[Spoilers] Official Dark Souls 2 Thread - Prepare to Die... again.

[RumHam]

I understand most people like to level up, it's an RPG and that's what you typically do in an RPG. I think the Souls series purposefully challenges that thought with their weapon system. Gear is FAR more important than levels, which is why people can do SL1 runs.

Also, if you're at a point where you've already maxed out your damage via whatever damage stat you're using it doesn't matter what level your opponent is. I've defeated SL728 with a SL120 build numerous times because of the severe diminishing returns you get after getting stats to the 40-50 range. This series purposefull challenges everything you've ever thought about how RPG's are played, which is a big reason why I love it so much. Your 'level' doesn't really matter after you hit SL70 or so and maxed your damage stat except for having more HP. After that it's all about how good your gear is and your ability to not get hit.

Ah, I don't really know much about PvP. I spent most of Dark Souls as an undead and only got invaded once or twice.

[Mexal]

Ah, I don't really know much about PvP. I spent most of Dark Souls as an undead and only got invaded once or twice.

Can you only get invaded if you're human? Seems I'm hardly ever in human form since I'm always dying at some point or another.

Got through No-man's Wharf yesterday and the last boss was easy. I made it through Lost Basille but died at the Three Sentinels and was too lazy to fight back (the sword guys in the room that rush you prior to the boss are a pain in the ass to me). That's on my list of things to do tonight.

[Muttering Bill]

In previous games, Invasion were human form only.

This time you can be invaded anytime. But the more hollow you are, the lower in the queue you get. So you're still more likely to get invaded while human. Between that and Soul Memory, invasions aren't really common.

I took me a ton of tries to beat the Sentinels. The enemies stopped spawning long before I beat them. They're easy if you can fight them one on one. But I always had the last two gang up on me.

[Inigima]

Mexal: There's a shortcut you can open so you only have to fight them once.

In DS1 and Demon's you couldn't be invaded unless you were human. Not so in DS2.

[Mexal]

In previous games, Invasion were human form only.

This time you can be invaded anytime. But the more hollow you are, the lower in the queue you get. So you're still more likely to get invaded while human. Between that and Soul Memory, invasions aren't really common.

What's Soul Memory?

Mexal: There's a shortcut you can open so you only have to fight them once.

In DS1 and Demon's you couldn't be invaded unless you were human. Not so in DS2.

Really? I'll have to look for it. Those buggers have kicked my ass a number of times.

[Muttering Bill]

What's Soul Memory?

Really? I'll have to look for it. Those buggers have kicked my ass a number of times.

Soul Memory is the total of all the Souls you've gathered so far. Even the ones you lose. You have to be within 50k of invaders.

The shortcut requires a Pharros Stone.

[Inigima]

Whoa whoa whoa. The shortcut to the Ruin Sentinels does NOT require a Pharros Stone.

Edit: The last two always gang up on you. It's part of the encounter's design. I am proud to say I soloed them -- I am soloing everything -- but summoned help apparently makes it fairly trivial.

[Muttering Bill]

I didn't find a different shortcut.

What the hell shortcut did I open then!?

Edit - I only opened it for the Soul Vessel, didn't see where it went.

[Inigima]

I have no idea. Here's what I mean:

On the bottom level after those five knights you can open a door. It looks like it's just a deathtrap, open air only. But you can run off the parapet outside and land there (don't land ON the open door or you will die). The access to it is the path off to the right from the blacksmith's bonfire, where there's a dog and an item. From there you can climb up the ladder and not aggro anything at all.

If I had to guess, what you're talking about is probably

the entrance to Belfry Luna, near the bonfire you get if you are flown from the Pursuer's area. I haven't been there but I'm told a lockstone there is how you get to it. It is not a shortcut to Ruin Sentinels at all as far as I know.)

I actually did not think the Sentinels were all that hard. Once you learn the patterns they are not that hard if you are conservative. That said, I had the benefit of magic for phase 2. (I did phase 1 with just a mace.)

[Muttering Bill]

I see. Here's a video of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WhUbQOhruU

The shortcut I mean is

Coming from the No Man's Wharf entrance, there is a breakable wall just down the ladder with a Pharros Lock beyond. Using the Stone opens 2 doors, one contains a Soul Vessel, and the other is a shortcut. I didn't go through because that's now why I was there. There were messages on the floor that said "Shortcut but pointless," so I thought that's what you were taking to the Sentinels. Maybe it leads to the area after the Sentinels?

I'm looking for info about it. But it's definately not the one to Belfry Luna.

[aceluby]

I haven't done any research, but on a press release I heard invasions work as follows (except for Belfry)

Those who invade > co-op > human > semi hollow > full hollow

The nice part about this is that it puts people who want to PvP together or those who co-op to make the level a bit more difficult and typically leaves the rest of us alone. That's not to say you won't be invaded (I have been a couple times), just that it won't constantly happen.

Regarding the soul memory, I have a hard time believing that the invasion pool is just those w/in 50k souls of your own soul memory. The reason being that 50k souls just isn't that much over the course of the game (500k would be small IMO), especially those who PvP. I'm sure there will be plenty of tests in the coming months to figure this out, so we'll have to wait and see.

Something I could believe, however, is that the pool of players to choose from is a combination of those w/in your level AND those w/in your soul range and then queues them up as stated above and picks the highest one. It'll be interesting to see how it will be proven.

[Mexal]

Whoa whoa whoa. The shortcut to the Ruin Sentinels does NOT require a Pharros Stone.

Edit: The last two always gang up on you. It's part of the encounter's design. I am proud to say I soloed them -- I am soloing everything -- but summoned help apparently makes it fairly trivial.

Thanks Ini, I'll check it out. I did manage to kill those guys a few times but they did kick my ass more. My plan was to use an Emit Force to kill one of them as they came through the door then use the mace for the rest and just keep dodging but once I get hit, they get me cause it interrupts everything I try to do. Just means I need to get better is all and sometimes, I forget to take off the lock on feature to dive out of the way too late and get caught. I'm improving but still not all that good (especially with switching spells and moving from the Mace to the Cleric spell thing and back).

[aceluby]

After seeing that video I want to be sure everyone knows that if you press the sprint button while going UP a ladder, you will move up it faster. Seems it's not common knowledge yet. Found that out in a co-op session.

[Muttering Bill]

Regarding the soul memory, I have a hard time believing that the invasion pool is just those w/in 50k souls of your own soul memory. The reason being that 50k souls just isn't that much over the course of the game (500k would be small IMO), especially those who PvP. I'm sure there will be plenty of tests in the coming months to figure this out, so we'll have to wait and see.

Folks on GameFAQs are saying that number came direct from Namco. I didn't see the source; taking their word for it.

[Inigima]

Thanks Ini, I'll check it out. I did manage to kill those guys a few times but they did kick my ass more. My plan was to use an Emit Force to kill one of them as they came through the door then use the mace for the rest and just keep dodging but once I get hit, they get me cause it interrupts everything I try to do. Just means I need to get better is all and sometimes, I forget to take off the lock on feature to dive out of the way too late and get caught. I'm improving but still not all that good (especially with switching spells and moving from the Mace to the Cleric spell thing and back).

I used magic (Yearn) but here is a way to cheese it that apparently works:

You can get back to the parapet you ran up on by a damaged part of the wall. If you do that while they're after you, they'll apparently all fall to their deaths.

Like I said, you only have to do it the once.

[Fiddler]

Can you only get invaded if you're human? Seems I'm hardly ever in human form since I'm always dying at some point or another.

Got through No-man's Wharf yesterday and the last boss was easy. I made it through Lost Basille but died at the Three Sentinels and was too lazy to fight back (the sword guys in the room that rush you prior to the boss are a pain in the ass to me). That's on my list of things to do tonight.

Man, I hate those three.

For whatever reason I have had the most trouble beating that boss fight. I have now done it on all four of my charactes, but man, it was horrible.

Now I put my soap in that hall leading to them and help others. I have a club(found in a chest under the bonfire after them I think) that does a nice 300 damage per swing to those guys.

[Inigima]

Question about Belfry Luna and Sinner's Rise bosses. Purely a question of my ego.

Apparently if you kill the Belfry Luna boss you get a key that you can use to make Lost Sinner's room bright and slow her down. I fought her in the dark and she was really fast. Do most people fight her in the dark or did I accidentally do something really hardcore?

[Francis Buck]

After getting kinda stuck around the Sinner's Rise/Huntsman's Copse section, I started a new Strength/Sorcerer character with the intention of using the halberd (a weapon I never actually tried out in the first game despite hearing people talk about how great it was).

I am fucking DESTROYING stuff. It's hilarious. Sorceries more of a utility than anything else at this point, though I have finally found the salesmen for spells so that may change.

Question: Can anyone tell me when/where you get that armor that was in all the promotional stuff (with the fur around the shoulders?). Can you get it by the Lost Bastille/Huntsman's Copse section of the game, or further towards the end (if so then just tell me the location name please). I really freaking want that armor.

[KiDisaster]

Question about Belfry Luna and Sinner's Rise bosses. Purely a question of my ego.

Apparently if you kill the Belfry Luna boss you get a key that you can use to make Lost Sinner's room bright and slow her down. I fought her in the dark and she was really fast. Do most people fight her in the dark or did I accidentally do something really hardcore?

From Sunbro-ing Lost Sinner quite a few times I have learned:

Most people don't have the key. I luckily did so my actual attempt was much easier than the co-op attempts had been. I did have to summon help for that one though regardless.

After getting kinda stuck around the Sinner's Rise/Huntsman's Copse section, I started a new Strength/Sorcerer character with the intention of using the halberd (a weapon I never actually tried out in the first game despite hearing people talk about how great it was).

I am fucking DESTROYING stuff. It's hilarious. Sorceries more of a utility than anything else at this point, though I have finally found the salesmen for spells so that may change.

Question: Can anyone tell me when/where you get that armor that was in all the promotional stuff (with the fur around the shoulders?). Can you get it by the Lost Bastille/Huntsman's Copse section of the game, or further towards the end (if so then just tell me the location name please). I really freaking want that armor.

The Halberd scales more with dex than strength doesn't it? Regarding the armor I'm pretty sure it's in one of the final areas of the game, I read something about it on Reddit. I can't remember which zone specifically though, and I might be wrong.

[aceluby]

Question about Belfry Luna and Sinner's Rise bosses. Purely a question of my ego.

Apparently if you kill the Belfry Luna boss you get a key that you can use to make Lost Sinner's room bright and slow her down. I fought her in the dark and she was really fast. Do most people fight her in the dark or did I accidentally do something really hardcore?

Most people fight her in the dark, though once someone had a key and didn't light the oil on fire in those rooms to make it light in there. I got kicked out because they didn't want to go back and light their torch...