From Software The Dark Souls II Megathread™

[cvv]

I'm playing this right now. I'm at Bastille. I have a handaxe. Are fast weapon or big weapon better? I have picked the greatsword but I'm wondering if it's worth it to invest in Str to use it. For now I've been spreading my points around. I haven't seen any big shield too. Are shield as good as DS1?

Big weps are great bc they can stagger more easily. I think Strength builds are generally considered if not the "best" then certainly the easiest of all the melee builds. You just grab a big heavy hammer or an ultra sword and go smash.

Shields are just as great as in DS1, to the point they're gamebreaking. FromSoft addressed this in the DLCs where mobs and especially bosses do so much stamina damage you're forced to switch from turtling to rolling.

 

[Multidirectional]

I'm playing this right now. I'm at Bastille. I have a handaxe. Are fast weapon or big weapon better? I have picked the greatsword but I'm wondering if it's worth it to invest in Str to use it. For now I've been spreading my points around. I haven't seen any big shield too. Are shield as good as DS1?

Fire Longsword you find in Forrest of Fallen Giants is the best early to mid game weapon, both for pve and pvp, in my opinion. You can upgrade it to +10 without investing in any stats it benefits from and it will still be good. Two handed moveset is especially good. Later on you can switch to Greatsword if you want a huge weapon, it's very good. Shields are not bad but I never used them past first playthrough because dodging is just more stamina efficient.

 

[Jasede]

All weapons are fine more or less. If you like fast weapons, try dual-wielding powerstanced Caestus and use the Stone Ring.
If you want to try out every weapon, go 40 STR/DEX and take them all for a ride and see what you like. That 40/40 thing lets you use every weapon competently.

I have never used a shield in a Souls game so I can't tell you anything about them.


One of the things I like about DS 2 is that most weapons just feel good. Whether it's a greataxe, any twohander, a hammer, or the humble starting mace on the priest, or that nice reinforced club from the witch, every weapon you find can take you far.

 

[Silva]

I have never used a shield in a Souls game so I can't tell you anything about them.

 

[Stormcrowfleet]

I'm playing this right now. I'm at Bastille. I have a handaxe. Are fast weapon or big weapon better? I have picked the greatsword but I'm wondering if it's worth it to invest in Str to use it. For now I've been spreading my points around. I haven't seen any big shield too. Are shield as good as DS1?

Fire Longsword you find in Forrest of Fallen Giants is the best early to mid game weapon, both for pve and pvp, in my opinion. You can upgrade it to +10 without investing in any stats it benefits from and it will still be good. Two handed moveset is especially good. Later on you can switch to Greatsword if you want a huge weapon, it's very good. Shield are not bad but I never used them past first playthrough because dodging is just more stamina efficient.

I haven't found said sword. I was trying to get away as fast as possible from that place since it's crawling in thousands of hollows. Is it very far in? Maybe I can come back from the first bonfire (unless said Forest is the whole area and I'll find it later).

 

[Jasede]

You know where the old hag is that sells items? Instead of entering that place, climb down a ladder and explore the bottom area, before you get to her through those doors you opened.

 

[Stormcrowfleet]

You know where the old hag is that sells items? Instead of entering that place, climb down a ladder and explore the bottom area, before you get to her through those doors you opened.

Thanks! That's where my last bonfire is.

 

[Alphard]

For dark souls 1 lovers, i'm gonna buy this cause i never finished the game in "demo" version and now i feel like i want to complete the souls saga by playing the only soul game i haven't finished. are the 3 dlcs worth it?

 

[Jasede]

They are arguably the best part. However, you get them for free anyway as it comes with Scholar of the First Sin.

 

[Multidirectional]

are the 3 dlcs worth it?

DLCs are best levels in the game. And good luck even finding a version without DLCs nowadays.

 

[Alphard]

They are arguably the best part. However, you get them for free anyway as it comes with Scholar of the First Sin.

why do steam sell SOTFS and the 3 dlcs separetely then?
and sotfs costs less than season pass? i'm so confused

 

[Silverfish]

are the 3 dlcs worth it?

I'm not the biggest DS2 fan, but the dlc's are class. Sunken King is like Souls meets Zelda, Old Iron King has some of the best level design in the whole series and Ivory King can be a bit of a meat grinder, but is immensely rewarding as a result.

 

[praetor]

I'm playing this right now. I'm at Bastille. I have a handaxe. Are fast weapon or big weapon better? I have picked the greatsword but I'm wondering if it's worth it to invest in Str to use it. For now I've been spreading my points around. I haven't seen any big shield too. Are shield as good as DS1?

while all weapons are viable in all Souls games in PvE 'cause all deficiencies can be easily compensated by a bit of skill, DaS2 shines in that regard 'cause it has the most balanced combat system, so "use whatever looks the most fun to you" is at its peak here

 

[Alphard]

i played all afternoon today and holy shit they didn't joke when they said this game is a constant ambush. there are friggin enemies behind every corner. 3-4 of them each time.
i must have died 15 times to clear that area in forest of fallen giants with 3 archers and ledges above an house.

 

[Stormcrowfleet]

i played all afternoon today and holy shit they didn't joke when they said this game is a constant ambush. there are friggin enemies behind every corner. 3-4 of them each time.
i must have died 15 times to clear that area in forest of fallen giants with 3 archers and ledges above an house.

Personally I decided pretty early on that all mosnters were worthless and were not worth their Souls. Therefore I only run and only fight bosses. It work wonderfully and I'm sure I die much less. When I kill a boss, I do 1-2 suicide run backward to go get items. Much more time efficient. I don't have time to die 15 times between every bonfire.

 

[cvv]

i played all afternoon today and holy shit they didn't joke when they said this game is a constant ambush. there are friggin enemies behind every corner. 3-4 of them each time.
i must have died 15 times to clear that area in forest of fallen giants with 3 archers and ledges above an house.

Personally I decided pretty early on that all mosnters were worthless and were not worth their Souls. Therefore I only run and only fight bosses. It work wonderfully and I'm sure I die much less. When I kill a boss, I do 1-2 suicide run backward to go get items. Much more time efficient. I don't have time to die 15 times between every bonfire.

My MO in all Souls-likes has always been - run through the area first time, kill everything. After that, mostly run through without bothering with killing anything. Always worked for me splendidly.

 

[Stormcrowfleet]

i played all afternoon today and holy shit they didn't joke when they said this game is a constant ambush. there are friggin enemies behind every corner. 3-4 of them each time.
i must have died 15 times to clear that area in forest of fallen giants with 3 archers and ledges above an house.

Personally I decided pretty early on that all mosnters were worthless and were not worth their Souls. Therefore I only run and only fight bosses. It work wonderfully and I'm sure I die much less. When I kill a boss, I do 1-2 suicide run backward to go get items. Much more time efficient. I don't have time to die 15 times between every bonfire.

My MO in all Souls-likes has always been - run through the area first time, kill everything. After that, mostly run through without bothering with killing anything. Always worked for me splendidly.

For DS1 and DS3 that's normally what I did. But I find enemies in DS2 to too much of a hassle for what they give/guard. Therefore I siwtched it to 100% not care about them. I don't really get fun out of killing them and they rarely are worth killing anyway since they are brutal and too numerous.

 

[cvv]

For DS1 and DS3 that's normally what I did. But I find enemies in DS2 to too much of a hassle for what they give/guard. Therefore I siwtched it to 100% not care about them. I don't really get fun out of killing them and they rarely are worth killing anyway since they are brutal and too numerous.

I've heard this argument about mobs in DS2 being more numerous and ganky than in DS1 or DS3 so many times. I don't know. Maybe DS1 was better in this respect but DS3? That game is basically made of ganks, from start to finish. 80% of enemy encounters in DS3 is shit dropping on you from ceilings, jumping out of hidey holes and crawling over the walls to swarm you.

 

[Stormcrowfleet]

For DS1 and DS3 that's normally what I did. But I find enemies in DS2 to too much of a hassle for what they give/guard. Therefore I siwtched it to 100% not care about them. I don't really get fun out of killing them and they rarely are worth killing anyway since they are brutal and too numerous.

I've heard this argument about mobs in DS2 being more numerous and ganky than in DS1 or DS3 so many times. I don't know. Maybe DS1 was better in this respect but DS3? That game is basically made of ganks, from start to finish. 80% of enemy encounters in DS3 is shit dropping on you from ceilings, jumping out of hidey holes and crawling over the walls to swarm you.

I agree with you. I felt difficulty in DS3 was artificial either by "gotchas" or bosses that clearly weren't made for DS3 (the DLC boss, because of their moveset, it has been said a lot and I agree, are Bloodborne bosses, not DS bosses). But TBH DS2 has problems too. I don't want to delve into that here because I'll just get flamed to death and that's it lol.

 

[Child of Malkav]

DkS2 has nothing on DkS3 ambushes and group sizes. It's literally the first thing I noticed when I played it. Especially in the first areas. After that you know where and how to look (and you better because otherwise you're SoL). But then again the whole game is pure, raw shit so I only consider DkS1 and 2 to exist.

 

[cvv]

DkS3.........is pure, raw shit

The vanilla is but I recently played the Cinders mod and I actually enjoyed it. There's still plenty of room for improvement, for example they still haven't solved the infusion and split damage problem in any reasonable way and they will never be able to fix the boring ass levels, but overall it's a fantastic mod.

 

[Child of Malkav]

DkS3.........is pure, raw shit

The vanilla is but I recently played the Cinders mod and I actually enjoyed it. There's still plenty of room for improvement, for example they still haven't solved the infusion and split damage problem in any reasonable way and they will never be able to fix the boring ass levels, but overall it's a fantastic mod.

Don't bother. I just dislike everything about it, from lore to gameplay to story, it's just bad. The only thing I liked was the music of some bosses, especially from the DLC and of course some boss fights.

 

[Alphard]

last giant, pursuer and the three sentinels down and still no catalyst in sight after 8 hours of play. i wanted to play my favorite in ds1 (dex/int build with dex weapon infused with magic) but now i gave up and just pumping points in both str and dex to try drangleic sword.
also please tell me there is unlimited amount of unpetrifier branchs purchasable somewhere and i don't need to find an ash lake like autisticly hidden area to find them all and depetrify all statues

 

[Adon]

last giant, pursuer and the three sentinels down and still no catalyst in sight after 8 hours of play. i wanted to play my favorite in ds1 (dex/int build with dex weapon infused with magic) but now i gave up and just pumping points in both str and dex to try drangleic sword.
also please tell me there is unlimited amount of unpetrifier branchs purchasable somewhere and i don't need to find an ash lake like autisticly hidden area to find them all and depetrify all statues

There isn’t, but there’s plenty of Fragrant Branch of Yore in the game, and you don’t have to unpetrify every statue you come across.

 

[Curratum]

Either explore thoroughly or use a wiki to find the branches. They are a set, finite number each playthrough, placed in specific locations. You don't need to melt every statue but you still need a few.