Think this might be a good alternate to a low-level playthrough?

I've been trying a challenge run recently (not leveling beyond 5), and it's been a lot of fun. A lot of melee with a bit of pyro. But many of my longest, most fleshed out characters in Demon's Souls and Dark Souls were mages. I've never really found a way to make a low level run as a mage, because of the inevitable wall you hit from having low Int (most mid to high level spells will be beyond your skill).

I was thinking about trying this, but doing it in the opposite vein as the low level run. I wanted to do something that would force me to play in a style befitting a pure mage. Too many of my mages became melee powerhouses that could also wield spells. I thought I could do something that would allow myself to level, but restrict these things:

-Starting shield and dagger only. Can upgrade them, that's all I can use.
-No armor, ever. Robes / cloaks only. Those can also be upgraded
-Must wear the Dusk Crown ring AT ALL TIMES.
-I considered even doing something where you don't put any points into vitality, but considering how low the sorcerer is when it starts, I can't imagine this being viable near endgame.

I want to try using some of the more varied spells like the Aural Decot, chameleon, hide body, etc. Kind of forces you to figure out new ways through problem areas.

Anyone done something similar? Any suggested variants or restrictions?

Actually using stuff like Aural decoy and hide body are one of the ways to make it through parts of the game as a starting lvl sorcerer. For bosses just using dusks crown/bellowing dragon ring and plenty of great soul arrows with an oolacile catalyst works. Also having an elemental dagger,hand axe, or shortsword is mandatory. I think what you suggested could be fun, but i think some of the higher lvl int spells are just OP when it comes to PvE. Having no poise though and weak weapons would make it more challenging. Just do what you think you will have fun doing.


You could always raise the sorcerer lvl to SL 5, it doesn't sound like a big difference but it is. You are able to use a much more powerful spell, and gain an extra Att slot. http://tinyurl.com/bp83qsw

FruitPunchNinja wrote:I think what you suggested could be fun, but i think some of the higher lvl int spells are just OP when it comes to PvE. Having no poise though and weak weapons would make it more challenging. Just do what you think you will have fun doing.


You could always raise the sorcerer lvl to SL 5, it doesn't sound like a big difference but it is. You are able to use a much more powerful spell, and gain an extra Att slot. http://tinyurl.com/bp83qsw

I know what you mean about the spells. I wasn't sure how to reconcile that. I thought maybe the Oolacile catalyst might help, because the mag adjust is capped.

Your build sounds solid though, very similar to what I was doing with the pyromancer. It's hard to find a good balance of challenge, without being masochistic.

Back Lot Basher wrote:

FruitPunchNinja wrote:I think what you suggested could be fun, but i think some of the higher lvl int spells are just OP when it comes to PvE. Having no poise though and weak weapons would make it more challenging. Just do what you think you will have fun doing.


You could always raise the sorcerer lvl to SL 5, it doesn't sound like a big difference but it is. You are able to use a much more powerful spell, and gain an extra Att slot. http://tinyurl.com/bp83qsw

I know what you mean about the spells. I wasn't sure how to reconcile that. I thought maybe the Oolacile catalyst might help, because the mag adjust is capped.

Your build sounds solid though, very similar to what I was doing with the pyromancer. It's hard to find a good balance of challenge, without being masochistic.

I've done pretty much exactly what you outlined, though I never leveled up. A Sorcerer has enough power at sl 3 to beat the game quite easily, though it does require a fair bit of skill to pull off. I only allowed myself the dagger and added a no health/burden/stamina increasing items clause. I made extensive use of hidden body, fall control, etc.. and combined all of the power increasing gear to make sure my low level magic had enough punch to take on the later bosses.



With that said it's important you still have fun, but as Fruit has already mentioned it's very easy to overpower yourself with a lot of the spells. I'd just keep your vit/end at base so you're forced to simply not get hit, and then take advantage of all the damage you can muster. Part of the charm of doing low level runs is using your head to overcome challenges and creating new tactics without relying on higher stats and better equipment/spells. With gear like dusk crown ring, bellowing dragoncrest ring, white seance/darkmoon rings, ring of fog, slumbering dragoncrest, crown of dusk, etc... you can pull off some amazings things at base level.



If you're interested in some of the tactics I used you can check out the playthrough on Youtube. Use the link in my signature and there is an "SL 3 Sorcerer playthrough" playlist.

bare hands run. do it.

Forum Pirate wrote:bare hands run. do it.

lol...At the risk of sounding like an idiot for even asking, but has anyone ever tried this?

I haven't. If you were to do it, getting dragon body form would be pretty much mandatory. Getting the scales required would be so much of a pain i just don't see the fun in it. Doing a bare hand full Dragon Body run is possible though, and ive heard quite a few people mention that they have done it.

I'm not even sure if it would be possible to do it without fist weapons or Dragon Form, and doubt anyone has. If you have every beat the asylum demon before getting your gear, you would know how long it takes just to do that. So i could honestly just imagine trying with 4kings, who you would be forced to fight all at once due to the timed spawn mechanic with that boss.

I horsed around with a low level bare hands build once for giggles, it wasn't that hard, mostly boring actually - I ended up not actually punching anything and just running through areas while luring the occasional mob to a cliff and then kicking them off. With bosses, prepare to throw a lot of firebombs/dung pies/knives. If you force yourself to do only fist melee, then I still think it's possible, just that it would take an eternity. I also got bored and gave up before 4Kings, which I agree would probably be the most trying of the bosses.