Dark Souls

[13th Knight]

Hadn't gotten to the crazy lady in the sewers yet that had the moss for sale, or had reached a point where Ents weren't that much of a problem. And mostly it's when people kindle the fires and give me extra estus. Besides, the NPCs, depending on which ones, aren't usually the best...Tarkus is good, and so is Witch Beatrice, but Solaire is there for the hardest ones, and he's mostly just a meatshield. I like having an extra, dependable player most of the time because I know how to deal with the bosses. At least...most of them.

 

I don't PVP often, which is probably the reason why I'm terrible at it. AS for the dark hand...I'm not entirely sure what the hell else she was using. She had the grab, but it was doing over a fifth of my HP in damage before she 'backstabbed' me with it, which took out the remaining HP that I had. I didn't buy the bow and didn't bother with the Drake Sword because, frankly, it's not the best thing even going down into the depths. Sure it has damage. That's about all I've ever gotten out of it.

 

It was more frustrating with 'troll' build because I can't defend against the slashing. With as many as eight slashes per cycle he was getting on me, my stam drained like hell, and the bleed got up to lopping off huge amounts of my HP and me desperately trying to keep myself alive.

 

I think I'm just terrible at it. And maybe at the harder parts of the game lol. Furthest I've gone is nearly killing Seath, getting to the Four Kings, heading towards Tomb of the Giants and not even thinking about going near Lost Izalith.

[SUMERIAN BLOOD GOD]

Drake sword is god early game. Then lightning spear in sendog's fort. Then just whatever weapon you can afford to buff. We've gone into huge detail in this topic before about PvP builds and techniques so I'm not really sure where to help you. You just need to get better and the only way to get better is by fighting more dudes.

[YUNG MASTERLESS GLENCOUR]

If you knew how to deal with the bosses, you wouldn't need any players around. In the first playthru you don't need any help to beat any of the bosses. You can safely clear the game without assistance or even having truly good equipment. The lightning spear can last you all the way through the game on ng (first playthru).

 

All of the NPCs are more than strong enough for the bosses they show up against aside from Beatrice vs 4 Kings, and Solaire vs the big worm, and Solaire vs last boss. In the last 3 cases they are still more than strong enough to give you the edge you need to beat the bosses.

 

Drake sword is the best pve weapon in the game until you get the lightning spear in Sen's Fortress.

 

I don't know what to tell you, anymore. All of what your saying is just pointing to this conclusion:

 

I think I'm just terrible at it.

 

To which my only advice, as rude as it is, is to play offline until you get better or at least get a cheesy enough setup going that you don't need to be better than anyone to secure wins.

 

Or do what John just said and fight people over and over until you get good at it.

[Aokiryu89]

LAGGGIIIIIINNNGG!

 

BACKSTAB!

 

from half court

 

http://mugenmonkey.com/darksouls/?b=aHVudGVyLDUwLDE2LDQwLDIwLDI3LDExLDksOSwwLDY0LDU1LDUyLDU1LDMsMjIsMTUzLDQ1LDExNCwxMDUsZmlyZSxsaWdodG5pbmcsbm9ybWFsLGxpZ2h0bmluZywwLDI2LDI2LDI3LDI3LDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCw1LHdvb2Rlbix3b29kZW4sc3RhbmRhcmQsc3RhbmRhcmQsMQ==

 

Build I'm currently making my PVP build. I heard the PVP arena coming with the AOTA DLC is caping at 100 so I stopped there.

 

Just enough DEX and STR to wield most weapons so if I feel like switching to SKS & Claymore or whatever I still have the options for them.

 

Yeah and no Miracles or Sorcery so I'll be relying more on items if I want buffs and Health.

Edited October 20, 2012 by Ogawa Lou

[Wong]

I have been playing this game because a buddy of mine just bought it. Plus, I have the DLC as a New Years present. I plan to build SL100 dude for the Arena, and here it is:

 

 

http://mmdks.com/vgt

 

 

Use Replenishment to start off the match. Zone with the Balder Side Sword. Punish with the Zweihander. Catch your opponent off guard with Wrath of the Gods. Use Great Heal between matches.

[Rachis]

Does the arena thingy lag as badly as the regular multiplayer versus? If not I might actually play this game.

[Aokiryu89]

Last time I checked the overarching issues with the servers affect the arena, so you'll be sitting in a cage waiting for someone to join. Don't even bother with it, if you're going to play Dark Souls do it the way you enjoy the most and screw the 100 level cap shit.

 

Unless they fixed it somehow, that area has always been buggy for me, maybe because of the traffic it gets who knows. If you can make something out of it more power to ya.

Edited January 25, 2013 by Ogawa Lou

[Ethos]

To this day, I have not been able to get into a single arena match. I wait for someone to join for so long, I just quit and camp levels for invaders since it's faster.

 

Anyway, I started uploading dark souls pvp videos to my channel, for whoever is interested, here:

 

http://www.youtube.c...rn?feature=mhee

 

 

I'll probably stop with dark souls once I get my fightstick back tho, and jump into some SSF4 and upload some scrubby cammy matches.

[Mom]

When you get your fightstick back we will play some AE like gentlemen. You can contribute your cammy matches to the sf4 fight video thread too. Edited January 25, 2013 by Twisted Metal

[Rachis]

Somehow got sucked into playing this game a bunch anyways. Below is the build I'm working with right now with the stats I intend on having later. I don't know what I really want for pvp, but what I've got right now has been performing well enough when I'm invaded. My claymore was doing just ok pve, but I just got it to divine +3 and it hits reasonably hard now.

 

https://mugenmonkey.com/darksouls/?b=YmFuZGl0LDUwLDE0LDQwLDE2LDE4LDExLDgsNTAsMCwyNCwyNCwyNCw0LDMsMjIsMTYyLDI0LDEyOCwxMDcsbm9ybWFsLGRldmluZSxub3JtYWwsZGV2aW5lLDAsNDYsNDQsNTMsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCx3b29kZW4sd29vZGVuLHdvb2Rlbix3b29kZW4sMSwwLDA=

 

What I'm not sure of is if I really want to invest 50 in faith or if I want to cut it off at 20 so I can at least use vow of silence and invest those 20 points into my str and dex to open up my options for weapons.

Edited February 13, 2013 by Rachis

[Wong]

53 is the poise break, not 52. I don't like Pharis Bow, even on dex builds. It takes too long to fire. Actually, the Composite Bow is the only bow I like. However, if you don't mind sacrificing attack power, the Darkmoon Bow has the range of a Long Bow and speed of the Composite Bow, but long range is not needed in PVP. I would personally go with something like this:

 

https://mugenmonkey.com/darksouls/?b=YmFuZGl0LDUwLDE2LDQwLDE2LDE0LDExLDgsNTAsOTksMjMsMjcsMTcsMjYsMzEsMjIsMTYxLDI0LDEyOSwxMDUsbm9ybWFsLGRldmluZSxub3JtYWwsZGV2aW5lLDAsNTEsNDUsNDYsNjQsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsd29vZGVuLHdvb2Rlbix3b29kZW4sbW9vbmxpZ2h0LDEsMCww

 

This leaves you two points free. You can put two more in STR so you can wield the Crescent Axe or 2H Large Club. Or put two more in DEX for 2H Washing Pole or 2H Obsidian GS. Or take away 1 VIT and add another attunement slot. Lots of options, really.

[YUNG MASTERLESS GLENCOUR]

If you figure out what you want we might be able to help you out a little more, too. I haven't played this in several months (or has it been even longer? idk) but I remember a lot of stuff. That being said looking at that stat sheet I wasn't able to come up with anything productive because I didn't know what the goal was overall. So you're liking claymores, and you want to rock a faith build, is what I got so far. Is that right?

 

Oh come to think of it I never played on the latest version of the game so my advice might be obsolete now. I guess I'll just leave it to Jose and Elton then hahaha. Sorry bro. I'll try to offer some kind of support tho! Go team!

[Rachis]

After a fuckton of just messing around last night I pretty much only like 3 weapons. Yeah I really like the claymore and longsword. I feel really comfortable with their movesets. I also like the regular halberd and gargoyle halberd as well. I haven't liked any axes or hammers/maces, and I am not getting the love from curved swords that I felt from demons souls. I'm feeling like the divine claymore was the wrong way to go though. I'm thinking I should've just kept the claymore normal and buff it later on with either darkmoon blade when I get it. I'm kinda wanting to avoid elemental damage for now. I'll be making a pyro guy later for fire anyways.

 

Either way, I'm not quite sure yet how I want to run the claymore. This is becoming more about me just wanting to run a mobile character and complement the claymore as best I can so the faith route may not be for me on this guy. I'll keep this one handy until I figure out a faith build I would like to run though. the divine claymore will always come in handy against skeleys. Thanks for the ideas gents.

 

[edit]: From vids I watch I almost always see the claymore being run 2handed. Is there no point to running the claymore 1h for pvp?

Edited February 13, 2013 by Rachis

[Wong]

2H Claymore and 2H Moonlight GS use to combo before the 1.07 patch. They do not anymore because there 2H swing speed is now slower than before. 1H Claymore can still combo, so there is a reason to 1H for PvP now. Also, 2H Running Attack -> 2H R1, combos. The Halberd is great because the 2H R1 stil has the infinite combo, until your run out of stamina anyways.

 

I do not recommend Claymore with buffs. Buffs were meant to be used by quick (DEX) weapons because your opponent can just wait your buff out. It is really easy to wait out a buff against a Claymore. Now that Claymore's can't combo with 2H, it loses its death of touch with buffs, so the risk/reward is not on your side. Buffs works great with weapons like the Great Scythe, Uchigatana/Iato, Balder Side Sword, Estoc, and Falchion. The only STR weapons that works well with buffs are the Great Club (one ground pound or 1h rolling attack can take away 1100+ hp) and Zweihander (touch of death combo). You can even try the Halberd because it can apply lots of pressure and can combo.

 

I think Claymore is great as an elemental weapon or on a build with 27STR/40DEX.

[YUNG MASTERLESS GLENCOUR]

If you look in my personal space thing (http://armoredcoreuniverse.net/forum/index.php?/topic/134-my-personal-statement/page__view__findpost__p__1157) I posted a bunch of builds I ran, two of which ran great swords (moonlight and great lord great sword) so you could find some ideas there possibly.

 

I'm inclined to agree with Elton regarding buffing a claymore, but on the other hand it might work...the weapon can get strings of hits together (at least it could before) and that's kind of a big deal with buffed weapons. The two philosophies behind the usage are generally either hit as often as possible (so fast weapons like falchion) or use the extra damage to reduce the number of total hits needed to win (so like zweihander and great club). Hopefully that helps some.

[Rachis]

The space definitely gives me an overall picture of what a character is supposed to look like when all put together right. Didn't give me any ideas of my own, but I'm starting to see a method to the madness. I need to get into this shit more rather than just dilly dallying. Mostly since armored core is fuckin doo doo now and I haven't had a game that I can really get into that isn't a shooter in a long time.

[Wong]

What are your current stats

 

If you have your STR at 16STR, you can easily make a DEX/FTH build.

50VIT/12ATT/40END/16STR/40DEX/30FTH

Spells: Sunlight Blade, Wrath of the Gods

Weapons: All good Dex Weapons except Washing Pole and Murakumo

 

Heck, you can even use the Clay with this build.

[Rachis]

After doing a bunch of research and toying around with the weapons in game, I have become curious how well a build like the below will turn out.

 

https://mugenmonkey....29vZGVuLDEsMCww

 

Wong's idea kinda led me to this. Let me know if it's stupid or not. I figure it's going to seriously open up a lot of options to what this character is capable of efficiently using. It won't get max damage out of anything, but by golly he can at least use just about everything.

 

SL 125 so I can get 1500 life minimum and I get an extra spell slot! I plan on making this a darkmoon character as well.

Edited February 14, 2013 by Rachis

[SUMERIAN BLOOD GOD]

WTF, why do you need 27 strength? Just put enough in there so you can use claymore 2-handed and put the rest back into VIT and END. Claymore should always be 2-handed.

 

Oh I see what you're saying now. I always feel it's better to specialize your builds but it's harder to level up characters now so I can understand trying to make a character with a lot of options. I still don't think you need that much strength on a DMB character.

[Rachis]

It's their for scaling on quality weapons if I end up using those for the dmb buff and it opens up how many weapons I can use by a lot. I also didn't feel like having too much more than 1500 life was a big deal either so I started making cuts for the sake of flexibility. I'm a pvp nub so right now my decisions are being based on what I know about pve. I've watched a lot of vids and frankly builds are all over the place as far as I can tell which leads me to thinking that how I build the class statistically does not matter as long as I have the minimums for life, stamina, and equip load. The fap ring covers the minimums enough for me to make the cuts I feel like I want right now.

 

I'm assuming your issue with 27 strength on a dmb character is because of the buff? If so, I can say that I'm not even sure yet what I will be buffing and if I'll even like it yet. Building the character this way leaves my options open so I don't have to just start all over if I don't like where this one is going. I invest too much time in my shooters to be scrapping characters all the time because I built them stupid. Of course, this may very well be stupid lol.

 

[edit]Fuck it. I'm just going to run divine weapons. With only 16 str/13 dex, I have a large pool of weapons to make divine, I won't need to worry about buffing (I don't really like magic anyways), and if I choose to keep the mask and fap ring on then I'll have over 1900 life. I'll even have better faith scaling since I will have 50 rather than 40. Sometimes, I overthink things and it makes really dumb stuff come out even though at the time I think it's really smart because I've "thought of everything."

Edited February 14, 2013 by Rachis

[Wong]

I'd go with 16STR/14DEX. Going with 14DEX opens up a lot of weapon options too. It gives you the Balder Side Sword, Shotel, Uchigatana, Gargoyle Tail Axe, and Great Scythe. All of which are really good weapons. Quelaag's Furysword and Demon's Spear are also great options at 16/14 because they have a high base damage, and can match the power of many elemental weapons.

 

The problem with going 27/40 and 40FTH is that then you are limiting yourself to buff quality weapons. The only good Q weapon to buff is the Zweihander, so you are actually limiting yourself even more.

 

Oh, and if I were to build a Q build, I'd personally go with the Pyro route. This way, I won't have to sacrifice VIT/END.

http://mugenmonkey.com/darksouls/?b=cHlyb21hbmNlciw0OSwxNiw0MCwyOCw0NSwxMiwxMCw4LDk5LDU5LDEwLDMsMzEsMzEsMjIsMTUzLDUwLDExNCwxMDUsbm9ybWFsLG5vcm1hbCxub3JtYWwsbm9ybWFsLDAsMzcsMzgsMzAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCx3b29kZW4sd29vZGVuLHdvb2RlbixsYXJnZSwxLDAsMA==

 

Going to 28STR gives me Murakumo, my second favorite weapon in the game. Really deadly weapon.

[YUNG MASTERLESS GLENCOUR]

Well, I mean it's dark souls though, limiting your weapon choices isn't that big a deal, guys. You have 10 spots to work with and most times your build is going to be kind of specific, and you only have 4 hand spots anyways. If he wants to run 27/40 I don't see the major issue, as long as there's a reason to with the other weapons. I'm almost certain I've done it before and it worked fine, I think Owen did before too, and I'm guessing at least one other person did here at least.

[Mom]

I ran 27/40 before for a build that only used a cursed artorias sword, but my main guy was straight up 40/40. 27/40 is something you use for primarily 2h claymores etc. I don't really agree about zweihander being the only quality weapon that does good with a buff, in fact I think it doesn't even really need a buff to do some hurt. I'm not a huge fan of buffs in general in this game though. The whole idea that you only get 1-3 of a certain buff before you have to call it quits really hurts the idea for me. I made a couple builds that relied on the powerful buffs in the game, and they didn't see much usage or didn't last long. I always fell back to 40/40 with no buffs. Edited February 14, 2013 by Twisted Metal

[Wong]

The issue is not going 27/40. The problem is going 27/40 and 40 Faith. If you look at Steve's stat, he brought his VIT/END down to 32/30. That is pretty low for SL125, with or without family masks. Personally, if I were to make a buff build with 27/40, it'd look like this:

39VIT/12ATT/40END/27STR/40DEX/30FTH

Spells: SLB, WOG

[YUNG MASTERLESS GLENCOUR]

Yeah exactly. Personal preference goes a long way in this game, as long as you're clever in the stat spread. I don't see why 27/40 couldn't work as long as he doesn't stretch his other stats/skills thin.

 

Megatron (Wanderer 120)

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110302204754/lego/images/c/c8/LEGOMusketeerpic.jpg

 

covenant: Darkwraith +2*

stats: 31/14/30/10/45/-/50/-

spells: White Dragon Breath, Crystal Homing Soulmass, Crystal Magic Weapon

r arm: Balder Side Sword +15, Lightning Estoc +5

l arm: Grass Crest Shield, Tin Crystallization Catalyst

armor: Mom Mask, Armor of the Sun +10, Havel Gloves, Silver Knight Legs +5

rings: fap ring, cartwheel ring

 

Max speed white dragon breath.

 

I was running 31/30 just fine. That was pre-patch though so idk if it still works, but it definitely did before.

 

That being said yeah that kind of stat spread is really dangerous, for sure. The 40 faith is generally not a good idea, there, imo.