Re. The Gate Giant area in Sen's...

How risky is it to use this place to duel using the Red Soapstone?

If you loose said duel you've then got a fairly long run back to get your souls/humanities, and so wouldn't this leave you wide open to invasion, which in turn could result in you losing everything?

Or would the in-game delay in you being invaded effectively null any such risk?

It's actually a very common dueling spot, or at least it was. I know some japanese wiki's use it as a tourney spot, as well as other communities. As well there was a point that FC used it. However yes, you will get invaded. Though usually the invaders there are game for some dueling.

It is used a lot for duelling already. i thin kFC is hosted there sometimes. And what long run? From Andre's fire its pretty close.

The point is, if there is no delay between the point that you return back and the point that someone invades you, you are effectively putting everything you've dropped at risk each and every time you loose a duel, given that it would appear the spawn point is set pretty much in the middle of where you need to go.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great locale for a duel, but I cannot help but feel that this could lead to us less-knowledgeable duelists biting off far more than we may of intended to chew.

Remember to be forewarned is to be forearmed, and all that.

You can actually get their very quickly if you know when to jump, you can land right at the ladder. But yes, sometimes invaders will cause you to lose it all. It's a great spot, but it has its risks. If you do want to try it out though some very obvious advice. Kill those damn titanite demons haha.

I thought as much, even more incentive to win then.

FC has people who leave there toons as hosts for areas and everyone else can just carry on in the game, you cant get invaded if the boss is dead, only us hosts have a risk

still the hosts don't have to die and go back from the bonfire everytime so its not so risky.

as a host if im not full on dueling ill just hack on a ring of sacrifice