A Beginner's Guide to Dark Souls - 7 Steps to Sucking Less

[A.K.B.]

POINT 8 : download a decent DSFIX ..

 

[NinjaEnShort]

I thought the same thing as in the review when I played, that is to say "Holy crap ! I'm playing "Symphony of the Night" again, one of my favourite games ever !
I enjoyed the game immensely, despite the Xbox Live crap ruined the PC multiplayer to me (I played it on my PS3 before),but in all honesty : saying this game is hard IS NOT TRUE. To any "old" players (apparently 27 is old) who have been glued to their screen for the best of 20 years like myself (and I suspect Yathzee as well) and went through the NES ordeals like "Ninja Turtle" (barely made it past the Dam level, never finished the game) or "Castlevania 2" (the infamous "Simon's Quest", finished without cheats this one) or Contra, the "Demon's/Dark Souls" franchise is more a grinding/exploration powerhouse than a hard game.
Even by today standards I found "Metal Gear Revengeance" to be much harder... in part because a moron decided putting parry on the same button as attack was a good idea even though I used the action button only 4 times in a run...

 

[Dango]

But it's a really unreasonably hard fight for this early

Considering the gargoyle fight is where the game opens up and you have access to upgrading equipment and summoning, it can be pretty easy. I'm not saying that in a the "elitist git gud" way either, just go to the blacksmith and upgrade stuff as much and you can and your damage and defense go way up. And yes, there is also summoning, which is the route that new players are supposed to take.

 

[ProfClarion]

I've convinced myself I WILL buy Dark Souls, after talking myself out of it since its release.

And I admit, I'm a newbie to this and worried stiff at the prospect of just not having fun with the game due to the steep difficult and obtuse game mechanics.

I'm almost paralyzed with indecision for what is the "best" starter build for a person like me that doesn't have the best reflexes or skill, and often gets myself killed in other games by exploring outside of the boundaries.

I admit, if the game had a simple "easy" mode, I'd have jumped on this game a long time ago.

I'd gladly help ya in game, if you need it. Let us know where you're at, if you need any help. I'm sure there are plenty of sun bro's or other players willing to lend a new player a hand.

 

[Starke]

Also, kill the dogs first.

Or, you know, chuck firebombs over the fog wall, and kill the dogs after the wall comes down.

 

[Primus1985]

A Beginner's Guide to Dark Souls - 7 Steps to Sucking Less

Are you so terrible at Dark Souls that it's not even fun? Yahtzee details how to be less bad at Dark Souls so you can actually enjoy it.

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Wish I saw this when I started. I want Yahtzee and everyone at The Escapist to know im very grateful for your constant push to play Dark Souls. Ive said some nasty things about it over the years(alot on the escapist) and I apologize. Got it a couple months ago on pc(currently dont have my 360) After being pissed at it being so flawed it was unplayable I got a couple programs that make it and other games run smooth. Personally I dont like when a game gives you like no clue, I mean im all for not holding my hand with tutorials but I mean how is anyone supposed to know what the hell is going on? I think that was why people that beat it and found out everything felt like they conquered it. For me, there is nothing about a game Im not going to know about. No game is going to beat me. So I have a great playthrough on a que, Ive got IGN's guide, Im looking up as much information as I can.

I love how Yahtzee said "Theres no such thing as cheesing it" Other terms Ive heard are "Laming it out" or "Playing cheap" If a game like Dark Souls is going to troll you, troll it right back. Like skirting around and shooting the armored boar on top on the bridge instead of trying to fight it. Or using arrows to kill the first Titanite demon, pop in and out of the archway and when he's low run in couple hits and dead. Oh This is the best way to fight Havel(giant club knight) by far: Lure him to the top of the Watchtower and try getting him out side. He cant take more than a couple steps outside the watchtower for some reason. So at that point use a spear, or the Halbeard if you have it, and just chip away at his health. His wind up is so long you can pretty much always dodge it just by backing up or rolling. Sure it'll take forever, but I guarantee you wont die. Thats going be my motto for Dark Souls: Troll it, troll it as hard as it trolls you.

 

[Samael Barghest]

This came out on my birthday? How'd I miss it? Wait, I remember. I was playing the crap out of Castlevania which also came out on my b-day. But I digress. Really good tips there. Can't tell you how many times I've argued with people who were saying to do the exact opposite of these. Had one guy telling me to not level up AT ALL. Nice to see good tips for once.

 

[mrdude2010]

Why are people so exited about lightning weapons? Are enemies specially weak to them or something?

Started playing as a rogue myself, went for Dex build (level 84 now, dex 37, strength 20, stamina and health stats 26 and 28 respectively), usually i carry +10 katana (the one with thrust heavy attack because it's good for tight corridors) and a +10 shield (blood something) and light armor.

I know I'm very late to the party, but pretty much every enemy in the Duke's Archives is weak to lightning, and the blacksmith you meet shortly before that is really the first time you get to properly upgrade a +10 weapon to lightning, unless I'm missing something.

I don't remember my starting class, but I rolled with a halberd/normal shield and leveled up my dex about twice as frequently as I leveled up strength, and ended up doing very well against every enemy aside from the skeleton beasts. The Halberd gives you an insane reach advantage against almost everyone.