View Full Version : Dark Souls 2
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Chart your glorious failures & nail-biting victories here :)
McConnaughay
06-05-14, 05:01 PM
I haven't had a chance to play Dark Souls 2 yet, however, I have beaten Demon's Souls, and am about fifty or so hours into Dark Souls. Fun stuff.
This is my first initiation to the series, and loving it so far. (With the help of some knowledgeable heads from around this way :))
We've clogged the games tab up long enough tho, so we're bringing our travellers tales and tips here. We've totally promised to only discuss spoilers in esoteric and eldrich ways tho (or, like in spoiler tags), so should be safe to drop by ;)
Tacitus
06-05-14, 05:34 PM
If there's one thing I've learned with this damned game it's this: Don't ever rush.
It's tempting, especially if you've died 4 times in a row against a boss (or 3 bosses, to be exact), got really really close but now find yourself trekking back to your probable doom once more. I've fallen off walkways, been iced by Royal Guards who usually die in two hits and, most recently, plunged through a doorway to my death; all in trying to get back to that boss.
Also: Locations in the game get a bit eerie once enemies have de-spawned. I like the company. ;)
I fell through that ****ing door! I hate that door...I did the exact same thing - got frustrated by Ruin Sents and then started making mistakes on the way back. I was so bad, I de-rezzed the entire run by the time I got the boss down...
Tacitus
06-05-14, 06:44 PM
Yep, that area's bereft of anyone apart from me and the Central Casting Bernard Hill now. I even offed the Heide Knight.
Tacitus
06-05-14, 06:54 PM
Yep, but can't do anything with him right now. He is Central Casting Bernard Hill though. ;)
It's similar to the shortcut you can unlock at the Cardinal Tower bonfire, one which I opened accidentally. And messily.
Yep, found the fella :) No idea where the Ember is, but I've just cleared out the Wharf too, so can attack from the other side now :)
Thanks to eavesdropping on you guys I did the ole Dragonrider on my second attempt, via the Drengey shield with the 100pc base block. Makes the giant knights a breeze too :)
Oh PS you know those 3 bosses you're on about, and the mist door I last saved in front of. IT WAS ONLY ******ING THEM :D (Despite having home all primed on the bone I got owned - 10000 souls spilt all over that floor. Ach well)
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http://i57.tinypic.com/206isyx.jpg (http://cloud-3.steampowered.com/ugc/432657365822850639/766C2CC061A910934AF0BCFD00922D847932B3E5/)
EDIT: Woo, got a side order of Ye Olde Dragonslayer out the way too. He seemed proper daunting at first (the lanky bastard), but once I was comfortable shield-dancing down the main drag with him it became clear how much time he was leaving open for a good whaling.
Guess most bosses end up like that? F-ing terrifying until you start managing to live with them, and then much more 'beatable looking' once you've spotted some openings.
No luck getting summoned to help out with either boss unfortunately. Must be because it was stupid o'clock ;)
Can you see other signs on the ground when human? If not, you may be past the Soul Memory level for that particular fight, in which case you won't see signs, and people won't see yours. Yeah, I dropped 54k souls in a boss room last night and then rolled into a massive spear strike on the way back - Goodbye, large stack of souls!
I had the boss to about 20% on my first attempt, so I think he will go down pretty easily next time!
Yeah, that's the way with Dark Souls! I have run up against bosses and levels that just seem impossible at first, but reveal themselves to be much easier to deal with once I decode attack patterns or unlock a shortcut. Love these games!
Make sure you search the Cathedral of Blue area thoroughly, Gol! There is a great ring to find...
Tacitus
06-06-14, 09:53 AM
My 360 pad that I use on PC died yesterday (less than a year old - those things are made of spit and fluff, I swear) and the one for the 360 isn't in much better shape. Games like Dark Souls on PC are awful with Kbam controls so I began browsing for a replacement.
I also was checking my RSS feeds and came on a Rock Paper Shotgun article which said that Microsoft have released PC drivers for the Xbox One pad, the one thing attracting praise from that console. Did a few price checks and they're only a tenner more expensive than a 360 pad so picked one up in Asda when I was doing my grocery shop this morning.
Have to say I'm liking it a lot. It's recognised in games as a 360 pad, all the buttons are familiar (but seem much nicer, clickier, more precise) and the D-pad actually seems to work like a D-pad should. ;)
Until Microsoft release a dongle I've got it connected with a micro (not Mini) USB cable.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/greenspagbol/IMG_0168_zps71a358a3.jpg~original (http://s17.photobucket.com/user/greenspagbol/media/IMG_0168_zps71a358a3.jpg.html)
Obviously it'll make the game easier. *cough*
That d-pad looks like it FINALLY isn't shite. I abhor the X-box D-pad...
Tacitus
06-06-14, 10:18 AM
Yep, it now reminds me of the Sony D-pad and has a nice click to it. The analogue sticks are nice too, with less resistance than the 360 ones.
Can you see other signs on the ground when human? If not, you may be past the Soul Memory level for that particular fight, in which case you won't see signs, and people won't see yours. Yeah, I dropped 54k souls in a boss room last night and then rolled into a massive spear strike on the way back - Goodbye, large stack of souls!...
Make sure you search the Cathedral of Blue area thoroughly, Gol! There is a great ring to find...
Oo, I saw one guy set one down, and then quickly remove it, but both boss zones did look surprisingly bare actually. That's probably it, dammit.
Yeah, it was that 'lack of focus' thing that did for me too on the way back. Thought I could nip in and bone out, but was so busy rushing over I got felled by a simple one-two from a Mummy. D'oh!
Oo really, I did wonder if there was anything squirrelled way. Was too busy trying to join up. Will have a smash n grab :)
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I'm realising my build is totally 'physical' at the moment (VIT, STR, DEX, ADP etc), with just some tentative deposits into FTH. Think I either need to embrace that entirely or go back to the crones & re-divvy my load. Would obviously make sense to have a sub-strand like your Faith-boosting-Lightning set up Seds, but I'm kinda attached to my fire sword, so I'm prevaricating. A few ranged magic spells couldn't hurt if I went that way, I guess, and would keep my load down for sprightly load outs. Seems like you need a hella points in Attunement etc to even get one slot running though. Hmmmmmm.
AH, that would have me rolling off ledges in no time!
I got to put a wee bit of time in yesterday before we went out to the Lissie show in Boston. I must spend a second complaining about the DAMNED BELL RINGING ZOMBIES IN UNDEAD CRYPT!!!! The shambling jerks ring these bells which spawn a slew of pyromancers that just SMASH me.
ARRRRRRRRGGG!!!!!!!!
OK, that's out of the way. I did manage to get past them, but man, that area was rough!
I'm realising my build is totally 'physical' at the moment (VIT, STR, DEX, ADP etc), with just some tentative deposits into FTH. Think I either need to embrace that entirely or go back to the crones & re-divvy my load. Would obviously make sense to have a sub-strand like your Faith-boosting-Lightning set up Seds, but I'm kinda attached to my fire sword, so I'm prevaricating. A few ranged magic spells couldn't hurt if I went that way, I guess, and would keep my load down for sprightly load outs. Seems like you need a hella points in Attunement etc to even get one slot running though. Hmmmmmm.
Go for the fire set-up instead! :) By the bye - i have both a Lightning Claymore +10 and Fire Greatsword +8 running...
I use lots of physical attacks, faith based spells, and several pyro spells as well with a +10 Pyro flame.
I put 16 points into attunement to get 3 slots, and then I wear a ring that gives me two more. Currently running Lightning Spear, Project Force, Soul Appease, Flash Sweat (pyro) and Firestorm (pyro). Lightning seems a tad OP in boss fights, so I tend to lay off of that and go mostly physical on the bosses. Unless the boss is totally owning me or there are multiple bosses, then I am scrambling to use everything I have just to have a chance.
Tacitus
06-06-14, 11:15 AM
Must admit that I've not done any work on my Magic skills. Found a Pyro glove though, which is kinda like a magic oven glove I imagine.
I'll probably get to a point where brute force and mad shield skillz (with the Endurance enhancing ring) won't be enough. That point if fast approaching, I fancy. :(
there are useful spells at the lowest tier, so putting just a few points into either FTH or INT, and then enough to get a slot or two from Attunement will be easy to get going.
Go for the fire set-up instead! :) By the bye - i have both a Lightning Claymore +10 and Fire Greatsword +8 running...
I use lots of physical attacks, faith based spells, and several pyro spells as well with a +10 Pyro flame.
I put 16 points into attunement to get 3 slots, and then I wear a ring that gives me two more. Currently running Lightning Spear, Project Force, Soul Appease, Flash Sweat (pyro) and Firestorm (pyro). Lightning seems a tad OP in boss fights, so I tend to lay off of that and go mostly physical on the bosses. Unless the boss is totally owning me or there are multiple bosses, then I am scrambling to use everything I have just to have a chance.
Sounds like a fun mix :)
Gah, I'm quite conflicted about it. I'm not actually wedded to the moveset of the fire longsword (in fact it pretty much sucks), but it's done me proud so far. Got it running +5. What I'd really like to do is find a couple of key weapons which work for me and build to them, but I'm not really at that stage yet. Maybe once I find the ember. Any other changes I'm making right now feel really speculative, so I keep retreating back to the 4 core areas that are working for me and reinforcing them.
The problem is all this learning on the go, you only really realise you've made a mistake once you hit a wall. Reckon I'll prob keep going until I find myself totally unbalanced, or unable to take advantage of some cool kit, and then go let the crones work their magic on me :)
PS is the Lightning Spear the Dragonslayer one? Checked out a quick vid on it, looks like it has some badass aspects. (I figure doing some forward research is allowed - only really got time for one runthrough! I'll just say my character has telepathy or something :D)
Ah, it's a Miracle - I think it;s called Lightning Spear, but it might be Holy Lightning Spear. I will have to check! I am all about Great Swords for weapons, and I used them pretty much exclusively in DS1, and again here in DS2. I am a fast roller that hits like a truck while also spamming ridiculous lightning bolts, that do about 800 damage. Did you find the Claymore or the bastard sword yet? The reach on the fire long sword just isn't enough for me, and I lean on the Claymore's thrust R2 a while lot; having a slash AND a thrust works better for me than the vertical/horizontal slashing swords. If you want to use a sword, try out one of the lighter greatswords to see if you like it. You will be able to imbue your weapons later, once you run across the ember.
Alas, there are SO many weapons, and they all feel and run differently.
For the record, you can make mistakes and not get stuck. I ran a Black Knight Sword for about 3/5ths of DS1, and then ditched it for a sword with better scaling in the last part of the game. I was able to fully run that up fairly quickly as later on, Chunks and Slabs are a bit easier to come by.
EDIT: I know it looks goofy, but the Large Club is a GREAT weapon with huge damage and good reach doe STR characters...
Ah ok, yep it sounds like I approach the close scrapping in a similar way, but if anything relying on the ultra-darty light loadout to get within range & out again. Not sure how long it'll keep working.
Have found the bastard sword but not really trialled it - says it's designed as two-hander (plus on cusp of my abils) and I was shielding myself from bosses at the time. Tried out a few of my pick ups at the end of sesh last night tho. Do love the varied stylings.
I'm thinking I'm gonna stay with swords ultimately, but the Dragonslayer staff does look kinda fun - ranged lightening bolt & works behind shield for some stabby-stabby. Looking forward to experimenting with some of the more out-there weapons :)
All the big swords claim they are for two hands, but F that! just run the STR up to the minimum and start swingin! You defo want that Cloranthy ring from the first Pharos lock in Giants Forest though, or the big swords can be tough to manage. I generally have my shield in front of me in any new area, and the swords are just fine in one hand once abils are where they need to be. I tend to dump points into END a lot, though...A lot of people really like the Estoc for stabby play, and I run a Shotel in slot 3 if I run up against mobs or players with great shields. The Shotel R2 hit around shields! So many weapons and ways to use them! That spear sounds cool, I may have to try it, too!
Half the fun is trying out different things until you settle on something you like. :)
Tacitus
06-06-14, 12:58 PM
Skeleton Lords - Gone!
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/greenspagbol/2014-06-06_00001_zps38f5903c.jpg~original (http://s17.photobucket.com/user/greenspagbol/media/2014-06-06_00001_zps38f5903c.jpg.html)
Also met a very interesting npc, going by the name of Ray Winstone. Listening to his story makes me glad I killed another npc a few days ago...
...or does it? ;)
EDIT - Interesting use of the Grocer's Apostrophe there by From. Interesting and wrong.
Skeleton Lords' Soul? There are loads of 'em!
All the big swords claim they are for two hands, but F that! just run the STR up to the minimum and start swingin! You defo want that Cloranthy ring from the first Pharos lock in Giants Forest though, or the big swords can be tough to manage. I generally have my shield in front of me in any new area, and the swords are just fine in one hand once abils are where they need to be. I tend to dump points into END a lot, though...A lot of people really like the Estoc for stabby play, and I run a Shotel in slot 3 if I run up against mobs or players with great shields. The Shotel R2 hit around shields! So many weapons and ways to use them! That spear sounds cool, I may have to try it, too!
Half the fun is trying out different things until you settle on something you like. :)
Yep totally rocking the endurance ring, helps loads. (Weight load def makes a big difference too on recovery - plus there's something funny about attacking giants in bare feet ;))
I sold one armour-piercing thruster because its base hit was so weak. Don't think it was the Estoc. Can't bring myself to dump things like the rapier though, as they're just so daft (& I'm still tempted by learning parries etc).
I do get a touch put off by uber-silly stuff. Like some of the parry stuff not looking very believeable. And a ginormous sword I picked up in the Wharf which disappears into the ground when you roll. (But hey, if I can swat unbelieveable monsters with it I'll probably forgive it its sins ;))
Tacitus
06-06-14, 01:22 PM
Seriously?!?
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/greenspagbol/236430_2014-06-06_00002_zps1283241c.png~original (http://s17.photobucket.com/user/greenspagbol/media/236430_2014-06-06_00002_zps1283241c.png.html)
Oh, Dark Souls players! tsk tsk ;D
Yeah, I put that message down in town once she moved there... I think it has over 100 ratings now.
The scamps!
The messages & blood are cool when you're stumped, but lord they do talk out of their holes a lot ;)
Do love how the online overlays make you feel less alone in your struggle / more part of an active world tho. It's also funny when there's a massive load of blood splatter near an entrance, and when you finally brave it it's just one scraggly foe. (I avoided the map basement in the hub building for ages, because he said not to venture down there and the map was awash with blood. Plus there was A LOT of ominous noise going on - like some kind of death horse. Turns out it was the piglets above ground ;))
Taccy: Lords were fun, but did you go the other direction in Copse, going over the wooden bridge above the second fire? The run is tough, because you aggro these brutal enemies that jump down from on top of poles they are clinging to. Then you get to the second boss... Good luck!
Tacitus
06-06-14, 02:08 PM
I found the Lords surprisingly easy - Just offed the witches first then kited the skeletons into a couple of choke points where I slapped them with the Drangleic sword. My rolling skillz avoided Chorlton & The Wheelies and I was able to get them in their transform animations.
Dark Souls 3 leaked preview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0xZh2Uf5v0
Yeah, I one-shotted the Lords fight - seemed like a mid-level mini boss to me. The other boss in the big round place? Not so easy...until you figure him out, that is...and like I said, the run is TOUGH, with 4-5 fast, agile, hard-hitting mobs that killed me quite a few times. They aren't to bad to deal with, but you have to be mistake free or they punish you, big time.
Phew, beat the beast with two backs at Wharf on the first go thankfully. Didn't particularly wanna go on another torch run through there, even with the shortcut. There is loot in them there walls tho I'm told.
*EDIT* The grind to refight bosses does feel a bit like GTA4's redrives to missions at times, which is fine so long as the journey is diverting and emergent, but can see it being a pain if you hit a long road to an Uber boss. Does add to the challenge tho for sure!!
Seds on the Cathedral ring, did you mean the binding one out front? If so yep that's a beaut! If not have turned it over and can't find any hidden caches. Did manage some coop support tho, so I'm in the clan :) (Which is cool, as I didn't want to think I'd aced the slayer purely by being overpowered ;)). Haven't been summoned to repel invasions yet but sounds fun :)
I got those three bastards :)
I offer as evidence: this shield, in this wall...
http://i57.tinypic.com/2elxn9s.jpg (http://cloud-3.steampowered.com/ugc/432657365901083940/CA9EC3BCD95DC23AF2DDCCCAA6BA49F3CEBC851C/)
Did the same get one / wait for the rest to come up / drop while they're mid-move then patiently finish on floor. Their purely physical attacks def made it 'easier' :D. (Had to wipe out the build up section tho, or at least that's what ended up happening with me too!)
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Seds just found the dark-swinging staff guys in the Copse. See what you mean. Do-able but they've got a kick to them.
Holding off on what looks like the final Bastille boss for a bit - mainly coz that statue blocking the nearest fireplace suggests trouble somehow...
No more bosses in Lost Bastille! However, there is an optional boss in the Belfry. Keep in mind it's a PVP zone, and invasions will happen! You need a Pharros stone to access that area, though... Otherwise, it's off to the Sinner's Rise, which is right next to the Bastille.
RE: Boss runs - Yep, all part of the DS experience. No saving just outside a boss door to repeat the fight over and over. Gotta make it there in good shape!
Meanwhile, I just got to an area that is absolutely spectacular! The last few areas have all been really well done. While DS1 had super strong start and middle sections with the level design and art sort of falling off a bit towards the end, this game seems to get stronger as you go along.
Tacitus
06-09-14, 09:45 AM
Had a little break from DS2 - Spectacle fighters have been calling. ;)
A word of warning on the new Xbox pad - The bumpers are in an awful position and you've got to press them with the inside of your index finger knuckle to get the best out of them. Weird, but then again the bumpers on the 360 pad aren't great for Dark Souls either.
They seem to have copied the scheme from the PS3, which generally uses R1 and L1 for combat and they're in a much more natural position.
No more bosses in Lost Bastille! However, there is an optional boss in the Belfry. Keep in mind it's a PVP zone, and invasions will happen! You need a Pharros stone to access that area, though... Otherwise, it's off to the Sinner's Rise, which is right next to the Bastille.
Arg! The Belfry, being bested by 'Bruce Lee' and his fists (or 'The Mistress of the Dance' and her knife parries!), or getting gang-gouged by a flock of dragon gargoyles!
Arg, Sinner's Rise, mutated beasts dragging themselves towards me with painful inevitability, before a troll in need of an optician dances me to death!
Arg, the Copse and those blinking dark-staffed bastards!
Yep, found 'em - they've made for a tough session :D
On the plus side I reckon the Sinner is do-able. Have been kiting the mutants into the upraised lift well, just takes a while. And his lock-break isn't a deal breaker - I just need to be more patient. (Plus I've got a feeling he's fairly unarmoured - so might try the whip I've found).
As for the gargoyles etc. Fuuuuuuck, think maybe I need to level up. (Although weirdly I went the longest without damage when they were in a big group. They seemed to cluster and focus on fire-breathing etc).
Meanwhile, I just got to an area that is absolutely spectacular! The last few areas have all been really well done. While DS1 had super strong start and middle sections with the level design and art sort of falling off a bit towards the end, this game seems to get stronger as you go along.
That is good to know. Because the bowels I've been clambering through having been making me hark back to prettier realms....
http://i57.tinypic.com/dcbywx.jpg (http://cloud-4.steampowered.com/ugc/432657365823225050/D5B53477289A4FEBA363709A3F83C66C9426564C/)
...And had me reciting 'It is a pretty game, it is a pretty game'. I may start calling it my precious soon ;)
I have started switching up my gear a bit so I can use the Mastodon Greatsword +10. With the elemental imbue, It is doing about +30 more damage than my Claymore +10 elemental. I miss the thrust already, but the reach is a bit better, and gotta love that damage! I think I will need to switch back and forth quite a bit anyway depending on what sort of enemies I am fighting. The Mastodon is pretty damn heavy too, so i can't wear my maxed out Drangleic Armor when I use it, instead using the Faraam set, which I still need to level from +8 to +10...
http://www.nexusmods.com/Images/482/11249188-1400625928.png
I'm thinking I need to up my reach, but options like the Drangy sword etc do impact on my 'barefoot warrior' style with their added weight. Plus the swing seems pretty delayed with my current stats. (And the way the Drang sword hangs in midair after first strikes as if it's going to thrust is just a teeease! ;))
Plus I've finally figured out where the thrust is on the firesword - the roll move, which is dead useful. Bit stamina-heavy & hit-n-miss for boss fights though.
Got some other fun kit I want to play around with, but they all seem a bit situation-limited. The dualblades look ace for group combat when two-handed, but a bit low on base attack even with the multi-contacts, and kinda all-or-nothing. Also picked up Richard's Rapier (http://darksouls2.wiki.fextralife.com/Ricard's+Rapier) on a kamikazee run down an acid Copse cave, which has a hilarious flurry move for it's strong attack (but has like zip durability). I still have a tendency to panic with targeted weapons tho, so will prob dual use it if anything. I tend to fall back on wild swings when mobbed ;)
Some people just LOVE Ricard's Rapier... and I see it frequently in PVP. I can't get onto it for some reason, even though the move set is pretty slick.
The Drangleic sword is just a wee bit shorter than the other great swords, and it has a swing that feels kind of weird to me. I am such a Claymore person! Seems best for stun-locking with just the R1 attack...then end with a thrust R2 for extra damage! Drangleic is a Twinkling Titanite weapon too, which seem to fall off at the higher levels.
The Claymore hitboxes just seem to be the best of that size sword, with a nice wide arc, good dead-angling, and a thrust that feels like a spear.
Oo I didn't realise the Claymore has both 'panic swing' & precision strike :D That plus the hitboxes / reach does sound very tempting. Will def be looking out for it :)
It's a bit off the beaten path - keep an eye out for a random vendor in a place where you find mist...
Invasion city for me lately - I must be getting into that "PVP soft cap" area these games tend to have. As a PVP fan in the Souls series, I am enjoying it, but I could see how it would annoy single players that just want to progress along in the game. A couple builds I run into are owning me, but I do pretty well otherwise. Most of my magic seems too slow for PVP, except maybe Project Force, which I surprise people with occasionally. Still no sign of my favorite miracle, Wrath of the Gods. Hopefully, I pick that up soon!
Yeah I've never tried online duelling before, and it's intriguing. Especially seeing all the different visual & technical styles. (Although the NPC 'summon' at the Belfry also totally Turing-tested me - I thought he was human with his movement and beckoning gestures :D. Luckily an actual human summon then killed him, possibly thinking he was me :))
It's a bit harsh when you're dealing with Blade-Runner-automaton-dwarves at the same time, but the summonees seemed to come with capped health too. I did do go down far too easy a lot of the time tho, with one eye on the gargoyles. Would be nice to have a straight up fight in some respects, but that wouldn't be very DS now would it ;)
I never get fair fights in Belfry!
Tacitus
06-09-14, 07:07 PM
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/greenspagbol/2014-06-09_00002_zps898a2a4a.jpg~original (http://s17.photobucket.com/user/greenspagbol/media/2014-06-09_00002_zps898a2a4a.jpg.html)
This is where the Souls games start to get a wee bit preposterous for me. ;)
Still, my little hiatus did me the world of good. I left Poison City because I remembered I had unfinished business in the Lost Bastille.
Triple Ganglyathon (or whatever they're called) - Gone!
Met the Mage shopkeeper then died a lot trying to reach loot on ledges. It wasn't even great loot.
Heh yeah the greatswords seem a bit daft to me too. I guess if the idea is we're becoming a boss-monster in our own right it kinda works, but I'm hoping to find something a bit more svelt. Like a giant lightening lance or whatever ;)
Tacitus
06-09-14, 08:51 PM
Have you checked out Straid's wares? He's got some things which are a bit more subtle looking.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/greenspagbol/2014-06-10_00001_zps62511782.jpg~original (http://s17.photobucket.com/user/greenspagbol/media/2014-06-10_00001_zps62511782.jpg.html)
They'll take some levelling though. My Drangleic +1 and Fire Longsword +7 are better than most of what he has in vanilla form.
Don't think I've found him yet. (Ah, he's the statue before the Sinner run! Hmm, I don't think I have the herb to free him. I'm chomping at the bit to get some Boss weapons on tho, so will keep an eye out :))
Hard for me to get time in during the week lately...Hopefully I can play a bit this evening. I run into people running that Ultra-Greatsword, but the thing is just too heavy for me to run. If I miss, it's lights out! I would have to change my gear around quite a bit to stay fast-rolling with that thing! I do have one run up to about +7 though...JIC! ;)
Tacitus
06-10-14, 09:44 AM
I went a bit slap-happy in Straid's store (Massive Nasty Weapons R Us) and bought four! Of them all, Dragonrider's twinblade looks coolest but, again, its stats are going to need work. I then found one of those huge clubs which looks like Fred Flintstone's wet dream - makes the Ultra Greatsword seem like a rapier. ;)
I made sure to buy up all the special pyro and miracle spells from Straid with the boss souls they required, and then I just went ahead and bought all the boss weapons I could from both Straid and Ornifex. You know, just so I have them. I stayed away from the caster staves etc. for now, just grabbing stuff that works with my current build, or that I may want to mess around with later on. That said, none of them are particularly impressive, and my Claymore and Masto still outclass them all easily.
Did either of you guys fight the chariot yet in Huntsman Copse?
Nah not yet. Got mobbed by the pole dancers en masse and decided to leave it a bit.
Finally trumped Sinner tho (she was no lady!)...
http://i58.tinypic.com/2up5xg6.jpg (http://cloud-4.steampowered.com/ugc/432657365945736583/0654BED8B08E9974BD02A14301F45AE4615FD7D9/)
...and the skelis. The latter gave me grief too, so think it's def time to go get reborn back with the mother Hubbards. Pyro n firesword standalone are fun, but think I need to pick a magic complement that scales n stick with it
Been shopping it up with wizard too incidentally :)
Tacitus
06-10-14, 07:41 PM
Ach, scaling.
I'm trying to play stupid for as long as possible - Brute force and ignorance is getting me through a lot. Gaming it will be for the next run. ;)
I grumbled a bit when I found out you could respec, but I like the fact that a new player can progress through the first 6 areas or so, and then decide "Hey, I want to try Sorcery with my STR melee" or whatever, and they don't have to start a new toon. I can flop over to Sorcery instead of miracles on NG+ if I wanted to. Not that I would, because PRAISE THE SUN!!! ;)
http://cloud-4.steampowered.com/ugc/576741295347131351/22D4ED7C3615DACF89BC9FEA53A9F48296C0F18A/1024x576.resizedimage
Tacitus
06-11-14, 06:46 PM
Ohhh, I found the Undead Purgatory! And a whip!
Then I fell off a ledge. Bloody Dark Souls. :p
Undead Purgatory is a lil side area of Huntsman Copse. I thought the boss was a bit harder than the Skele Lords... Also, the NPC invader just outside the door of Purgatory was not a pushover!
Tacitus
06-12-14, 12:30 PM
Yep, there are some little side areas in Huntsman's Copse that I hadn't noticed until I went hunting for loot that I'd spied in the distance. My poison resist is awful so I'd initially rushed through the area as fast as I could.
I attuned fireball so I could knock the Poison Butterflies out of the tress before they sprayed.
Yep that was doing the trick for me too. They go down easy.
When I think of Copse I see three of those staff-bastards running at me in a scrum tho. I swear I snuck up on them too!
Haven't given em a proper go yet, but my next step is gonna be that cheaty retune to a STR/FTH build, then see what the Heide sword can do for me (it has the stabby-roll thrust option too). And maybe some sneaky kite & force-push :)
Go around that corner before those guys and just inch forward ever so much until the closest guy on the right jumps down. Then back out of the narrow passage to kite him out to where you have room to fight. Rinse and repeat. The whip guys are WAY easier to deal with than the pole-axe guys, for me anyway. If i tried to use magic to pull them, it would aggro more of them and I would die.
Tacitus
06-12-14, 01:12 PM
Butterflies? Seriously? And you can kill them?
Oops... I figured it was some massive giant taking a leak so would sprint past as quickly as I could. :blush:
EDIT - Yeah, I kite the pole guys too. You've got to basically just round that corner and do nothing until the first guy aggros - a foot further forward and I had them all on me.
I got fired up a bit trying to get past those guys... and then i started rushing...and that certainly didn't help. The worst part is that the boss fight is cryptic at first, so you will definitely be running by those guys a few times until you figure out the fight...
Just about done!
I am just finishing up the final memory (don't ask), and just have the final boss left. As is my usual Pre-NG+ routine, I am running around buying up the last miracles, pyros, leveling all my gear to max, and making sure I collect all the extra goodies. Then I remember getting trolled at Belfry Sol, so i ported over, cleared the mobs, and waited for those nasty invaders to appear so I could taste sweet, sweet revenge. An invader spawns, and I wait on the rooftop for him to get settled and I pop a Great Magic Barrier, just in case. Of course, it;s a dude in full Havels Gear with dual crossbows and magic. I have trouble closing on these guys sometimes, so i quickly back up and over the peak of the belfry, hoping he will make the mistake of charging at me, which of course he does. As soon as he emerges I let loose with a 4 hit Claymore combo and then roll to the side. He fire a hex of some sort but I manage to avoid it by rolling into him, quickly getting another 4-hitter off. Now he is in trouble, at about 15% HP. I try to stay close but he drops a hex that staggers me hard and starts drilling me with crossbow bolts. At this point, I see another invader rise up in the spawn area and get the invasion message again. Great - now there are two of them, but art least this second guy looks like he isn't as well armored. I double roll back over the roof peak, and the Havel guy has to run over to get a bead on me again - Whoops! He should have chugged at that point, which would have insured a win, i think. Instead, roll into him with a Claymore thrust and it;s just enough to take him down - 1 down!
The next guy has a dagger and miracles, so I get him to commit with a combo, which misses, and once I stagger him with the clay, he never breaks the lock and down he goes, as well!
Revenge! Take that, Bell Brothers!!
Before beating the last boss, I will spend some time enjoying the PVP aspects, after which I will flip it all over and head on back to the beginning, with new content, harder difficulty, and more powerful items unlocked!
Great game. Not quite as groundbreaking and ingenious as DS1, but still a top notch experience.
http://darkzero.co.uk/asset/2014/03/praisethesun.jpg
Sheet for my toon:
http://gamehubbs.com/darksouls2/builds/5635
This planner has some issues, so keep in mind that the Claymore is actually +10 Lightning Infused, the Priest's Chime is +10 Lightning Infused, and all the armor is maxed out to either +10 or +5 depending on type. All the damage values should be way higher, but this gives an idea of the look and style of my character.
I just did my cheeky rejig last night. But foolishly forgot to check how my loadout looked pre 'op', or to equip it all mid-change so I could see the alterations live. D'oh!
I thiiiiiink I'm better off now. At level 80ish I've pared my STR/DEX down to 20/20 (which is still overkill, but it was worse before when I was pursuing some silly weapons), and with FTH up to 20+. Both lightning & fire swords seem to be augmented so my dual-wield is certainly feeling handy (Only C on both but it all adds up). Loving messing around with the new miracles opened up :) (And I think the pyroglove gets a boost from the FTH too). Have just taken a slight hit to VIT along the way, and dumped the 'barefoot warrior' schtick. Actually wearing full body armour again and just hovering around the 70% load and taking my time to nurse endurance back up. Have had +2 drangy body armour the whole time, but with the limbs back on really feeling the protection.
Had a quick blitz through the chariot-boss build up, and finding it straightforward now. Not sure if it's the slightly improved hits or just that I was taking it on for real rather than playing around the edges.
After all my faffing around with armors, I am back in the Drangy chest, as you can see in my post above. I like the look, and the stats are crazy. Yeah, it's heavy, but I just adjusted my other gear to compensate, and am now sitting at 59.8 after picking up the Third Dragon Ring. Stamina rate changes after each 10 additional weight, so I pushed my load down a full step to see how it affects play. Stam regen seems a bit peppier, so I will run like this for now! I may go back up to 69 if it isn't that big of a change, as my arms and boots are on the light side, and I might miss the defense in NG+.
When I was running sub-40% the regen speed was really noticeable, and the roll distance & speed even more so. I think maybe I sacrificed too much armour to achieve it though, and it did mean I could be one-shotted far too easily. (Also the temptation to roll all the time means you're forever having to close in again. And forever wiping out your stamina :D)
ADP will take frames off your roll, too...
I thought it expanded 'invincibility frames'? And upped agility, which helps with all that I think yeah. I'm a bit wary of plunging too much into it, much as all that fits my style, and the poise is good for sword-n-board too, and the resistance to broad elemental stuff is dead useful etc. My knight came with a healthy 14 and I've expanded a bit, but the effects are almost a bit too subtle sometimes, so I haven't gone wild (and I'm still a touch leery in case this 60fps palavar is true on PC ;))
*EDIT*
Apparently it can also turn you into a kung fu singularity too... :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfo_sbhI5oY
Ok here are my stats as they kinda stand. (Seems I've actually lowered my ADP while mutating myself).
http://i62.tinypic.com/9zvip3.jpg (http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/432658080932766540/44770A40E14F0B60DDC7A7A9986DCB684DC612EA/)
Very much enjoying the holy lightning bolts :). Laid a few into the back of the chariot bastard while cowering in the outer-ring, but yet to figure him out fully.
Incidentally, how have I only just noticed that the bonfires are made of bones!
http://i57.tinypic.com/4scmkh.jpg (http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/432658080932778507/F0B88669BCA2831BB522CF59FCC7822587AB17A6/)
I love all the little details like that!
I see a shadow standing there wearing the Smelter set, too!
The hub bonfire is the best for a constant array of odd characters :D
(I can see how future PVP is gonna be crazy too - so many possible fighting styles that could materialise!)
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I understand Tatty taking a break from this game though. There are times when it can get a bit too like bleakly hurling yourself at a brick wall. (And then there are others when you're gleefully trying out lightning bolts and mastering sections and thoroughly happy with it all :D)
I will def be taking it slow for a while though and letting the dust settle between runs. Plus I need to make a boat-dispensing fountain in Minecraft ;)
The weather has been stellar here, so i have been outdoors whenever possible. you know, sitting on the deck with a beer! :D
Also, lots of exercising and trudging about playing Ingress, too.
I presume I will be back in front of DS2 when the rain hits again.
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