Help with Noob STR build

Hello everyone! I'm new to the forums, and new to Dark Souls, in general. I have played through the game a few times now, and I've done so with DEX and INT builds only. I feel very comfortable with light, fast builds, good at dodging.
Now, I'm trying to make a STR build, with a Greatshield. The thing is, I'm ULTRA slow, haha. I get it, you don't need to dodge if you use a greatshiled, but still, feels very odd, specially when I got so used to the DWGR. Anyways, I would like some tips from you guys who love big weapons and heavy armours. Which weapons and armours (I like full sets rather than mixing pieces) do you guys think are good to have a mid-roll? And what about stat points? I was thinking in STR, END and VIT only, no magic, no miracles, no pyro.
I do not know how to find that char creator I've seen people use here T_T (I'm a complete noob, sorry), but I was thinking in using a large weapon, like Man-Serpent Greatsword or Demon Great Axe, maybe the Demon Great Machete, but I can't decide.
Anyways, all tips are more than welcome! My current char is kinda crappy and I'll start a new one based on the feedback I get from you guys! Thanks in advance! =D

https://mugenmonkey.com/darksouls/ there you go! unless you're hellbent on using greatshields there is no reason not to quickroll with a str build while maintaining high poise and healthy defense
f.e.: http://mmdks.com/2cha
whatever you do get around 50vit, at least 40end and no more or less than 40str!

this is mine if it helps http://mmdks.com/2chm
with slower weapons you really need to pick when to attack since missing will mean a bs, remember jumping attacks are your best friends.

Black Iron set is a great heavy armor. Giant's set has the highest defense though of course. Cleric is light than the giant's set by 10 units and still has more than enough defense to tank things out.

Level up vit to 40-50. End to 40. Strength to 40-50.

Use havel's ring and ring of favor and you'll be able to get midroll no matter what. Don't worry about quickrolling/ninja flipping. With a greatshield that's grossly frivolous.

The best greatshield IMO is Artorias' greatshield. Or you can go with Havel's if you want.

Some good weapons are the Demon's great axe and the demons great machete both of which have the highest scaling in strength in the game.

To use the program everyone uses for builds, all you have to do is google dark souls calculator to find it. Once you get to it, it's pretty self explanatory.

Just click on the things you want, and it does the math and calculates your stats for you. In the weapons column, above the name of the weapon there's an icon of a sword you can change to change the upgrade path if you want/can(like to fire or chaos).

Thanks for all the ideas, plus the Character Generator, guys. I'm cooking up two STR builds right now... I actually got 1 that can get fast roll with an Eagle Greatshield and 58 poise:

http://mugenmonkey.com/darksouls/?b=YmFuZGl0LDUwLDgsNDUsNDAsOSwxMSw4LDEwLDAsNTYsNyw0Miw0NSwzLDIyLDAsMjUsMTY2LDAsbm9ybWFsLG5vcm1hbCxub3JtYWwsbm9ybWFsLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCx3b29kZW4sd29vZGVuLHdvb2Rlbix3b29kZW4sMSwwLDAsMSwxNywwLDAsMA==

And this other one is a bulky Black Iron set, with it's Greatshield, with 79 poise, but mid roll:

https://mugenmonkey.com/darksouls/?b=YmFuZGl0LDQwLDgsNDMsNTAsOSwxMSw4LDEwLDAsMTUsMTUsMTUsMTUsMywzMSwwLDM2LDE2NSwwLG5vcm1hbCxub3JtYWwsbm9ybWFsLG5vcm1hbCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDMsd29vZGVuLHdvb2Rlbix3b29kZW4sd29vZGVuLDEsMCwwLDEsMTcsMCwwLDA=

So, I would like to know, which one do you guys think is the best for both PvE and PvP around SL 100?

I'd go with the iron set one. In fact, you can change the iron set to the cleric set, then lower your endurance to buff up your vitality to be even more tank-like.

imo greatshields kinda suck for pvp but for pve they're pretty awesome. unless you know how to parry with your bare fist then I would advise you against them but if you really wanna go with that then go for it. one thing though, never go above 40 end, specially if you are wearing havel's ring, not worth those points when you can invest them in pyro which is realy helpful for finishing off opponents or flash sweat which is very useful against pyro builds.

LunarFog wrote:I'd go with the iron set one. In fact, you can change the iron set to the cleric set, then lower your endurance to buff up your vitality to be even more tank-like.

Actually, I would still prefer the Black Iron Set, since it gets me almost 30 more poise, and the Paladin Set would give me room to get only a little bit less than 100 life more than full Black Iron, both chars on level 99.
Still, Paladin Set offers better curse defense, and Seath would be a LOT better on that armour, I guess...

RANT wrote:one thing though, never go above 40 end, specially if you are wearing havel's ring

even though i agree with everything else you say, i strongly disagree with that statement. i think endurance is never wasted, going beyond 40 especially pays off if you're already using havels ring.
@gudyleila: make a build that wears a fastroll setup but can switch to heavy armor/midroll when needed, no need to choose between the two options

RANT wrote:one thing though, never go above below 40 end

STR weapons have massive stamina consumption. You need all the stamina END gives, so 40 END is the minimum, not the maximum. That's my opinion, at least.

Elifia wrote:

RANT wrote:one thing though, never go above below 40 end

STR weapons have massive stamina consumption. You need all the stamina END gives, so 40 END is the minimum, not the maximum. That's my opinion, at least.

You stop getting stamina at 40 end, which nets you 160(190 something with FaP).

Furthermore, other than accommodating the weight of heavy weapons, there's no real reason to have a huge amount of stamina on STR builds in my opinion, you'll be picking away at their health with big damage.

Greatshields are actually not bad for PvP, you just need to know how to use them, and you'll need to learn not to hit L2/LT if you're used to parrying. But greatshields bring your total weight up to a high number you may not wanna have.

I'd also like to reiterate again that fastroll isn't always necessary, mid roll is very viable if you know how to work it and with Strength weapons, you're not looking to get a hit in and running away, the sound of your weapon slamming into the ground should send feelings of terror into your opponent and they'll get out of the way.

I'll close this with my own favorite strength build, I can beat pretty much anyone who isn't one of our esteemed forum members with it.
http://mmdks.com/2cph

hornet ring + demon greataxe... go away please!
fast roll for one is used for the best str exclusive weapon class, great hammers, their rolling attacks are devastating. it also helps you get away from the obligatory bs attempt after a swing. viability of mid roll heavily depends on your weapons rolling attack imo. mid roll with large club? you're gimped! mid roll with butchers knife? dont care!

The hornet is there to counter when people deliberately go for a BS attempt, otherwise I have no need for it. There's no reason for me to stack poise or have FaP, as it won't bring me up to fast roll. I don't need cloranthy with grass crest, and I have no need for spamming. I have no need for RTSR because anyone who can take my HP down to less than 30 is better than me in ways that RTSR can't offset it. Other rings aren't really worth the ringslot and I'm too OCD to leave that slot unoccupied.

The rolling attacks are still devastating when midrolling.

To clarify, what I posted was my opinion. It doesn't have to apply to anyone else.

the extra weight you get after 40 end is just not worth it imo. greatclubs really do need fast roll, those rolling attacks are awesome and if you med or fat roll with them youre probably gonna get bs'ed before you start your attack animation. med and fat roll work for pretty much everything else but I just don't like fat roll much since a decent pvp'er will destroy you.

my advice for a strength build is to put a few points into dexterity so you have access to spears, bows or even black knight weapons if that's your thing. it's always good to have a ranged attack of some kind, especially if you don't have any attunement.

my strength build uses two set ups…
full dragon http://mmdks.com/2crr
black iron http://mmdks.com/2crs

this build is meant for the SL120-130 range and actually has 20 dexterity and 50 vitality. my favorite weapons to use on this build are the black knight weapons, golem axe, great axe, pike, greatsword, demon machete, demon greataxe, the dragon weapons and gough's greatbow.

i say, don't be afraid to go over 40 endurance if it means you can use better armor and weapons. better armour is more effective than more vitality as it prevents damage and stunlock. you will also be able to fast roll with the right loadout and not getting hit is the best defense.

besides the difference between 30 vit and 40 vit is only like 225 hp or so, not even enough to withstand a single hit from a straight sword. also if you wear the FaP ring having 30 vitality nets you a hair more hp than if you had 40 vitality without the FaP ring.

Thanks for the tips guys. I've went with the Black Iron set and Artorias Greatshield, with a Demon Great Machete (huge mistake, should have tried the Great Club, it's faster) which hits hard as HELL, doing over 600 dmg +15 in about 42 STR i think. I got mid roll speed, and the weapon swings really slowly. I can destroy PVE, easily, but I could't win even one PVP with this build, because I'm not that used to the slow movement. I actually suck in PVE, even with DEX builds, but this one seems to be harder to score hits T_T Getting used to it, though. In NG+, when I hit SL 120 I'll be able to test the PVP aspect better, I guess.

greatclubs are way better with fat roll due to the faster roll which makes your attacks faster, if you med ro fat roll with a greatclub and try to do a rolling attack youre gonna get bs in the middle of your animation because its so slow. try to unlock with the DGM and you should be fine, you will dead angle and wont get parried.

Gudyleila wrote:Thanks for all the ideas, plus the Character Generator, guys. I'm cooking up two STR builds right now... I actually got 1 that can get fast roll with an Eagle Greatshield and 58 poise:

http://mugenmonkey.com/darksouls/?b=YmFuZGl0LDUwLDgsNDUsNDAsOSwxMSw4LDEwLDAsNTYsNyw0Miw0NSwzLDIyLDAsMjUsMTY2LDAsbm9ybWFsLG5vcm1hbCxub3JtYWwsbm9ybWFsLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCx3b29kZW4sd29vZGVuLHdvb2Rlbix3b29kZW4sMSwwLDAsMSwxNywwLDAsMA==

And this other one is a bulky Black Iron set, with it's Greatshield, with 79 poise, but mid roll:

https://mugenmonkey.com/darksouls/?b=YmFuZGl0LDQwLDgsNDMsNTAsOSwxMSw4LDEwLDAsMTUsMTUsMTUsMTUsMywzMSwwLDM2LDE2NSwwLG5vcm1hbCxub3JtYWwsbm9ybWFsLG5vcm1hbCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDMsd29vZGVuLHdvb2Rlbix3b29kZW4sd29vZGVuLDEsMCwwLDEsMTcsMCwwLDA=

So, I would like to know, which one do you guys think is the best for both PvE and PvP around SL 100?

http://mmdks.com/2dp6
I would suggest you use this armour instead, gives you enough poise to withstand almost any attack, and has more defence than your previous setup. if you're not sure about poise breakpoints visit here (http://darksoulswiki.wikispaces.com/Poise) to find out more.

I think your second build is better for PVP, especially because it really looks the part, has a ton of defence, and enough poise to take a train in the face without staggering.

I like to go shieldless on STR builds for that sweet 1,5x bonus - frees up 13 points for END and VIT.

But, that might not be what you have in mind.

also, try the stone shield, best looking greatshield imo and a great alternative to havel's shield, its really underrated.