PVP - Post Patch (PS3 primarily)

Hello all,

Looking to re-integrate into Dark Souls. Hoping someone can give me a quick run down while I'm at work. Any responses are much appreciated.

Is everyone basically running with the DLC content? Especially the fight clubbers?

Can I interact with DLC people in the standard areas if I don't have it?

And hows this new PVP match making system? Is it making running fight clubs easier?

Fast roll or magic will demolish you, roll bs every mage you can manage, keep a spear on hand (even if its not your main weapon,) greatswords don't stunlock anymore so 53 poise isn't a must, don't use elemental weapons unless you have too because they suck, getting the 12 faith to cast force on an otherwise no magic build isn't a bad way to deflect or stuff sorcery (which got noticeably more dangerous)

All I got atm, will add to it if someone else doesn't cover it first.

Wow. was not expecting that at all. seems like some of builds are obsolete. looks like i got some learning to do if I want to fight my way back in.

thanks pirate.

Forum Pirate wrote:Fast roll or magic will demolish you, roll bs every mage you can manage, keep a spear on hand (even if its not your main weapon,) greatswords don't stunlock anymore so 53 poise isn't a must, don't use elemental weapons unless you have too because they suck, getting the 12 faith to cast force on an otherwise no magic build isn't a bad way to deflect or stuff sorcery (which got noticeably more dangerous)

All I got atm, will add to it if someone else doesn't cover it first.

Perfection.

Hi there! I had to take a hiatus for a few months with Dark Souls because of work and wedding planning and what not, but I am now heavily back into it haha. I downloaded the DLC a little over a month ago.

---

Is everyone basically running with the DLC content? Especially the fight clubbers?

Yes, I would believe that everyone on this forum has the DLC.

Can I interact with DLC people in the standard areas if I don't have it?

If what you mean is, you can invade/summon/be invaded by people who have the DLC in the non-DLC areas, then definitely yes. You will learn very quickly to despise some of the new dark magic spells casters can use.

And hows this new PVP match making system? Is it making running fight clubs easier?

The new arenas are a great idea but poorly executed. The wait times are just way way way too long. It pits players against each other in banks of soul levels (SLs 1-50, 51-100, 101-200, 201+Fight clubs to my knowledge haven't changed. Players don't have any control on who they are fighting against in the arena. The fights are pretty fun if you are looking for balanced gank-free PvP matches. There is no real consequence or reward for doing the matches, so my vote still goes to invading and getting invaded on top of being in fight clubs.

Well Backstabs are still in, especially with the Silver Tracer around.

Int builds are super common now.

You can interact with people who have the DLC.

Light Armor is pretty much a must have for PvP unless you have a very well designed fat rolling build with typically Havel's Shield.

i feel old.

a clever caster will dead angle you, you're extremely prone to beind roll bsd or chipped to death by patient players and you're to slow to punish someone running around a corner to cast great heal so havel turtling is a risky buisness. It can be done well, but its not going to be easy if your opponent is any good.

DWGR is nerfed to 25% for its effect.
dex/int builds tend to be surpeme.
more tanks due to UGW being able to stunlock.

raecor14 wrote:DWGR is nerfed to 25% for its effect.
dex/int builds tend to be surpeme.
more tanks due to UGW being able to stunlock.

No offence, but Dex/Faith.

Not all elemental weapons suck. Elemental Zwei, Halberd, Murakumo and other weapons with high AR are still good. Elemental katanas or balder side sword etc are bad though.

And i don't think light armor is a must have. Havel + FAP ring setup gives you enough equip load to use some medium/heavy armor.

Case in point: http://mmdks.com/q8a

very interesting.

i'm assuming theres no respec feature to redistribute points on exisiting characters?

Chaos blade is still best blade.

Glutebrah wrote:Chaos blade is still best blade.

Somebody give that man a +, I'm out.

You can block dead angle spells, as well my Havel Shield Builds tend to also have Great Magic Barrier for that very reason. As well if they are trying to chip I just won't engage until they actually want to fight me. As well such Builds can often one shot players with a backstab, so if they do go for a heal I can't interrupt it usually, but I still get off a backstab which tends to mean death for them. Estus is another deal, but that's what I keep talismans for.

FinPeku wrote:Not all elemental weapons suck. Elemental Zwei, Halberd, Murakumo and other weapons with high AR are still good. Elemental katanas or balder side sword etc are bad though.

I'm going to disagree. for 13 str points (it takes 10 for a bandit to use a zweih and 14 to use a murakumo) I can use a dgm or large club that deals 4-600 a hit to the elemental zweihanders 300 and it really only goes down hill from there. Builds that use elemental weapons don't necessarily suck, as they save points but the weapons themselves were sub par in most cases anyways, now they just blow.


You don't have to engage, they can just chip with a dss/mlbh/demon spear or cast css or hcsm into your guard. If they stopped running close enough for you to punish it thats them making a stupid mistake, not a merit of your build. GMB has a time limit and is a slow cast and you're fat walking. They can run until it wears off, if they didn't css you when you tried. Lastly,

By not engage I mean, wait them out and strike when they don't expect it. If they wish to turtle I will merely not appear, heal, and wait for an opportunity. I also don't run out into the open and just cast GMB, I do it before they even realize where I am.

These aren't dueling builds mind you, they are invasion builds.

glad to hear the chaos blade is still top of the charts.

There are the occasional 0 poise DEX builds with the DWGR. It really feels hard to deal with it now, almost as if I'm out of practice since nearly no one uses it.

Most people run with the 31 poise breakpoint now, but the mid-rollers that know what they're doing can be dangerous. You don't want to always assume a mid-roller is dead meat, they can be packing 450+ defence and over 76 poise.

Don't be surprised to see magic weapon buffs everywhere due to the plethora of INT builds right now.

That explains part of it. But like the parry masters who whoop people with a dbf, its less a great build and more a great player that makes that type of build work.

Especially trying to block dead angle spells. That would just be a coin flip with a good player, but they frequently have 9-16 tries and it only has to work twice.


While I'm at it, the dead angle wogs have gotten more common in my experience, watch for them, PPG

Oh, and Leo Rings, Leo Rings everywhere.

As long as the lag isn't too extreme you can usually react fast enough to block them, your average WotG dead angler just does a 180 though.

The build has it's flaws, it really isn't good against flat out fast moving BS fishers who will do nothing but try for a BS. With the UGS it can BS cancel and possibly stunlock, but a roll BS is a quick end to it.

I never do a full 180 when I Dead angle WoG, you can pivot to any direction so typically a 90 degree turn is all you need and it's less BSable. But that's off topic.

Sorcery Will kill you. Don't get hit by it. Or use a stronk Greatshield and run them out of Beads (black shotgun balls that fan out)

I still honestly think Spears are the most important factor in PvP.

Oh and just Parry the Orange Glowy sword if you see it, it's the new favorite of R1 spammers (well it and Chaos Blade, cause well what else is Chaos blade even capable of. I think I heard it had an R2 in beta)

+1 for great justice.

Anyways don't try to block pyromancy. There's a new gc that will murder your stamina if you try without a great shield.

Forum Pirate wrote:I'm going to disagree. for 13 str points (it takes 10 for a bandit to use a zweih and 14 to use a murakumo) I can use a dgm or large club that deals 4-600 a hit to the elemental zweihanders 300 and it really only goes down hill from there. Builds that use elemental weapons don't necessarily suck, as they save points but the weapons themselves were sub par in most cases anyways, now they just blow.

I should've been more detailed. Sure, +15 weapons are better and deal more damage, but elemental weapons aren't really that bad. I wouldn't make a 1.05 vit gouge build with a lightning washing pole anymore, but some people like to have an elemental spear or shotel with their str build, or like with the build i posted it's possible to have Wog/GMB/Great heal, 1700+ HP, a lot of poise and a decent weapon with a nasty stunlock while fast rolling. Elemental weapons are not as good anymore, but they still have their uses.