Branch of yore and softlock

[Sobert]

Hello,

I just started the game and I used the branch of yore I bought from the first mercant to unpetrify the guy in the tutorial area. Now I know that branch of yore is not a common item and I have one but I don't know who to unpetrify and I'm a little paranoid about it. I didn't search too much which one of my options are to be done to not be spoiled. So I have a question : is there a way to softlock the game by using the branch in a wrong order ?

IF yes here are my current choices :
A statue near some kind of contraption near some guy with a blue sword
A statue in front of a door with 2 guys with huge selection swords in the lost bastille
A statue in some tower basement preventing me from going up a stairs. I guess it's heide tower.
If no ill go for the forest one ahah.

[Captain Bravo]

Actually you find 1 more yore than you can use (if I remember correctly). Right now I'd use the one you have in Lost Bastille, beacuase you get one in Sinner's Rise (adjacent location). With that you could probably go for the forest. The one in heide guards an estus shard.

[ConchoEboy]

the forest one opens up 3 areas, one of which you must go eventually, the one the lost bastille unlocks a boss and a new critical path to a place called sinners rise.
the one in hiedes just unlocks some equipment as well as a shard for your estus. My advice is open the bastille one as it should suit your current level well.

[zaboju]

I'm not sure if you can softlock the game doing wrong desicions with these things. It wasn't a thing in vanilla version and I'm pretty sure it is shoul not be a thing in softs. But if you are still too frightened to check it out I would recommend you to start with these two:

Originally posted by Sobert:

Hello,
IF yes here are my current choices :
A statue near some kind of contraption near some guy with a blue sword
A statue in front of a door with 2 guys with huge selection swords in the lost bastille

They are essential for game progress. Once you unlock them you may waste branches where you want because all other ways are not essential for walkthrough.

[myoptic]

The one in bastille leads to a boss and is *strictly* optional. You can beat the entire game and never undo that statue.

However, there is a perception that they are not optional since its the next natural path to progress down. And it allows you an easier fight in sinner's rise.

The statue in the forest between majula and things betwixt is not optional.

In any case, feel free to explore and play how you like. I do not think it is possible to soft lock your save by using the branches in the wrong locations. In fact, there are several places you can use them where you immediately get one back.

[ARingMaker]

The game can be beaten and you can get everything without ever having to buy a branch.

There isnt an extact order to follow, but there are certain branch usages that only get you estus shards or items if you use them and then you might not have one later to get to an area or free 3 important NPC's. (Importance is a matter of opinion I know ) :)

[Sobert]

OK I didn't use a branch and I got to sinner's rise and defeated the boss here. Also I did not fought a boss in the lost bastille. I have found then another branch ahah. Guess my next area will be the forest with the guy and his blue sword.