SL1 run? I need a challenge.

So guys, I need something to do while I wait the next 4 days for the Prepare to Die DLC. I love the PvE in this game a whole lot (much more than the PvP) but I haven't felt challenged by it in a long time. I was thinking of doing a SL1 playthrough.

Anything I should know about what I'm getting myself into? Would this be a good idea to mess around with?

SL1 playthroughs are doable but you are very limited as to what you can do and its really just going through the game with light armor, an elemental weapon and pyromancy.


I vote that you do a limiting playthrough with a odd build. My buddy has been doing a deprived build. He can use any wooden club (club, reenforced club, large club, giant club), the plank shield and the sack.


So make up your own ridiculous build and try it out.

I think if you are trying to challenge yourself, but have fun. A hunter starting level playthrough is the most fun. You have a lot more options in terms of what weapons you can use. I was thinking of a challenge, it would truely be a challenge. One i think Fromsoft kind of hints at. Ok, there's like 4 types of undead warriors/soldiers. Doing a run with the equipment of the long sword,battle axe, or spear ones would be tough but still fairly easy. So what about beating the game as deprived with nothing but Hollow Warrior set, cracked shield, and broken sword. I think it is doable, but very challenging. Your only hope would be to make it a chaos broken sword, also i think you need havels or rofap to fast roll. So basically beat the game with this set up http://tinyurl.com/8bjvpg7 no pyro or anything, but black fire bombs would be allowed.

Themed runs are great, especially if you're strict and stick to them. My samurai character can't use shields whatsoever, which makes some battles in this game exceedingly difficult (lookin' at you, Sif). There's a bunch of other "historical warrior" runs you can do as well:

The crusader knight only wears chainmail, uses the East-West shield and single-handed straight swords, hammers and axes.

The chivalric knight uses knight or elite knight armour, uses a halberd, some kind of single-handed hammer or axe, a dagger or mail breaker, and your choice of a single-handed straight sword or a mundane greatsword-class weapon. No shield (plate-armoured knights dispensed with them).

The Roman legionnaire uses a combination of steel armour and the crimson waistcloth, the Eagle Shield and a short sword.

The German lansknechte uses plate chest and head pieces, with some kind of leather for the legs and hands. Only the zweihander, or a pike, and a straight sword may be used.

The Viking warrior uses a chainmail torso piece, a Hollow Warrior/Soldier helm, and leather on the hands and feet. They use the warrior's round shield and two appropriate weapons, such as the broadsword, hand axe or spear.

And so on and so forth.

im currently at sens fortress on a sl 1 wanderer vanilla set run. my rules are:
A) no leveling up of course
B) no elemental upgrades
C) cannot change my starting gear
D) rings are allowed
E) any consumables (like dung pies and resins) are allowed.
its pretty darn intense so far, if a little bit overly difficult. as it is, the snakes take 3 ripostes to kill, and 3 of their regular hits to kill me. whats worse is my gear is already nearing chunk levels, and im still getting absolutely destroyed by these guys. i cant imagine how horrifying anor londo will be :pale:

I did a similar challenge barry, it was by far my most difficult. I started hunter, no lvling,no elemental, no poise, no dwgr. Once you get to anor londo things get insane. The little damage a +15 weapon does with no scaling really starts to show.

Once you get to anor londo you can farm the chunks off of the giants I've had them drop them for me before. So that shouldn't be too hard. Just be sure to do a quick run through new londo to grab the very large ember before you try and get much further because o&s at sl 1 with only +10 gear sounds like brain damage hahahahaha.