[ONLY ME!!!!]

My sword kept bouncing off. Any sort of strategy to hit him without that happening? It was just me whittling it down. It was easy, but boring and long.

His ass is very vulnerable. Or there's fire around the area which may hurt him if you dodge correctly.

[Nathan Hunter]

I'm struggling to really find what weapon I want to use. I haven't had much examples of weapons I like. I was using the axe for the longest time. So I was keeping endurance/str/dex all about the same level just in case so I could later on specialize. Now I found a sword. Overall this game is hard to build for since weapons are so infrequent. I have no idea what to build for. I really liked the heft of the one handed axe, but again. I have no experience with a lot of weapons. I don't want to commit then all of a sudden find something better. Example would be spears, I like the way they handle. But the battle axe I had at the time was several magnitudes better. I didn't have an equivalent spear to test it with. Hence I'm getting bad impressions of weapons.

Edit
Now I have this crazy dragon sword. How long will this be viable before I have to find another weapon? ect.

[Marie Maillos]

I'm struggling to really find what weapon I want to use. I haven't had much examples of weapons I like. I was using the axe for the longest time. So I was keeping endurance/str/dex all about the same level just in case so I could later on specialize. Now I found a sword. Overall this game is hard to build for since weapons are so infrequent. I have no idea what to build for. I really liked the heft of the one handed axe, but again. I have no experience with a lot of weapons. I don't want to commit then all of a sudden find something better. Example would be spears, I like the way they handle. But the battle axe I had at the time was several magnitudes better. I didn't have an equivalent spear to test it with. Hence I'm getting bad impressions of weapons.

Edit
Now I have this crazy dragon sword. How long will this be viable before I have to find another weapon? ect.

Don't bother working towards a specific build yet. Just get your Strength and Dexterity up so that they reach the minimum requirements to use most weapons (about 16 Strength and 12-16 Dexterity should do it), and focus on improving your Vitality and Endurance. None of your current weapons have decent scaling, so your stats aren't going to have a tremendous effect on their damage output. In fact, that Drake Sword you have doesn't have any stat scaling whatsoever, so boosting your Strength and Dexterity is a waste of time if you plan on using it.

[Jordan Fletcher]

Alright sounds good. Endurance and health it is then. Also good to know, I was about to waste a whole lot of time.

[Heather M]

Edit
Now I have this crazy dragon sword. How long will this be viable before I have to find another weapon? ect.

It's kind of unfortunate. The Drake Sword will probably be better than most weapons you'll find for some time. So get used to it.

[Queen Bitch]

It's kind of unfortunate. The Drake Sword will probably be better than most weapons you'll find for some time. So get used to it.

Going for the drake sword is one of those not-blind playthroughs. Get that sword, and the game because a million times easier.

[Taylor Bakos]

Going for the drake sword is one of those not-blind playthroughs. Get that sword, and the game because a million times easier.

Thing is, it's incredibly easy to find the sword in a completely blind playthrough (i.e. without looking up information on the internet) due to the ever present messages hinting at shooting the Hellkite's tail.

Edit: I suppose you could call playing online with messages present not a blind-playthrough, but that's the way FROM intended the game to be played so I consider it 'blind'.

[JERMAINE VIDAURRI]

Thing is, it's incredibly easy to find the sword in a completely blind playthrough (i.e. without looking up information on the internet) due to the ever present messages hinting at shooting the Hellkite's tail.

Edit: I suppose you could call playing online with messages present not a blind-playthrough, but that's the way FROM intended the game to be played so I consider it 'blind'.

During the time I played it, there was not message Well nowadays actually if you even summon someone, it's no longer the challenge DkS used to be, since the one you summoned most likely has million damage dealing weapons. Co-op becomes a joke, inavsion becomes a joke, DkS becomes a joke.

[Nany Smith]

During the time I played it, there was not message Well nowadays actually if you even summon someone, it's no longer the challenge DkS used to be, since the one you summoned most likely has million damage dealing weapons. Co-op becomes a joke, inavsion becomes a joke, DkS becomes a joke.

Obviously the game and online experience is better when the player-base as a whole is brand new to the game. After everything is known and cookie cutter builds pop up everywhere, it becomes less fun (the same thing happened in Demon's, as I'm sure you know). That's why those getting the game for PC are in for a treat -- no one will know anything!

[Chris Duncan]

Obviously the game and online experience is better when the player-base as a whole is brand new to the game. After everything is known and cookie cutter builds pop up everywhere, it becomes less fun (the same thing happened in Demon's, as I'm sure you know). That's why those getting the game for PC are in for a treat -- no one will know anything!

Oh, but I will. Muahahah.

Edit
I could always just throw the sword away and use another weaker weapon.

[Cathrine Jack]

There is just something I don't like about Dark Souls. To me it feels cheap and out dated. Everything from the art style to the combat feels horrible.

[Jeff Turner]

Oh, but I will. Muahahah.

Edit
I could always just throw the sword away and use another weaker weapon.

Or you could just ... NOT use it. You do need it to get the Knights Honor Achievement, along with all the other "tail" weapons. I played the entire game and never once used it. I played a warrior and had a special bond with my Longsword. The R2 (trigger) stabbing attack is vital to my play-style. Also I highly suggest you level up your weapons and armor, rather than you SL (soul level), if you have not already.

There is just something I don't like about Dark Souls. To me it feels cheap and out dated. Everything from the art style to the combat feels horrible.

I know what it is you don't like: It's very difficult. There's no explanation of anything, and the game is incredibly punishing. It sets you up to make mistakes, and makes you suffer for them.
I thought the exact same thing for the first 20 hours. Eventually, I came to greatly appreciate the art/story/style of the game.

Thing is, it's incredibly easy to find the sword in a completely blind playthrough (i.e. without looking up information on the internet) due to the ever present messages hinting at shooting the Hellkite's tail.

Edit: I suppose you could call playing online with messages present not a blind-playthrough, but that's the way FROM intended the game to be played so I consider it 'blind'.

I'd say there's one way to play the game truly "blind": Offline - no FAQs. I admit to looking up the order of the bosses because the difficulty increase from Bell Gargoyle to Capra Demon was too much for me to fathom. I also looked up how to access the "roof" in Anor Londo to move the middle platform. I'm pretty proud.

[Rachel Cafferty]

Snip

No that's not what I dislike about it as I to got used to the difficulty. I don't like how clunky and unnatural it is.

[Elina]

I still haven't found any blacksmiths.

Edit
Let me http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0657.html something about difficulty to people. If you have skill, and the other guy has skill and a walkthrough who is going to do better? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN30YMzja6Y? I can cover that too.

[Harry Leon]

No that's not what I dislike about it as I to got used to the difficulty. I don't like how clunky and unnatural it is.

In my opinion the combat was only clunky when I svcked at it. Once I mastered it, I found it flawless.

[Kirsty Collins]

I still haven't found any blacksmiths.

Rickert, the magic smith, is very close to the bonfire at the Firelink shrine. He can upgrade your weapons if you've found titanite shards from the undead warriors (silver armor). As you've just recently got the Drake's sword, you're very close to the Andre, the second smith who sells titanite shards.

[Setal Vara]

In my opinion the combat was only clunky when I svcked at it. Once I mastered it, I found it flawless.

I mean the game as a whole is clunky, not just the combat.

[Emma Pennington]

I also find it clunky, but that is the whole point. Clunky, but still amazing. Monster Hunter on the other hand is a tad clunky compared to the main stream games, but hell of a lot faster than this. Considering combat can be just as deadly in it, you need to do things really fast.

[Setal Vara]

No that's not what I dislike about it as I to got used to the difficulty. I don't like how clunky and unnatural it is.

Demon's souls had more smooth move-sets compared to dark souls. For example, when using a mace in dark souls, all your character does is a hacking motion in one direction; from up to down. In demon's souls, it was first up to down, the down to up.

[Lori Joe]

Demon's souls had more smooth move-sets compared to dark souls. For example, when using a mace in dark souls, all your character does is a hacking motion in one direction; from up to down. In demon's souls, it was first up to down, the down to up.

Every weapon has a different move set. That's part of the strength/weakness of each weapon.
Also, how heavily do you rely on back-stabs?

I mean the game as a whole is clunky, not just the combat.

I really disagree with you there. There are very few loading screens, very little time spent in menus managing equipment, a way to "fast travel" (homeward)... It's all about the action, which is fast paced and accurate - if you're good enough. Other than the combat, what did you find slowing you down?

[Bigze Stacks]

Every weapon has a different move set. That's part of the strength/weakness of each weapon.
Also, how heavily do you rely on back-stabs?

Backstabs are too easy to land and usually in competetive duels they happen once or twice in total.

[sally coker]

Backstabs are too easy to land and usually in competetive duels they happen once or twice in total.

I don't play online, so I wouldn't know.
Does that mean you used them a whole lot, or not very much?

[Eire Charlotta]

I don't play online, so I wouldn't know.
Does that mean you used them a whole lot, or not very much?

I don't play DkS anymore, but when I did, in most duels I used it once or twice. Generally, when you meet a player online, one of you will get backstabbed at some point. It's inevitable.

[+++CAZZY]

Fought gargoyles, summoned an ally. It really helped. I got dumb and started rushing in. My own fault. I had one inch of health so one hit left on the first gargoyle. I even managed to get his tail off, and voila an axe which svcks. Also this halberd is totally better than the dragon sword I had. Not as much damage, but far more versatile. Its thrust attack is so easy to follow up with I love it. It has aoe with its wide slashing move too. Everything else around there died easily. I even managed to kill the second black knight with my +5 Halberd.

Edit
What are the benefits of the gargoyle axe over the battle axe? It has less damage. Only thing I noticed is it would be better for a dex build. Ever so slightly. Though why dex character would use an axe is beyond me.

Edit
Gargoyles have been nailed to the wall. That was the easiest boss fight yet.

[Mason Nevitt]

Fought gargoyles, summoned an ally. It really helped. I got dumb and started rushing in. My own fault. I had one inch of health so one hit left on the first gargoyle. I even managed to get his tail off, and voila an axe which svcks. Also this halberd is totally better than the dragon sword I had. Not as much damage, but far more versatile. Its thrust attack is so easy to follow up with I love it. It has aoe with its wide slashing move too. Everything else around there died easily. I even managed to kill the second black knight with my +5 Halberd.

Edit
What are the benefits of the gargoyle axe over the battle axe? It has less damage. Only thing I noticed is it would be better for a dex build. Ever so slightly. Though why dex character would use an axe is beyond me.

Edit
Gargoyles have been nailed to the wall. That was the easiest boss fight yet.

It's even easier when you summon the extra, bonus, guy. I've even let them do all the work while I just clean my nails.
The main benefit of the Axe would be the boost you get to Poison/Toxic/Bleeding resistance. Also, you're 2/6 for the tail weapons. Next one is the Gaping Dragon (assuming you skipped the master key).
I also found the halbred to be the best weapons. I used it for a LONG time. The R2 attack is not so great, unless you perfect it, but the R1 is just PEACHY. Huge reach, lots of damage... it don't get no better.