5 Tips For DARK SOULS Noobs

So, I recently completed DARK SOULS: REMASTERED (and no, I shall not stop talking about it — ever). It was a tough yet rewarding experience (which you can read my thoughts on here), and it is certainly something that every gamer should strive to finish at least once. With that said, below are some tips that should help any budding noob get their foot in the door.

1) Talk Before You Walk

DARK SOULS has an odd approach to conversing, to say the least, because “speaking” to NPCs more or less involves you just standing around and listening. However, whether you got the gist of their ye olde English blabbering or not, you'll still want to exhaust it. All of it. The guys and gals of Lordran always have plenty to say, and they're more than happy to toss you some useful items or hints if you pry enough.

Just remember that NPCs will disengage from the conversation when they have said their bit (an atypical approach as far as RPG videogames are concerned). Do not be fooled by this fake out because the NPC will probably have more to say. Continue to keep them nattering until they begin to repeat their last line; their repetition is the signal that they are spent.

Presto! Enjoy your spoils if you can decipher them.

2) Holler For The Heroes

Speaking of NPCs, make sure to summon them where possible; they will quickly prove themselves very valuable, as they can be called on to assist in boss battles. In a videogame that is almost entirely a boss rush gauntlet, such a feature is by no means superfluous. However, this is DARK SOULS, so you can't expect it to just up and tell you that this cool and helpful mechanic exists. That would be ridiculous.

As such, let me explain: summoning is a system whereby you may call on the aid of a friendly face for help during a boss fight — that bit we understand. Available NPCs will appear as golden summon signs, which will spawn on the ground near or inside of a boss’ area.

Not: there are also white summon signs on occasion. These are other players who have readied themselves to aid any fledgling undead and can be brought into your world in much the same way as NPCs. These can be useful too (we will not worry about red and blue players today, as they are entirely an unrelated PvP element).

Are you with me so far?

Well, to get these golden or white summoning options to even appear, one must first restore their humanity. The simplest way to achieve this would be to consume a single Humanity from your inventory. You must then rest at any bonfire and spend that one Liquid Humanity to become human (no more looking like a raisin for this undead). If you do not have any Humanity to consume, there are multiple ways to obtain some: purchasing from merchants, farming from enemies, and they are lootable from predetermined containers.

You may even find that you already have some Liquid Humanity stored up (which had been acquired through enemy farming in boss zones). Just look at the two-digit counter beside your health bar; if that counter displays anything higher than two zeros, then congratulations, you have Liquid Humanity available. Just be aware that if you die, you will lose your human form and any aforementioned LH, so try not to do that. With that said, you may also want to try a boss out before risking your human form and Humanity; if that is the sort of planning that appeals to your playstyle, go ahead and learn the patterns and behaviour of a boss.

Ultimately, however, if you can make it to a boss area with your human form intact, you can summon your pals at no extra cost. So, enjoy teaming up.

3) More Kindling, Less Dwindling

Something else that can be done with Liquid Humanity is Kindling bonfires (another thing that you are not told).

When resting at any bonfire simply hit the “Kindle” option. Then, providing that you have at least one Liquid Humanity stored up, you will spend it to upgrade the fire. Upgraded bonfires will replenish five additional Estus Flask uses when compared to the un-Kindled variety — a critical bonus that you should not pass up on.

Note, however, that each bonfire can be upgraded only once before acquiring a certain mid-game item (this item if you’re ok with real spoilers). Although, once you have said item, you may fully upgrade any bonfire and earn yourself an extra ten Estus Flask uses over non-upgraded bonfires. Achieving this is, quite literally, a game changer.

4) Try Another Trail

DARKS SOULS will, especially on your first playthrough, get you down. I'm afraid it's a cold, hard truth. One minute, you'll be cleaving your way through the denizens of Lordran with ease; the next, you'll encounter an impassable wall.

When you do collide with this “wall”, I suggest turning on your heels and running away. There is always another path, another avenue to explore. A strength of the game is its vast and interconnected world, so go and explore it! Perhaps, one of these unexplored roads used to be your “wall”; now you have your excuse to tackle it again as a stronger and wiser warrior.

Know that this “wall” will constantly shift based not only on your skill level but your mindset too. Don't let it get you down for too long, and use it as an opportunity to head out and unlock areas previously inaccessible. Grow stronger, return to your “wall”, and knock it down!

5) The Importance Of The Internet

This tip may seem like a cop out, but it is meant sincerely. Life is much too short for something as obtuse as DARK SOULS can often be. It is a masterpiece, however, it can be an egregious contrarian at times; it does everything its own way, and that can make it difficult to pick up, play, and understand.

While I would discourage anyone from researching in advance (because I think that spoiled moments only ruin experiences), I would do the opposite if you find that you are stuck. The internet is a glorious tool, and it holds a wealth of knowledge concerning DARK SOULS. If you're a little stumped or want to know something that would otherwise need to be gleaned from countless hours of grinding, just use the internet. Trust me, it's not cheating. It's perfectly fine. Some of the stuff hidden within DARK SOULS is simply impossible to unearth via mere exploration.

Enjoy the game, and appreciate having more free time to put to other things.

6) A Mimic Is More Than A Gimmick

Oh, what is this? You appear to have discovered a secret behind an illusory wall: a bonus tip! Well, any desperate adventurer worth their salt should never look a gift chest in the mouth and snatch it up immediately.

Hmm, wait a minute… Isn't this the game where the treasure chests know kung fu?

So, the monstrous Mimics begin to spawn a little ways into the game. They pose as harmless treasure chests and will lie in wait to catch any greedy adventures that happen to touch them. As such, extra care should be taken when interacting with any dusty, old chests in the corners of ancient rooms, or you may just find yourself as the next meal of a hungry beastie.

Honestly, the quickest way to tell Mimics apart from regular chests is to hit them. Just smack ‘em good! Whether or not some pure nightmare fuel proceeds to peel itself off the floor, you'll have your answer.

However, there is a far safer option: check the chain. Every chest has one. At a lower Soul Level, Mimics can make for rather tough opponents, so I wouldn’t recommend waking one up if you aren't prepared to tackle it. Note: if the chain curls around to form a smile, it is a normal container; however, if the chain points down towards the player, it is a filthy Mimic. This method never changes. Here are some handy community rhymes to help you remember.

There we have it. Six things worth considering when tackling DARK SOULS as a true noob. Now, you just need to get out there, into the wider nightmare landscape of Lordran, and practise gitting gud. Fare thee well brave undead, and good luck on your travels.