Advice on Strength Build?

[Shadow]

I'm like Soul Level 120 and Just making sure I'm doing ♥♥♥♥ right, how do your strength builds look and what equipment are you using?

[Chebs]

I had a Str build until around SL80. I was using a Bastard Sword +10 with Drangleic armor and shield. I put a lot of points into Vitality and Endurance so that I could quick roll and attack a ton of times without running out of stamina.

[Shifty Mario]

For me, armor combo is anything that gives me 61+ poise to tank light attacks. For weapons, I always have a mace ready for quick attacks. The other weapon would be anything else you think is necessary. I usually carry a drakekeeper's greataxe. It's really preferences with the other weapon.

[SundownKid]

1) Soul Level doesn't matter anymore. You can level forever and it won't matter in PvP or Co-op, it's based on total souls gained.

2) Pure strength builds have been somewhat nerfed overall. Like Dark Souls you could do lots of Vigor, Vit and End combined with lots of Str and 20 ADP. However it's probably better to also level magic and imbue your weapon with an element.

[Pat]

Penal Mask, Throne Defenders Chest + Gloves, Tights of Judgement, Greatsword +10, Havels Greatshield +4.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=258651003

[Mordekaiser]

Edit:^^^Why does your Penal Mask look like Deathstroke in that picture, and how can I make mine do that!?



I'm going Str/Fth Hybrid, so that I can properly use Sun Spears. I will make you praise the sun even if I have to carve it into your body. My armor of choice is Faraan(?) set, the one in the trailer, just because I like how it looks. I use the Drangleic Shield and the Morning Star just because I got them early and have yet to really need to get something else. I've grown rather fond of its moveset.

[Pat]

Originally posted by Zendabo82:

Edit:^^^Why does your Penal Mask look like Deathstroke in that picture, and how can I make mine do that!?

I'm going Str/Fth Hybrid, so that I can properly use Sun Spears. I will make you praise the sun even if I have to carve it into your body. My armor of choice is Faraan(?) set, the one in the trailer, just because I like how it looks. I use the Drangleic Shield and the Morning Star just because I got them early and have yet to really need to get something else. I've grown rather fond of its moveset.

I have no idea, it always looks like that for me O_o

[NeoRizer]

In Dark Souls 2 you make a hybrid build... it's just the way this game goes this time around.

Pure STR builds will fail at some point because you need DEX for ranged attacks...

You can't go pure melee in this game unless you're just asking to hinder yourself and cause added frustration...

Go for it if you want but in the end it's pointless because everyone you'll face in PvP will be pulling hat tricks.

Here are your possible progression based builds:

STR + DEX together with some in to other stats like VIT, VIG, END and 20 ADP to keep your character balanced.

INT + FTH together... same as above.

Then it's pretty much whatever...

INT + STR if you want to do a spell sword.

STR + FTH if you wanna go paladin style.

Not many other variations that work... doing a DEX + FTH build is cool for co-op I guess because you can be a ranged support class...

In the end you pump all your crap to 40 and whatever you want to specalize in you take to 50+

[Shadow]

I'll take a screenshot of my build atm I'm willing to respec if I have to I got like 3 soul vessels would have more probably but there was a bunch of items I couldnt figure out how to get to.

[Internet(s)]

I didn't level my dex that much for most of my playthrough. I found the heavy crossbow enough for dealing range damage. I really like the mastodon greatsword. Its pretty good for strength builds.

[Panic Fire]

It really comes down to 4 things.

Weapon
Stamina
Infusion
Support

Decide what weapon you want to use.

Make sure you have enough stamina to use said weapon enough times, (you want about 5 swings with a great sword for instance with just a smidge left over for a roll afterwords)

Decide what infusion you will use (this ties in with your support but in the end it doesn't really matter as nearly all weapons will do better dmg with an infusion than with out it)

And decide what support spells/items/gear you will use. These can make or break a pvp action. Will you slot some weapon buff spells? or will you carry some throwing knives to punish a drinker? These choices here can really make the differnce.


A decent str build

Zweihander

Increase it till you can get 5 swings in don't have the numbers at the moment but you will figure it out.

Lighitng infusion (why because it makes the weapon rather decent in both pvp and pve)

Support - throwing knives, estus, moss, hexbombs,
Support Weapons - Heavy Crossbow (use it to punish drinkers and long spell casts)
Support Spells - None
Support Shield - Rebel Shield, Defender shield (rebel shield of course for spell blocking, with defender for normal stuff)

Armor doesn't really matter so fasion souls it up. Increase equipload to get you down to the thresholds (under 70% for fast roll) (under 50% for better stamina regen) (under 25% for even better stamina regen)

Make sure you get your agility in the 98-102 range with attunement and adapatability.

[Shadow]

i thought elemental damage lowers ur damage threshold or something or other so i wasnt sure if I should enchant my stuff or not

[droe50]

Originally posted by Shadow:

i thought elemental damage lowers ur damage threshold or something or other so i wasnt sure if I should enchant my stuff or not

It can. It depends on the weapon and your stats. Due to the way damage works in Dark Souls, defenses reduce light hits more than they do heavy ones, as such two strikes for 200 AR won't hit as hard as a single strike at 400. Since infused elemental weapons do in general greater damage but of two seperate, lesser types, your weapon will sometimes do less damage against foes resistant to one or more of those types, i.e. a Fire Longsword will destroy zombies, but be little more than a blunt stick against the scorpion-tailed monstrosities before Lost Sinner. Infusing tends to be "better" on the heavy weapons, Greatswords, UGSs, etc. because they have high base damage and enemy defenses won't reduce them quite as much as, say, an infused Dagger or Shortsword.

Now, that said, elemental weapons ARE good for taking the various weapon buff spells, which tend to, as an added bonus to the 50 elemental damage they already add, also increase any existing damage of the same type by 30% or so. And I believe the magic weapon line (Magic, Greater Magic, Crystal Magic) increases *overall* damage by 30%, thus granting its boon to both magic and mundane damages. Elemental weapons are also good if you have minimal Str/Dex and maximal Int/Fth, and are even slightly better when you can afford to max out both your physical and mental stats.

/wall'o'text

[Shadow]

well I only have 8 points in intellect (went with bandit) I just need 1 more simpleton's spice (have 6) to use the spell Repair cause my ♥♥♥♥ breaks all the time it seems u would think a +10 greatsword would hold up better then a +0 but nope lol. Idk how much int those magic spells would be but given that they are most likely scaled using int idk if elemental damage is good for me.

[Shadow]

also what the hell does Enchant do cause when I hover on the Enchant infusion nothing changes at all stat wise

[Rhorge]

Originally posted by Shadow:

well I only have 8 points in intellect (went with bandit) I just need 1 more simpleton's spice (have 6) to use the spell Repair cause my ♥♥♥♥ breaks all the time it seems u would think a +10 greatsword would hold up better then a +0 but nope lol. Idk how much int those magic spells would be but given that they are most likely scaled using int idk if elemental damage is good for me.

Don't bother, buy repair powder from Wellegar. I use the Red Rust Sword and it's pretty strong. It also has 80 durability but the downside is that it takes twinkiling titanite to upgrade.