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Picking a Class in Dark Souls 2

In any of the Dark Souls games, choosing the class that you want to start with is always the first step. Dark Souls II gives you 9 different classes that you can choose from depending on your play style. Each of the classes gives you different starting stats depending on the player's preference. If you want to be a magic user, players would typically select the Cleric or the Sorcerer class. If you want to be a close-range type of player or a melee type, players would typically choose Warrior, Knight, or Swordsman. An advanced type of players, or players with experience with Souls games, would likely choose the Deprived class for its balanced distribution of stats.

We would highly suggest using the Knight class if you're completely new to Dark Souls games. This class allows a certain amount of starting stat points for you to build your character from. It has enough starting points to make a magic-based character, Strength, and dexterity. Here's a complete list of the available classes in Dark Souls II:

• Warrior
• Knight
• Swordsman
• Bandit
• Cleric
• Sorcerer
• Explorer
• Deprived

Best Time to Rest while playing Dark Souls 2

One difficult feature of Dark Souls II is the lack of a pause function or the ability to freeze the game to rest for a bit. Your character will always be vulnerable to attacks by the environment, even when selecting items from your inventory. The only time where you can sit down and pause is when resting at a Bonfire. Not only can you rest or do some errands off-game at checkpoints like these, but you can also save your progress here and respawn at the place of the Bonfire when you die.

What are Souls in Dark Souls 2?

Souls are currencies within Dark Souls II. These can be obtained by defeating enemies and bosses within the game. Souls retrieved from Bosses are called Boss Souls. Souls can be used to upgrade weapons and buy items within Dark Souls II. Souls can be consumed to gain additional souls, which can then be used to level up or buy items. You can also use these to trade with a merchant for unique boss weapons or spells within Dark Souls II.

Best Way to Spend your Souls in Dark Souls 2

One of the best ways to increase the damage of your weapons is by upgrading them. More damage can result in a faster time to kill towards foes within Dark Souls II. So we would recommend spending your collected souls on upgrading your weapons using collected Titanite.

Understanding Stat effects in Dark Souls 2

In Dark Souls II, there is a huge number of stats that players will encounter inside the game. New players might think that some stats are not that important for the playstyle that they aim to build, but in this case, each stat has its importance for any playstyle in Dark Souls II. For stats, each one has its effects towards an in-game mechanic. If you level up your strength stat, it increases weapon strength damage of weapons and increases your equipment load. If you increase, Intelligence, or endurance, this will improve the players casting ability with spells. Here is the list of primary stats within Dark Souls II.

• Vigor
• Endurance
• Vitality
• Adaptability
• Strength
• Dexterity
• Intelligence
• Faith
• Attunement

Derived Stats in Dark Souls 2

Derived stats are stats that improve or level up as you increase the points of your Primary Stats. It's important to understand Derived Stats so that you can see a better picture of which path you want to build your character on. 

• HP - Overall damage a character can absorb.
• Stamina - Overall ability to resist fatigue.
• Equipment Load - How much the character can carry
• Slot - Number of available slots for spell attunement
• Cast Speed - Speed spells are cast
• Attack Strength - Attack damage based on Strength
• Attack Dexterity - Attack damage based on Dexterity
• Magic Bonus - Attack damage based on Sorcery
• Fire Bonus - Attack damage based on Fire
• Lighting Bonus - Attack damage based on Lightning
• Dark Bonus - Attack Damage based on Dark
• Poison Bonus - Attack damage based on Poison
• Bleed Bonus - Attack damage based on Bleed
• Physical Defense - Defense against physical attack
• Magic Defense - Defense against Sorcery
• Fire Defense - Defense against Fire
• Lighting Defense - Defense against Lightning
• Dark Defense - Defense against Dark
• Poison Resistance - Defense against Poison
• Bleed Resistance - Defense against Bleed
• Petrify Resistance - Defense against Petrification effects
• Curse Resistance - Defense against Curse effects
• Agility - Overall mobility and dodge
• Poise - Resistance to stunning and staggering

PvP Tips for Beginners

PvP is Player versus Player. PvP is quite different from PvE (although the two can take place together) and many other factors come into play with PvPing. PvP occurs when you are invaded by another player who enters your world as a dangerous phantom. Alternately, in time you will be able to invade others as well or be summoned to defend a "host" player against other player invaders. Your first few times being invaded you are likely to die, but, just like PvE, every death is a learning experience. You are likely at some point to create a character specifically for PvP and this page is not here to help you with that. You are also likely to be invaded at a low soul level, or some point during your first playthrough while you are not prepared. These tips can help you survive invasions or at least learn something from them.

1. If you don't want to get invaded, you can simply disconnect in the event of an invasion prompt. Online banning from disconnecting is not enforced heavily, contrary to initial reports. Human invasions in NG will be rare enough that disconnects will not warrant a ban. In NG+, however, you should exercise caution. A good way to nullify a potential death from an invader (if you choose to not disconnect), is to use a Ring of Life Protection or Ring of Soul Protection. Both of these rings will allow you to keep your souls and humanity in the event of death. While you are human or hollow you are vulnerable to invasions. At all times, you should be prepared to be invaded sooner or later (normally in later levels and especially in NG+) and pay attention to where you are as well as any warnings that you have been invaded. Those warnings include a specific message that a particular character has invaded you, a faint summoning sound that is unrelated to any summons you may have triggered yourself, and/or the sudden appearance of fog gates that do not permit you to pass through. It is possible to miss these signs particularly if you are moving quickly or have to idle for a few minutes, so pay attention. There is no pause button in Dark Souls II (except the Xbox dashboard and PS button) and you can end unwanted invasions using those options at any time. The primary rule is when you have already defeated the boss of a particular level, in which case you can no longer either be invaded or summon other players in that area even if you are in Human form. Note too that certain Covenants are believed to reduce the frequency of PvP invasions, as well as make it easier to summon other players in the same Covenant to help. 2.
2. Always try and have a friendly phantom or two along with you. They can help you deal with an invader, including flushing the invader out or triggering ambushes, causing the invader to waste precious time, health, and spells fighting them, or even defeating the invader outright. These helpful phantoms may be summoned by their white or gold summoning signs on the ground, which when approached will show an image of the person you may be able to summon. Those signs, which are placed by that player in their own world for you to find in yours, can appear anywhere but are most often placed near bonfires. Having your own phantoms can even the odds, and you should let them take the lead in engaging your invader. Remember: your Estus flask will heal only yourself, your Phantoms are responsible for healing themselves. Staying out of the fight and healing can be a safer way to survive invasions. Also, note that summon attempts are not automatically successful due to anything from network connection issues to someone else managing to summon that player into their world first, so you may need to be patient and continue circling the area looking for new summoning signs until someone appears in your world.
3. Keep an eye on the environment, look for possible places to hide and ambush your invader, or give them a fatal fall. While invaders will be ignored by the other computer enemies in the level (and may try to use that against you by hiding behind them or tricking you into fighting both at once), they are just as vulnerable to falls and other fatal environmental effects as anyone. At the same time, be wary of places you can be ambushed. A common tactic by invaders, particularly when they know or suspect they face not only you but up to two more summoned allies, is to hide around a blind corner so that you cannot see them but by rotating their camera they can still view your approach. A well-timed spell or attack may catch you and/or your summons unawares. You, of course, can also do the same thing to them.
4. Pay attention to the invader's weapon and equipment when you see them. If they have heavy gear and are moving slowly, while you are much faster and use small weapons, a normal attack won't do much. Whereas if you are slower and they are faster you won't want to try and backstab them. Over time, you will learn what sorts of tactics an invader will often use if they are showing a particular type of weapon and equipment, and can try to counter it appropriately. Some basic builds to look out for are 1) Tanks, these guys are usually wearing heavy armor and large weapons. You have to be faster or hit harder to outdo these builds. 2) Casters. These guys are often carrying a catalyst and a smaller weapon. They rarely have heavy armor on and they usually have low vitality. However, they can put out a lot of damage so stay on your toes. 3) Dex builds. These builds are all about being fast, nimble, and scoring critical hits. If they can't get you by poking and dodging they're going to backstab you. They often rely on criticals or bleed effects to kill because their weapons often don't hit hard. Keep on your toes and try and stop them in their tracks. Also, keep in mind there can be hybrids between these three builds and many other build types exist.
5. If you need to escape the invasion, you can head through the fog gate into the boss area, as doing this will send the invader home. However, you will still have to face the boss, so be prepared! At the same time, be wary of making an all-out sprint to the fog gate when someone invades. In most areas, invaders will spawn at certain set locations, and at least one location is often near the boss fog gate so you may run right into an ambush. Even if the invader appears elsewhere, they will usually do their best to get between you and the boss fog gate as soon as they can. Always assume you may run into the invader even if you are very close to the boss's gate.
6. Items like Dung Pies and Poison Throwing Knives can destroy an unprepared invader. Also, always be prepared yourself. Keep at least a few bits of Poison Moss on hand if possible.
7. As a beginner don't worry about "Honorable PvP Rules". These generally only apply if you summoned the opponent yourself or they summoned you for the purpose of a 1v1 duel. If you are invaded by force, don't be afraid to heal yourself or use cheap tactics to dispatch the invader who is trying to ruin your day.
8. While not a direct combat tactic, you should also farm up Human Effigies whenever possible. The frustration of being killed by an invader can be lessened if you can quickly revive yourself into human form and obtain more summons by using one of your Human Effigies. This can also help you get through a level during the approximately 15-minute grace period you have following an invasion in which you can't be invaded again. A large supply of Effigies can make a big difference and is a common "must-have" for experienced players. Such items can be farmed from a variety of sources, but the easiest for beginning characters is any collection of Undead Dog enemies located near a bonfire for easy healing or resetting. The group after Lucatiel halfway through the Lost Bastille is one example. Keep in mind that they will despawn over time. Even if you are defeated, each fight will bring you valuable PvP experience in a more controlled manner than when you are frantically trying to get through a level. Just don't use them too much.
9. Do some research or Youtube viewing on how to avoid ripostes and backstabs. Backstabs in particular can be very frustrating and sometimes very difficult to avoid due to certain gameplay characteristics, but you can at least reduce the number of times you are backstabbed through some research and practice.
10. Burn a Human Effigy on the nearest Bonfire. This will temporarily disable all online interactions, preventing invasions, but you will also lose the ability to summon players for help. Plus, burning them is kind of a waste of a valuable resource.
11. Try using a Giant Tree Seed; this will make enemies attack the invader as well. They're extremely rare though, so use them with caution. The invader can still kill the enemies too.
12. This is the final solution: use only if you want to put an end to the invasions and none of the other tips have helped. The only foolproof way to stop invaders is by playing offline. By playing offline none of the invaders will ever invade you again. Of course, this also means no summoning your fellow players for help and no helpful messages to show you the way. Plus, you will still be 'Invaded' by NPCs at certain areas. Invaders are a tradition in Dark Souls, and being killed by one is a rite of passage.
13. Wear a Ring of Life Protection at all times unless you are playing as a phantom/shade (and therefore unable to lose your souls). That way being killed by invaders will be just a minor setback. You can even suicide if you don't want to give the invader pleasure. It will only cost you the ring repair souls.
14. Have your White Sign Soapstone (or the small one) in your equipped items and keep an eye on it. If you see it shaded (not useable) and you are in an area where you are normally able to do so, means you're going to be invaded. Knowing this gives a little more time to prepare for invader: recharge spells, disengage monsters, get your PvE gear... Also note if you have planted your summon sign and you see the message "Your summon sign has disappeared" also means you're going to be invaded.
15. Keep in mind there are certain areas where an invasion can't happen, like Majula or a boss room (places where you are unable to use your Soapstone). There are other areas like Belfry Sol and Belfry Luna where you will be invaded constantly by the Bell protector covenant. Finally, you will be transported to another player world (even if you die you won't lose souls) at Doors of Pharros and Grave of saints, home for the Rat covenant, to teach you a lesson.
16. Be wary of lag. Even if you see your opponent far on the screen that doesn't mean he is. Therefore, keep a distance from your opponent equivalent to a spear range even if he's got a sword. Also, always roll back (instead of side) if you are in a melee fight, to avoid seeing yourself teleported and being backstabbed even when you were facing the foe at all times.

Simple PvP Build Tips for Beginners:

At some point in the game, you may want to create a build specifically for PvP. Much like PvE builds these builds take some thought to create, but unlike PvE builds PvP builds need focus and finesse to execute. Some simple tips to create a good PvP build are:

1. As much as possible, plan the build-out beforehand. Some of the links below let you do that.
2. There is no more set Soul Level for a PvP build like in Dark Souls. Your total souls ever obtained, or Soul Memory is used for matchmaking. As such, you will want to continue leveling up as you play so that you are not outclassed by players who are matched to your higher Soul Memory. As your Soul Memory increases, you will inevitably be matched with stronger players unless you create a completely new character.
3. Make sure you have a high amount of HP and Endurance since it can be harder to easily dodge hits from an opponent than from an AI-controlled enemy. Hybrid builds (melee+magic) are also a lot more powerful in Dark Souls 2 than in the original, so you will most likely want to have some type of elemental weapon and/or magic weapon buff available. It is not, however, recommended to use ultra-powerful ranged attacks (e.g. Sunlight Spear, Crystal Soul Spear) in a duel, since it involves little strategy and is not very fun for either side.
4. Planning a build around a weapon can be extremely successful, especially if you know the weapon very well. It can also be helpful to become skilled at weapons with relatively low stat requirements, freeing up points for use elsewhere. For example, remember that two-handing a weapon gives you a 50% strength bonus in terms of stat requirements, meaning if you only plan to two-hand a weapon you can save yourself some Strength points if you wish.
5. Equipment and PvP experience matter far more than your character level. You'll learn what rings work and don't work, what armors suit you best and what weapons you find most effective. It just takes time. A careful arrangement of specific equipment can cover up for deficiencies in builds or make them relatively more powerful than others at the same level, by doing anything from increasing hitpoints to spell power to attunement slots. Fine-tuning a build with equipment can be very fun and rewarding. At the same time, pay attention to your PvP experiences during your first playthrough. It is common to die a lot when first learning the game, but you will see what other PvP builds have been created, and how they work without having to first make the character design yourself. Viewing invasions inflicted on you as a sort of audition for your future builds can help turn them into proper learning experiences.

PvE Tips For Beginners:

 PvE is player versus environment. This is you against the game. While there are no strict guidelines for playing the game, here are some simple tips to make it easier for you.

If you are the type of player that falls in every single hole in the game, therefore dying a lot, it is highly recommended you do this (NOTE: this will not work in Scholar of the First Sin, since the Ring of Life Protection does not appear in No Man's Wharf in that version):

• Finish Things Betwixt tutorial.
• Loot Majula.
• Go to Heide's Tower of Flame and get a couple of phantoms.
• At the platform with three giants, go right and face Dragonrider Boss.
• Access No Man's Wharf.
• Get a couple of phantoms.
• Go to the top of the main stairs, turn left to the lighted room, break the bookshelf and get the ring of life protection.
• Equip it at all times to avoid losing souls or humanity whenever you die. If you die, go back to Majula (you'll need to have freed the blacksmith by getting the key from the merchant at Cardinal's tower in Forest of Fallen Giants) and repair it. You'll get a larger supply of these rings as you advance to the game. Provided you're using them they work as arcade lives.

1. Equipment upgrading is more important than leveling up. Since you use souls to pay for both, most times it is better to prioritize upgrading your equipment, plus leveling up will be much more expensive. That being said you have to judge when your character needs to level up. Also keep in mind that your level counts for very little in the long run, although it will gradually increase your overall resistances, and increasing Vigor helps with your overall HP. To upgrade equipment, you generally need two things: one or more pieces of Titanite of an appropriate size, and access to an NPC blacksmith. Keep your eyes open for all these things as you play.
2. Learn enemy locations and attack patterns. While enemies can become aggressive when they see or hear you, the vast majority do not roam around on their own, and remembering where they are can make it much easier to avoid ambushes or group fights, and generally progress more easily through a level. All enemies, including bosses, also have a specific and limited moveset that is predictable to an extent.
3. Be patient and cautious. You are rushing through can more often than not result in death. If you are new to the game, using a good shield can help a lot, and allow you to carefully observe opponents before attacking, or learn about their attack moves.
4. I repeat: BE PATIENT AND CAUTIOUS. This game is all about careful observation and detachment while you learn about each opponent or situation/area. Don't rush to counter-attack the second you see a swing finish, wait and see if the enemy is doing a 3-swing combo. Learn and practice dodging, blocking, locking onto enemies, and circling foes. Do not get complacent; even the lowliest enemies tend to punish players that get overconfident and think they will just breeze through a particular area on the way to bigger and better things. Also do not make any assumptions about the safety of a particular travel route or jump. If the cliff looks a little dangerous or the fall looks a little too far, it probably is. Sadly, all the vigilance and temperance in the world will not save you in this game, which brings us to...
5. Don't panic if you're going to die, as almost every death is a learning experience. Everyone dies, that is one of the main characteristics of the game. When you die, think about how it happened and how it can be avoided the next time. Also become accustomed to the idea that you will often lose your accumulated souls and health so that you remain calm and collected when you die. One of the easiest ways to make death worse and end up losing your accumulated souls is to panic after death and try to sprint back to your bloodstain as quickly as possible. Be patient and doubly cautious the next time; your souls will still be waiting for you.
6. Avoid fighting enemies in groups if possible. Even the weakest monsters can be troublesome in groups. Try to lure foes to you one at a time, or use narrow doorways or corridors to bunch them up. If you do have to fight a group, try to have some spells or weapons that can hit multiple targets at once, such as a weapon with a wide horizontal swing, or firebombs.
7. Magic or other similar abilities such as pyromancy can help a lot. Creating a build using one of the three types of magic: Pyromancy, Miracles, or Sorcery, can make a huge difference to how difficult you find the game. Even many characters focused on melee will nonetheless have some backup magic, pyromancy, or miracle ability just in case. This can also make the elemental weapons you find that much stronger if you have one, like Heide Knight Sword, that scales with one of your magic stats.
8. Whenever you can upgrade your Estus Flask. That will increase the amount of healing it provides and can very well save your life in combat. You will need Sublime Bone Dust for this, which are rare items you will find throughout the game and that should be burned at the Majula bonfire to upgrade your Flask's healing power (max of +5). Also, keep an eye open for Estus Flask Shards, as they increase the number of uses you get (max of 12).
9. Bows can be extremely helpful for drawing enemies out. Even if they don't do much damage, using one to draw enemies one by one out of a pack can make dealing with them much easier. Bows can also be an effective way to stand off and attack enemies who can't reach you. Crossbows are now a viable alternative for Strength-oriented characters, as they can now be aimed similarly, though they are a bit slower.
10. Keep an eye open for shortcuts. Dying and returning to a bonfire just to face the same group of foes again is a common event and can be demoralizing over time. Thankfully, game designers have placed many different shortcuts throughout the game that can make your life a little bit easier. As you advance through a level, always be on the lookout for anything that might be a shortcut, such as opening locked doors from the other side, starting elevators, or raising gates. These shortcuts will remain open after your death and will let you get back through the area more quickly the next time.
11. Don't be afraid to do a 'suicide run' to grab that shiny item surrounded by enemies. Even if you die, you still get to keep the item (just be sure you've spent your souls first, or put on a death-nullifying ring.).
12. Studying the statistics and information attached to each piece of equipment can sometimes make a world of difference. Having trouble dealing with fire-based attacks? Switch to a shield with 85% Fire Damage reduction. The designers of the game were harsh, but not unsympathetic (we'd like to believe at least). For every enemy, there are multiple pieces of equipment to help.

Simple Build Tips for Beginners:

These are some simple tips on how to build a character for PvE. On your first playthrough, in particular, don't get too wrapped up in "perfect" build optimization. Instead, see what kinds of weapons, armor, and spells you like, and keep track of their state requirements for a better-designed second character.

1. Think of how YOU like to play the game. Are you more of a mage-type character? Or do you like using massive weapons? Thinking about what stats you want to invest in is very important.
2. When leveling up, level up stats that are relevant to how you want to play. If you want to wield massive weapons, putting points into faith may not be the right way to go. All weapons have minimum requirements to wield so keep this in mind also. Leveling up to use the dagger you just found may prove to be a waste of time. It also may prove to be the best decision you ever make.
3. Don't neglect "necessary" stats. Having high Endurance and Vigor can oftentimes keep you alive. Also, pay attention to how stats affect your attributes. You may find that upgrading one stat gives you a set of bonuses, but another gives you the same rewards and then some.
4. As hard as it may be, try and stick to a few stats. Leveling up everything equally may seem like a good idea, but often leaves your character spread out and weak.
5. You will find that certain stats (Vitality, Attunement, and Adaptability) are useful in exact quantities. Figuring out, for instance, exactly how many spell slots you need and then setting your Attunement to the minimum you need will help you save on wasting souls and SL. In terms of Vitality, figure out what you need your equipment load to be (what percentage) and how much your equipment weighs, and then figure out the minimum Vitality you need. As far as Adaptability, most melee characters will want 15-20, while other characters may not need any. Although all three of these stats have other uses, you are generally better served by limiting your expenditure to what you need for your build.
6. As far as PvE goes, the soul level doesn't play a large role. Being too high or too low in level may affect how easy it is for you to summon/be summoned but in the end, it really doesn't affect the game a lot. Becoming skilled with your favorite weapon(s) or spells and learning how to react to foes is far more important. No amount of levels will save you in the long run if you don't play carefully and intelligently, but if you do you will be surprised how far you can get even with very low levels.
7. Finally, remember that in Dark Souls 2, you can respec your character using a Soul Vessel. This gives you greater leeway in figuring out which stats you need and when and allows you to make mistakes and try out different concepts.