[NZNova]

aw c'mon, it's only dying in a game ...over 100 times. I've become a more patient person after playing this game over and over

This is absolutely true. I play other games on harder difficulty now and don't get frustrated at having to replay sections again and again. Good work, DS :lol

[LiK]

This is absolutely true. I play other games on harder difficulty now and don't get frustrated at having to replay sections again and again. Good work, DS :lol

what kills you 100 times, only makes you stronger.

[voady]

I'm hoping that DS 2 will get even harder and longer. Like 50 hours playthrough+ and like 50% harder :D

[Carlisle]

I started DS way back at launch and got discouraged after handedly beating Phalanx, running through to the Tower Knight in one go and dying when I got him down to a sliver of life left. Didn't have the constitution to go back through it again in soul mode so I dropped it for other games.... until NOW.

Started a new character with a new class and a new strategy. Also glancing at a guide now and then so I stay on course and don't blow myself 3/4 through the game. I'd forgotten how gripping it can be. The atmosphere is one thing, but knowing that at any blind turn you could die and be sent waaaaay back makes the atmosphere so much more dense it's nearly unbearable. It's an intensity I can't handle for long periods.

I fucking love this game.

[soldat7]

I feel nervous lending my copy to a friend. I'm afraid he's gonna break it.

[Canova]

I feel nervous lending my copy to a friend. I'm afraid he's gonna break it.

DON'T

you can't risk it. treat this game as treasure :D

[Joei]

the black phantom dual katana skeleton is hard to kill with any weapon. he has very high resistance to everything, fire, magic, etc. It's not suggested to kill him with weapons, take too long. Instead, use soulsucking magic on him, walk quietly behind him, then soulsuck. he's dead with one soulsuck

Well, I don't have soulsuck and don't use magic on my character very much. The easiest way to beat him, I found, was just throwing my Purple Sheild up and blocking his attacks. This leaves him stunned for long enough time for me to get behind and backstab him. Not as quick, obviously, but after a few minutes I can take him down. I just have to bring him inside the tunnel cause I get fighting him outside and he was falling off the cliff, lol.

My magic and intelligence are only high enough to carry 2 spells each. Would using Soulsuck even work in a case like this? Do I have the stats to use it effeciently?

[Canova]

Well, I don't have soulsuck and don't use magic on my character very much. The easiest way to beat him, I found, was just throwing my Purple Sheild up and blocking his attacks. This leaves him stunned for long enough time for me to get behind and backstab him. Not as quick, obviously, but after a few minutes I can take him down. I just have to bring him inside the tunnel cause I get fighting him outside and he was falling off the cliff, lol. My magic and intelligence are only high enough to carry 2 spells each. Would using Soulsuck even work in a case like this? Do I have the stats to use it effeciently?

go to wiki, check out the requirements for soulsuck. trust me, it would take forever farming pure bladestone without soulsuck and teleport

[soldat7]

DON'T you can't risk it. treat this game as treasure :D

Well, he's only getting the disc, not the Limited Edition box or strategy guide. :D

You're right though. I should make him buy his own copy so From (and Atlus) get one more sale.

[Joei]

go to wiki, check out the requirements for soulsuck. trust me, it would take forever farming pure bladestone without soulsuck and teleport

Thanks a lot for your guys help. I do have Evacuate, though I don't have Soulsuck yet and can't get it for a bit. I'm on my NG+ and am only through 1-1, all of 2 and all of 4. I want the Pure Bladestone so I can get upgrade a katana all the way. I have a high dex build and use the maxed out Sticky Bow and want another weapon to maximize that high dex. I'll just keep pounding away down there until I get my stone. :/ At least the souls I'm getting make it somewhat worth it, lol.

[oracrest]

Maneater was a bitch in NG+

I tried to kill him in the same run that I got Phantom Rydell and Primeval Demon, in Pure Black tendency, but my sword eventually broke, and I had to go repair it :/

He was just as hard as the first time. Probably took between 10 and 15 tries.

[dreamer3kx]

Quick one, Im using a claymore +6 at the moment with a knight, mainly strength/endurance etc. build, should I get a blessed claymore or will it be weaker then my current weapon since im mostly building a strength/ endurance character.

[Sword Familiar]

Quick one, Im using a claymore +6 at the moment with a knight, mainly strength/endurance etc. build, should I get a blessed claymore or will it be weaker then my current weapon since im mostly building a strength/ endurance character.

Yeah, getting blessed won't do you any good since it lowers the strength damage bonus. You should have probably went the "crushing" road at claymore +3 instead.

Here's the guide for that sword with all the different upgrade paths:

http://demonssouls.wikidot.com/claymore

[Canova]

Quick one, Im using a claymore +6 at the moment with a knight, mainly strength/endurance etc. build, should I get a blessed claymore or will it be weaker then my current weapon since im mostly building a strength/ endurance character.

get crushing claymore.

but you have to know how to farm chunk greystone. use crescent weapons to kill the ground worm quickly

EDIT: ah, didn't read that you're already at +6. you can just melt it back to claymore. hardstones aren't hard to find

[RustyO]

So... any Australians seen the new movie ad on SBS? Black and white with little guy running around with some candles to a theatre.

Is it just me? Because the ad sure reminds me of Demon's Souls :lol

[dreamer3kx]

get crushing claymore. but you have to know how to farm chunk greystone. use crescent weapons to kill the ground worm quickly EDIT: ah, didn't read that you're already at +6. you can just melt it back to claymore. hardstones aren't hard to find

oh ok, so I have to melt it, then bring it to +3. Thanks.

[icarus-daedelus]

World 5 is not so bad. 5-1 is quite manageable as long as you don't fall off a ledge on accident, and the boss is one of the easiest in the game. 5-2 is also quite reasonable, as long as you lure the giant goblins out one by one (and avoid them if possible).

I'm debating whether or not it's worth it to try to finish farming up to platinum. I'm missing most of the stone-related trophies, the unique weapons trophy, and the spells, miracles, and rings trophies. But I suppose it gives me a goal to work towards after having beaten the game once already. (Boy, did that ever feel good.)

[panda21]

feel like coming back to this again but i remember being kind of stuck and fed up of 2-2. in the wiki i read something about being able to get down to the boss by just falling carefully down once you get to the end of the passage to your right immediately at the start, but i couldnt figure out how, and the rest of that level is evil and scary.

i was thinking maybe i could start a different level but i remember something about not being able to yet.. i've done 1-1, 1-2 and 2-1, why can i only do 2-2? theres something you have to do to get into 3-1 right? but i forget what, and why i cant get into 1-3 yet?

[archnemesis]

You should be able to reach 3-1, 4-1, and 5-1 right now. 1-3 will open up once you beat one of the other worlds completely.

[Dyno]

Quick one, Im using a claymore +6 at the moment with a knight, mainly strength/endurance etc. build, should I get a blessed claymore or will it be weaker then my current weapon since im mostly building a strength/ endurance character.

At this rate maybe the best thing to do is bring up the Claymore to +10. It will have good stats and do a lot of damage, you won't be out your most powerful weapon, and you can add energy damage with sticky white stuff and terpentine.

To make a Crushing weapon I would take another weapon entirely - something similar if you like - and build it up to +3, which you can do very easily.

[dreamer3kx]

At this rate maybe the best thing to do is bring up the Claymore to +10. It will have good stats and do a lot of damage, you won't be out your most powerful weapon, and you can add energy damage with sticky white stuff and terpentine. To make a Crushing weapon I would take another weapon entirely - something similar if you like - and build it up to +3, which you can do very easily.

Yea I think Im just going to level it up to +10, its pretty damn powerful at this level.

[Sword Familiar]

At this rate maybe the best thing to do is bring up the Claymore to +10. It will have good stats and do a lot of damage, you won't be out your most powerful weapon, and you can add energy damage with sticky white stuff and terpentine. To make a Crushing weapon I would take another weapon entirely - something similar if you like - and build it up to +3, which you can do very easily.

Yeah. Besides, getting crushing +5 takes a while. I made strength build using a crushing Great Axe the other month. Getting those chunks wasn't hard, but it took some time.

[Canova]

feel like coming back to this again but i remember being kind of stuck and fed up of 2-2. in the wiki i read something about being able to get down to the boss by just falling carefully down once you get to the end of the passage to your right immediately at the start, but i couldnt figure out how, and the rest of that level is evil and scary. i was thinking maybe i could start a different level but i remember something about not being able to yet.. i've done 1-1, 1-2 and 2-1, why can i only do 2-2? theres something you have to do to get into 3-1 right? but i forget what, and why i cant get into 1-3 yet?

2-2 shortcut

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXV47...eature=related

the rest of 2-2 is fun. bearbugs are cute. they're definitely cuter than the 3-2 facebugs

[oracrest]

2-2 shortcut

Figuring this out "the hard way" was an exercise in patience. :D

[Sword Familiar]

Figuring this out "the hard way" was an exercise in patience. :D

Getting all the way down isn't the hard part though. All that treasure lying in hard to reach places was the reason to many a' deaths for me. :D

"Just a bit to the left... ffFFUUUUUUU!!!!!" :lol

[Canova]

"Just a bit to the left... ffFFUUUUUUU!!!!!" :lol

:lol

my update:
With my 8th character, I beat the game with SL1. now onto NG+...

[ACE 1991]

I'm hoping that DS 2 will get even harder and longer. Like 50 hours playthrough+ and like 50% harder :D

That's only for the AO version.

[dreamer3kx]

Damn just need two chunk of hardstones but the crystal lizards that carry them I either killed or they escaped without anymore respawns, grrr.

[panda21]

2-2 shortcut http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXV47...eature=related the rest of 2-2 is fun. bearbugs are cute. they're definitely cuter than the 3-2 facebugs

i think i figured it out last night, there were some good hints or whatever you call those things on the floor. then i met flamelurker >:(

i went a long way down 2-2 before and the bear bugs were :3, until i noticed the buzzing and looked around and BEES. fucking bees everywhere :lol had to make a run for it with a huge chain of them behind me

i think i will grind out some more because flamelurker pretty much nailed me in 2 of his big jumpy attack things. 4-1 skeletons maybe.

[oracrest]

I do love my custom Brushwood set. I'm like a medieval tank.

[Canova]

I do love my custom Brushwood set. I'm like a medieval tank.

what sword are you using?

my update:

I abandoned my 8th character, SL1 in NG+. it's getting too difficult :lol

I started on my 9th character, going back to my all time favorite weapon, Makoto

[oracrest]

It's a Long Sword +10. Still my most effective weapon.

I just recently figured out how the weapon leveling works, and that stats are a huge part of upper level upgrades, so I am farming for a top level crushing long sword, and quality Winged Long Spear.

I can't imagine going through NG+ on SL 1. where was your stopping point?

[Joei]

holy crap... this dude just will not drop the Pure Bladestone :/ I've been farming a few hours a day for the past few days and nothing... although I've gained a buttload of soullevels, lol

[INDIGO_CYCLOPS]

holy crap... this dude just will not drop the Pure Bladestone :/ I've been farming a few hours a day for the past few days and nothing... although I've gained a buttload of soullevels, lol

I've yet to get a Pure Bladestone, granted I haven't played in a while. Either way, even when I was playing daily I never managed to get one. It's ridiculous!

[Big Icarus]

How often are people still being invaded here?

For me it's gotten to the point of annoying. It happens so frequently for me that I can't even try to walk into a incomplete stage without getting invaded immediately after I walk off the archstone. I got stabbed in the back yesterday while trying to buy arrows from Bilge in 4-2. The kid didn't even have the decency to let me exit the shop menu. I'd like to try tackling that stage in body form, but it seems unlikely to happen.

Also does getting killed by the invading Black Phantoms shift tendency to dark for that world?

[Canova]

holy crap... this dude just will not drop the Pure Bladestone :/ I've been farming a few hours a day for the past few days and nothing... although I've gained a buttload of soullevels, lol

don't feel bad. I logged in over 700 hours, and never seen a pure bladestone :lol

[Canova]

Also does getting killed by the invading Black Phantoms shift tendency to dark for that world?

yes, it will shift your world towards black.

you can either play in soul form or prepare for the invaders.

[Joei]

How often are people still being invaded here? For me it's gotten to the point of annoying. It happens so frequently for me that I can't even try to walk into a incomplete stage without getting invaded immediately after I walk off the archstone. I got stabbed in the back yesterday while trying to buy arrows from Bilge in 4-2. The kid didn't even have the decency to let me exit the shop menu. I'd like to try tackling that stage in body form, but it seems unlikely to happen. Also does getting killed by the invading Black Phantoms shift tendency to dark for that world?

Actually, I play offline partially for this (also for WT). If you go into any stage in full body form for the first time, you will get invaded and likely killed.

[Evolved1]

I don't think this game is really that hard... the difficult part is the encyclopedia's worth of knowledge you need to get the most out of the experience. I think it's a weakness in design when a game requires an entire wiki to understand core gameplay mechanics. And even then it's still confusing.

I'd put DS up there as one of the best games of the generation so far... but its convolutedness makes it far less approachable (and enjoyable) than the difficulty. The challenge is actually incredibly fun -- the highlight -- but reading pages and pages in guides about world tendency isn't.

Just my opinion though...

[INDIGO_CYCLOPS]

I don't think this game is really that hard... the difficult part is the encyclopedia's worth of knowledge you need to get the most out of the experience. I think it's a weakness in design when a game requires an entire wiki to understand core gameplay mechanics. And even then it's still confusing. I'd put DS up there as one of the best games of the generation so far... but its convolutedness makes it far less approachable (and enjoyable) than the difficulty. The challenge is actually incredibly fun -- the highlight -- but reading pages and pages in guides about world tendency isn't. Just my opinion though...

Who even said the wiki was necessary to understand the gameplay mechanics? A lot of us did just fine without the wiki way back when.

[Snuggler]

I appreciated the complexities and the lack of tutorials and shit because it forced me to learn everything myself, instead of having tons of reference and quick tips available throughout the game. Looking back at most games I've completed over the last few years, I've probably forgotten almost everything about them but with Demon's Souls I have an almost encyclopedic amount of knowledge permanently etched into my brain because I had to learn it all myself. The initial learning curve is a challenge, but oh boy does it pay off in the end.

To each his own, but I wouldn't change a thing about it.

[Canova]

I don't think this game is really that hard... the difficult part is the encyclopedia's worth of knowledge you need to get the most out of the experience. I think it's a weakness in design when a game requires an entire wiki to understand core gameplay mechanics. And even then it's still confusing. I'd put DS up there as one of the best games of the generation so far... but its convolutedness makes it far less approachable (and enjoyable) than the difficulty. The challenge is actually incredibly fun -- the highlight -- but reading pages and pages in guides about world tendency isn't. Just my opinion though...

no.

what so convoluted about it, it's action & consequence, simple common sense really.

character
- if you do good (kill black phantom), you character's becoming white
- if you do bad (kill NPC), you'r character's becoming dark

world
- if you kill boss, your world's becoming white
- if you die in body form, it's becoming dark

what so hard about it?

[RyanDG]

I don't think this game is really that hard... the difficult part is the encyclopedia's worth of knowledge you need to get the most out of the experience. I think it's a weakness in design when a game requires an entire wiki to understand core gameplay mechanics. And even then it's still confusing. I'd put DS up there as one of the best games of the generation so far... but its convolutedness makes it far less approachable (and enjoyable) than the difficulty. The challenge is actually incredibly fun -- the highlight -- but reading pages and pages in guides about world tendency isn't. Just my opinion though...

I disagree altogether. I haven't touched a wiki at all in this game. And I'm loving every bit of it. I don't feel like there's anything that I'm really missing out on yet - and even if there was - I know that it's part of the experience. I haven't even really jumped into the idea of world tendency yet (aside from the basics of kill bad stuff and don't be a dick to normal people), but I'm not caring. As of right now, I'm having a blast going in and just experiencing the game. And with that said, without the support of the Wiki I do find this game to be difficult - not because of "convoluted nature" - but rather the challenge of the game itself.

Maybe its just me and I'm missing out on a huge chunk of game play (if so I don't want to know - I'll experience it eventually, even if it takes me a while). But even if I am - the game is great even without the obsessive tendency of wanting to 100% everything.

[Evolved1]

no. what so convoluted about it, it's action & consequence, simple common sense really. character - if you do good (kill black phantom), you character's becoming white - if you do bad (kill NPC), you'r character's becoming dark world - if you kill boss, your world's becoming white - if you die in body form, it's becoming dark what so hard about it?

You know... if you don't agree with me, that's fine. But don't try to insult my intelligence by saying WT isn't complicated. Or that it doesn't take seriously concentrated --educated-- effort to get pure WWT or the events associated with it. Or to acquire good equipment. You have to understand the system. I'd rather just play the game and learn this stuff myself, because I don't like to have my hand held either... but I also don't like getting ganked every ten fucking mins by some prick with epic shit on who knows all the tricks.

My objective here isn't to change hearts and minds -- especially the die hards. I enjoy the game.

I was just saying...

[Snuggler]

Word Tendency is very confusing at first. I didn't understand it until the 2nd time I played the through game. I don't necessarily think they should have explained it better, I'd rather they had just done the whole system in a way that isn't such a pain at times.

[Canova]

You know... if you don't agree with me, that's fine. But don't try to insult my intelligence by saying WT isn't complicated. Or that it doesn't take seriously concentrated --educated-- effort to get pure WWT or the events associated with it. Or to acquire good equipment. You have to understand the system. I'd rather just play the game and learn this stuff myself, because I don't like to have my hand held either... but I also don't like getting ganked every ten fucking mins by some prick with epic shit on who knows all the tricks. My objective here isn't to change hearts and minds -- epically the die hards. I enjoy the game. I was just saying...

where did i insult you? and where did people correct you every ten minutes?

stop being sensationalist drama queen

[Anonymous Tipster]

I agree that the concept of World/Character Tendency isn't complicated at all.

Manipulating it in any meaningful way, however, can be.

[Evolved1]

where did i insult you? and where did people correct you every ten minutes?

Oversimplifying WT with a very basic summary and then asking "what's so hard about it" is somewhat disingenuous.

And I guess you misunderstood what I meant by "ganked"... I was talking about getting constantly invaded by griefers in single player who are clearly high-lvl players getting their kicks slaughtering new players.

[LiK]

some people like to play this blind and some want a guide to help them out. i found the guide from the DS wiki actually made the game more meaningful and fun to me (esp the WT and CT stuff). i wouldn't have known about it unless i read a guide. others prefer to play it without knowing anything and that's fine too. play it however you want.

i like that even if i knew what was coming up, i t didn't guarantee i would be able to survive it. one of the few games where skill means something.

[HK-47]

What the best class for someone looking to get this in the future? I'm watching an LP where someone started as a Temple Knight and I do think I wanna go melee.

Also what are the differences during NG+ other than enemies with more health and strength?