@daiphyer: It's actually after the Ruin Sentinals (sorry I mistakenly called them Gaurdians earlier). Before you cross the bridge to Sinners Rise (it's actually two floors below the petrified dude in the cell, I made another mistake earlier!) you will find a illusory wall that you need to interact with (rather than strike with your weapon). It will lead you to a diagonal corridor that seems to be a dead end, but there is another illusory wall to interact with along the left side of the hallway. There's a good ring to the left under the bridge. But the item you're looking for will be along that ledge I mentioned earlier. Whew

So that giant frog skull thing is the most disturbing enemy I've ever encountered in a Souls game. That thing is fucking scary as shit.

I'm going to disagree with you just on the principle of being arachnophobic. Fuck giant spiders, especially giant two headed spiers. Especially giant two headed spiders that spawn little spiders.

But yeah, i'll admit that thing is pretty disturbing.

@rocketboot said:

Yeah, this is in the Lost Bastille. start at the Servents' Quarters Bonfire and head in the DIRECTION of Sinners' Rise, but stop once you get to the room filled with breakable doll prisons (alternatively you can start at Straid's Cell and go down the steps, below the bridge to Sinners' Rise). go through the doorway adjacent to the large metal cage and the first wall can be found in the back of this area. The second is on the left side of the newly opened area.

You can also jump over to the Exile Holding Cells bonfire from here.

McDuff is a pretty great blacksmith name.

I keep reading about a giant boss in Harvest Valley but I've searched every inch of that place and can't find any boss rooms

@shirogane: the whole spider area was pulled out of my nightmares. Thanks From.

@adamwd: There is no boss period in Harvest Valley. There are a bunch of the big ass mounted Oerseer's. But no boss. Unless they are forgetting about running into Earthen Peak, since HV is so damn short. The covetous demon is directly in EP. So they must think its the boss of HV. Only thing I can think of.

Speaking of spiders, some NG+ spoilers: Freja jumps out of the pit leading to the chapel in the Brightstone Cove camp area the first time you go there. Scared the living s*** out of me. I felt rumbling and thought maybe they added more boulder traps, but no. Giant spider boss out of nowhere. She sat there for at least 30 seconds before running away and her full life bar shows up so I wonder if it's possible to kill her there. I'm gonna assume she runs away after so much damage.

But if you hate spiders and that area, you're gonna love it on NG+.

Hmm, that makes sense to me. I killed the covetous demon and felt like I explored both those areas completely. I think it was IGN that said there was a boss called the Giant Lord, they even describe how to fight him and everything .

@adamwd: There is a Giant Lord boss, but that is in the Forest of Fallen Giants. You can't get to that until late game. Its behind a kings ring door. And then you have to enter a memory of a fallen giant.

Don't get in that coffin by the water in the tutorial area unless you want to change gender back and forth.

@thunderslash: Don't get in that coffin by the water in the tutorial area unless you want to change gender back and forth.

Just imagine if it had Nick Cage's face though, how amazing would that be?

But what about giant two-headed spiders that spawn little spiders and shoot kamehameha beams

@clonedzero: I HAVE to be Dark Souls hipster. It may be just me, but the thought of losing all those souls with only one way to recover them (picking them back up) just makes the game that much more intense for me.

I understand where you're coming from, though. That's one of the nice things about Dark Souls: it's as difficult as you want to make it.

With all of that said, I've progressed quite a bit now. Also, I'm done with spoiler tags because it's more effort than I care to go through just for people to highlight them and find out what I said.

Went down the well in Majula after buying the ring from the cat. Hit the bonfires at Grave of Saints and The Gutter. Took the bird over to the other side of Lost Bastille. I'm at the Ruin Sentinels, and they are dickheads. Luckily, I picked up a Falchion and +5'd that fucker. It hits so goddamn hard, it's ridiculous. Gonna get a whip at some point and dual wield those fuckers I think. Lots of bleed damage.

Beyond that, picked up the Ring of the Evil Eye +1, Silver Covetous Ring, Ash Knuckle Ring, Chlorolyst Ring, a life ring, and some other thing that gives me shitloads of health regen. In all honesty, I kind of feel like a badass right now...

...aside from the part where I can kill the first Ruin Sentinel and the other two fuck my face immediately afterwards.

Does anyone have any ideas on:

1) where I can get a Katana type weapon

2) Some good tips for defeating the Ruin Sentinels (I think I am playing badly and they are driving me mad

3) where to get Human Effifgys (the woman in Majula is sold out)

4) Are any of the Boss Souls worth saving or should I just use them?

Thanks in advance

@leebmx: Be forewarned, none of this will be spoiler tagged (mostly because I'm new here and don't know how!).

1: The only katanas I've found in my first run (at the place right after Dragon Aerie I believe, name isn't coming to me) were in the Iron Keep in the form of a Blacksteel Katana (A scaling in dex) and the Washing Pole, which I just found in a little side path in the area I'm currently in (I have yet to actually check this weapon out). However, I haven't explored this game thoroughly as of yet and I think i heard somewhere that the blacksmith in the Lost Bastille will give you an Uchigatana at some point.

2: I beat them with a Tower Greatshield and a Heide Knight sword +5ish. My strategy was to stay on the small platform that you start out on, take out the first sentinel, drop down and take out the other two by baiting both of their combos and getting a couple hits in on one of them. The NPC summon is also very useful in this fight (found in one of the cells nearby).

3: Apparently putting on the Traveling Merchant's hat and farming the dogs in the Lost Bastille is a good way, though I've never tried.

4: I've been saving them, I don't really know if they make weapons or what

Sometimes caves flash like Strobe Lights, has happened in the Gutter and in the area directly before No Man's Wharf so far; looks fairly amusing.

@leebmx: If you are having trouble with the Sentinels, you should try going some other place. That's what I did, I decided to visit the Tower of Flame area and Huntsman's Copse instead. I came back later and destroyed them. Boss souls can be traded in for unique weapons and unique spells later in the game.

Eh, I'm rocking the Ring of Life Protection for now because save fore Effigies (which are scant for the first 1/3), there isn't a reliable way to turn back human. Once people figure out how you turn human from summoning (rather than the seeming randomness right now), I might ditch it. But even then it's either a ring slot for 75% life, or a ring slot (and some souls) for 100% life and summoning.

Though I'm not going to lie, I do kind of miss Retrieval runs.

@soldierg654342: Human Effigies seem fairly easy to come by for me. I still have about four in my inventory. With that said, the Ring of Life Protection definitely feels a little...OP? I mean, the minuscule amount of health you lose with that is a little ridiculous.

@jakob187: I won't disagree. I wouldn't be surprised if they drastically increased the repair costs in the future.Though in my defense, after Demon's Souls I feel like I've paid my half-life dues. It would feel less ridiculous I didn't still have 3 more ring slots to work with.

hey i only have 75 effigies on me! I gotta hoard them unnecessarily!

By the end of my first run I only had a little over 20, and that was not using any until the last boss (I always just got summoned until I turned human again). Where are you getting all of them?

I'm scared of running out of Effigies cus I still need to do the Pilgrims of the Dark stuff. And I've wasted a ton already trying to get Lucatiel to survive some boss encounters.

Here's a tip, if Lucatiel dies immediately quit the game to the main menu. Whne you reload you should be right outside the boss door. Unless they patched that out of course, but i'm pretty sure it works.

Can you not summon for the Royal Rat Authority boss? It's the first boss so far that's really frustrating me so I turned human but I didn't see any summon signs and I can't place my own either.

EDIT: I beat it, not sure why he was giving me so much trouble . I still think it's weird I couldn't summon anybody for that fight.

@shirogane: Gah! If I had seen this earlier. I ended up abusing the feather to warp out whenever she bit the dust. Thanks anyway!

Anyone find it weird how there is virtually no tail cutting action in this game? Especially when the first was full of it?

@thunderslash: yeah, I've done Tower of Flame, Huntsmans Copse and the Rat Horde Bosses as well as pursuer, the tree thing, the boss on the Ship in the Wharf, it's just this boss which I am having real trouble with and I have burnt through all my Effigys trying to get help.

I'm wondering if my build or approach is wrong. I'm Dex and. Strength and I either go in light and try and roll our the way or take shield and methodically block my way past. I can do the first one on he ledge but once I get double teamed it's all over. They take me health down in two hits. Nightmare.

@thunderslash: If you do the Dark convenant stuff end game(after getting past the shrine of ammana). then you don't need to worry about running out of effigies. There is a shrine at the end of that area that will turn you human if you don't have any effigies left(both in inventory or in your box). I haven't tried dropping the effigies and using it yet, so that might be a work around to keep the ones you have for NG+, but I'm not sure.

So yo, how do I roll with these Dark covenant guys. The dude outside Huntsman's Copse just always tells me to fuck off.

New patch hit today. Online should be better. That's apparently the only fix that was done...although I could've SWORN that my Bastard Sword +1 had a B rating on Strength before... Could be wrong, though.

@patrickklepek has chosen wisely. #HailTheRatKing

@jakob187: Nope. Bastard Sword has always been C on both DEX and STR. I'm extra sure of this because it was my most used weapon on my first run through. Its still pretty nice though when upgraded to +10!

@demoskinos: The Hex merchant will only talk to you if have like 10 INT and 10 FTH or something along those lines.

@demoskinos: the dude outside huntman's copse has nothing to do with the covenant, he is a hex vendor and requires 8 int and faith to speak to. The Dark covenant is the dude in the wheel chair. You have to find and speak to him three times(in order) to join. if you want the locations:

1. The shaded woods right before the scorpion boss fight. instead of going through the arch and up the hill to the fog gate, instead go straight towards the ledge, there is a bunch of planks in the grass by a tree that you fall through and down into the cave area you find ornifax.

2. In Drangleic castle, the first bonfire goto the room with the little stone dudes that open doors by killing them. The door at the furthest back left has a hole in the ground, once again you fall into his area. this one has a bonfire.

3. Blood Glutch, Get to the two worms and look over the edge. there is a ledge to fall onto. There is a big white door you can't open here, goto one of the edges of this ledge and you will be able to fall again. Eventually you make it to an area with two giants that are probably going to kill you very quickly. In this area you find the key for the first big white door. Dude is inside.

Be aware though, the dark areas are HARD and Darklurker is a nightmare.

Anyone have a solid idea of how many times you can fight the Pursuer? I failed to try him when the bird first sets him down in the Forest, then of course he is a boss.

But what I didn't expect was him to pop up when I went back into the room you fight the fire metal robot...thing, while in Iron Keep. (Boss name slipped my mind) I beat him there but am wondering if he just pops up in other random places, it's a neat little thing to me.

@takayamasama: Those are the only three I've found myself.

@leebmx: Yeah those Sentinels are relentless. I spent most of my time backpedalling with my shield up waiting for an opening. For your situation, you can either continue on the path after Huntsman's Copse, respec to a build that might counter them, or check out the 2 other major branches off Majula. No sense in bashing your head when the Sentinels are obviously a huge wall for the build you have right now. Dark Souls 2 early game seems to be more like Demon's Souls in that it gives you more options. So if you find that you are stuck in one area, you might as well check out the other areas.

@drxlecter That trick might just work. That'll be pretty great if it does. I've stuck to having the Ring of Soul Protection on whenever I know that I need to be in human form for a sidequest.

@takayamasama: If you're in NG+ you can fight him in the throne room of Drangleic Castle. Oh and by that point he apparently figures out how to clone himself cause you get to fight 2 at once. I don't think they are the Pursuer himself, but be wary of that room on NG+.

Chameleon Spell + Luna Belfry Grey Phantom invasions = Fun Times.

Also 2/2 on the Belfry Gargoyle fight, solo no less. I'm really surprised I've managed to one shot that boss both times. Especially considering you fight like 3 of the bastards at a time.

So, trying to wrap everything up before NG+(I was enjoying the game so much I created two more character that are both at Drangleic Castle, hence why I haven't 'finished' yet). Vendrick is a fucking dick;

I have 4 giant souls, 30ish vigor, 25 adap, Wearing a combo of sinner mask, alva armor, and vengarls gloves/feet(+5 mask +10 armor +3 boots/gloves) and defenders shield/fire longsword+10 with a 40% equip load(third dragon ring, colranthy ring +1, steel protection +1, giants +1).

I have tried him 20-25 times, and every time it is simply guard break->dead in two hits. I can't for the life of me roll out of his attacks which is weird because that is how I got through most of the game. I have tried hugging his left leg but he just jumps back and three hit combo kills me. Anyone have advice for this guy? I'm thinking of just going into NG+ and trying with either my pally or hex character. I'd really like his shield though...

Also regarding NG+:

Does sin carry over, and are there and NPCs that invade based on sin? I don't play online so cracked blue eyed guys won't bother me. I'd like to kill all the NPCs to get their equipment before NG+, but not if I have a bunch of blue NPC invaders to make it that much harder.

I know you lose your keys/branches but what about this awesome feather green lady gave me?

Dammit Patrick! Everyone knows the princess is a much more worthy ruler. Ding dong. Ding. Dong.

@drxlecter: You keep the feather. I don't think I've heard anything about sin carrying over. You can always just absolve yourself just to be safe if you're really worried about it. I looked up what all of the NPC's drop cause I was gonna go on a killing spree before NG++, but none of them seem to drop anything unique. Most tend to give you all of their stuff if you meet their requirements, but only drop a single item of the set they give you. The only one I've read to drop anything unique is the Blue Sentinel guy. Also, I guess the armor guy in Majula if you didn't get enemies to drop the Tseldora set. Can anyone else confirm any unique drops?

Feel free to kill them though if you really want. If you don't meet their requirements, killing them is an easy alternative to their stuff.

Edit: I just saw that Melentia sells the armor of people you kill. Only seems like she sells the Blue Sentinel's armor, Felkin's, Pate's and Creighton's armor. I think she might sell Lucatiel's and Benhart's, but I completed their quest lines this time around.

Edit (again): Apparently, sin DOES carry over to NG+. I...may need to go offline for a bit.

I know Titanite Slabs are easier to come by in this game than DS1, but there's a pretty good farming spot for them in Drangleic Castle if anyone needs them. Those stone soldier guys drop them fairly regularly in the room right after the first bonfire. I got 10 in less than an hour (while wearing the gold serpent ring). Those guys also don't seem to ever despawn. I figure it's because you need their souls to open the doors in that room and they didn't want you to somehow get locked out of progressing through the game.

I swear to almighty "whichever God you choose to believe in": the Ruin Sentinels can FUCK. RIGHT. OFF. I've kicked the shit out of all these other bosses so far, but the Ruin Sentinels are causing me so many fucking problems! *UGH*

So this just happened to me.....

@jakob187: What SL are you? You may want to come back them later, or you can summon someone here if you are close enough.

Maaan trying to beat "The Rotten" with Lucatiel for her trophy and I'm using the red eye ring to get him to focus on me and man is it working. Dude does not let up at all. So don't have to really worry about her dying.... he don't give a fuck about her.

Keep dodging is all I can say. He's actually very easy to dodge, but get hit once and you leave yourself open to getting killed cause you need to find a good opportunity to heal. I also got 5 giant's souls, but I think that just makes his defense lower, doesn't really help with his attack or pattern. I just kept rolling to the left through his swipes. Don't get greedy with your attacks. I used an ultragreatsword and I'll get in one or two hits before preparing to roll out of the way again. Don't attack just because you've managed to dodge two swipes. Always wait a bit to see if he's wound up for a 3rd swipe. I died a lot to him because I got greedy and because I chose a bad time to heal. Also, it's better to stay close to him or else he'll do the running attack and wide slash which can be tricky to dodge. Also what's your adaptability?

I took him out as a pure melee with 4 giant souls. I did the left leg thing and was lucky enough to have a run where he didn't do a triple attack. I have 40 vgr though. Ring of Giants isn't doing you any good. It doesn't matter if you have extra poise; if he hits you you're fucked. I went with the Royal Soldier's +1. Stacking it with the Third Dragons gave me enough equip load to put on some bigger armour and lower my equip percentage to 49%. I had Vengarl's Helm, Elite Knight Armour and Legs, and Steel Gauntlets, all maxed. Should be easy to get that gear since 3 of them upgrade with standard titanite. I've found more success by being behind the left leg than next to the left leg. How much damage is your weapon doing? I was doing two hit combos each opportunity and was hitting him for 327 on the first hit and 302 on the second hit. It became a pretty short fight compared to what I was expecting.