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Dark Souls II PC |OT| Give us smooth, Give us silky

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Old Iron King was a joke of a boss fight, especially considering the one before it.

How long is this game? Feel like I'm plowing through, but I'm nowhere near the 60 hours I thought people had said.
 
Is this true? I spent quite a while in there and I didn't spot any armor on the ground or in chests at least. Then again if it's after
Dragonrider
I wouldn't have spotted it yet :p

I guess I was wrong. Just looked up and down the Heide's area wiki and nothing. I even looked at Majula's loot and nothing. I seriously have no idea where I got it now. Sorry :\
 

Uthred

Member
But if you compare base game DS1 to base game DS2 (without champion covenant in effect), it definitely feels like the easier game.

Depends on the build a bit I think, the earlier games were much easier for casters (largely because magic was over-powered in them). I think the smoother pacing in DS2 also makes it feel a little easier because you are generally progressing as opposed to going in the "wrong" direction or running in weird difficulty spikes like in DS.

If I'm making a straight magic user what starting class will give me the best early jump on that?

Sorcerer I imagine?

Assuming youre going with sorceries than sorcerer is the way to go, some handy tips on gearing and such here - http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/693331-dark-souls-ii/68853098 wildly spoilery though
 

eot

Banned
Yep. I challenge anyone who thinks the game is easier than DS1 to beat it while in the company of champions.

I don't know how much of an effect it actually has. I joined it more or less right away and yeah I think that, on average, the game is harder than Dark Souls, but not significantly. The difficulty hasn't spiked as high, yet anyway (I haven't encountered anything like the Anor Londo archers and the very annoying lead up to them). I just think that in general enemies are quicker to punish you if you make a mistake. The thing I had the most problem with was probably Ruin Sentinels, but I went there straight away and didn't have the ring of binding, as well as (embarrassingly) Forest of Fallen Giants. Deprived is nothing like the first game.
 

Hawkian

The Cryptarch's Bane
I guess I was wrong. Just looked up and down the Heide's area wiki and nothing. I even looked at Majula's loot and nothing. I seriously have no idea where I got it now. Sorry :\
Dang, well thanks for the thought.

Anybody know where I can find or buy a thief/rogue/ninja-style armor set relatively early on?
 
Well, you're not even half way through the game yet, so you've still got plenty more to go.

Got damn, that's crazy. Good shit. Loving it.

Summoning other people still bugs the shit out of me, though. I swear I get 1 to work for every 10 or so I click on. Always just "Summoning failed, sign vanished".
 

L.O.R.D

Member
man, this look beautiful
A9D6F41149FAFB0635ABD8A3C04CBA0393B86C1A

 
Got damn, that's crazy. Good shit. Loving it.

Summoning other people still bugs the shit out of me, though. I swear I get 1 to work for every 10 or so I click on. Always just "Summoning failed, sign vanished".

There is so many people playing that they beat you to the sign. You need to click on it as soon as it shows up.
 

Risible

Member
I take my place as the one who shall decide the fate of the world. Bow down before me peasants!


Had just as much fun playing through on the PC as on the PS3, maybe more so due to the improved graphics.
 
I reached level 100 or so and I just arrived to
Drangleic Castle
, I'm really at a point where I don't know on what to spend my soul levels. I went for a completely melee build, in reference to my "I don't know what I'm doing, how do I use this stupid magic item, see it's equipped but it doesn't do shit, what the hell is attunement, oh whatever, screw magic, I'm not using it" DaS 1 playthrough, and it seems I've reached the soft cap for everything. I don't really like how this game seems to force you towards a balanced built. I'm just gonna sink some more points in vigor or endurance and then I'll consider respecing for using miracles I guess:/

You know it's funny, I agree with pretty much all points of criticism raised towards the game but I'm still loving it to bits, I haven't played a game this much at launch since Oblivion back in 2006 probably. The main formula is so strong, it seems really hard to screw up.
 
Played the game for a little over an hour at this point and kinda sad that it hasn't grabbed me as fast as Dark Souls 1. Hardest thing I've faced so far is a group of 3 little pigs (I think, can't really tell what they look like) and just figuring out how to get to the next area (eventually talking to someone gave me directions). It's like I found everywhere I COULDN'T go first, haha: Hmm, lets try this place, nope there's a statue blocking a lever. Lets try this place, nope the doors locked. Lets try this place, nope there's something missing to open the door. Lets try this place, nope I die if I fall down that far.

The conversation system in these games is starting to bug me too. It's like they were recorded one line at a time and the game spaces them apart just long enough not to feel like a naturally spoken sentence.
"Oh, hello there you must be new here...... My name is Jimbob and this a pretty nice place...... Only safe place you'll find around here...... You should try going to the woods behind you first."

I'll definitely keep going, but it just didn't grab me like I was hoping it would. Hopefully my giant mass of a backlog won't tempt me away before I get to the good stuff in DS2.
 

Uthred

Member
Just discovered that the
binoculars
apparently let you snipe with magic?

Anyone make a hexer build? The spell descriptions make them sound pretty good but I wanted to keep my magic user "pure" ;)

The difficulty hasn't spiked as high, yet anyway (I haven't encountered anything like the Anor Londo archers and the very annoying lead up to them).

Hated those guys, they didnt feel "properly" difficult, just cheap

It's like I found everywhere I COULDN'T go first, haha: Hmm, lets try this place, nope there's a statue blocking a lever. Lets try this place, nope the doors locked. Lets try this place, nope there's something missing to open the door. Lets try this place, nope I die if I fall down that far.

You may have missed something as theres two places you can go from Majula straight off (3 if you farm a little), admittedly I missed the way to access one of them until I'd completed what I thought was supposed to be the only first area
 

Risible

Member
Just discovered that the
binoculars
apparently let you snipe with magic?

Anyone make a hexer build? The spell descriptions make them sound pretty good but I wanted to keep my magic user "pure" ;)



Hated those guys, they didnt feel "properly" difficult, just cheap

Yes, the binocs make magic sniping easy. I just did an "archamge" build (hexes, sorceries, and pyromancies) and they were invaluable.
 

Zeliard

Member
Man, it takes so long to get summoned to the Belfry.I feel like I spotted you at the bonfire.

Luna
? Try hanging out at the Lost Bastille Tower Apart bonfire. If you aren't getting summoned in seconds there's something wrong, perhaps network-related or you're out of soul range of most others.
 

Maybesew

Member
Just discovered that the
binoculars
apparently let you snipe with magic?

Anyone make a hexer build? The spell descriptions make them sound pretty good but I wanted to keep my magic user "pure" ;)

I took the cleric starting class and added some hexes once I discovered them. Resonant soul, Greater RS, and Scraps of life are the main 3, and then lightning spear for my miracle.
 

Uthred

Member
I took the cleric starting class and added some hexes once I discovered them. Resonant soul, Greater RS, and Scraps of life are the main 3, and then lightning spear for my miracle.

Cool, must give them a go with my faith build. Pure sorcery is sort of balls in early to mid game as frequently youre better off using a magic or fire melee weapon
 
Luna
? Try hanging out at the Lost Bastille Tower Apart bonfire. If you aren't getting summoned in seconds there's something wrong, perhaps network-related or you're out of soul range of most others.
Yeah. I ended up going to that bonfire, and I get summoned every 5-10 minutes or so. Of course, I get invaded the second I enter the area, though.

Am I overleveled? I'm at level 80.
 

Grief.exe

Member
Played the game for a little over an hour at this point and kinda sad that it hasn't grabbed me as fast as Dark Souls 1. Hardest thing I've faced so far is a group of 3 little pigs (I think, can't really tell what they look like) and just figuring out how to get to the next area (eventually talking to someone gave me directions). It's like I found everywhere I COULDN'T go first, haha: Hmm, lets try this place, nope there's a statue blocking a lever. Lets try this place, nope the doors locked. Lets try this place, nope there's something missing to open the door. Lets try this place, nope I die if I fall down that far.

The conversation system in these games is starting to bug me too. It's like they were recorded one line at a time and the game spaces them apart just long enough not to feel like a naturally spoken sentence.
"Oh, hello there you must be new here...... My name is Jimbob and this a pretty nice place...... Only safe place you'll find around here...... You should try going to the woods behind you first."

I'll definitely keep going, but it just didn't grab me like I was hoping it would. Hopefully my giant mass of a backlog won't tempt me away before I get to the good stuff in DS2.

Both Dark Souls games took a while to grab me initially. Dark Souls II was no different.

The first game took me about 10 hours before I was thoroughly hooked, this one took me about 3 hours.

The series is more of a slow burner.
 

Maybesew

Member
Cool, must give them a go with my faith build. Pure sorcery is sort of balls in early to mid game as frequently youre better off using a magic or fire melee weapon

I was happy with the cleric mace for a while, but then i found a magic mace and am currently using that +6. My build is still mostly faith (I'm aiming for the the sunlight spear from the sun bros covenant which requires 53), but my int is either 19 or 20, and I get decent damage with my hexes.
 

npm0925

Member
Cool, must give them a go with my faith build. Pure sorcery is sort of balls in early to mid game as frequently youre better off using a magic or fire melee weapon

Pure anything isn't the way to go in this game; you should adapt your combat style to each situation. A sorceror can get a magic mace and Magic Weapon spell very early in the game and absolutely wreck stuff with that combination & a minimal stat investment.
 
Both Dark Souls games took a while to grab me initially. Dark Souls II was no different.

The first game took me about 10 hours before I was thoroughly hooked, this one took me about 3 hours.

The series is more of a slow burner.

DS2 actually hooked me pretty quickly, but I think that was probably just because I was such a big fan of the first one. But yeah, it does take a bit for things to really start clicking, which isn't a surprise. For DS1, it wasn't until the Undead Parish that things really started to grab me. I think DS2 does a better job at hooking you a bit earlier, but it still takes patience.


Why hello there, new phone wallpaper.
 

Jackben

bitch I'm taking calls.
Confused regarding poise. There is poise from your armor and the natural poise stat that come from your attributes. Do these stack?
Yes. Your natural poise is raised per point of END AND ADP (parity required before it will rise). It stacks with poise from armor.
 

HoosTrax

Member
I want to engage in some jolly cooperation, and I figured that Smelter Demon summons would be in high demand. No luck. I only got one summon in around a total of ten minutes worth of waiting.

I guess at SL130-ish and around 2 million soul memory, I'm overlevel? Should I move on to a different boss? Would it help to wrap up this playthrough and start NG+?

I don't really understand the impact of SL and soul memory and NG+ status on summoning.
 
I want to engage in some jolly cooperation, and I figured that Smelter Demon summons would be in high demand. No luck. I only got one summon in around a total of ten minutes worth of waiting.

I guess at SL130-ish and around 2 million soul memory, I'm overlevel? Should I move on to a different boss? Would it help to wrap up this playthrough and start NG+?

I don't really understand the impact of SL and soul memory and NG+ status on summoning.

Yeah I would definitely move on. Around your level is good for the later bosses like
The throne defenders and Nanshandra.
 

Braag

Member
I just started playing it and so far in the forest area after Majula(?) I'm dying more times than I ever did in Undead Parish :/
I finished Dark Souls several times so I know it's supposed to be difficult but DS2 seems to pit a lot more enemies at you at the same times which makes it obviously much more complicated especially since the camera keeps fucking me over during backstabs.
Any tips? Apart from git gud.
 

Stet

Banned
I just started playing it and so far in the forest area after Majula(?) I'm dying more times than I ever did in Undead Parish :/
I finished Dark Souls several times so I know it's supposed to be difficult but DS2 seems to pit a lot more enemies at you at the same times which makes it obviously much more complicated especially since the camera keeps fucking me over during backstabs.
Any tips? Apart from git gud.

Heh, yeah. I found backstabs and parries really hard with all the extra enemies around. Finding a shield with good stability was important.
 

Grief.exe

Member
I read a thread today on Reddit comparing Soul Memory to putting an expiration date on a character.

In Dark Souls I, you would create a low level build to invade or co-op with lower level players. This was fun as you had to get creative with your equipment and builds in order to make it work.

If you do that in a sequel, you only get a certain amount of use out of those specific characters before they expire entirely.

I've just been sitting around SL80 or so for a long time. I have the build I want, so I spend all my souls on upgrade shards, spells, gear, etc.

I just started playing it and so far in the forest area after Majula(?) I'm dying more times than I ever did in Undead Parish :/
I finished Dark Souls several times so I know it's supposed to be difficult but DS2 seems to pit a lot more enemies at you at the same times which makes it obviously much more complicated especially since the camera keeps fucking me over during backstabs.
Any tips? Apart from git gud.

Grab the 95% physical reduction shield from the merchant in Majula.
 

Lord Phol

Member
Oh shit Oh shit Oh shit, I did it, I accidently killed both another phantom and the summoner during the
Pursuer
Boss fight D:.
Now my small soapstone won't work anymore :(.

Edit: Nevermind it's back to normal again :D.
 
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