I have finally gotten around to play my proposed challenge where magic completely replaces weapons.
Here’s a breakdown of the limitations I set for this run:
- I can’t use weapons or drink estus flask. I decided to ban the latter only after 2 hours of the run.
- I can’t level up any stats except Attunement, Intelligence, and Faith. I can’t wear items that increase my HP.
- I can’t wear equipment that increases my poise.
This way I plan to beat all the bosses in the game, hopefully even in the DLC (but that one will be tough…). I also want to replicate another challenge I did years ago - to complete the catacombs using Force as my only offensive spell.
So far I’ve completed the easiest part of the game - the bells. I don’t expect much trouble before the Great Soul hunt though.
Some thoughts on what I already experienced:
Magic is more than enough to go through the early stages of the game, I basically never had to think about my spell uses, and I tend to kill every enemy on my way. No need for Dusk’s ring either, fortunately.
With that said, I HATE how much soul arrows miss! It’s enough for an enemy to move a little and that damn “homing” projectile flies pass them. I rely on Combustion much more than I expected to lol.
I recall having trouble killing Artorias with spells back when I reached him for the first time, years ago. From Software loves boosting magic defenses for enemies and bosses from DLCs for some reason… My magic-only run in DS2 has stalled when I tried to beat DLCs - it was waaay too grindy for me.
Oh absolutely. FromSoft looks at what players do and then troll that directly in the DLC.
Trying to remember… Artorias just required not being greedy and just casting after his full spin move. I seem to recall it to be a matter of spacing, similar to Bell Bearing Hunter in Elden Ring, you can get him to predictably chain the same punishable moves. Or like DS3’s Gundyr or Pontiff for parry strats.
DS2 at least eventually despawns if you’re not in the champion covenent. And hexes are really powerful. (DS2 Brume Tower DLC crown replenishes spell uses over time, so you can Dark Fog the world if you can clear that one.)