I started a new character yesterday, and to my surprise, as soon as I reached the Undead Burg area next to the bonfire, I got invaded. Now this wasn't your regular low-level invasion. This guy had a lightning sword equipped and dispatched me quickly with a couple hits. He leaves and I use a humanity then summon my son to help me. The guy comes back and tears us both up quickly. I asked him if he had completed the game at a low level just so that he could come back and grief low level people, and he said "yeah pretty much". This happened a few other times, and each time it was a person who had late game equipment. I finally made it past the dragon at the bridge and started the Gargoyle mission, got invaded again by a guy throwing lightning bolts at me. Then, I got summoned to help a guy and we got invaded by a guy with full Smough gear and a Chaos Fury Sword. I backstabbed him because he moved so slow, but it barely hurt him lol, then I ended up rolling off of a cliff trying to dodge his attack. Anybody else faced this?

@AndyD74: Not really, since I'm rarely in human form. But I can see how that would be annoying as hell. If it's that simple, I don't know why they have the level-based "matchmaking" thing active at all.

@AndyD74: Yeah, it happens. I hate to say it, but the best thing is just don't walk around in human form. I think it's stupid because when you need help with a boss and you can summon a helpful player, it works so well and is very satisfying. Sadly, there are a lot of idiots online who live to grief.

The person who invaded you might be someone who used a low level character to beat the game(multiple times even), got the weapon he wanted, and then started doing PvP to kill ill-equipped new players.

I know there are quite a few people who beat the game multiple times with extremely low-level characters in the region where I live.

These low level characters tend to prefer elemental/magic weapons because these weapons are not stats-dependant. Lightning weapons are especially popular because new players usually lack lightning resistance.

Shul, yeah, that's what I was saying in my OP. These guys have played late game levels and have aquired late game equipment. I'm thinking about keeping my character level low and doing the same thing, only as a phantom helper to help those who get grieved.

yep, that pretty much ruins the online experience. i hate invaders, might sign up to hunt them

just stay in dead form. I never get invaded....wee.

Yup, Dark Souls is pretty much a Twink greifer's wet dream.

I made a new character a while ago and was invaded on the dragon bridge. The guy had positioned himself so that he would block the entry to the stairs and started using Miracle:Force once I came near so that I would be roasted by the dragon. I made it to safety and he couldn't reach me where I hid, so he eventually came after me and I ran down the stairs. I was hoping to be able to kick down the ladder before I died because I really didn't want to do the level over again just 'cause of this asshole. The doorway was blocked with mist though so there was not much else to do than turn around and face him.

He had a Lightning Thief's Dagger (and I think that grain ring) so when it didn't shock me it built up the bleed meter, I managed to hit him once or twice with little effect. I didn't last long.

Yeah I had some dude invade in the same spot and he had a lightning axe. I didn't stand a chance.

If you were playing the game for the first time I would recommend doing it in hollow form but if you're just looking to build a new character, then summon two phantoms at the beginning of the level. Some phantoms are just as powerful as the invaders. Trick is finding them (hint, don't summon the guy with the Drake sword). I have a level 21 character I use just for the purpose of taking on the griefers. Most griefing invaders are rather easy as they just have op equipment with no PvP skill whatsoever. Most of my losses are when the summoner takes it upon himself to run past me and fight the invader. 1-hit and dead. Dark Souls is a pretty easy game with two phantoms at your side.

This is my 4th or 5th character. My son and I started new characters since we figured out how to summon each other, and are trying to help each other through the whole game. @Rockman, with another character I have, I'm in the Blade of the Darkmoon covenant. If I'm in human form and I have the blue invasion stone equipped, it will go "dull" when I'm about to be invaded, so I use that to give me a head's up. One time, I got invaded on the dragon bridge and was defeated by a Darkwraith. So, after that, I went over to the stair case that leads down to the Undead Burg bonfire, and the dragon came back. I sat on the staircase watching my blue invasion stone to see when I was going to be invaded, and sure enough it went dull. When the invader appeared, I stepped out onto the bridge so the dragon would breath its fire, and I ran down the stairs. The invader got a nice face full of flames. :) Sorry about the wall of text, I can't separate paragraphs with this browser for some reason.

This is my 4th or 5th character. My son and I started new characters since we figured out how to summon each other, and are trying to help each other through the whole game. @Rockman, with another character I have, I'm in the Blade of the Darkmoon covenant. If I'm in human form and I have the blue invasion stone equipped, it will go "dull" when I'm about to be invaded, so I use that to give me a head's up. One time, I got invaded on the dragon bridge and was defeated by a Darkwraith. So, after that, I went over to the stair case that leads down to the Undead Burg bonfire, and the dragon came back. I sat on the staircase watching my blue invasion stone to see when I was going to be invaded, and sure enough it went dull. When the invader appeared, I stepped out onto the bridge so the dragon would breath its fire, and I ran down the stairs. The invader got a nice face full of flames. :) Sorry about the wall of text, I can't separate paragraphs with this browser for some reason.

This has been going on for a while now (i.e. people invading at low level with full on Havel armor and lightning weapons). So whenever I start new characters, I tend to not play in human form unless I'm invading or want to be summoned.

so how are people invading low level people with great armor and weapons exactly? I thought the invading worked like it makes you invade people near the same level as you. Thus, if you are invading low level players how are you able to use weapons that require higher level stats?

I know everytime I've ever invaded someone the person and I were fairly equally matched.

so how are people invading low level people with great armor and weapons exactly? I thought the invading worked like it makes you invade people near the same level as you. Thus, if you are invading low level players how are you able to use weapons that require higher level stats?

I know everytime I've ever invaded someone the person and I were fairly equally matched.

I'm level 18 and have a +9 claymore at the moment with +13 pyromancy. I can get to Anor Londo and make my claymore lightning, then invade players at my level and they would die quickly, but I don't plan on doing that. My plan is to help low level players who may get invaded by these guys. Also, I've already got Havel's ring, and that will help me wear heavier armor and still be able to move just fine. Right now I have the elite armor at +3.

Happened to me the second time I made a new character. I was just about to fight the gargoyle and got invaded by a guy in full gold-hemmed, elemental weapons, etc. He dropped an item for me. I wasn't sure what it was, but it turns out it was an indictment. The bastard was just farming for indictments. I didn't know people did this at the time but it apparently happens a lot.

So he kills me, of course. Right when I pick up the item. With one combustion. Of course I don't use my indictment. So I got back to the gargoyle, layed down my summon sign and got summoned to a person who was invaded by the same guy. He was just standing at the top of the stairs next to the fog gate with the invader at the bottom. I was a bit confused why he just didn't go through the gate and dispatch of the invader, so I gestured to it. He went through, the invader got doomed and then he showed me he had no estus. Then we proceeded to whip the gargoyle's asses because sorcery is OP in PvE. =]. So I guess that's a case of me griefing the low-level griefer.

@AndyD74 Sorry to hear that man. As others have suggested just get the hell out of the Undead Burg. You and your son can meet up after ringing the bell in the depths, where invasions are few and far between. Some other areas you'll have trouble with griefers/PVPers : The Sacred Forest and Anor Londo. Use phantoms to your advantage, good phantoms will know to protect the VIP at any cost. Finally it's possible to deny an invasion, should you want. Whenever you see your white soapstone/ any invasion stone fade out, pause the game and choose "quit" from the options. This option never works in Anor Londo however as there is a constant queue of invaders. Worst comes to worst and they're in your world you can eject the disc from your console. I've done it dozens of times, mainly on my first playthrough when I had made an idiot move and was inches from death. I've only ever done it to invaders that use the lag backstab as a tool then a lucky hit. Those motherfuckers are the scum of the earth. Hope these tips help!

@Chippy180, I actually like the pvp action, even if I get my butt whooped by a better equipped dude. What I don't like about the pvp action though is the constant backstabbing. Something needs to be done about that. I can't stand having my shield to a guy, and he teleports behind me and stabs me in the back, or while rolling away I stop mid-roll and get stabbed in the back.

Risk and reward, man. Risk and reward.

If you want to summon your son, then there is the consequence that you could be invaded.

@Chippy180, I actually like the pvp action, even if I get my butt whooped by a better equipped dude. What I don't like about the pvp action though is the constant backstabbing. Something needs to be done about that. I can't stand having my shield to a guy, and he teleports behind me and stabs me in the back, or while rolling away I stop mid-roll and get stabbed in the back.

@jakob187 said:

Risk and reward, man. Risk and reward.

If you want to summon your son, then there is the consequence that you could be invaded.

Oh, I know that. I just wasn't expecting to be invaded by guys with late-game equipment. It's fine, I'm getting revenge now as I help people who summon me. I have some pretty decent gear for my level 18 character, a +10 claymore, +15 pyromancy, +4 elite knight gear, and 30 humanities in my upper left corner. A guy invaded someone I was helping today, and he tried to firestorm us, but I hit him with one fireball and one claymore swing and he was done.

Oh wow I've had this happen to me a bunch. I just figured the "matchmaking" was terrible and pitted high levels against low levels.

But to find out it's actually twinking is kinda a relief in this odd way. Like I'm happy to hear it's player stupidity instead of developer stupidity.

speacking of griefers, some douche bag invaded me while i was fighting the Anor Londo gargoyle

I stayed in undead form until I was about level 40ish so I didn't really have that issue. From that point on I was winning about half of my encounters.

It was the same in Demon's Souls people could beat the game without leveling and grief the same.

I just got invaded in in Anor Londo by someone who was clearly in NG+ (he was in full Lord Gwyn attire). He killed me in three hits. I hit him about three times, too. My hits did about 30-40 damage a pop. His did over 300. Q_Q

Well, it is a legit way to play. It is just annoying for someone going through the game for the first time (me!).

@Godak said:

Well, it is a legit way to play. It is just annoying for someone going through the game for the first time (me!).

Well, I just learned last night that there's a glitch where players can create a new character and have equipment transferred to them from one of their other characters. FROM, please fix this ASAP and somehow penalize anyone who has done this!