DS II (Be wary for spoilers)

[Fienasre]

Right... I guess for tips and tricks we should create a new thread.

I have been playing a couple of hours (found the woman that grants me level ups, thanks DV) upgraded my newly bought longsword to +2 (It kills stuff now!) and got all the way to a boss fight

Spoiler!

(The last of the Giants). I have attempted to kick his shins 3 times now. The first try I lasted a whole 5 seconds. The thing came at me and swiped me off my feet twice. (He instagibs me because my hp is at max 50% due to tonns of deaths. But effigy's are scarce and I burnt one but didn't get my hp back.I probably did it wrong.) The second try I got him halfway at which point he did something spectacular to increase his range. I couldn't get enough distance to get away from the improved swipe (Damn it's a small room) and got instagibbed again. I wonder though. Should I get in close (a thing that size doesnt swipe at his own feet, right?) Any tips and tricks on how to tackle this one?

[TroyBlade]

I can't read that yet because I'm still yet to locate any boss, despite playing for a lot more than a couple of hours.

[Fienasre]

A couple of hours in my case is something like 6... But after I found the right direction. I kept on going that way. I did skip some big dudes that I couldn't talk to but had red bars. Maybe that saved me some time?

[TroyBlade]

I didn't play last night so I'm still something like 3.5 hours total. I skipped the troll thingies in Betwixt but I can't think of anything else I've skipped, except for the big guy who gets dropped in by a crow and appears to be a 1 chance only encounter - for now, at least.

Skipped isn't a very accurate description though. One shotted from behind whilst dealing with the firebomb dude would be more accurate.

Edit: Oh yeah, I skipped the sitting down knight thingy at the start of the forest after he killed me a couple of times.

Edit2: So actually, when I say I haven't skipped anything except this and that, what I really mean to say is that I haven't actually killed anything that's not a regular enemy at all, with the single exception of the guy with the giant mace and the armoured back who lives opposite the trap room.

[Deathviper]

First boss tips for Fien:

Spoiler!

Stay behind him at all times and get in close. This is fairly easy for the first half of the fight as you can just run in after his attack but is more tricky once he grabs the branch and extends his reach but it's still doable.

Once you are in behind him it is just a case of chipping away at his health but watch for his stamps which will can easily one shot you. Hit him just once then immediatley back away, wait for the stamp then move in again and hit him again. Every now and then he will jump away backwards and you have to get in behind him again.

Occasionally he will fall over (no idea what causes this), switch to a 2 handed weapon style and lay into him. In addition when he goes to grab the branch you also have a few seconds to lay into him again.

[Deathviper]

It took me quite a while to get to the first boss too, I'm pretty sure well over 3.5 hours. It took me quite a long time to get back into the swing of things.

The guy that appears to be a 1 chance encounter does come back yeah, I think you get something special for beating him that first time but even though he didn't backstab me I still died without getting a hit in.

A few tips that i think will be helpful. I have spoilered this incase you want to do everythign completely blind but there are no actual spoilers below:

Spoiler!

The new stat adaptibility is pretty important, it speeds up multiple actions primarily rolling. You may have noticed that rolling is slower than in DS1 and this is the reason. Apparenetly a stat of about 15 is needed to match DS1 roll speed.

Inspect the well in Majula for an easy Estus Flask upgrade.

The chap that Troy mentioned sitting next to the tree isn't too hard as long as you clear the room out (including the archer above) first and watch his moves for an opening. You can also get in multiple free hits while he is getting up so lay into him to start. The reaon I mention this is that he drops an elemental weapon which is a good upgrade at this stage.

There is another elemental sword you can get shortly after this, in an area full of scaffolding, head to the bottom and there is a cave with fire pouring out, wait for the gap and run to the door on the left.

The starting merchant in Majula gets new gear based on how much you have spent with him (not sure if the same is true of other merchants) so it's worth spending money with him to unlock new gear.

If you are struggling with the 5% health death penalty there is a ring available that limits the penalty to 75% rather than 50%. This is a massive help obviously. It is accesible from the start but realistically you probably want to wait until after the first boss is down. To get there:

Enter the church(?) in Majula and head through the gate down the spiral stair case (swicth is above it on the left).

This takes you to the tower of flame. Fight through the big enemies (dont miss the bonfire on the right after you kill the first one)

Once you reach a round room head left.

Once you kill the final enemy in front of the Cathedral you can pull the switch to drop the drawbridge and the ring is in a chest at the top.

[Revolver]

I've already read too much!!

I read a few of DVs tips, but that'll do me for now. I'm having fun exploring at the moment, but haven't got to a boss or anything. To be fair, I've restarted twice already, once after killing an NPC and once for fun.

[Fienasre]

Thanks for the pointers DV!

Spoiler!

I kept him at my front but the swinging arms are hard to get passed and out of reach again. Do it from behind...

And thanks again for those tips. Some of them are new to me but a lot of things I already explored. And that ring will be an immense upgrade... First: I will have a go at that elemental knight guy tonight.
That dropping down part for a fire thingy. Is that where you walk up the tree? I haven't dropped down yet but I saw a ladder somewhere over there.

@Troy:

Spoiler!

Be wary of Boss

[Deathviper]

Do you mean the area just after the bonfire where when you walk out a tree leads up to the walls on the left and on the right are a few buildings/scaffolding connecting them? If so then no not that area, though you do still want to explore it as there is an important item in there.

It's before that, and in fact just after the elemental knight chap, just continue on through a few corridors and up over the wall via a ladder and it's that area there. In actual fact I think it is the area directly before you reach the bonfire mentioned above.

[Fienasre]

Interesting. Haven't found the area you mention. I was planning to grab as many souls as possible in a full run of the area to upgrade my stats and stuff. Exploration time!