From Tanking to Dodging

Ok, so, my strength in dark souls has always been tanking hardcore. Knowing EXACTLY when to block and let go. It's almost as if I parried but with blocking instead. (I actually feel stupid for not parrying sometimes... You know how instincts are.) But recently, I really pushed myself and made a No Shield character. The exact opposite of my playing style. And it's been CRAZY HARD. I haven't raged at DkS this hard ever (Actually, this is the first time i've raged. I'm not amazing or anything, I just usually don't get angry), but I also have never been more proud of myself either. I recently just killed S&O. I admit it was with 2 boss players help, but it was with no shield! I died 57 times (I counted) and a lot of them were solo. I got to the point where I could dodge the Giant Guards indefinitely and even dodge S&O at the same time without directly looking at either (You just know when O is going to charge when you see him squat down and you know when smough's gonna leap at ya when he gets ready to). I feel so good about myself.

BUT! I actually recently trying a shield again. And it's really hard. I just don't have that style back. It's as if I can't manage my stamina anymore. I think I'll be able to get a balance, but I'm actually a bit scared, ya know? That skill was MY thing. My friend liked dodging because he COULDN'T manage his stamina like me. I also like being able to take a hit if I make a teeny mistake. So I like my heavy armor (Yes my tank character has full Giants. It's the best. I PvE with it) which is unacceptable for dodging.

So, I don't know what balance I'll come to. I've heard of people hating the fat roll because they want to dodge, but I loved my tank character and I didn't give a crap about having a fat roll or not, but now I may have to change my identity. But, I may not have to.

What do you guys think if a new challenge? Something I haven't seen on the forums. A Pure Tank build. Just stats into Str and Dex for a basic weapon, then everything else into mainly Vit, secondly into Resistence, then thirdly into Endurance. This would force anyone to manage their stamina. What do you guys think?

Go Str, vit,end and ban rolling otherwise your damage will be pitiful. Even then this is how I played my first and second toon and its not too hard.

I already have a Perfect Tank build. Ya know, 58 Str, 40 End, Everything else into vitality. Mask of the Father, Full Giant's, Greatshield of Artorias, RoFaP, Havel's Ring, and my baby: Demon's Greataxe +15. I love that character. I'm going for a challenge. Just not a low SL challenge Not yet. Haha!

Join me at SL 8! mugenmonkey.com/darksouls/?c=306378749

DoughGuy wrote:Join me at SL 8! mugenmonkey.com/darksouls/?c=306378749

... I love this build. Why? GARGOYLE'S HALBERD, BABY!

I know, I realised I had never used it enough and at the same time realised I wanted to do a low level playthrough. 1+1=2.

I'd so use the normal halberd if it could hit bosses easier and it had the same damage. I love the look of the normal halberd. I fell in love with it as SOON as I grabbed it on my first toon. Seriously. I traded in the drakw sword for an unupgraded Halberd. <3 G. Halberd just is just so awesome, too. Great move-set. just not as amazing looking.

I fell in love with the halberd when I first used it cause I already had the tailaxe and then the haberd was just as awesome. The ordinary halberd was just too boring for me.

<3 High range and High damage. Spears=suckage for me haha! I can hit people from SO far away with the original halberd in the forest. I had to use the original for a while on my dodge character because I didn't get the G. halberd yet. So I upgraded it to +15 eventually because I needed it to kill the Gaping Dragon and other fire strong bosses. Plus, it has Ok scaling with dex and my dodging character has 40 dex since she's a pyromancer. The G.Halberd has almost no scaling at all, which makes it a PERFECT specimen for elemental upgrading.

On the no shields build I know where you are coming from.
I have started to do a Cos Build of the Painting Guard.
I have both painted guardian swords.One at +4 lighting and the other at +4Chaos.
I do carry a silver Knights shield as back up,although I try my best not to use it.(mainly when I am near death).
I find it very fun to play although very hard to master.
Its not the dodging I struggle with its the style of play that is need to use this character`s weapons efficiently.

Anyone else find this to be so?....Or have any tips to help my style of play?.

Bioraptor wrote:On the no shields build I know where you are coming from.
I have started to do a Cos Build of the Painting Guard.
I have both painted guardian swords.One at +4 lighting and the other at +4Chaos.
I do carry a silver Knights shield as back up,although I try my best not to use it.(mainly when I am near death).
I find it very fun to play although very hard to master.
Its not the dodging I struggle with its the style of play that is need to use this character`s weapons efficiently.

Anyone else find this to be so?....Or have any tips to help my style of play?.

Since those painting guardians flip I assume you are wearing the DWGR, but what's the other ring you have on?

I changed my mind. I'm gonna finish my dodge character, then start a Scavenger and copy your build, dough. For serious. Looks like my kind of low SL build.

I know what you're dealing with, my characters fast roll but I gravitate towards attacking as my defence. People back off in a hurry once my ultra great sword or dmb weapon starts to move. I tried both learning to tank and learning to roll/poke but I'm terrible at tanking and bored by roll/poking.

I go for the self contained control (ie you do what I want or I smash your skull), I love forcing them to fight around me where I approach everything the same.

P.S. For the record, I do believe the majority of the active members here are the roll/pokers. Thats why they hate twop, its crippling to that style. As a user of a less roll happy style, it hasn't ever phased me.

I dont care either. In pvp, i had been "i block your attack and now i cut you in half" in the little pvp i did before my dodge toon. Though, i did have a bleed oriented dex toon. I invaded like 40 times? I won like 3 times. I just didnt have the skill. After getting to sl 30 on my dodge character and beating sens, i hosted in the forest solo with my +10 normal halberd. I died twice XD. They werent all amazing, but i could tell my skill had increased SO much. I had unupgraded full pyro set and a +10 halberd and a parrying dagger. Sooo much fun. I cant wait for my skill to continue to rise. I just wish i could still block. Btw, i still dont care about the flip ring cause imo the default fast roll is better and my fav weapon is the (g) halberd. Rolling and poking doesnt work. Rolling and swinging 360° is fun.

WhatDoesThePendantDo? wrote:

Bioraptor wrote:On the no shields build I know where you are coming from.
I have started to do a Cos Build of the Painting Guard.
I have both painted guardian swords.One at +4 lighting and the other at +4Chaos.
I do carry a silver Knights shield as back up,although I try my best not to use it.(mainly when I am near death).
I find it very fun to play although very hard to master.
Its not the dodging I struggle with its the style of play that is need to use this character`s weapons efficiently.

Anyone else find this to be so?....Or have any tips to help my style of play?.

Since those painting guardians flip I assume you are wearing the DWGR, but what's the other ring you have on?

Actually I never gave the Painted Guards move set any thought as I do not wear the DWGR.
I am under the 25% weight so I fast roll.(To be honest I am starting to like this more then the DWGR)
I have the ROFAP and mix it up sometimes with the ROSP or WR as my poise is none existent.
My painted gear is all +5

I think what I find hard to adapt to is the up close and personal you have to be when using the Painted Guards swords.
Nice bleed on them though.
Which reminds me my build is a dex/low faith build.