Dark Souls for PC

EPICTHEFAIL 2017-05-30 10:23:34 UTC #5521

shuriben:

Well, I’m joining Epic into lamenting Ariandel’s difficulty. I tried around SL 40, then SL 50. I’m presently around SL 60, and, while doable by running a lot, it is a real pain the bottom. Maybe it is my build, light on its feet without shield (I got the feeling a shield would do wonder in some places). But then, I wouldn’t mind less spongy baddies. The crows, especially, are lightning fast and hard hitting, which is ok, but it takes me around 20 hits (wet finger approximate (major gallicism)) to kill them, hence the many deaths I had to suffer against them.

I’m presently around the end (I think), and I had to run through two places to pick the items instead of fighting my way in, like real dark dudes should (the church with two crows and the valley with two knights plus another one in earthquake mode and an inaccessible archer up top). Not so fun.

Have you cut the bridge and explored the area below? There’s some neat stuff down there, including a slab and a boss (and some crabs, because Souls logic). And yes, Ariandel in NG is pretty much a marathon when you’re not overleveled for it. I’ve actually yet to retrieve the ashes from the top of the tower simply because of how long it takes to get through the opening area. Between the swarm of wolves, big doge and the knights, it’s absolute hell for a melee character.

The good thing about the Corvian knights is you only really have to fight one, and that’s the first one. The second Corvian can be avoided by just hugging the houses and hanging a right right about when he jumps, and the two in the church guard a worthless spell.

shuriben 2017-05-30 10:43:44 UTC #5522

Ok, thanks. I did explore the lower area with the frozen lake and the (many, way too many) crabs. Still have to beat the boss there though. Only tried twice, without success, even though it is super easy before Sif II rallies.
Items may be worthless, but my honour prevent me to let a single one escapes. Oh, and to use spells. But whatever, I must have them. It also prevents me to use any kind of archery tactics, to not use anything but super light armor, and to fight with knives and a parrying dagger. So let me tell you, my honour sucks in Ariandel.

GameCat 2017-05-30 11:13:40 UTC #5523

and some crabs

They’re frozen, fucking hell. - Gordon Ramsay

My initial reaction after seeing them for first time.

Vandelay 2017-05-30 21:17:13 UTC #5524

Tip for the wannabe Sif - If you manage to dispatch him in the earlier area he take more damage in his boss form. Still horrid to fight, but he does become much more achievable.

That fight is a bit disappointing though. I really enjoy the first section with just the chap, but as soon as the big dog arrives it is less interesting. Would of much preferred them just beefing up the bloke with the sword and left it as just him.

Agree with you on Ariandel’s difficulty in general. It comes fairly earlier on in the game and there is no way you are going to be at a suitable level to do anything there besides run away from everything. I can only assume that the developers were under the assumption that everyone playing it would be on NG+ with SL100+. The level 30-40 you are at when you stumble in there with a newish character gets so punished. I managed to reach up to the village, but just gave up as I was barely able to fight anything. Came back much later on and reached the final stage of the main boss, but again had to wait until I was much higher level to get beyond that (won’t lie, I had to summon even then.)

The Ring City DLC is much better overall, I found.

shuriben 2017-05-31 08:02:04 UTC #5525

Thanks for all the info!

I beat Sif for the first encounter (the snowy slope with fifteen hundred and thirty two wolves), but I think I remember a second assault, just before the bonfire by the bridge, when I was running for my life with three viking giants and a pack of wolves breathing on my neck. Did he try to kill me there? Memory is fuzzy. The fear might have upsized a standard wolf.

abele2017 2017-05-31 08:03:33 UTC #5526

Wulf’s mod is a huge improvement mind

thomas01 2017-05-31 09:10:01 UTC #5527

Can’t locate any official explanations from Bamco with respect to it, however. Be that as it may, there is a shot. Yesterday I visited Gameplay Signatures where they are telling about Call of Duty.

EPICTHEFAIL 2017-05-31 10:52:51 UTC #5528

He did also try to kill you there. You can actually bypass both encounters by just hugging the left wall and sprinting across the hill with the wolves and the witch-trees. Just keep heading straight and you will reach the bridge. He only gives you a few Large Titanites anyway, so killing him is purely optional.

Anyway, it turns out TRC isn’t much easier on NG. I’ve dealt with all of the real bosses but Midir (tried summoning Shira for him, that was a mistake), but he’s still my favourite of the DLC. Santa Guts is just tedious with all of his phantom hitboxes and enormous health pool (at least you can empty your whole endurance bar on Midir), the Spear is a crapshoot (I got the NPC this time, and I’m if anything even worse at fighting him than I am at PvP, probably because he gets stupid amounts of damage absorption and can perfectly time and outspace everything), the Demons just take way too bloody long. Still a great DLC though. And no, I haven’t fought that miniboss on this character yet, might take a shot at him soon for the armour set though, especially since he’s a lot easier without the framerate-killing scenery in the normal encounter.

Sihoiba 2017-05-31 11:14:46 UTC #5529

Have done most of NG Ariendal at around SL50-60 (I think) other than Friede now. I think it’s probably a lot like going to do Lothric Castle early, if you can pull it off/are patient enough you can come out of it with a +10 weapon before you fight your second Lord of Cinder, which I guess makes the main game easier. The ethereal oak shield is also a nice reward. +10 also means you can probably 2-3 shot all the follower mobs depending on your weapon. Going Great Mace weapons and making heavy use of perseverance was key, and unlike the rest of this playthrough I did a fair amount of shooting things with arrows to attract them - fighting 2-3 wolves is a hell a lot better than fighting 20.

The crows are still about 50/50 whether or not I die or they die though. And that bastard with the Earthquake axe, solved by running in a little loop from the drop down with the Quakehammer wielding guy

Fighting Not Sif seems to be about abusing the pillars so he can’t hit you with repeated charges. If you’ve cleared out the tower you can also use the tower to help with the second great wolf encounter, though be warned while it may not appear to fit through the doors it will squeeze inside with one of it’s attacks. It can’t however get up the stairs.

Syt 2017-06-02 07:21:25 UTC #5530

Finished exploring Undead Settlement yesterday. All that’s left is kill a tree and then proceed down the Road of Sacrifices. I was surprised by how much of this area is completely optional.

I’m playing very slowly and careful, which - so far - is paying off again in this game, much like it did in DS1. So you can slowly clear out an area, then explore for items/secrets.

I don’t know how DS2 was originally, but the Scholar of the First Sin version this slow exploration would not serve me well, and even with careful observation I would find myself swarmed or jumped on by enemies with big aggro range.

DS1 was rather contemplative in its pacing, having bursts of action between exlporing its abandoned environs. DS2 ramped up the action considerably (at least in the parts I saw), whereas DS3 so far feels to sit at a happy medium (faster combat than DS1, but more quiet between the combat DS2). I like this a lot.

EPICTHEFAIL 2017-06-02 15:20:54 UTC #5531

Syt:

Finished exploring Undead Settlement yesterday. All that’s left is kill a tree and then proceed down the Road of Sacrifices. I was surprised by how much of this area is completely optional.

I’m playing very slowly and careful, which - so far - is paying off again in this game, much like it did in DS1. So you can slowly clear out an area, then explore for items/secrets.

I don’t know how DS2 was originally, but the Scholar of the First Sin version this slow exploration would not serve me well, and even with careful observation I would find myself swarmed or jumped on by enemies with big aggro range.

DS1 was rather contemplative in its pacing, having bursts of action between exlporing its abandoned environs. DS2 ramped up the action considerably (at least in the parts I saw), whereas DS3 so far feels to sit at a happy medium (faster combat than DS1, but more quiet between the combat DS2). I like this a lot.

It’s a proper return to form, I’ll say. For my money it’s the best of the series in terms of level and encounter design. It’s also a lot livelier than DS1, with a lot more setpiece moments and enemies who have patrol paths and routines to them. The Undead Settlement in particular is really good at this, so are the areas in the Road of Sacrifices zone.

By the way, have you explored the mini-quest involving Mr. Onion yet? There’s a cool little mini-zone he leads you to, with a miniboss and some DS2 continuity items.

EPICTHEFAIL 2017-06-03 23:04:45 UTC #5532

Finally killed Midir. Only took 30-odd hours to do it (yes, I did do a whole NG playthrough because I was too lazy to fight him on NG+, I’m weird), and the assistance of an Onionbro (because I was also too impatient to solo him, despite that being the easier and safer option). Worth it for the fight though. He may be a damage sponge, but he’s still my favourite boss of the DLC, and possibly the whole game. Kalameet Mk 2 indeed. He also has the best fucking boss soundtrack:

And yes, I did immediately grab the Frayed Blade. It’s edgy. It’s so damned edgy. I love it, even though it’s a katana and has a moveset slower than most greatswords because your character stops to pose after every single swing. Admittedly, I mostly love it for its more-anime-than-thou weapon art (which does look incredibly useful for PvP, it’s a quick ranged attack and true-combo damage bomb, and a wake-up-call bleed bomb and stunlock). Now to decide, do I do NG+ with this, or the doors?

Heliocentric 2017-06-05 14:24:35 UTC #5533

A winten install ate my characters, starting again. Any recommendations for my build?

LTK 2017-06-05 14:35:41 UTC #5534

Caveman build. Clubs and rags only.

shuriben 2017-06-05 14:40:54 UTC #5535

Peace keeper: parry-only weapons in both hands (parrying dagger and buckler).

GameCat 2017-06-05 14:54:51 UTC #5536

You’re confusing peacekeeper with parry god.

Heliocentric 2017-06-05 15:15:01 UTC #5537

Sounds horrible. But it suits a blue phantom.

That sounds fair enough, am I allowed to use a torch too? What about thrown dung?

GameCat 2017-06-05 15:34:29 UTC #5538

You could use Ghru weapons too, because they look primitive.
And plank shield.
Dung pie is must have.

EPICTHEFAIL 2017-06-05 16:20:32 UTC #5539

Or katana WA heavy attacks (if they have the weebtastic hold stance, no Darkdrift, Bloodlust or Frayed Blade for you).

LTK 2017-06-05 16:49:19 UTC #5540

That stands to reason. No plank shield though. Cavemen don’t have woodworking.