Dark Souls 2 Walkthrough Guide: Part 1

THE FOREST OF THE FALLEN GIANTS

The initially treacherous Heide’s Tower of Flame is a reminder that there’s no shame in retreating from a difficult area and coming back when you’re better equipped. It’s the most obvious path at the start of the game, but the first route you should take is toward the Forest of the Fallen Giants. Using the Majula bonfire as a starting point, have your back to the nearby monument and walk alongside the cliff. It’s a route mostly made up of easy to moderately challenging foes. The one boss to look out for it is The Pursuer, who first appears after being dropped off by a flying bird. Don’t be disappointed if you’re under-leveled when you first encounter him. You’ll have another opportunity to take him on a couple hours later at a nearby area. The first boss you should focus on is The Last One. Refer to our video for one of the possible routes.

BOSS: THE LAST ONE

The entrance to this encounter introduces you to phantoms, who are AI-controlled adventurers who’ll help you in battle. The catch is that you need to have restored your Humanity in order to summon a phantom. If you’ve done some soul farming on the way to The Last One, you might have been lucky enough to come across a couple Human Effigies, the item used to restore Humanity. They’re not especially rare, though there’s really no need to waste them in non-boss encounters. We suggest fighting The Last One a few times solo and when you’re familiar with its attack patterns, only then should you consume one of the Human Effigies.

The benefit of the phantom is that they’re effective decoys. You can potentially take off half of The Last One’s health before he decides to focus on you. The boss specializes in foot stomps for close quarters and an area attack if you keep your distance. Eventually he’ll step it up a notch by ripping off his own arm(!) to give him even better range. You don’t have a lot of room to move, but at least you won’t have to worry about rolling backwards off a cliff.

BOSS: THE PURSUER

After you’ve defeated The Last One and cleaned out the entire Forest of the Fallen Giants, you just might have the means to defeat The Pursuer. If you’re still finding him tough, you can level up significantly by first facing the challenges in Heide’s Tower of Flame and No Man’s Wharf. If you decide to take on The Pursuer, this video shows you how to reach him.

If your character is especially skilled in ranged attacks like the Sorcerer, you can launch as many as four attacks at the beginning of the fight. As a Level 45 Sorcerer with Great Heavy Soul Arrow, we managed to take off a quarter of his life before he made his first move. Don’t let the initial distance dissuade you; you can actually lock on to The Pursuer right when the battle begins.

The Pursuer’s two most common attacks are the forward stab and a three-swing combo. Both are best dodged with backsteps or backward rolls. What you have to be especially mindful of is the length of the Estus Flask drinking animation. You’re vulnerable when you drink from the flask so it’s often wiser to keep dodging with a sliver of health than to hurriedly attempt to heal when The Pursuer’s next attack is a second away. The key is to be far enough at the start of The Pursuer’s attack, that you’re certain it won’t connect. The time it takes him to complete his move or combo should give you ample time to drink from the flask. You should also be mindful of this for future boss fights.

Once you defeat The Pursuer, you’re one step and a bird flight away from the next area, The Lost Bastille. Yet before you’re airborne, watch the end of our video to find the well-hidden Drangleic equipment. These are some of the best pieces of gear you’ll find in all of Dark Souls II. Even if you’re levels are too low to equip all the gear, it’s worth it to wear a few pieces even if you expose your head or your arms.

Now you have our permission to explore The Lost Bastille. Alternatively, you can also take care of matters at Heide’s Tower of Flame (if you haven’t done so already). That route also leads to another part The Lost Bastille, a route that isn’t short of enemies. What we’re trying to say is that exploring Heide’s Tower is a great opportunity to level up and if you want to completely exterminate all respawns, prepare to dip in at least 5 hours.

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Class Breakdown

30 Items to Collect Before Your First Battle

Part 1: The Forest of Fallen Giants, The Last one (Boss), The Pursuer (Boss)

Part 2: Heide's Tower of Flame, The Dragonrider (Boss), The Old Dragonslayer (Boss)

Part 3: Down Heide's Tower, No Man's Wharf, The Flexile Sentry (Boss)

Part 4: The Lost Bastille, Ruin Sentinels (Boss), Sinner's Rise

Part 5: Belfry Luna, Bell Keeper (Invader), Belfry Gargoyles (Boss), Vorgel The Sinner (Invader)

Part 6: Huntsman's Copse, the Greatsword Phantom, Merciless Roenna (Invader)

Part 7: Skeleton Lords (Boss), Executioner Chariot (Boss), Harvest Valley, Earthen Peak, Covetous Demon (Boss)

Part 8: The Crescent Sickle Phantom, Mytha The Baneful Queen (Boss)

Part 9: The Pit, Grave of Saints, The Gutter, Rhoy the Explorer (Invader)

Part 10: Royal Rat Vanguard (Boss), The Gutter (Part 2), Melinda the Butcher (Invader), The Rotten (Boss)

Part 11: Iron Keep, Smelter Demon (Boss), Belfry Sol, Old Iron King (Boss)

Part 12: Shaded Woods, Scorpioness Najka (Boss), Doors of Pharros, Bowman Guthrie (Invader), Royal Rat Authority (Boss)

Part 13: Brightstone Cove Tseldora, Prowling Magus (Boss), The Porcine Peasant (Invader), The Duke's Dear Freja (Boss), The Lost Sinner

Part 14: Shrine of Winter, Drangleic Castle, Nameless Usurper (Invader), Dual Dragonriders (Boss), Looking Glass Knight (Boss)

Part 15: Shrine of Amana, Undead Crypt, Peculiar Kindalur (Invader), Demon of Song (Boss), Nameless Usurper (Returning Invader)

Part 16: Aldia's Keep, Velstadt, The Royal Aegis (Boss), Aslatiel of Mirrah (Invader), Guardian Dragon (Boss)

Part 17: Dragon Shrine, Dragonfang Villard (Invader), Ancient Dragon (Boss)

Part 18: Memories of the Ancients, Memory of Vammar, Memory of Orro, Memory of Jeigh, Giant Lord (Boss)

Part 19: Throne Watcher and Throne Defender (Boss), Nashandra (Final Boss)

Part 20: King Vendrick (Boss), Dark Chasm of Old, Darklurker (Boss)