SL1 run - looking for advice

Its simple I wear little to no armor anyway so I find that on low sl runs think of your character as made of glass, no glass cannon just glass. I utilize the ninja flip to dodge opponents hits and depending on what kind of run im doind will determine if I use fully upgraded or base weapons. 
The moral of the story be quick on your feet and strike fast and hard. idk if this sounds like bs(not backstab) but this is my mental state for playing sl1

I need to get that ring and see if it makes a difference for me.  What exactly makes the ring so helpful?  Do you cover more distance with your flips?  Move faster?  Save stamina?

move faster and its better for dodging multiple attacks like from bosses id buy some green blossom to cant go wrong with that

That's what i did.

Pyromancy. It'll make the entire run eassssyyyy. (Expect Firesage and Queelag. You'll need pro's tips for that.)

You have slightly more invincibility frames with the Dark Wood Grain Ring, so dodging is more effective. Also, Demon Firesage isn't immune to fire.

Thanks to whomever posted the idea about using PW for boss fights.  I beat Artorias solo at SL 1 for the first time.  I won't lie...I spent upwards of 90 minutes trying, and failing, until I had his attack patterns down.  In the end it was PW and Great Fireball / Fire Orb.  I tried using GC on him, but he had this tendency to dodge away just as I cast it 50% of the time.  But when that Great Fireball hit him, it tore down about 35% of his health in one shot.  I was pretty impressed.  I can definitely see where Combustion and Black Flame would be a better choice for the Kings though, since they don't dodge away.

Man, I tried for an hour and a half, and I just can't do it.  The PW + Black Flame/GC works well, just like you said (three shots to bring down a king).  But there's so little room for error.  If I get tagged just once, I'm screwed.  Once, I actually died from PW simply because I was so busy dodging I couldn't heal.  I'd have to have a perfect fight, not getting hit at all.  It seems so random, which attack they use, but I'm sure there's a pattern someplace, depending on how close I get.

(hangs head in shame) I am permanently hollow from my inability to finish a SL1 play.

Back Lot Basher wrote:Man, I tried for an hour and a half, and I just can't do it.  The PW + Black Flame/GC works well, just like you said (three shots to bring down a king).  But there's so little room for error.  If I get tagged just once, I'm screwed.  Once, I actually died from PW simply because I was so busy dodging I couldn't heal.  I'd have to have a perfect fight, not getting hit at all.  It seems so random, which attack they use, but I'm sure there's a pattern someplace, depending on how close I get.

(hangs head in shame) I am permanently hollow from my inability to finish a SL1 play.

You should take the crest shield to block their attacks instead of pure dodging.
And yeah getting carried away and not healing from PW is pretty annoying.

The general strategy for kings is staying close and either dodging or blocking their sword attacks (i prefer dodging for the recovery time), and spamming R1, even when they're in their death animation.
Also backing away whenever they start spinning, because they're either gonna grab or explode, and both will hit you if you're around.

I did have the crest, and it seemed to work pretty well.  But I watched a vid of some guy doing nothing but dodging, and two handing with a Lightning Reinforced Club.  Made it look easy.  Figuring out what to look for as far as animations that indicate certain attacks seemed to be the tough part.  Just not sure how to resolve the healing while PW is sapping me.

Watching videos can be super helpful to get a handle on the Kings' moveset -- like knowing when to run and knowing how to tell when you're free to attack or when one is going for multiple sword swings in a row. Getting behind one after the first swing gives you time to attack without being hit too and makes dodging easier until the next barrage. And like Hue said, the key is staying close, 'cause even if you're hit, you take less damage being hit by the sword hilt than by the tip of the sword. They also generally won't cast magic if you're close enough.

I use these on my last SL1 Four Kings fight:

Lightning Reinforced Club+5

Mask of the Child
Havel's Armour
Ring of Steel Protection
Crest Shield+5
Green Blossoms
8 estus flasks!

SUCCESS!!!!

Holy crap, I have no idea what kept me going.  I'm going to confess something here that's pretty embarrassing....I spent 3.5 hours last night dying over and over and over, until I finally got a lucky run (This on top of the 90 minutes the night before).  I probably should have just admitted I suck and moved on.  But it became a personal obsession, I think.  Plus I was farming the Darkwraiths on each pass anyway.

Anyway, on my successful run, I nailed the first three kings like clockwork.  Six casts of GC left, so I was feeling good.  Then the fourth one threw me off by casting his magic ranged attack while I was bum rushing him.  I blocked it, but still took some damage.  Managed to get in a couple of casts, but then took a bit of damage, from the sword hilt I think, or it would have killed me.

The last one was down to just enough health for one cast to finish him.  But I had missed on a few, so I had only one cast left just as he raised his sword.  I could have dodged, but rolled the dice that I could tear down what was left of his health.  If I'd been off on my estimate, he'd have cleaved me in two.  When he went down I swear I threw up in my mouth a little. 

Never owned a game that, after 600+ hours could still make my heart race like that.

Thanks again for suggesting PW and the extra attunement slot.  That really was the difference maker.

Did you kill the DLC bosses too?

Hue wrote:Did you kill the DLC bosses too?

Just the Guardian and Artorias.  And I still have the other big-four bosses, plus Gwyn.  But the Kings were the one I worried about.

Not sure why this hadn't occurred to me before, but I realized something while playing back to back with a SL1 toon and a level 90+ toon.  One of the things that makes you so fragile as a SL1 char isn't just that you haven't invested in Vit, it's that you haven't invested in ANY stats that otherwise offer incremental increases to physical resistance.  End, Str, Dex, Faith...they all give small bonuses that can add up over time.  So essentially, at SL1 you really are naked in the purest sense.  Playing at this level simply requires that you don't get hit, so a good shield and the ability to dodge are about the only thing that saves you.

Are you in NG?  You should be able to take a shot or two in NG.  I don't think anything can 1-shot you.  Unless you count Andre's 3-hit combo as 1-hit.

SL1 and with the proper gear, not even Capra Demon can one-shot you.

Green__Eagle wrote:SL1 and with the proper gear, not even Capra Demon can one-shot you.

Pretty sure you can be naked in NG and nothing will 1-shot you.

callipygias wrote:

Green__Eagle wrote:SL1 and with the proper gear, not even Capra Demon can one-shot you.

Pretty sure you can be naked in NG and nothing will 1-shot you.

Kalameet pls.
Or i would have finished mine already.

Hue wrote:

callipygias wrote:

Green__Eagle wrote:SL1 and with the proper gear, not even Capra Demon can one-shot you.

Pretty sure you can be naked in NG and nothing will 1-shot you.

Kalameet pls.
Or i would have finished mine already.

Is he 1-shotting you?  I started my challenge character long before the DLC so I didn't consider him.  I suppose Artorias could 1-shot you as well, if he got off a buff.