So it has finally begun!
Actually, I’m a bit behind, so allow me to catch up!
So yeah, I really have this thing for punishing myself within the Souls Universe. Crazy and sometimes worthless builds seem to be my forte. As it turns out though, I seem to be rubbing off on some people with my weird notions.
Regardless of such, I managed to start my thousandth play through of Demon’s Souls this morning! As per the norm for my sequential Souls play throughs, I started another Bow-Only Build. This time though, things seem to be a bit rougher than any of the other games for numerous reasons.
For starters, it started me with thirty arrows, and they went a bit too fast for me to play conservatively with. Secondly; arrows now carry Item Weight, so mass-stocking arrows while traversing the Kingdom of Boletaria is a mixed bag now. Do I go stock-heavy, or go light and pick up more worldly items than normal? It’s all becoming a rather precarious balancing act right now.
And to top off all my troubles; I need to click L1 to Zoom, and click it again to unzoom. Tedious complaint, I know, but it’s one of those issues in which I’m used to clicking L1 and holding it, then releasing it. While it sounds like an easy fix, I’m still struggling to unzoom when an enemy is closing in a bit too quickly, resulting in a blow or two landing against my skull.
I may be an Archer, but I’m no pansy though.
Starting in the Tutorial, I went forward with a bone to pick. As I grew use to the lesser refined controls (as opposed to Dark Souls II controls), I found that it was a bit easier than I remember. I took a few hits, but I barely took any damage. Laughing away their swats, I pressed onward to my ultimate goal; killing that stupid fucking Vanguard Demon.
Fun Fact: for whatever reason, I’ve never killed him in the tutorial, ever…
And I still haven’t been able to kill him either…
So after my mandatory death I found myself in the Nexus; poor, broken, and arrowless. I’m not afraid to admit it right now, I definitely cheated a bit. There was simply no way for me to go through the first area in Boletaria’s Palace with 18 arrows, so I simply used the Axe I started with and chopped through as quickly as possible. It felt weird wielding a melee weapon for once, but it didn’t take much for me to adapt back in to the play style.
After pushing onward and forward, I managed to kill the Phalanx (fire, it’s yo’ friend!) and preceded without any difficulty whatsoever, yay me!
Of course, this is natural to me now, and I try not to allow Death to be an option.
So how did everyone else make out? What kind of build are you working on and did anyone out there manage to topple the Vanguard Demon in the tutorial?
Also; don't forget to Link your Demon's Souls material to the PixlBit Game Club event, and check out the Forum Posts for any hints, tips, and tricks to help you along the way!
I need to jumb back on a play it but after having like 300 to 400 souls and then dying kind of bummed me out. I rage quitted for the time being at that point, this game in a rage inducer for me but thats not excatly a bad thing. It will keep me coming back because I refuse to officially give up. Im still working on a archer but Im not doing a only bow build. Im gladly using my Axe,lol!
You raged after 300-400 Souls?
Just wait until you lose 100,000 sometime!
Ya, but you have to remember this is my first souls game. I havent played any of them till now,lol.
It's all good!
Just prepare for some massive heartbreak..
I remember the time I lost over 100,000 souls in DS2. Made me tear up a little bit.
Makes my eyes sweat just thinking of it Darth...
Hint: Don't worry about recovering your souls, or blood stain. You get plent of souls after defeating a boss, and there are places you can farm for souls later on. You just need to figure out enemy patterns, and find the quickest way to the boss. 
1-1 is the only level I finished. The Phalanx was no biggie but I didn't get very far after that. I think I tried killing a flying dragon with a bow but gave up because it never felt like I was doing any damage
The Dragon will take you around 200 arrows, give or take.
It can be killed though!!
Just take the lower route beneath the bridge. You really only need to sprint on the first and last part of the top of the bridge. I've never needed to kill that dragon, or you could just get started on 2-1.
I've never actually been able to kill the Vanguard, but I was sure close when I used the Magic build for the first time. As I started a couple of new characters simultaneously, one a bow-build and one a magic build, I had forgotten how lose the targeting can get in this game. This game definitly controls a lot "looser" than the other games. Especially if you have light or no armor, you seem to almost float off the ground. I could have written this same article myself, as I had the same issues starting out with arrows, but managed to just chop everything down with the axe.
And the same thing occured with both characters, I didn't die at all my first play through and got all the way to the boss in one go. Actually, I started playing last week, and found it odd that I didn't die at all in any level and made it all the way to the bosses without ever dying. That is the nerfiness of Magic. Hunter/Arrows is another story. With magic, the only issue I've had so far is with Latria, but that is because of the layout of the level--darkness and pitfalls, but not necessarily enemies or bosses. The only boss that's giving me trouble at the moment is Manhunters, those two gargoyles, but I got to them pretty late at night and I wasn't really concentrating.
Over all the revisit to this game has been really rewarding. I haven't even touched on the lore and NPCs, which I also enjoyed revisiting.
Oh man, it seems like you're making some great progress!
And Latria will be a bit tougher with a Mage Build, simply because a lot of your enemies are going to have higher magic resistances in that area.
I was actually pretty shocked at how far I was able to get using Magic. I only expected to do one world each week, but I'm already at the end of World 3. I'm leaving World 5 for last, then farming and final boss.
Started with a Knight, then a Mage. Next week I'm going to do a Royal and see if I can make it past 1-1. I will cheer if I do that.
It takes a while sometimes to find that one special build that suits your play style.
Essentially; all builds can turn Hybrid quite easily, the starting class basically defines the starting equipment/spells you have.
I read that the Temple Knight is an easy build too, for melee. I haven't tried it, but you start off with a long weapon, a Halberd I believe. That can be a useful weapon if you get used to the move set.
I heard once from Kat Bailey that the Halberd was a great choice.
Anything that keeps enemies away from you is good. So I would imagine the halberd to be a useful tool for this, keep a distance. I remember it being real wierd to handle though. Also, I think the soldiers in the castle drop the halberd, so you can try it out with other classes.
Just throw turpentine on any of the weapons you're using and VOILA! Roasted Phalanx.
I still need this game, but then again I'm still trying to get a feel for Dark Souls. One Soul game at a time I guess.