Dark Souls II - Prepare to Die, Again

[Polmon]

I was doing a load of sunbro co-op in HV and EP today with my Faith build, Chickie. One of the players I saw was called Meh, which made me wonder if it was the same Meh from here?

Anyways, did Covetous Demon loads of times - he is so easy, just just silly! I found I could just stand next to him and to Holy Thunder (or whatever it's called - the one Targray sells) constantly, and he would just turn and try to face me constantly, but I would get pushed around him as he turned so he could never face me!

After that I decided to sunbro in the main EP area. At first I ended up with a load of hosts who just kept killing themselves. Them things calmed down a bit and I had a riot of a time leading people through the whole level, showing them all the secrets and helping them 'prepare' and deal with the boss.

It's really funny seeing how many people don't know how illusory walls work though.

Sunbro covenant + FAI build makes a great setup for co-op, particularly in HV and EP, with all the poison and such, it means I can carry a load of healing and curative stuff and offensive spells, which comes in well handy.

Oh, I also had my first encounter with a cheat; he invaded while I was sunbroing in HV with some dude. He appeared behind us and I chased him down, but I immediately noticed that he wasn't taking any damage when I hit him. They he clipped me once with his rapier, and it instantly poisoned me. He did the same with the host, just insta poisoned him. I just stood there shrugging after that.

Is ADP worth upgrading? I'm assuming they've tinkered with the system so none of the stats are completely pointless, like resistance was in DS1.

Definately. It increases your Agility which effects how quickly you use items (e.g. drinking Estus), and make your roll better (more i-frames).

[robdood]

Oh for fuck's sake, I've been an idiot - I need to put down a sign to be summoned when I was looking for a sign that people had put indicating they wanted help. Which is never how it's worked So I need to get the soapstone first whatever before I can do that.

Well you can still summon people before getting a soapstone. I think. So long as you're human.

You just can't *be* summoned.

[Curtis]

For anyone rolling a Deprived; buy a Broken Straight Sword from Melentia to go with the one found near the first Heide Knight - you can power-stance at SL1.

I'm having a right laugh at the start of FoFG. The BSS' use up such little stamina, you can combo like crazy. Shame about the durability though.

[BrerLappin]

That covetous demon boss fight was an absolute joke. For reals, some of the boss fights ive done this week in Lego Marvel Super Heroes were tougher than that. In fact most of the bosses have been absolutely rubbish so far. Theyre either circle strafe and counter-fests that are piss easy, or 'fight mutliple guys at once' just to make it difficult.

[El Spatula]

No different to Dark Souls then. It had bosses easier than the Covetous Demon, and a lot of them where circle strafey.

[robdood]

Well to be fair the ratio of bipedal sword-and-board bosses in this is way off.. (endgame spoilers)

There's nothing like the Seath fight, for example. Or Moonlight Butterfly, you know: the more abstract things.

And it's a crying shame that for all the bipedal bosses, none are as aggressive and awesome to fight as Artorias

..who you definitely couldn't beat by just circling right!

[Hexx]

That covetous demon boss fight was an absolute joke. For reals, some of the boss fights ive done this week in Lego Marvel Super Heroes were tougher than that. In fact most of the bosses have been absolutely rubbish so far. Theyre either circle strafe and counter-fests that are piss easy, or 'fight mutliple guys at once' just to make it difficult.

Yeah that boss and the one after where very easy.

The next area (Iron Keep?) looks spectacular though...even though I had to stop for the night outside.

Executioner's Chariot is still doing me in. Not sure why but sometimes it seems to get me even right up against the edge in the alcove

[Varsity]

Game Complete ^^ SL 137, 34 hours played....last boss was pathetically easy with enough ranged attacks

Time to make a huuuge list of stuff to do before NG+, any suggestions?

Already got upgrading all gear as high as possible, finishing off optional bosses etc

[robdood]

I have to say I'm really enjoying it using the post processing colour tweaks on PC. I actually have had to use torches a couple of times, in places that weren't the Gutter! Heheh.

The bottom of Sinner's Rise was so scary with proper darkness, as was the walk up to Drangleic Castle.

Trying to help people coop at Shaded Ruins, not getting much luck though. Need medals for covenant, bros! Hopefully it'll get busier as the night goes on.

[BrerLappin]

No different to Dark Souls then. It had bosses easier than the Covetous Demon, and a lot of them where circle strafey.

I dont think theres a single boss in DS1 as easy as that. I wasnt even trying, there was massive sun glare on my screen and i just kinda walked around him hitting him occasionally and that was it. Even pinwheel was harder than that!!

Dood, are you using Durantes sweetfx preset? It makes it alot darker but the torch lighting looks amazing

[Mentazm]

I was expecting terrible things from The Gutter from the way some people went on about it (though noone here really) but wasn't really that bad. Onto the next part.

Took me about 20 minutes to get through it. I think they need to switch things up majorly for the next release, it's just too easy when you know how these games work.

[Mentazm]

I am on the Black Gulch boss, have lit 2 of the primal bonfires.

Definitely going to use aesthetic on NG+ if it's still as easy.

[df0]

On the subject of bosses, Dark Souls 2 offers two interesting bosses if you ask me

Lost Sinner and Sentinels. The prior because she matches the aggression of Artorias and has a neat little hidden light-the-room trick. The latter because the style you used to defeat earlier bosses will definitely not work here. Learn and adapt.

The rest, meh. I do not know what I find the worst about Dark Souls 2; the world or the bosses.

[robdood]

Dood, are you using Durantes sweetfx preset? It makes it alot darker but the torch lighting looks amazing

I am indeed, but made some modifications to help keep at 60fps with supersampling active too! Lovely having jet black shadows occasionally

I am on the Black Gulch boss, have lit 2 of the primal bonfires.

Definitely going to use aesthetic on NG+ if it's still as easy.

Try the champion covenant as a quick fix man. But you're not even half way yet. There's still time for it to step up.. I hope you start enjoying it

[Mentazm]

Oh don't get me wrong, I am enjoying it, it's more Souls. I just find the bosses to be really weak compared to previous games. I also just tend to charge through the levels, I know how these games work too well now... I used to inch forward with my shield always raised in the previous two, this almost feels like any other action RPG. It's a lot harder to die to enemies now it seems - unless you get mobbed, statused, or the occasional boss.

[Polmon]

Hmm, my first invasion in my own game. This one was at IK, the guy spawns in right next to me by the bridge at the start. He's naked, with a whip in one hand and a pyro glove in the other. I don't feel like being polite, so I wail on him as soon as he's in, but all my hits do nothing. He cast's some pyro magic, it does Poison Cloud, Death Cloud and Acid Cloud all in one. I dodge about a bit and backstab his (he's pretty crap at dodging), but it does no damage. At this point I wish I'd kept Force equipped as I probably could have pushed him into the lava with it, but I swapped it out to have more useful stuff for co-op. I get caught by a toxic cloud and decide to jump into the lava.

I really hope FROM do something about the cheating, or that the cheats get bored and bugger off. It's only been a couple of days and already we have this kind of rubbish

[df0]

As long as there is no means to report someone, From or NamcoBandai can not act.

[LiMuBai]

Yay!

Ancient Dragon is now dead!

[danbot]

Would you ever do it again?

[LiMuBai]

Yeah. I think so. Technique is down, just rely on a little luck each time. God knows how people manage it by summoning. You can't control the aggro that way

[danbot]

I did it without summoning. I don't think I'd ever do it again as I think it's a rubbish fight that only really serves to allow you to have another rubbish fight on a more level playing field. I just think it's lazy design to have bosses with super high HP/Def so the fight lasts for too long, coupled with one shot kills.

Neither fight, this or Vendrick are particularly difficult in terms of knowing what to do, they just force you to be perfectly rote for too long.

[CrispinG]

re-specced my full Havel set Strength/Faith tank to an Adaptability/Dex build with Syan's Halberd +10 and suddenly i'm really good at PvP.

that's the most impenetrably technical sentence i've ever written.

[Exit Chamber]

NEEEEEEEEEEEERD (+1'd).

[robdood]

Hmm, my first invasion in my own game. This one was at IK, the guy spawns in right next to me by the bridge at the start. He's naked, with a whip in one hand and a pyro glove in the other. I don't feel like being polite, so I wail on him as soon as he's in, but all my hits do nothing. He cast's some pyro magic, it does Poison Cloud, Death Cloud and Acid Cloud all in one. I dodge about a bit and backstab his (he's pretty crap at dodging), but it does no damage. At this point I wish I'd kept Force equipped as I probably could have pushed him into the lava with it, but I swapped it out to have more useful stuff for co-op. I get caught by a toxic cloud and decide to jump into the lava.

I really hope FROM do something about the cheating, or that the cheats get bored and bugger off. It's only been a couple of days and already we have this kind of rubbish

And like df0 says, there's no way of identifying the Steam handle of the people you see.

Big downside of genuine character names appearing, huh.

Hope they do something to address it though.

[yashiro]

The bigger problem is that if you kill a cheater, who's probably carrying many souls, this gets added to the new 'Soul Memory' bullshit. Effectively putting your new character into late game PVP with no way to address it. There are even trolls who do this on purpose.

As well as implementing a proper anti-cheat system they should just drop this soul memory thing. It's bad design and doesn't work. Go back to SL brackets.

[Varsity]

Having big problems with Darklurker, the Pilgrims of Dark optional boss, just can't seem to take enough health off and, as his attacks pretty much go through my shield, I'm a big buggered. Pyromancy is +7 cos I only started putting points into it towards the end of the game and, although fire does a fair amount of damage, it takes so long for me to cast it with the int etc I have it's not worth it.

Also SUPER irritating, having to give an effigy and clear out one of the three trials just to get back to him. *Sigh*

[kempstar]

I am on my second play through, going pure melee. I am finding it very, very easy so far. Lost Sinner went down on the first go, which I wasnt expecting.

I am using a claymore, which is incredible, the R2 poke > R2 spin attack pretty much kills anything in a couple of hits. Is there any point infusing it? I havent put any points into INT/FAI so would the bonus be worth it at all? Im not sure I understand the damage system still! without being infused, it shows the damage as 273 or something. If I select lightening, it changes to 203 physical/203 lightening. Does this mean it would do 406 total to anything that doesnt have lightening/slash resistance? Or does it not work like that?

Also, I am going for a pure strength build like I said, but cant imagine I will use anything other than the claymore. My STR is at 40, my DEX is at 15 or something. It is got to the point where my weapon damage only goes up every other level I put into STR. Its the same with DEX, but I think I read that DEX only scales at 50% of STR anyway? The claymore has C scaling in STR and DEX, so is there any advantage in choosing to level up STR or DEX now??

[Colonel Panic]

PVP with a hexer build... Oh my. The problem is I've got 10 in the health stat so without room to kite, it's tough. So yeah, I love getting summoned to Belfry Sol

[Jonzo]

Ancient Dragon one hits me every fucking time with that fire breath. And the run to him is such, such a bitch.

Help me rllmuk.

[NecroMorrius]

I'm still using the fire longsword I found at about level three. I'm now level 62 with about 40 dexterity, but weapons that have high dex scaling still can't touch the longsword I got at the start of the game. It's a bit weird.