Right now I'm rocking a +15 uchigatana that I was using by the end of the game.

I already rung the first bell again and am currently in the depths. But I started thinking about PVP builds and whatnot.

So here's my stats:

• SL:99
• Vit: 35
• att: 16
• end: 30
• str: 25
• dex: 40
• res: 12
• int: 12
• fai: 12

I have a level 15 pyromancy and use it frequently. So i'm wondering if I should focus on getting a different weapon or maybe just get a whole bunch of spells i didn't even look at in my first playthrough.

Also I remember from when I played it on PS3 that you shouldn't level your stats about 40 or 50 or something. Diminishing returns or something? Any ideas would be awesome!

You've already beaten it on PC? Dude I'm still stuck in the beginning of the second level!

Balla Swag Sword

Why are you only rocking a +15 Pyromancy instead of ascending it?

I don't have the PC version so I'm not sure how good the new weapons are but the wiki seems to indicate that the Dark Silver Tracer and Gold Tracer have great scaling with dex. I'm not sure if they can be upgraded though so I don't know how it compares to a +15 Uchigatana. I just started a dex build myself and think I'll end up using Priscilla's Dagger or the Scythe from her soul that has 500 bloodloss. And yes, there is almost zero benefit to leveling a stat over 40 unless it's the stat that scales with your weapon, in which case 50 is OK. Also, for a PVP build don't level resistance at all.

Baldur Side Sword is always a good choice. And with the DLC, one of Ciaran's tracers might also be good if its still enchantable.

Ideally, 16 str is what you what for a Dex build (or 20 if you're rocking a washing pole), but I don't think 10 extra is gonna screw you over too badly. You definitely want enough int or faith to use Darkmoon Blade / Sunlight Blade / Crystal Magic Weapon though.

Baldur Side Sword is, as others have said, an excellent choice

Quelaag's Furysword is also good for a dex build, but it'll take you a little while to get.

Falchion is also a good alternative, but Balder's Side Sword and Uchigatana are better.

Falchion- Good for speedy attacks

Uchigatana- Good for range

Balder's Side Sword- Probably the best move set of any Dex sword.

As others have said Balder Side Sword is great if not a little annoying to farm depending on your luck. I am currently running a dex build using an Uchigatana. It has slightly higher damage but the R2 is a little slow.

It never dropped once on my 1st and 2nd playthrough, but once I got it, Balder Side Sword quickly became my favorite weapon. It's quick, fairly powerful, has good stabbing range, all of its moves are useful. It's just a pleasure to use.

It doesn't drop frequently, but all you gotta do is dedicate an hour (or less) to farming the elite balder guards around the church (ignore the rapier users). The shield they drop is also quite good for its weight.

Fighting them over and over you get really good at murdering efficiently, even at soul level 1. It was probably the best practice I ever had at pulling off parry-riposte with precision. Now even Black Knights rarely touch me.

Get good enough at parrying, and you may just want to use Estoc or Ricard's Rapier for your dex build. They're a lot of fun, and seem to conserve stamina.

Balder side sword or the bandits knife if you want to work on your parrying.

It only takes like, 1 hour to actually physically beat the game without requiring any levels. There is a few speed runs on the you tubes of people from dead start to finish doing it in like an hour.

Also a big fan of Balder Side Sword, and Black Bow of Pharis, which has an A rank scaling with Dex.

I'm also curious about Priscilla's Dagger and the Lifehunt Scythe, but I've gotten so familiar with the Balder Side Sword's fantastic move set. Hard to move on from, but that Bleed damage seems effective?

@INV2 said:

Also a big fan of Balder Side Sword, and Black Bow of Pharis, which has an A rank scaling with Dex.

I'm also curious about Priscilla's Dagger and the Lifehunt Scythe, but I've gotten so familiar with the Balder Side Sword's fantastic move set. Hard to move on from, but that Bleed damage seems effective?

Lifehunt Scythe + Bloodbite Ring = Best PvP weapon. :)

@AhmadMetallic said:

You've already beaten it on PC? Dude I'm still stuck in the beginning of the second level!

Is this your first Dark Souls experience?

@Pieman51: doesn't the Bloodbite Ring prevent Bleeding? I'm pretty sure it doesn't improve inflicting Bleeding...right?

Edit: Just realized the Scythe does bleeding to the user as well. I suspect this is why I stopped using it, but using the Bloodshield and Bloodbite Ring with it sounds pretty nasty.

@Akeldama said:

@AhmadMetallic said:

You've already beaten it on PC? Dude I'm still stuck in the beginning of the second level!

Is this your first Dark Souls experience?

My first rape incident, yes.

@AhmadMetallic said:

@Akeldama said:

@AhmadMetallic said:

You've already beaten it on PC? Dude I'm still stuck in the beginning of the second level!

Is this your first Dark Souls experience?

My first rape incident, yes.

I'm already almost 60 hours into my first PC character. Spent 250 hours in the PS3 version. Just hit NG++. Best of luck to you, Ahmad.

@Akeldama said:

@AhmadMetallic said:

@Akeldama said:

@AhmadMetallic said:

You've already beaten it on PC? Dude I'm still stuck in the beginning of the second level!

Is this your first Dark Souls experience?

My first rape incident, yes.

I'm already almost 60 hours into my first PC character. Spent 250 hours in the PS3 version. Just hit NG++. Best of luck to you, Ahmad.

I'm already done playing, I don't like to be irritated this much, it's not worth it.

@AhmadMetallic said:

@Akeldama said:

@AhmadMetallic said:

@Akeldama said:

@AhmadMetallic said:

You've already beaten it on PC? Dude I'm still stuck in the beginning of the second level!

Is this your first Dark Souls experience?

My first rape incident, yes.

I'm already almost 60 hours into my first PC character. Spent 250 hours in the PS3 version. Just hit NG++. Best of luck to you, Ahmad.

I'm already done playing, I don't like to be irritated this much, it's not worth it.

Perhaps I can offer some advice? The game is extremely rewarding and has some of the best atmosphere, level/creature design and storytelling in any RPG I have played this generation. It'd be a shame for you to pass on it because of some early game hiccups.

@Akeldama: I simply don't enjoy a game that is built on the concept of "always be dying." Trial and error is fine by me, but in a sidescroller, or a third person shooter, not an RPG. I don't see myself enjoying this worrisome game.

@Hef said:

Right now I'm rocking a +15 uchigatana that I was using by the end of the game.

I already rung the first bell again and am currently in the depths. But I started thinking about PVP builds and whatnot.

So here's my stats:

• SL:99
• Vit: 35
• att: 16
• end: 30
• str: 25
• dex: 40
• res: 12
• int: 12
• fai: 12

I have a level 15 pyromancy and use it frequently. So i'm wondering if I should focus on getting a different weapon or maybe just get a whole bunch of spells i didn't even look at in my first playthrough.

Also I remember from when I played it on PS3 that you shouldn't level your stats about 40 or 50 or something. Diminishing returns or something? Any ideas would be awesome!

You're only 2 Str points from a Quality Build. (That is, for those who don't know, a build that gets full scaling from a weapon held in both hands that scales with both Dex and Strength, like sunlight straight sword or gargoyle halberd). And ascend that flame already, why are you gimping yourself?? You should have had a +5 Ascended halfway through your 1st play-through!

@AhmadMetallic said:

@Akeldama: I simply don't enjoy a game that is built on the concept of "always be dying." Trial and error is fine by me, but in a sidescroller, or a third person shooter, not an RPG. I don't see myself enjoying this worrisome game.

Upgrade your gear. Talk to everyone, multiple times. Always read the item descriptions for everything you pick up (especially keys). And upgrade your gear.

It takes some time to click, but once it does, it's not anything like a game about "always be dying". Oh, and trial and error is the wrong way to play. It's not that sort of game.

If it's not for you, fair enough, but the reasons you listed suggest you just aren't quite getting it yet, as they bear little relation to how the game really is. Took me a while, too.

@Akeldama: I simply don't enjoy a game that is built on the concept of "always be dying." Trial and error is fine by me, but in a sidescroller, or a third person shooter, not an RPG. I don't see myself enjoying this worrisome game.

@Turambar said:

@AhmadMetallic said:

@Akeldama: I simply don't enjoy a game that is built on the concept of "always be dying." Trial and error is fine by me, but in a sidescroller, or a third person shooter, not an RPG. I don't see myself enjoying this worrisome game.

Different design philosophy. In other RPGs, death is the state of failure. In this one, death is simply part of progression, hence why while you lose your souls, you keep all your items after a death. Change your mindset and you'll enjoy it. Though, that's if you can change your mindset.

It's different strokes for different folks. I found Demons Souls to be really engaging and kept pushing myself to get through it. Took me forever to get to that first Legion boss who is a pushover but each time I beat someone in Demons Souls it felt intensely satisfying. I don't know what it is but I didn't get that sort of satisfaction out of Dark Souls and I really loved the first one. For some reason the magic just wasn't there anymore.

@thebigJ_A: I just found out about this a couple days ago myself. It turns out that an ascended flame does more damage to yourself when using power within without increasing the damage dealing power. People keep at +15 for power within. Apparently the PC version fixed this.

@mosespippy said:

@thebigJ_A: I just found out about this a couple days ago myself. It turns out that an ascended flame does more damage to yourself when using power within without increasing the damage dealing power. People keep at +15 for power within. Apparently the PC version fixed this.

Not exactly. What people usually did, if they wanted to use Power Within, was keep their second flame completely un-upgraded (the one egg-butt gives you for having egg-head). It's not that an ascended did more damage to you, it's that a flame did more the more you upgraded, from +1 on through Ascended +5. That's not an issue anymore. So, there was never much of a reason to stop at +15, now there's none.