Dark Souls Catch-All

Stele's method for luring the drake is identical to what I did yesterday, except that I've never run through his legs. I just run by his side.

Solid - I don't think you can summon in an area where you've already beaten the boss. Not sure what boss the bridge is tied to, but I assume it's the gargoyles. That would mean anyone summoning help for the drake would need the gargoyles alive in his game. Obviously, the people being summoned don't share that restriction.

DSGamer wrote:
brokenclavicle wrote:

Lex's wife = Awesome. I seriously lol'd. You should make it a weekly column or something the like.

Last night my wife put away all the laundry when I explained I was in co-op with someone and didn't want to risk losing humanity. That was cool of her. Her comments aren't as funny as Lex's wife. She mostly says "that game is pretty and relaxing". As a spectator she's hearing the music and seeing the sights and it's fairly soothing for a video game. Especially compared to shooters.

Yeah, my wife was kind of upset when I killed Moonlight Butterfly. "But that one's pretty!" She was not around for Gaping Dragon.

When I tried to get summoned for the Gargoyles I placed my sign at their door and went about trying to farm a side-sword. I assume that the range for a summon is the same as the range for the sign disappearing. When I would advance towards the bridge where the boar resides, I would get a notification that the summoning sign had disappeared. The distance between the hellkite bridge and the gargoyles seems too far of a summoning range for early game to me.

I don't know that those things are identical, but that's an interesting point.

It would still make sense to me if the Gargoyle's are the checkpoint for allowing summoning throughout the whole Undead Parish, but I'd still like to check.

I think the Drake is considered a resident of the Undead Burg. It doesn't give the Undead Parish title card until you actually cross the bridge and climb up the ladder from where the rats were or (I have to assume) entering the front door under his perch.

Dyni wrote:
Dakuna wrote:

I'm trying to figure out why people find the Capra Demon hard, I failed twice due to silliness (the first time I didn't realize I was going into a boss fight, and the second time I accidentally had my bow equipped).

When people say that fight is hard, they're referring to the first 5-30 seconds of the fight, when you first enter the tiny room and the dogs are alive. Once the dogs are dead, he's not bad.

I beat him on my first try during playthrough number one, but subsequent playthroughs took several attempts. Don't dismiss the possibility that you guys just got a little lucky The opening to that fight is very much helped by a bit of luck.

This is true. I think I beat him the 2nd time I managed to dispose of the dogs. The first time I think I was too panicked and ran out of stamina.

I'm not 22 hrs in and just finished off:

Spoiler:

The gaping dragon, and then went to level stuff up and took out the wyvern while managing to keep recovering my souls every time I died.

I still haven't found a weapon I prefer over the Drake Sword for it's power / low stamina usage.

mrtomaytohead wrote:

I still haven't found a weapon I prefer over the Drake Sword for it's power / low stamina usage.

Ah, but there's no stabby stab going on, though. I love stabbing things so much. Just creating an opening and then STAB is the best feeling. I don't particularly like the boss battles all that much so far although they are okay. It's the regular enemy combat in this game that gets to me.

@MrTomaytoHead, I recommend finding a weapon that you fiend very easy to wield, then upgrade it until it's damage output exceeds the Drake Sword. The Drake Sword is quite nice when you don't get much benefit from scaling, but I found it's moveset a little lacking.

S&O down. LordVessel is mine.

Now, to use it or to wait for DarkWraith?

I don't think I necessarily want to 100% this thing again on PC... of course I could always just unlock the covenant without choosing the other ending.

And I guess I can finally hit the DLC now? Need to read up on where to go. Something new would be very nice.

DLC is great. Wikis can tell you exactly what to do.

The co-op in the DLC is especially good, because they took their already brilliant, revolutionary system, and improved it:

Spoiler:

The same spot is used for summoning to multiple bosses. You don't know when you're summoned what boss the host is looking for. Twice as many people are trying to summon you, and of course since the content is fresh, tons of people are playing it.

tuffalobuffalo wrote:
mrtomaytohead wrote:

I still haven't found a weapon I prefer over the Drake Sword for it's power / low stamina usage.

Ah, but there's no stabby stab going on, though. I love stabbing things so much. Just creating an opening and then STAB is the best feeling. I don't particularly like the boss battles all that much so far although they are okay. It's the regular enemy combat in this game that gets to me.

I'm right there with ya. The drake has the wow factor with its high base damage and FF7 Blade Beam, but I've already begun missing my options in combat. If I find myself in a narrow passage, the horizontal slices are out and I'm stuck spending durability. Longsword all the way! Kick-stab-eviscerate, the perfect 1-2-3 combo.

Longswords rule! And I'm loving the Zweihander, but it's a bit hard in close quarters, and a danger for falling off ledges when using the strong attack.

I need to get my kick down better. I didn't realize you could do that until a couple days ago when I accidentally did it. The control is tap R1 and L2 at the same time, correct?

Edit:

I really like the katana move-set. I find that the opening/light attack was the only non ranged weapon I could hit the flying swamp bugs with. It's sweeping attacks are admittedly poor in tight corridors, but I love being able to trust it to hit 3-4 enemies if I get mobbed. It also does have a running-thrust, but I usually save that for planned attacks. I find the strong attack mostly useless as it takes too long, getting 3-4 hits in for the bleed damage usually suits me more.

EDIT: @TB, It's forward on the joystick and R1/RB at the same time. You have to start the stick from it's origin though and time it with the attack. Some weapons replace this with a retreating attack. Also, nice throwback with Sally O'Mally.

Thanks! I'll have to work on my timing to get consistent kicks.

S0LIDARITY wrote:

EDIT: @TB, It's forward on the joystick and R1/RB at the same time. You have to start the stick from it's origin though and time it with the attack. Some weapons replace this with a retreating attack. Also, nice throwback with Sally O'Mally.

Some katanas I think, and definitely all of the rapiers have the step-back slash for R1+forward. Don't like it as much as the kick.

I have only been using the Iato, it has a kick.

EDIT: I also find the kick-timing to be generous.

The kick is nice, but pretty situational. The move you should really get good at is the jump attack, especially if you're using a heavy weapon.

Dyni wrote:

The kick is nice, but pretty situational. The move you should really get good at is the jump attack, especially if you're using a heavy weapon.

I've got that one down pretty well!

I love, love, love the longsword. I passed up the Drake sword's damage in favor of the stab, and now that it's +7, I'm never giving it up. The kick is great, the jump attack is great. It's a great sword.

Dyni wrote:

The kick is nice, but pretty situational. The move you should really get good at is the jump attack, especially if you're using a heavy weapon.

I've almost never jump attacked on purpose.

Fedaykin98 wrote:
Dyni wrote:

The kick is nice, but pretty situational. The move you should really get good at is the jump attack, especially if you're using a heavy weapon.

I've almost never jump attacked on purpose.

Something to work on It's really good with big weapons.

I've tried to jump attack and always failed.

Dyni wrote:
Fedaykin98 wrote:
Dyni wrote:

The kick is nice, but pretty situational. The move you should really get good at is the jump attack, especially if you're using a heavy weapon.

I've almost never jump attacked on purpose.

Something to work on It's really good with big weapons.

Perfect time to try it, then!

It seemed to me that giving the left thumbstick more of a flick (all the way forward quickly and then let it bounce back to center almost on its own) when you hit R2 helps with the timing. I suppose that would help me with the kick, too. I'll have to try it. I may be imagining things.

Lex Cayman wrote:

I love, love, love the longsword. I passed up the Drake sword's damage in favor of the stab, and now that it's +7, I'm never giving it up. The kick is great, the jump attack is great. It's a great sword.

This is me, I have it at +10 just waiting to be able to get it to +14

On my STR character it already out damages the Drake Sword by about 50 dmg

tuffalobuffalo wrote:

It seemed to me that giving the left thumbstick more of a flick (all the way forward quickly and then let it bounce back to center almost on its own) when you hit R2 helps with the timing. I suppose that would help me with the kick, too. I'll have to try it. I may be imagining things.

Yep. It's the same execution as the kick, just a different button. It was hard for me at first, but I can get it about 95% of the time now. Just takes practice.

All you stabby people... haven't you tried the spears? Best stabbing you can get, and way better reach. Lightning Spear from Sen's is the first great one you can get. Upgrade that to +5 and it will carry you through an entire first playthrough with ease.

If you have the required DEX, the Silver Knight Spear is also amazing. It has possibly the longest reach of any weapon in the game, and it does some divine damage without faith requirements, so it is perfect for Catacombs and Tomb of the Giants.

And of course, spears are especially amazing because you can attack with them with your shield still raised. Perfect for new and scary enemies.

Ohhhh! I will have to try ze spear one of these days.

tuffalobuffalo wrote:

Ohhhh! I will have to try ze spear one of these days.

You will love it. The Winged spear and the Pike are great, allowing you to attack while blocking without allowing hits in. They are great for ledges as the attack animation when you block is static. The Silver Knight Spear is a great alternative that deals a bit more damage, but not quite as stable.