04-21-2014, 05:42 PM | #26 |
Volcano Badge
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,878
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Decided to dive right back into the game and try the PvP scene. As much as I hate PvP and typically associate PvP with retard teenagers shouting "I R MASTUR GAMUR!!!1111!!!" and outright cheaters, I figured the ability to fight other players would be a valuable skill. It's discouraging how many fair fights I lose though. More often than not, I fuck up, or I can never get in a hit due to range issues. Now I kind of get what people mean by low weapon range being a bad thing. In PvE, it's no big deal, since you're always in the enemy's face anyway. I think I've won like 1/4 of my fair duels. Not a very good number.
Though in all this suckage, I did finally manage to get my hands on the Mad Warrior set! That thing looks awesome, so that's a plus! I watched my friend play this a week ago, and while he was in the shaded woods, he noticed Manscorpion Tark. He started shooting at him because of how he looks, and instead of yelling or attacking back, Tark just tried to hide from his arrows. After it was over, we felt so bad about it. I wasn't sure what my experience was with him, so I walked up to him in one of my games later on, and realized he's the equivalent of Quelaan (without a covenant). Such regret! |
04-24-2014, 02:54 PM | #28 | |
Archbishop of Banterbury
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I've not got my Xbox at the moment but I'll see if I can recall my build. The general gist will be clear, anyway.
Spoiler: show
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Last edited by Concept; 04-24-2014 at 03:05 PM. |
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04-25-2014, 11:26 AM | #29 |
Blades and Butterflies
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Spreading my Rot
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Nice build, 'Cept! I was actually considering something similar for when I tried out the PC version, but ultimately decided to try a Curse-based build this time around. I still want to try a high STR/high VIT character at some point, though! Also, thinking back about my own build, 40 VGR, while padding for low VIT/END, did seem a bit excessive looking back. Seing your own build with 21 VGR makes me think that I may not want to go as heavy-handed next time.
I'm starting the PC version as Deprived, and it's not quite as hard as I thought it would be, particularly given the fact that I got the game on pre-order. The strategy is simple: Spoiler: show
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04-26-2014, 07:36 AM | #30 | |
Archbishop of Banterbury
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So casters are working out well for you? Never done a proper caster run in a souls game, closest I've come is taking enough faith on a DaS1 character so I could heal in co-op. I tend to favour proper heavy armour, strong shield tanky characters.
Unrelatedly, kind of tempted to try a SL1 run once I get my Xbox back.
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04-27-2014, 10:22 PM | #31 |
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04-29-2014, 06:31 PM | #32 | |
Blades and Butterflies
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Spreading my Rot
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BBB, I actually find your build really interesting because, like I said, I'm planning to go hexer from deprived. I have my build planned out, though it's a little bit different from what you posted. My guess is I may be a little suicidal with mine while yours is a bit more balanced: Spoiler: show Of course, this is all projection. I'm SL 22 right now with my Deprived. If anyone's interested, here's a bit more on how I survived the poor life decision of starting with this class: Spoiler: show
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05-04-2014, 05:15 PM | #33 |
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,025
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Caved in and bought it, should arrive later this month. Might go with a caster this time, never tried it in the original.
I'd like your opinion on something: are tank builds viable at all? I remember starting out as one in the first Dark Souls and regretting it immensely; dodging was 90% of the time objectively the best way to stay alive, so I ended up instantly disregarding heavy gear and storing it away forever. How do you guys go about playing heavy-armored characters?
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05-04-2014, 08:54 PM | #34 | |
Archbishop of Banterbury
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I find tank builds by far the easiest way to play through both games. First rule of tank builds is no matter how tanky you want to be, do not go into fat roll. Every now and again you will need to roll. In Dark Souls fat roll is above 50% equip load. In the sequel, it's above 70%. If you're on the edge of that limit, upgrade your existing armour rather than trying to switch into a heavier set. Second rule of tank builds is that your shield is your most important piece of equipment - always go with your best shield, even if this means having to drop down to weaker armour. Best shield has 100% physical block and as high a stability as possible (which determines how much stamina you lose when blocking). Keep your shield upgraded as much as possible. Upgrading your armour is also a must, but not as high a priority as shield upgrading.
With a fully upgraded Greatshield of Artorias in Dark Souls 1, I didn't have to dodge once in the Artorias boss fight or most others (including O&S). Basically for build, pump stamina (so you can take more hits on your shield before being guard broken), vitality (which determines equip load now - you want to be able to carry the good, heavy shit without going over 70%) and strength (good shields in this game tend to have high strength requirements). Your vigor (HP) and armour are much less important. My above build is a really tanky character despite only 21 vigor, but I should've probably pumped endurance more. Playing a tank, patience is the key - sometimes when you get the opening to attack, you'll instead want to just lower your shield for a moment to quickly recover stamina. The focus is always on keeping your stamina high enough that you can block the next combo. You're also going to want some form of ranged attack if for no other reason than to pull enemies off groups.
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05-05-2014, 03:21 AM | #35 |
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The tank build is alot easier than the other builds. You don't have to bother learning to dodge patterns for each individual enemy, since you can just block everything. There aren't many enemies in the game that really require dodging if you have a good greatshield. Also the high hp and defense lets you make more mistakes before the game decides to fist you in the ass.
My biggest issue with the build is just that blocking everything seemed a bit boring. It's certainly easier, but dodging everything feels like much more of an accomplishment. |
05-18-2014, 05:44 PM | #36 |
時の彼方へ
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Location: Lafayette, Indiana
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06-29-2014, 11:10 AM | #37 |
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Having played this a fair amount by now (just entered Earthen Peak, still have to explore part of Huntsman's Copse and most of the Doors of Pharros), here are my opinions on the game so far:
Pros: - It's been a while since I played the original Dark Souls, but this one feels a lot less linear. I'm sure at some point I'll be forced to get something from path A in order to keep exploring path B, but right now I have 3 different routes I can choose to explore first with seemingly no consequence on the overarching plot, and that's what I like about this kind of games. - The increase in weight percentage before fat roll lets me try out more gear than I could have in the first game; I find myself wearing heavy armor and shields I never tried in DS1 which makes for a more varied gameplay. - I didn't try sorcery in DS1 but I feel there are a ton more spells to use in DS2. I didn't actively look for them in the first game so I may have just missed them, but I love all the casting options this game (which will always be primarily melee-oriented) provides, between spells, pyromancies and miracles. - Soul Vessels. Yes, so much yes. Haven't used them yet, but the simple fact that this option exists makes me feel much more relaxed about my level-up choices. - Dual-wielding would probably be a plus if I knew how to do it. I'm a shield-wearing coward at all times. :P - Bonfire travel is a godsend in this game. The inclusion of respawn cancelling after X runs and the Ascetics are also really nice touches that go together really well. - Something I frowned at in the beginning was the curse-like penalty for dying while Hollow. I suck at Dark Souls, so when I learned that you could go to half HP if you died often enough, I had serious doubts about the game's longevity in my unskilled hands. Turns out Effigies are common enough that even if you're terrible like me, you can lift the "curse" easily enough until you're good enough in a certain area to stop dying. All in all it's not nearly as catastrophic of a mechanic as I thought it would've been, it's actually kinda fun and pushes you to change things up rather than repeat the same tactics over and over until they work. Cons: - "Bearer of the curse... seek souls..." Jesus Christ will you shut up. - Why is everyone in Majula so... content? The central hub in DS1 was filled with characters doomed to a tragic ending if you talked to them often enough. Almost everyone had a subplot that rarely ended well, so that even in Firelink Shrine - the supposed safehouse - you were constantly enveloped in a dark, foreboding feeling that nobody was truly safe. In Majula... it's like a big, bright and cheery convenience store. At least up until this point. It's a nice break from all the death and darkness in Drangleic sure, but that sort of tranquility isn't meant for a Dark Souls game. - I miss feeling overwhelmed by creatures so huge and ominous that they encourage me to go out of my way to avoid them. Hydras, the bridge dragon and even Havel and the Black Knights in DS1 appeared like regular enemies, and they were so far out of my league in the beginning that I even wondered if they were actual foes or "environmental hazards" that you weren't supposed to fight. I've met none of those in DS2, and I kinda miss them. Heide Knights just aren't the same thing, and I'm yet to feel properly "overwhelmed" by a really fierce-looking enemy that makes me want to run to safety rather than fight. - Invasions - are they much less frequent in DS2? Even in the supposed hotspots for invasions, like Belfry Luna, I'm yet to be invaded once by actual players when human. Maybe I'm missing something, or maybe not enough people are playing this game anymore. I'm having a blast so far; even if the plot isn't half as compelling, the gameplay more than makes up for it. All in all, I'm having more fun playing Dark Souls 2 then I did playing the previous game, though I do wish the characters were darker.
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07-21-2014, 06:11 PM | #38 | |
Archbishop of Banterbury
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Doing a second playthrough, medium armour and no shield. Got a little kill happy and murdered Lucatiel, Tark and Targray. I'm currently running around two handing the Blue Knight Halberd and wearing Lucatiels Vest, Drangleic Gauntlets+Boots and Travelling Merchant Hat. Some things are a lot harder without a shield (I remember Ruin Sentinels being so easy the first playthrough ;;). Doing all four routes simultaneously with the intention of doing all four Old Ones in a rush, so currently at;
-Earthen Peak (lower bonfire) -Scorpioness Najka -Grave of Saints (first bonfire) -Ruin Sentinels Planning on taking this character into the upcoming DLC's. Also hoping that the experience of not relying on my shield at all times will make me less incompetent at PvP (where overreliance on shields and poor dodging skills get you killed pretty quickly :p). Anyone else looking forward to the DLC's?
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11-04-2014, 11:22 PM | #39 |
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Decided to pick things up and hopefully start on the DLC after a few months without playing. I decided to pick back up with my hexer and they really fucked him in the latest patch. Lightning spears hardly do any damage anymore, and they don't even have many casts. I bet anyone who tries to main in miracles won't be able to do shit offensively. Soul spears on a fully upgraded magic staff of wisdom do like 400 damage. Resonant soul spells do about as much damage as dark orbs. Pyromancies don't even do that much. Like...why? I get that spells were devastating, but that's because of the limited uses and the fact that you had to pump in points into magic stats to use them, making yourself physically weak.
My Hexer's melee attacks do more damage than his strongest freaking spells. Actually I'd probably be better off just leaving him with like 16 attunement, kill his spells, and just pump everything into melee stats while enchanting his weapon. I did complete one of the DLCs with him. It was still fun, but I'm probably going to do these with a melee character. I get that some spells needed a power downgrade, like pyromancies (chaos storm oneshotted most bosses), but they made them so weak that the super long cast time isn't even worth it. EDIT: I do like how they improved the Chloranthy ring though. It's actually useful now! Last edited by big bad birtha; 11-04-2014 at 11:36 PM. |
11-13-2014, 05:29 PM | #40 | |
Archbishop of Banterbury
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I'm currently running through NG+ with a Beedrill Beeld. Moon Butterfly set, powerstancing Grand Lance and Chariot Lance (the former poison infused, which absolutely sucks for lances but WHO CARES BEEDRILL).
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04-23-2016, 11:58 AM | #41 |
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Posts: 2,878
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Reviving a dead thread because I don't want to make a new one.
Got my hands on Dark Souls III. Like most souls games, I made a dex character as my first one. I want to try the magic system, but that will come at a later date. I like the hell out of this character. Everyone who summons me can see the fabulousness. For thoughts, I enjoy it of course. It doesn't feel like a game that newcomers can just jump into, since they shout-out to the previous games alot. Also the beginning of the game is much more difficult than the others. The game throws so many Dark Knight level enemies at you. The first bosses feel like a cakewalk compared to the grunts. It balances out later on where you want to destroy your console at the bosses. I have gotten into the habit of defeating a boss by myself, then right after, making a summon sign and helping other players for souls and extra practice. It's astounding how quickly you get summoned. I see players desperately searching the boss area for summon signs. Hell, more often than not, I get summed immediately after putting down my sign. I have also seen the same player summon me on different boss fights. I thought more players would try to do it themselves. For weapons and whatnot: (weapons spoilers) Spoiler: show |
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