[quote name='coolz481']Io, quick question: did you run along the right until you found the 'safe spot' talked about in the guide or did you run along the right and then get underneath the blue dragon, attacking from the doorway?
On my first playthough, I somehow got through running up the left and then just shot him with soul ray from behind. On NG+ though, I keep getting wiped out before I get all the way up the stairs. I've blown through NG+ without any difficulties until now at level 130, but I got frustrated after getting burnt to a crisp 6 times in a row trying to find this safe spot along the right.[/QUOTE]
I thought the "safe spot" was the doorway - then you just shoot him from there, right? I just waited for his right-to-left fire breathing (which is followed by a left-to-right one) and ran up the stairs to the door, no problem. I didn't know it was so easy - no messing around with shields and stuff. It was really hard to tell if I was damaging him from the doorway though. Is there a better place?
[quote name='Jodou']You guys really should invest in being able to use the purple or brushwood shield. Makes getting past the 1-4 dragon a breeze.[/QUOTE]
Well, I've had the purple shield fully upgraded for my last 80+ hours of gameplay

. How does it help, though? The fire pretty much comes all around you and based on how if you are even just a tiny bit off center from the exploding lights in 2-2 you get wiped out I didn't even want to try that. Just running worked fine though. This time I got Biorr's stuff - didn't realize it was another set of Brushwood stuff. Now I have 3 sets

.
[quote name='jmbreci']Who can give a little guidance on 2-3? I've been "punched" to oblivion a number of times now....think Rocky in any of his movies...maybe the KO by Clubber Lang would be best. Just need a little guidance...should I be poking those big dragon claws? I feel like I am a pull-string doll who is stuck on the same sentence over and over and.....
Did get some help getting through 4-2 though....I'm not too fond of that level. While I could've probably taken down old blind eye without help, it would have take a long time with my arrows to do that.....and it did not help that I was wearing the wrong rings (the ones for 2-3 still).
What is the best use for the colorless demon souls? I have 2 now....Adjudicator shield? White Bow? Any weapon worth throwing them on?[/QUOTE]
I've asked repeatedly what I should be using the colorless souls on. I have 8 now. I may upgrade Istarelle to +5 and use that on my NG++ in the swamps - will really help keep the poisoning to a minimum.
As for 2-3, you mean the Dragon God? You do not fight his claws. You just need to knock down the pillars/rubble blocking your way from a safe spot (fairly easy to do using soul arrow though the aiming can be tricky) and then move on to the next safe spot. Then you get to two things that shoot him and take most of his health away. Then you can just finish him off with arrows or spells (or probably melee though I never bothered with that). It is one of the easier bosses in the game once you know what to do. The trickier part is doing it without scaring away the 2 geckos you come across. The first you can just run up and fight - the dragon will not get you right there.
[quote name='Jodou']Adjudicator is trash; I'd throw it away. The health regen does not stack with spells/rings, so you end up with less defense for a worthless attribute. White Bow is the best in the game after you get it to +5, eclipsing the Lava Bow +5. Only upgrade that if you plan on staying ranged, though.
Dark Silver Shield is a drop only if you kill the boss Garl Vinland in 5-3. It is the best shield in the game versus magic users.[/QUOTE]
Hmmm - maybe I should upgrade the dark silver shield... Dunno.
[quote name='Saint Noir']Sticky Compund Long Bow +5 is the best if you have decent dexterity. It has the best modifier in regards to this (S), nothing else really comes close. If you have low dex, then the other bows are good.[/QUOTE]
[quote name='salty tbone']What does White Bow +5 add? I've never bothered because the Wiki and official guide give practically the same stats as the base (Range 75, Dmg 100, Str E, Dex E). The only upgrade I can see is to Dex D with first colorless demon soul. Doesn't seem right.
For me, the benefits of the sticky +5 passed the white bow pretty quickly (maybe even by the time I got my Dex to 24 just to use the white bow). Now I have 62 Dex and have 373 attack with my sticky +5 and a heavy arrow. It is 232 with the white bow (238 if I upgraded it to +1) and a heavy arrow.
I haven't felt handicapped by the shorter range.[/QUOTE]
So is the consensus that the sticky compound +5 is the best with decent Dexterity? I don't have the lava bow (can make it next playthrough), and the white seemed fairly weak, though I didn't know what upgrading it would do. But I have Dex in the 40's now and get a huge bonus based off that.
Jodou - the Brushwood stuff all seems great, but it is WAY WAY WAY too heavy. Honestly, I don't see how anyone uses anything but the assassin/sage stuff. I just recently was able to go with the full sage outfit and that was after upping my endurance quite a bit to be able to equip the final piece (the gloves). Keep in mind, I think rolling is essential, so I keep my equip burden at 1/2. But I always think I have better uses for my levels than putting the TON I'd need in endurance to use other armor. But it seems every blue/black phantom I run across is wearing heavy armor. I don't get it.
Early on I did make sure I could roll with the following all equipped: winged spear, purple flame shield, catalyst, and compound long bow. I guess I could use heavier armor if I unequipped the bow when not using it, but I like to be able to switch rapidly.
And Saint Noir - what is it that you changed into there at the end? It was some sort of gladiator looking armor. I've never seen that!? You had the assassin's mask along with it but what was the rest?