Dark Souls - I'm Prepared To Die (Again)

[Xprimentyl]

Stock up on some resin (rotten pine, gold pine or charcoal) and apply that to your best enchantable weapon. It should help take gaping chunks of life out of that dragon. Always try to go for the weakest areas (usually an enemy's back or side). Watch for his "tells" as to when he's about to do certain attacks. It's a big arena so you should have lots of space to run and heal when needed.

When you get to Blighttown, especially if you're on PS3, use the framerate dives to your advantage. I swear that helped me play more cautiously because it forced me to be more careful about where to step and to not charge into any new areas. Bearing that in mind it was one of the lowest death rate areas in the first half of the game for me. Also, bring lots of arrows and stock up on Purple Moss Clump.

Always be searching every nook and cranny for you'll never know what you'll find to help. For example, the upper ruins of Firelink Shrine hold a nice breadcrumb treasure that helps greatly in the Blighttown swamps. What does it unlock? Hmmm the answer could be just another Crow's journey away...

I completely agree with taking it nice and easy, absorbing everything you can along the way. These games are not to be rushed through just to say you beat them in x amount of time, at least not until you've scoured all their landscapes and let the inhabitants speak their piece. The enjoyment lies almost entirely in the journey, where the destination is best treated not as the end but a constant next step from the moment you start.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Psyche! I?m at the Gaping Dragon.

Huh, I found gaping dragon pretty easy. I just ran far away around the outside, and it pretty much guaranteed that he would do his charge attack, which then left him open to 2 or 3 attacks. Repeat.
If he doesn't do the charge, just keep moving around the outside and eventually he will.
Cut off his tail for a heavy axe.

Yeah, Mr. Gaping Dragon is giving me some problems, but I think I might have found the problem. I?d been favoring the Gargoyle?s Halberd, but decided to try out my Black Knight?s Sword for some extra damage and had it AND my Halberd equipped to my right hand; I didn?t realize the weights stacked (thought only weights of actively equipped gear added up,) so I was overweight.

That being said, as much as I do like the Black Knight?s Sword, it?s so SLOW! Yes, I have the STR and DEX to handle it, but is there another stat I need to increase or does an even higher STR and/or DEX allow me to wield it more effectively?? If a giant dog can swing an 18-foot sword with no problem using his mouth, I?d figure my Average Hollow Joe should be able swing a moderately large sword using his hands with ease.

 

[Kerg3927]

Super important though, before you go into upper blighttown, make sure you get the spider shield. When traversing blighttown, always keep it up. Watch out for darts!!!
People say it is hard, but honestly, I had no problem (but I also found this tip after being confused by seemingly being autotoxined upon entering the first area. haha).

The shield helps, but more important than that is to have at least 5-10 Blooming Purple Moss Clumps before going into Blighttown so you can cure Toxin when you do get hit by a dart. You won't be able to block them all. I always take a little time to farm up a stash before Blighttown. Makes Blighttown a lot less painful. Blooming Purple Moss Clump is easily farmable here...

Spoiler

Go past the Andre the blacksmith. Run past the Demon. You can fight him later. Hug the ravine on the left until you get to a door. To the left of the door is a secret wall with a bonfire behind it... activate it. Farm the walking trees in the area. They drop both Purple Moss (high drop rate) and Blooming Purple Moss (lower drop rate). Reset them at the bonfire, repeat until you have a large enough stash to tackle Blighttown.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Stock up on some resin (rotten pine, gold pine or charcoal) and apply that to your best enchantable weapon. It should help take gaping chunks of life out of that dragon. Always try to go for the weakest areas (usually an enemy's back or side). Watch for his "tells" as to when he's about to do certain attacks. It's a big arena so you should have lots of space to run and heal when needed.

Thanks for the advice, but I think I?m hitting a wall. I?ll try to stock up on the resins (my last gold pine did help a little,) but that doesn?t change the fact that the Gaping Dragon takes my every opportunity to attack him as his opportunity to attack me. I?ve watched several ?how to? videos, and my GD is not behaving like everyone else?s. He?s VERY aggressive; whenever I give him a wide berth and try to get behind him, he jumps up and re-orients himself to face me putting me the exact opposite of behind him which means I have to run towards him to try again and THAT?S the moment he smacks the shit out of me, or he jumps up again, stun-locking me in place with his AoE for a little bit of damage before he smacks the shit out of me for ALL the damage.

Basically, the Gee-Dee GD is doing a whole lot of smacking the shit out of me.​

How I?m supposed to get behind him and attack when the only chance to do so is when he?s tooth-deep in the floor which is a precursor animation to the eminent charge attack which I?m supposed to be far AWAY for? I?ve even tried summoning the two phantoms outside the fog wall to help, ?curvy swords guy? and ?giggling sun fucker,? but they?re beyond useless. They don?t even serve as decent distractions; when GD jumps up, he still turns to face me, and when they?re in his face (doing little more than getting their asses whooped,) they keep him so aggro?d in every direction, I never get a safe opportunity to move in and attack.

Ugh, I?m sure I?ll get it eventually, but got damn, this shit is frustrating. Only thing I have to look forward to is eventually getting out of there alive with my recovered souls; there?s got to be at least 150 trillion souls built up in there with the 2,000 I add every time I run in there and die. That?s what the Gaping Dragon is: a soul savings account. I wonder if Andre the blacksmith accepts checks and debit cards? I?m good for it; just ask that mouth chest-havin? dinosaur ************ in the sewers?

 

[Asita]

How I'm supposed to get behind him and attack when the only chance to do so is when he?s tooth-deep in the floor which is a precursor animation to the eminent charge attack which I?m supposed to be far AWAY for?

Step 1: Pay attention to its movements. The Gaping Dragon really telegraphs its attacks.
Step 2: Aim for the tail. If/When the tail is gone, aim for whatever's left of it. If you're in front of the legs, it'll get you on the charge.
Step 3: Wait until after the charge. When he stops you'll be able to get a good 2-3 hits in.

Also, for the sake of reference, what's your current soul level and equipment setup?

 

[Glongpre]

Thanks for the advice, but I think I?m hitting a wall. I?ll try to stock up on the resins (my last gold pine did help a little,) but that doesn?t change the fact that the Gaping Dragon takes my every opportunity to attack him as his opportunity to attack me. I?ve watched several ?how to? videos, and my GD is not behaving like everyone else?s. He?s VERY aggressive; whenever I give him a wide berth and try to get behind him, he jumps up and re-orients himself to face me putting me the exact opposite of behind him which means I have to run towards him to try again and THAT?S the moment he smacks the shit out of me, or he jumps up again, stun-locking me in place with his AoE for a little bit of damage before he smacks the shit out of me for ALL the damage.

Well it sounds like you are staying right beside him. Have you tried running away? Enemy attacks are based on distance. If you are close then he is going to try and orient himself to swipe at you.
Stop doing what you are doing because obviously it is not working.

Also, no the black knight sword won't get any faster. Stats do not effect swing speeds.

Alternatively, if you have the master key, you can bypass this whole part and go straight to the swamp area. I would recommend you go through this way though.

 

[Xprimentyl]

[Step 1: Pay attention to its movements. The Gaping Dragon really telegraphs its attacks.

I do, and yes, he does; but the problem is that in trying to keep my distance, I'm too far away when he does open himself up; by the time I run up to him, he's already swiping at me or jumping and landing next to me if not ON me.

Step 2: Aim for the tail. If/When the tail is gone, aim for whatever's left of it. If you're in front of the legs, it'll get you on the charge.

Yes, I had one good run against his tail where I managed to get him down to about a third his health and lopped off his tail, but like I said, getting behind him is the challenge; he simply doesn't allow it. Plus the animation for the Black Knight Sword is a relatively low and EXTREMELY slow horizontal swipe; hitting the tail with any consistency is already a challenge; hitting the nub left after cutting the tail off makes it even harder. I'm think I might need to go with another weapon which sucks because the BKS is the best thing I've got going right now...

Step 3: Wait until after the charge. When he stops you'll be able to get a good 2-3 hits in.

I gathered as much, but the problem is as stated in my response to your step 1 advice; it's after those 2-3 hits I get where shit hits the fan; "shit" being either dragon vomit, dragon fists, dragon feet or a falling dragon ass and "fan" being my face. It's getting away from the charge where I'm getting tripped up. I've even tried some MLG maneuvers and went in with NO armor thinking the complete lack of weight might give me an advantage... no dice. My nakedity just made my zombie raisin ass easier to get at.

Also, for the sake of reference, what's your current soul level and equipment setup?

I'm not in front of the game right now, but I am a Warrior, soul level roughly 35-37; strength and dexterity are 20, endurance is 22, vitality is 17 (I stopped investing in that though.) I've scaled back to the base Warrior armor (Hard leather set, I believe?), right-handing either (in descending damage output) the Black Knight Sword, Drake Sword, +3 Gargoyle's Halberd and a +5 Longsword with a Knight Shield in my left hand. Hope I haven't fucked it too badly. I know now; oddly enough, in a game where if pain were water, you could drown a fish, I'd have never figured that planning to protect myself with more HP and stronger armor wouldn't be nearly as important as learning the nuances of combat and focusing on trying not to be there when body-sized medieval weapons come swinging through.

Well it sounds like you are staying right beside him. Have you tried running away? Enemy attacks are based on distance. If you are close then he is going to try and orient himself to swipe at you. Stop doing what you are doing because obviously it is not working.

Believe me, I am NOT standing right beside him; I?m doing everything in my power to get the hell AWAY from him! And whenever I AM far enough away, he jumps and closes the gap with a butt slam forcing me to run again and that?s only IF the AoE from the butt slam hasn?t stun-locked me so he can stomp the taste out of my mouth. I?m telling you, he is far more aggressive than what I?ve seen in the help videos.

Also, no the black knight sword won't get any faster. Stats do not effect swing speeds.

Damn it?

Alternatively, if you have the master key, you can bypass this whole part and go straight to the swamp area. I would recommend you go through this way though.

I am no quitter (this time.) I WILL find a way to beat this bastard even if it KILLS me? ? oh, wait, it HAS killed me, about 12 times now.

 

[Kerg3927]

Step 3: Wait until after the charge. When he stops you'll be able to get a good 2-3 hits in.

I gathered as much, but the problem is as stated in my response to your step 1 advice; it's after those 2-3 hits I get where shit hits the fan; "shit" being either dragon vomit, dragon fists, dragon feet or a falling dragon ass and "fan" being my face. It's getting away from the charge where I'm getting tripped up. I've even tried some MLG maneuvers and went in with NO armor thinking the complete lack of weight might give me an advantage... no dice. My nakedity just made my zombie raisin ass easier to get at.

That's the strategy I've always used. If he's chasing you, run around the perimeter of the room, while watching him out of the corner of your eye. When he starts his charge maneuver, run toward him from the side and hit him a few times, then run away. Repeat.

It will take a while to whittle his health down a little at a time, but the strat works. Don't get too greedy. As soon as he starts moving around again after the charge, run away and wait for the next charge.

If you already have the tail weapon, forget about the tail. Hit him in one of his back legs. It's the safest part of his body to attack.

 

[Glongpre]

snipzy

When he charges he doesn't deviate from his path, so as soon as he starts going you can intercept him. Likely you will get 2 hits max with the BKS, probably only 1 if you are late. Immediately run around the perimeter. Perhaps you are too far away and that is causing the AI to choose the jump attack, maybe try a medium distance.

This fight is honestly all about patience. If you see that you can't get close enough to hit him safely, then forget about it and wait for a better opportunity.

 

[Xprimentyl]

I had some trouble with this one first time too, but it will be no sweat once you find a rhythm. Learn to bait his attacks that give you an opening. That's really all there is to it. Like others said, don't get greedy. Get in when he's vulnerable, and get out before he regains composure. His attacks can be hard to roll through when you're in close due to their broad sweeping range.

How many Estus swigs do you have? 10 should be more than enough once you have a workable strategy. Always try to have near full health because there's always a chance he could one-hit you back to the bonfire.

 

[Xprimentyl]

When he charges he doesn't deviate from his path, so as soon as he starts going you can intercept him. Likely you will get 2 hits max with the BKS, probably only 1 if you are late. Immediately run around the perimeter. Perhaps you are too far away and that is causing the AI to choose the jump attack, maybe try a medium distance.

This fight is honestly all about patience. If you see that you can't get close enough to hit him safely, then forget about it and wait for a better opportunity.

UPDATE: My bloodstain in the Gaping Dragon?s lair had close to 30,000 souls accumulated from my dozen or so attempts to beat him. I read your advice here and was completely ready to try these tactics. When I ran to grab my bloodstain (yet again,) I accidentally hit the ?use? button and activated the animation to apply the gold pine resin to my Uchigatana? right in the path of a charging Gaping Dragon. I was freight trained and immediately killed, 30,000 souls of trial and error? GONE. I never used to believe in speaking in tongues, but I?m 99% sure the curses coming out of my mouth at that moment were not of this world. No game has ever infuriated me like this; I had to walk away from Dark Souls for a few days.

BUT?

Yesterday, I FINALLY beat him. You were exactly right, Glongpre; keeping a medium distance made all the difference in the world. The entire fight, he only jumped once and NEVER did his vomit, hand/tail swiping or foot stomping attacks; I kept him slamming and charging and the Uchigatana?s improved speed over the Black Knight Sword turned out to be a far better trade off over the diminished damage. I only used one Estus Flask! I know, I know; the GD is a cakewalk compared to the fights to come, but as a large part of the Dark Soul?s experience is the satisfaction of overcoming seemingly impossible odds, this was BIG for me. I realize now that the reason I couldn?t pick up on GD?s patterns and behaviors was because I was intimidated: his size, the epic ?run for your life? orchestral music, the controller vibrating in my hand with each step and most significant for me, his body horror appearance, it all made me very anxious and the pitiful amounts of damage I was doing with each swipe just added to the tension and notion that I needed out of there as soon as possible which led to impatience, mistakes and multiple deaths.

Not saying they?re going to be easy, but knowing what to expect from the rest of the bosses, I?m pretty sure GD will be my biggest hiccup. I?ve always been horrified by his appearance and finally finding myself in the same room with him was a bit much; I don?t imagine the rest of them will intimidate me nearly as much.

Thanks for the advice; I AM listening and I CAN be taught, believe it or not!

 

[Dalisclock]

Congrats. Just remember this when you face the Dynamic Duo(you'll know when you meet them) later in the game. Those are the two that normally drive people to going hollow or remind them that everything can be beaten.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Congrats. Just remember this when you face the Dynamic Duo(you'll know when you meet them) later in the game. Those are the two that normally drive people to going hollow or remind them that everything can be beaten.

Thanks! I know about the infamous O&S, not looking forward to them, but at least I?ll be able to stand looking at them given the lack of disturbing exposed rib-teeth and lurching like a sick dog before vomiting all over the floor. I?m a wuss when it comes to body horror stuff, main reason the psycho doctor was my hard stop in Outlast and why Silent Hill Homecoming was simultaneously my introduction to and exit from the franchise.

 

[Kerg3927]

I realize now that the reason I couldn?t pick up on GD?s patterns and behaviors was because I was intimidated: his size, the epic ?run for your life? orchestral music, the controller vibrating in my hand with each step and most significant for me, his body horror appearance, it all made me very anxious and the pitiful amounts of damage I was doing with each swipe just added to the tension and notion that I needed out of there as soon as possible which led to impatience, mistakes and multiple deaths.

Not saying they?re going to be easy, but knowing what to expect from the rest of the bosses, I?m pretty sure GD will be my biggest hiccup. I?ve always been horrified by his appearance and finally finding myself in the same room with him was a bit much; I don?t imagine the rest of them will intimidate me nearly as much.

 

[Xprimentyl]

I realize now that the reason I couldn?t pick up on GD?s patterns and behaviors was because I was intimidated: his size, the epic ?run for your life? orchestral music, the controller vibrating in my hand with each step and most significant for me, his body horror appearance, it all made me very anxious and the pitiful amounts of damage I was doing with each swipe just added to the tension and notion that I needed out of there as soon as possible which led to impatience, mistakes and multiple deaths.

Not saying they?re going to be easy, but knowing what to expect from the rest of the bosses, I?m pretty sure GD will be my biggest hiccup. I?ve always been horrified by his appearance and finally finding myself in the same room with him was a bit much; I don?t imagine the rest of them will intimidate me nearly as much.

LMAO!!! Nice try, but since making him my *****, he's not nearly as terrifying!

 

[Glongpre]

snip

Huzzah!!! Good, good.

Now just remember to use everything you learned here on the next bosses. And 30000 souls is nothing, you will get that back easily.
When running to bosses after dying, try as best as you can, a route that requires the least combat. Run past every enemy if possible. It just isn't worth your time.

 

[Xprimentyl]

snip

Huzzah!!! Good, good.

Thank you, kindly!

Now just remember to use everything you learned here on the next bosses. And 30000 souls is nothing, you will get that back easily.
When running to bosses after dying, try as best as you can, a route that requires the least combat. Run past every enemy if possible. It just isn't worth your time.

I kinda knew this while I was making deposits to my bloodstain each attempt, but unfortunately, I didn't find the bonfire in The Depths until my 10-11th attempt. I was running back from Firelink each time, so it just made sense to make another deposit from the lower-level baddies to make all the treks back worthwhile. The gamble was that GD would never come between me and my bloodstain the way he did, and you know the old saying about gambling: "sometimes you'll take the house, and sometimes the house will run over you when you accidentally lock yourself in place doing a painfully slow, un-cancelable weapon buff animation."

 

[Xprimentyl]

FUCK Sen?s Fortress!!! I had a good laugh, though, when I was literally murdered by the booby trap on the front doorsteps as I was wiping my feet on the mat. That quickly became the metaphor for my progress over the next two hours, so I backed off to reassess my situation. I?m about SL 50 having dumped mostly into STR and DEX (both around 25-26.) In trying to find the best balance between damage output and maneuverability, I?ve opted to go with the Uchigatana and currently have it at +10 doing base damage around 182. Kinda wishing I?d have +10?d my Gargoyle?s Halberd; it?s at +5 and is only hitting about 10 points less than the +10 Uchigatana, but it?s too unwieldy which makes me uncomfortable. Oh, I DID find a Lightning Spear, but back up a sentence, I?m out of resources to upgrade right now and not sure where to farm?

So I guess my question is now, for where I?m currently at in the game, am I under-leveled/under-powered and/or have I spread my upgrades too thin to be effective in the areas that matter? Kinda getting that ?jack of all [melee] trades, master of none? vibe from my build. Sen?s is the next major area to overcome to move the story along and it?s kinda kicking my ass; I know if I manage to power through and get to Anor Londo where Black Knights replace hollows as fodder and O&S are sure to be a brick wall, I?m going to be in trouble. I have a few areas I could explore more thoroughly still: Catacombs with no divine weapon, Valley of Drakes where I?ve aggro?d a zombie dragon that won?t go back to sleep and Deeproot Basin which is probably where I?m heading next. Am I just grinding for souls to level up or could my wandering be more focused? I know ?figuring it out? is a part of the experience, but my play time is very limited; I don?t want to waste any of it if I can have a clear goal, even a small one like buffing items or better weapons. I?ve got colored titanite shards, but Andre doesn?t seem to be too interested in using them on my equipment.

 

[DeadProxy]

For Sen's Fortress, and for your sanity, it might be better to equip the Zweihander if you got it, because though it's slow, if it connects on the Snakemen, they get pancaked and have to stand up, which gives you enough time to slam them again.

As for if your underleveled or whatever, I can't help you there since I try to be as beefy as possible in souls games, and probably went to many places over leveled and still got ruined.

If you need a divine weapon, if I remember there's one in a chest in a hidden spot at Firelink. At the elevator beside the fat cleric man, if you ride it up a couple feet and step off it, I think you can drop down to a spot behind the Fat man and get a Blessed Mace. If I'm wrong, then just use a Mace-type weapon, because smacking skeletons with those will break them apart every time.

The Valley of Drakes is just a shortcut between 3 zones I think, and you can't open the most important shortcut in that area from the Valley of Drakes, so it's not all that important. As for the Basin area,(with the Hydra?) it's also mainly a shortcut area, so it's not a place you need to spend a lot of time focusing in, unless you haven't bought the Crest Key thing from Andree and used it, or want access to a magic teaching NPC which can teach you the Cast Light spell, which makes the zone after the Catacombs super bearable.

So when it comes to where you can actually go and find something that you can call "progress," you can either push on ahead through Sen's Fortress (there is a bonfire in that zone, but only after you get outside again) or you can go down from Firelink, ride the elevator down, and have fun in the New Londo Ruins.

 

[Evonisia]

Sen?s is the next major area to overcome to move the story along and it?s kinda kicking my ass; I know if I manage to power through and get to Anor Londo where Black Knights replace hollows as fodder and O&S are sure to be a brick wall, I?m going to be in trouble.

My recommendation for preparing for Anor Londo while you're still in Sen's Fortress is to practise parrying on the Snake guards. They're a bit difficult to do but Black Knights are (IMO) among the easiest enemies in the game to parry which will make Anor Londo less overbearing.

I mean, Anor Londo is filled with a bunch of other monsters, but at least the palace bits will be more manageable.

And I wouldn't recommend going jack-of-all-trades in your build as it leaves anything you do kinda mediocre for the end-game, but I'm no expert on ideal builds across classes.