DARK SOULS: if you need me i'll be in an induced coma so mvrch comes tomorrow

you can be sneaky and pick off some of the enemies behind the door one-by-one for big xp boosts in the early game, that's what i usually do, although if they start ganging up you can get rekt very quickly

you can also stand in a certain place near the door with shield up and your enemies all fall to their doom. there are youtube vids that show you where to stand

Sounds interesting, but not the route i want to go for first playthrough. will spend the souls on leveling or maybe a talisman.

I wonder if the forest is still an invasion hotspot in 2020...

I still have the nannyfinger or whatever it is called

wandered all over. Killed the big hammer knight at the bottom of the undead burg tower and got another ring. Was a good lesson in watching the stamina bar. Ran away from the dragon and found some thieves and another boss. Switched to a knight shield+5 and wearing black leather armor bc poison everywhere. Want to learn some magic and then fight this next boss. Also need to kill the other tower knight that drags and sweeps with his huge sword. The knight battles feel like a punchout! minigame.

Havel's Ring (that you got at the bottom of the tower) is a huge help for lowering your weight. And if you beat him, you're doing OK! The other boss you found might have been ... Capra Demon? That one is a pain. Kill the dogs first.

yes, I am around ~0.25 capacity for weight. Havel certainly took many strong right hand attacks. The knight at the top of the tower near the dragon seems harder because his moves set is more varied. I thought he'd be easier if I lured him out to open space, but he seemed to enjoy having so much space for activities even more than I did.

I don't know where the dogs are. I kept getting poisoned in blight town. I need a cure for poison if the dogs are down there. I also started using the bow more, which should help with the poison dart flingers. There are probably more paths around the elevator. I just took the most obvious one and then eventually got distracted sweeping the burg for missed knights and loot.

I started as a Warrior, but I have been leveling intelligence the last 8 or so times. I've become enamored with the idea of being more of a thief like character with lighter armor and some spells, but also with a battle axe. If I'm being honest, I just want to wear the black hood and force push dudes off mountains and towers.

Or maybe the dogs are in the forest. I don't remember anything that was said to me at the shrine when this all started.

He meant the dogs in the boss room with the goat demon who uses two swords, which you may have already gotten past?

I killed a bunch of dogs and thieves near a fire. But i didn't traverse the fog or whatever into the room.

yeah, dogs are in the boss room. and you will be poisoned in blighttown, so buy a few cures first.

Oh I see. I thought the dogs were another boss and i was to avoid the demon until finding the big dogs and telling them that i am actually the big dog and if they can't run with the big dog to get off big dog's porch. I had hoped i'd get some kind of big dog t-shirt armor in the drop.

you're the chosen undead now, dog

you've found the big dog armor and joined the brother-in-law's dealership covenant

sell 3 toyotas to ascend

The real big dog comes later (eventually followed by the little dog <3)

got the force spell. Found the poison cure merchant. Killed the black knight. Decided to give the capra demon a shot and got him on the first try. jumping off stairs with an axe is where i'm a viking.

because i wanted spells, i can't use any of these greatswords yet.

Capra Demon first try, you are the top dog!

I put on oakley wrap arounds before traversing the white light

Killed the scorpion guy by the blacksmith. Upgraded to a kite shield. killed a knight in darkroot basin and found a bonfire. But left to enter depths which are pretty awesome. Kept falling into basement and getting smoked by dogs and butcher guys. Eventually learned how to be careful and kill everybody one by one. Killed a bunch of rats and slugs. Killed a giant rat and a sorcerer. Found a ring. Was feeling pretty pooped when I got invaded for the first time. "Kirk" invaded and very nearly killed me, but I managed to get him on my last bit of health. Heart was racing. Invasions are fucking intense. Used all the souls to level up twice. Summoned some help before the big boss, but the boss eventually picked me up and chewed on me until I died. Don't really know what's happening with this boss. Hope I don't need to buy one of those crystal weapons that just break. I picked up a bunch of stuff. Might be smart to see if I can upgrade the battle axe +5 before I try again. I can two hand the great sword from fire shrine now. Holy shit this game is great.

Sufjan, are you playing offline? What platform?

online switch

Ah cool. You know Kirk is a scripted npc, right? ;)

yeah, I figured it out from fighting him. his moves were pretty rigid, and he seemed to back off too much to be real. the guy I summoned to help with the boss was similar.

really thought I would have rung that second bell by now

been upgrading strength again, after getting a taste of magic. If i can get to 24 and one-hand a reinforced greatsword, the boss will hopefully be easier.

so gaping dragon is not so hard after all. just run away and attack from rear when its busy fighting nothing. no summons required.

this blightown into quaaludes domain stretch feels unreasonable

Apparently it used to be much worse!

I don't remember it being THAT much of a jog from the bonfire down the pipe in BT over to queelag, but maybe I'm misremembering. Isn't there a ring that makes running through the swamp easier? Or do you get that a bit later on?

This thread inspired me to start another playthru. I was gonna do a different build type but ended up doing a strength and getting the Drake Sword anyway. Made short work of the gargoyles tho. Cheesed Havel to get his ring and boshed the demon by Andre. Garden now I guess? Taurus Demon nearly made me go hollow last time.

It's long if you don't know where you're going, and keep getting lost while dying to toxic blowdarts.

I've already forgotten a lot of the first game, but iirc once you learn where they are you can (better) avoid them and/or shoot them from range. Either way, you're going to get toxic, so go in with plenty of anti-toxic stuff. And yeah, there is a swamp ring, but I don't remember where or when you get it.

Did they lessen the effects of toxic/poison in DS3? It doesn't seem as bad, as long as you watch the meter.

It wouldn't be so bad if my most comfortable weapon didn't need repair, and I don't have a repair box. I had to backtrack and buy a crystal sword to feel whole again. I can single hand 2 greatswords but they aren't reinforced, and I am shit with them.

greatswords more like slowasfuckswords

Yeah, poison in DS3 is nothing compared to DS1 or (iirc) Demon's Souls.

Repair box is essential!

Big swords are only really good if you also have poise, which is pretty overpowered in DS1 compared to DS3 (since in 1, you have passive/standing poise, as opposed to hyperarmor that only kicks in once you've started a swing).

I had found everything in the swamp, except for the spot to the right with a bonfire and stairs up to firelink. I did the blightown run down to the swamp so many times. Eternally waiting for mole men to climb ladders to be killed.

Haha, oh nooooo.

Did you find the...tree?

I think so. I walked up the ramp and got the prize. I am using a greatshield I found somewhere. Also found a nifty remedy spell. Some red robes. A pyromancy spell. If I ever find a way to convert dung piles into souls, these monsters are in trouble.

perhaps the greatest thing I've found is respect. Respect for doing the job and doing it right. No shortcuts. I don't fall off the water wheel and die anymore. Those days are behind me.

I don’t think you found... the tree

boooooooo

I stand by my claim that finding the tree with no help is literally impossible. I bet back when some programmer or something posted to some forum, just to get people going in the right direction, some sort of "omg, I was doing the thing in the place and found the thing!"

Don't know that i want to find a tree

I really don't think the tree entrance is that outlandish, more funny, but the good ring that is inside the tree is reaaally difficult to find/get to. That I never would have gotten without a guide.

A ring. Inside of a tree. You guys must be smokin trees.

I will just keep on with the spider witch, thank you.