Dark Souls 2

ronne · May 27, 2014

You basically can't go above 70%, fatroll is total shit. Drangleic shield you can ride through the entire game, though there are certain situations where you'll want the stability of a greatshield. Drangleic sword is good, but scales like poo if I remember and you'll want to switch to either the Pursuers or an infused claymore/zweihander at some point. Smelter armor iirc is heavier than Drangleic and carries about the same weight/defense ratio, so up to you if you want to invest in more carry weight really.

If you're running big heavy weapons consider upgrading the great club. That thing is absolutely rape mode for bosses with huge str scaling + strike damage, makes the heavy attack on it hit for 1000+ against most.

Needless · May 27, 2014

Started a SL1 playthrough tonight.. its very easy compared to DeS and DS1 so far, raw +10 mace and pyro spells with southern ritualist band +2, blue clearstone ring +2 and hexer outfit = rekt

All of those obtained in like.. ~3 hours or so lol

ronne · May 27, 2014

Yea SL1 feels pretty pointless this time around. Bosses are weak enough to pyromancy that it mostly is just a test of how good you can dodge roll due to no HP.

Angelwatch · May 27, 2014

It still amazes me at how bad some people are at this game though. I like to drop my summoning stone and help on bosses and I can't believe the number of times the host engages the boss and dies within 10 seconds. Then there are the people who summon people with the expectation that the phantoms will do all the work while the host sits back and does, literally, nothing...

Noodleface · May 27, 2014

I see the Great Club is found in the gutter, not quite there yet. Is the Zweihander an acceptable weapon as well?

Quineloe · May 27, 2014

yes, the Zweih?nder has a really weird heavy attack pattern you have to get used to, though.

Needless · May 27, 2014

Ronne_sl said:
Yea SL1 feels pretty pointless this time around. Bosses are weak enough to pyromancy that it mostly is just a test of how good you can dodge roll due to no HP.

On the plus side, its pretty fun getting invaded by people that are in the 300k+ soul memory while being level 1 and stuck with a shitty weapon (moveset wise).
It's honestly hilarious at how many people think you cant guard break their shields into a 1 shot still.

I kill so many people just literally running straight at them, stopping and guard breaking them when they go to block. The reads~ THE READS.

Pemulis · May 27, 2014

just get the large club in the Lost Bastille. it's right below the servants' quarters bonfire before Belfry Luna

Noodleface · May 27, 2014

I probably have the large club since I was already down there. I can't remember.

Joeboo · May 27, 2014

Here's my #1 complaint

I finished a bunch of areas over the holiday weekend, Gutter/Gulch, Drangelic Castle, Kings Passage, Shrine of Amana, etc. No real issues with any of that and I'm starting on the Undead Crypt, I'm probably 2/3 of the way through the game from what I can tell.

My best weapon is STILL my mace that I started with on my cleric. It's upgraded to +10 now and theres nothing in the game that does more damage(other than the giant clubs, but they are too big and slow IMHO)

It seems like every sword or slash/pierce weapon in the game that *should* be close in damage in practicality does crap for damage because shash/pierce damage is completely terrible on armored enemies and most bosses.

That damn mace, with its "A" Strength scaling just can't be beat. And that's all well and good, but it's pretty damn boring to still be using the weapon I started with at level 1 for every single boss fight.

Pemulis · May 27, 2014

I can't stand the close range required to use a mace. I played through NG with a new strength-based character, and I couldn't wait to get back to Vengarl to buy a claymore.

Needless · May 27, 2014

Thats the maces offset though, it does good damage, but has an awful moveset and terrible range lol

Joeboo · May 27, 2014

Even though it is close, the stun/stagger it provides makes it feel safer than just about any slashing weapon I have used. It staggers most normal trash mobs on the first hit, interrupting their attacks. It staggers most large trash enemies on the second hit, and will even stagger a lot of smaller bosses after 3-4 hits (things like Ruin Sentinels, Pursuers, Flexile Sentries, etc(things you find as normal enemies later in the game)

Plus it seems like right up next to a mob or boss is the safest place to be 75% of the time. You stand 10 feet back and you're vulnerable to wide-sweeping attacks, even if you are quick and you roll sidways, standing right up on then with your shield drawn to block is just 1 quick little roll to get directly behind them once they start an attack.

ronne · May 27, 2014

Mace is a solid weapon and can be used for pretty much all of NG. If you're going to stick with strike damage you'll want to make a barbed club sooner or later (trade flexile soul to Straid) and it's just plain superior in every way.

I personally can't stand the thing, or barbed club really. Moveset is too slow/short range for my taste. I'm a huge fan of the sun sword and drakekeeper broadsword right now. Just the perfect balance of damage/range/speed in the moveset and they have super low requirements for magic builds.

Joeboo · May 27, 2014

Hrmm, I don't think I've seen either the sun sword of the drakekeeper broadsword yet, they must be close to the end of the game. And I screwed the pooch on the barbed club, I used my first 4 or 5 boss souls to level up with before I knew you could trade them for weapons. Blech.

Noodleface · May 27, 2014

Aren't most of the boss weapons not as good as upgraded regular weapons? With a couple exceptions of course.

Needless · May 27, 2014

Yeah, 9 out of 10 boss weapon's aren't worth using. The only things that are-basically are the spells, chaos blade (dark infused-str + 30 int / 30 faith w/ resonant weapon), crypt blacksword (dark infused-str + 30 int / 30 faith if you like slow weapons), defenders greatsword (faith build)... i'm sure there are a few more viable weapons along with gimmicky weapons like a poison spotted whip and what not.

I personally really like the defenders greatsword on my 50 faith lightning/melee hybrid build.

Joeboo · May 27, 2014

Noodleface_sl said:
Aren't most of the boss weapons not as good as upgraded regular weapons? With a couple exceptions of course.

That plus only being able to upgrade them via Twinkling Tantanite/Petrified Dragon Bones has kept me from really upgrading any of them to test them out. I'm not exactly swimming in either of those two items. I've got enough Twinkling to probably take 1 weapon to +5, and enough dragon bone to probably get to +4, but since I still have several weapons to pick up before the end of the game I just hate to waste them on something stupid now.

Vorph · May 27, 2014

Needless_sl said:
Yeah, 9 out of 10 boss weapon's aren't worth using. The only things that are?basically are the spells, chaos blade (dark infused?str + 30 int / 30 faith w/ resonant weapon), crypt blacksword (dark infused?str + 30 int / 30 faith if you like slow weapons), defenders greatsword (faith build)... i'm sure there are a few more viable weapons along with gimmicky weapons like a poison spotted whip and what not.

Mentioning crypt blacksword and not mentioning sacred chime hammer, which is vastly superior as far as big, slow, dark-infused/buffed weapons go, is just weird. Barbed club is absolutely worth getting as well. You also forgot the bows--dragonrider and/or want are useful depending on your build--and shields. Personally I think Old Knight is the best shield in the game, but Defender's and King's shields are both pretty close to it. Chime of Want is also the best hexing chime, although I don't think it's enough of an improvement over Caitha's to justify the dragonbones. Twinkling titanite and dragonbones are both fairly easy to farm late in NG though, so that's kind of a moot point.

Lenas · May 27, 2014

Curved dragon greatsword doesn't get enough love. King's Ultra Greatsword power stance in a fast moveset with a greataxe = destroyer of worlds.

Dark Souls 2

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