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Nuns with Guns posted:Make sure to level your Adaptability stat, they anchored your dodge roll i-frames to it in DS2, via the Agility sub-stat. If you're going to be dipping into spells, Attunement also increases Agility a bit. As someone just starting a DS2 run for the first time this week, and just coming off DS3, I'd recommend getting Agility up to about 90 pretty quickly. I hadn't realised the i-frame stuff up there, and combat was feeling unfair - rolling didn't seem to work, chugging estus seemed to take forever and enemy's hit boxes seemed hugely bugged. Normally, I'd level VIT and STAM first in a Souls game, but I feel having the familiar combat timings is more important.
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Jul 12, 2021 06:12
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raditts posted:Adaptability is good for "not dying and hating this game as much as you will without it" Especially coming off any of the other souls games, probably especially DS3.
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Jul 17, 2021 06:17
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Djeser posted:Other non-obvious changes to important mechanics for new players include: Wait, what? I think I've been swearing at idiots for leaving stupid messages about secret doors, but actually...
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Jul 17, 2021 19:56
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Mobs disappearing after you've killed them a number of times is an interesting, if somewhat condescending, mechanic. "Aw, you seem to be having trouble with this bit, sweetie. Would you like some help?"
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Jul 19, 2021 07:27
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Vermain posted:I feel like it's counterbalanced by the game having what is bar none the most brutal penalty for repeated deaths in the series. Max Hollowing gives you all the durability of muslin, especially considering that the Estus Flask and Lifegems both take a bit to give out their healing. Honestly, I find the slow healing more annoying than the loss of HP to hollowing. I feel like that goony dude with the knife and the 121 ft rule could a blow or two in before loving healing kicks in sometimes.
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Jul 19, 2021 08:29
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I hate the Pursuer so much. The first appearance and the boss fight is fine, but the fact the fucker keeps turning up is annoying. "Oh cool, treasure!" *sound of Pursuer materialising. "Oh, a cellar I haven't explor..." *sound of Pursuer materialising "gently caress." "Hey, here's..." *sound of Pursuer materialising "JUST LET ME FIGHT THE OGRE AND LOOK AT THE drat GENDER CHANGE COFFIN IN PEACE!" Worst bit was coming out of the coffin, eating a human effigy to see what I looked like and getting smashed by the Pursuer. I think I'd mind less if he wasn't such a crap design.
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Jul 20, 2021 09:59
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Guillermus posted:It's a grave mistake to not lure out the ogres and fight the pursuer alone. He is really really easy to parry. Like I get the ring of blades on the first encounter, no latter the build as you can get the buckler right before the cardinal tower bonfire. I'd arrow'd one way earlier in the game and was going to get the other one. When Pursuer popped up, I retreated til he pissed off, then killed the ogre. Of course, the coffin is a reset, so Pursuer came back while I was checking myself out. Funny thing, I realised the mechanic kinda reminded me of the demons mechanic in God Hand. If you haven't played it, its like an 80's beat-em-up but 3D, and occasionally a regular mook turns into a MUCH faster and MUCH stronger demon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb2G9_FO-kY&t=53s This guy's clowning on it here, but you can get the gist.
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Jul 20, 2021 15:27
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Shoehead posted:Hi popping back in from my massive Sunday dark souls sesh to say gently caress black gulch forever Do you (the thread in general) feel that DS2 throws the most NPC phantoms at the player out of all the souls games? I keep getting peeved at some idiot invading at an inappropriate moment, before realising that it's an NPC. In short, gently caress Amourer Dennis.
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Aug 8, 2021 23:39
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Double Plus Undead posted:DS2 is the only game where you can get invaded even while not human, so I think it feels like there's more NPC invasions because you're not skipping them on accident. Ah, I thought something was up. I usually play hollow when exploring an area so I don't get interrupted because I really enjoy that aspect of the game. Zesty posted:...Forlorn... He spawned in Black Gulch for me, and I was convinced it was some rear end in a top hat up late just invading randomly in the area and I just happened to keep copping them. I burnt an effigy before I clicked they were an NPC. "Forlorn" sounds like a genuine player name as opposed to the usual [occupation] [silly name] or [odd name] the [verb]er combos NPCs have. Nuns with Guns posted:Absolutely, and Scholar adds more. It's significantly more than DS1 and DS3, too. DS1 has 7 NPC invasion encounters, DS3 has 14, and DS2 has ~45, though some of those are contingent on being offline or being dumb with Navlaan. This makes sense. I swear the AI for NPC invaders has them bow or wave occaisionally, which is confusing. And they do the circling and waiting thing that real players will do. Which thinking about it, is a pretty nifty thing on the developer's part. I think I'm coming to understand why this is a lot of people's favorite Souls game.
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Aug 9, 2021 15:35
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I found Bellfry Sol the other night and the human black phantoms were fun - dual wielding Aveline guy, the fire witch, etc. They definitely have the feel of human players just dicking around for hijinks. I got invaded by an actual player while there, who waved and politely watched on as I had my rear end beaten after I accidentally aggroed everyone. I say gently caress Amourer Dennis, but he does have a cool kit out and play style.
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Aug 10, 2021 08:06
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Oh my god. Chase the barrel carrying dudes onto the trapdoors, climb down the ladder a little way to lure enemies over, climb back up then shoot fire arrows through the ladder gap at barrels to blow everyone up, even the big dude there. You need to be a bit patient to wait for barrel guys to walk where you want them, of course. Frequently using things in the environment to kill things is one of the best things about DS2.
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Aug 10, 2021 19:23
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Blundering through Brume Tower at the moment. I loved the Prowlers invasion - fortunately my run-and-scream Scooby-and-Shaggy battle plan prevailed. I think the cursed ashen idol thing is one of my favorite mechanics in the game. Good mix of creepy and desperation. Fortunately had the witch's veil drop in Belfry Sol. I also like that poison is actually effective in DS2, unlike DS3. Dropping Iron Warriors and the Pursuer with poison arrows is satisfying.
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Aug 17, 2021 00:38
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Bastille, Forest of Giants and Heide nearly put me off the game - ooh, castles with soldiers and/or knights. Not really interesting to explore. Going to Huntsman's Copse finally made me feel like it was a Souls game, visually. I really love the way you descend into the earth as you advance through the game. DS3 kinda does it too, but I think DS2 does it better.
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Aug 28, 2021 19:54
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Nuns with Guns posted:The Shaded Ruins is probably the most boring and ugly place in 2 for me. There are a few other areas that are one or the other, but that's the one that has the highest arbitrary combined total to me. There's interesting things in it, or at least, potentially interesting ideas, like finding the holes to drop down into the cave, fighting a runaway body and the curse vases but you're right - the space all that happens in is really tedious and badly laid out.
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Aug 29, 2021 04:24
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AttitudeAdjuster posted:Playing through Dark Souls 2 for the first time and just got through Black Gulch. It's an annoying gotcha area but it's over fast. Was expecting worse from all the reaction in this thread. I had the same thing with Blightown when completing DS:R earlier this year though. I went back last night to harvest titanite chunks from the tentacle monsters in the tar pools. It was cathartic setting fire to the place from a distance with fire arrows.
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Aug 29, 2021 08:33
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John Murdoch posted:Ironically everyone's dumping on it but Shaded Woods is one where I feel like they actually finished the area and injected the personality it was sorely missing. (Not that I think it's *amazing* but at least it's in a more finished state.) The woods themselves are nice - I feel the game is best when you have to battle the actual environment as well, which is why I like all swampy and wet bits in all the games - but the Ruins at the end are meh. Is DS2 the only Souls where you can get attacked almost on top of a bonfire? I keep forgetting about the spiders in Brightstone bottom when I go to visit Ornifex. I think they may have even killed me once. I feel there's a couple bonfires like this.
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Aug 30, 2021 00:34
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Working through Eleum Love at the moment - I think it's one of my favorite Souls areas. I like the unfreezing mechanic that means you get to explore it twice. I hope whoever came up with Maldron the Assassin got a raise. That prick is easily the best NPC invader for all Souls games. Maybe even just NPC in general.
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Aug 31, 2021 01:09
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Huh, I didn't know that! Also, I didn't realised there were visual tells - the chests in 1 and 3 obviously have the backwards chain loop and breathe - but I hadn't noticed anything in 2. I usually just Toxic Mist anything suspicious.
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Sep 7, 2021 03:09
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My favorite mimic is the one near the demon miniboss in the Catacombs in DS3. If you aggro it from afar, it usually kicks the poo poo through the demon for you.
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Sep 7, 2021 05:14
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codo27 posted:Ffs this whole time I knew there had to be some somewhere but I thought they were only possible in wooden chest form. Glad I've read up on it now. I thought this too, then I got eaten twice in a row in Aldia's Keep. I am very good at video games.
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Sep 7, 2021 11:57
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I think the range of PvP options in the covenants is pretty good, though having to quit and rejoin them to play them is annoying. Also, having sets change depending on gender is annoying. I like the Black Witches set but you only get the lacey pantaloons when you're male. Otherwise it's high heels and a short skirt. The powerstancing is fun - I actually managed to catch someone with the Warped Sword double spin last night, which was nice.
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Sep 8, 2021 01:25
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John Murdoch posted:Technically you don't have to kite the BDSM boys, if you're really, really exact with your movement you can aggro exactly one at a time and knock them all out in that little canyon pass. I managed to do it in original 2, once. Do people generally have an issue with using bow and arrow (other than gimmick runs, obviously)? Like, you can snipe those dudes from the end of the canyon and fight them one at a time, without having to move. Is not wanting to run into mob ambushes with a giant lump of metal wrong?
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Sep 29, 2021 03:15
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Cavauro posted:pulling the harald legion knights to places where you can leap off and destroy them, or waiting for them to go underneath one naturally, is something you can do to more of them than just one or two all along that staircase and the various heights above or near it. it can be exciting to pull off a bunch of times in a row, but pretty awkward and different compared to the rest of the game and i guess could be a non-starter if you are 100% against pulling and abusing geometry or consider it bad design. i gotta believe it's more intended than running past them or trying to 1v1 them though considering you get the drop animation and insane murder like with the ancient wyvern I feel the drop bear manuever is encouraged in DS3 - the Harald knights are the obvious victims, but I feel I spent a fair time dropping off heights on to enemies and especially in PvP. In contrast, in DS2 I don't think I've managed to land a dropping attack more than once or twice. It feels the DS3 hit box is much larger. On a similar note, I played DS3 with the Slumbering Dragoncrest ring equipped most the time, allowing for Llap-goch style rushes. In DS2, you have to go out of your way with PvP to get it, so I find I'm generally aggroing more with a bow, then finishing with melee. Of course, I enjoy the more stealthy stalking style of play, so YMMV.
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Sep 30, 2021 05:45
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Horace Kinch posted:As a bow user I will immediately commit hara kiri for daring not to bumrush every enemy and engage with the core melee mechanics of R1R1R1R1R1R1 till dead. My shame is eternal. Chaning my steam password so I can never disgrace my games with the stink of resorting to ranged options sometimes. I did pyromancy and sorcery too, truly I am the lowest of scum. *attempts to shoot arrow into own belly - snaps string on fingers and arrow slowly flips over cliff edge.
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Sep 30, 2021 08:09
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I didn't think I'd ever use the bonfire ascetics when I started DS2, but here I am with 2 Warped Swords and a hosed up The Gutter from trying to get that loving Heide Lance. I JUST WANT TO COSPLAY MALDRON, IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!
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Oct 2, 2021 00:05
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Son of Thunderbeast posted:Did anyone else know there's a way to cheese the Executioner's Chariot? Apparently if you just hide in a nook and hit it with arrows or spells as it passes, once it's low enough it can't jump the gap and you can just walk up and knock it down similar to the Ceaseless Discharge Is that NOT how that fight is meant to go? Admittedly, I've only fought it once. It can also be poisoned, if you want some cheese on the side of your cheese order.
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Oct 2, 2021 08:44
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Chalupa Joe posted:The other way is shutting the gates, which makes the chariot crash and leaves the horses (the actual boss) to fight normally. Oh, well then. Is the horse that shows up in the castle one of the chariot horses? That seemed rather random at the time.
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Oct 2, 2021 10:00
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Nuns with Guns posted:-Ruin Sentinels That sounds like a pretty good line-up for a stoner doom festival. i wonder if any game has had unrelated bosses come back as a boss team. That could be interesting.
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Oct 10, 2021 07:06
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sean_bateman posted:Every one of my DS2 builds wears the Sanctum Knight Leggings. I did not know they did that. Well, time for some ugly pants.
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Oct 11, 2021 05:51
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I like that you can just avoid them by opening the door to nowhere below them and on subsequent visits just roll off the ledge above it and only have to kill one dude.
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Oct 12, 2021 23:27
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Phobophilia posted:gently caress you I’ll iframe through the wheel spikes and beat the horse to death with a hammer like God and Miyazaki intended. For a second, I was wondering why Hayao Miyazaki, director of My Neighbour Totoro, would care how I played DS2.
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Nov 18, 2021 10:13
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Oldstench posted:Why are most royalty in DS so tall? They play by Warhammer Orc rules - the older and more powerful you are, the bigger you grow.
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Dec 9, 2021 00:40
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Also the spinning power stance attack is cool, especially if you manage to hit with it in PvP.
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Jan 23, 2022 04:51
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Is Sinh the only dragon in all the Souls that can be bow'd to death that isn't glued to a wall?
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May 13, 2023 07:41
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FishMcCool posted:In my first playthrough, I thought "Armourer Dennis" was a player bullying me so hard I ended up quitting and relaunching offline to finally get across that bridge. And of course: Lol. I burnt an effigy in the Black Gulch my first time through because some rear end online called "The Forlorn" kept invading me. Couldn't figure why that didn't work for a bit...
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Jul 2, 2023 14:42
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Maldron cosplay.
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Feb 29, 2024 00:31
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Mustached Demon posted:I've noticed some sweet backstabbing animations. Bastard sword was cool. Mace was just like DS1. I liked the Warped Sword, especially it's power stance special attack. Fun to pull off in PvP.
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Apr 21, 2024 21:22
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Mustached Demon posted:Thank you, now I'm picturing it hauling hundreds of dancing skeletons. Laddersmith Gilligan feels like the most DS2 NPC. Don't exactly know what that means nor able to explain why, so don't ask.
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Apr 26, 2024 17:48
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FishMcCool posted:Nah, that would be Maldron. Maldron's the best NPC easily, but there's something half-arsed about Gilligan that's uniquely DS2.
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Apr 26, 2024 23:19
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