Advice reaching NG+7

[alekzanderlr]

Hi everyone. After completing my current NG+ run (still doing the DLCs) I'm planning to go beyond bonfire level 2 for the first time and I wanted to ask for some advice regarding that from the veterans here.

Specifically:
1- Which weapons do you recommend? I know red iron twinblade is pretty powerful but it's really not my favorite moveset, particularly for mobs (might use it for some bosses). Right now I'm using a gargoyle bident (STR-scaling spear, ♥♥♥♥ yeah!) and I was thinking of dual wielding two for boss fights for extra dps (now that i'm high level I can burn some levels in extra stamina).
2- For rings, I'm using leo+rob+flynn+3rdDragon. Spells right now (25 att) are sacred oath + one more slot for whatever buff i think is better for the area (usually dark). BTW, my weapons are uninfused so I can take full advantage of rob+sacred oath.
3- Will I reach a point (before ng+7) where I'll have to run past all mobs? I'd rather not do that too much. I had to do do that for a couple of DLC areas in my 39k run and it wasn't much fun.
4- Anything else I should start doing different than "normal"?

Thanks in advance!

[Exio]

You'll probably want to learn how to riposte/parry. Dark Spirit NPCs become more prevalent in higher NG cycles/higher intensities. Many can't be stunlocked and will ravage your healthbar, giving almost no time to counter.
Use weapons that don't leave you open to be attacked, as many bosses (especially big ones like the Giant Lords, Nashandra, Aldia, Velstadt) will either come very close to 1-2-shotting you or will. I'm not familiar with gargoyle bident's moveset, especially powerstanced, but usually powerstancing anything big leaves you open and drained.
Spells, just use whatever you feel comfortable with. Sacred Oath is good, Sunlight Blade and Resonant Weapon are my two favourite weapon buffs (RW costs 2,000 souls but it's worth the extra Dark damage). Denial is a good miracle as well for heavy hitting bosses (it's useless against DoT bosses or ones with fast combos).
You probably won't be running past all too much if you level properly and don't underestimate anything.
I would also highly recommend keeping at least one healing spell on you at all times; your Estus will deplete fast in difficult areas like Iron Keep, Shrine of Amana, and pretty much every single DLC.

[Yal]

My main advice: get a high cast speed catalyst and Dark Fog (you get one scroll for free in The Gutter and several NPCs sell it). You can aggro enemies from an insane distance (dark fog has an incredible range when freeaimed and will more or less keep going infinitely until it hits a wall or an enemy), and a lot of enemies ignore you completely and just get poisoned to death with no risk involved. It's not the fastest way to kill enemies, but it's definitely the safest. And it definitely helps taking down bosses weak to poison... I beat the Blue Smelter Demon in my 39k run using almost exclusively Dark Fog :P

[Yal]

Also, the big caveman club's twohanded R2 can knock down a lot of enemies, and if they can't dodgeroll, they're forced to slowly get up, letting you hit them again before they get a chance to strike back. It's not too powerful for groups, but when you can take on a single enemy at once it's the safest way to take them out.

[Аkiminator]

Ice rapier as the best dps weapon in-game against bosses and poiseless enemies, santier spear as the best staggering tool In game vs poise. Spells are dump, use weapon buffs sometimes, u don't need anything else. I've beaten ng+7 many times being 150 sl.

[alekzanderlr]

Origineel geplaatst door Zaros:

You'll probably want to learn how to riposte/parry. Dark Spirit NPCs become more prevalent in higher NG cycles/higher intensities. Many can't be stunlocked and will ravage your healthbar, giving almost no time to counter.
Use weapons that don't leave you open to be attacked, as many bosses (especially big ones like the Giant Lords, Nashandra, Aldia, Velstadt) will either come very close to 1-2-shotting you or will. I'm not familiar with gargoyle bident's moveset, especially powerstanced, but usually powerstancing anything big leaves you open and drained.
Spells, just use whatever you feel comfortable with. Sacred Oath is good, Sunlight Blade and Resonant Weapon are my two favourite weapon buffs (RW costs 2,000 souls but it's worth the extra Dark damage). Denial is a good miracle as well for heavy hitting bosses (it's useless against DoT bosses or ones with fast combos).
You probably won't be running past all too much if you level properly and don't underestimate anything.
I would also highly recommend keeping at least one healing spell on you at all times; your Estus will deplete fast in difficult areas like Iron Keep, Shrine of Amana, and pretty much every single DLC.

I completely agree about the slow weapons. Already in this first ng+ cycle they have become too risky. The bident's awesome because I get the safety and speed of a spear, but it has pretty decent damage output and scales with STR instead of DEX, which means I'll have the STR required to use a greatshield in those few occasions where they make a fight much easier. They are heavy for spears but still light enough that I can do two powerstance hits and still have enough stamina to roll away. Also if I two-hand it and wear the stone ring I can stagger even heavily armored dark spirits.
I guess I'll start needing the power of resonant weapon soon ;)
I had forgotten about Denial. Since it's a personal buff, won't it cancel sacred oath?
I shouldn't need healing spells...DS2 if lifegem city after all :P

Thanks for the tips!

[alekzanderlr]

Origineel geplaatst door Yal:

My main advice: get a high cast speed catalyst and Dark Fog (you get one scroll for free in The Gutter and several NPCs sell it). You can aggro enemies from an insane distance (dark fog has an incredible range when freeaimed and will more or less keep going infinitely until it hits a wall or an enemy), and a lot of enemies ignore you completely and just get poisoned to death with no risk involved. It's not the fastest way to kill enemies, but it's definitely the safest. And it definitely helps taking down bosses weak to poison... I beat the Blue Smelter Demon in my 39k run using almost exclusively Dark Fog :P

I'll consider it! I've only ever used poison/toxic/dark clouds for pvp; might came handy in some pve situations too.
Thanks!

[alekzanderlr]

Origineel geplaatst door Yal:

Also, the big caveman club's twohanded R2 can knock down a lot of enemies, and if they can't dodgeroll, they're forced to slowly get up, letting you hit them again before they get a chance to strike back. It's not too powerful for groups, but when you can take on a single enemy at once it's the safest way to take them out.

Agreed! Too bad the most dangerous ones usually _can_ roll away. :(

[alekzanderlr]

Origineel geplaatst door Summer:

Ice rapier as the best dps weapon in-game against bosses and poiseless enemies, santier spear as the best staggering tool In game vs poise. Spells are dump, use weapon buffs sometimes, u don't need anything else. I've beaten ng+7 many times being 150 sl.

Santier (broken I assume) is better than red iron twinblade? I know Santier does 5 more poise damage, but red iron has a-scaling in str.
I'll keep the rapiers in mind. For now I don't have the DEX to truly make them shine.

Thank you!

[King Robert Baratheon]

I don't have any advice for you but the thought of a ng+7 version of the black phantom in front of Drangleic castle (he shows up in NG+ and beyond) is terrifying. He could probably one-shot King Vendrick with no giant souls at that point. He is f*cking insane.

[King Robert Baratheon]

Origineel geplaatst door Yal:

My main advice: get a high cast speed catalyst and Dark Fog (you get one scroll for free in The Gutter and several NPCs sell it). You can aggro enemies from an insane distance (dark fog has an incredible range when freeaimed and will more or less keep going infinitely until it hits a wall or an enemy), and a lot of enemies ignore you completely and just get poisoned to death with no risk involved. It's not the fastest way to kill enemies, but it's definitely the safest. And it definitely helps taking down bosses weak to poison... I beat the Blue Smelter Demon in my 39k run using almost exclusively Dark Fog :P

That's how I farmed my Silverblack Sickle today from NG+ level Grave Wardens today. They don't aggro with Dark Fog. Definitely the most op spell for trying to kill an enemy before it even has a chance to react.

[Аkiminator]

Origineel geplaatst door alekzanderlr:

Origineel geplaatst door Summer:

Ice rapier as the best dps weapon in-game against bosses and poiseless enemies, santier spear as the best staggering tool In game vs poise. Spells are dump, use weapon buffs sometimes, u don't need anything else. I've beaten ng+7 many times being 150 sl.

Santier (broken I assume) is better than red iron twinblade? I know Santier does 5 more poise damage, but red iron has a-scaling in str.
I'll keep the rapiers in mind. For now I don't have the DEX to truly make them shine.

Thank you!

Use infused IRs only, cause physical damage decreasing is very low while you're getting a lot of elemental damage boost and need only min stats to use it at that's full power

Broken santier spear is far better cause of better poise damage, speed and high pure physical damage while stats requirements are low. Backstab damage is also better

[TrueArchery]

For the DLCs: Get an Espada Ropera, if you got absurd amounts of Dex get Ricards. Uninfused. No need for more than 17 Str for the Defender Shield.
RoBFlynnLeo. Last ring up to you, I'd use Chloranthy or 3rd Dragon.
Engraved Gauntlets, the rest is up to you.
Dump some points into Faith and Atn for spells like Sacred Oath and SLB, use resins against the few enemies resistant to Lightning.

Btw, twohanding is way better for dps than powerstancing.

[alekzanderlr]

Origineel geplaatst door Forossan Knight:

I don't have any advice for you but the thought of a ng+7 version of the black phantom in front of Drangleic castle (he shows up in NG+ and beyond) is terrifying. He could probably one-shot King Vendrick with no giant souls at that point. He is f*cking insane.

Yeah, that guy is lethal. Last time I passed through there in NG+ I had forgotten about him...I hit him with a great hammer and he poised through and got me with the spin2win.

[alekzanderlr]

Origineel geplaatst door Forossan Knight:

That's how I farmed my Silverblack Sickle today from NG+ level Grave Wardens today. They don't aggro with Dark Fog. Definitely the most op spell for trying to kill an enemy before it even has a chance to react.

I'll keep it in mind. If only it didn't require two slots! :S

[alekzanderlr]

Origineel geplaatst door Summer:

Use infused IRs only, cause physical damage decreasing is very low while you're getting a lot of elemental damage boost and need only min stats to use it at that's full power

Broken santier spear is far better cause of better poise damage, speed and high pure physical damage while stats requirements are low. Backstab damage is also better

I'll start using santier for the high-poise mobs. I tried it a little yesterday and I was very pleased at how the first hit of the combo has little wind-up compared to the red iron.
Might still use red iron for bosses, love the damage (unless I switch to IRs).

I'll give the IRs another look taking into consideration that you recommend them infused.

Thanks again!