Help with my character?

so this is my current build - http://mugenmonkey.com/darksouls/?b=c29yY2VyZXIsNDAsMTYsNDAsMTYsNDAsOCwzNiw4LDAsNTMsMjksNDMsMzEsMjUsMzEsODcsMTQsMTIyLDIsbm9ybWFsLG5vcm1hbCxub3JtYWwsbm9ybWFsLDAsNSwyLDgsMTAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDksd29vZGVuLHdvb2Rlbix3b29kZW4sd29vZGVuLDEsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMA==

i am still working on leveling this up.  my current intellegence is 25 (for cmw) and i think im ganna go for 40 for ss.  should i sacrifice points in vitality for 44 intellegence and css? i could also sacrifice from dex but i want high dex for my weapons due to high scaling and the cast speed increase.  i think the build i made is pretty solid, but i just bought this game a month or two ago and i want to get into pvping.  so i would love some advice from the experts out there

Offhand spear is a little odd but defensible, but I'm not too sure about the claw.  What does it give you that Demon's Spear and BSS doesn't give you?

I definitely wouldn't dump any DEX...vitality or more INT comes down to preference.

If you dump the claw you might be able to sneak some extra poise.  You could also work on crown of dusk (more damage!) and swap equipment around a bit after that.

Is Demon's Spear actually stronger than MLBH on 36-40 int?  I know it has a higher total rating, but it's split.  MLBH is pure magic.

http://mmdks.com/2wmv
Replace your link with this.

I would go to 44 Intelligence and stop. Casting speed stops getting higher at 45 dex and is nearly pointless for only sorceries. It mainly just helps pyromancies. The help it does to sorceries is negligible. I'd suggest going to at least 36 or 31 poise to not be stunned by greatswords or two-handed katanas. Dropping the claw would be advisable as well.

And the reason I say to not level up anymore is because the higher level you are, the less it becomes a build and the more it becomes a random compilation of invested points. There will be less and less pvp options for you and it will become all the more humiliating when a level 55 invades your would and kills you.

I also do not very much advise the demon spear, at least in the off-hand. Some people will very much take advantage of your lack of a shield, though if you can work with it, fine then. Also might want to keep an enchanted weapon in your back pocket for when the buff on your sword runs out.

I also do not very much advise the demon spear, at least in the off-hand. Some people will very much take advantage of your lack of a shield, though if you can work with it, fine then. Also might want to keep an enchanted weapon in your back pocket for when the buff on your sword runs out.

MLBH!  He can already use it, it chips pretty hard, and it scales with his investment.  It's a great backup weapon...heck it's a solid choice outright.  Both of the INT weapons are.

to clarify the idea behind this build, the dex is for the speed, which as archmage said, is negligible, but i mean it still helps, right? the dex also helps out the damage with the bss and im thinking about having the bss interchangeable with a great scythe.  the offhanded demon's spear was to have a longer ranged poking weapon.  i didnt think about chip damage... i think i might switch out the demon's spear for the mlbh but... this is a tad embaressing, but i used the soul of the moonlight butterfly because i thought i wouldnt be getting my int high enough for the scaling to be worth it on the horn... but now i think im going down that road so... woops. can anyone give me a soul or help me transfer it between two characters? and the claw was an idea of mine that would go well with the woodgrain ring because its attack out of a dodge is a roll followed up with an attack, which i thought would be really useful but i tried using it in some pvp and it rarely landed.  this build is also meant to be a flexible one because i dont want to grind another character to 125.  im currently level 98 and omg grinding sucks... does anyone have a faster way to level up then the phalanx in the painted world?

any specific areas i should try though? this method gets me a pretty decent amount at around 11k/m but its really dragging... another thing, how strong is the soul spear? because if it isnt that devastating, i would have another 11 levels to spend points elsewhere

im thinking about changing up my build though... if i changed catalyst and dropped claws, there would be room for a bit better of armor, and poise, which would be a nice safety net.  any ranged castings would be meant for pressure with a possibility of hitting, not really my main tactic, which would be melee. btw 2 questions, how fast is regular soul spears cast time?  is it the same as soul arrow/great soul arrow? and how do you get 5 crystal homing soulmasses?

Crystal Soul Spear, or Soul Spear, are the best long range spells in the game. Shouldn't be used in close range unless you have good aim with it while not locked on. However at long range, it has extreme homing capabilities and it harder to dodge then most think.

so heres the improved version of my build : http://mugenmonkey.com/darksouls/?b=c29yY2VyZXIsNDAsMTYsNDAsMTYsNDAsOCwzNiw4LDAsNTMsMjksMTcsMzEsMjUsMzEsODksMTQsMTIyLDAsbm9ybWFsLG5vcm1hbCxub3JtYWwsbm9ybWFsLDAsNSwyLDgsMTAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDksd29vZGVuLHdvb2Rlbix3b29kZW4sd29vZGVuLDEsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMA==
i dropped the claw and exchanged the thorn gauntlets for catarina gauntlets.  the thorns were to stunlock low poise players, but those will be too rare.  if someone can help me get the moonlight horn, i will use that instead to punish shield spammers.  another question though, can you use cmw on the mlbh? i dont think so but if you could, since it's only magic damage, it would be REALLY effective

ps3. wow level 80 is perfect.  10+ and +10% would put you exactly at my level.  *crosses fingers* you're psn, right?

http://mmdks.com/2wwg

If you want your magic to mainly be for buffing a melee weapon. Using an offhand Spear. And Armor with a nice tidy 36 poise, which is a great place to be by itself but also opens up the possibility of hitting 76 with wolf ring (76 poise being enough to take even a 2h swing from an Ultra weapon)

Spells as such, assuming you have the DLC, Bead is a strong spell by itself, and while dark orb is a bit slower to cast it looks just like bead, meaning you can catch people rolling too early sometimes if they think it's going to be bead and Orb will hit them as they're getting out of their roll.

Looks fine, but I'd switch Claw for a Bandit's Knife or Dark Silver Tracer.

i dont have the dlc and i was pvping and noticed that i was being knocked around a bit too much. i think i might takeout the spear alltogether to get better armor while still being able to fastroll

There is no consistently faster way to farm souls than with avarice + serpent ring + firestorm of some kind in painted world on phalanx enemies, preferably in NG+ and with enough poise to get the casting off.

PvP is wildly inconsistent, but unless you're talking very high SL you'll never match painted world farming via ganking...you won't even get close.

The only way I can think of that would beat painted world is invading an area like the forest and being able to kill people MUCH stronger than you.  If a SL 300+ dies in there you'll get a rather incredible amount of souls.  I suppose if you want to be really mean-spirited you can invade into some high-level gankers and go hide somewhere esoteric with the ring of fog.  I'm not much for helping gankers by using up an invasion slot while doing nothing, but you COULD get a rather obscene amount of souls that way if they're truly high level and kill/get killed by other high levels.

@ Jason47D

You’ve been given sommme...questionable advice thus far regarding claws and an offhand spear imo.   Jans had some good points in that DB and DO can be a great combo to throw off your opponents timing (no dlc though).  Archmage was also spot on regarding the best way to utilize Soul Spear and it’s phantom damage.

Now to address the advice and your build.

-Claws with the thorn gauntlets are underrated.   The rolling attack will wreak havoc on no poise builds and the tracking is on par with the mini Taurus Demon’s overhead smash attack. They also bleed, and although it can be nullified, it does force your opponent to react or get bled out.  They are light, fast, and combo well with an off-hand spear.

-Your armor setup is a little off.  You shouldn’t need more than 21 poise.  I use a similar build with 9 poise for daggers, and I’m fine with it.

-I’m ignoring your second build, you were on the right track with the first one imo.

-A couple people were right about the BSS, claws, and an offhand spear in the same build being overkill though. Ditch the BSS, it serves no purpose in your setup.  You just need to get used to poking and rolling with a left hand weapon, then when they give you distance...close with the claws rolling attack.

-I don’t know what stats are set in stone, if this is still in the early, or semi-early stages of development, then try this: Keeping with the claws and offhand spear

--You can swap out the MLBH for the Demon’s Spear whenever you feel the need.

--The Wanderer Hood is one of the best  in the game.  Because its weighs 1.4 units, you can swap it out for a mask and/or the CoD without worrying about your poise values.

--You can use Strong Magic Shield on the Darkhand (awesomely decieving…they can’t see it) and the off-hand spear.  It only lasts 15 seconds, but it’s 15 seconds of advantage if you keep that in mind.

--You can swap out the Darkhand for a Chaos Short Bow or Enchanted (Chaos for GMB) and keep the same equip burden ratio.  Enchanted has a higher attack rating with the moonlight arrows as opposed to a +10 magic short bow.

--I dropped your strength down to 12, not sure if that’s an option for you.

In end, your build was on the right track.  That build has very effective tools for the patient player.  If that’s the kind of player you are (as am I), you’ll enjoy the build immensely.    

Good luck out there dude, maaal.

so i tweaked ur build a bit because my character already has 16 strength.  http://mugenmonkey.com/darksouls/?b=c29yY2VyZXIsNDAsMTYsNDEsMTYsMzksOCwzNiw4LDAsNSwzNCw0MywzLDI1LDMxLDg3LDExNiw0LDIsbm9ybWFsLG5vcm1hbCxub3JtYWwsbm9ybWFsLDAsMTAsMTEsMTksOCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCwwLDAsOSx3b29kZW4sd29vZGVuLHdvb2Rlbix3b29kZW4sMSwwLDAsMCwwLDAsMCww
i thought about using ricard/velka's rapier and mix up my weapons, possibly taking out the demon spear because of how fast rapiers poke.  im going to try out your build as soon as i can.  thanks for really getting into specifics with the build