I think I'll roll a warrior on my first playthrough. I want to be able to sample all of the weapons I come across in order to find my favorites to be used for future builds, so I want to have the STR and DEX to do so.

My Dark Souls dude was an mobile fortress so I think I will be a dex or mage in this one.

@tesla said:

Exactly this. I really don't like the idea of seeing a cool new weapon, and not being able to try it on. STR/DEX it is.

I'm still knee-deep in my first Dark Souls playthrough as a pyro using mostly combustions, lightning spear, light armor and focusing on dex. (I know the dex doesn't help with lightning weapons, I'm just trying to bring my stats up enough so that I can wean myself off it onto another weapon and hitting the max speed for pyro casts.) I also ended up booking a week's leave for a concert, and that happens to fall exactly the week after DS2 release, so I got really lucky! I suspect I'll play a similar style in DS2, probably maxing either dex or endurance first. Although based on things I've read, endurance might not be as good as it was; I'll play it by ear.

I was thinking of doing an INT/DEX hybrid build... But now, I'm thinking I'm going to go with a quality build so I can use more weapons.

My first run is going quality Just so I can play around with the spell types, weapons, shields, and dual welding combos I just have to test as much of what is there as I can just so I know what lies ahead for me on a more focused character.

Really interested to see how the duel wielding works and even more interested to see the differences between like duel wielding daggers, to swords, to heavy axes, to like polearms even. I would love for the polearms to literally make me a whirlwand of death.

A thief type character is my usual go-to in these kinda games (agile, dex based,) but as a lot of people mentioned, my first -Souls character in a new game tends to wind up a Jack-of-all-Trades by the end. I want to try every weapon and spell I find. I may start with whatever gives me light or medium armor and a bow, and maybe transition into pyro if that seems like it would be cool.

Strength build. Fat-rolling all day!

No idea. I'm just gonna whack stuff until it falls down.

Bandit. Quality build to be able to equip as many different weapons as possible. No magic. Bring it on!

80% Dext and 20% magic/faith/pyro ( whatever suits best for the early game mainly for healing). I love speed, movement, parying and dodging.

I built a sorcery-focused character in my last playthrough of Dark Souls, when I set out to get all the achievements. So part of me is really interested in trying that again and exploring their new spells and such; but another part wants to get back to the meat-and-potatoes of just bashing dudes upside the head. Either way, the stats have been fiddled sufficiently that it's going to be interesting to play around with build ideas and see how that goes. I'm currently intending to just blindly muddle my way through first time so I can work out more refined styles from there in the future. I'll probably throw a fair amount into anything that gives me extra stamina or equip load though, so there's that.

Dumping all of my points into Intelligence and Charisma and going for an all speech play through. Focusing on all the diplomacy, knowledge, and rope use skill buffs and hell maybe throw in a fly spell for good measure. The monsters seem like reasonable folk, I'm sure we can work out something to avoid unnecessary violence. That and I'll ride a horse. Oh wait... none of that is in this game at all is it? Probably just...magic I guess.

If there's a spear to be found somewhere early on il go full "300" on those baddies! ( probably dex/str for spear/shield then )

I went for a Thief/Priest in DS1. I think I'll go all in on a mage build for DS2.

I'm going to try full Int mage. I've never done it before in a Souls game (always had some sort of physical skill with magic to back it up) so I'm curious how well it'll work. The changes they've made to spellcasting have me interested.

I guess I'm going explorer since it has the OP stat and sweet digs.

Dual Ultra Greatswords, high str/adaptability and low weight percentage.
Evade like a ninja, hit like a truck.