Why exactly doesn't No. 1 take fall damage? I'm pretty sure I accidentally fell down that ladder once and it killed me (didn't have too much Vitality). Does each person he fell through effectively "stop" his fall? Because you don't get the window to regen health if you haven't taken the damage first, correct?
No. 1 was hilarious, but I think No. 2 was better since I was impressed by the guy on the receiving end as well.
I kind of want to try out more PVP now, but it seems like etiquette for PvP is all over the place based on this video. I remember reading that you should bow as if in a duel before fighting instead of just rush and sneak attack the other person. At least, the one time I had an invader it was more formal like that.
I'm not sure why the invader doesn't take fall damage. Maybe your "stopping" theory is correct, or maybe a plunging attack negates the damage in this instance?
You should try some PvP. I'm sure if you read around you'll find fight clubs with proper etiquette, level restrictions, etc. Otherwise I say just play for the fun of it. If you're an invader, prepare to get ganked and try to have some fun with your prey. (After all, you're there to make their lives miserable.) If you're duelling, by all means approach cautiously, and if your opponent stops to face you, greet him/her however you want!
All that "bowing etiquette" in previous Souls games is pure hot air. If that's what someone goes for, then good for them, but one shouldn't expect the entire playerbase to keep up with their standards.
Never really tried the pvp...but why are people dying in one or two hits? Are they a lower level or do players really do that much damage to each other unless its NG+ or something..or all the time?
Most of those kills were either from fully charged attacks or visceral attacks (which require either a charged attack to an opponent with their back to you, or a gun parry to pull off). Both are extremely powerful, and you won't see them in normal 1v1 duels aside from off gun parries.
Getting the drop on your prey + good timing + powerful weapons = OHK in most cases, because it's hard to get that combination of factors.