Dark Souls

[Tom909]

The higher your intelligence the stronger the sorceries become.

Ahh, didn't realize that. thought it'd be the case at first but looking on the wiki and in the official guide my mate made me a copy of I couldn't find anything with reference to it. Cheers for clearing that up mate

As for dexterity and casting speed, the wiki says higher dex means faster spells but I haven't seen anything elsewhere.

[gugly_duk]

Yeah, to get that merchant to appear at Firelink Shrine you have to go into Lower Undead Burg and let him out of the room he's trapped in though... And you can't get there until you've killed the Taurus Demon (at least I think you can't)

You do need a certain amount of intelligence to be able to use them in the first place though (10: Soul Arrow, 14: Great Soul Arrow, 12: Heavy Soul Arrow and 16: Great Heavy Soul Arrow). I didn't think the effectiveness/power changed with intelligence but maybe wrong, did read that higher dexterity makes you cast faster (anyone know if this is right??) which is always helpful.

I got the Great Soul Arrow and it's been the most useful thing I've found so far when it comes to dealing with bosses. The gargoyles went down first time by me just keeping at a distance and spamming with it whilst Solaire of Astora who I'd summoned took care of the close quarters work.

Yeah. You're right in all of that. I was wrong.

And by that I meant, no. I'm right. About half of it at least. What I really mean was that post wasn't needed, thus by proxy neither is this one.

[Eli Vance]

Thanks Eli, your descriptions have been most helpful.

Glad I could help.

As for dexterity and casting speed, the wiki says higher dex means faster spells but I haven't seen anything elsewhere.

I haven't noticed casting speed increasing with dexterity but I have noticed it a lot more with the other catalysts. That said, I have high intelligence and reasonably high dexterity to let me use the stronger melee weapons. I can only assume that dexterity increases casting speed as compensation for players who don't wish to invest points in to intelligence or focus too much on sorcery.

[Tom909]

Got annoyed yesterday, very annoyed. Went back to the Asylum to trade some items with the birds nest. looked up what you got for what and was very excited to see you could trade a sack for the Demons Great Hammer. Had already traded one item and decided to put two down at once to save time. Big mistake. Put the sack down first then some rubbish for a bit of Titanite. Turns out you can only trade one thing at a time and if you put more down it only swaps the second item. Loaded back up and found a bit of Titanite and nothing else, it didn't even give me my sack back.

Went back down to The Depths to get another sack from one of the Butchers but it turns out they don't respawn, there's only two in the entire game, I'd already killed them both and they are the only source of sacks

So, I'll not be getting me a Demons Great Hammer early on now. Bugger!

About half an hour later I managed to die twice before getting back to my stuff and lost the 13 Humanity I had equipped

Twas a day of Dark Souls frustration yesterday

[Eli Vance]

@ClownTrousers

This should help as well.

There's a npc locked in a cell close to the Undead Parish alter who carries the ring of favour and protection. This ring boosts health, stamina and equipment load but it does break when you take it off.

The key 'mysterious key' to his cell is located within the Undead Parish. It's on a body in the section where you have to go down the stairs to get around the closed port cullis. The port cullis is just past the boar and two archers on the bridge where the alluring skull is; not the one left of the bonfire underneath the dragon. Once down the stairs you'll enter a room with a ladder going up and then another on the level above. The body is in a small sunken area left of the first ladder.

The npc is located in the upper part of the church building. Facing the alter turn left and you'll see two doorways these are the lifts which take you back down to Firelink Shrine. To the right of the doors is a stairway leading up. Go up these stairs and follow the corridor and you'll come to a room with a wizard and about ten of those zombie like enemies. In the bottom right hand corner of this room is the ladder which leads up to the gargoyle boss and first bell. Instead of going up the ladder look around and you'll see another passage way follow that and go up the stairs to reach the npc's cell.

Once you've let him out he'll spin you a yarn about being some king or other and having a castle located elsewhere but its one big crock. Leave him be for now and let him go to firelink shrine; he'll be on the lower part opposite the female firekeeper. Head back to firelink shrine and kill him. Don't leave it too long because if you don't kill him he will kill the firekeeper and its bye, bye bonfire. Once he's dead nab the ring and humanities.

Went back to the Asylum.

About half an hour later I managed to die twice before getting back to my stuff and lost the 13 Humanity I had equipped

Twas a day of Dark Souls frustration yesterday

Did you return to the cell where you start the game and grab the item there? If not I would recommend doing so as that item grants you access to a secret area hidden in a painting in Anor Londo. The area contains a wealth of gucci/rare items and one of the secret bosses.

When it comes to humanities best to only have a few equipped at any one time as these get scarce later in the game. Best thing to do is buy the bottomless box from the Undead Burg merchant and sling most in there. You can access the box at any bonfire so you can use them as you see fit.

I wouldn't worry too much about the demons great hammer. It ain't that great and there are plenty of other better weapons. The Undead Burg merchant has the Uchi-Katana but you do have to kill him to get it.

The worst is when you die in view of your soul. That's happened to me quite a few times especially in Blighttown. If your having trouble with Blighttown let me know. There's a massive shortcut for getting down to the second bell.

[ClownTrousers]

Cheers Eli, I had freed that chap and he's sitting near the fire - didn't know he'd go on a mentaller, so I'll have him first. Just warming up to go after the gargoyles now. They will be mine, oh yes, they will be mine.

I freely confess to being rubbish at games, so am surprised at how I can progress without tooooo much trouble. A combination of marketing and modern games being badly designed perhaps leads to the "difficult" tag. Most games on "hard" or "veteran" or whatever are harder.

[ClownTrousers]

Killed the gargoyles first time - was somewhat disappointed

[Eli Vance]

Cheers Eli, I had freed that chap and he's sitting near the fire - didn't know he'd go on a mentaller, so I'll have him first. Just warming up to go after the gargoyles now. They will be mine, oh yes, they will be mine.

A combination of marketing and modern games being badly designed perhaps leads to the "difficult" tag. Most games on "hard" or "veteran" or whatever are harder.

Lol. You can kill the firekeeper yourself for a firekeeper soul. Firekeeper souls upgrade the estus flask. But it all depends on whether your willing to sacrifice a checkpoint in order for the estus flask to give you more health per use. There are firekeeper souls littered about the world but there aren't many and are generally well hidden.

Edit: Killing certain characters also effects certain firekeepers but I won't spoil it.

I was going to say... if your feeling brave you could always try and cut off the gargoyles tail. But your last post beat me to it.


Agreed.

[Tom909]

Did you return to the cell where you start the game and grab the item there? If not I would recommend doing so as that item grants you access to a secret area hidden in a painting in Anor Londo. The area contains a wealth of gucci/rare items and one of the secret bosses.

No, I just scoped out the way back and did some swapping with the bird then came back. Haven't taken the level itself on yet.

Not sure whether to go back and do that now or carry on down to Blightown.

Which would you say is easiest Eli?

[Eli Vance]

No, I just scoped out the way back and did some swapping with the bird then came back. Haven't taken the level itself on yet.

Not sure whether to go back and do that now or carry on down to Blightown.

Which would you say is easiest Eli?

Its a little horses for courses tbh. Either way make sure you grab the item from the Undead Asylum before you go into Sen's fortress. Anor Londo where the item is used is above Sen's fortress so it'll save you coming back down at least until you have the Lord Vessel.

If your going for Blighttown make sure you have the Firelink Shrine/Undead Burg waterway opened up for the merchant with the mosses. Buy both types of purple moss and use the one with the white tips if you become toxic.

The best way to do Blighttown is to enter it from Valley of the Drakes and not the Depths. Entering Blighttown from the Depths takes you the longest route through Blighttown. You can always come back later and have a nosey when your characters stronger.

When you enter Valley of the Drakes (from Firelink Shrine) go across the first small wooden bridge and turn right then left into the passageway. Follow this and kill or run past the enemies until you reach the end where 'Blighttown' will appear on the screen. Grab the key from the chest and head down the ladder. Keep going down (more or less straight down) and you'll come to a wheeled mechanism with platforms. Jump on a platform to go down to the bottom of the area. The bottom is one huge poisonous lake which you have to wade through in part to get to Queelag and the second bell, make sure you have your mosses equipped.

Now your at the bottom turn left and hug the left hand wall. After a short distance you will come to an opening with a bonfire. If you head up this tunnel past the bonfire you'll come to a chest containing a dragon scale which you'll need for any dragon weapons. Back at the bonfire head out of the opening, turn right and just keep going until you reach a pale coloured slope. The entrance to Queelag's domain is about halfway up this slope. Kill her and ring the second bell. Once you've rung the bell head down and theres a false wall leading to a bonfire on the right. Or head a little further down and enter the Demon Ruins with another bonfire directly infront of you. I would recommed saving at either of these before going back up through Blighttown. When going back through Blighttown just use the same route.

[Tom909]

Nice one, cheers

There's a npc locked in a cell close to the Undead Parish alter who carries the ring of favour and protection. This ring boosts health, stamina and equipment load but it does break when you take it off.

Just took advantage of this tip and killed him (which was enjoyable in it's own right 'cos he's a feckin prick!) and that ring packs one hell of a boost don't it!! Means I can finally upgrade from my chain mail to the boulder armor without going over 50% Just need to do a wee bit of Titanite farming back at the parish to make it worth it...


EDIT: Think I will take on Blightown first cos from what I've read a shield with 100 fire res is very usefull for going back to the Asylum and taking out the boss and I haven't got one yet... I take it he has a few fire attacks up his sleeve!

[ClownTrousers]

Bit of a difficulty spike between the gargoyles and the next boss with the two dogs. Being a damnably bulky clumsy knight certainly makes it annoying.

[Eli Vance]

Just took advantage of this tip and killed him (which was enjoyable in it's own right 'cos he's a feckin prick!) and that ring packs one hell of a boost don't it!! Means I can finally upgrade from my chain mail to the boulder armor without going over 50% Just need to do a wee bit of Titanite farming back at the parish to make it worth it...


EDIT: Think I will take on Blightown first cos from what I've read a shield with 100 fire res is very usefull for going back to the Asylum and taking out the boss and I haven't got one yet... I take it he has a few fire attacks up his sleeve!

The ring is rather tasty. You can also get another one which boosts equipment load even further but I think you'll need a key. I chose the master key when I started which does save some hunting round. To get this ring head up through the Undead Burg until you reach the tower where you head up to fight the Taurus Demon. Instead of going up head across and open the door leading down. At the bottom you'll see Havel Rock, he's heavily armored and his sword has quite a bit of range. Get him to follow you back up the stairs and then fire on him and back away until he walks off then fire on him again and repeat.

If your struggling for souls to buy mosses for Blighttown. The character in the bell tower just past where you fought the gargoyle boss has a poison bite ring. Kill him to get it. However, this character has the book of the guilty which is connected to online play. So, if your thinking of going online may be best not to.


When the Undead Asylum demon does his fire attack its pretty well scripted but its quite wide. The best thing to do is keep moving so you can stay behind him as much as possible. He has a lot of health so be prepared. I had the homing soul mass by the time I did him which was a huge help.

[Eli Vance]

Bit of a difficulty spike between the gargoyles and the next boss with the two dogs. Being a damnably bulky clumsy knight certainly makes it annoying.

Yeah he's a bit of a pain in the neck due to lack of room.

When you beat him and get the key to the Depths. I would recommend heading up the stairs opposite the Depths door before going in there. The merchant with the mosses is at the top of those stairs and you can open the waterway gate linking to Firelink Shrine. It saves having to work your way through the lower Undead Burg to get back to the Depths.

[Tom909]

Bit of a difficulty spike between the gargoyles and the next boss with the two dogs. Being a damnably bulky clumsy knight certainly makes it annoying.

Yeah he's a bit of a pain in the neck due to lack of room.

When you beat him and get the key to the Depths. I would recommend heading up the stairs opposite the Depths door before going in there. The merchant with the mosses is at the top of those stairs and you can open the waterway gate linking to Firelink Shrine. It saves having to work your way through the lower Undead Burg to get back to the Depths.

That's where I posted 'This has Just got damn hard' or some shizzle like that. Turns out I'd gone the wrong way so went back to finish Undead Parish first and lvl a bit. At least it meant I knew what was coming and roughly how to deal with those super fast groups of dagger wielding types when i went back. The one with the two dogs still took a fair few attempts though.

If you can, when you get in the room roll past them all and run up the stairs on the left and then right onto the ledge. The boss finds it difficult getting at you there and it makes easy work of the dogs. If you've got any spells you can stay on that ledge and fire at the demon, if not he's not as difficult as he first seems without the dogs. It's just the lack of space that's a bit of a pain.

When you've had him and go to see the merchant Eli mentioned it's worth getting some of the anti-curse things she sells. They're expensive but well worth it when you're in the depths because you'll come across the first enemies who can curse... I'll not say anything more than dying due to a curse has dire consequences

@Eli: Yeah, I have the master key so I've encountered Havel Rock once, suffice to say I didn't go back (apart from to sneakily re-claim my souls then leg it!). The fecker killed me in one attack with his massive club thing but now I've got some spells and levelled my pyromancy a bit (the build I'm playing now is Pyromancer) I might try again whilst keeping a distance.