Dark Souls II Catch-All

What's funny is, on days where I've been bored at work, I've done deep dives into the Souls and Bloodborne lore. I love the story that they've come up with, and though the consistent execution across three games is a little shakey, I do enjoy it.

Kept working on DS2 last night. Got through the Gutter (took forever to find all the sconses in the area to trigger the black phantom invasion with the black witch set), and eventually killed the Rotten. Probably could have killed him first try, but on the first go round, Lucatiel decided to fight while standing in fire and died, and second go round, she bugged out and didn't enter the boss arena. As that was the third boss fight I needed to use her for and have her survive in order to proceed with her story, I pulled an Obi-Wan Kenobi and let the Rotten kill me for attempt three.

But I got through that and Brightstone Cove Telsadora (Duke's Dear Freja still creeps me out, even when I know she's coming), and all the way through the Castle (interestingly, I was able to access the castle before killing Duke's Dear Freja, but when I talked to Emerald Herald on the entry way, she guilted me into going back and getting the last Great Soul(tm). Good thing, too, because I forgot the Primal Bonfire after the last Great Soul(tm) is where you first meet Aldia. So now I'm sitting at the first bonfire in Shrine of Amana, getting ready for my two runs at Demon of Song.

We've talked before about Boss Soul Weapons and whether or not they're useful. For the build I seem to end up doing, I've only ever found two Boss Weapons really useful (as in, they get consistent use) across three games. Quelaag's Furysword from DS1, and the Spotted Whip from DS2. I like the Spotted Whip so much, I use a Bonfire Ascetic to fight him twice, so I can dual wield the whips. After getting that, and access to unlimited poisoned arrows, the game is basically over, baring one or two bosses that are immune to poison.

Taharka wrote:

We've talked before about Boss Soul Weapons and whether or not they're useful. For the build I seem to end up doing, I've only ever found two Boss Weapons really useful (as in, they get consistent use) across three games. Quelaag's Furysword from DS1, and the Spotted Whip from DS2. I like the Spotted Whip so much, I use a Bonfire Ascetic to fight him twice, so I can dual wield the whips. After getting that, and access to unlimited poisoned arrows, the game is basically over, baring one or two bosses that are immune to poison.

Dual wielding the spotted whip or spotted whip with mythra's dagger is hilarious in PvP

Had a day to play uninterrupted and without anything else demanding my time, since it's 18 degrees and windy up here. So I took the opportunity to see how far I could get in DS2 before Nier drops, and I drop DS2.

Turns out, very far.

I actually beat the base game, going for the "dark" ending. Died a bunch of stupid ways to Ailda (mostly falling off the arena), but got him with the help of three sun bros.

Now I'm diving into the DLCs. I had beaten them all on PS3, but I don't remember much about them. Turns out, my strategy of "poison everything" doesn't really work in the Sunken City DLC, where everything is immune to poison! Got through to Elana, The Squalid Queen and ground to a halt. I remember now I had a lot of trouble with her on the PS3 too, and now is apparently no different. If my memory of the other bosses serves, she's the hardest boss in the game (for my build, at least). I may go and level up some more, or strengthen my gear before tackling her again.

But given that I've beaten the base game, I thought I'd report my stats on that. Level 139. Collected 2,763,349 souls, and it took me 43:03 to complete all that.

I'll see how far I can get in the DLC before Nier, but all in all, I'm quite glad I "Returned to Lordran". There's a lot they did wrong in DS2, but a lot to like as well.

This Sunday, February 25 is Return to Drangleic 2018!

This is an annual event, the aim of which is to repopulate the servers for these games so that they can be experienced again in all their multiplayer glory.

https://www.reddit.com/r/DarkSouls2/...

Feb 25... hmmmmm

Dakuna wrote:

Feb 25... hmmmmm

Ok.. I can play on PC, XBOX, or PS3 - which one do I pick? I think it would be hella fun to do a SL1 run with a buddy.

You up for the Fed?

A sl1 run in ds2 sounds miserable, hats off to you! I don't know if I will have time but I should download and give this a whirl.

Edit: I imagine many will be on PC but I only have on PC so I'll be there.

Hobear wrote:

A sl1 run in ds2 sounds miserable, hats off to you! I don't know if I will have time but I should download and give this a whirl.

Edit: I imagine many will be on PC but I only have on PC so I'll be there.

SL1 DS2 has a very tedious start in comparison to the start of DS1. Getting the bits you need is fiddly and quite hard.

Once you're properly equipped the rest of the run is quite fun

DanB wrote:
Hobear wrote:

A sl1 run in ds2 sounds miserable, hats off to you! I don't know if I will have time but I should download and give this a whirl.

Edit: I imagine many will be on PC but I only have on PC so I'll be there.

SL1 DS2 has a very tedious start in comparison to the start DS1. Getting the bits you need us fiddly and quite hard.

Once you're properly equipped the rest of the run is quite fun

Dammit now you're just tickling my Souls soft spot.

Dakuna wrote:
Dakuna wrote:

Feb 25... hmmmmm

Ok.. I can play on PC, XBOX, or PS3 - which one do I pick? I think it would be hella fun to do a SL1 run with a buddy.

You up for the Fed?

I might take this opportunity to finally play the DLC, but there's no way I'd ever SL1 DS2. As good as it is, it doesn't compel me like DS1 does.

I have done some Return to Drangleic in previous years and once again enjoyed the PVP and such. DS2 was the best PVP in the series for fight clubs and such, in my experience. Mechanics were pretty balanced, builds were diverse.

I'm on Xbox One with the Scholar of Sin Edition. I assume it only hooks up with other Xbox One players.

I thought this might be timed with the release of the switch version, but I guess not.
Hard to say if I even want to tackle this. I like DS2 well enough, but as others have said, it takes a while to get kitted out. For my normal playstyle, I'm finally kitted out after grinding in Earthen Peak.
Maybe I'll go back and try a different build.

FWIW my SL1 run of DS2 really turned around my opinion of DS2. I'd previously thought it was a poor cousin to DS1. But finishing the SL1 run really helped me appreciate/enjoy all the good things that DS2 does right. I now vacillate between thinking it is the best one or at least tied with DS1

I'm hoping my coming SL1 DS3 run will have a similar effect for DS3 for me.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

I might take this opportunity to finally play the DLC, but there's no way I'd ever SL1 DS2. As good as it is, it doesn't compel me like DS1 does.

The DLC is some of the best parts of the game. They really make some great challenging areas I had a blast with.

DanB wrote:

FWIW my SL1 run of DS2 really turned around my opinion of DS2. I'd previously thought it was a poor cousin to DS1. But finishing the SL1 run really helped me appreciate/enjoy all the good things that DS2 does right. I now vacillate between thinking it is the best one or at least tied with DS1

I understand. I have a love/hate relationship with DS2. It's definitely the black sheep of the series, but it does have some really great stuff going on, as well. It just doesn't feel like a sequel to Dark Souls. It's at best a standalone Souls game, or possibly an excellent Souls-like.

I do really like the game, and I imagine I always will. To me, Dark Souls 3 felt like an actual sequel to DS1.

Just starting to get into Souls 3 now after owning it for ages so I don't have a whole lot if opinions on it yet, but I really love dark souls 2 especially scholars of the first sin edition.

I know lore wise it's a bit messy and nothing has the cohesion of dark souls 1's world. I just find it a much more creative and interesting world to explore then people give it credit for not to mention sheer build variety for characters are pretty great. I'm glad to hear you all think 3 feels like a better sequel to 1 because I loved 2 alot and if 3 is better I can't wait to dig in.

Fedaykin98 wrote:
DanB wrote:

FWIW my SL1 run of DS2 really turned around my opinion of DS2. I'd previously thought it was a poor cousin to DS1. But finishing the SL1 run really helped me appreciate/enjoy all the good things that DS2 does right. I now vacillate between thinking it is the best one or at least tied with DS1

I understand. I have a love/hate relationship with DS2. It's definitely the black sheep of the series, but it does have some really great stuff going on, as well. It just doesn't feel like a sequel to Dark Souls. It's at best a standalone Souls game, or possibly an excellent Souls-like.

I do really like the game, and I imagine I always will. To me, Dark Souls 3 felt like an actual sequel to DS1.

hmm.. I can't disagree more. DS2 wasn't DS1, and that made me sad, but DS3 feels like a the bastard child of DS2 & Bloodborne. It's the only Souls game I can't even get half way through.

EDIT: And I love some parts of DS2, don't get me wrong, it just will never compare to DS1 for me, so I sound like I hated it, which I really didn't.

And.. return to Drangleic? Dangit.. my bad. I don't know if I'm up for returning to Drangleic. I only have that on PC, for one thing, I think.

On a whim I started playing this the other night. God help me.

I have died so much already. I am scared to think what the first boss will be like. Probably doesn't help that my character is deprived.

Ds2 had a hard beginning. You'll do fine once you get going. Good luck!

Good to hear.

That said, I'm thinking of restarting. I just noticed that a bunch of these low level monsters actually seem to be permanently despawning, which surprised me. Should be good when I'm running through areas I've already conquered, but I haven't been carefully hording my souls for leveling with all the dying I've been doing. I'm afraid I'll be underpowered for some of the areas I'm entering. Hell, I think I just now reached the level most classes start at and I've lit like 6 bonfires.

I'm doing sword and shield- just like I did in DS1. None of this wussy fire magic stuff for me.

Wouldn't worry about that at all. While yeah, you can theoretically run out of mobs and thus Souls, it is not going to happen. And even then, there is a way to reset the spawns later.

Yeah, they stay gone after 15 deaths, but you can force an area to do a kind of NG+ (at the nearby bonfire). I remember clearing out the area that was crumbling into the sea, with the white and the giant knights.

Dark Souls 2 does kind of start hard. And yeah, it's the weirdo of the whole series/genre. I still love it, in spite of what a weirdo outlier it is.

Of the Souls games, I think it has the strongest DLC. I was kinda underwhelmed by 3's DLC, and for some reason, I never liked 1's.

For me it is my favourite Souls game, but only because it was my first I think. And yes it has stellar DLC.
I thought the despawn count was 10?

I think the first boss, (well if you decide to go to the giant first) is quite easy if you bring the NPC in with you into the fight.

I think the SOTFS made the other path to the cathedral very difficult for low level characters.

DkS II is my favorite of them all. Partially because of the content, partially because of the time in my life that it came out, and partially because of its flaws/features.

It wasn't my first - Demon's Souls was, though I didn't beat it until after beating Dark Souls the first -, but it had the right combination of everything for me. I get wistful thinking of my first time playing through every little bit of it and all the retreads.

Well, I went on and restarted. Definitely a confidence boost since this time around I've shed all of my instincts from other games that don't require watching stamina.

Played around with some of the more advanced moves. Guard break and jump attack are going to give me trouble on this controller. Parry will be tricky too, but it was for me in DS1 as well.

Also, damn there are a lot more ghosts or whatever they're called than I remember in DS1. They tend to come around my side when I'm concentrating on an enemy and scare me to death.

Lack of pausing means I can't risk playing until everyone else in my house is asleep, so I think I'll kill time by posting a little travelogue of my journeys in DS2. Not sure if I should spoiler tag this stuff. I'm guessing most everyone reading has already played.

Anyway, intro cutscene is pretty bleak and I'm not really sure what's going on. Seems appropriate.

Starting area. Clearly I'm supposed to go into this house carved into what looks like a giant tree trunk. Better look around for secrets before I commit. Ooh, found one. There's a large monster that looks slightly like a bipedal armadillo just standing there staring at the wall. Something possesses me to attack it. I do a sliver of damage. Dodge his attacks. Circle around behind him. Hit him again. He just sort of topples backward. For a second the way he flopped made me think I had seriously hurt him. But no, it's just his way of flattening an annoying pest standing behind him. "YOU DIED". So it begins. I'll come back and get revenge on you later... even though I attacked you first... and only if I actually remember.

Three old women in the house tell me I'm a hopeless cause and will lose countless souls. Sounds about right.

Intro area to learn the basic mechanics. Even in my deprived state with a dagger and some rags, it's not too hard.

Then I'm through to Majula which must be the hub area. Peaceful, quiet, sad. A bit beautiful, looking out over the distant rocky shores. Everything looks hazy out there, indistinct, almost like a dream. Is it because this realm is cut off from the real, concrete world, gradually fading from existence at the outskirts? Is it because my own senses are dulling as I become more hollow? Will I eventually be able to perceive no more than a few feet away from me? Then I'll finish my existence endlessly sitting against some wall, mindlessly attacking anyone who enters my limited field of vision?

Looks like there are a couple of ways out of here and I wind up heading to the Forest of Fallen Giants. I know I'm heading the right way because I can actually kill the enemies I encounter.

I just started this tonight after finishing Dark Souls last night. I'm playing the original release on Xbox 360, not the Scholar of the First Sin version.

I've started as a sorcerer, but I don't know if I'll stick with that or not. I'll play with it for a bit and see how it feels.

So far, the vibe is totally different from the first game. Honestly, it reminds me of Majora's Mask in a sideways kind of way: you've come to this place to break a curse, and from this town in the middle you can see the four places you'll need to go. Also, you're going to start over a lot, and it's the weirdo sequel no one likes.

I'm more removed from my playthrough of DS1 and don't remember that much, so they're seeming pretty similar to me so far.

Took a while, but I got through the Forest of Fallen Giants. I do appreciate the level design here and the numerous shortcuts that are opened up. Enemies weren't so tough unless they ganged up or sniped at me while I was fighting. Armored turtle guys were the exception. Especially when one kept deciding to wildly swing his giant mace around with combustible barrels everywhere. There were three pretty memorable ambushes too.

Upgraded to a nice thrusting sword, a shield and some ratty armor that seems to work OK for now. Then, even better... a flaming long sword. Things were looking good.

Then I had my first encounter with the Pursuer. It was short and brutal. Later encounters didn't go much better so I'm holding off on him for the time being. Seriously, eff this guy. I barely scratched him.

Last Giant is another matter though. As is my typical experience with Dark Souls, I nearly beat him the first time around when I had no idea what to expect, so I'm thinking surely I'll get him the 2nd or 3rd time... Nope. It takes several tries to even duplicate my level of initial success, much less beat him. But eventually I succeed.

I've noticed a lot of people trolling with the messages, saying there are invisible walls everywhere. I am both amused and irritated.