The cursed land of Drangleic is eager to take your many, many lives. We can’t save them all, but we can certainly cut down on the grief. To start, many common sense tactics from the prior Souls games apply to Dark Souls II. That includes: 1) Knowing your surroundings and having the presence of mind to know if you’re one dodge roll away from falling off a cliff. 2) When you see one enemy in the distance, always assume that he has company off-screen.

　　One of the more significant changes to this sequel is the addition of finite enemy respawns. It’s a double-edged sword. Cleaning out a whole area of enemies results in a lot of level upgrades and a resistance-free path between the boss and the closest bonfire. On the other hand, finite enemies means finite souls, which isn’t good if you’re careless with your souls and frequently losing them through back-to-back deaths. If you need more, let alone harder enemies in a specific area, you’ll have to find a Bonfire Ascetic.

　　Before you head on your journey, we have one more important tip: cycle through ALL the NPC conversations. It’s one thing to learn more about the lore of Dark Souls II; it’s another to find out that a character could bestow you a useful item. It’s essential that you thoroughly converse with the hooded woman near the bonfire of Majula. She’ll be able to convert your souls into level upgrades.

　　Guide Home

　　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)

　　3/12/2014, 11:00 am: Pages to be added throughout the next day. Come back soon!

　　3/12/2014, 04:00 pm: Part 4 added.

　　3/12/2014, 09:00 pm: Part 5 added.

　　3/13/2014, 04:30 pm: Part 6 added.

　　3/13/2014, 05:00 pm: Part 7 added.

　　3/14/2014, 12:45 pm: Parts 8 & 9 added.

　　3/18/2014, 1:15 pm: Part 10 added.

　　3/19/2014, 10:30 am: Part 11 added.

　　3/19/2014, 02:00 pm: Part 12 added.

　　3/25/2014, 06:00 pm: Parts 13, 14 & 15 added.

　　3/26/2014, 09:00 pm: Parts 16 & 17 added.

　　4/1/2014, 3:30 pm: Parts 18, 19 & 20 added. Guide complete.