Dark Soul's: Prepare to Die Edition (PC)

DutchSchaeffer · 15 Apr 2013 at 09:10

Davey_Pitch said:
You can collect Humanity consumables while cursed, but you can't accumulate humanity through killing enemies like you normally would.

The merchant is Oswald of Carim, you'll have met him after ringing the first Bell of Awakening after beating the Belfry Gargoyles. He sells Purging Stones for a few thousand souls each.

Another way of removing the curse, though you may not want to (or be able to), is to equip a Rare Ring of Sacrifice and then kill yourself. The ring will retain your humanity and souls, as well as removing any status effects (including curse) when you die.

Oswald sells then for 3000 each, but its a bit of a trek.

The undead female merchant (upstairs from the depths) sells them for 6000 each...

Bit of a price bump, but if you can't be bothered with the hike it is an option.

Pighardia · 15 Apr 2013 at 23:00

Started a few days ago, and after a frustrating start, I am really getting in to it. Would have been nice to have a bit more explanation of the mechanics of the game early on tbh.

I just had my first invader...was standing in the side bit by the stairs on the bridge where the red dragon guards(I think that is enough of a description!) and some guy appeared and kicked me out in to the fire just as the dragon was attacking :mad:

So far, I have just gone through Undead Burg, past the dragon and in to the Undead Parish. Got the Drake Sword(which is helping!!!), killed Havel The Rock(apparently that is his name), killed that boar and Taurus Demon. I am at Firelink Shrine atm after using the shortcut from Undead Parish(was glad to see that!). Any recommendations on where to go/what to do next?

PS. I did venture in to (I think) Darkroot Basin, and killed some crystal Golem type things but was killed by some kind of water bursts I think, so thought I would leave that and try again later

Davey_Pitch · 15 Apr 2013 at 23:16

Pighardia said:
So far, I have just gone through Undead Burg, past the dragon and in to the Undead Parish. Got the Drake Sword(which is helping!!!), killed Havel The Rock(apparently that is his name), killed that boar and Taurus Demon. I am at Firelink Shrine atm after using the shortcut from Undead Parish(was glad to see that!). Any recommendations on where to go/what to do next?

Your first aim will be to go back to the Undead Parish, and kill the Belfry Gargoyles. They are one of the more difficult bosses the first time you face them, so don't get discouraged if you die a few times. Get back in human form, there will be an NPC summon sign just before the fog boss gate which will make it easier. After that, exploration will be your next target. Just get a lay of the land and see how you fare as you enter new areas.

Pighardia · 16 Apr 2013 at 00:04

Thank you Davey. Well I just defeated the Gargoyles and rung the bell...don't know what happened, but I did them first time, and I think they only got one hit in...I had much more trouble with Havel and the Taurus Demon,(and the first black Knight I came across!!) though I have been playing a bit longer now I suppose....tbh, I can't remember the last time I died. I think it was when I was swamped by 3-4 skeleton warriors(and one big one) and they just totally overpowered me. It hasn't helped that I have spent most of the game Hollow, and only really made an effort to get in to human form very recently. I didn't really have any trouble in Undead Parish at all, though I am not sure how much of it I have done. I have been playing for about 10 hours now and am level 24

My stats are a bit all over the place, though I know roughly what to upgrade. So far I have focused on Dexterity and Endurance, with a few points in vitality.

Davey_Pitch · 16 Apr 2013 at 00:59

Nicely done. Some people find the Gargoyles easy first time, and others have real problems. I remember they took me a few goes when I first played it, yet other bosses who really troubled other people I did easily. Hopefully you'll find some of the later bosses just as easy

I think on your first playthrough your stats will always end up all over the place, as you'll want to try different weapons and spells, and you'll level up accordingly. It probably won't be until your 2nd playthrough that you'll decide to do a more optimised build. Focussing on either Strength or Dex, then either Int or Faith would be the way to go. I've done a Str/Int build, and I'm currently on level 95 of a Dex/Faith build. All offer different advantages over the other. If you want some advice, or just general tips, feel free to ask

Pighardia · 16 Apr 2013 at 11:48

Think that might be it for me....enjoying the game, many monsters killed, but in the end slain by GFWL :rolleyes:

...I don't know how they get away with it!

Moothead2 · 16 Apr 2013 at 12:38

Pighardia said:
Think that might be it for me....enjoying the game, many monsters killed, but in the end slain by GFWL...I don't know how they get away with it!

Don't give up! What's GFWL doing

?

Pighardia · 16 Apr 2013 at 12:43

My profile will not sign in properly, so I can't access my save. Been on with Microsoft support for a while now....getting very frustrated, especially as I have 5 nights in a row at work coming up, so will not be able to play it much this week!

Been recommended to create an offline profile...but of course I will not be able to continue my current game. Why does everything have to be so needlessly complicated?

AWPC · 16 Apr 2013 at 12:47

Pighardia said:
My profile will not sign in properly, so I can't access my save. Been on with Microsoft support for a while now....getting very frustrated, especially as I have 5 nights in a row at work coming up, so will not be able to play it much this week!

Been recommended to create an offline profile...but of course I will not be able to continue my current game.

Forget their suport they are a joke MS let all of the GFWL team go in 2011 help yourself using these docs instead.

Old GFWL dedicated website help page:
http://www.microsoft.com/games/en-us/support/pages/troubleshootingissues.aspx

General technical errors & required software:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/977708

Firewall ports required for GFWL to connect properly.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937424

Troubleshooting GFWL connection problems:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/977709

In game GFWL connection problems:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/977846/en-gb

Moothead2 · 16 Apr 2013 at 13:07

Pighardia said:
My profile will not sign in properly, so I can't access my save. Been on with Microsoft support for a while now....getting very frustrated, especially as I have 5 nights in a row at work coming up, so will not be able to play it much this week!

Been recommended to create an offline profile...but of course I will not be able to continue my current game. Why does everything have to be so needlessly complicated?

The save is stored locally so you should be able to create an offline profile and move the save over to that profile.

The save is: C:\Users\*You*\Documents\NBGI\DarkSouls and in there should be your GFWL profile. Create the profile then just copy/paste it from one folder to the other.

Pighardia · 16 Apr 2013 at 13:17

Thank you for the links AWPC, I shall take a look.

I don't think pasting the save file will work, as I think the save is linked to your profile.

Pighardia · 16 Apr 2013 at 14:36

Got it working again now.

Returned to Undead Parish, and seemed to find it a lot harder than I did last night!! Forgot about the Knight that hides behind the door as you enter, and he got a good shot in at me

It is totally bizarre, but playing this has really got me wanting to play Final Fantasy VIII again for some reason :confused:

...I might have to crack out the old PSP again, if I can find it.

Moothead2 · 16 Apr 2013 at 16:22

Pighardia said:
Thank you for the links AWPC, I shall take a look.

I don't think pasting the save file will work, as I think the save is linked to your profile.

Pretty sure I it worked for me but not too sure. It's something you can try if it happens again though

.

Pighardia said:
Got it working again now.

Returned to Undead Parish, and seemed to find it a lot harder than I did last night!! Forgot about the Knight that hides behind the door as you enter, and he got a good shot in at me

It is totally bizarre, but playing this has really got me wanting to play Final Fantasy VIII again for some reason...I might have to crack out the old PSP again, if I can find it.

That knight is a douche, always seem to forget about him

.

Omaeka · 16 Apr 2013 at 17:16

Pighardia said:
Started a few days ago, and after a frustrating start, I am really getting in to it. Would have been nice to have a bit more explanation of the mechanics of the game early on tbh.

I just had my first invader...was standing in the side bit by the stairs on the bridge where the red dragon guards(I think that is enough of a description!) and some guy appeared and kicked me out in to the fire just as the dragon was attacking

So far, I have just gone through Undead Burg, past the dragon and in to the Undead Parish. Got the Drake Sword(which is helping!!!), killed Havel The Rock(apparently that is his name), killed that boar and Taurus Demon. I am at Firelink Shrine atm after using the shortcut from Undead Parish(was glad to see that!). Any recommendations on where to go/what to do next?

PS. I did venture in to (I think) Darkroot Basin, and killed some crystal Golem type things but was killed by some kind of water bursts I think, so thought I would leave that and try again later

That's brilliant for a first run!

Pighardia · 16 Apr 2013 at 17:24

Well, after the Undead Parish, I chose to go through and down past the blacksmith to Darkroot Gardens as my next place(just seemed right). The demon who guards the entrance killed me on the first attempt, though I bloody nearly had him!...second attempt I took him out. Atm, I am wandering around Darkroot Gardens, I have killed a fair few of those metal Knight things(sorry, I don't know what anything is called!), and those annoying trees without much problem, but there doesn't seem to be much to do down here....there is an inaccessible door, which I assume is the dlc area/boss?

I don't seem to have upgraded my gear much(I mean with new stuff, I have been upgrading it

). Nothing seems to have come close to the Drake Sword since I got it, and I am wearing the Metal Tusk Helm, which looks ridiculous, but is better than anything else I have come across. I am also still wearing Chain mail.

This is a seriously good game, if it was a bit more accessible, it would be a true great!

Omaeka said:
That's brilliant for a first run!

Believe me, I have died a lot!

Omaeka · 16 Apr 2013 at 17:28

Well the next thing you need to do, is go to the bridge with the dragon, lure it down and run under it's legs into the room below it and go right into the gardens (or else the Dragon will fry you). Then when it perches back on top of the Castle it'll fly off if you're underneath it and you'll be free to loot the corpses on the bridge and grab the Claymore. This'll be the weapon you'll stick with trust me, it's moveset + damage is amazing.

Pighardia · 16 Apr 2013 at 18:14

Moonlight Butterfly just murderized me twice in a few seconds... Rethink and come back later I think.

Just got the Claymore, and whilst it seems pretty good, all it has done for me is emphasized how easy it is to get used to one particular moveset

...I died against a very easy enemy firs time I tried to use it

Davey_Pitch · 16 Apr 2013 at 19:05

Pighardia said:
Moonlight Butterfly just murderized me twice in a few seconds... Rethink and come back later I think.

Get yourself in human form again, and look at the bottom of the stairs before the Butterfly's area. You'll see a summon sign for Witch Beatrice. Get her helping you, and laugh at how easily she destroys the Butterfly. The Butterfly can be a right pain if you don't have much in the way of ranged attacks.

Just got the Claymore, and whilst it seems pretty good, all it has done for me is emphasized how easy it is to get used to one particular moveset...I died against a very easy enemy firs time I tried to use it

If you're going for a Dex build then the Claymore isn't much use to you. I'd suggest going to the Undead Merchant in the Undead Burg, buying everything you need from him, then killing him. He'll drop the Uchigatana, one of the best Dex weapons you can get. On a single hit basis it'll never match up to something like the Claymore, but in a combo where you can unleash multiple hits, you'll output more damage with the Uchi than with the Claymore, plus has the advantage of being a lot faster.

Pighardia · 16 Apr 2013 at 19:11

Davey_Pitch said:
Get yourself in human form again, and look at the bottom of the stairs before the Butterfly's area. You'll see a summon sign for Witch Beatrice. Get her helping you, and laugh at how easily she destroys the Butterfly. The Butterfly can be a right pain if you don't have much in the way of ranged attacks.

Thanks for the tips. I haven't entered another area yet, so might go back. I didn't see a summon sign, so will have to look out for that. I don't really have much in the way of ranged attacks, I use a bow occasionally to pick off crossbowmen or the firebomb throwing guys.

If you're going for a Dex build then the Claymore isn't much use to you. I'd suggest going to the Undead Merchant in the Undead Burg, buying everything you need from him, then killing him. He'll drop the Uchigatana, one of the best Dex weapons you can get. On a single hit basis it'll never match up to something like the Claymore, but in a combo where you can unleash multiple hits, you'll output more damage with the Uchi than with the Claymore, plus has the advantage of being a lot faster.

1. Are there any repercussions of killing him?
2. Will it be better than Drake Sword?

Cheers

PS. I am well and truly hooked, which is a surprise to me, as it doesn't really seem like my kind of game from the outside(play pretty much every game on one up from easiest difficulty

...and still find myself complaining at how hard it is!)

Davey_Pitch · 16 Apr 2013 at 19:37

Pighardia said:
Thanks for the tips. I haven't entered another area yet, so might go back. I didn't see a summon sign, so will have to look out for that. I don't really have much in the way of ranged attacks, I use a bow occasionally to pick off crossbowmen or the firebomb throwing guys.

Her sign is well hidden by some branches, I missed it the first 3 times I went through the game. Just after the Stone Giant by the door, there are the first set of stairs to go up. The sign is right underneath them.

1. Are there any repercussions of killing him?
2. Will it be better than Drake Sword?

Cheers

PS. I am well and truly hooked, which is a surprise to me, as it doesn't really seem like my kind of game from the outside(play pretty much every game on one up from easiest difficulty...and still find myself complaining at how hard it is!)

1. Only that you won't be able to buy items from him, but he doesn't sell that much of worth anyway, especially after you get past the first couple of areas.
2. Perhaps not instantly, but as you level up the weapon, and your Dex, it will easily surpass the Drake Sword. My Uchi +14 does nearly 400 damage per attack, and it swings a lot quicker than the Drake Sword.