official Dark Souls 2

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There are a few enemies that never respawn once you kill them once. Every other enemy stops respawning once you kill them 15 times.

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There are a few enemies that never respawn once you kill them once. Every other enemy stops respawning once you kill them 15 times.

 

Thanks for the info, yes, finally got to the point where they stop appearing. Heide's Tower of Flame...wish there was a mod to just go in there with an M4 and an ACOG, those oni dudes are getting on my nerves :angry: for people that weigh 700 pounds they sure are precise and quick!

 

Alas this is an excellent game for all my moaning, am already hooked on it and the changes they made to gameplay are very balanced - to me. Health penalties - but to a point. Tough as always baddies - but they eventually stop appearing (though i understand they did this to starve us of souls and to prevent grind to win). The easy travel between bonfires is a great annoyance prevention device, as it allows you to move and try a different area if you're fed up with your current one.

 

Also think the even lighter than usual story is an excellent fit - Souls games are supposed to be commentary on the ultimately futile nature of life but that nonetheless is it our lot and purpose to struggle and keep trying despite the foregone conclusion. DS2 delivers that perfectly, with a lot less fanfare than the first two.

[Slammers]

Am now 6 boses in and hoping this game gets harder soon. So far been a peice of cake compared to early game dark souls (gargoyles, capra demon etc.) Still loving it though. Really like the creeps that are afraid of fire but eventually overcome it and attack anyways. 

One thing I don't like is it feels alot more welcoming and less desperate than original. The hub town doesn't help and neither do the more frequent bonfires, makes exploring new areas alot less tense. I liked in the original how you couldn't warp till later on in the game, it's easy not to appreciate the ability when its comes for free.  

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Maybe they wanted to sell more games, you know, to people who are not masochists? :rolleyes:

 

Sorry the new accessibility makes it feel less elite-ish, but isn't there an ascetic you can burn and other attunements to make play harder?

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Thanks for the info, yes, finally got to the point where they stop appearing. Heide's Tower of Flame...wish there was a mod to just go in there with an M4 and an ACOG, those oni dudes are getting on my nerves :angry: for people that weigh 700 pounds they sure are precise and quick!

 

Alas this is an excellent game for all my moaning, am already hooked on it and the changes they made to gameplay are very balanced - to me. Health penalties - but to a point. Tough as always baddies - but they eventually stop appearing (though i understand they did this to starve us of souls and to prevent grind to win). The easy travel between bonfires is a great annoyance prevention device, as it allows you to move and try a different area if you're fed up with your current one.

 

Also think the even lighter than usual story is an excellent fit - Souls games are supposed to be commentary on the ultimately futile nature of life but that nonetheless is it our lot and purpose to struggle and keep trying despite the foregone conclusion. DS2 delivers that perfectly, with a lot less fanfare than the first two.

You should try using a mace or hammer against heavily armored enemies. In fact, you should probably keep a few different types of weapons with you at all times. From seems to have "fixed" the combat this time around. Specific damage types actually matter more than they did previously.

 

Am now 6 boses in and hoping this game gets harder soon. So far been a peice of cake compared to early game dark souls (gargoyles, capra demon etc.) Still loving it though. Really like the creeps that are afraid of fire but eventually overcome it and attack anyways. 

One thing I don't like is it feels alot more welcoming and less desperate than original. The hub town doesn't help and neither do the more frequent bonfires, makes exploring new areas alot less tense. I liked in the original how you couldn't warp till later on in the game, it's easy not to appreciate the ability when its comes for free.  

There are definitely areas that are harder and more "unwelcoming". But in general, I thought the game was easier than Dark Souls. Almost every boss was your basic circle-strafe for melee and your typical lol-spell push-overs for magic. Though, there are two particular bosses in the game that were the hardest out of all of the Souls games. (at least for me) one is required, one is not. So there is definitely some challenge there if you want it.

 

Also the game changes a lot in New Game +. I like to think that From made the first play through more "mainstream" and then kicked it up a bunch in New Game + and beyond. Those new to Souls games will probably just play once and be done with it, and diehards will play multiple times and get the challenge they want from subsequent play-throughs. That's just my opinion though.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Am now 6 boses in and hoping this game gets harder soon. So far been a peice of cake compared to early game dark souls (gargoyles, capra demon etc.) Still loving it though. Really like the creeps that are afraid of fire but eventually overcome it and attack anyways. 

One thing I don't like is it feels alot more welcoming and less desperate than original. The hub town doesn't help and neither do the more frequent bonfires, makes exploring new areas alot less tense. I liked in the original how you couldn't warp till later on in the game, it's easy not to appreciate the ability when its comes for free.  

 

The biggest problem I ever got was from fast enemies. Besides them and a few bosses it probably is "easier" than DS1. Although some of that may just be down to playing DS/DS1 over and over leading me to be a better gamer at the souls series.

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You should try using a mace or hammer against heavily armored enemies. In fact, you should probably keep a few different types of weapons with you at all times. From seems to have "fixed" the combat this time around. Specific damage types actually matter more than they did previously.

 

There are definitely areas that are harder and more "unwelcoming". But in general, I thought the game was easier than Dark Souls. Almost every boss was your basic circle-strafe for melee and your typical lol-spell push-overs for magic. Though, there are two particular bosses in the game that were the hardest out of all of the Souls games. (at least for me) one is required, one is not. So there is definitely some challenge there if you want it.

 

Also the game changes a lot in New Game +. I like to think that From made the first play through more "mainstream" and then kicked it up a bunch in New Game + and beyond. Those new to Souls games will probably just play once and be done with it, and diehards will play multiple times and get the challenge they want from subsequent play-throughs. That's just my opinion though.

 

Thanks for the advice, will try that. However, i'm just level 21 so i can't use the more useful weapons yet, limited to basically the broadsword. Everything else i try equipping gives me the "you can't use this effectively" warning. Guess need more endurance, vitality, and strength. Do you have any tips for that?

 

And From should be considered for some big league design award for this game, really. They've achieved an almost perfect combination of badass difficult and addictively welcoming, heretofore unknown to human science. Bought Demon's Souls = gave up after two hours. Bought Dark Souls = played about ten hours of it over several months before giving up because while fun it was too grind-based.

 

Played 8 hours of DS2 in one weekend and can't stop thinking about it while at work. Or on the can. Or eating. It's currently tied GOTY for me with Titanfall, though of course it's not even May yet.

 

Spacer encapsulated it wisely: From wanted to make the first run accessible while not compromising too much on the basics of the series. They are artists and a business, they want to share their work and make money...if only a small hardcore band of masochists plays their software, they both fail to share their vision and make less money. There is nothing wrong with accessibility.

 

Now if they made Dark Souls 2 with save anywhere and recharging health plus no respawning enemies and a UAV scan if you kill five baddies in a row...now that would be bad. Clearly that is not the case.

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Thanks for the advice, will try that. However, i'm just level 21 so i can't use the more useful weapons yet, limited to basically the broadsword. Everything else i try equipping gives me the "you can't use this effectively" warning. Guess need more endurance, vitality, and strength. Do you have any tips for that?

You can always two-hand a weapon to increase your strength by 1.5x (or 2x?) which will usually give you enough to wield everything but the gigantic weapons.

 

I don't know what kind of character you're making, but the blacksmith in Majula sells a longsword and a mace; both of which are good weapons for any build. I used both of those for a long, long while. By the time I finished my first play-through, I had a +10 fire longsword, +10 lightning longsword, +10 dark longsword, and a +5 pure physical hammer weapon. (I'd be more specific, but I don't want to spoil it for you)

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You can always two-hand a weapon to increase your strength by 1.5x (or 2x?) which will usually give you enough to wield everything but the gigantic weapons.

 

I don't know what kind of character you're making, but the blacksmith in Majula sells a longsword and a mace; both of which are good weapons for any build. I used both of those for a long, long while. By the time I finished my first play-through, I had a +10 fire longsword, +10 lightning longsword, +10 dark longsword, and a +5 pure physical hammer weapon. (I'd be more specific, but I don't want to spoil it for you)

 

Thanks, and also thanks for keeping the spoilage in mind, as this amazing game is quite prone to it!

Will talk to Lenigrast next time i play, and will purchase a mace. Have been two-handing my broadsword (that sounds kinky), but it doesn't seem to really impress the guys much more than single handed. I found dual wielding single handed weapons works better, the broadsword in the right hand and an electrified dagger in the left cause significant damage to the normal dudes, but not the armored ones, who shrug it off and hit me over the head back to the nearest bonfire while keeping all my hard earned souls :angry:

 

I want to buy weapons and armor, but i always prefer to spend the souls on leveling up. Which attribute would you say is the most important? The character i'm building is a knight, your standard warrior type - shield and good one handed sword. Hopefully he'll be quick on his feet eventually, cause right now he runs out of stamina after two RB/R1 swings, and gets staggered quite easily.

 

Thanks for all the advice!

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The way I usually start out is by leveling until I can use a decent shield (100% physical) and a decent weapon without having to two-hand it. Then, once I get to a point where 1 or 2 runs doesn't get me enough souls to level, I'll use my surplus to buy an armor set that I like. (from a defense/weight ratio and aesthetically) After that I'll level my weapon a few times and level my character a bunch. I only ever upgrade my armor and shield towards the mid-late game or if I plan to pvp a lot to farm a covenant.

 

This is all predicated on my preference to play a block/dodge melee character rather than a Havel's type of melee character that just tanks the damage. So my armor is barely a factor for most of the game. If I'm getting hit a lot, I'm playing incorrectly.

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PRAISE THE SUN!

 

Appreciate the input, there's a wealth of experience shared by players that is super helpful - yours included of course! What an amazing game, have just chalked up two bosses, and it is a very satisfying feeling heh heh. The second one would not have been able to beat on my own though, the summoning is great - how do I thank these guys? I'd be skewered without them, but after the boss fell, they vanished.

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PRAISE THE SUN!

 

Appreciate the input, there's a wealth of experience shared by players that is super helpful - yours included of course! What an amazing game, have just chalked up two bosses, and it is a very satisfying feeling heh heh. The second one would not have been able to beat on my own though, the summoning is great - how do I thank these guys? I'd be skewered without them, but after the boss fell, they vanished.

Just /wave or /praisethesun at them when they're about to leave. That's all the thanks they require! They get souls for helping kill enemies and bosses, and if they used a small soap stone, they get a smooth and silky stone when they leave. If they're a sun-bro, they get a sunlight medal. Plus it's fun to help. So they're plenty rewarded.

 

That's one of the great things about pvp/co-op in the Souls games. It's all (mostly) visual communication with emotes so it has this weird sense of muted comradery to it. It's great.

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Just /wave or /praisethesun at them when they're about to leave. That's all the thanks they require! They get souls for helping kill enemies and bosses, and if they used a small soap stone, they get a smooth and silky stone when they leave. If they're a sun-bro, they get a sunlight medal. Plus it's fun to help. So they're plenty rewarded.

 

That's one of the great things about pvp/co-op in the Souls games. It's all (mostly) visual communication with emotes so it has this weird sense of muted comradery to it. It's great.

 

It is great, and next time i'll make sure to hit select and change posture to praise the sun! Was talking to the mic but then remembered there's no voice chat for co-op in Dark Souls, or am I wrong and there is? :laugh:

But good to know those guys got rewards, the thousands of souls are sure handy, so it's cool. Was really awesome, makes you think...three on one and that boss was out in less than a minute hahahaha

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It is great, and next time i'll make sure to hit select and change posture to praise the sun! Was talking to the mic but then remembered there's no voice chat for co-op in Dark Souls, or am I wrong and there is? :laugh:

But good to know those guys got rewards, the thousands of souls are sure handy, so it's cool. Was really awesome, makes you think...three on one and that boss was out in less than a minute hahahaha

In Demon's and Dark Souls 1 there is no voice chat. In Dark Souls 2 there is a ring you can buy from the cat in Majula that allows you to opt-into voice chat. I also think there is a game setting in the menu that you can turn on or off to allow PVP chat, but don't quote me on that. I never used either of them. My brother and I just used skype the whole time.

 

And yeah co-op is a lot of fun. Just remember that bosses get progressively harder (more health/defense) as the number of phantoms goes up. (including NPC phantoms) So if you're having trouble with a boss in co-op, sometimes fighting it alone can actually make it easier.

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In Demon's and Dark Souls 1 there is no voice chat. In Dark Souls 2 there is a ring you can buy from the cat in Majula that allows you to opt-into voice chat. I also think there is a game setting in the menu that you can turn on or off to allow PVP chat, but don't quote me on that. I never used either of them. My brother and I just used skype the whole time.

 

And yeah co-op is a lot of fun. Just remember that bosses get progressively harder (more health/defense) as the number of phantoms goes up. (including NPC phantoms) So if you're having trouble with a boss in co-op, sometimes fighting it alone can actually make it easier.

 

Thanks again for shedding light on things - no pun intended! I thought that ring was to allow you to hear the guys you were fighting, like the hollows and monsters, not the co-op people :laugh:

And bosses...level up based on how many of us fight them?! That's very much against the whole Souls creed of baddies that never level up!

 

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Thanks again for shedding light on things - no pun intended! I thought that ring was to allow you to hear the guys you were fighting, like the hollows and monsters, not the co-op people :laugh:

And bosses...level up based on how many of us fight them?! That's very much against the whole Souls creed of baddies that never level up!

 

 

There is one ring from the cat that allows you to hear a specific "monster" you wouldn't be able to otherwise  :shiftyninja:

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There is one ring from the cat that allows you to hear a specific "monster" you wouldn't be able to otherwise  :shiftyninja:

 

Yes, am tempted to get that ring and find out what it does...but seems like a waste of XP always...better spent on leveling up or plusing gear!

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Yes, am tempted to get that ring and find out what it does...but seems like a waste of XP always...better spent on leveling up or plusing gear!

It MAY end up leading to good rewards ;)

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"Who are you again? Oh, i'm not being serious!" she is an awesome character. Though to be honest i don't know what covenants do so why does she need to remove them from us? I'm the way of the blue, and i still get invaded. What does it all mean?! :wacko:

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

"Who are you again? Oh, i'm not being serious!" she is an awesome character. Though to be honest i don't know what covenants do so why does she need to remove them from us? I'm the way of the blue, and i still get invaded. What does it all mean?! :wacko:

 

Way of the blue doesn't stop invasions, it should automatically bring someone else into your game wearing the ring to help you fight off the invasion.

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Way of the blue doesn't stop invasions, it should automatically bring someone else into your game wearing the ring to help you fight off the invasion.

 

Ok thanks, that's what i was reading, but can confirm this does not happen. Was invaded a couple of times, once when fighting a couple of Old Knights, and no blue-tinged ally emerged to aid me! I want my money back From :laugh:

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In order for a member of the Way of Blue to summon a guardian, there have to be people in the Guardian covenant, they have to be wearing the covenant ring, they have to be on the same play-through as you, AND they are STILL restricted by the same co-op matchmaking that summon signs use. (you have to be within a certain level range AND soul history of the person summoning you) On top of all of that, random invasions are way, way fewer in number in DS2 than they were in DS1 because it's extremely hard to get a good supply of cracked red eye orbs.

 

All of this means that people currently part of the Guardians are wasting their covenant slot and a ring slot for literally no benefit outside of the rare auto-summon. Which, as you would imagine most players don't do because there are better uses for both of those slots. In my own experience, I ran around as part of the Guardians (with my ring on) from hour 50 of my first play-through to hour 96 when I finished all that I could and I finally started my ng+. I was literally auto-summoned one time.

 

The Way of Blue and Guardians are two worthless covenants. Don't bother with either of them.

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Thanks a lot for the detailed explanation, and i now understand what you meant before regarding the level and progress limitations on co-op. So indeed that's a wasted ring slot, there are much more useful rings in my inventory. You just helped me out a lot! Will also talk to Cat and get the covenant removed, does that confer any advantages, being covenant free? Sounds like Halo reference, but it ain't!

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Thanks a lot for the detailed explanation, and i now understand what you meant before regarding the level and progress limitations on co-op. So indeed that's a wasted ring slot, there are much more useful rings in my inventory. You just helped me out a lot! Will also talk to Cat and get the covenant removed, does that confer any advantages, being covenant free? Sounds like Halo reference, but it ain't!

If you're just going to join another covenant, you don't need to go to the cat first. Joining another covenant will simply overwrite your existing one. There isn't any difference if you're part of a covenant or not. If you keep the Way of Blue and take the ring off, it won't affect anything. I mean, you can visit the cat and remove the covenant if you really want to, but it doesn't matter either way.

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If you're just going to join another covenant, you don't need to go to the cat first. Joining another covenant will simply overwrite your existing one. There isn't any difference if you're part of a covenant or not. If you keep the Way of Blue and take the ring off, it won't affect anything. I mean, you can visit the cat and remove the covenant if you really want to, but it doesn't matter either way.

 

Thanks, then will just use one of the other rings, the one for physical defense is pretty useful - definitely more so than a ring that doesn't do anything!