How far to get before doing DLC content?

Please read all of it, because the first paragraph is basically saying what I've been doing, and why I'm asking, so it doesn't get to my question yet. I just want to make sure you know what I mean, since the title may not be asked correctly, but it was the best way I could put it in the amount of letters I could put in I thought.

Okay, I thought I was about done with the game. I don't like to looking at guides when it comes to these games (or any game for that matter) unless I really, really feel I need it to get me going faster. I checked the wiki page on bosses, as I am doing the DLC stuff, since like I said, I thought I was nearly done with the game. I got through most of Crown of the Sunken King, but got to Elana, Squalid Queen, and have probably spent hours now trying to defeat her. I couldn't quite do it, so I left and did most of Crown of the Old Iron King, and again, bosses are giving me a real challenge here. I went back to try and fight Elana again, which I then remembered that I could summon, and only when human. My reaction to that was as if I didn't know that I could do that at all, because I haven't done it once throughout any of the games, but I knew that I could do it.

Anyways, I got really close to beating her, but lost three times again. I used the summon as a diversion as I tried taking her health down, but it didn't work. I guess there are two summons, which may help. I didn't notice it though. Now I'm here. As you can see, I didn't play any of the Crown of the Ivory King. Alright, so sorry for that, but I felt I needed to say that stuff. I want to see everything in the game, but seeing as I have more to go in the main game (I haven't even been to Drangleic Castle, which is where I think I'm headed next), I want to see that stuff through first, but before getting to the final boss, since I'm not going to go through it again on NG+, and I don't want to accidentally beat the game because I'll have to see that DLC stuff on a NG+ if so, and that's not happening.

I hope that question is understandable enough. Man, this game is going to be much longer than the last two games. It's just surprising considering I thought I was about done with the main game, and yet I have more bosses to go. The main game was wasn't overly challenging, but the DLC bosses are just a bit too powerful for me right now. Also, I have to figure out how to get to Drangleic Castle first if that's where I'm headed. I honestly have no clue...

Just do it as you see fit. If you get to a DLC boss and can't beat it, go do something else and come back with a few more levels. It really doesn't matter if you beat the main game first. This Souls (unlike 1) doesn't automatically kick you to NG+ after you beat the final boss. And the final boss is significantly easier than most of the DLC bosses.

@sinusoidal: Wait, really? So how does it work? Oh, that's interesting. I didn't know that. I just got into Drangleic Castle. So what does it do once you beat the game? Does it just put you back into the world? That's unusual.

Edit - Oh, okay. Never mind. I just read what happens. Thanks for the info! This just alleviates any worry I have. Nice!

It sounds like you're taking on the DLC a little early. Each piece of DLC starts out balanced at about mid-to-endgame difficulty and ramps up until surpassing the ultimate difficulty of the main game. It's normal to have trouble with the later parts of the DLC when you're still not at the end of the main game yet. I'd recommend doing what you've been doing: try to get as far as you can in the DLC, but when it becomes too tough, go back to the main game for a while, then return to try the DLC again when you're stronger. You can also jump around between pieces of DLC as they all have similar difficulty curves and can be played in any order.

Like all the DLC in the other games, the difficulty of the areas and the bosses are designed for the end/post-game levels.

Don't worry at all about dying a lot against those bosses given your estimated SL.

Just to hammer it home, I did those DLCs at around SL120+ and still didn't find any of the DLC bosses easy!

I would go back and get to the final boss, then do the DLC, then finish the game. You'll know when the next boss you have to beat is the last one.

@justin258: @dudeglove: @savage: Thanks. As for getting to Drangleic Castle, I've already gone through there last night. It's like getting to Anor Londo in terms of progression, but not the obviousness of how to get there. I totally didn't see the pathway that went to the shrine. I thought the poison enemy just jumped down from somewhere when I went through there hours earlier, and assumed it was a dead end, just for items. I'm currently in the crypt area. The bells when rung gave me somewhat trouble when it spawned a whole bunch of dudes, but it's not that bad, and even easier with the phantom friendly. Everything before that was extremely easy by comparison of some of the DLC. And yeah, the invading phantoms were more challenging. The friendly one I was with was kind of fodder for attacks, so in that way, she was useful, but still not good enough to help beat anyone. Doesn't hit very hard.

I didn't find going through the DLC areas to be overly hard (though the Sunken King was intense in the later part because there was no bonfire near to where I was), but it was definitely more challenging than the normal stuff so far. I feel like I could probably, though still facing a good challenge, take on the DLC stuff in full, but I'm going to do as suggested, and just beat the game first (or get to the final enemy and go back). I like that I can do that in this one. That would have made me buy Dark Souls' DLC after I completed it, but there was no choice. As for soul level, I am not currently playing it so I don't quite know the exact number, but I am pretty high up there actually. I think around 150 now. Savage, that's what I was doing when I stopped on the Elana enemy, I went to another DLC area when I was having trouble. Also, it isn't that easy to find the DLC areas I have to say.

I kind of assumed that the DLC areas would be for end game stuff, just by the challenge they pose compared to what I was doing in the main game. Most enemies in the game die with one to three attacks, even in the DLC areas.

@ntm: i forget what the melee strategy with her was. there was more rolling than usual, no lock on, i did not try to take more than one swipe at her and I think i ignored velstadt. the rest was just keeping up healing. i think it's also a bit easier if she summons the skeletons instead of velstadt. i think this boss fight was more about camera management than anything else.

Not in Scholar of the First Sin, the keys have to be found in that version.

@an_ancient: Right, it's all about finding the perfect time to strike, as with any of the bosses in the game. I can only avoid Velstadt if he's not paying attention to me, otherwise there's a very good chance I'm dead as I try to go after her. I think I have the strategy down, I just have to upgrade a bit more, or perhaps now, had to upgrade more. As for rolling around her, that's a strategy I didn't care to try, though it may work. I'd have to equip another shield though, because I'm using a fully upgraded Havel shield, which really adds to the equipment load. I can't even put any of the armor on, because I can hardly move. I've been spending more souls into the vitality, as well as adaptability. I think I'm good with strength, vigor, and endurance to beat everything (though I will keep putting souls into those the farther I go in as well). I'm, unlike in the previous games, which I only did on two bosses, so rare occasion, going naked throughout.

@dudeglove: No, from what I understand, that is if you buy the DLC in the original version; stuff will automatically be put into your inventory once you start the game again, but in Scholar of the First Sin (which is what I'm playing), you have to seek out a few things, which is why it wasn't entirely obvious. I should also point out, I haven't played any of this game online. I stopped at the end of Demon's Souls. I just don't like the invasions, it's not why I want to play the games. It stops my progression, and it's not appropriately matched level to level from the few times I saw it in the end of Demon's, and the beginning of the first Dark Souls. It doesn't help that they can and potentially will invade more than once as well, so it's kind of annoying. Oh... I read your message, but not an_ancient's before yours. Yes, as he said, you have to find the stuff.

Oh shoot! I didn't even know I was doing the DLC stuff all this time when I just finished most of the Frozen Eleum Loyce (it's all, but there's a locked door that hides another boss from what I understand). I just tried fighting Burnt Ivory King, and he's hard too. Wow, I guess I'll either try the previous DLC stuff, or go and finish the game.

Edit - I just beat the two bosses giving me trouble. Elana, and Fume Knight. Though I haven't gone back to an arguably easier boss, which I still lost on, which was the blue Smelter Demon. Also, I am not sure I care to move forward with the Ivory King DLC right now. I haven't seen Sir Alonne on this stage, but I also haven't collected all the souls of nadalia. I fought the dragon Sihn. I got him down about half health down, with two summons, but got beat twice. I haven't yet gotten to the trio of bosses in it yet either... I may just finish the game and move on. I still have Bloodborne and then Dark Souls 3 to play. I am not really feeling the importance of the DLC's beyond what I've done already, especially considering I pretty much just beat them all minus the bosses. I kind of don't want to spend more time on it right now is all.

Edit 2 - Alright, I just finished the main story. Credits are rolling as I type this. I'm still where I was at in terms of DLC content though. I'll play that stuff later. I want to get into Bloodborne. I thought this was a great game like Demon's and Dark Souls, though I feel a bit longer, taking into account just the DLC stuff. If I don't consider the final bosses of the DLC, that's three games down! Nice.