From Software The Dark Souls Discussion Thread

[Excidium II]

By "should do it" I mean he actually should have done it there because it's what he does. Like the effortless way to beat Seathe is just attacking the belly and moving back when he does crystal breath, then in again when it expires. (which is kinda funny since the front is usually the most threatening area of a boss)

he wot? Why didn't he do it for me then? Both my attempts he did it once at around 50% hp so I assumed it was a second phase thing.

idk maybe you were positioned just right that the AI didn't consider you to be behind him. DS1 bosses don't have phases except for O&S (and Gargoyles/Bed of Chaos I guess).

 

[Suicidal]

By "should do it" I mean he actually should have done it there because it's what he does. Like the effortless way to beat Seathe is just attacking the belly and moving back when he does crystal breath, then in again when it expires. (which is kinda funny since the front is usually the most threatening area of a boss)

he wot? Why didn't he do it for me then? Both my attempts he did it once at around 50% hp so I assumed it was a second phase thing.

idk maybe you were positioned just right that the AI didn't consider you to be behind him. DS1 bosses don't have phases except for O&S (and Gargoyles/Bed of Chaos I guess).

Well judging by how many monsters I killed by just shooting in them in the head while standing in front of them within vision range and they didn't seem to care I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. The AI in this game is about as smart as all the Call of Duty players who think DS is the hardest game ever made.

 

[Mozg]

I'd also cast my vote for DS1 curved sword 2H R1 spam being the best attacks in any Souls game.

 

[HeatEXTEND]

You want to stop being frustrated by long walks back? Stop dying. Pay attention to your surroundings and quit falling for stupid traps. Memorize enemy layouts and attack patterns.

That's the point, after that it just becomes a boring chore. I would have attempted S&O an Nth time before using Solaire; but the walk (no fighting needed) got to me waaaay before the actual fight did.

 

[cvv]

With truly challenging bosses like S&O the trekking can get a bit crazy. But there are only a handful of those in DS1. And come to think of it, S&O is prolly the only challenging boss fight a with challenging trek. The other ones - Capra, Gwyn, Artorias, Manus and Kalameet - you can reach by just running through without any problems.

 

[Hyperion]

Out of curiosity, did you use summons for all of the paired bosses in the other games too? Personally I thought O&S were probably the easiest of the bunch. Neither were particularly aggressive while the other was still alive. Plus, you were far enough in the game that you had tons of magic and gear options at your disposal. Throne Watcher and Defender were similarly easy, but they have fatal pitfalls in their boss room so your maneuverability is hamstrung, which can makes things a bit tricky.

My first time through DS2, I didn't see the first Ruin Sentinel on the platform when you enter, so I jumped down immediately. I had to fight all 3 at the same time. Beat it first attempt, but I think I used all Estus, 20 Life Gems, and a Repair Powder or two. Took about 45 minutes. Definitely one of the most intense moments in the entire series. Only thing worse was being severely underleveled (70? Maybe 75?) in Old Iron King against Fume Knight my first time through. I distinctly remember putting my controller down at one point and resting my forehead on my computer desk for 5 minutes pondering my situation in life. Pretty sure when I die at 62, I'm going to look back on that experience as the reason I didn't make it to 70.

 

[Excidium II]

Summoning Solaire makes O&S harder in my experience. He ends up dying leaving me with an HP bloated phase 2.

 

[cvv]

My first time through DS2, I didn't see the first Ruin Sentinel on the platform when you enter, so I jumped down immediately. I had to fight all 3 at the same time. Beat it first attempt, but I think I used all Estus, 20 Life Gems, and a Repair Powder or two. Took about 45 minutes.

Jesus fucking Christ. Still salute. For me Ruin Sentinels are easily the most difficult early boss in the series, hands down. Took about 10 attempts.

in Old Iron King against Fume Knight my first time through. I distinctly remember putting my controller down at one point and resting my forehead on my computer desk for 5 minutes pondering my situation in life. Pretty sure when I die at 62, I'm going to look back on that experience as the reason I didn't make it to 70.

Weird enough I beat Fume Knight on about 7th attempt which is not that bad. Seeing all the vids before I expected imma fight him for two weeks straight, being the average chum that I am. But he's predictable enough. Compared to some others bosses in the series that took dozens of attempts - Manus, Ivory King, Two Princes, SoC come to mind - he was allright.

 

[Keppo]

Dark Souls 2 and 3 are playable on Mouse/Keyboard? I played only Dark Souls 1 on controller but i dont have controler right now... So they did better job with M/K in D2/D3 than in D1 or not?

 

[Excidium II]

I think it's a bit better in that regard, I know people who played with KBM.

 

[cvv]

I've never ever held a controller in my hands and I've enjoyed all Souls games. But you have to make an effort, read up, download some mods.

 

[MercenarySnake]

I've played Dark Souls 1 and 2 with a mouse and a keyboard only. Much more enjoyable to play through Dark Souls 1 now with that updated mouse mod that makes the mouse feel much better.

 

[Keppo]

I've never ever held a controller in my hands and I've enjoyed all Souls games. But you have to make an effort, read up, download some mods.

what mods do you recommend? I found this: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=253974674 for M/K

 

[Sigourn]

That's not a 'problem'. You must be a millenial and must have started playing videogames during the Xbox era. 8 and 16-bit (and arcade) games worked exactly like that - except there were no saves whatsoever. If you died during a boss in a tough platformer, you had to play through the entire level (and there were no shortcuts like in the Souls games, you couldn't run past enemies), which were often quite long. You simply couldn't beat the game if you didn't become proficient at it. Finishing the game wasn't a given for everyone.

Wow, incredible. Almost as if those games were meant to be coin-grabs.

 

[Sigourn]

Now you know where the 'git gud' meme comes from. You want to stop being frustrated by long walks back? Stop dying. Pay attention to your surroundings and quit falling for stupid traps. Memorize enemy layouts and attack patterns. Learn when it's safe to pop Estus, and when you should double down on blocking / rolling to make sure the boss doesn't get you with that last hit. You can rotate your camera 360 degrees. Why aren't you checking around corners, below your feet, above your head, and everywhere in between? It sounds like you're trying to play this like Devil May Cry, which is a surefire way to get absolutely wrecked.

Hardly the reasons I die in this game.

This, on the other hand:

attack patterns.

is the reason why I think this game's difficulty leaves a lot to be desired. Dark Souls is part caution, but caution only gets you so far. It is also significantly knowledge-based, and that knowledge comes through dying. It comes from "well, apparently I can't parry that opponent". It comes from "well, apparently I should dodge a little bit later". It doesn't help that a lot of attacks are extremely deadly, leaving little to no room for error. Which isn't a bad thing by itself. But having to go through the same areas again just to see if a certain tactic will work is absolute crap.

Getting close to the Hydra stops its projectiles... but what if it didn't? That's another death right there. What if getting into the water killed you? Maybe it's poisonous water. Hey, there's always hiding behind rocks to avoid the projectiles! Except, no: the projectiles go straight through the rock, without destroying it.

I don't need to keep explaining myself as I think all of the things I'm saying are obvious. It's just a matter of how much patience you have, and how gratifying do you find it. Another player, in my position, may feel excited at beating a boss. I only feel wasted hours.

 

[CryptRat]

You should play Rick Dangerous.

 

[Great Deceiver]

That's not a 'problem'. You must be a millenial and must have started playing videogames during the Xbox era. 8 and 16-bit (and arcade) games worked exactly like that - except there were no saves whatsoever. If you died during a boss in a tough platformer, you had to play through the entire level (and there were no shortcuts like in the Souls games, you couldn't run past enemies), which were often quite long. You simply couldn't beat the game if you didn't become proficient at it. Finishing the game wasn't a given for everyone.

Wow, incredible. Almost as if those games were meant to be coin-grabs.

Aside from arcade games (most of which are entirely 1 credit clearable if you're good enough), when I mentioned 8 and 16-bits I was talking specifically about console games, many of which were designed for home play.

Your one-liner response does you a disservice and confirms that you are a whiny little bitch. Keep enjoying modern games such as the riveting Ubisoft open world experiences, you're clearly their target audience.

 

[Sigourn]

Your one-liner response does you a disservice and confirms that you are a whiny little bitch. Keep enjoying modern games such as the riveting Ubisoft open world experiences, you're clearly their target audience.

Oh, yes. I'll return to Assassin Creed right away.

Spoiler

Spoiler

But I suppose these games don't fit your argument, so you will reply with "oh look you are so hardcore", proving there's no way to satisfy you because you are butthurt.

I'll be the first to admit that maybe my heart pounds too fast in Dark Souls for my own enjoyment, though difficulty is still far from being the issue here. It is, and it has always been, a matter of patience. So feel free to rate this post Shit, Butthurt or Retadred, if it makes your anus feel better.

Spoiler

"LOL HE PLAYS THE ENHANCED EDITION"

 

[Hyperion]

Minecraft is the most offensive of the bunch by a very large amount. Fucking neckbeards, man.

Just find it hilarious you spent hours praising this game for not being a typical JRPG, then you play it and...whoops, it's too hard because you're impatient and expect the game to beat itself. Damn shame you didn't stream yourself in the Tomb of Giants. Could have at least given us a hearty laugh.

Edit: Sticking to the Hydra example, if it's firing projectiles at you (i.e. a long range attack), and giving you trouble, doesn't common sense dictate you should close the gap so it stops firing long range projectiles at you? It applies to every monster with a ranged attack from knife throwing thieves, painting guardians, bow-wielding Silver Knights, Anor Londo Gargoyles, etc. etc. It's not that difficult of a concept to grasp.

Oh and if you actually paid attention to the Hydra's projectiles, it doesn't go through the rock, the splash does. It's also 100% physical damage. Get a fucking shield if you can't time your rolls. The problem with the Hydra isn't in getting close with its big projectiles. It's that once you get in close, it's one of the more boring fights in the long run. It's one of the few fights that could fit nicely in a God of War entry.

 

[cvv]

Damn shame you didn't stream yourself in the Tomb of Giants. Could have at least given us a hearty laugh.

Tomb of Giants is not difficult, only it's dark...and you don't see shit....and them dogs attack too fast.

O&S are not difficult either, only there are two of them...and then one of them gets big...

It's the wrong type of difficulty. And stuff.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Summoning Solaire makes O&S harder in my experience. He ends up dying leaving me with an HP bloated phase 2.

Summoning Solaire makes phase 2 more difficult, but he also makes it easier to reach phase 2. From other players' experiences, it seems that many have difficulty surviving solo against the combination of Ornstein & Smough.

I wouldn't know, since in my first playthrough of Dark Souls, I summoned Solaire. Although he lost about half his health fighting the giants outside the fog gate, I proceeded into the boss battle, and the two of us double-teamed Ornstein and killed him in short order. Solaire didn't have much health left and was quickly dispatched by a turbo-charged Smough, but I was able to slowly whittle away Smough's health using a bow and large quantity of arrows that I serendipitously possessed and had equipped in my off hand.

 

[Hyperion]

Weird enough I beat Fume Knight on about 7th attempt which is not that bad. Seeing all the vids before I expected imma fight him for two weeks straight, being the average chum that I am. But he's predictable enough. Compared to some others bosses in the series that took dozens of attempts - Manus, Ivory King, Two Princes, SoC come to mind - he was allright.

When he gets low, and follows up his 3 hit combo with a twitch and then a 270 degree swing behind him...yeah, I fell for that more than twice. And that fucking slow sweep where he enchants his blade with the dark flame and then squeaks like a rusty train. It should have been the easiest attack on the planet to dodge with how telegraphed it is...nope, threw myself at the sword and chopped myself in half multiple times. You can bet your ass I had no trouble making sure the balls don't touch, though.

Twin Princes gets lots of mentions around DS3. Not gonna lie, I didn't even make it to them. I got so bored of the game I quit outside the Grand Archives 3 times. Maybe when I decide to finish off the series with a final playthrough for The Ringed City I'll manage to make it all the way through.

It's the wrong type of difficulty. And stuff.

Arrows the size of a fully grown python flying directly at your face from 3 country miles away in pitch black? That isn't hard, that's just...trial and error, since it's 100% guaranteed to kill you and stuff.

 

[MediantSamuel]

Weird enough I beat Fume Knight on about 7th attempt which is not that bad. Seeing all the vids before I expected imma fight him for two weeks straight, being the average chum that I am. But he's predictable enough. Compared to some others bosses in the series that took dozens of attempts - Manus, Ivory King, Two Princes, SoC come to mind - he was allright.

7th attempt on Fume?

I've tried nearly 20 attempts and still not beat him, yet I beat Two Princes on my third attempt. Funny how difficulty differs between players.

 

[Cowboy Moment]

Wow, incredible. Almost as if those games were meant to be coin-grabs.

Man, Sir-Tech must've gotten obscenely rich off of all the coins grabbed by Wizardry 4 and its save system.

 

[Elwro]

Fume took me at least 20 tries. Those slow attacks were infuriating because I tried to dodge them too early...