Dark Souls & Other Souls-Likes

I think I'm getting the hang of dark souls now, beat the Capra demon last night, I guess it's the Gaping Dragon next?

You could head that way, or you could take the butt entrance to Blighttown and take on a spider. Think this is only possible if you have master key, though.

Why would you want to skip a huge portion of the game on your first playthrough though, willingly?

It's mainly there to let players who have cleared the game before get through the bosses faster.

I'm partially aware of what's coming because I've been watching Slowbeef's let's play of dark souls, although I seem to be catching him up as he just beat Quelaag or however she's spelled.

Way back when (i guess it has been a few years now lol) I took my maiden voyage into the abyss (pun not intended), I didnt want to look stuff up for help. My fumbling around lead me to that entrance to valley of the drakes and subsequently blighttown.

Alas, he did come here for opinions and I gave him an option. But for someone doing a fresh blind run of the game, whos to say what the right path is lol.

Yeah, I went through Blighttown via Drakes in my first game too. I ended up backtracking because I knew what I was in store for if I kept going - lot's of death. It got me some materials that helped me clear further areas though.

In my first playthrough I opted to not start with the Master Key, because I didn't want to just copy my friend who showed me it when I first got the game.

I wound up completely missing the church with the first bell due to lack of observation. I went down to Andre, then killed the Titanite Demon in one go(they've never been as easy as that first go since, for some odd reason). I proceeded to explore the Darkroot Garden thoroughly, and I went as far as fighting Sif. I fought and killed Sif with the phat roll(and no shield). I must have died around... 30 times.

I also found the entrance to Drake's Valley at the bottom of Darkroot Basin. I elected to go to Blighttown that way, because at the time I had also missed the entrance to Lower Undead Burg. I was quite puzzled after I killed Quelaag, because at the time Urial was venting to Kali about his frustrations with Blighttown.

It was not until my second playthrough that I went through the Depths the proper way at a proper level/time. In my first playthrough I went there only in my bid to explore, because for some reason I had the greatest desire to NOT go to Anor Londo.

The long arduous battle for that loot in font of that undead dragon was worth it. After, I realized that I could have easily made a few runs to grab the sword and shield without even fighting the damn thing. Them memories.

@ vyreus I forgot completely forgot that they connected that way. In my current state, I would make short work of the 3-4 drakes that are in the way, but back then I was like, "pfffft! eff this!"

Died a few times to the Gaping dragon now, doesn't seem too bad right now, just got to be more careful, having no luck cutting off his tail though. Also one time I summoned a couple NPCs to help out but they died quickly and he seemed tougher. I read later that summoning NPCs boosts bosses HP, is that true? Honestly did better without them.

Wait what? I really need to try this now...

Yeah, but it's a very small opening. Does a crap-ton of damage though.

I entered Blighttown on my first playthrough via the Valley of Drakes as well, and going that route (albeit unknowingly) certainly enriched my experience. I love that aspect of Dark Souls, and I hope they maintain it in DS II.

There are only a few fine points that I hope they keep in tact. One: the story presentation; two; the difficulty; three: online interactions. If they can stick to this stuff, then it wont matter what it looks like.


Bah, for the life of me I cannot remember. If it was like that in demon souls then I probably had the same reaction lol.

I watched the bar instead of the numbers at first heh.

Edit: So I tried out being a Forest Hunter for the first time on my new char Fychan. Wasted an hour of my life getting twinked. 2 v 1 is no fun for an invader no matter how much my stuff is upgraded. I did make some dark magic/fire user feel like a tool though lol. I dodged that 6 spread sorcery and sliced him enough times to bleed him, and then his next cast killed him.

Beat the Gaping Dragon last night, fun fight but he definitely is very sluggish, incredibly easy to avoid everything he throws at you really, even managed to chop his tail off, still need to see if that weapon is any good.

Not really. Mainly just a novelty weapon and/or for achievements.



I forget Vyre, are you on PS3 or PC?

I recently started playing dark souls again and i am doing a playthrough where i can stay at level 1 ONRY!


so far its really fun and ragey lol but im at smough and ornstein and having a very hard time lol.

PS3, I think I have frame rate issues a lot or something. I get lag stabbed like 90% of the time.

Josi meant Ornstein last :P!

i got it heh ^^ il have to try it that way i was doing ornstein first.

Ha, getting owned by Blighttown atm, will give it a better go tomorrow.

In my new character Fychan I beat the Four Lords at 30ish something with a Chaos Zweihander +1! Beatrice rocks that ***, holy cow! I've never used her in the fight, but damn, each of her soul arrows did like 380 damage, and she'd fire 2~3 at once. I lost her though, as the 4th one fell.

Then for the first time I did all the Dark Handing and made out with Rhea of Thorolund a lot. She had soooo much humanity.

Now I'm up in Sen's Fortress positioned to try and help people clear the Iron Giant, but no summons so far. Just a lot of invaders trying to kill me/causing me to ledge slip. This one guy came in, and I didn't feel like fighting another one, so I jumped the bridge gap and he comes up all worried. He starts flinging poop and shooting poison arrows, so I just block and move and wait. Eventually he jumps across anyway and gets hit straight in the face with an ascended +5 Great Chaos Fireball. It ledged him and he died from the fall damage.

Earlier in the Depths when I was farming humanity by rats/invading people with the Red Eye Orb, I was being a super ***. I'd invade people near the bonfire room, they'd usually be in there. I'd run in, do the Toxic Gas Pyromancy which would fill 3/4s the room. Usually toxiced them, and then I'd reap them further before the cloud cleared with an Enchanted Great Scythe. I actually racked up some considerable kills that way. I also managed to beat a guy who bested me earlier before I decided to start being a ***. He must have beaten me 3 times in a row, and I killed him once while he was afk. Then he killed me once more, and then in our final bout I killed him fair and square.

Good times!