Current Events > Playing Dark Souls 2 for the first time

(+) Yeah! (+)

360 version. I don't know if the Black Armor edition includes the DLC, but I'm not buying it (now) if it doesn't. All I really know about DS2 is that shields are absolutely not the way to go.

---

Shields are fine
just some bosses have high stamina damaging moves
Go to the forest first, go talk to merchant lady using,the talk option until she repeats something about a bargain or offer and it makes her move to the hub and sell infinite life gems after beating the first boss
Get some points into adaptability to get better iframes
90 agility is good enough for the gsme
---

I usually don't do strength builds, but I found a club early on with A-scaling in strength, and stuck with it the whole game.

and idk about other people's experiences, but using a great shield really helped me out.

Dark Souls 2 also allows you to respec your stats, if you wanna change your build later on (I forget how to do it, though).

and one more thing - if you kill enemies in an area a certain number of times (I forget the number), they don't respawn

---

Garioshi posted...

All I really know about DS2 is that shields are absolutely not the way to go

Shields are great in DS2 because you can completely ignore the ADP stat with them and never bother rolling
---

nothanks1 posted...

Get some points into attunement to get better iframes

No, don't do that unless you're a caster. ATT increases agility at a third the rate that ADP does
---

shields being bad in 2 is more of a pvp thing. the kick you had in 1 has been replaced with a guard break swipe maneuver.

i'm not sure what to say about them in pvp by the way. the best data i got was against great players and the ones that were using shields were going to be difficult anyway. shields have a noob reputation but it's an extra tool in the right hands. use them if you want.

the one thing i want to say is that powerstancing is rad as hell.
---

If nothing else, this game looks a whole lot slicker than DS1. It actually seems like it was designed for HD screenspace.

---

I just couldn't with 2

But maybe it will click for you

---

I genuinely don't understand how Dark Souls 2 came after Dark Souls 1. 2 feels like the crappy first game that got a very good sequel, instead of the other way around. I hate Dark Souls 2. I hope you like it, I really do, but the movement is too janky, combat is slow, the enemy variety is dopey af, getting headshot sucks and why does it take so long to pick up items!?

Also the hitboxes are garbage.

Best Dark Souls. Enjoy.

---

This game doesn't have true analog movement what the actual fuck

---

I would highly recommend avoiding DS2 unless you are playing on Scholar. It fixes an insane amount of issues while, sadly, making enemy placement a bit more dumb as a sacrifice.

---

Raise up yer agility and forget about the shield tbh

hmm I only played Scholar so idk about OG DS2

Why the fuck do I start at level 12

---

Garioshi posted...

Why the fuck do I start at level 12

Every class starts at a different level with different skills/gear. If you want to be level 1 you go whatever the naked class option is in every souls game.

---

CommunismFTW posted...

Every class starts at a different level with different skills/gear. If you want to be level 1 you go whatever the naked class option is in every souls game.

Ah.

---

You didn't pick deprived, that's why.

Anyway, pump ADP at the beginning. Even if you don't plan to roll, it affects your estus drinking times so you don't take 5 minutes just to take a swig.

Compared to the first game, DS2 is really easy imo. It's kind of nice that way, but it can get pretty boring. It's also (generally) more linear/ it's a lot easier to know where you should be going next. Like DS1, the DLC is the best content of the game, and it's even more true in DS2 where some people think it's some of the only good content in the game. Idk if I'd go that far, but I would agree all the best levels and bosses are in the DLC.

I don't think it's as bad as everybody says it is though. It's still a decent game. But I play these games at a slow pace, so I didn't aggro the big gank squads all at once in my playthrough.

---

Where's the forest? I doubt I'm intended to die over and over to those giant knights.

---

Garioshi posted...

Where's the forest? I doubt I'm intended to die over and over to those giant knights.

It's down the cliffside from the bonfire in Majula
---

The doors with switches on either side reek of loading zones.

---

Garioshi posted...

The doors with switches on either side reek of loading zones.

i mean, you are playing on a 360 and it isn't even the ideal version of said game let alone ideal platform

be gentle to poor ds2 lol

---

DS2 probably has the best shields in the series for pve

With some of the shields with higher stability, you'll barely see your stamina move at all while enemies wail on you

Also hexes are absolutely busted in the base game

---

I am getting obliterated starting after the first bonfire wtf

---

The adaptive difficulty is making me feel bad

---

Garioshi posted...

I am getting obliterated starting after the first bonfire wtf

I really enjoy seeing these posts lol

Oh lol this game despawms enemies if you kill them over and over right? I think it's actually a way to stop farming or something and make boss runs less annoying.

---

yea, that's what I did because I kept getting killed by enemy mobs.

---

Am I just a fucking moron? I feel like I shouldn't be struggling this much

---

Didn't you hear? The Dark Souls franchise consists of the most difficult games ever and the primary feature is dying repeatedly because only masochists play them.


---

Garioshi posted...

Am I just a fucking moron? I feel like I shouldn't be struggling this much

DS2 plays a bit differently towards the first and third one
It's slower paced and more about spacing

What part are you struggling with
---

nothanks1 posted...

DS2 plays a bit differently towards the first and third one
It's slower paced and more about spacing

What part are you struggling with

I've died on practically every part; I can dodge all I want, but it doesn't mean anything if I'm too slow to recover from attacking. I can't scrounge together enough souls to level up or buy lifegems or better equipment.

---

Garioshi posted...

Am I just a fucking moron? I feel like I shouldn't be struggling this much

I can't speak for anyone else, but initially, I had the most difficulty with Dark Souls 2's mobs than any other game in the franchise, and I started with Demon's Souls, so games like this weren't new to me.

---

Do you like the unsatisfying metal clang noise most weapons makes against most enemies/objects?

---

Garioshi posted...

I've died on practically every part; I can dodge all I want, but it doesn't mean anything if I'm too slow to recover from attacking. I can't scrounge together enough souls to level up or buy lifegems or better equipment.

What part are you at and what weapon do you have?
---

nothanks1 posted...

What part are you at and what weapon do you have?

Cardinal Tower bonfire, Shortsword.

---

Probably the fastest straightsword in the game
You should not be having any issues
Don't hit more than once or twice
---

If you must torture yourself with this game at least do a powerstance build since its one of the only good things the game brought to the table and never returns

My least favorite in the series, im curious to see what you think of it

---

dark souls 2 mobs were tough, at the beginning. once you get your bearings, you learn to enjoy being swarmed by 3,4,5 or more enemies at once.
not

---

backstab destroys every mob enemy in this game tbh. well, except for that one guy.

---

Crestfallen should warn you about the enemies being able to magically pivot toward you mid-animation and hit you even though you rolled without interrupting the roll animation.

---

I'm so sorry, tc. You have my condolences. It's a horridly shitty game that didn't need to be made at all.

---

so much salt about DS2.

I straight up don't understand it. I enjoyed it.

---

TerrifyingRei posted...

so much salt about DS2.

I straight up don't understand it. I enjoyed it.

Me too. Its my fav. But the game does love its mobs.

---

DS2 is probably my favourite overall even with the DLC fucking over casters
---

Ruddager posted...

If you must torture yourself with this game at least do a powerstance build since its one of the only good things the game brought to the table and never returns

What should I be going for?

---

My go to is to roll behind humanoid enemies when they attack and backstab. Rinse and repeat and it will kill basically any humanoid enemy in the game easily. Backstabs are wonky because they have less to do with where their back is in an animation and more to do with like the vector the enemy would take if it moved forward from its position without turning. It felt kind of cheesy to wreck all the enemies like this, but the backstab animation for the mace was so good I never got tired of it.

---

Garioshi posted...

What should I be going for?

powerstancing longswords is nice.

if you want to meme, Greatswords

---