Passive vs. Aggressive Playstyles

Is it just me, or are the super aggressive players the hardest to deal with? I tend to take a more methodical approach to PvP because logically the more intelligent and resourceful player would probably fair better. But when someone just goes balls out apeshit, I get worked. Particularly players who combine melee with whatever form of casting their build has. My first inclination is to parry when I see aggression, and that works just fine against strictly melee players, but if they're smart enough to mix it up it can be difficult to manage.

So how do you guys play? For me it seems mostly dependent upon my familiarity with the build I'm using. If it's new, I play passively because I'm not sure what exactly I should do in a given situation, particularly with niche builds like casters or new weapon builds. But if it's the now-boring yet all too familiar katana pyro build, then I'm right at home flipping the eff out too.

I actually find myself being the aggressive one. But the second I see them trying to parry, I go switch it up with lots of rolls, and I attempt to outsmart them.

Needless to say, all of my builds either use DWGR or have quick rolls. I don't often use strictly spellcaster builds, as I really enjoy melee.

Range of weapon determine sit for me. If my weapon is longer Im offensive, if its shorter I go defensive. Its why I like the DSS so much.

I'm a very aggressive fighter. Maybe that's why I get easy roll backstabbed and sometimes parried. I'm so aggressive I always break the guard of my opponents when they are using shields. When I'm using a Dex weapon (like a katana) I get my shield up and I'm always walking forward and swinging the weapon. This is because most of my builds are hybrids, so I want to hit you as many times as possible until my buff runs out. I also break the guard when using spears (you can imagine).

And when I'm fighting against spears the shield up + kat, rapier or spear works great. I call it the offensive turtle.

I'm a controller, and i generally control the pace with agression. Do as i say or die is generally how I deal with opponents, strong weapons, buffs or pyromancy/wog are how i force them to respond like I want them to.

Aggressive players have the advantage of pressure, or stressing out the opposition. Really the best way to deal is show them you won't be shaken up. If you can show that they're attacks aren't getting to you, you've effectively dismantled they're game. Roll through the spells, parry/block/punish, and keep an ace hidden (your super weapon or that you can cast CSS)

Also I once broke the guard of an Eagle Shield, full Havel's set turtle. I had an GLGS, broke his guard like 3 times and the last one I stunlocked him to death. Yes stunlock. I don't know how, even my game crashed after that.

Easy wyrm, you channeled Gwyn through his sword, and the guy didn't have the right shield to parry your Gwyn-ness.

Yeah, more aggressive players are harder to deal with. Most players will get overwhelmed and won't be able to react, so they'll just get steamrolled by an aggressive player. That's why I play aggressively!

I played FPSs the same way (haven't played one in a long time though...). I find it more thrilling and rewarding to be running around everywhere, extremely aggressive, taking on multiple players at once and come out on top. You're on the razor's edge; play right, and you'll come out alive, but make single mistake and you're dead instantly!

It's (generally) a good strategy, and I happen to find it more fun too!

Back in my CoD sniper days that's how I played. When you know game mechanics inside and out, there's no other way to play. I don't have the same confidence in this game because I haven't played it nearly as long.

I never got into CoD, but I was into MAG as much as I am Dark Souls. I got ridiculously good at that game! I could have 5 guys shooting at me at the same time and somehow kill them all... was so much fun!

DamageCK wrote:Back in my CoD sniper days that's how I played. When you know game mechanics inside and out, there's no other way to play. I don't have the same confidence in this game because I haven't played it nearly as long.

Oh man, the CoD days. I really hate how fights last barely a second in that game. Just ridiculous. I'm more of a Halo kind of guy myself.

I agree, though. You really need to know the way the game works before you can abuse it.

Yeah, that was the reason I didn't get into CoD too. Too few bullets to kill (and too much aim assist). Halo I like the amount of bullets to kill, but the aim assist is way too strong, and there just isn't enough incentive to aim for weak spots (the head!). MAG took about as many bullets to kill as Halo does, but in the head it took as many as CoD does! And there was almost no aim assist (most players actually thought there was no aim assist, but I could tell there was a little bit).

Sorry to get your thread off topic CK...

I got pretty good at Battlefield, but thanks to Dark Souls I'm rusty and I can't seem to play it again. I liked how I could hit guys like 100 miles away from me. And the thrill of close quarters combat was amazing.

Don't sweat it. It applies to any competitive game.

Aggros have a huge psych advantage over their opponent which is why they're harder to deal with. WIth aggros it's fight or flight, and you want to do both but they wont let you.

Im always swap constanly so different playstyle. Dont use dwgr but cloranty and grass shield so many stamina regen. My claws i constanly attack/evade and swap somethimes to my scythe to do 3 hit combo and mostly stagger them.
I can play very agressive but als very controlled till opponent makes a fault.
Mostly im annoying to hit

I am very patient. Aggressive or passive, makes no difference to me. I usually allow my opponent to believe they control the fight then switch gears. I love aggressive opponents. They are usually the easier of the two to kill.

With my Perfect Great Lord build Im always super aggressive because ive got all ranges covered

If u fight agressive the wrong way, u may die very fast to

lol very aggressive...unless the person bows then I gotta stop mid charge bow and rework myself up, but ya I use a moonlight sword and great lord greatsword two handed with my grass shield chillin on my back, I just run balls out at them to get a run swing then either dodge or follow up. I try really hard to keep pressure on the person and to, if I can, keep them turtled. Only spell I really use is vow of silence to force it into a melee fight, its workin ok lol every now and then someone stays calm and parries...

Sometimes I get like that. I throw on Crown of Dusk, BDCR, PW, and and exchange my shield for a talisman. 10 slots of ascended +5 pyro and DM talisman with 50 fth AND a spear that can hit from anywhere in the arena tends to terrify people, though I usually use a rapier for that instead.

I know Qu, going fire crazy is the best. Nothing says victory like crisping a turtle with just 2 GC's!

I'm still disappointed that with every buff except PW Tempest doesn't OHKO through Giant's. It takes so long to cast and is so easy to punish and/or evade, you'd expect epic damage.