MoviePage

It's more difficult than holding block almost 100% of the time, but it's also completely achievable once you figure out what you're doing. "Hard" is a difficult thing to quantify. This particular game punishes you for being careless or trying to charge through without a strategy. It rewards patience and smart playing.

foxdvd

yeah I found the first game harder...if you find a path that works for you it is easy at times...then BOOM you die again..lol..until you figure it out...

wlj

i convinced my wife to get this for me for christmas. she already bought skyrim and rise of nightmares, so I was surprised she caved and bought this one too. I have got to wait till Christmas though I am very excited about this game. It really hadn't been on my radar until about 2 weeks ago. I have been reading alot about it and decided that I had to have it.

wlj

This game should arrive on my doorstep in the next couple of days. I am gonna convince the wife to let me go ahead and play it before xmas What class do I need to start out with? Which will be more noob friendly for my first time through? On the web, I see lots of folks using pyromancer. I have also read to select the "master key" as your gift at the beginning. Any help from the DS vets?

MoviePage

Pyromancer + Master key is fine for starting out. Your base class really isn't all that important in this game, since you can develop your character pretty much any way you want.

One thing to consider about the gift is that the Master key is now a purchasable item since the patch, when it previously wasn't. But most of the other gifts aren't as useful in the long run.

They made so many changes with the patch that a lot of the information you'll find on the web hasn't been updated yet, and still refers to the pre-patch game. So keep that in mind, too.

wlj

Thanks. I am playing on 360, is that patched? I know most folks on dvdtalk are PS3 players.

MoviePage

Yep, it's patched. I played on 360 as well.

starseed1981

The game really reminds me of "Manhunt" on PS2. Basically, you really only have yourself to blame if you suck.

wlj

Dark Souls is 39.99 on Amazon today, if anyone is interested

wlj

I got the game for xmas. I am loving it so far. I have 13 hours in already. I am stuck at the Capra Demon right now. The game is definitely difficult, but it is fair. When I die it is usually because I am rushing or just not focusing. I am still very proud I beat the bell gargoyles on my first try. I was shocked. My heart almost beat out of my chest....there was only one gargoyle left and he had a small sliver of life left, one hit would kill him, however I was in the same situation--one more hit would kill me. good times. I am level 33 with Drake Sword and +4 shield.

Poink

Glad you're enjoying it. The first time through the game will be a cherished memory for you.

The second time through, you'll feel pretty badass after you beat the Capra Demon in one shot about two hours into the game.

wlj

i am so paranoid that i am going to miss something important or do something wrong that will mess me up later. I am level 33 with the Drake Sword, and I am wondering if I should be upgrading another weapon being that the Drake doesn't scale like other weapons. Also what should I get that is better than the Drake sword? I have read that having lightning damage on weapons is really good...where do I do that?

I am still stuck on the Capra Demon. I have watched several videos on how to beat him, but I swear the Demon doesn't look as aggressive in those vids as he is with me when playing him. I usually can't even make it to the stairs before getting slaughtered. When I get to the stairs the demon just jumps up and kills me. Does luck just play a big role with this guy?

Imprint

You can easily use the Drake Sword until you get the lightning spear in Sen's Fortress. Or if you want to forge a little better spear, you can get the Winged Spear from the graveyard near Firelink and upgrade it and add lightning to it (in Anor Londo). A lightning spear and Quelaag's Furysword (you can craft this after you defeat her and get to Anor Londo) can take you pretty far.

As for the Capra Demon, my experience was just like yours. Countless attempts, including many 5 second battles, until finally everything worked. I think there is more luck involved in that fight than any other. Just keep at it, you'll get it!

wlj

All over the net people say get to the ledge at the top of the stairs and the Capra Demon can't touch you. So I get up there and I was like "F-you Capra you can't get me now!" Wrong, he climbed the steps and jumped and killed me.

Poink

The most important thing is to take out the dogs as soon as you can.

What I usually do (I've killed him 6 or 7 times on various playthroughs) is run around him to the right, then head up the stairs. Hopefully you can take out the first dog on or at the top of the stairs. Drop off the platform, head back towards the entrance and if you're lucky the other dog should down there, so kill it.

Then it just becomes a game of luring him up the stairs and dropping off the top, and hitting him when he's 'stunned' after jumping down. Or you can just block / avoid him and take him head on if you're feeling confident. Either way, eliminating the dogs is the most important part of the fight.

wlj

Well last night I grinded for around 3 hours. It took me almost 2 hours to get 20,000 souls to buy that medallion that opens the door in the Darkroot Garden. Once in there I spend around an hour making these guys jump off a cliff. I still had trouble with even that. I think I fell off the cliff just as much as they did. It is scary running around trying to get them all to chase you. I was like "oh sh*t, oh sh*t, run run run!!!" like my character was listening I raised my level to 43. I put alot of points into Vitality and Endurance. I think I am devising a gameplan for the Capra Demon. I think I may run in there with an upgraded spear and that should help me kill the dogs at the top. With the Drake Sword I kept hitting the wall instead of them. I will then switch to the Drake and try to kill him. Sounds good in theory...right

Oh yeah, in my grinding of upper undead burg, major WTF moment. When you go into the tower that leads you to the fight with the Taurus demon --- you go up the winding staircase to the location of that fight...well there is a door I opened with the master key at the bottom. I strolled on down those steps and ran into an enemy I have never seen before. This big fat iron knight looking guy with an enormous mace. He "one hit" kills me. I took him on a couple of times and was very very unsuccessful. I decided I would take him on some other time What does he give you after you kill him?

wlj

well from some reading I have done today, it appears I have been doing wrong by leveling so much. I guess I will slow that down and just upgrade weapons now. according to what I have read I am going to be invaded more by being overleveled for certain areas. I have spent 16 hour on the game and haven't been invaded once. Which is fine by me, I am having enough trouble just killing the enemies let alone human players. So am I in trouble later in the game?

Imprint

That's Havel. He drops a ring that boosts your max equipment load by 50%. If you can dodge all of his attacks, you can get him now. There's also a cheesy way to do it by luring him up the stairs and using his "leash" against him and pelting him with firebombs.

wlj

I will probably end up doing it that way then.

Imprint

I did it that way too. I really needed to wear some better gear, but my skills weren't good enough yet to beat him on my own. There should still be a video on youtube for the firebomb method.

Since you have made it into Darkroot, if you can get the Stone Armor and Havel's ring, I imagine you will be able to make quick work of the Capra Demon.

wlj

i did get the stone armor last night and it looks bad ass. i have endurance of 23, so i am able to move around pretty decent in it. i am gonna try to beat Capra again tonight, then grind some more to do some upgrades. I am using a +2 Knight Shield -- should i keep upgrading it or just wait for something else? I just don't know what I should upgrade and what I shouldn't -- I hate to waste those titanite slabs and souls.

Poink

Yeah, I would hold off on grinding / leveling for a while. It's not the type of game where you can overpower things by sheer stats. Even at 99 vitality, the Capra Demon will still kill you. It'll just take 4 or 5 hits instead of 2 or 3. It's more about knowing each enemy and each fight and surviving through tactics and sometimes a little luck. I was in the mid-70's when I finished the game, and that was even a bit excessive. You're... on the third boss. Which is about 8% through the game.

As long as your shield has 100% physical block (Knight shield does, I think), any is good. Just keep a few extra ones that have good fire, lightning, and magic defense for later on, just in case. Upgrading armor and shields helps, but I wouldn't get too carried away just yet.

As far as invasions go, you have to be "Unhallowed" (alive) in order for that to happen. Which you have to activate yourself at a Bonfire by offering Humanity. If you don't want to be invaded, just stay Hollow. You can tell by whether or not the numbers to the left of your health is dim or illuminated.

What kind of character are you playing as, or what is your style I should ask? Pretty soon after the Capra Demon you'll be able to get a good "Greatshield" which is the larger "Square" type shield like the Iron Knight Havel had. Those let you 'tank' a lot better since attacks will bounce off them and leave the enemy open for a hit. If that type of play sounds good, then you may want to hold off on upgrading your shield further.

In my opinion, upgrading / ascending weapons is the most important thing. The quicker you can kill something the better. After that, shields is the next most important thing. Having a good shield with around upper 70's or higher stability is good. The more "stable," the less chance your guard will break after a strong attack.

Armor is nice, but you really want to focus on blocking or not getting hit more than having good defense. Some of "best" armor can't be upgraded anyways, so you won't have to worry about it too much. Later on you can get Havel's armor which is the best heavy set in the game.

Capra is one of the Top 3 toughest fights in the game. Super powerful, and with the smallest arena out of all the bosses. If all else fails, don't disregard learning a few spells to help out. In the early parts of the game, a few well places Soul Arrows will make short work out of almost anything...

wlj

thanks for your help, i really appreciate it. i am a pyromancer. I will take your advice on holding off on the leveling. I want to upgrade my pyro glove, but i can't find where to do that. I also want to get this "iron flesh" spell i have read about. i did buy the soul arrow spell, but my intelligence is so low that it doesn't do a whole lot for me. This game has really "invaded" my mind. I think about it all the time now. I haven't been this obsessed with a game since Borderlands.

Imprint

Pyromancer is awesome, and it's nice that it doesn't rely on character stats. You will run into a guy soon after defeating the Capra Demon



I spoilered that just in case you don't want to read it. It's not very spoilerish though.

wlj

Well the Capra Demon is toast...literally . I did some grinding for souls and upgraded alot of weapons. I am in love with the Halbred I have now...I put it up to +5 and I am just destroying folks with it. Goodbye to the Drake Sword, we had some good times, but we are done for now. I upgraded my knight shield to +5, equipped my Halbred +5 with fire resin, and stone armor -- then I proceeded to open up a can of whoop ass on the Capra Demon. I had him dead before of even got halfway up the stairs. For him to be a demon he sure doesn't like fire on your weapons. . I started the Depths, and I beat the giant rat, but then I got a little lost. However, I needed to go to bed anyway so I just went back to the bonfire and I will try again tonight.

I was trying to forge some of the weapons at the blacksmith, but it says I need some green titanite or something. well I got 1 in the depth, and I will take it back to the blacksmith when I get out. I can only make divine weapons from what it looks like. I guess it is where I gave him the stone I found after defeating the moth.

--How much faith do I need to use a divine weapon? I only have 8 points in that...I haven't leveled it at all since I started. Are divine weapons any good?

--How do I upgrade a weapon past +5? All of mine stop there right now.


I got invaded for the first time last night in the Depths. That sure scared the sh1t out of me when I saw that. I was shocked that I was able to kick his ass pretty easily with my halbred and stone armor. I think he was a noobie like me, he didn't even try to get behind me -- he just tried to play me head on which didn't work out to well for him. The halbred has crazy reach.

In my 20 hours, I have only gotten one backstab. I have read tips and watched vids on youtube, but I just can't seem to do them. Maybe it is like the Izuna Drop in Ninja Gaiden. I could never get it to work, but one day it just click for some reason and I could do them all the time.





That was the guy in the barrel right? I didn't kill him, I was hoping he was the guy that would improve my flame. I am excited about that, I will go give him a visit if I can ever find my way out of the Depths. Can you get that "iron flesh" ability from him?


I love this game. It is truly amazing and addictive as hell. Even though I die a whole lot, I keep coming back for more and more. I even bought me the elite knight armor for my avatar off of the marketplace and the premium dashboard theme.