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[MomoPufflet]

Errrr, those players are actually playing the "proper" way which FROM intended for invaders to behave. As an invader, you're supposed to give as much grief and use the levels and enemies to your advantage because you're technically at a pretty large disadvantage since the host can summon other players to help him so it can become 3 vs 1. Also the host can heal himself and his allies easily with Estus. AND, you can only invade people who are a higher SL than you (except for certain specific cases which I'm sure you aren't in).

Invaders are at a disadvantage? I kind of feel the opposite. You get the jump on someone with a lot more to lose who probably isn't ready for you, enemies don't attack you so you can just wait for the player to be fighting something and kill them (or run into a pack of enemies when you get hurt). There is so much possible cheese at your disposal as an invader. I don't really buy that summoning people is an advantage unless there are people prepared and specifically waiting for invaders with a group, especially with how broken the summoning system is right now. You certainly aren't going to be summoning anyone after you've already been invaded unless you just happen to be in the exact spot with a bunch of signs, which you probably won't be. The biggest complaint I've heard from invaders is people disconnecting or someone had a group and were waiting for them. Well, karma's a bitch I guess. There has to be some counterpoint to people just farming players all day.

 

[Zzoram]

No kidding. In NG+ it really comes down to whether Four Kings feels like spamming its grab move or wiffing with sword swings, simply because you won't do enough damage to kill one before the next one shows up. I tried it twice and came really close both times. The first time I severely underestimated the reach of his sword, the second, he just got annoying and started strafing my crystal ring shield shots.

Does Iron Flesh still work on them in NG+?

I cast it in my NG and just tanked them easily. You just need a pyro glove and the spell and the 1 attunement slot for it, nothing else. You get 3 casts, should be plenty.

 

[DigitalDevil]

I think they need some help, that is to say they want a hollow to put down a summon sign.

imo

I thought as a hollow you couldn't put down a summon sign? Every time I've tried when I've been hollow the white stone has been greyed out and I can't use it.

 

[Zzoram]

I thought as a hollow you couldn't put down a summon sign? Every time I've tried when I've been hollow the white stone has been greyed out and I can't use it.

You can put down a white sign as a hollow. You must've just been in areas that didn't allow it.

 

[Soulhouf]

How's the Demon Spear + 5 compared to the Lightning Spear +5? Is it worth the 10 Demon Titanite?

Yes if you are a spear player.
I tested a lightning winged spear +5 and demon's spear +5 and definitely the demon spear gets better if you invest in strength and dexterity (currently its damage output is ~480 with my build)
And I guess it will get even better after the next patch since they will fix the scaling issues.

 

[demosthenes]

Does Iron Flesh still work on them in NG+?

I cast it in my NG and just tanked them easily. You just need a pyro glove and the spell and the 1 attunement slot for it, nothing else. You get 3 casts, should be plenty.

This worked in NG+

 

[MechaX]

Does Iron Flesh still work on them in NG+?

I cast it in my NG and just tanked them easily. You just need a pyro glove and the spell and the 1 attunement slot for it, nothing else. You get 3 casts, should be plenty.

I imagine it still would work (or just loading up on Havel Gear could work too). They're just more annoying than challenging in NG+, since the odds are you're going to have the second one hitting you off screen while you're tanking the first.

 

[DigitalDevil]

You can put down a white sign as a hollow. You must've just been in areas that didn't allow it.

Damn! I'm going to have to get to co-op'ing tonight!

 

[Clear]

How's the Demon Spear + 5 compared to the Lightning Spear +5? Is it worth the 10 Demon Titanite?

I used Demon's Spear extensively early on because I bought it from Shiva in Blighttown (Hunter Covenant FTW). Its damage is lower than a maxed out lightning spear but it makes up for it by having extra range - you can pretty much poke things down while staying safely out of their reach.

The real downside is its R2 strong attack has a really long wind-up, making it very difficult to use effectively. That said, its a very good weapon which you can max out while you're building up something better.

Well worth getting imho, especially prior to Anor Londo where its a semi-common drop from the gargoyles.

 

[Leunam]

Smough and Ornstein, ooph. Definitely going to knock this out tonight.

You can put down a white sign as a hollow. You must've just been in areas that didn't allow it.

This is the item description:

Online play item.
Leave summon sign.

Be summoned to another world as a phantom
through your sign, and defeat the area boss
to acquire humanity.
(Hollows cannot conduct summons)

In Lordran, the flow of time is distorted,
and the White Sign Soapstone allows
Undead to assist one another.

I always took that to mean that I can't be summoned but I guess it only means I can't summon other players. Huh.

 

[Baha]

I imagine it still would work (or just loading up on Havel Gear could work too). They're just more annoying than challenging in NG+, since the odds are you're going to have the second one hitting you off screen while you're tanking the first.

You can summon Beatrix if you summoned her for the moonlight butterfly fight. Doing so and beating the 4 kings (she doesn't have to survive) actually nets you her armor/catalyst (by the valley of the drakes/new londo ruins shortcut).

*EDIT*Hmm maybe you don't have to summon her to make the armor appear: http://darksouls.wikidot.com/witch-set

 

[astroturfing]

heh discovered something fun, everyone try spamming right on the d-pad (as if to switch weapons) and R2 and/or L1/R1 while on a ladder and see what happens might take 10-15 seconds of punching and kicking but it'll happen. nothing especially hilarious but i thought it was funny and made me go WTF when i accidentally triggered it.

other button combinations might work too, i'm not sure. but just trying to switch weapons and kicking and punching frantically works 100% for me.

 

[Finalow]

anyone for a co-op against quelaag?
i'm at SL 169. ng+ or ng+++ dunno, really.

 

[corrosivefrost]

I imagine it still would work (or just loading up on Havel Gear could work too). They're just more annoying than challenging in NG+, since the odds are you're going to have the second one hitting you off screen while you're tanking the first.

Havel armor did NOT work for me in NG+ -- I was OHKO by the first king after I got in about 2 stabs for maybe 500 damage with a fire winged spear +10. Definitely did not work like when I work stone armor/helmet in 1st run and stabbed them to death with lightning spear +5.

I ended up casting Iron Flesh and making them eat a healthy dose of homing crystal soulmass while wearing bellowing dragoncrest and dusk crown.

 

[Aguirre]

rip andres of astora, you aggro'd fuck

 

[levious]

so prior to beating the Bell Gargoyles, I freed that knight guy, but now I can't find him. He said he'd give me a gift, but I have no idea where he is.

 

[Aguirre]

so prior to beating the Bell Gargoyles, I freed that knight guy, but now I can't find him. He said he'd give me a gift, but I have no idea where he is.

he's at firelink shrine.

Spoiler

you know not what you done in freeing that man. all is not what it seems. heed my warning

 

[equil]

so prior to beating the Bell Gargoyles, I freed that knight guy, but now I can't find him. He said he'd give me a gift, but I have no idea where he is.

Hes down by the firekeeper. Walk down the path from Firelink shrine.

 

[TheExodu5]

I used Demon's Spear extensively early on because I bought it from Shiva in Blighttown (Hunter Covenant FTW). Its damage is lower than a maxed out lightning spear but it makes up for it by having extra range - you can pretty much poke things down while staying safely out of their reach.

The real downside is its R2 strong attack has a really long wind-up, making it very difficult to use effectively. That said, its a very good weapon which you can max out while you're building up something better.

Well worth getting imho, especially prior to Anor Londo where its a semi-common drop from the gargoyles.

What about Ornstein's Spear?

 

[levious]

Hes down by the firekeeper. Walk down the path from Firelink shrine.

how close is he to her? I checked down there. I'll hit up youtube I guess.

 

[Felix Lighter]

rip andres of astora, you aggro'd fuck

Ahhh man, he's my favorite NPC in the game. He doesn't say much but you know he cares. "Don't get yourself killed."

 

[scosher]

how close is he to her? I checked down there. I'll hit up youtube I guess.

Try quitting and reloading the game.

 

[DigitalDevil]

heh discovered something fun, everyone try spamming right on the d-pad (as if to switch weapons) and R2 and/or L1/R1 while on a ladder and see what happens might take 10-15 seconds of punching and kicking but it'll happen. nothing especially hilarious but i thought it was funny and made me go WTF when i accidentally triggered it.

other button combinations might work too, i'm not sure. but just trying to switch weapons and kicking and punching frantically works 100% for me.

Will have to try this tonight. I'm seriously considering putting sleeping powder in my wife's cocktail so I can get started earlier!

 

[Aguirre]

Ahhh man, he's my favorite NPC in the game. He doesn't say much but you know he cares. "Don't get yourself killed."

i couldn't help it.

my "dark passenger" had urges, urges that a weakened mindstate could not resist.

sadly he isn't the first to die by these urges.

so far: crestfallen warrior, solaire of astora, 1 undead burg merchant, uhm, some guy stuck in a barrel in the depths, a guy with a leather mask with antlers protruding from it.

oh and petrus of thorolund. though it must be said he was dismissive of my attacks at first, and i could have NOT killed him, but i'm the first to admit that that particular kill was sheer bloodlust.

 

[corrosivefrost]

he's at firelink shrine.

Spoiler

you know not what you done in freeing that man. all is not what it seems. heed my warning

Lautrec spoilers:

Spoiler

Freeing him is inconsequential. I didn't touch him in NG++, he still got out, and he still murdered the firelink fire keeper.

 

[Finalow]

What about Ornstein's Spear?

it's cool but not so good.

 

[Aguirre]

Lautrec spoilers:

Spoiler

Freeing him is inconsequential. I didn't touch him in NG++, he still got out, and he still murdered the firelink fire keeper.

Spoiler

well am not that far in, so i was assuming she was dead for good, considering how devious dark souls is in general. good to know

 

[DigitalDevil]

i couldn't help it.

my "dark passenger" had urges, urges that a weakened mindstate could not resist.

sadly he isn't the first to die by these urges.

so far: crestfallen warrior, solaire of astora, 1 undead burg merchant, uhm, some guy stuck in a barrel in the depths, a guy with a leather mask with antlers protruding for it.

oh and petrus of thorolund. though it must be said he was dismissive of my attacks at first, and i could have NOT killed him, but i'm the first to admit that that particular kill was sheer bloodlust.

+1 for dexter reference

 

[sixghost]

Lautrec spoilers:

Spoiler

Freeing him is inconsequential. I didn't touch him in NG++, he still got out, and he still murdered the firelink fire keeper.

Spoiler

I think that's the biggest tip-off that he's up to no good. The only two NPCs that appear in Firelink on their own, Frampt and Lautrec, are the only two evil characters that show up there.

True Ending spoiler

Spoiler

By the way, after getting tricked by Gywndolin in NG, feels good hunting down every single NPC in Anor Londo besides the Giant Blacksmith in NG+.

so far: crestfallen warrior, solaire of astora, 1 undead burg merchant, uhm, some guy stuck in a barrel in the depths, a guy with a leather mask with antlers protruding from it.

Monster.

 

[Finalow]

can i ring the second bell in order to join the darkwraith covenant?

 

[Owzers]

Finished the game last night, helped as a phantom a few times at the boss instead of diving in on my human.

Weapon of choice: 100% protection Sif soul shield + Lightning Spear +5


Overall impressions: I liked the painted world, undead parish, and Anor Lando the most. Apart from those areas the rest varied from decent to annoying. New Lando Ruins was okay, Tomb of the Giant would have been better if they gave you a lantern after killing pinwheel but i get WHY they didn't, it's just why they didn't is a jerk move. " You won't appreciate the lantern unless you throw your controller at the tv first", sure, but i still have a broken tv along with my new light appreciation. I'm still quite angry that i wasn't able to summon/be summoned by my friend A SINGLE TIME throughout the entire game.

I played this game for 72 hours and got to SL 92. I can't calculate the amount of time spent waiting to be summoned or how much was me running back to the boss from the last bonfire ( in Catacombs and Lost Izalith and several other annoying places), but i'd say in Dark Souls, out of those 72 hours, maybe 20 or so were spent on actual, solid, fun.

 

[scy]

That and Lautrec pretty much

Spoiler

outright says he's going to kill the Fire Keeper before leaving.

Made a new INT character. Unsure of what to do with her yet. I don't know the Enchanted scales as well as I know the Occult ones :/ Not sure what weapon to aim for. 16 STR/10 DEX for another Claymore user is possible, I guess ... but feels a bit redundant after my Faith character. 16/12 for Halberd works but I'm not a fan of the moveset.

Maybe I'll just make a STR based character using Lightning/Fire weapons before it gets patched...

can i ring the second bell in order to join the darkwraith covenant?

You have to ring it to progress the game. Darkwraith Covenant requirement is

Spoiler

to kill the Four Kings prior to placing the Lordvessel and then siding with Kaathe instead of Frampt.

 

[sixghost]

That and Lautrec pretty much

Spoiler

outright says he's going to kill the Fire Keeper before leaving.

Spoiler

You know Lautrec, he's crazy. Always saying shit like that.

 

[Akuun]

That and Lautrec pretty much

Spoiler

outright says he's going to kill the Fire Keeper before leaving.

He does? I don't remember hearing anything like that.

 

[toastyToast]

Is this the first time the Dark Souls OT has fallen to page 2?

The downward spiral begins.

 

[scy]

He does? I don't remember hearing anything like that.

I'll double check on my current file, assuming I don't sequence break the shit out of it, but he makes a remark about

Spoiler

the "Keeper has served me well ... but enough of her"

. Put with basically everything else he says, especially his "tips" ...

 

[DigitalDevil]

He does? I don't remember hearing anything like that.

He is expounding a little bit but he does say something like "now I can get back to work bwahahahaha" in a really evil tone. I assumed he was taking about killing somebody.

 

[corrosivefrost]

can i ring the second bell in order to join the darkwraith covenant?

You have to.
You have to ring both bells in order to get to anor londo to get the lordvessel.
Just don't speak to Frampt once you have it and go kill the 4 kings immediately.

--

The talk of the guy randomly murdering the NPCs reminded me that in my NG+ run, I was screwing around near the firelink bonfire showing someone something regarding the weapons and I was using iaito's R2 willynilly. I clipped the crestfallen warrior and he went aggro immediately. Since I know what eventually happens with him I had no problems dropping his ass on the spot. NPCs should learn -- once you go aggro, my homing crystal soul mass will track you. :lol

Definitely not as evil as the end of my first run, where I would talk to merchants and such, make sure I'd bought everything I wanted, step away, cast crystal magic weapon on my +14 uchi, cast homing soulmass, then turn around with a slash. :lol

 

[Sullichin]

How's the Demon Spear + 5 compared to the Lightning Spear +5? Is it worth the 10 Demon Titanite?

My lightning scythe +5 does wayyy more damage, Demon Spear is only +3 or 4 but it's still nowhere close to my scythe.

 

[bob_arctor]

What's the best place to farm Demon Titanite? I'm currently in Demon Ruins so I'm guessing somewhere down here?

 

[psykomyko]

Finally beat

Spoiler

Sif and Seath

. For some reason I could not get past these two. Now I'm off to New Londo Ruins. Which is the better way to get cursed and to play through New Londo with? Transient? Or just get actually cursed?

 

[Sullichin]

What's the best place to farm Demon Titanite? I'm currently in Demon Ruins so I'm guessing somewhere down here?

don't know about late in the game. but have you killed the demons at the bottom of sen's fortress? there's like 4 or 5 of them I want to say, they all drop them.

 

[sixghost]

What's the best place to farm Demon Titanite? I'm currently in Demon Ruins so I'm guessing somewhere down here?

If you've opened the Lost Izalith shortcut (30 humanity to the Chaos Servant cov), there's a respawning Titanite Demon in there, and it's not far from a bonfire. Other than that, I don't know of any respawning sources of Demon Titanite.

Finally beat

Spoiler

Sif and Seath

. For some reason I could not get past these two. Now I'm off to New Londo Ruins. Which is the better way to get cursed and to play through New Londo with? Transient? Or just get actually cursed?

Transient Curse all the way. You'll find enough of it from drops and item pickups that you'll be ok unless you're dying a ton. Real curse should only be a last resort, because there are a ton of ghosts in that area and no bonfire. Half health there would be a bitch.

 

[Finalow]

anyone for a co-op against quelaag?
i'm at SL 169. ng+ or ng+++ dunno, really.

anyone? :*

 

[x3r0123]

What's the best place to farm Demon Titanite? I'm currently in Demon Ruins so I'm guessing somewhere down here?

lost izalith has a respawnable headless demon and thats after demon ruins

 

[corrosivefrost]

What's the best place to farm Demon Titanite? I'm currently in Demon Ruins so I'm guessing somewhere down here?

The only place is ahead.
If you're chaos servant +2, open the shortcut to lost izalith (just before the boss door, huge hole in wall on right with root downward). Respawning prowling demon that drops 2 demon titanite is on the path, can't miss him. Kill, collect, warp (or run, ugh...) back to the bonfire where the worm was in demon's ruins, rinse, repeat.

If you're not chaos servant +2, clear lost izalith of dragons, rest at bonfire, run up root, sprint by all enemies, kill octopus on stairs. take the root downward on your right before the boss (and the evil NPCs), keep right heading up some stairs, you're now where the shortcut above comes up -- head forward, kill prowling demon for 2 chunks, warp.

 

[sixghost]

anyone? :*

I thought the Coop stopping point was SL 120? Sounds like you might have trouble finding people to summon.

 

[bob_arctor]

don't know about late in the game. but have you killed the demons at the bottom of sen's fortress? there's like 4 or 5 of them I want to say, they all drop them.

Sen's Fortress--is that the huge gate where Onion Knight is sitting that opens after ringing the 2nd bell?

And I didn't even know about a Lost Izalith shortcut. This game is bananas.

 

[Leunam]

Sen's Fortress--is that the huge gate where Onion Knight is sitting that opens after ringing the 2nd bell?

Yep. Pretty easy to get through but I haven't explored the bottom pit much.

 

[Soulhouf]

My lightning scythe +5 does wayyy more damage, Demon Spear is only +3 or 4 but it's still nowhere close to my scythe.

But you can't block while you attack with a scythe, can you?

Spears do less damage but it's more safe, have a better range and the thrust attack make it easier to attack enemies in narrow places without being blocked by the walls.