low level though so it's still my third string weapon. It got me through some tough battles (invariably I end up fighting bosses with my worst weapon =).

Walter said:
DARK SOULS. :ganishka: After experimenting online, I've been able to get over that sense of failure when I lose thousands of souls. You can earn them all back in spades by playing co-op. And I've had a BLAST teaming up and stomping through zones with complete strangers. I try to end the night on a positive note, whenever possible (just like a real relationship! :carcus: )

Heh, my only co-op experience is calling for others on tough boss fights, and that can be a double edged sword (I find three is a crowd usually). Oh, and I was force summoned as a gray elsewhere and killed before I knew what was happening. Fun.

Walter said:
Yep. Of course, your survivability scales up with leveling, but in terms of actual combat: learning enemy patterns, good manueverability and successfully executing attacks, that's all skill and only comes from experience, not equipment or stats.

Yeah, in that regard the only stats that count to me are agility, equipment weight, and poise since they fundamentally alter the way you can move in combat. I mean, it's nice to be able to hold a greatshield or have extra attack power from strength and the weapons that come with that, but it doesn't make much difference if you can't stay out of the other guy's way.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
We should probably set aside some time on the podcast for this... :guts:

Griffith said:
I don't know, will I be able to go back? I mean, I wasn't even there to begin with. =)

Like I said before, I think Dark Souls 2 plays quite a bit better, but the world design in Dark Souls is worth the time investment alone. It's really something special. DS2 areas feel generic by comparison (so far).

Is there a max to how many levels/points you can assign though?

If it's anything like DS1, there are depreciating returns after a certain point (usually 40). A point in STR might net you 1 increase early on, but at higher levels, it'll be .5 or .1. Better to use those points in other areas.

In the long game I don't mind having so many points assigned around to various places because my end game/ng+ plan is to make the guy versatile and powerful enough he can do anything well. So if I want to armor up and make him into a strength tanker I can, at least to a degree.

If you plan to go the New game+ route, and are going ALL THE WAY with the character, then there's absolutely no reason not to keep everything you've invested so far (aside from attunement, faith or intelligence, if you don't plan on using any magic). To this day, my favorite character is the first one I made, who prioritizes dex, but can equip anything and cast anything. It's so much fun when you get to that level...

I'd recommend trying the rapier though as you could tell by my raving. It's not going to replace the scimitar for you, but it's a fun alternative in it's own right, and...

I'll have to check it out tonight. Pretty sure I have 1 or 2. Right now my backup is a Falchion+3, but I'd prefer something slightly lighter. Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way though, and should have a backup weapon that's not just a carbon copy of my main. Something with different strengths, like a handaxe or mace. Trouble is the weight though... Maybe I should just play naked. :beast:

(invariably I end up fighting bosses with my worst weapon =).

Haha, totally. It's gotten to the point where I start with my worst weapon and then switch when I gain some confidence or momentum in the fight. Makes me feel like Inigo Montoya.

Oh, and I was force summoned as a gray elsewhere and killed before I knew what was happening. Fun.

The bonfire at Sinner's Rise, with 3 enemies in plain view on spawning, is always an invitation to hilarity when summoning.
 
What I've found most difficult so far , is getting used to the agility and parrying. I was so used to the rhythm of the first game , barely died anymore over there. Now I am fearful of parrying because I miss a lot ;)
My favourite boss so far has been the 5 gargoyles. Felt so proud killing it by myself ;)

I have been leveling up Int and STR , but I might be tempted to switch to faith and a bit of Dex (soul level 55 so far)
 
Dar Klink said:
Some advice, level up adaptability or attunement for the agility stat. You actually need it. It'll make the game feel less sluggish.

I don't think I touched Adaptability once. A lot of players have noted no appreciable difference in raising it. It's much more preferable to invest those souls elsewhere, imo.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Doc said:
I don't think I touched Adaptability once. A lot of players have noted no appreciable difference in raising it. It's much more preferable to invest those souls elsewhere, imo.

Are you saying Agility isn't worth it? It seems to have helped me out, but I haven't done a 1:1 comparison on a static build yet.
 
Attunement also raises Agility, although not as fast as adaptability, so some caster builds may do OK without ever investing into adaptability.

Video evidence of Agility
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+agility+dark+souls&FORM=VIRE8#view=detail&mid=4D59AA71A63D755585704D59AA71A63D75558570
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=invincibility+frames+dark+souls+2&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=invincibility+frames+dark+souls+2&sc=0-15&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=ACA66C5808F6BA4BC4B6ACA66C5808F6BA4BC4B6
 

Kompozinaut

Sylph Sword
I had mixed feelings about Agility before, but after playing with 20 ADP I don't think I'll ever go back. I just can't time my dodges well enough not to utilize the stat.
 
We all knew it was coming. These PC Mods are so beautiful: http://kotaku.com/there-are-already-mods-that-make-dark-souls-ii-look-pre-1571047788
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
I've been using GeDoSaTo, the new one by Durante (guy who fixed the first PC port). Not a dramatic change, but it's a nice improvement.
 
Sorry if this is a noobish question, but do these graphics mods affect multiplayer compatibility? I enjoyed the dramatic lightning, but I'm not willing to lose the fun of the multiplayer
 
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