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Dark Souls |OT5| Definitely better than the sequel

I would always use the hidden bonfire too.

I know Lost Izalith is a poor area, but I think it just needs more to it. Once you pass the big lava pit, there should be much more to explore in the city part itself, which is a great design. It's a shame there's so little to it. As for Bed Of Chaos, I don't like the boss per se - God knows I've had some hair-pulling moments with it, especially on SL1 runs. But I appreciate that they try to do something different with boss fights like this one and Dragon God. I also like the lore on the Witch of Izalith, the place itself and Demon Ruins, they just suffer from lack of development time I guess.
 
Well Lost Izalith can stay lost for me, I've hated every minute of it so far, I've only got the middle bit of the boss to kill now but that can wait for another day, maybe I'm not in the mood tonight but that is a shit boss fight.

Yeah that boss is garbage but imagine that on NG+ I killed him pure melee w/o dying once. That was an accomplishment for me. I was very surprised and so glad I never have to step my foot down in Lost Izalith again.

Note I wasn't running during the boss fight. I just walked around and blocked. No rolling as well. Maybe that's the key.
 

NCR Redslayer

NeoGAF's Vegeta
Okay i wanna know, how did people beat the final boss? I died like 15 times before i killed him, and it wasnt until i read a note that parrying works that i actuallly manage to do damage.
 
So I finally got past those two archers in Anor Londo. It was just so...stupid. So I had to run toward the first archer, hoping that he would more than likely follow me, then run back to the ramp and he'll fall off? That's just dumb.
 
I didn't knew about the Titanite Demon route nor about he hidden bonfire in my first playthrough ;_;

Yeah, I was running through all that shitty lava at least 6 times to beat the boss :(

Well that must have sucked!

The boss just seems like the whole area a bit rushed especially after Anor Londo, New Londo Ruins and the Dukes Archives those areas had so much atmosphere to them and this section feels like it was plonked in, it's a shame really.
 
Okay i wanna know, how did people beat the final boss? I died like 15 times before i killed him, and it wasnt until i read a note that parrying works that i actuallly manage to do damage.

First time fighting him, didn't know shit about his attacks or combos:

Greatshield of Artorias.
Greatshield of Artorias.
Greatshield of Artorias.


G(S)OAT shield blocked his every attack except grabs. Got him down to 5% health in no-time while only drinking 3-4 Estuses. Then I allowed him to kill me because I wanted to do the DLC first.

Now in NG+ he was a bitch. His attacks drained my stamina VERY FAST meaning blocking was out of the question - I could NOT tank him even using G(S)OAT. So what did I do? No shield + Iron Flesh + two handing my Crystal Magic Weapon enhanced Great Club +15. I tanked him face 2 face without a shield. Only rolled to the side when he was trying to grab me.

Never parried even once. Actually I never parried through the whole Platinum, heh.
 
Well that must have sucked!

The boss just seems like the whole area a bit rushed especially after Anor Londo, New Londo Ruins and the Dukes Archives those areas had so much atmosphere to them and this section feels like it was plonked in, it's a shame really.

Yeah Lost Izalith just sucks all around. Now I do not have anything against Demon Ruins - it is a good, atmospheric area. Solaire's tragic plotline, the Titanite Demon bridge, hell even the Firesage Demon was alright.

But everything starting from Centipede Demon boss fight just disappoints especially the lava area and the dinosaur legs enemies - worst enemy design in the series. It is the only low, very low point of the game. It brings it even beneath Dark Souls 2 level design which is an accomplishment, heh.
 
Yeah Lost Izalith just sucks all around. Now I do not have anything against Demon Ruins - it is a good, atmospheric area. Solaire's tragic plotline, the Titanite Demon bridge, hell even the Firesage Demon was alright.

But everything starting from Centipede Demon boss fight just disappoints especially the lava area and the dinosaur legs enemies - worst enemy design in the series. It is the only low, very low point of the game. It brings it even beneath Dark Souls 2 level design which is an accomplishment, heh.

Yeah I would agree with all of that, some very strange design decisions went on there, it could have been a great area, it makes me wonder how you get through it without the ring that reduces lava damage unless that is a guaranteed drop from the Centipede Demon, those dinosaur things are just plain odd, still I plan to finish it off today and get it out of the way then I might head into the DLC before tackling the Tomb of the Giants.
 
It is a 100% drop just like Artorias Ring from Sif.

BTW Miyazaki kind of apologied for the Lost Izalith area in two different interviews. I will try to find the quotes later on.
 
Ah right, I saw you had to hack the claw off to get it, that makes sense then as I was wondering how you would get through there without it.

Still it's one crappy area in an otherwise awesome game, i've really enjoyed playing though it this time, I just didn't have the patience when it first came out despite hammering Demons' Souls.
 

NEO0MJ

Member
So I finally got past those two archers in Anor Londo. It was just so...stupid. So I had to run toward the first archer, hoping that he would more than likely follow me, then run back to the ramp and he'll fall off? That's just dumb.

I just waited until I got a moment to rush and kill him, then did the same to the next.
 

Red Hood

Banned
Okay i wanna know, how did people beat the final boss? I died like 15 times before i killed him, and it wasnt until i read a note that parrying works that i actuallly manage to do damage.

At first I had a lot of trouble with him as well, until I abandoned my mid-weight style and just tanked him with Havel's Set (found in the
dark basement/cellar in Anor Lando
), absorbed all his attacks with the Black Iron Greatshield, and then I landed in a hit or two with my remaining stamina. Rinse and repeat. I didn't have one on me at the time, but I suppose the Cloranthy Ring (apparently found in
The Great Hollow
?) for quicker stamina regeneration is very useful.

In subsequent playthroughs my preferences shifted towards an extremely agile character (<25% equip load) and after beating him by just timing the dodges right, I read you can also parry him and I thought I'd try it out. If you're decently levelled with an upgraded weapon, it usually takes around 4 parries to beat him. It's how I've beaten him in my third and fourth play-through.
 
So I finally got past those two archers in Anor Londo. It was just so...stupid. So I had to run toward the first archer, hoping that he would more than likely follow me, then run back to the ramp and he'll fall off? That's just dumb.
There's plenty of ways you can deal with them - block and attack, parry and riposte, block and angle yourself on the corner so when he swings he falls off, poison arrows from the bottom. I usually just run up and parry.
 
There's plenty of ways you can deal with them - block and attack, parry and riposte, block and angle yourself on the corner so when he swings he falls off, poison arrows from the bottom. I usually just run up and parry.

I am a pyromancer with an axe. I didn't see how I could take the archer down without having some type of sniper-like item. I kept falling off the ledge from arrows.
 
I am a pyromancer with an axe. I didn't see how I could take the archer down without having some type of sniper-like item. I kept falling off the ledge from arrows.
Yeah, it's definately one of the parts of the game that most people have trouble with their first time.

If you drop your equipment load below 25% you will have the fastest movement and roll speed which helps a lot. If you run up the buttress the arrows will not hit you, then when you're on the ledge you can use the i-frames of your roll to actually roll through the arrows rather than blocking them (which drains much more stamina and pushes you back). Not saying it's easy at first, just saying there are a lot of ways to deal with them rather than just hoping they fall off. The easiest is just to parry and you can do that with your bare hand, don't even need stats for a decent shield.
 
I really wish there was a way to save data between bonfires after you cleared them. I really want to try some of this stuff with archers, but I am already passed them. Ah well, I guess I will try again once I get out of Anor Londo.

Yeah, it's definately one of the parts of the game that most people have trouble with their first time.

If you drop your equipment load below 25% you will have the fastest movement and roll speed which helps a lot. If you run up the buttress the arrows will not hit you, then when you're on the ledge you can use the i-frames of your roll to actually roll through the arrows rather than blocking them (which drains much more stamina and pushes you back). Not saying it's easy at first, just saying there are a lot of ways to deal with them rather than just hoping they fall off. The easiest is just to parry and you can do that with your bare hand, don't even need stats for a decent shield.
"i-frames"?
 
"i-frames"?
Invincibility frames. The roll has a number of frames where your character is invincible, allowing you to roll THROUGH an enemies attack and not take any damage. Besides that, the main advantage is allowing you to follow up with your own attack much quicker than when blocking and it would usually take far less stamina to roll than block. At <25% of your total equipment load (armour and weapons) your character has the fastest movement speed (run, roll etc).

About the archers - if you haven't already you will be unlocking a couple of doors shortly that allow you to go back to the earlier pre-archers part of Anor Londo.




Having the equip load >25% makes the game soo much easier in my opinion.
Do you say that because you prefer the higher defense or slower movement?

I've played through with mid-roll and heavy roll, but only as specific run-throughs, I wouldn't do it usually, I always go light. I think evasion is the best defense in Souls, maybe if you're playing a huge tanky character fast roll isn't an option or even needed if you're using a great shield, but with high endurance and Havel's Ring even heavier builds can fast roll.
 

Tarkus

Member
So I am at the part of Anor Londo where I can kill the Firekeepers killer. It's tough though. Can I come back to it later?
I think you can do it any time, but not 100% sure. I know you can do it immediately after the boss of Anor Londo, just not sure about the events that take place soon after the boss.

Try getting their attention and running upstairs. If you can get a shot or two in on them one-on-one, then run away and repeat, it might make it easier. The mage makes it a pain. And don't try to runoff the top of the stairs hoping they take fall damage...they all have permanent fall control miracles on them.
 
You can do it at any time.

It's comically easy if you have a heavy weapon like Zweihander or Great Club. If not, you need to get them to line up single file and stagger them with 2-handed attacks, or run in circles until the mage is left open and kill him. Then it should be easier.
 
I ended up beating them. There was a glitch where both Laurec and the spearman were running toward each other right at the base of the stairs and got stuck. I just fireballed them to death. Would have likely beat them ileven if that didn't happen though.
 
I ended up beating them. There was a glitch where both Laurec and the spearman were running toward each other right at the base of the stairs and got stuck. I just fireballed them to death. Would have likely beat them ileven if that didn't happen though.

Once I got Knight Launtrec's of Carim ring I never removed it. <3

Even in NG++.
 
Well after the crapfest of Lost Izalith I'm now in Oolicile Township and am loving it, the Royal Wood was a bit tricky as it took me a while to get used to those Stone Giants, the Artorias fight was awesome too, I've just taken a break then I'll finish the township off.
 
Get lower from the Undead Burg.

Have you been to the Parish? Look at the keys you picked up.

IIRC, the key you need to get in is the Basement Key. I don't remember where you get it, but the door is at the bridge with the red dragon.

Of course, you can just waltz right in with the Master Key.


Thanks, I knew I had the key but forgot about the dragon so I thought I was stuck. Thanks
 

Booshka

Member
IIRC, the key you need to get in is the Basement Key. I don't remember where you get it, but the door is at the bridge with the red dragon.

Of course, you can just waltz right in with the Master Key.

Master Key doesn't open all doors, including that one. It mostly opens shortcuts and side quest doors.
 
No, you can only upgrade it with the Pyromancer in Firelink Shrine, if you freed him, or the Master Pyromancer in the swamps of Blighttown.
Is there a quick way to get from Anor Londo to Firelino Shrine?

Edit- If I use the Firekeeper Soul I got from killing Laurec will I be unable to restore the Firelibk Shrine bonfire?
 
Is there a quick way to get from Anor Londo to Firelino Shrine?
There is after you kill the boss in Anor Londo.

Before the boss it only takes a couple of minutes to run back, don't rest at any bonfires and then use a homeward bone to warp back to Anor Londo.
Even if you haven't opened the cage lift shortcut in Sen's, you can drop down the chutes (near where the pressure plates and the last swinging axes are) which is almost as fast as using the cage lift.
 
Any tips for beating Ornstein and Smough? Tp give you an idea wherw I am at: I'm level 51 Pyromancer. My attacks are Fire Orb and Fireball. My Pyromancer Flame is +14 and my Gargoyle Tail Axe is +10.
 

NEO0MJ

Member
Any tips for beating Ornstein and Smough? Tp give you an idea wherw I am at: I'm level 51 Pyromancer. My Pyromancer Flame is +14 and my Gargoyle Tail Axe is +10.

It's easier if you focus on Killing Oreo first before moving on to Smores. Because Oreo is pretty fast you can fight him alone for a good while before Smores catches up, and when he does you can just run away, separate them, and fight Oreo solo again. Also, if I'm not mistaken Oreo is weak to fire as well. If you want help you can summon Solaire near the bonfire at the castle.

I should probably tell you though that which soul and armor you get depends on who you kill second.
 
Your level is fine, if you're using the pyro flame as your main offense I would level it up if you have the souls to do so, and switch out the slow casting fireball types for the faster combustion types.

General tips for O&S are keep them both in sight at all times, not locking on obviously helps there. Use the pillars to split them up, and if you're having trouble with their lightning attacks, the Eagle Shield is a good option because it's wooden (high lightning defense) and as a great shield has high stability (less stamina is drained when you block). It is only 95% physical defense though.

Solaire isn't much cop in terms of offense, but he is good at tanking whilst you concentrate on killing one of them, he probably won't last long into the second phase though, so I don't think it's that cheap to use him, he's not going to do the job for you by any means.
 
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