• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Dark Souls II |OT++| Bearer of...Seek...Seek...Lest

This is optional. Everything can be achieved through NG+ or NG++. Everything is achieveable offline as well.

The only really grindy potential comes with the Heirs of the Sun covenant. The rank 2 and rank 3 rewards are two spells that ultimately count towards some "get all the spells, etc" achievements. The tokens required to rank up are available offline, but are also super, super rare drops. :(
 

Soulhouf

Member
So, I am to the point now where I just want to temporarily respec to bring down the
Darklurker
. I'm level 160 into New Game, I've basically been screwing around for days since I finished up with the "game". Does anyone have any recommendations?

If you want easy mode, respec to a full faith build with 50 faith, 16 attunement and put the rest into vigor and adaptability.
Bring Great Lightning Spear, upgrade the Priest's Chime to +10 lightning and enjoy murdering the boss in less than 30 seconds.
 

Shengar

Member
The only really grindy potential comes with the Heirs of the Sun covenant. The rank 2 and rank 3 rewards are two spells that ultimately count towards some "get all the spells, etc" achievements. The tokens required to rank up are available offline, but are also super, super rare drops. :(

I prefer playing coop than PVP, so that's fine with me :)
 

test_account

XP-39C²
The only really grindy potential comes with the Heirs of the Sun covenant. The rank 2 and rank 3 rewards are two spells that ultimately count towards some "get all the spells, etc" achievements. The tokens required to rank up are available offline, but are also super, super rare drops. :(
Yeah, thats true. Its much easier to do that online indeed, and i would definitelly recommend people to do it online instead of grinding for it offline. I just wanted to mention that it is technically possible to do everything offline :)
 

ElFly

Member
DS2 has the easiest platinum of all three souls games. Not bad actually!

Considering they could have put the no bonfires + no deaths prizes as achievements, they are doing the OCDs a favor.

Yeah, thats true. Its much easier to do that online indeed, and i would definitelly recommend people to do it online instead of grinding for it offline. I just wanted to mention that it is technically possible to do everything offline :)

I got 23 sunbro medals and wanted the last prize asap; was able to grind the giant hexers in the harvest valley (next to the sunbro covenant!) for the remaining medals in like 15 minutes or less.

Only problem is you'd extinguish them so you'd have to use ascetics at some point.
 
Considering they could have put the no bonfires + no deaths prizes as achievements, they are doing the OCDs a favor.



I got 23 sunbro medals and wanted the last prize asap; was able to grind the giant hexers in the harvest valley (next to the sunbro covenant!) for the remaining medals in like 15 minutes or less.

Only problem is you'd extinguish them so you'd have to use ascetics at some point.

You had much better luck than me. I farmed them with a Jester's Hat and Gold Covetous Serpent Ring+2 for about an hour, and got one. :(
 

ElFly

Member
You had much better luck than me. I farmed them with a Jester's Hat and Gold Covetous Serpent Ring+2 for about an hour, and got one. :(

I never took off the merchant hat from the start.

During my four playthroughs.

There are so many much better looking helmets, but my greed is too strong :(
 
Took my dual wielding fencer to the bell tower to get some chunks - mixed success as always, but I was experimenting with rings and realised I hadn't got the stone ring, once I put that on - rapiers were stun-locking like crazy, lol.

I'm not doing a lot of damage because I've been upgrading quite a few weapons experimenting on this new character and shards even are scarce, I've cleaned Cloanne and her pop out already - need to look up the earliest I can get unlimited regular shards.

I made one bleed, one poison - but just using a +7 rapier and the bleed one atm which I think is +5, kind of low probably compared to my competition, but I've had some good matches and wins. Throwing out poison mist and poison arrows to get them panicing - I wish you could see the opponents status build ups to see what effect you're having.

How many people are there wearing Drangleic armour (I think, with the red cape) and either the Vengarl helm or a hemlet with a red feather thing on top? It has to be the most common armour combo - with a big sword and the big eagle-type shield - hi 95% of DS2 players, hi!
 

maomaoIYP

Member
I don't think so.
Yesterday an invader kept tossing corrosive urns at me and broke all my rings and armor but my weapons remained untouched.

Goddamit. I guessed as much, since corrosive pools in PvE does the same. So is there no effective counter vs washing pole players? Certainly this must be impossible.
 
Ok I reedemed my sins with the ghost sin dude, get the bellbros again but I can no longer see the red phantoms, I tried fast travel, save and quit with no results
 

E92 M3

Member
Does anyone else put on Firelink Shrine Music in the background while chilling in Majula? Such a perfect piece of music for the game, in my opinion.
 

GulAtiCa

Member
Did a few red invasions tonight. Won a few, lost a few. One I really liked was the last one in Sinner's Rise where I spawned at bottom and came up. Guy was apparently on the 2nd floor waiting for me to get up here. As soon as I am walking the stairs up, he quickly dropped down and use the elevator. So me being on the 2nd floor, I quickly dropped onto the platformed as it was going down and WotG him. Didn't know what hit him. Good thing I had 2500HP hehehe.

Also found out there is a timelimit for invasions. I stood at bottom and played tug-of-war with the guy at top with elevator.
 

zma1013

Member
I was all ready to get the platinum trophy tonight and just now realize i have to be in new game++ to buy the last spells. Im a little miffed.
 

E92 M3

Member
I was all ready to get the platinum trophy tonight and just now realize i have to be in new game++ to buy the last spells. Im a little miffed.

Are you planning on stopping after the plat? Btw, what are the current stats for the plat in this game?
 
Smelter Demon
was a real pain. Seems like it's a lot easier of a fight for casters. I did about 10 sun bro runs before I took him on myself.
 
Are you planning on stopping after the plat? Btw, what are the current stats for the plat in this game?

2.0%. I got mine almost exactly one month ago when it was .1%. It's really shot up dramatically since then.

Fun fact: Only 95.2% of players have created a character. Explain that.
 

E92 M3

Member
No, just excited to see it pop up. I like the jingle.

Ah, I like the sound the achievements make lol.

2.0%. I got mine almost exactly one month ago when it was .1%. It's really shot up dramatically since then.

Fun fact: Only 95.2% of players have created a character. Explain that.

Yeah 2.0% is pretty high. What's the first one at? Sucks achievements don't have these metrics - I love them.

Maybe some booted the game up, watched the opening and forgot about it haha.
 

elohel

Member
I'm stuck and feel like I've missed something lol

What's after bright stone cove?

edit: derp forgot to go back to shaded forest lol
 

bobawesome

Member
Whoo, Sunlight Parma get. It feels good helping people out of a jam.

edit: Oh. It's certainly dinkier than I imagined. Regardless, I will wear it proudly.
 

Jaeger

Member
Glory Greatshield

I actually managed to get one, and luckily on the very last spawn of those large knights on the way to Ancient Asshole Dragon.

Been running Blood Bros PVP all day with the Demon's Great Hammer, and the Sacred Chime Hammer. Both are loads of fun. The Demon Hammer hits much harder, but doesn't have the cool special attack the Sacred Hammer, does. Both are upgraded to the max (+5). They both have excellent tracking. I tend to run up and do two L1/LB 3 hit combos, then as they try to roll out the stun lock, pull the hammer out, and do a lunging R2/RT attack. I must have won 20 games, with that strategy.
 

maomaoIYP

Member
I actually managed to get one, and luckily on the very last spawn of those large knights on the way to Ancient Asshole Dragon.

Been running Blood Bros PVP all day with the Demon's Great Hammer, and the Sacred Chime Hammer. Both are loads of fun. The Demon Hammer hits much harder, but doesn't have the cool special attack the Sacred Hammer, does. Both are upgraded to the max (+5). They both have excellent tracking. I tend to run up and do two L1/LB 3 hit combos, then as they try to roll out the stun lock, pull the hammer out, and do a lunging R2/RT attack. I must have won 20 games, with that strategy.

Power stancing at STR 75? Holy crap.
 

maomaoIYP

Member
Well, bare fisted L1/LB combos (dat Vanquisher's Seal). I think my STR is 53, or 54. I need to check again when I get home. Both Hammers hit hard.
Oh I thought you were talking about L1 power stance combos.

I had quite a few duels with quite a few great hammers but not the chime hammer. They hit hard, but too slow and the movesets are all identical.

I've switched to the power stanced greatsword + lion greataxe, stunlock with 3 L1 hits = death.
 

Mogwai

Member
Does anyone else put on Firelink Shrine Music in the background while chilling in Majula? Such a perfect piece of music for the game, in my opinion.
Due to Majula's repeating theme, I have now set set music volume to 0. Can't stand a second more of that.
 

John Harker

Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
Is the black steel katana worth it? Just got it (in iron keep now), wondering when/if it gets better than the fire longsword 9 and the heide spear 5 ivd Ben using.

I'm kind of a mage warrior hybrid, LV 91 with Dex at 26 and intended at _27 (only 14 str). I feel like my build kinda sucks so these choices are hard

No one? :(
 

John Harker

Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
For that matter, I'm SL 91 and:

Vgr 9
End 10
Vit 14
Atn 20
Str 14
Dex 26
ADP 20
Int 27
Fth 4

And I don't intend to do ng+.

So tough decisions with this build if ya have reco
 

Jaeger

Member
Oh I thought you were talking about L1 power stance combos.

I had quite a few duels with quite a few great hammers but not the chime hammer. They hit hard, but too slow and the movesets are all identical.

I've switched to the power stanced greatsword + lion greataxe, stunlock with 3 L1 hits = death.

Yea. I'm using the Power Stance when doing the L1 combos. So good. I was using the Greataxe (+10). Hits pretty nice, but I couldn't hit often enough in PVP. The hit box is precise, unlike the Hammer that has a really wide hitbox. The movesets are limited, I agree. It's so much fun, though.

I need to get the Manikin Knife. I need a quick secondary weapon to left hand wield when using these slower Great Hammers.
 
So my hoarding tendencies are getting the best of me and I have been compelled to try and get every weapon/armor that I can before hitting NG+. The problem is it's made me dead ass broke lol. Do you guys recommend any good places to soul farm? I'm trying to co-op bosses, but I'm not getting summoned at about 3.8M soul memory.....
 

LiK

Member
DS2 has the easiest platinum of all three souls games. Not bad actually!

yup, no Pure Bladestone BS from Demon's and much easier game than DkS1. Kinda sucked having to go through NG++ for the final spell ones but not bad at all. It's really great they allowed everything to be easily done offline if you wanted to.

I was all ready to get the platinum trophy tonight and just now realize i have to be in new game++ to buy the last spells. Im a little miffed.

shouldn't take you long. i basically got through all 4 Old Ones in NG++ in less than 4 hours.
 

Jaeger

Member
So my hoarding tendencies are getting the best of me and I have been compelled to try and get every weapon/armor that I can before hitting NG+. The problem is it's made me dead ass broke lol. Do you guys recommend any good places to soul farm? I'm trying to co-op bosses, but I'm not getting summoned at about 3.8M soul memory.....

Best way for me is Giant Lord Memory in Forest of the Fallen Giants. Bonfire Ascetic that 4th Bonfire, run in, grab fresh Ascetic off corpse on first stone ledge, and then kill Giant Lord (easy, with ranged weapons/magic, off second stone ledge).

Giant Lord does only two attacks, both are easily dodged. 300,000+ souls each run, + Giant Lord soul.
 

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
Best way for me is Giant Lord Memory in Forest of the Fallen Giants. Bonfire Ascetic that 4th Bonfire, run in, grab fresh Ascetic off corpse on first stone ledge, and then kill Giant Lord (easy, with ranged weapons/magic, off second stone ledge).

Giant Lord does only two attacks, both are easily dodged. 300,000+ souls each run, + Giant Lord soul.

I tried that to farm twinkling, but
he always gets me with that slamming attack and it one-shots me hah. :(
 

maomaoIYP

Member
Yea. I'm using the Power Stance when doing the L1 combos. So good. I was using the Greataxe (+10). Hits pretty nice, but I couldn't hit often enough in PVP. The hit box is precise, unlike the Hammer that has a really wide hitbox. The movesets are limited, I agree. It's so much fun, though.

I need to get the Manikin Knife. I need a quick secondary weapon to left hand wield when using these slower Great Hammers.

I have a manikin knife, but why not just use a good old dagger or short sword? How does this build work? Swing hammer to force a roll in, then swipe with dagger? I had a lot of problems making the great hammers hit. Every move is telegraphed enough for the opponent to roll away or stunlock me out of mid air.
Strangely I have less problems with just a greatsword.
 

Jaeger

Member
I have a manikin knife, but why not just use a good old dagger or short sword? How does this build work? Swing hammer to force a roll in, then swipe with dagger? I had a lot of problems making the great hammers hit. Every move is telegraphed enough for the opponent to roll away or stunlock me out of mid air.
Strangely I have less problems with just a greatsword.

The Manikin Knife is a dagger. And I plan on using it just for pokes/baiting, in the same manner I use my bare fist (although I don't know if it would be as effective).

During my earlier PVP run, I didn't even open carry the Great Hammers. I kept them concelealed as I punched and stun locked my opponents, and then as they tried to escape, brought out the hammers, and use their lunging attack. In most cases. There was a few instances where I just carried it. While it is slow, I was able to keep pressure on my opponents, and kept them maxing out their stamina do to constant rolling, trying to avoid all my swinging. And the hitbox is very wide, so even a missed move still hit them.
 

maomaoIYP

Member
While it is slow, I was able to keep pressure on my opponents, and kept them maxing out their stamina do to constant rolling, trying to avoid all my swinging. And the hitbox is very wide, so even a missed move still hit them.
Urgh, I must be fighting lag souls most of the time then. Everyone I fight has ridiculous phantom range, and it's very hard to get a smack in even though I can clearly see my weapon in their face.
 

Jaeger

Member
I did, but it still clipped me. :S

Roll twice, sir! Just as he starts to do the attack, move to the side. I promise he won't hit track you.

Urgh, I must be fighting lag souls most of the time then. Everyone I fight has ridiculous phantom range, and it's very hard to get a smack in even though I can clearly see my weapon in their face.

Yea, the lag and phantom range was VERY irritating, today. I almost rage quited off some of the "backstabs" I received.
 

Badgerst3

Member
Just joined the Dragon Remnants covenant. Getting mopped up by Mage builds. But damn that armor looks sexy. Gonna make it mine.

Looks like most enter, bow and proceed. Pretty cool. Also looks like the standing rule is no estus chugging or major weapon buffs. Seem accurate?

Feel sorta lame with my melee Alva armor, plus 10 claymore and royal kite shield build, but wth.
 

maomaoIYP

Member
Just joined the Dragon Remnants covenant. Getting mopped up by Mage builds. But damn that armor looks sexy. Gonna make it mine.

Looks like most enter, bow and proceed. Pretty cool. Also looks like the standing rule is no estus chugging or major weapon buffs. Seem accurate?

Feel sorta lame with my melee Alva armor, plus 10 claymore and royal kite shield build, but wth.

In general, for duels, bow and no estus.
Buffs are ok.
There will be people who try to get a backstab or firestorm lock when you spawn, or those who attack you when you bow.
 

Frodo

Member
Please, that boss fight is easy-peasy once you've got the Orange Listerine Ring.

But seriously, yeah he is annoying, but actually kinda "easy" if you are a caster, since you can just stay far far away.

I agree. Watching Jeff Green fight Kalameet last night reminded me how good a such a fight can be.

^^^Spoilers on how to make this easier^^^^

(check the description to cue up to the good parts as its part of my let's play and I died a few times before figuring it out...no rings or magic.....just raping the AI....the strat works as I even break my darkdrift and still pull out the last 20% with left hand rapier stabs....got pretty intense....probably up there with my favourite 3 vids with pursuer and sentinels)

Thanks for the replies, guys.

But the problem is not that it is hard. The problem is that it is boring.

I could stay forever under his back legs because it is so easy to telegraph, but it is boring.
 
Increase your agility. Trust me, it makes dodging a lot easier.
That boss is a nightmare if you go melee but he becomes a joke with ranged sorcery/miracles and high agility.

Most of the game becomes a joke with ranged sorcery/miracles.
I'm trying an INT character now but it never feels like you're actually fighting something.
You just run around going PSHW PSHW while staying at a safe distance. I can't understand how people actually enjoy playing this way but to each their own I guess.
Raised agility helps dodging sure, but you can dodge the sword with lowest agility possible if you just time it right. Once you're under him and kind of know his attacks he's really not a problem even for a lvl1 char. You just gotta know in which direction to roll when he attacks.
 

Feindflug

Member
In general, for duels, bow and no estus.
Buffs are ok.
There will be people who try to get a backstab or firestorm lock when you spawn, or those who attack you when you bow.

Encountered some assholes lately at Iron Keep so I stopped bowing. :p

I'm at the end of NG+ and mainly doing co-op at the
Drangleic Castle
to get at rank 3 of the
sunbros
and I have to say that it's quite frustrating so far since either the hosts drop like flies in the
Nashandra
fight or some people summon me to kill one sentinel and then send me back...I don't want to believe that people have problem with
Nashandra
and I'm guessing they just get too greedy.

Any other hot spot for jolly co-operation? because it's getting tiresome at this point. I am at 217slvl with 10m soul memory.
 

Frodo

Member
Encountered some assholes lately at Iron Keep so I stopped bowing. :p

I'm at the end of NG+ and mainly doing co-op at the
Drangleic Castle
to get at rank 3 of the
sunbros
and I have to say that it's quite frustrating so far since either the hosts drop like flies in the
Nashandra
fight or some people summon me to kill one sentinel and then send me back...I don't want to believe that people have problem with
Nashandra
and I'm guessing they just get too greedy.

Any other hot spot for jolly co-operation? because it's getting tiresome at this point. I am at 217slvl with 10m soul memory.

I guess that would be the best spot for you, though it is very annoying when people summon you to kill the Sentinels. When they summon me for that I just go Fire storming the place until someone kills me. At least I take one or two sentinels and a few stone soldiers with me :p
 

Jaeger

Member
Being a pure caster build, and just launching crap all day is boring for me. PVE and PVP.

I do have decent INT/FAI stats, and I used Spices to lower the requirement for Great Lightning Spear. I use it in tandem with melee combat techniques, and almost exclusively in PVE.
 
Top Bottom