A Demon's Souls Starter Guide: Setting Up A Warrior

A warrior-style hero is my go-to build in any fantasy game, and if you're here, I'm guessing that it is yours too. Welcome, friend. In this guide, I will be explaining how to create a solid warrior build in Demon's Souls (2021) (PlayStation5).

To start, you'll want to select the Soldier class because it provides a neat balance of weapons, armour, and attribute scores that complement that satisfying warrior archetype.

After that, you'll want to progress to the completion of World-Area 1-1: Gates Of Boletaria because this is the game's extended tutorial area. Everything before defeating the Phalanx boss at its climax is identical between classes, so when it is slain, return to the Nexus…

PART 1: Levelling Up

After speaking with the last living boy in the Nexus and having accepted his mission, you'll want to return to the Maiden in Black (the female keeper of the Nexus in the main hall) to level yourself up a bit.

As this build has a warrior focus, you simply cannot go wrong by levelling up these four stats: Strength, Dexterity, Vitality, and Endurance. On your first playthrough as a Soldier, I would advise advancing evenly each of these four stats. Granted, this approach does sacrifice the min/max meta somewhat, but it also doesn't tie you down into any particular martial playstyle. Levelling those four attributes equally will provide respectable health and stamina values — just what a warrior would want.

The only caveat that I would add to the above method is the additional levelling of both “Magic” and “Intelligence”. Yes, I know. I suppose this has arrived out of left field a bit. However, I encourage raising those attributes to at least 10 so that you can purchase utility spells and memorise them. You can ultimately level these attributes as much as you wish, but sacrificing just three levels overall (to meet the minimum requirements) still nets you a noticeable advantage. Enchant Weapon, in particular, is an early-game spell well worth checking out for some extra oomph! Just remember that a catalyst (a wand) is required to cast spells, but do not fret, for we shall be collecting one in this guide.

The same goes for Miracle spells, which are cast with the “Faith” attribute and a talisman (a Faith-based catalyst). Soldiers already begin the game with the prerequisite ten points in Faith, so they can already purchase and memorise Miracles without further investment. Miracles, too, have plenty of utility, so they may prove useful. The various aid spells are decent, and I shall be revealing the location of a talisman later in the guide.

PART 2: Back Into The Frying Pan

If you already explored 1-1 (Gates Of Boletaria) as much as was allowed, you can skip PART 2 of this guide. However, if you did not, you'll need to hop back in to collect three important tools: the Flame Resistance Ring, the Scimitar sword, and the Jade Hair Ornament. The former two bits of kit will help marginally with PART 3 of the guide; the latter item is the most vital, though, becoming relevant in PART 4.

PART 2-A: The Scimitar Sword

The Scimitar is found near Ostrava. While helping Ostrava, the two of you will encounter a claymore-flailing Blue-Eye Knight. In the courtyard beside said Knight, there is a body that houses the Scimitar, which is difficult to overlook. What is easy to miss, though, is the Ostrava encounter because he is slightly off the beaten path. To instigate the side quest, one must hop over a balcony, which can be found after fighting your first Blue-Eye Knight, opening the fog door, and descending some steps.

PART 2-B: The Flame Resistance Ring

The Flame Resistance Ring is one of many treasures beneath the tail of the Blue Dragon; this, too, is on a side path. In the area where the Red Dragon burns the walkway, the Blue Dragon is otherwise roosting quietly to the left of the commotion. Firstly, you must bring the Red Dragon over and force him into his cycle of spitting fire. While he is doing this, run down to the left (where the two spearmen spawn from) and head beneath the Blue Dragon's tail. There are numerous goodies here. However, beware of the Blue Dragon's tail, as it hits real damn hard. You can roll to avoid damage here, but you may find it takes you a try or two to grab all the treasures. The Red Dragon will also ignite the hillside if he returns and finds you still rooting around.

PART 2-C: Jade Hair Ornament

The final item, the Jade Hair Ornament, is near the first 1-1 shortcut (the same area where the Cling Ring is found). It is on a body, which is suspended by chains and initially inaccessible. However, heading up the tower to the balcony and cutting the chains (any weapon will work) will release the body. Then, head back down to the shortcut entrance. Presto! One Hair Ornament.

PART 3: Ge’ Outta Ma Swamp!

Now that PART 2 is done with, you will want to head over to World-Area 5-1 (Depraved Chasm). It is a vile, swampy place — Blighttown before Blighttown! — but it must be braved to acquire one very necessary item: the Morningstar, which deals blunt damage and, as such, is essential for the next World-Area.

From the 5-1 Archstone, run up the spiralling scaffolding to the top. There is a knife-wielding enemy to kill and his friend, just across the way, who wields a fiery spear. The Scimitar works very well against these swamp dwellers, while the Flame Resistance Ring helps to defend against their burning spears.

Once they are dead, follow the only path forward. Just ahead, two enemies will crash down through the shanty roof; you will need to kill these as well. Afterwards, while remaining on the platform with the now-broken roof, look to your left. You will see a small mezzanine just below you, which has a dead body and a sleeping enemy. Loot the Morningstar from the corpse. Be aware, however, that the sleeping swamp man will awake when you approach the corpse.

Now, you need to make it back to the Archstone and back to the Nexus; our work in 5-1 is done. You can't directly climb back up to where you dropped off from, but there are ladders nearby. Face the ledge you initially dropped down from, walk forward, and drop down a little further onto another platform. Now turn left, and dead ahead of you are ladders that lead back up to the starting (broken roof) platform. Know, though, that this lower platform has several swampy foes skulking around. Take your time, walk slowly so as not to break weak sections of flooring or disturb unwitting enemies, and get back to the Nexus safely.

PART 4: Those Damn Skellingtons!

When you are back at the Nexus, equip the Morningstar. Afterwards, enter World-Area 4-1 (Island's Edge). We're now heading off to fetch three rather broken items (as well as a decent bow), which, as a set, complement a warrior perfectly: the Crescent Falchion +1 sword, the Adjudicator's Shield, the Regenerator's Ring, and the Compound Longbow.

PART 4-A: The Falchion Sword

From the Archstone, head forward through the archway, up the stairs, and to the main fortress wall. On the way, you will encounter some enemy skeletons. Go steady and smash them to bits, one at a time, with the Morningstar. These lads are pretty spry, tough, and are able to shrug off much of anything that isn't blunt or flung magic. Luckily, however, you now have a big slab of spiky steel!

Littered amongst the dead atop the stairs, just before the fortress wall entrance, note that there is a Talisman of God amongst the spoils. As I have already expressed, it may come in handy for your later-game, post-guide character.

Standing inside the gatehouse of the fortress wall atop the stairs, you will see ahead of you a ginormous demon (the very same one that killed you in the opening tutorial section). He should be avoided. However, around him are some useful titbits, which are worth collecting. Namely, the Kilij sword and the Uchigatana katana. Both are plausible options to have handy, when upgraded, later into your playthrough.

Whether or not you claimed those swords, continue thusly: from inside the gatehouse, go left. You cannot progress much to the right, as there are bars blocking your path. As you travel down the left tunnel, keep your shield up: a floor-bound pressure plate will be triggered, and three powerful arrows will be launched from ahead of you, which will kill you if not for your shield or some swift rolling. You will then be in the main chamber of this wall section with a door leading outside to your left and stairs climbing upwards to your right. Whilst we will be needing both paths, we will go left first to retrieve the Crescent Falchion +1.

There is a short dirt path that winds down to a small shelf of earth, which overlooks the steps you already ascended at the beginning of the area. However, be very cautious on this shelf: not only do the archers on the battlements take potshots at you, but the Falchion is guarded by a black skeleton! These are a particularly nasty enemy, for they possess a substantial health bar and can kill you without much effort. The Falchion is on a corpse behind it, so I suggest baiting out the black skeleton’s lunging attack, which is easy to navigate around, and snatching up the Falchion. You can then either kill the skeleton with numerous backstabs (gentlemanly toe-to-toe will result in your death, here) or you can reset the area at the Archstone, which can be reached by hopping off of the shelf and going back down the steps.

Whichever method you choose, you will need to return to the wall section (just before the Falchion), where the stairs climb upwards, for the next items.

PART 4-B: The Regenerator's Ring and Compound Longbow

Ascend the stairs to get to the top of the fortress wall. To your left, the wall is broken down but traversable; in front of you, there are some more skeletons. Go to your left, following the path made from the damaged fortress wall bricks, and enter the tunnel. Following it around, kill the skeleton as you go and enter another tower section. Now you must climb a short way to the top, using the stairs. Watch out for skeletons you encounter. At the top, there are two routes again. Again, both are needed.

The left leads around to a section of battlements that house a skeleton archer and the Compound Longbow. The right path, however, is a grassy hill that climbs up to Sparkly the Crow. This crow asks for shiny objects, and in return, they will give you a gift. Beside the large tree roots, “drop” the Jade Hair Ornament, quit out of the game, load back in, and collect your prize: the Regenerator's Ring. This ring's health regeneration ability is invaluable for any warrior who gets into the thick of battle!

PART 4-C: The Adjudicator's Shield

With the new equipment in hand, head back down the tower to the bottom floor. However, do not head back down the tunnel. Instead, notice the small steps to your left that lead to nothing — to only a stone wall. This stone wall is illusory, and it can be removed with the strike of any weapon. You can follow this new tunnel system around to avoid the giant demon standing guard in the courtyard above. Just be aware that, much like everywhere around the fortress, there are skeletons and floor traps, so progress cautiously.

At the other end of the subterranean tunnel system, there is an area with a hole in the ceiling. Dirt has poured in from above and formed a hill that can be climbed to take you outside. Directly behind you will be the large demon; to your right will be a little fog door. Go through the fog door and up the little steps. Mind as you go, as this section of 4-1 leaves you open to the Storm Beasts’ (flying manta rays) magic spears, which hit pretty hard. Atop the stairs is a warrior skeleton and, behind him, an archer skeleton. Try to kill the warrior variant near to the stairway. Afterwards, return to where that skeleton once stood, and on your left will be an open room containing another black skeleton who stands guarding the corpse that holds the Adjudicator's Shield. Now, you can do what you did before: kill it or perform some swift thievery. Either way, this is the final item, and you only need to return to the Nexus via the Archstone once you have it.

Now you have a health regenerating ring coupled with a health-regenerating tower shield, which transforms you into an absolute tank (well… as much as FromSoftware will allow, anyway). Coupled with a magic sword, a talisman, and a ranged option (in the bow), there isn't much that your character cannot tackle. However, there are still a couple more things to acquire…

PART 5: The Last Pieces Of The Puzzle

The final leg of this guide now takes us to World-Area 1-2 (The Lord's Path). This is not only the bit that the game would prefer you to tackle next (due mainly to its ease), but it also has the last two items that this build needs: the Wooden Catalyst and the Winged Spear.

The Winged Spear is very early into this area — on one of the dead bodies located on the first section of open wall where the Red Dragon initially appears. You must be quick when grabbing it due to the Red Dragon's aggression and the awkward placement of the body that contains the spear. However, the spear is well worth grabbing, as it is a straight upgrade to the Short Spear that the Soldier class spawns with.

After you have the Winged Spear, you must progress only a little further to obtain the catalyst. After avoiding the Red Dragon's fire and making it to the safety of a small tower, exit that tower to the right rather than going straight ahead along the wall. You'll find that you can go up or down: go up, killing the soldiers as you go. On top of this tower is the catalyst, on a body.

PART 6: Closing Advice

There we have it! You are now a versatile Soldier, and there is not a lot that you cannot explore gameplay-wise provided you follow the formula laid out in this guide. You now have a plethora of great tools, which will help in covering all combat scenarios. Furthermore, you even have a consistent stat spread that strengthens the warrior playstyle.

From here, I suggest going on to finish 1-2 by defeating the Tower Knight. Doing so will unlock the World-Area 1-3 (Inner Ward) Archstone. Nearby this early-game Archstone are Blue-Eye Knights, which can be used to farm Souls and powerful healing Grasses. After that, move on to World 2; your spear will easily fell the mining folk here, and there are many upgrade materials to be found scattered throughout it. Not to mention, the better blacksmith can be found in World-Area 2-1 (Smithing Grounds). He offers upgrades that his Nexus-bound sibling does not.

Now go forth fellow Slayer of Demons. It's time for the tide to finally turn, and for you to instead embrace the life of a death-dealing conqueror!