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CheatCC’s Top 7 Dark Souls III Tips You Need

CheatCC’s Top 7 Dark Souls III Tips You Need

Dark Souls III is finally here. This day has been marked on my calendar for months, and I’m so excited to get back into Lothric now that the servers are live. To all of you Dark Souls veterans out there, good luck; you’re going to need it. This game starts off easier than games past, but the difficulty ramps up quickly and violently. I can easily say that this seems like the hardest Souls games in the series. If this is your first time playing a Souls game – bless your heart. You’re really in for it. Prepare for one of the most challenging and most rewarding gaming experiences you’re likely to have this generation, or ever. Before you get started, there are a few things you need to know. This isn’t The Legend of Zelda or Final Fantasy . You’re not here to enjoy yourself, you’re here to survive. Here are 7 tips to give you a fighting chance.

Your Starting Class Isn’t a Big Deal

Your Starting Class Isn’t a Big Deal

In most RPGs I end up spending a very long time in the character creation suite. I must have gone through a dozen or more characters during my time playing Morrowind , and there’s just something about allocating attribute points that feels so gravely important. This is especially true in Dark Souls III , because by now you surely know just how tough this game is going to be. Don’t put too much stock in your starting class, though. You’re going to change the way you play at least a few times during the game as you discover new weapons and spells that you want to use, and you’ll come across more than enough souls to make those changes.

Stack Vigor, Endurance, and Have a Little Faith

Stack Vigor, Endurance, and Have a Little Faith

If you’re a Dark Souls veteran then you don’t need me telling you how to set up your character; you do your own thing. However, if you’re new to the series you’re going to go through a pretty rough period of transition. Getting hit in Dark Souls hurts. A lot. You’re going to want to pour some early points into Vigor, which increases your HP, and Endurance, which increases your stamina. If you don’t have at least 12 points invested in Vigor, even earlier bosses are going to take you out in two hits, which will probably come back to back. Get your vigor up and give yourself a little more time to heal, then make sure you have enough endurance to roll at least a few times in a row when you’re unsure how to dodge an attack. Also, I highly recommend getting your Faith to at least 10 so you can use a basic healing miracle. You won’t start off with much estus, and you’ll need some other means of healing in a pinch; trust me on that one.

Proceed With Caution

Proceed With Caution

Never sprint into unfamiliar territory. Never approach a seemingly unguarded item or chest without first looking up and all around you. Do not, under any circumstance, enter a new room without your shield up if you can’t see all four corners. This game rewards the patient explorer, and violently punishes the mindless wanderer. Take your time as you proceed, and don’t fall into the trap of impatiently running back through an area after dying multiple times – you’ll only die faster. Going about your business slowly and methodically is more than a survival tactic, though, it will also encourage you to observe your surroundings more often. This game is beautiful, and some of the high-fantasy castle-scapes you’ll see off in the distance are absolutely breathtaking, so don’t forget to stop and smell the roses from time to time.

Respect Every Single Enemy

Respect Every Single Enemy

Repeat after me: “Ever enemy is a serious threat.” There are no weak enemies in Dark Souls. Yes, there are enemies you can take out relatively quickly, but you’re very much the same in that regard. Even when you’re heavily armored, if you’re not paying attention a measly, lone, undead archer can be the thing that takes you out as you distractedly prepare for a boss battle. In Dark Souls III there are tiny little demons in chain collars that like to ambush you, dropping from the ceiling or some high bridge when you least expect it. Face one alone and you’re fine; face two or more and you’re in serious trouble. Take every fight seriously, because you never know when another baddy is lurking just around the corner, waiting to strike the killing blow at the worst possible moment.

Learn to Dodge Smarter, Not Block Harder

Learn to Dodge Smarter, Not Block Harder

Shields will become a very important part of your defense, and if you’re a first-time player I highly recommend carrying one at all times. However, you’ll notice that most shields in the game don’t absorb 100% of the damage when you’re struck; in other words, you’ll still take chip damage. In addition to this, blocking an attack with your shield takes a serious toll on your stamina, so if a stronger enemy strings together a 2-3 hit combo you’re going to get staggered and taken out. Use your shield as a last resort, opting to predict your enemies’ attacks and dodge instead. You have a few frames of invincibility when you roll, so it’s much more advantageous to doge to one side and get in a strike than to take the hit and risk being left open and vulnerable. This is doubly true during boss fights. Usually when facing bigger bosses I just wield my main weapon with both hands for the extra damage and learn to dodge at the right time. Speaking of which…

Every Boss Tells Secrets

Every Boss Tells Secrets

Every boss will show you how to defeat it if you’re observant and patient. Go into every boss fight expecting to die at least a few times – look at it as an experiment and as a lesson. The more time you spend with a boss the more familiar you’ll become with its patterns of movement, attack, and transition. No matter how brutal or impossible an enemy may seem, I guarantee you they have “tells.” There are subtle noises, animations, or setups before every kind of attack, and there are usually 3 or 4 fundamental attacks that they’ll primarily use. Once you’ve seen them over and over again you’ll know exactly when to dodge, and you’ll have a good idea of how much damage you can do before you need to back off again.

Death Makes You Better

Death Makes You Better

Every Dark Souls game proudly sounds the same mantra: “Prepare to Die.” It’s good advice, really. You’re going to die a lot, and that may make more impatient gamers want to rage-quit or throw their controllers at the screen, but you really shouldn’t let it get you down. Every time you die it’s because you were taken by surprise by an enemy or a boss, but you know what? Next time, you’re facing a much more familiar foe. Every time you perish ,”You Died” fades into the screen in big red letters, but it might as well say, “You’re Wiser Now,” because that’s the truth. Don’t get so frustrated by dying that you’re unable to learn something from it, because death is the primary means of instruction in this game. Yes, it’s hard, but that’s what makes this game so rewarding, and if you’re persistent, the sense of accomplishment you gain from taking down some of the more formidable residents of Lothric is unmatched by any other game out there.

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