You're not missing anything. You get two types of clues about where to go next. One is the views of the yellow fog doors vanishing. If you haven't seen some of those areas yet, you'll just have to explore more to find them. The other form of clue is the dialogue from Frampt where he says:
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LTTP: Dark Souls
- Thread starter Solid SOAP
- Start date
I think most just have trouble with the dogs, after they're down he's pretty tame.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Thanks! Like I said, seeing the fog doors vanish didn't really help me much since I had only seen one of them before. One or two of the others looked like they might be in locations I recognize, but I'm really not sure. And now I feel like I won't even know when I find one, since they're not actually there anymore. Only the one in Anor Londo was obvious, since I'd seen it before and wondered how to get through it. But yes, that Frampt dialogue is helpful. Don't know why I didn't think of what he said there, just sort of slipped my mind.
I sure found him difficult at first, since he just instantly charges at you and you don't really know how to deal with the situation. Died pretty much instantly, and it seemed like an impossible challenge. But once I figured out how to use the stairs against him it wasn't too bad. Which is how I've found most bosses in this game to be. Once you figure out the weaknesses in their attack patterns they really aren't all that difficult, you just have to be methodical and patient.
Solid SOAP
Member
So my HDD wound up getting corrupt and ruining my Xbox, but my ventures through Lordran have not come to a close. I wound up getting a new HDD and jumping right back in, starting a new game. I'm actually enjoying it more now, really. I haven't been using the Drake Sword, and it was hard at first but I've been doing really well recently. Someone invaded my world and tried to kill me, but I trumped them and got their Black Knight Sword which has been proving quite useful. I found like 4 Twinkling Titanite in this area under Blighttown and used it to upgrade my sword to do 308 damage, which has been making this game cake ever since. Beat both Hydra, conquered Sen's Fortress and am on my way to the next area which looks absolutely beautiful so far. A bizarre juxtaposition from the rest of the game's dreary nature, but I like it, I feel like I earned it.
I love this game. I pour way too much time into it sometimes but otherwise it's great. An incredible adventure thus far, I can't wait to see how it continues.
I love this game. I pour way too much time into it sometimes but otherwise it's great. An incredible adventure thus far, I can't wait to see how it continues.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
I accidentally got spoiled on the Drake Sword. I picked it up the next time I went through that area, but then never used it. It just wouldn't feel right, since I didn't discover it myself. So I continued using my considerably weaker weapon, which made things a bit harder but ultimately more rewarding and "true". And now I'm dealing way more damage than I would with the Drake Sword anyway (as it doesn't scale with anything and you don't find a lot of materials to upgrade it), so I'm good.
Sentenza
Member
Mostly because it's simply not as good as many people claim.
Stellar damage for the very early game but it's shitty on pretty much any other metric.
Zero scaling (which means pretty much every single weapon in the game will outdo it in terms of damage in the long run), poor reach, underwhelming moveset, etc.
darkistheway
Member
Bolded makes me laugh.
hear hear.
Fancy Clown
Member
That was my experience as well. The tail sword is beastly, and I surprisingly beat the Capra Demon on my first try. There are plenty of places that fucked me up later on though.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
So, I'm having another, more serious issue right now. I've been using pyromancy, mostly to have some ranged attacks when needed. But now the guy who sells that stuff and can upgrade my flame is gone from Firelink. I looked this up a bit, and I guess he left to find some new pyromancies or whatever and won't be coming back. So I checked which other NPCs can do this for me. One is in Quelaag's domain, but he's totally dead (I answered his question wrong, and that was that). The last one is supposedly in Blighttown IF you have already upgraded the flame to 10+. Which I haven't. So I'm pretty much boned with regards to pyromancy? It sucks a bit that upgrade options and such can be completely taken away from you if you make a few mistakes, but that's part of what makes this game hardcore I suppose.
So now the question is: Do I stick with the rather weak pyromancy I have (which I can now never make stronger), or do I switch to sorcery? With that I would at least have the option to invest in it.
So now the question is: Do I stick with the rather weak pyromancy I have (which I can now never make stronger), or do I switch to sorcery? With that I would at least have the option to invest in it.
Sentenza
Member
Well, answering your question would require to know for what build you were going for, in the first place.
Anyway, generally speaking, you won't need either piromancy nor sorcery to be able to complete the game.
Magic is just an extra tool at your disposal, not something required.
Anyway, generally speaking, you won't need either piromancy nor sorcery to be able to complete the game.
Magic is just an extra tool at your disposal, not something required.
hydrophilic attack
Member
This is not true. No one is quite sure what causes her to spawn, but +10 pyromancy flame is not necessarily the only way to get her to spawn. She spawned in my game before I had upgraded my flame that much. If I were you, I would try to go to her spawn point to see if she's there before giving up on pyromancy.
But yeah, the game is a bit of an asshole when it comes to pyromancy. The first guy is easy to make hostile by attacking his barrel rather than rolling into it. And of course later he may go on his suicide mission like he did in your game. The second guy is hard to find (behind an illusory wall) and he looks like an enemy so many people make him hostile by attacking him. And the final trainer is a bit tricky to get to spawn, as already discussed.
They keep up the tradition in the sequel, where
the main pyromancy trainer is first met in an area where there is an ambush, which may kill her
RoadHazard
Gold Member
I've mainly been focusing on strength, although I recently ascended my main axe to a lightning axe. It deals loads more damage than it did before, but I guess that means my strength stat is now pretty much useless (unless I also upgrade a good strength-scaling weapon a lot). I've been going 99% melee, mostly using pyromancy to attack groups of enemies and such (and also a bit for bosses). I guess you're right that I won't really need it to complete the game, it just sucks a bit to not even have the option to make it stronger anymore.
Ah, ok, will definitely go check that out then!
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Just went there to check, and nope, she's not there. So I guess I should either just deal with it and focus on melee damage (which I've really been doing anyway), or switch to sorcery. I do like having something of the ranged fashion.
To this day, and maybe I've been doing wrong every time I tried, but I never had the patience to get the Drake Sword.
I don't see how so many people get it on their first playthrough. I didn't learn about it until I was going toe to toes with the Four Kings in my first playthrough.
I don't see how so many people get it on their first playthrough. I didn't learn about it until I was going toe to toes with the Four Kings in my first playthrough.
It was in tons of online guides. Even sites like IGN and Kotaku just gave "tips" to grab the drake sword right away.
I use it for maybe 2 bosses, but once I have access to upgrades, I start working on another weapon.
Wow, I never thought about that. Not to sound arrogant, but I never considered using a guide for the souls games! It would make sense for them to give hints!
What's the quickest way to get the drake sword? I tried shooting 100+ arrows at the drake's tail. Then I gave up, climbed the stairs, and killed it.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Hmm, that is how you do it. I just shot his tail a bunch of times with my barely upgraded shortbow, and I got it (but then never used it, as I didn't discover it myself and it felt a bit like cheating). It took a little while, but definitely not 100+ arrows.
If you beat Capra at that level already, this game will be a cakewalk for you :lol He's one of the most infamous ds1 bosses. Nice OP, good read
Am I the only one that had an insane amount of trouble with the gargoyles? I think I did Capra on my fourth try, I mean he's hard for the first 3 seconds, but otherwise kind of fun. The gargoyles, on the other hand, I just COULD NOT solo. May have partly been my build (heavy armor, shield, spear, no magic), but I tried maybe 20 times and just gave up and teamed up with someone else.
Imru al-Qays
Banned
Basically just go in any direction you haven't already gone.
I was stuck on the Taurus Demon for, roughly, a month. Yes, a month. On the second boss of the game. No matter how much I tried, I was unable to kill the damn thing. My rolls didn't work, the supposed "safe zones" weren't so and my character was getting pummeled anyway. Frustrating.
Then one day, I got him. By the skin of my teeth, I got him. I DEFEATED.
The rest of the game was open for me to explore and enjoy and suffer in all its delicious atmosphere. It's kinda funny that the boss that gave me the most problems was fucking Taurus Demon. Not even O&S or (DLC content!)
Manus or Kalameet
Progress, man! That's why Dark Souls is so fucking good. You actually feel like you learn to get better, and you earn your victories.
TBH I'm terrible at DS, but it's somehow become one of my favorite all-time games. It is singularly the most "immersive" game I've played simply because of the raw fight/flight response and corresponding adrenaline rush that it induces. I remember playing it on PS3 the first time and just giving up when I hit Taurus, and then coming back six months later on PC and rolling through it. Progress is definitely the name of the game, and it also comes out in obscure, asynchronous ways, through moments of cheap victory or months of repetitive toil.
Still have to beat it someday
Still have to beat it someday
it kinda falls apart in its last third, but it's still an amazing game and an amazing experience and I'm glad I played it. Nothing quite like it (except for Demon's... and DS2, lol)
RoadHazard
Gold Member
I'm up to that point now, and still absolutely enjoying it. I've already killed
Seath
Gravelord Nito
I completely forgot about Capra Demon during one play through until almost the end when I was mopping up some bad guys and collecting some last bits of loot. I went back and smashed his lips off in about four hits; it felt awesome after finding him such a nightmare on my first playthrough.
Orochinagis
Member
Obligatory visit Dark Souls |OT5|.
You are always welcome and there is plenty of people who will gladly help everyone in need.
You are always welcome and there is plenty of people who will gladly help everyone in need.
What about just using a bow if you want some range? If your a dex build, get the black bow of pharis (scales with dex, very good for sniping). If your a str build, get the composite bow ( scales with str and does the most damage in the game of any standard bow but you'll need to use either feather arrows or the hawk ring though).
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Thanks, didn't even know about that thread. Is it very spoilery? If not, I might start using it instead of this one.
I do use a bow, but mainly for luring individual enemies out from groups so I don't have to face them all at once (and for killing the occasional weak enemy). I'm mainly strength, and don't think I've seen that bow. Can a bow actually compete with pyromancy or sorcery in terms of damage output?
Orochinagis
Member
Not at all, feel free to visit us there and ask for spoilers tags if you want =).
There is a Dark Souls 2 thread too if you (and everyone in this thread) want to jump later.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
I'm planning on playing Demon's Souls next (I know I should probably have done that first, but it worked out better for me this way), so while DkS2 is certainly on my radar (especially if the rumors of a PS4 version come true) it will be a while before I get there. And maybe I also shouldn't play them all back-to-back, don't want to burn myself out on the series.
Dark Souls is a really cool game. I played up to the Anor Londo archers, which I got stuck at, and stopped playing for several months. I wasn't planning on continuing, but for whatever reason decided to give it another shot. After getting past that part I started to really enjoy the game.
My favorite aspects of the game are easily the exploration and tone. Rarely do we get games rooted in gritty dark fantasy worlds that you can fully explore. Stuff like unlocking short cuts and learning how the world is laid out is really cool and rewarding.
For the most part I'm fine with the game's difficulty. I think some of the boss fights are kind of lame and annoying, and stuff like the Anor Londo archers is also annoying. But most of the time the difficulty feels fair and is more a matter of trial and error. The way the game combines difficulty with deaths that cause you to lose all your souls, really adds tension to the game because you're always worried about what's around the next corner.
I'm not as big a fan of the combat as most people are. On one hand, I think it works really well for this game, as there is some skill to it, and its slow nature makes fights more intense. On the other hand.. it often feels clunky and slow to me, and sometimes a chore to get through. Fights can often come down to keeping the shield up and waiting to back stab.
I also actually wish the game had better tutorials/explanations in it. I think they could have done a better job explaining important mechanics while still keeping the discovery aspect of the game in tact.
But yeah, I'm at the final area now and it's definitely one of the better games I have played.
My favorite aspects of the game are easily the exploration and tone. Rarely do we get games rooted in gritty dark fantasy worlds that you can fully explore. Stuff like unlocking short cuts and learning how the world is laid out is really cool and rewarding.
For the most part I'm fine with the game's difficulty. I think some of the boss fights are kind of lame and annoying, and stuff like the Anor Londo archers is also annoying. But most of the time the difficulty feels fair and is more a matter of trial and error. The way the game combines difficulty with deaths that cause you to lose all your souls, really adds tension to the game because you're always worried about what's around the next corner.
I'm not as big a fan of the combat as most people are. On one hand, I think it works really well for this game, as there is some skill to it, and its slow nature makes fights more intense. On the other hand.. it often feels clunky and slow to me, and sometimes a chore to get through. Fights can often come down to keeping the shield up and waiting to back stab.
I also actually wish the game had better tutorials/explanations in it. I think they could have done a better job explaining important mechanics while still keeping the discovery aspect of the game in tact.
But yeah, I'm at the final area now and it's definitely one of the better games I have played.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Yeah, I will admit to having looked up how various mechanics work (while trying to go completely blind with regards to game progression, etc), as the game practically doesn't explain anything beyond the very basics. I'm sure it's rewarding to discover all that stuff on your own too, but that just felt like a bit much to me.
To me the most rewarding discovery aspects of the game had more to do with learning the different areas, and dealing with different enemies. Not so much with learning how stats/items/upgrades etc.. work. There were definitely some times where I consulted the wiki to figure out certain things that are never explained in the game, and honestly I don't regret it one bit.
DaciaJC
Gold Member
No, the Bell Gargoyles were a major roadblock for me, too. After however many deaths, I gave up, searched for a guide, and discovered how to summon.
Man, that was an interesting first playthrough. I didn't find Andre until after completing New Londo Ruins (I again consulted a guide when I couldn't figure out why the heck I kept on dying past the fog gate). And I somehow managed to fight through the Catacombs and Tomb of the Giants, saw that I couldn't get past the
orange fog gate
No if it did it would be completely overpowered and everyone would use it. If you want something really strong, you could use lightning spears. I believe you need 25 faith to enter sun bros and get lighting spear. Not sure how lighting would fit into your build so that why I suggested just using a bow for some range options.
Nope they were probably the hardest boss for me in the entire game. I hadn't really played anything even vaguely close to DS in a long time and even by that point I still didn't really have much of an idea of what I was doing. As soon as the second one appeared I couldn't handle it, I'd avoid the one's attacked only to get killed by the other. They were my S&O.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
I had my man Solaire help me out with both the gargoyles and O&S. Made those gifts much more manageable.
Freeman
Banned
I just finished replaying it after a long time since I first finished it, absolutely fantastic.
The first time I played I really didn't pay attention to the lore (I was under the impression there wasn't any to be honest, it just passed by me unnoticed). The way the game tells the story adds so much to the game, the items placement in the world, game mechanics and plenty of little details, they all have justification within the story.
The interconnected world is a big part of why this game is so compelling to me, the fact you can see part of other areas if you pay attention or when you activate a shortcut and realize where you actually were.
The Estus Flask/Bonfire is a genius way of balancing the game and making sure you actually get to learn the sections you are playing,
To top it off very few games managed to make me feel so uneasy/disturbed as when I was at Ash Lake, Tomb of the Giants, The Abyss or playing the DLC. At the same time a place like Anor London feels so rewarding, its open spaces make it feel like a weight was lifted of my shoulders.
Not to mention the high stakes/slow paced defensive combat and online features.
I killed O&S in my second try this time where in the my first play through it took me countless tries. The one that killed me the most this time were Artorias in the DLC and the Four Kings.
The first time I played I really didn't pay attention to the lore (I was under the impression there wasn't any to be honest, it just passed by me unnoticed). The way the game tells the story adds so much to the game, the items placement in the world, game mechanics and plenty of little details, they all have justification within the story.
The interconnected world is a big part of why this game is so compelling to me, the fact you can see part of other areas if you pay attention or when you activate a shortcut and realize where you actually were.
The Estus Flask/Bonfire is a genius way of balancing the game and making sure you actually get to learn the sections you are playing,
To top it off very few games managed to make me feel so uneasy/disturbed as when I was at Ash Lake, Tomb of the Giants, The Abyss or playing the DLC. At the same time a place like Anor London feels so rewarding, its open spaces make it feel like a weight was lifted of my shoulders.
Not to mention the high stakes/slow paced defensive combat and online features.
I killed O&S in my second try this time where in the my first play through it took me countless tries. The one that killed me the most this time were Artorias in the DLC and the Four Kings.
They're both easy as shit which is where the disappointment comes from. The only challenge with Seath is trying to get his tail. Once I got to the bed of chaos I stopped.
That said the game is still one of the best I've ever played. 2 doesn't really appeal to me since it looks like it's more high fantasy. I'll wait for a bigger game with the tone of Dark or Demon's.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Well damn, totally missed his tail. Should have learned by now that you should always cut the tails off bosses that have them, I suppose, but I'm not sure I even noticed he had one. Oh well. What's another missed weapon in a game so chock full of missables.
Yeah, I did beat Nito without much trouble as well on the third try or so (when I made sure not to aggro the large skeletons).
Now I'm in Lost Izalith. Sure glad I got that ring... Can you even get through this place alive without using it?
This is a ridiculous post. I must have died over a hundred times on Ornstein and Smough. I don't know how I got lucky enough to finally beat them, but it took months.
Shortly after them, I got to another part where I kept dying over and over (in the lava area with some creatures that looked like the Capra Demon) and I realized I wasn't having fun anymore so I stopped.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
I wouldn't say that it's "not hard", but I also don't think it's that hard. Before playing it I was expecting this brutally difficult and unfair challenge that would be all but impossible to overcome, because that's basically how people describe it. But I quickly found that it's really not. Yes, the game does punish you swiftly and without mercy if you're being careless, and yes, you'll probably die a few times on each boss before figuring out the weaknesses in their patterns, but once you understand what to do it's really just a matter of careful execution. I don't think any boss has taken me more than 5 tries or so. O&S I believe I beat on my second or third try (although that was with the help of dear Solaire). The other part you're talking about I just did yesterday, and had very little trouble. There are a lot of pretty strong guys there, yes, but as long as you take them on one at a time it's no biggie (although I might be a bit stronger than you were at that point, as I did a few other areas in-between).
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Why would you jump directly to the sequel, skipping the first game (which generally seems to be considered the better one)? That's up to you, of course, just seems a bit weird to me.
Well instead of just saying that its too hard, maybe look at why it took you so long to beat O & S. What kind of weapon were you using? If you don't have a +10 weapon that scales with either str or dex, your probably going to have a hard time. It also helps to have a shield with good stability also helps. Poise helps you tank a few hits from them w/o getting staggered so having heavier armor or the wolf ring (or both but that seems like overkill to me) will help. If you have humanity, you can become human and summon Solaire for the fight. He is pretty helpful at distracting one while you dealing with the other one. You can also summon other players to help you (though it might be hard to summon people now since the game is several years old tbh). So you have a lot of ways of making the fight easier on yourself.
The demon ruins part, I've always just jump down off the ledge and kill the demon that spews acid and then light the bonfire. I honestly didn't even know there were a bunch of capra demons lined up there until much later in on when I was invading there.
Maybe some of these things I mentioned will change your mind or maybe the game just isn't for you, which is fine. There are games a lot of people like that I don't much care for and that's ok but I don't think the game is that hard personally. I like to say that game demands a certain amount of respect from the player that most games don't require you to have before completing it.
I dont have that much free time I figured I would just go with the more refined one.