Sully907

Dark Souls(Demon's Souls successor)

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Ah yes, the DLC area! thanks, osmosisch.  I was wondering where I should head next.  Need to do Nito, then back to Andor, and into the DLC!

 

I'll try out the death counter.  My time played on my main dude is like 140 hours, assuming it counts PvP deaths, I'll generously give myself 4 dph (deaths per hour), which gives me a death over/under number at 560.  I'll take the over on that (fasicinating).  Update to come.

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Oh hey,while you're there there's another excellent spot near nito with the skelebabbies, I forgot about that.

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Does anyone know if there's been any update to their Games for Windows Live situation? I'm starting Tomb of Giants now so I'm not suuuuper worried about being able to finish before July 1, but I haven't heard anything about whether From was gonna patch it out so I'm a little concerned about my save. 

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There has never been an official announcement that GFWL is actually going to go down in July. That news was from an errant support document that got deleted shorly after. That being said, I'm fairly certain I read that that Dark Souls will not be fixed to remove GFWL.

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Namco has/is updated other games (Ace Combat I think) and I believe there was a steamworks related tag that popped up on steamdb. It's still selling well for them so I expect them to fix it. However, if the worst happens the game will still be playable as GFWL supports local profiles.

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Namco has/is updated other games (Ace Combat I think) and I believe there was a steamworks related tag that popped up on steamdb. It's still selling well for them so I expect them to fix it. However, if the worst happens the game will still be playable as GFWL supports local profiles.

It purports to, but I had an issue with Red Faction: Guerrilla when I tried to play it offline. That is, it wouldn't let me, even though I'd read it should. That was many years ago, though, so hopefully it's all fixed.

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It might be supported on a game by game basis. I know it works with Dark Souls because

I tried turning off my wifi at one point so that I wouldn't get invaded :P

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I should note that RFG worked offline once I actually created the game. But I couldn't start without being online first. (And, again, that's a thing that may have been fixed! I don't know! AHHHHH!)

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I've heard fairly persistent rumors that From plans to remove GFWL from the first Dark Souls, they might just be focused on getting Dark Souls 2 out on the PC first.

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if the worst happens the game will still be playable as GFWL supports local profiles.

 

The problem is that even if the game continues to work post-GFWL, saves are tied to your profile and I already have a ~60 hour game on my GFWL account. I imagine there's some hack to run those saves offline, but I don't know it.

 

Anyway I made some good progress this weekend (did Bed of Chaos and took a first stab at Gravelord Nito) so I'll probably finish the game up this week, and none of this will be an issue for me.

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Once you've signed in once, you can continue to sign into your GFWL profile offline. But yeah, not really an optimal solution.

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I posted over in Quitters Club about Dark Souls. Now I'm posting here, I guess things just got serious. I'd quite like to plan my character and not randomly throw points into stats that don't help me with my aim i.e. finishing the game. I'm going to start Friday evening (my partner is out of town for a few days), so getting any info beforehand will be great.

 

Firstly:

DEX and STR seem to do the exact same thing, except are useful for different weapons. What weapon types use STR? What about DEX? My play style is generally focussed around either using a shield to absorb and counter attack, or using a fast weapon that allows me to out manoeuvre enemies. I think logically STR = slow weapons and DEX = fast, but I'm not sure I can apply video game logic to DS.

 

Secondly: Once I've got to grips with the combat again, is it better to hunt for a weapon to keep, or is it better to progress through the areas and use whatever I find. My inclination is to do the latter, but again, that's something that's been ingrained into me by years of WRPGs.

 

Thridly: Does starting class matter? In Deamons' Souls, it didn't, but I don't want to take any chances. 

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First: Dex and strength requirements/scaling are listed on every weapon. Look at the weapon you want to use, and if it scales C with strength and D with dex, you want to focus on strength.

Strength weapons are usually big hammers and swords, dex weapons are usually bows and fencing blades and other such things, but that's only a guideline. Check the weapons.

Additionally, strength will increase the bonus for two-handed damage, while dexterity will decrease casting time on spells. So if you're playing a magic-heavy character, it might be beneficial to focus on a dex weapon.

Bonus: Don't get confused by the magic stuff, pyromancy doesn't scale with anything, it only scales with how upgraded your pyromancy flame is. Beyond that, Sorcery = Intelligence, Miracles = Faith.

 

Bonus 2: Endurance is your most important stat, since it increases your stamina and your carry limit, letting you block more and dodge faster, respectively. Stamina caps at 40 endurance though, so there's basically no reason to push it past that.

Second: In Dark Souls, a weapon that starts out seeming completely awesome will often be out-competed by weapons that start with much more humble stats. Find the weapon you like, pay special attention to stat scaling and moveset, and then start upgrading it.

Third: Not really, no. Not unless you're intensely serious about min-maxing for pvp. If you're having difficulty with the game, some of the starting classes get very good gear out of the gate that can help you push through much of the early game, but the differences in stats basically don't matter. (In general, your gear is more important than your stats. Give priority to upgrading your gear.)

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Firstly:

DEX and STR seem to do the exact same thing, except are useful for different weapons. What weapon types use STR? What about DEX? My play style is generally focussed around either using a shield to absorb and counter attack, or using a fast weapon that allows me to out manoeuvre enemies. I think logically STR = slow weapons and DEX = fast, but I'm not sure I can apply video game logic to DS.

 

To add to Sno's comments, the other advantage to a STR build is that you get to use a bigger, better shield, if you're interested in that route.  It's not strictly necessary, some of the smaller shields are superb, and even after the Eagle Greatshield got nerfed, it still has excellent stability for its weight. 

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Thanks both! 

 

So how did you find the weapons you liked? Is there some way in-game, or is the best way to just look them up on a wiki? 

 

I don't plan on going magic heavy, maybe a couple of healing spells. Also I dumped far too many points into VIT last time I tired by the sounds of things I'd be better off going for END. 

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If you want a sword/shield combo that can carry you through the game with proper upgrades, just start as the Warrior.

It's very hard to know in advance what moveset will click with you. Just try out every weapon you can get your hands on and have the stats for on the hollows at firelink for a bit to see how you like them. Then once you know whether you prefer swords, spears, big fuckoff twohanders or what, you optionally can check the wiki for that weapon class to see whether a cooler version is accessible early on. But again, fully upgraded, any non-whip weapon can easily carry you through the game.

e: I also posted a different reply in the quitters btw before I saw your post here.

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I beat it with two characters, one STR big weapon build and one Mage.  The big weapons can get challenging in late game, you have to be pretty patient against faster enemies to find openings, but it's so much fun crushing things.  I don't have a lot of experience with DEX weapons in DS1, so can't really speak to those.

 

My first playthrough I got about 70 percent of the way through the game and restarted, as I just felt my character was a mess.  I had leveled up willy-nilly and was completely dissatisfied.  I could have finished it with that character (he wasn't that broken), but by that point I understood how I wanted to play and what equipment I wanted to use. I also knew that I wanted to do some more PvP, and needed a more focused build for that.  So I didn't have to look up where to get weapons, I already had a good idea about what I wanted and where it was.  Surprisingly, some of the best STR weapons in the game are available quite early, within the first few hours if you know what you are doing.  If you want to maintain the sense of wonder and discovery, rather than looking up weapons first, I would just keep playing and then if you find something interesting, look up to see if it upgrades well or ask here if it is something that's worth the stat investment.  If you reach Anor Londo and you haven't found something you love, then I'd suggest maybe looking up a list of weapons and seeing if something appeals to you more. 

 

Taking your STR to 16 and your DEX to 12 early on will let you play with a huge range of weapons and give you the minimum for some all around good pieces of gear (Eagle Shield, Compound Bow and 2-handing 24 STR weapons like the Zweinhander).  The biggest decision around what weapon you like is the speed and moveset.  Regular titanite is unlimited from early on, so knock yourself out upgrading things to +5. 

 

Did you know you can cut the tails off some bosses (pretty much any boss with a tail)?  Two of my favorite weapons require cutting tails off things.  This is one of those things that if you miss it, they are gone forever on that playthrough.  My favorite axe comes from a tail, though thankfully it is one of the easier ones to get.  I've intentionally killed myself against a boss rather than risk killing it and losing the tail for a weapon I really wanted.

 

USE A BOW!  Doing well in Dark Souls is often about understanding which tool you need for a particular area.  You can be a pure melee, or pure mage, or pure anything.  But mixing and matching various skills and items gives you more utility, and having a variety of tools will make your life a lot easier. 

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Yeah, even if you're playing a strength character, you should carry a bow so you can pull enemies away from groups to tackle them one at a time.

Also, it's an important thing to understand when choosing your character's equipment that your carry limit is divided into 4 segments. If the total weight of your gear is less than 25% of your carry limit, you will do a fast dodge, under 50% will be a good medium dodge with about the same amount of invincibility but a slower recovery, under 75% is a much less useful dodge which will have a long recovery. Above 75%... I've never actually looked at what that dodge looks like, it's probably terrible. (Above 100%, you're over-encumbered and largely immobilized.)

If you go for 40 endurance and equip havel's ring, you'll be able to manage just about any build while maintaining a medium dodge.

Also, if you do a strength character with a heavier, slower weapon, you'll probably want to have good armor with high poise. (Which lets you resist being staggered out of your actions when hit.)

Additionally, heavier weapons tend to cause more poise damage against enemies, allowing you to stagger them more frequently.

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This is very interesting...

I did cut off the tail of the gargoyle(s) boss by sheer luck, although I had the zweihander by than point so the axe seemed like a downgrade. However I didn't enjoy those big cumbersome weapons. I found fights would either end in me accidentally winning, or accidentally losing, simply by swinging and hoping. 

 

I might have to look this stuff up and just pick a weapon early on. 

 

The roll is the same as in Deamon's Souls.

 

I'm very excited to try again tonight. Especially now I can try out my new PS4 controller. 

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Standard longsword is a really versatile weapon. Couple it with a shield that blocks a high percentage of physical damage and you'll be good for most of the game, providing you remember to upgrade. Good luck!

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This is very interesting...

I did cut off the tail of the gargoyle(s) boss by sheer luck, although I had the zweihander by than point so the axe seemed like a downgrade. However I didn't enjoy those big cumbersome weapons. I found fights would either end in me accidentally winning, or accidentally losing, simply by swinging and hoping. 

 

If you find the big weapons cumbersome, then looking at Dex and Quality (things that scale evenly C/C) may be the better fit for you.  The Zweihander is very representative of what all the big weapons are like. 

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Standard longsword is a really versatile weapon. Couple it with a shield that blocks a high percentage of physical damage and you'll be good for most of the game, providing you remember to upgrade. Good luck!

Cool, and thanks! 

 

 

If you find the big weapons cumbersome, then looking at Dex and Quality (things that scale evenly C/C) may be the better fit for you.  

Quality? 

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There are two classes of greatsword in the game, keep in mind. The Zweihander is an ultra greatsword, but there are also standard greatswords that swing much more quickly, still scale with strength, and are generally pretty awesome.
 

Standard longsword is a really versatile weapon. Couple it with a shield that blocks a high percentage of physical damage and you'll be good for most of the game, providing you remember to upgrade. Good luck!

 

Yeah, i played a dex/faith knight and mainly used medium shields and basic longswords. I stuck with the silver knight shield mostly, and either the barbed straight sword or the balder side sword, depending on the situation.

Among other things, i also had heavy armor with havel's ring, along with wrath of the gods, great magic barrier, and sunlight blade for miracles.

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Cool, and thanks! 

 

 

Quality? 

 

Shorthand left over from Demon's Souls, used to refer to weapons that scale evenly in both Dex and Str (usually both at C).  Useful for builds that are balanced in Str and Dex.  If you find that you still want a bigger weapon than most Dex weapons, but that's not as cumbersome, some of the Halberds and other pole weapons can be very nice. 

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