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From Software The Dark Souls II Megathread™

Joined
Apr 22, 2017
Messages
9
Bros, should I play this, or is it better to skip to DaS3 after finishing the first one?
It's legitimately the best Souls game in a lot of ways, it's just that its weaker points are enough to make hating DS2 a meme
 
Joined
Apr 25, 2017
Messages
41
Definitely play it. It's criticised rather a lot, but in my opinion it has far better combat and RPG mechanics than DaS3. There are issues with world cohesion, but the individual levels themselves are not bad in my view. They just feel rather ill thought out as a whole, rather as if they were a collection of outtakes pasted together without any thought as to the overall aesthetic cohesion. The Crowns DLC, separate from the main, is absolutely stellar and worth a play just for that.

It's true that Dark Souls 2 has had a troubled development and that shows in the final game, mostly with the rather slapdash world design. Considering that, they still did a pretty good job at salvaging the project. Scholars is definitely an improvement over the vanilla launch but even in this updated version, players are required to take a more methodical and slow approach compared to other Souls games. Dark Souls 2 is arguably the most difficult entry due to that and some people might see the game as being "unfair" about it. I wouldn't say its reputation is entirely undeserved but it is no way a bad Souls game or bad game in general. It really gets a bad rap. The DLC in particular are probably some of the best content in the entire series and its tragic that people are willing to overlook that in favor of just shitting on the game because that's what is expected of them.
 

Orma

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 10, 2012
Messages
1,698
Location
Kraków
Torment: Tides of Numenera
Dark Souls 2(sotfs) is easily the best game in the series.

It has the most amount of content and items, tighter more refined gameplay and the best online/PVP/Covenant experience.
 

HoboForEternity

sunset tequila
Patron
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
9,170
Location
Disco Elysium
Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Dark Souls 2(sotfs) is easily the best game in the series.

It has the most amount of content and items, tighter more refined gameplay and the best online/PVP/Covenant experience.
agree with the online stuff and content. level design and enemy design still suck in the non dlc content tho.

also in dark souls 3 the online work only half of the time. either the sumoning time out, or i just disconnected suddenly
 

Vorark

Erudite
Joined
Mar 2, 2017
Messages
1,394
There are some parts there were pretty good in the main game, like The Gutter and Black Gulch. On the downside, you got stuff like No Man's Barf...
 

v1rus

Arcane
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
2,253
I should really get around and beat last 2 dlcs, and bosses I'm missing. Then again, nothing more annoying than playing dark souls with a joypad that moves camera around all by itself...
 
Joined
Jul 21, 2009
Messages
2,573
Location
Once and Future Wasteland
Serpent in the Staglands Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath
I decided I needed to improve my (woeful) PvP skills so on my current playthrough I've been doing a lot more of it and discovered that I'm even worse than I thought at PvP. Started off joining the bell keepers, invaded like 10 guys and only killed 2 of them, and one of those was when another bell keeper also got summoned. Of course, this also included a few times where I got ganked by several white phantoms (best was when the host was "Bro McFist" and white phantom was "Dude McFist" - both naked bald dudes who punched the shit out of me :lol:). But most of the time, it was 1v1, usually me against a very much not pro gamer and I still got my shit wrecked.

Later on I used cracked red eye orb to invade a bunch of people. Probably 6 or so invasions, only 1 victory by me. Then I went and joined brotherhood of blood covenant and tried dueling, but that seems to be all dark magic/katana uber-build guys who spam the no way gesture after backstabbing so I noped out of that pretty quick.

I finally found my niche though. Rat King Covenant is great, because guys get summoned to my world where I gank them along with rats. Yes, I have no shame. Killed 4 dudes so far without dying and it's always very :positive: because I know I'm being a straight bitch and don't care. Maybe eventually I'll actually git gud at PvP but for now I'm just going to annoy people with making dumb areas with pharros lockstones and ganking with a rat army.
 
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
7,304
^ Fire Longsword - great starting PVP weapon (PVE too, really), practice two handed moveset especially. You'll gonna be earning them upgrade materials at Bell Bros in no time.
 

Vorark

Erudite
Joined
Mar 2, 2017
Messages
1,394
What? No man's wharf is one of the only good areas in the base game.

No Man's was like: hey, there are some dudes hiding there, better pull them. Shoots arrow -> 4 to 5 enemies come right at you. I just don't think Souls combat works well with mobs. If the level had fewer enemies then I would agree with you since I like most areas that make the player use the torch mechanics (eg Gutter & Gulch).
 
Joined
Apr 25, 2017
Messages
41
What? No man's wharf is one of the only good areas in the base game.

No Man's was like: hey, there are some dudes hiding there, better pull them. Shoots arrow -> 4 to 5 enemies come right at you. I just don't think Souls combat works well with mobs. If the level had fewer enemies then I would agree with you since I like most areas that make the player use the torch mechanics (eg Gutter & Gulch).

...Maybe the vanilla version was like that, i don't know since it's been awhile since I played that, but the Scholar's edition definitely isn't like that. Souls combat works just fine for groups, you just need to use your tools better. Many weapons have attacks with wide sweeps that are great for killing crowds of mobs or long thrusting attacks that you can attack from a distance. You can also try fighting without locking on for some more freedom in the direction you can attack in. Honestly, the amount of groups you fight in DS2 is one of the best things about it, it's exciting and a fun challenge. Not everything has to be an honorable 1v1 duel.
 

Vorark

Erudite
Joined
Mar 2, 2017
Messages
1,394
Yeah, I understand how it can be a change of peace. Still, not really fond of it. Maybe it's because I'm used to DS1 and to all the Monster Hunter games I've played, in which you mostly fight 1 on 1 or 1 on 2 at most.
 

Arnust

Savant
Joined
Dec 22, 2016
Messages
680
Location
Spain
DS2 just favours having a more spread arsenal. My Rapier Powerstance build NEEDED a way to supply the small hitboxes, so I could use the Old Whip as backup, for limited use of course, and it helping in specific situations (Hollows and weak to Slash enemies), being unparriable (suck on that, parrykings) and having a pretty huge hurtbox. The STR FAI needed something to back the Lance, so Heide Sword. Etcetera. This isn't the case most of the time in the other games, or it's a gimmick, due to several circumstances like Durability (the lack thereof) and more all-purpose arsenal.

On the Wharf, while it's pretty crowded in there, it's quite the important lesson on extra interaction on crowd control, in enviroments (Pharros contraption, breaking wall, shortcuts, wet/oiled status, etc.). And in SOTFS it loops over so that the DS1 fanboys can cream their pants. :mlady:
 

Gentle Player

Arcane
Joined
Jul 1, 2011
Messages
2,334
Location
Britain
I had no problem with the large groups of enemies in DSII. There are almost always ways of using the environment and various tactics to your advantage. Many people complain about the Royal Soldier gangbang in Lost Bastille on the way to the Ruin Sentinels. Personally, I thought that that was splendid design. Charge in like a madman and you'll get slaughtered, particularly if you flee back to the little square and find that your character is unable to climb back up over that 1' bit of rock (a bit silly, but this sort of thing is in all Souls games, and it's surely not something that Japanese console devs concern themselves with; at least it serves a gameplay purpose) and get surrounded. Approach cautiously, however, pull from range and wait for the group to charge you, and you have that doorway and a narrow pathway to use as a chokepoint. Then in the next room there are explosive barrels you can use to your advantage. There's even an open window on the other side of the building, if you choose not to drop down straight away, where you can pick off one soldier with ranged attacks. To top it off, going there is optional. You can take the long route, and approach them from the bottom of the ladder in the basement (though that is probably harder), or you can just skip Ruin Sentinels entirely. This encounter actually stands out in my mind as pretty well designed. It's been an age since I've played DSII yet I still remember these little details.
 

Arnust

Savant
Joined
Dec 22, 2016
Messages
680
Location
Spain
You can also use an AoE anywhere (avaleible soon if you know how) as it's a very tight space, kite them by jumping up and down the stairs... or skip it all entirely by doing the jump to the lower floor. The Bastille is actually a pretty good level with a lot of things to explore and nice encounters. Do fuck the Gargoyles, but for the most part s'good.
 

v1rus

Arcane
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
2,253
Right, think I got back in the game. 2 dlcs, final boss and that fucking annoying dragon to go. Sure, i lost all my skillz, but thats ok, what bothers me is if have I forgotten any other stuff I was supposed to complete before going to new game+. Then again, idk is getting 100% achievements worth it. Had a blast on DS1, but with 2... eh, idk. Playing offline, so maxing a covenant rep is going to be such a snore.
 

Orma

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 10, 2012
Messages
1,698
Location
Kraków
Torment: Tides of Numenera
Why don't you try the pve covenant?

pilgrims of the abyss

Or just go online and farm the rat tails in pharros
 

v1rus

Arcane
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
2,253
Why don't you try the pve covenant?

pilgrims of the abyss

Or just go online and farm the rat tails in pharros

Oh right, i didnt beat that final guy there either.

Doesn't matter tho, there's still a pyromancy (you have a collect all pyros achievement) you can only obtain by getting high clocktower ranking or something similar.

And going online sadly isnt an option :p
 

Orma

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 10, 2012
Messages
1,698
Location
Kraków
Torment: Tides of Numenera
Why don't you try the pve covenant?

pilgrims of the abyss

Or just go online and farm the rat tails in pharros

Oh right, i didnt beat that final guy there either.

Doesn't matter tho, there's still a pyromancy (you have a collect all pyros achievement) you can only obtain by getting high clocktower ranking or something similar.

And going online sadly isnt an option :p

Only the hide weapon spell is covenant only afaik, all other covenant rewards you can get from chancellor wellager in ng++
 

v1rus

Arcane
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
2,253
Why don't you try the pve covenant?

pilgrims of the abyss

Or just go online and farm the rat tails in pharros

Oh right, i didnt beat that final guy there either.

Doesn't matter tho, there's still a pyromancy (you have a collect all pyros achievement) you can only obtain by getting high clocktower ranking or something similar.

And going online sadly isnt an option :p

Only the hide weapon spell is covenant only afaik, all other covenant rewards you can get from chancellor wellager in ng++

noice, gonna check it out tomorrow. Still, getting to ng++ means I'm gonna go through shrine of fuckin' amana once more, doesn't it? :/
 

Arnust

Savant
Joined
Dec 22, 2016
Messages
680
Location
Spain
There is the Sunlight Spear miracle too, but just hang out a while in their Discord and help people through for a day or so and you'll be done.
 

v1rus

Arcane
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
2,253
Any good texts about statistics/character building? forgot everything :/

Also, any recommendation for a fun, yet effective weapon build?
 

Hyperion

Arcane
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
2,120
105 Agility is a must. 111 if you want to get some extra safety for your rolls. If you're someone who uses backstep a lot, change those numbers to 108 and 113, respectively. 40 Vigor minimum isn't an option. 20 Endurance as well. From there, pick your stats as you please. If powerstancing is something you wanna do, your distributions will be tight.

For PvE, Blacksmith's Hammer +10 will steamroll everything. Another good option is the Grand Lance, since it's available so early. Lance really shines when it's infused.
For PvP, grorious nippon steeru is the try hard option. So many things are viable and fun, try 'em out as you please. Titanite Slabs are infinite in DS2 unlike DS3, so don't worry about getting shit to +10.
 

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