Skills vs Intelligence: which is the most important?

In my opinion, intelligence wins in DkS. From various feedback from my forum friends, I would say I'm a pretty good fighter. I can fight with almost any weapon, from a rapier to a DGM. I know almost all weapons movesets, and I'm still mastering them. But I must say I don't rely too much on skills to win my fights, I rather use intelligence. As I am in real life, I suck at sports, my eye to hands coordination is ridiculous. Let's say I'm the nerdy eyeglasses type of guy.


Intelligence in DkS consist in:

-preparing the best build around a weapon, with specific poise values, min/max stats, decent HP and creativeness.

-knowledge of your weapon's moveset, and how to properly use it in the battlefield (ie. useless R2s and good weapon combos).

-knowledge of all weapons poise break points.


-knowledge of all weapons weaknesses and strengths (ie. bow vs spear).

-predictiveness of your opponent's moves and how he uses the weapon.

-knowledge of various PvP techniques, and how to counter them by simple attacks/dodges. You don't need to rely on PvP techniques to win, but the simple use of counters can save you from losing. (ie. dependence on roll bs vs counter bs)

-get used to DkS's PvP lag so you can predict your opponent better (ie. counter bs, spears phantom hits).

-control the fight, "he who controls the fight wins the game". (quoted by my friend Forum Pirate)


Skills:

-knowledge of all PvP techniques. Mostly learned by watching youtube and practicing everyday. A must have for any skillful player.

-reliance on random attacks and parries. Luck is an important part of DkS due to lag.

-reliance on fast roll/DWGR to dodge every single attack with super reflexes.

-can fight without lock on, especially with pyromancy.

-Usually favored by Dex weapons, it's easier to to be skillful and win with fast attacks



These are only a few, if you have more be sure to post them and comment on these. Personally, I only use counter backstab and toggle escape to survive with maybe a bit of unlock to throw fireballs, but other than that my fighting style is pretty simple and I don't use techniques.

I actually can't cast a vote.

One is useless without the other. I know it's a pretty cop-out answer but really that's how I feel. You know I tend to be a min/max-ey kinda guy, and I'd agree I can attribute wins to my devotion to raw stats. I feel comfortably fighting basically any weapon with a Crest Shield and BSS, I know the ins and outs of it's match ups because of my undying love for the sword. But I'd lose a lot of fights if I didn't parry, or if I didn't hit R2s at max range avoiding a swing from a slightly shorter weapon. Or if I couldn't throw pyro's around while unlocked.

You're skillful then. Intelligence say you can't win vs a spear with a BSS unless you use your shield.

I'd say what he means is advanced strategy vs twitch skill.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

^Yeah.

I whole heartedly agree with you Wyrm.

Basic and Advanced skills are important BUT its intelligence that wins the day in duels and invasions, the latter more so than duels.

In anycase I can't tell you how many times I have won because I know the lay out of an area, the range of attacks, how to bait mobs into attacking, and simply out built my enemies.

While I can make use of a variety of PvP based techniques, parries, all of the BS forms, etc.... More oft than not a player with better knowledge of the game, quick thinking, and careful movements tends to win.

Also neither are mutually exlcusive IMO but Intelligence is by far more important.

Obviously the choice is intelligence. Your ability to correctly make a good PvP build, on top of the strategy you employ during the fight and your ability to adapt to the situation as it changes is more important to be successful in PvP than pure 1337 skillz.

This is really a one way poll, we all like to think we play intelligently don't we?

I think we like to think we do. I mean there are quite a few instances where I play stupidly and it costs me the invasion.... attacking head on in hallways and against heavily armoured phantoms etc.

The poll really isnt how 'we' play but which of the two is better. And both concepts are not the same as one another, though also to exclusive of one another.

*** that noise! I either go on instinct alone or combine both together. Because 1, being 'intelligent' puts you in a more defensive roll, 2 if an unknown variable shows up you either gotta roll with it or eliminate it, not wait for it to act, and 3, I'm just against the idea of 2 separate groups of style.

But every player has their own style right? Which would be composed of varying parts of a multitude of philosophies regarding how the game can be played.

Why would thier not be two or more styles of play or factors determining success?

That's why I'm saying 2 separate groups.

A combination of the 2 is very fearsome. This would be the player that will use all PvP techniques + know when to use them + not panic against various strategies used against him. For example most skillful players will panic vs a spear or a turtle because they'll use only their skills to win, instead of using another type of strategy. For example a bow vs a spear or 2 handed R1 spammage a turtle to break guard. They'll try to parry them and roll bs them in vain till they die, because they rely only on skills.

Playing smart doesn't mean playing defensive.

It means having a plan, good plans account for unknown variables.

My strategy when using the iaito against a spear is to pressure them with flurries to bait a parry, and bsing the attempt. If they kick instead, then I either setup parry the follow up attacks or repeat the strategy but throw in a wog when they try to kick, thus allowing me to score a bs or at least land the wog hit for 400 damage. If they pull out a pyro glove I bait a cast to roll bs punish.

Thats not defensive at all, its highly aggressive actually.

Hmmm that makes sense because my new darkwraith is geared to switch between offensive and defensive depending on the situation. I can turtle and block with a high stability shield if i have to or I can go two handed with my scythe.

I think I play smart but only when I dont get too **** or over extend myself too much.... In Anor Londo I see players who know all about WoG and other spells, I also see people who have thier weapon type pretty much down..... but I rarely see people who exploit terrain or my own moveset to beat me.

You need some minimum level of manual dexterity to successfully operate the game. this modicum of skill particularly in a souls title isn't very high, most of the difficulty comes from understand interactions, and predominently compensating for lag.

Souls games aren't very twitchy at all.

My answer may not make since, but here goes.

I rely on my skills to win the fight, and that is where my intelligence comes from. I can strategize for hours against a single enemy, but he or she may still wind up winning. I tend to play very aggressively, and it works for me. By using my aggression or skills, whatever you may call it, I overwhelm my opponent giving me the win. Now this may just be confidence or pride, but what I am trying to say is I can outsmart other people trying to outsmart me by simply outplaying them. Because of this, I cannot cast a vote since I believe intelligence and skill are different for each person and each person should find out which one works for them.

Edit: Use your skills to fight but your intelligence to win (or vice versa depending on the person)

I like that! Well said

Mad skillz. doesn't matter if you know what I'm doing if you cant hit me because I roll through all your attacks

It's true, you can't have one without the other. It's near impossible to be skillful without knowing enough about what you do.. Poise breaks ect ect, as said. Without knowlege of different weapon movesets and things you'll never be good in PvP, and you can never say you win against something without knowing it's moveset or the playstyle of your opponent unless you bs fish or something like that.. You'll learn the moveset during the fight, as well as your enemies style/pattern.. I don't think there is anybody out there that has skill without knowlege =\

I read this one through a few times and I don't really know what the difference is they both kind of go hand in hand to me. They're both really important, at different situations one might be better than the other.