I am becoming what I hate.

I'm in NG+ on my second character with a much better build and a more proactive approach to the online aspects. I've been summoned on the Lost Sinner over a dozen times and I'd say I've got a 95% success rate. Red Eye Ring does wonders for tanking.

Now, here's the problem. The problem is that I decided to join the Blue Sentinels. I enjoy it. I enjoy being summoned to defend some poor bastard from ganking invaders. That's fun. You know what else is fun? Invading the guilty and exacting sweet sassy justice.

I amassed quite the collection of cracked blue eye orbs in my first playthrough. I stuffed about 30 of them into my item box and never thought of it again. Then I amassed another collection in NG+, and now I have about 50 cracked blue eye orbs. I decided to invade some guilty sinners, and I've been utterly destroying most of the sinners I come across. I find the PVP in this scenario to be addictive. I want to stop. I want to progress, but I keep finding myself earning more tokens for more duels, for more victories which give me more cracked blue eye orbs. I don't even want to get summoned to help apostles anymore. I find that annoying. I want to invade the guilty. To make the sinners repent. I want to hear their lamentations as I pierce their fucking hearts with my halberd of Karma.

My point is, I've become that ganking asshole invader I hated so much in Dark Souls 1. The worst part? I kind of understand them now. This sense of power, this idea that I can immediately ruin someone else's day. The "oh shit" pause after the sinner runs a gauntlet of Old Knights in a desperate attempt to reach the Dragonrider, only to find this lovely hunk of blue rock waiting for them by the fog door. All of it is so intoxicating.

I need help, guys. I really don't want to be that asshole, but it's so much fun.

Embrace the hate...

Visions of justice..

Whatever, it's justice.

Rat Covenant members are the real assholes in DS2.

@cloudymusic: Try to enter our Den, expect a Soul Spear to the face.

If there's one thing they've done right is that the multiplayer works really well this time around. I like how the cracked blue/red eye orbs are limited now since it prevents people from spamming invasions. The main problem I had with the previous one was that there was no penalty for invading so now that it does it makes each and everyone more important.

@oldirtybearon: Incidentally what is your build and what are you rockin' to be dispensing wanton justice with such judicious ease.

I'm doing the same thing. This is for all those fucking twinkers that would show up in maxed out Giant's Armor in Blightown and throw dung pies at me. Fuck these people. They're sub-human.

It is interesting to see how dominant I seem to be when invading. Or how often they just try to find a corner to cower in and hope the invasion timer ticks down before I find them. But I always find them and exact retribution.

EDIT: Since I've made this post I've done nothing but get my ass handed to me when invading the guilty. Karma?

Embrace it, brother! Punish the guilty for their wicked actions! Invade away!

Being a blue phantom feels righteous and just, being a red phantom feels dickish and mean. It's only colors, really, but it makes all the difference.

I think I've only lost to one invader and I'm just wandering around in knight armor with a mace. mostly because I like the way it looks and the mace animations. smashing down with a mace "backstab" so much fun. the right rings really help too, yeah. been invaded 8-9 times. getting the ring helped with that too.

If you're a blue invader then I don't see why you think yourself an asshole. You're just invading people who invade others you're just trolling the trolls. Nothing more satisfying than that.

I've always loved the PvP, i invade all the time. I'm generally nice about it, like if they're fighting something ill let them finish fighting it and heal up as i creepily watch from a distance.

Im currently in the bell protectors covenant on my new dex character, rapid constant invasions its a blast.

I can understand that.

I don't think I get very mad or frustrated when I get randomly invaded. I don't believe I have any sins so its just random I guess. But those random invasions haven't happened very often, and when they have, it hasn't been at some critical moment where I lose a bunch of progress by dying.

Now... those filthy piece of shit Ratbros and Bellboys on the other hand. Scum of the Earth. Seriously though, I was super frustrated with them on my initial play through but now in NG+ I've just avoided those areas. Except for Luna to get the key but this time instead of trying to summon people to help and wasting piles of Effigies in the process, I just manned up and went in there and killed them.

"It's not evil when you're doing it to bad people."

Could you just not wear the ring that allows to be summoned to an invaded ally and use the cracked blue eye orbs?

i was a bell-end for a while, because titanite chunks are useful yo, but the fun had has got me back into pvp.

in demon's i had a high dex character, which gave you reduced fall damage, so i got a big kick out of luring str dudes over edges and watching them splat, in dark i never really bothered with pvp, but now i'm looking into a dedicated loadout, haven't decided which covenant to run with yet, need to find them all first, ancients atm, but first i gotta kill vendrick and upgrade some stuff, might need some more of them chunks, so bell-tower trespassers beware, that is the property of the queen or the princess or the whatever the little guy said.

That sense of overpowering someone is at the heart of the problem with the Internet. Starting when we're powerless children, the chance to exercise any small thread of control over another individual is never overlooked, and seldom passed by.

But at least you're being that jerk that's inside all of us toward people who enthusiastically grasp those opportunities to be jerks.

EDIT: @takayamasama "I can't beat you on my own, so here, fight all of the regular enemies plus avoid all of the traps that I set up, and then if those don't beat you at least you'll be worn down so I can finish you off, maybe." I mean, I joined the Bell covenant, but at least I did it for the Titanite! I even throw down an "I'm Sorry!" disc every time to let them know how awful I realize I am!

You hate people that have fun?

I don't know if Dark Souls 2 has a sword like it, but that spear that killed durability just seemed like a huge dick item. As long as you don't harass other people with that (regardless if the game offers one), it's just another form of fun. Each and every player plays online knowing that they might get ganked around the corner.

I did the Bell Tower covenant for awhile, but I felt like a dick murdering new-comers for sweet, sweet titanite chunks.

@kindgineer:

Ah the Scraping spear...the most dickish of weapons in all of Demon's Souls and no, they haven't ever reintroduced that weapon...however there is a spell that hardly ever got used in PvP that replicates it, Acid Surge. The spell is your standard 'mist' type spell so that means it's only useful in tight spaces but with the new durability system it will probably be a lot more effective than it was in Dark Souls apart from on certain weapons (the Dragon's Tooth has infinite durability).

40 VIG, 40 END, 40 VIT, 50 STR, 18 DEX, 26 ADP, 10 FTH, 10 INT. This is a NG+ playthrough btw.

I've gone Full Havel. +5 to the armor, +5 to the Greatshield, and I alternate between the Mastodon Halberd (it's got great reach and does amazing damage on its own with 50 STR; but it's even better with the appropriate resins) and the Black Knight Great Axe. I just upgraded my Black Knight Great Axe to +5 as well. Took a few levels to get my stats in tune to wield it properly (it requires 10 in FTH and INT), and it is fucking wrecking people. Slap some Resin on it and I'm killing the sinners in two to three hits. The Stone Ring is a keeper, as is the Ring of Blades.

The absolute best part about invading the sinners are the reactions of the spell casters/pyromancers. There they are in their dingy robes and here comes this slab of granite that is a lot faster than they think he should be. It's priceless to watch them try to outrun me and most of the time I just lock on and use my +5 Dragonrider Bow with poison arrows. PVP this time around is utterly delicious.

This was a great read. It's exactly what one fantasizes about they could do in games like or DayZ for instance. Be the lone ranger vigilante dispensing justice at the end of a sword or gun.

plot twist: THE COVENANT WAS LYING TO YOU. YOU'RE NOT KILLING SINNERS BUT THE INNOCENT. Targray will reveal to you once you killed enough, "Oh the humanity, YOU'VE become the devil now..."

FEEL THE POWER

Chosen soldier, do not falter! The guilty pay the price, it's how things should be.

I love Dark Souls.

Guys. GUYS. You'll never believe what I found. You'll fucking love it. SPOILERS below

I found a ring that makes me look like a White Phantom. I can put it on whenever. I can hide from invaders or I can invade and try to trick someone who got separated from their ally that I'm their friendly White Phantom. It. Is. Awesome. I'll tell you where I found it if you want it spoiled.

I believe you can buy infinite chunks from Chloanne after you beat the game, before you start NG+

You have a random chance of getting it when you trade in a Petrified Something or a Smooth and Silky Stone (the big ones, not the small ones.) There's also a ring that makes you always look human even when hollowed, so fashion souls is an official go.

@turambar: You mean Fashion's Souls

Probably my most favorite thread title to date.

Or is most applicable? I'm so confused.

But hey, nothing like being the bad guy's worst nightmare. You can ramble on about your sword being the most powerful made, and in all the excitement you forgot if you sliced 5 or 6 times.

Hell, I want your job!... Maybe step on Potato Marshalls slashed kneecap before you kick him over the chasm. I understand that you cannot just Vinny ragdoll them like before(I haven't played DS2 yet)

I did this a while in the first Dark Souls. Then I realized that I was also invading those who have only killed NPCs, and felt real bad about it. I LOOKED INTO THE MIRROR AND SAW A MONSTER! giant but hole ahead

Did they change it in Dark Souls 2 so that you don't accumulate sin for killing innocent NPCs?

All my hate...do you know how many characters I've made and remade trying to get that ring with a petrified something? Too many is the damn answer...and now all my ire is directed at you good sir. All I keep getting is ruddy Demon's Greatclubs and Channeler's tridents or titanite slabs...

All hail my imperturbable sovereign. Rodent King of all those that dwell beneath the earth.

I too have gotten to be a little more 'proactive' with my PVP'ing, and was also once someone who disliked the idea of invading people to fuck up what can already be a rather stressful game. However, that's what's so great about the Blue Sentinels, much like the Blades of the Darkmoon in the first game. They allow you to invade and engage in PVP without feeling like an asshole! After all, we're only invading the actual assholes whom have been disrupting other unlucky players.

Though as already mentioned, the belfry & rat covenants are now the true assholes. Rat isn't too bad since there's no penalty should you die, but belfry is just a fucking nuisance to contend with, especially with how it's often basically 2v1. I even spent some time in there as my first covenant, but I admittedly felt kind of bad for constantly messing up someone's attempts to simply try and reach the gargoyles.

@cloudymusic: I actually like being summoned by the rat covenant people. The fact that there are area with traps and enemies specifically to screw people over makes all the stuff I normally consider dickish seem OK. Anywhere else it happens, I'm a bit irritated, but not surprised.

If they didn't invade, you wouldn't be invading them. Fuck invaders.

Do you have much trouble with Hex users? When I experimented with Hexes, I found that Great Resonant Soul could knock out the meatier, bigger foes in just a couple of hits. And you can throw down a lifedrain patch or a darkstorm to keep your distance. There were very few people in Belfry Sol who could stop me. I did see quite a few people using that Halberd, though. Seems like a new favourite.

@turambar: sure, i think i'm gonna use an ascetic in the eyrie anyway, i'll probably get all i need from the geckos there, just saying though, being a bell brother was pretty fun, even when it didn't go my way, one particular fight was awesome, one guy outsmarted two of us and left us in the dirt, and not through his build either, just through smart play, and keeping his cool.

btw anyone know what the conditions are for joining the blue? the dude in the cathedral was just rude to me so i killed him in this game, but i'd consider joining in ng+.

@hh: You have to have the item you get from helping people in co-op in your inventory.

@drmechano: I actually got it with a normal-sized smooth & silky. I had like 25 saved up that I'd been meaning to cash in... and ended up getting it on maybe the 8-10th one. Man... it's crazy that they fixed the way you devour "souls of the undead" items, but you still have to manually offer every single item to a covenant, and have to offer each and every smooth & silky stone and wait for their annoying fucking dialogue to go away every time... it's horrible.

@hh: You need to get one of the tokens for successfully helping someone as a white phantom. You can also get one in Huntsman's Copse, I believe, on the bridge towards the Executioner's Chariot you can drop down and get one there. Have one in your inventory when you talk to him.

@shiro2809: @sterling: got it, thanks

You need a token of fidelity for blue bros, a token of spite for red bros.

@oldirtybearon: That's a beast of a build. I gotta say, there is something intimidating about people in Havels armor. I saw a red sign yesterday in the castle, dood fully done up in Havels with the halberd, I was like uhh NOPE.

@sunbrozak said:

I've come across a couple of hexers in my travels, but very few of them used high level hexing spells like you described. Of the ones that did, I just blocked with my greatshield for reduced damage. Havel's Greatshield cannot be under sold. Take a gander at its resistances to see what I mean. The lowest resistance it has is 80% (I believe on hexes). In the cases where I turtled behind my shield the hexes did a modest chunk of damage, but I have over 2000 HP. Point is that yeah, those spells probably would have killed lesser mortals.

It also can't be oversold how important fat rolling can be in some of those situations. I could drop my bow and get under 70%, but people would probably think I was hacking the game or something.

I kind of stumbled into it, honestly. Sure I went Full Havel in a couple of my Dark Souls 1 runs, but I was never married to it like I was the Elite Knight set. With the changes to stats this time around, especially now that rolling is on a gradient as opposed to hard cuts, I've adapted to it rather well. I dueled a dragon covenant guy last night, and he thought he was being flashy by trying to roll behind me and backstab. I actually managed to roll behind him and got him with the backstab. I love the directional rolls in this game. It was either right or left in DS1, but in DS2 you have full omnidirectional rolling. I've caught a number of people off guard with it. However there's a chink in the armor with my setup in particular. While the halberd is much quicker than your standard heavy weapons that Havels will run with, it's also got one direction to attack in; forward. Roll to the side and he can't follow you with his swing. Another way to get around the reach of it is to get in close. The halberd's maximum damage comes at a distance, closing that distance will greatly reduce its damage (like going from 612 DMG at optimal range to 249 DMG in close). Just be careful with the stunlocks. Roll out of those as fast as you can, and if you see a Havel going for a guard break, backstep. Don't roll, backstep. It'll put you just out of range and let you punish with... well, whatever your squishy heart desires.