Higher NGs Challenge

So I'm doing a challenge run in NG++++ right now. The one rule is that I'm not allowed to use any equipment or spells I've obtained from a previous playthrough.

It's been brutal to put it plainly. Usually the first half of the game is not so bad on NG+ or higher, but this challenge has made the first half absolute hell. It's been fun, and you know you have to laugh when as a sl 100 you get killed by a lvl 24 invader. Yeah that happened. It really reinforces the point that sl and stats are not as important as gear.

Anyways I just wanted to share this with everyone. Wish me luck!

That sounds like a delightfully horrifying idea, I assume your leaving everything you can in your BB before Gywn and then making a B-line to buy it in NG and keeping note of what your obtain in terms of spells. How are you dealing with consumables chunks and Human form?

Congrats on your bravery and good luck being 1-shotted by hollows.

dang i would be raging the entire play through

AzureCrow wrote:That sounds like a delightfully horrifying idea, I assume your leaving everything you can in your BB before Gywn and then making a B-line to buy it in NG and keeping note of what your obtain in terms of spells. How are you dealing with consumables chunks and Human form?

Congrats on your bravery and good luck being 1-shotted by hollows.

Yeah I left everything in my box except for the gear I used to beat Gwyn. I didn't use my gear once I got to the Asylum though. As for spells, yeah I'm keeping track of what spells I get in this run so I don't get anything mixed up.

I've been running out of consumables i.e. humanity very quickly to the point where I'll only turn human in any given area once for at least one invasion. Now about human form..... I can tell you that I've been dying to almost every invader haha. +5 weapons just don't cut it And I don't plan on summoning anyone for co-op, as I just decided this will be a solo challenge.

I've been getting killed by a lot of things that I used to laugh at. I died a lot in the beginning because I underestimated how under-equipped I was

Icegodzilla wrote:dang i would be raging the entire playthrough

This has to be the most frustrating and masochistic thing I've done in Dark Souls. I just know O&S are going to be the point where I will most likely ragequit lol....

@Revoltage- I really like the sound of that, but I'd have to dump all of my gear before going round to the next run, as the temptation to use it would be too great if I just stashed it all in the bottomless box. Being so weak I disgust myself at times!

I tried something similar at NG+infinity on my main guy when he was about sl 350 or so. I wanted to see how far I could get with a Scimitar +0. If I remember the simple un-armored hollows took 11 two-handed R1's to die. Each one.

It was the most fun I've ever had fighting the Taurus Demon. It was the least fun I've ever had fighting the Bell Gargoyles. After that I admitted defeat, knowing there was no chance I'd have the patience needed when I got to the Kings (and because I was afraid of Capra and his dogs).

Right now I'm doing something similar, but I'm using dual-Scimitars for the whole playthrough. +0 in my right hand but I'll upgrade it with found materials as I go, and +10 Divine in my left hand for the whole playthrough. MUCH more realistic than the previous idea.

You mean you went naked and just punched your way through? Well, good luck with the Four Kings is all I can say!

This sounds like something I should attempt, but I would recommend upgrading equipment/weapons as you progress.

You should dump all your ore at the beginning of the game.

Oh, my. The idea of dumping everything from a previous game is scary. I think I'll start a new character and work through NGs for this experience.

Wow...that doesn't sound like fun to me but I don't enjoy "Dark Souls" in the same way I do a rogue-like or "Angband", so I'm not entirely sure why anyone would want to put more limitations on an already limited, delightfully flawed system lol.

@Revoltage- Thanks a lot, your post has now given me the drive to begin a new character, which will be the third that I've got on the go now. :roll:

But unlike you I intend to have this character carry out the start of each next run naked and unarmed. He/she is free to pick up and use whatever items he/she comes across throughout the run, but at the end of the run (namely just before linking or walking away from the fire having just dispatched Gwyn) every single item (with the exception of Gwyn's soul), including all consumable items and any magic/miracles/pyromancies that the class would not normally have at the start of a new game, must be dropped preventing me from carrying any of it over to the next run, which means that any advantage I may have will come from my Characters stat development, and that alone.


Oh, and Gwyn's soul can only be used for the purposes of upgrading or creation, it is not to be used as a means to gain more souls (currency) early on in the run.


The big question is how long will it be before I rage quit?

Now, if you, or anyone else for that matter, have got any suggestions as to what the starting class should be please feel free to throw them in my general direction?

I have an idea if u r going to start a new game don't ever buy any weapons, only use the ones that enemies drop, except for boss weapons, and black knight weapons u can't use those. And u can't use the weapons u find in chests or on corpses that u didn't kill. maybe deprived for the starting class since u are going naked
Edit: also do not use any spells at all that

Nah, I could do that as I luv the BSS with a passion, but it would prevent me from using the Zweihander, which I am missing like f... now that I've started my Iron Knight Tarkus run.

true would take away a lot of the fun weapons

@Gazman0169 I'm glad I could inspire you to do something insane Good luck with your challenge runs! This is actually the first challenge run I've done so it's been an experience.

The only thing I have to say about my challenge right now is that it takes FOREVER to kill anything.

All of which goes to prove that we're a bit of an insane bunch when you come to think about it!

As for taking forever to kill anything, having butt punched the Asylum Demon to death on NG just to get it's weapon drop, I think I'm pretty much prepared, or at the very least as prepared as I'm ever going to be, for a challenge of this type.

I'm still convinced that a mega rage quit is on the cards though, and am currently giving myself up to the Four Kings in NG++ (I really don't hold out much hope of this being a lasting run you know)!

I didn't think you could drop magic/miracles/pyromancy spells. Another limitation could be not to upgrade your estus flask.

My new guy did pretty good until I reached Lord Artorias and only hit him for 48 points with my Drake Sword+2. I'm going to have to go find some embers...

I suppose if you wanted a tougher challenge, drop everything in your cell at the beginning of the next game and never upgrade your estus flask. You shouldn't upgrade your beginning armor as well because I cannot see fighting Gwyn naked and you'll need those clothes for the next game. I suppose you should hang onto the broken sword hilt, too.

This may sound crazy to some people, but it handicaps those of us who wish for a harder game. Ha! I'm not crazy enough to never level up, though. :-)

I'm at the point where I'm ready to fight Gwyn. I'm SL83 with an Estus Flask+4.

If I had this to do over, I would not buy the bottomless box. The idea of dumping everything I've accumulated and upgraded is painful.

I would rather give my equipment away than to dump it. I'm also toying with the idea of keeping my stuff, but to play the next NG using the Calamity Ring (at all times).

Ok... sorry for the multiple posts...

I'm NG+. I dumped everything, but I cannot drop the soap stones, the carvings, and the dried finger. I also cannot drop the spells accumulated.

I purposely died to the Asylum Demon so I lose my 300k souls and 20 humanity (in the counter).

No regrets thus far!

That's weird, because I can drop everything, including spells, which appear as golden bags on the ground. :suspect:

This is a fine challenge and it reinforces my belief that soul level is not as important as upgraded weapons & armor.

NG+, as a SL83, and I can still be killed before reaching the Taurus Demon is amazing.

You also have the incentive to use weapon drops that you ignored previously because you already had a favorite weapon to use. I personally like the Fire Gargoyle Halbred+10 beause it does massive damage for low-level guys.

Using this technique I got to try the Black Knight Sword that was dropped in Undead Parish. It takes Strength: 20, Dexterity: 18. Upgrade that beauty to a +5 and you're doing 330 (+124) physical damage. And the r2 attack throws most enemies backwards!

I'm almost ready for NG++. I just have the Four Kings left and I'm dreading that encounter. :-)

Just an update about how my run is going: I'm stuck on the 4 Kings!!!!! I'm thinking I probably need to make use of the red tearstone.... I haven't been working as avidly as I should on this challenge, my playing has been sporadic at best haha.

I think I'm at NG+8. It is absolutely brutal. Even with havel gaunlets and leggings with maxed out elite helm and chest enemies would take away half my life with a single hit.

I think you're all mad! :affraid:

While I was waiting to be summoned in Anor Londo, I decided to try out the Calamity Ring (you know, just to see). I had 1100 health and one hit from a knight (that I blocked), knocked my health down to a sliver!

I don't think I'm going to try a NG+ using everything I accumulated in previous game(s) and always wear that ring. I was able to kill the knight, but I didn't receive any extra souls for it. This is a worthless ring that needs to never be found again.

Maybe I really am insane but I kinda want to try another run while wearing the calamity ring...... call me masochistic all you want haha. I'm predicting I'll be one-shot pretty frequently, even more so than I already am.