Does anyone know the soft caps for stats such as STR, DEX, INT, FTH which affect how much damage you do? I heard it was something like 65 but will I still get bonus damage after that? I can understand taking END, VIG, or VIT to 99 and still get some benefit. Would love to see some video or proof that after a certain level you don't get any more benefit.

I am SL 252 atm and might stop at 300. I have tried a few builds with 99 of each and so far am not that impressed with the amount of damage I am dealing. I played 99 percent of the game as a melee greatsword/shield but have been enjoying being a caster lately.

I think for STR and DEX starts at 40 or 50. The return after those is pretty small. Like one point of damage per 2 or 3 levels. As for INT and Faith I think its 60.

I know Vgr gains 30 points HP per level until 20, then 20 HP per level till 50, then 5 HP per level after that. Int/faith start diminishing their defense bonuses at 30. Haven't looked at their damage stats though. Endurance is reduces to 1 stamina per level at 20. Str and dex really shouldn't go above 40 unless the weapon requires something higher to wield. I've had both mine at 40 since around level 80 and it only gains 1 point of damage per 2 levels after that.

Basically, unless something requires over 40 don't go over 40, except Vgr, because having 2505 HP is sick. I'm SL 251 and just put points into my lowest stat now. Gotta spread em around to see just how powerful a mundane bonus can get, since everything else has peaked.

The returns are inconsistent. The bonus points you receive between 70-80 are better than between 50-60. According to the guide, this applies to all STR/DEX/FTH/INT stats. I'd recommend you simply stop at wherever your spell/weapon requirements state.

@sterling: From 50 to like 80 on str and dex there is almost no bonus at all so no, 50 is not the soft cap. 40-50 isn't too hot either. I would say for Str Dex you don't want to go past 20-25 unless you are actually going to be a str/dex based character.

Vigor
Add 30 HP [0 - 20]
Add 20 HP [21 - 50]
Add 5 HP [> 50]

Endurance
Add 2 stamina [0 - 20]
Add 1 stamina [> 20]
Add 0.3 poise [1 - 30 ADP combination]
Add 0.2 poise [31 - 50 ADP combination]
Add 0.1 poise [51 - 99 ADP combination]

Vitality
Add 1.5 equip load [1 - 30]
Add 1.0 equip load [31 - 50]
Add 0.5 equip load [51 - 70]
Add 0.5 equip load (per 2) [71 - 98]
Add 0.5 equip load at 99

Attunement
Add attunement slot at: 10, 13, 16, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 75
Add spell casts at: 26, 32, 38, 43, 49, 58, 79, 94
Adds 0.25 agility per level. Extreme diminishing returns at 110 agility.

Strength
Increase scaling depends on weapon. Diminishing returns after 40.

Dexterity
Increase scaling depends on weapon. Diminishing returns after 40.

Adaptability
Adds 0.75 agility per level. Extreme diminishing returns at 110 agility.
Add 0.3 poise [1 - 30 END combination]
Add 0.2 poise [31 - 50 END combination]
Add 0.1 poise [51 - 99 END combination]

Intelligence
Increases magic damage scaling. Unknown cap?

Faith
Increases lightning damage scaling. Unknown cap?
--

I believe the cap for Intelligence and Faith may be 40 ultimately. But I don't know for sure.

I did some testing last night while messing around with a Hex build. Before I had 99 INT on my Sorc build and was doing 807 dmg on the Giant Lord with Soul Spear. Dropping down INT to 80 dropped my dmg to 759. Not a big difference but on some enemies that I would normally take down in 3 hits were now taking 4 hits. I don't do PVP so the damage difference doesn't appear to be that big difference but in a long run having that extra cast could add up? I'm so frugal that I don't use herbs or forget I have them most of the time.

Also I was at 75 ATN and dropping down to 60 my cast speed only dropped 2 points. The extra attunement slot would have been nice but I find myself only relying on 3-4 spells at most. I might just grind out to SL 300ish so my I can do a ultra greatsword build that can still roll and wear Havel's set.

@dudeglove: There is no reason to level any stat other than to compliment your playing style. I didn't level both health and resistance in Dark Souls at all. Not in a single point in either. I moved through that game just fine. Did the same on subsequent playthroughs. I am leveling Vigor to level 20 here though. I've changed my playstyle from being catious to being very aggressive. I prefer to take some damage and just gaming to deal more than I take. This playstyle requires a decent amount of health though, for obvious reasons. So yeah, for me: vigor.

If you are using a shield a lot, then maybe not so much. However, each point in Vigor increases health much more than any other stat investment. I'm not sure how much though. But I bet it is similar to agility from attunement and adaptability. So you probably get at least 3 times more health for each point you put in Vigor than any other health increasing stat. And there isn't reaaaaaally much point to level stats beyond a certain threshold.

For instance, leveling DEX beyond 40 seems pointless. You get 1 additional damage per point of investment. At that point investing in Vigor will probably give you more usefulness.

@dudeglove: The only Vigor points I have are the ones the Explorer started with, and I'm just wearing Drangleic (I think that's correct?) gloves and pants and haven't had much of a problem. Granted I do a Dual Caestus run plus a few spells so I rely entirely on dodging (or better yet, murdering things before they get close or have a chance to recover from the punch stunlock). I've gotten pretty far into the game and have been alright.

I've put some points into Str and Dex just for the Power Stance but have bumped them up to use a certain crossbow purely because it looks bitchin' (at 20 Str, and about 15 Dex, trying to get it to 18 or 20, can't remember, for another awesome bow). I've mostly dumped into Attunement and Faith, though. I think I'm at like, 43-44 Atn (trying for 50), and am at 55 Faith.

I only really bust out the Pyromancy and Lightning Spears when I get bored of repeatedly punching the same guys to death when clearing a zone. I tend to just punch during bosses, but when I'm summoned for Jolly Cooperation I'll bust out the heavy stuff.

I've gained enough health from the other stats that I can survive a few hits from a boss. At full health I could survive a blade/spike/thing hit from the Executioner's Chariot, but it would bring me pretty low.

The Ruin Sentinels did give me a bit of trouble, that fucking spin attack would always get me, but I eventually dodge-punched my way to victory. And are the flop attackers you're talking about the exploding mummies? Because fuck those guys.

@dudeglove: Yeah, I can usually get 'em with one punch but I gotta get right up on them and be fast. More than a few times they snuck up on me and hurt.