[Megathread] Dark Souls

[jemd13]

Well, his build isn't bad, but... I'd switch the grass crest to something else especially for your first time when you don't know the telegraphs, the attacks, and so forth for the enemies and bosses.

His set up is a half way between PVP and PVE build by the way with Darkwraith Covenant + FAP ring with Grass Crest Shield + Child's Mask.

Since you already use the Zweihander

Stats: Str 40
Vit: 35
Dex: -- leave as is.
End: 30
Attunement: 12 for 2 slots of spells.

Weapon:
MH1 http://darksouls.wikidot.com/zweihander +15
Alternate Ultra Great Sword STR weapons:
http://darksouls.wikidot.com/demon-great-machete + 15 - Will cause you to go fat if you use the full paladin set.
http://darksouls.wikidot.com/black-knight-greatsword + 5
The latter 2 have greater damage potential however they lack the range compared to zweihander.
MH2 Pyromancy Flame with Great Fireball + Greater Combustion.

OH1 http://darksouls.wikidot.com/balder-shield +14 or +15 or http://darksouls.wikidot.com/silver-knight-shield +5
OH2 --

Armor set: http://darksouls.wikidot.com/elite-knight-set or http://darksouls.wikidot.com/paladin-set

Rings
Slot 1: http://darksouls.wikidot.com/havel-s-ring
Slot 2: http://darksouls.wikidot.com/cloranthy-ring or http://darksouls.wikidot.com/wolf-ring

This should leave at a mid speed / roll with a decent shield and armor set.

Alright, that sounds good...but one thing, does this mean Zwei+15 IS better than Lightning Zwei+5?. The +15 Zwei has 325 damage, or attack or whatever you call that, and the lightning one has 325 attack + 325 lightning attack :x am I missing something?

[OrcsRLame]

Alright, that sounds good...but one thing, does this mean Zwei+15 IS better than Lightning Zwei+5?. The +15 Zwei has 325 damage, or attack or whatever you call that, and the lightning one has 325 attack + 325 lightning attack :x am I missing something?

You're missing 3 things. 1. Lightning weapons do not scale. You can have 50 billion strength and dex and lightning weapons won't do any additional damage. 2. Lightning + physical weapons are reduced twice by enemy defense, since they're calculated as two separate hits. For example, if an enemy reduces 100 damage per hit and you deal 550 damage with a pure physical weapon vs 300+300 with a lightning weapon, your regular weapon will hit for 450 while the lightning one will hit for 400 due to the double reduction. 3. Normal weapons can be buffed with resin, while lightning weapons cannot. Gold Pine Resin and Charcoal Pine Resin add 150 and 80 damage respectively.

A buffed +15 weapon with high stats is far and away superior to a +5 lightning weapon.

[Remilia]

Alright, that sounds good...but one thing, does this mean Zwei+15 IS better than Lightning Zwei+5?. The +15 Zwei has 325 damage, or attack or whatever you call that, and the lightning one has 325 attack + 325 lightning attack :x am I missing something?

Yes it's better when you have the stats. Elemental damage is great for low level builds or vit gouge type builds.

Note that a damage with both your physical and elemental damage will get hit by the two separate defense.

So example: 100/100 physical/fire damage weapon and a 200 physical damage.

Elemental weapon:
100 physical damage, their defense reduces your damage done by 20.
100 elemental damage, reduce your damage by 20 fire.
So it becomes
(100-20) + (100-20) = 160 damage
Physical weapon:
200 physical damage, reduce by 20 damage done.
200-20 = 180.

[jemd13]

Yes it's better when you have the stats. Elemental damage is great for low level builds or vit gouge type builds.

Note that a damage with both your physical and elemental damage will get hit by the two separate defense.

So example: 100/100 physical/fire damage weapon and a 200 physical damage.

Elemental weapon:
100 physical damage, their defense reduces your damage done by 20.
100 elemental damage, reduce your damage by 20 fire.
So it becomes
(100-20) + (100-20) = 160 damage
Physical weapon:
200 physical damage, reduce by 20 damage done.
200-20 = 180.

You're missing 3 things. 1. Lightning weapons do not scale. You can have 50 billion strength and dex and lightning weapons won't do any additional damage. 2. Lightning + physical weapons are reduced twice by enemy defense, since they're calculated as two separate hits. For example, if an enemy reduces 100 damage per hit and you deal 550 damage with a pure physical weapon vs 300+300 with a lightning weapon, your regular weapon will hit for 450 while the lightning one will hit for 400 due to the double reduction. 3. Normal weapons can be buffed with resin, while lightning weapons cannot. Gold Pine Resin and Charcoal Pine Resin add 150 and 80 damage respectively.

A buffed +15 weapon with high stats is far and away superior to a +5 lightning weapon.

Alright, thanks for the explanations... In case I do go for the build Remilia mentioned, which I think I will, then I won't be able to enchant my weapon unless I get the Resins, since I won't be using int or faith right? I'll stick to piromancy which I assume are mostly damaging spells is this correct? And is this "better" than going with int? Or its just a different way of playing?.

Sorry for asking so many questions hehe...the game is kinda complicated and I don't think there is a way to respec or something like that, so I have to be really sure on what I wanna do :P

Thanks again!.

[Remilia]

Alright, thanks for the explanations... In case I do go for the build Remilia mentioned, which I think I will, then I won't be able to enchant my weapon unless I get the Resins, since I won't be using int or faith right? I'll stick to piromancy which I assume are mostly damaging spells is this correct? And is this "better" than going with int? Or its just a different way of playing?.

Sorry for asking so many questions hehe...the game is kinda complicated and I don't think there is a way to respec or something like that, so I have to be really sure on what I wanna do :P

Thanks again!.

Different way of playing. The good and bad thing about pyromancy is that it doesn't scale with stats. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Remember if you're going to go with certain builds, you're going to have to sacrifice certain stats or be higher level.

[Dravok]

I just got the game and I'm so confused. I want to PvP/PvE but I'm torn between zweihander, claymore, DGM, and BKGS. I want to go the 2h build so any help would be appreciated. The Zweihander looks cool but it seems so slow for PvP but maybe I'm wrong.

[Shurkuris]

I have yet to play Dark Souls, after Demon's Souls left a bad taste in my mouth for the most part I haven't cared much to try it out. Demon's Souls wasn't really hard so much as grindy to me, figuring out that piercing weapons one shot scale-y things it was just trying to find the material to get a good piercing weapon.

Is Dark Souls less grind-y and more challenging? also how is the lighting in this game? I swear in Demon's Souls one of the levels was just a pitch black cave and th eonly things I could see were the crazy looking enemies.

I don't see how it can be grindy, you don't need any particular weapon (Any weapon from the first part of any zone will suffice) to beat the game and only the first 20-30 levels will have the biggest impact on your character, the rest are just buffer.

The pitch black cave is in Dark Souls (The Giant's Tomb), there aren't any "pitch black areas" in demon souls that I can remember.

[Deleted]

I have yet to play Dark Souls, after Demon's Souls left a bad taste in my mouth for the most part I haven't cared much to try it out. Demon's Souls wasn't really hard so much as grindy to me, figuring out that piercing weapons one shot scale-y things it was just trying to find the material to get a good piercing weapon.

Is Dark Souls less grind-y and more challenging? also how is the lighting in this game? I swear in Demon's Souls one of the levels was just a pitch black cave and th eonly things I could see were the crazy looking enemies.

Honestly, Demon souls wasn't grindy, you just compensated your own lack of skill by grinding.

[Wynnyelle]

Grinding isn't required in the Souls games at all. You can beat every boss in the game at level 1 if you so desire. Most people aren't good enough at the game to achieve that sort of thing, though.

[Remilia]

Level 1 for Dark Souls isn't really that bad really, especially considering you have pyromancy.
Level 1 in Demon's Souls is kinda tedious. It's okay I suppose.

I just got the game and I'm so confused. I want to PvP/PvE but I'm torn between zweihander, claymore, DGM, and BKGS. I want to go the 2h build so any help would be appreciated. The Zweihander looks cool but it seems so slow for PvP but maybe I'm wrong.

Well, personally I go with claymore. Ultra Greatswords are kinda meh to me.

[Deleted]

Grinding isn't required in the Souls games at all. You can beat every boss in the game at level 1 if you so desire. Most people aren't good enough at the game to achieve that sort of thing, though.

Well that's not entirely true, you probably can't beat the four kings at level 1.

[Remilia]

Well that's not entirely true, you probably can't beat the four kings at level 1.

Yeah you can. It's annoying but you can.

[Deleted]

Holy mother of God, now I understand what the rage is all about.

[Redcrow]

Holy mother of God, now I understand what the rage is all about.

If you take the valley of drakes entrance its pretty easy

[Deleted]

If you take the valley of drakes entrance its pretty easy

It's not the enemies, it's the terrain and the clunky camera angles. Jesus Christ! Why did I went for that second Bonfire, now I can't make it back. God dammit!

[zetsubo]

There is an option to turn off that auto camera adjust thing

[Deleted]

There is an option to turn off that auto camera adjust thing

Hmm, yeah. That seems to fix the "issue" somehow. Thanks for the tip.

But god dammit, I freaking hate this area, been here for 2 hours... Got all the items in the area and now trying to get back to the first Bonfire to go fight the big ass spider...

[zetsubo]

Haha, I spent way too much time there too.

[Malkazam]

from ?

I don't understand..

[Deleted]

Haha, I spent way too much time there too.

And stupid as I am, what was the first thing I did when I reached that first Bonfire?

USE ALL THE SOULS AND GO EXPLORE.
Oh hey, I'll just clonk your camera angles so you can fall in this slope right here in the middle of the poison so you can lose all your souls, k?