How the hell do you beat the big Knights in the garden that put the curse on you that slows you down to almost nothing?

They are regular mobs. They are slow so just stay close and circle around them. If they use the slow effect, just keep your shield up, stay in close, and circle until it wears off. Also, fight only one at a time.

You have to make sure you pull them 1 at a time. If not, they are very difficult. Luckily there's only like two places (that I've found) with two of them near each other.

If you get close to them they'll either go for a sweeping slash or the slowdown. If they go for the slow down then back away quickly, then turn around with your shield up and walk backwards facing them. Rinse and repeat. And remember the rule of the Souls games, always fight in wide zones - avoid hallways like the devil.

Also, the slow curse is an area curse. If you can walk far away, it does not affect you. So you can stand back, get closer to see if the curse is still there or not. If the curse is still active, just walk back. They are not hard to kill. Good luck!

Yeah just circle around them until you get a chance to hit their back. Wait for them to attack then you should have a good shot at hitting them. I don't do much damage and I didn't have much problems killing them.

I've been getting in close, blocking a swing and then circling around, hitting them with two regular slashes and a heavy with the drake sword. It's a viable strategy, even with the area curse activated. If you're playing in a manner where you're shield will be ineffective, you can always back away and keep from attacking him until the curse lifts.

Don't try to attack while you're slowed unless you have the stamina. You'll have to shield block most of its attacks. A quick jab here and there is fine. Just play it defensively until it wears off. When you can move at normal speed it's easy. Circle strafe and whack him in the ass because he can't turn fast enough.

If you just want to fight the butterfly boss, just run past them to the left side. You'll only have to agro one to get in the door leading to the boss. They really aren't worth the trouble. If you do want to fight them, remember that your attacking animation isn't effected by burden. It'll move at normal speed.

Strafing is key here.
Be sure to switch to 2h mode for a few quick slashes when his back is turned and you're not slowed.
They're not hard once you get the hang of it, but the first time I fought one he murdered me hard.

When you see them start to cast the spell, you can get in 3-4 free hits. 2 hand it for maximum damage. With a Drake sword you can get most of its life that way.

@Shady said:

If you just want to fight the butterfly boss, just run past it to the left side. You'll only have to agro one to get in door leading to the boss.

Great so there's a boss after them, first time I encountered these guys I walked up to the one lying in the middle started the battle then had the second run up and skewer me in the back then on my way to the bloodstain had a walking tree knock me off a cliff.............wee 10k n souls down the drain.

The big guys by themselves aren't too bad, but those damn bush monsters fucking running up from out of nowhere are really pissing me off!

I have just been running by these guys, I'm a sorcerer and just past them on the other side of that area is stairs up to the boss for that area. I might come back and kill them for sport but I've just been running past them.

@Tumbler said:

I have just been running by these guys, I'm a sorcerer and just past them on the other side of that area is stairs up to the boss for that area. I might come back and kill them for sport but I've just been running past them.

I'm going to try running past them tomorrow. I've been trying to wipe everybody out just to "get them back" for al the pain and suffering they cause me ... I have yet to make my point clear to them.

They are pretty easy as long as you have a decent shield, after you block a swing while trying to circle behind them just lower you shield to get your stamina back up quickly in case you need to block their next one, eventually you will see the gaping holes in these slow bastards tactics and take them out without losing any HP. So far, every single hard melee enemy (excluding bosses) I have fought can be handled easily just by circling and counter attacking, the hard part is learning the (sometimes) small differences in their animations to see what their attack is going to be so you know when exactly to give them the business.

"Circle strafe and block" is really obvious advice, really? If you broke the first Pyromancer trainer free from the barrel on your way to Blighttown and you have taken out the boss of that area you'll be able to get the iron skin spell from him. Just cast it and go to town on those stone guards. Iron skin works really well against titanite demons as well.

@McDunkin said:

"Circle strafe and block" is really obvious advice

Haha, hey man, it works. "Get spell that makes you tougher" isn't much better, though.