Dark Souls: Siegfried stops writing a journal like some bitchy teenager, the game is discussed.

MadassAlex

True. Although having not finished the game yet, I can't quite conceive of how to do it.

IanExMachina

Hmm I'm unsure, I've test the tutorial dungeon with a cleric and thief so far, not sure if I want to be either, although having the extra heals was useful as was hits doing damage.

I also need to get used to the controls (Or change them? I find having to switch between should buttons and triggers a bit hassling.) I kept hitting X to attack and drank my flasks.

When you say pick a stat to do damage with, How does that work with faith? 

(Also so far I've died to armoured zombie by hitting the wrong button and ending up using a gesture as it swung for me and fell of the edge in Firelink as I saw a message talking about a secret passage, and so went looking but hit the wrong button and rolled off the edge, just a few seconds into getting my humanity.)

MadassAlex

After defeating a certain boss, or with luck, you can acquire "divine" weapons. These weapons do magical damage on top of their physical damage, and that magical damage scales with the faith stat. That said, I went with that build because I knew from Demon's Souls how powerful it could be, but I also knew I'd have to wait a bit for it to materialise.

IanExMachina

Ah ok.

Also for most characters I should be running about with my shield equipped as opposed to two handed weapon style?

(Also how do you leave the little messages on the floor?)

MadassAlex

Generally speaking, the two-handed style is underpowered. It slows many attacks, gives them higher endurance cost and severely limits your defenses.

For the messages, you need to buy an orange soapstone from a merchant in the Undead Burg. Look for a platform with two spear undead fairly early in the area. There'll be a bunch of crates to the left of where you walk across on the platform. Destroy them to reveal a stairway downwards and go straight outside to a balcony.

IanExMachina

Shield it is then.

Now just to pick a class and stick with it

MadassAlex

When it comes to fighty characters with strong dexterity, I think the warrior's a pretty decent pick. Starts with brilliant gear and good stats. Otherwise, pyromancer's a good pick because it starts at level 1.

Iaculus

So, where is everybody so far?

I'm currently deciding whether I want to be horribly molested by Seath, Pinwheel, the Four Kings, or the demon pyromancer first.

MadassAlex

Ornstein and Smough. -_-;

Iaculus

Ah, those two.

They may have been tough as nails, but I must admit that I was very glad for my lightweight hail-of-magical-doom Sorcerer build when I went against them.

Little tip - use the pillars to give yourself some breathing room. Saved my life when Smough went nuts with his lightning hammer.

IanExMachina

Just after a bird picked me up and dropped me :P

Also I picked Bandit as they had a nice looking outfit.

(I'm focussing on STR for weapons)

I've also seen some amusing bloodstains on a bridge where the person run and must have knocked their controller as they then veered off.

Also I found a graveyard and skeletons and ran away very fast.

Iaculus

Incidentally, am I the only one who always mentally refers to Capra demons as 'Frank'?

MadassAlex

... I imagine so. xD

Iaculus

Just went up against Pinwheel.

My god, he went down like a bitch.

MadassAlex

Yeah, he's a complete wuss. A mercy boss, perhaps?

ClockworkUniverse

The catacombs themselves were hard enough. Imagine if you had to trek through all that multiple times.

IanExMachina

Woo got to to the undead shopkeeper and the bonfire there.

I've decided to stop being irritating and stuck with the cleric I'd already started.

I'm pretty useless and getting the parry timings right, I've managed to parry only 2 attacks so far in the game (I did a fancy riposte though).

Also shield block is working quite well for me right now.

MadassAlex

With divine weapons, the Catacombs are a cakewalk in my opinion.

^ Yeah, parrying requires a lot of practise and often isn't worth the risk. Sometimes I train at it when I'm at a bonfire with nearby humanoid enemies, but it's really only useful against enemies you know back-to-front anyway.

IanExMachina

^

Yeah I'm trying to practice at the bonfire, as well as the fact I need to get some souls for a bow as I foolishly spent my souls on frivolous armour.

MadassAlex

For most of the game, you'll be doing things pretty self-sufficiently. Use what you find, and if you have to buy things, generally buy consumables.

IanExMachina

Really?

So armour and stuff will drop then?

MadassAlex

Most armour drops are pretty horrible, but you'll find some pretty great gear around, especially in the middle and late sections of the game. Keep in mind that you should pick a weapon you're comfortable with and then use that as an upgrade platform.

IanExMachina

Ok, well I've got a morningstar which has a bleed effect (apparently) so I think I'll stick with that for now.

MadassAlex

I'd recommend a more versatile weapon when it comes to upgrading into the divine path (which is probably the best upgrade path for a priest). The longsword's generally a good option, but if you upgrade your strength, you might consider a heavier weapon.

IanExMachina

A few questions:

I seem to have a lot of trouble pulling off back stabs, I've been practising on the weak guys in the burg and can occasionally get one but it seems very finicky as to what registers as a back stab, amidoinitwrong?

Also the dark knight in the burg I killed him once but it took a while whittling down his health and blocking his attacks, is there an easier way to do it? (I saw a sign on the ground saying parry but I'm unsure of the trustworthiness.)

MadassAlex

Backstabs are indeed finicky, so don't rely on them. Sometimes being too close to an enemy's flank will cancel the possibility, and sometimes an enemy's animation will lie about their hitbox a little; what might seem to be the enemy's back at the time is actually their flank, and vice versa.

Black Knights do not respawn. Parrying is generally good against them if you can pull it off. If. During the earlier stages of the game, you'll need to avoid them or just be patient. Later on, you can take 'em head on and battles with them become duels amongst equals.

IanExMachina

^

Hmm I was hoping for more consistency with the backstabs

Oh well when they do happen I'll just be extra pleased.

Ah yeah, the black knight was powerful and I'd died a few times before him so I though just block and play it safe!

Also I really wish there was clear info about vagrants and the like, as there are some pictures of them and stuff but there are so many alternating info bits about how they are formed, what they drop etc.

MadassAlex

Vagrants? I'm still not sure what they are.

As for the backstabs, there's some consistency if you learn it. You want to be as parallel as possible, though. For me, the rule of thumb is to walk up to them slowly and quietly. Strike just as they begin to respond to you at the latest. You should get the backstab. If not, you get a hit in.

ClockworkUniverse

Yeah, the way I see it, trying for a backstab is always good, because if you fail, well, you hit your opponent and he's facing away from you.

IanExMachina

Also which covenants if any have you guys joined?