Just bought Darks Souls and I was wondering if i could get some tips or resources before i start playing it.
Just bought Dark Souls. Got any tips?
- Thread starter crimsonshrouds
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- I suggest going in as a warrior or wanderer. Wanderers are pretty fast, so if you can handle evading most attacks, they'll suit you well. I'd probably suggest the warrior, though. They have strong shields (which is huge), good armor, are pretty mobile, can use heavy weapons early on.
All the other ones have significant flaws. The knight's slow and unwieldy. The bandit's got weak armor. The hunter's arrows can only be bought in one place in the early game. Sorcerer's useless against large groups. The thief is deadly, but fragile. The deprived is useless, no starting equipment whatsoever. But really, if one of the other options look better to you, go for it. Classes are just starting points, and you can put points into whatever stat you like.
-Pick the Master Key as gift. It's going to be far more useful than everything else, and can't be got till way later in game.
-I second @krazykidd in that you really shouldn't attack NPCs, especially not the blue guy you meet directly after you get to Firelink.
-You have to be human to summon NPC's for boss fights, not Hollow/Undead. Reverse hollowing at bonfires.
-There's tons to do around Firelink. Talk to Petrus of Thorolund, and if you have a high enough faith stat, he'll teach you Miracles. Do a run around the graveyard. Don't bother trying to fight the skeletons. Just open every chest you see. You'll get tons of great weapons equipment. If you head down the elevator underneath Firelink, take the path on the left and cross the shallow water, avoid the ghosts and you'll get a firekeeper soul. Talk to the lady locked up under the Firelink bonfire, and she'll use the Firekeeper soul to increase the health gained from Estus flasks.
-The Taurus Demon is going to be an unrealistically harsh challenge for your point in the game, so I'll give you two tips:
1. As soon as you enter the grey fog and walk down the steps, there'll be a ladder. Climb it, and kill the two undead archers. Otherwise, they'll start shooting at you as you fight the demon. The perch they're on is also great for drop attacking the Taurus Demon.
2. The Taurus Demon is weak to lighting, so use your Gold Pine Resin to defeat him.
After the Taurus Demon, you are (to me) officially in Dark Souls proper. Good luck, and prepare to die.
- I suggest going in as a warrior or wanderer. Wanderers are pretty fast, so if you can handle evading most attacks, they'll suit you well. I'd probably suggest the warrior, though. They have strong shields (which is huge), good armor, are pretty mobile, can use heavy weapons early on.
All the other ones have significant flaws. The knight's slow and unwieldy. The bandit's got weak armor. The hunter's arrows can only be bought in one place in the early game. Sorcerer's useless against large groups. The thief is deadly, but fragile. The deprived is useless, no starting equipment whatsoever. But really, if one of the other options look better to you, go for it. Classes are just starting points, and you can put points into whatever stat you like.
-Pick the Master Key as gift. It's going to be far more useful than everything else, and can't be got till way later in game.
-I second @krazykidd in that you really shouldn't attack NPCs, especially not the blue guy you meet directly after you get to Firelink.
-You have to be human to summon NPC's for boss fights, not Hollow/Undead. Reverse hollowing at bonfires.
-There's tons to do around Firelink. Talk to Petrus of Thorolund, and if you have a high enough faith stat, he'll teach you Miracles. Do a run around the graveyard. Don't bother trying to fight the skeletons. Just open every chest you see. You'll get tons of great weapons equipment. If you head down the elevator underneath Firelink, take the path on the left and cross the shallow water, avoid the ghosts and you'll get a firekeeper soul. Talk to the lady locked up under the Firelink bonfire, and she'll use the Firekeeper soul to increase the health gained from Estus flasks.
-The Taurus Demon is going to be an unrealistically harsh challenge for your point in the game, so I'll give you two tips:
1. As soon as you enter the grey fog and walk down the steps, there'll be a ladder. Climb it, and kill the two undead archers. Otherwise, they'll start shooting at you as you fight the demon. The perch they're on is also great for drop attacking the Taurus Demon.
2. The Taurus Demon is weak to lighting, so use your Gold Pine Resin to defeat him.
After the Taurus Demon, you are (to me) officially in Dark Souls proper. Good luck, and prepare to die.
Don't go down into the graveyard when you first arrive at Firelink. That is not the right way.
People will tell you to get the Master Key as a starting gift. It's a good choice, but I have a different opinion. Do you care about the story in Dark Souls? Are you going to read the descriptions and try to piece together everything you can, or are you just going in to kill stuff? If you care about the story, then I suggest you pick The Old Witch's Ring. It has a special purpose that really adds a new depth to the story.
Do not be afraid to try out different play styles. My character started out as a Wanderer with a high DEX attack, but I ended up using spells way more than actually using a blade. I just picked whichever play style seemed to work best.
Finally, if you want to get spells early, you will need to put some points into intel. The reason being that you will meet a wizard (if you do certain things) and he will sell spells, but if your stats are too low, he won't sell them until you meet him again much later in the game.
People will tell you to get the Master Key as a starting gift. It's a good choice, but I have a different opinion. Do you care about the story in Dark Souls? Are you going to read the descriptions and try to piece together everything you can, or are you just going in to kill stuff? If you care about the story, then I suggest you pick The Old Witch's Ring. It has a special purpose that really adds a new depth to the story.
Do not be afraid to try out different play styles. My character started out as a Wanderer with a high DEX attack, but I ended up using spells way more than actually using a blade. I just picked whichever play style seemed to work best.
Finally, if you want to get spells early, you will need to put some points into intel. The reason being that you will meet a wizard (if you do certain things) and he will sell spells, but if your stats are too low, he won't sell them until you meet him again much later in the game.
TheRiddler said:
Thank you both for the intel and a lot of things to think about when i do start the game.Sniper Team 4 said:
BTW I look for story along with my combat. Its why i loved final fantasy tactics and I like learning about the world that i play in.
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Class selection is important early on, but gets less important the further you progress in the game, since every character eventually gets access to everything. Personally, I'm a huge fan of using a Pyromancer as a starter since a lot of early enemies are weak to fire, and it gives you some range (super useful against more heavily armored enemies).
Stamina is everything in this game. When you're playing always make sure to not to fully deplete your stamina bar while attacking. Always leave a little bit of stamina to roll away from an attack if necessary. There are weapons that will allow you to attack from behind a shield, these weapons are really really useful early on when you don't have much health (my personal favorite of the bunch is the Estoc, which is a piercing sword that you get in New Londo Ruins, which is right below firelink).
If you're having trouble getting to the blacksmith in Undead Parish there is an often overlooked blacksmith in new londo ruins who can upgrade your weapons and make the beginning of the game a little easier, if you have titanite shards.
Remember, the AI in this game is surprisingly dumb. You can usually lure away single enemies with ranged attacks and fight one on one instead of in groups, which makes things significantly easier.
Remember, just try not to get frustrated and have fun.
Stamina is everything in this game. When you're playing always make sure to not to fully deplete your stamina bar while attacking. Always leave a little bit of stamina to roll away from an attack if necessary. There are weapons that will allow you to attack from behind a shield, these weapons are really really useful early on when you don't have much health (my personal favorite of the bunch is the Estoc, which is a piercing sword that you get in New Londo Ruins, which is right below firelink).
If you're having trouble getting to the blacksmith in Undead Parish there is an often overlooked blacksmith in new londo ruins who can upgrade your weapons and make the beginning of the game a little easier, if you have titanite shards.
Remember, the AI in this game is surprisingly dumb. You can usually lure away single enemies with ranged attacks and fight one on one instead of in groups, which makes things significantly easier.
Remember, just try not to get frustrated and have fun.
If that is the case in terms of story, then I do suggest you pick the Old Witch's Ring. It won't prove useful until you have rung both bells of awakening (or just one, if you choose to go down first, but most people on their first run don't). If you haven't figured it out by the time you have rung both bells, I suggest you look it up, but try to figure out what the ring does on your own.crimsonshrouds said:Thank you both for the intel and a lot of things to think about when i do start the game.
And if you are looking for the story, you will need to read the item descriptions on nearly everything. I'm sure you've already heard this, but the story in Dark Souls isn't told directly to you. You have to piece it together based on what characters tell you, what happens, and most importantly, item descriptions.
An example would be that there are two items in the game and when you read both of the descriptions, you'll notice that something doesn't add up in a certain area of the game, and it is up to you to decide if you want to face the consequences of finding out the truth...
Don't go in blind. <url=http://darksouls.wiki.fextralife.com/Dark+Souls+Wiki>Here's the wiki. Absorb as much as you can, or nothing will make sense.
And yeah, stamina is everything, resistance is useless, etc etc.
And yeah, stamina is everything, resistance is useless, etc etc.
Yeah, everything resets when you use a bonfire, except for npcs. If you have to break anything near an npc, just use the rolling attack thingy. It will break stuff, but it won't hurt the npcs.krazykidd said:
Do NOT get the master key starting off because it will derail normal progression. I remember I did it when I first played and completely missed entire areas & npcs because of it. Also, look up the mechanics on humanity, the game does a poor job of explaining it. Another tip is to pay attention to more then just what has the highest attack/armor. There are other things to consider such as equipment load, move set, damage type & stamina.
Repost from another thread. Also I recomend going i blind to discover the world and fights yourself. My tips are purely mechanical to help you understand the game better and thus perform better while playing it. If you need more help dont be afraid to seek out the dark souls community. Despite rumor we're actually very inclusive
To start you need to keep in mind that dark souls isnt for everyone. If you arent enjoying it then you arent enjoying it and its ok to put the game down. It doesnt make you a bad gamer or any nonsense like that it just means the game isnt for you.
That said the best advice I can give is learn from your mistakes. Its ok to go in to simply observe how a boss fights. When you learn the tells of those bosses you wont necessarily need to block/dodge because you'll just move out of the way, get around them, or stagger them during attack animations that completely miss.
Something else you can do is go from normal difficulty mode to easy difficulty mode by upgrading your equipment at the blacksmith (dark souls has difficulty modes but its not a slider). If you need shards you can get them by killing balder knights (the guys with the red capes) around the church. There should be 5 or 6 of them around if you can clear the whole area before returning to the bonfire. They also drop pieces of armor, a pretty good shield, and the Balder side sword which is one of my favorite dexterity based weapons in the game.
You can summon other players to help. Theres usually white sigils or sunbro marks just outside the church. Failing that you can also summon Solaire and Lautrec inside the church. However I do not recomend that you summon players to help. The reason being that IMO it effects the sense of accomplishment that you get from overcoming the bosses. If you do it solo it just feels a lot better. That goes for all bosses
The third thing in mind is know your mechanics and your equipment. Use your shield and dodges properly so you arent depleting yourself of stamina. Get in, get a few hits in, and back out. If you need to use estus do so when the boss is either out of range or in an attack animation that wont hit you. Your weaponry also plays a big part of the fight. Its ok to use speedy weapons or slow heavy weapons if you use them properly. You dont want to use the heavy attack of a Zwienhander unless you've got the right opening and you will only learn those openings through experience with the boss. Now if you go into the stats of your gear, particularly your weapons youll notice they have letters under certain attributes. A normal longsword will be C and C for strength and dexterity while Astora's straight sword will have a C C and C under strength, dexterity, and faith. What these are is scaling effects meaning the higher your stats are in these abilities the better the weapon does. So if youre a dexterity based character a weapon like the balder side sword (which has E strength and B dex scaling) is going to work better for you then say a longsword (which has C strength and dex scaling).
Lets see...oh cut that tail on the first gargoyle for a nifty ax. You can do it with any slashing weapon like the broadsword, claymore, bandit knife, whatever. The second gargoyle doesnt have a tail so dont worry about him.
Also dont worry about classes, just design your character how you want them. You can beat the game with any kind of character, yes even one where you did nothing but sink your points into resistance (tested that one myself) although I dont recomend that since the return on resistance is awful. Just find yourself a playstyle that you enjoy and run with it, if you need help adapting that playstyle for certain bosses the dark souls community will always be there to help with advice
I hope that youll start enjoying the game more. It really is an excellent game and a glorious piece of art but Ill reiterate that Dark souls isnt for everyone.
To start you need to keep in mind that dark souls isnt for everyone. If you arent enjoying it then you arent enjoying it and its ok to put the game down. It doesnt make you a bad gamer or any nonsense like that it just means the game isnt for you.
That said the best advice I can give is learn from your mistakes. Its ok to go in to simply observe how a boss fights. When you learn the tells of those bosses you wont necessarily need to block/dodge because you'll just move out of the way, get around them, or stagger them during attack animations that completely miss.
Something else you can do is go from normal difficulty mode to easy difficulty mode by upgrading your equipment at the blacksmith (dark souls has difficulty modes but its not a slider). If you need shards you can get them by killing balder knights (the guys with the red capes) around the church. There should be 5 or 6 of them around if you can clear the whole area before returning to the bonfire. They also drop pieces of armor, a pretty good shield, and the Balder side sword which is one of my favorite dexterity based weapons in the game.
You can summon other players to help. Theres usually white sigils or sunbro marks just outside the church. Failing that you can also summon Solaire and Lautrec inside the church. However I do not recomend that you summon players to help. The reason being that IMO it effects the sense of accomplishment that you get from overcoming the bosses. If you do it solo it just feels a lot better. That goes for all bosses
The third thing in mind is know your mechanics and your equipment. Use your shield and dodges properly so you arent depleting yourself of stamina. Get in, get a few hits in, and back out. If you need to use estus do so when the boss is either out of range or in an attack animation that wont hit you. Your weaponry also plays a big part of the fight. Its ok to use speedy weapons or slow heavy weapons if you use them properly. You dont want to use the heavy attack of a Zwienhander unless you've got the right opening and you will only learn those openings through experience with the boss. Now if you go into the stats of your gear, particularly your weapons youll notice they have letters under certain attributes. A normal longsword will be C and C for strength and dexterity while Astora's straight sword will have a C C and C under strength, dexterity, and faith. What these are is scaling effects meaning the higher your stats are in these abilities the better the weapon does. So if youre a dexterity based character a weapon like the balder side sword (which has E strength and B dex scaling) is going to work better for you then say a longsword (which has C strength and dex scaling).
Lets see...oh cut that tail on the first gargoyle for a nifty ax. You can do it with any slashing weapon like the broadsword, claymore, bandit knife, whatever. The second gargoyle doesnt have a tail so dont worry about him.
Also dont worry about classes, just design your character how you want them. You can beat the game with any kind of character, yes even one where you did nothing but sink your points into resistance (tested that one myself) although I dont recomend that since the return on resistance is awful. Just find yourself a playstyle that you enjoy and run with it, if you need help adapting that playstyle for certain bosses the dark souls community will always be there to help with advice
I hope that youll start enjoying the game more. It really is an excellent game and a glorious piece of art but Ill reiterate that Dark souls isnt for everyone.
Do not, after you leave the first area of the game, go to the cemetery with the skeletons.
You are just going to waste your time. You wanna try that area later.
You are just going to waste your time. You wanna try that area later.
When you reach the place under the bridge, with a clear shot at the Red Dragon, you can proceed to snipe off its tail which gives you a pretty sweet weapon. It should carry you through most of the game, however upgrading it is rather pricey. For another really easy weapon, I'd suggest killing off the first merchant you come across in Undead Burg, but be sure to grab a bow and 100+ arrows from him before you decide to do so. He drops his katana, it can carry you through the whole of NG if you constantly upgrade it through your play through.
Oh, and avoid killing NPC's as they stay dead forever and some of the skill vendors are usually indispensable. Especially the pyromancy trainer, some of his spells can wreck in late game and PVP even if you aren't a mage. You can ask around on the Dark Souls wiki in-case you have any questions or are just looking for jolly co-op, some of the people there are pretty awesome.
GL & HF, Praise the sun! /o/
Oh, and avoid killing NPC's as they stay dead forever and some of the skill vendors are usually indispensable. Especially the pyromancy trainer, some of his spells can wreck in late game and PVP even if you aren't a mage. You can ask around on the Dark Souls wiki in-case you have any questions or are just looking for jolly co-op, some of the people there are pretty awesome.
GL & HF, Praise the sun! /o/
I'd definitely recommend using the wiki to look up stats and so on... They make no sense whatsoever, so going in "blind" will probably lead to a fair number of wasted/badly spent souls.
On the other hand, definitely go blind for the actual game progression unless you absolutely need to look something up.
On the other hand, definitely go blind for the actual game progression unless you absolutely need to look something up.
I would not recommend the Master Key if you are a newcomer to the game. It opens up all kinds of useful shortcuts early in the game, but unless you know what you are doing, you might just end up getting yourself killed since more often than not, the areas those shortcuts lead to are not meant to be traversed just yet. ("Meant to be" being used very lightly, but one of the most annoying levels in the game can be skipped with the key... But you should experience it at least once.) That being said, I also recommend the Old Witch's Ring. There is an alternative way of getting it, but the method is obtuse and cannot be done until later in the game.
Never, and I mean never level up your resistance. In both PvE and PvP, the stat is nigh useless. The points are literally better spent in any other stat.
Just about everything is weak to lightning, especially dragons.
Pyromancer is the "easy mode" class of the game, at least in my experience. Pyromancy in general requires no investment other than having your flame upgraded and however many attunement slots you need/want. Compatible with just about any kind of build, particularly if you are not hellbent on limiting your soul level. It also starts out at level 1, making it a tad more flexible than the other classes.
Never, and I mean never level up your resistance. In both PvE and PvP, the stat is nigh useless. The points are literally better spent in any other stat.
Just about everything is weak to lightning, especially dragons.
Pyromancer is the "easy mode" class of the game, at least in my experience. Pyromancy in general requires no investment other than having your flame upgraded and however many attunement slots you need/want. Compatible with just about any kind of build, particularly if you are not hellbent on limiting your soul level. It also starts out at level 1, making it a tad more flexible than the other classes.
http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130511030612/darksouls/images/6/67/20_Tips_for_Beginners.jpg
Nice tips =) If you are interested in the story, be sure to read item descriptions and talk to NPC's multiple times at various moments in the game (after you've beaten several bosses or so)
Nice tips =) If you are interested in the story, be sure to read item descriptions and talk to NPC's multiple times at various moments in the game (after you've beaten several bosses or so)
Lot's of good tips already. I won't give specific game tips because I think a blind experience (minus how stats work) and finding what works for you is a better method. I didn't go in blind and i think it dampened the experience a little. I will just say be cautious, be patient, expect to die a lot but work to overcome it, and pay attention to the environment.
One big tip here, dont waste souls on upgrading stats you dont need to too much. If you're planning a melee build, generally you shouldnt put points into say Faith or Intellect. Also dont put points into resistance, its useless. Be smart with your stats as after you reach about Soul Level 50, leveling up once will cost you over 10K souls. Upgrading your gear will give you a far more immediate benefit than upgrading your stats, so make sure you dont neglect to upgrade your weapons and armor. Also dont be afraid to google how things like poise and damage scaling work. The game doesnt explain it to you so theres no shame in it