Is 100% Achievements possible without NG+?

[Zesc]

Greetings, fellow Hollows. Me and my friend are goign to pick this game up. (After DS 1 and 3, we want to try the "infamous" second part. I'm having a rather positive feeling.)
Now, i openly admit, i'm a total achievement whore, and i'd like to get the 100% on this.
But i also dislike the idea of goign throught NG+ with an character you already created. I am aware that DS2:SotFS is having a much better NG+ than DS3, but if i completed the game with a character, than that char is done for.
I also know you will need multiple playthrought (or, atleast, i guess so) to get all Pyromancies/Sorceries/Miracles respectively.
But the question is: Do i have to get into NG+(+) to 100% this game? Or ar emultiple playthrougths on different characters also fine?

Thanks in advance.

[Sillicha]

No, you will have to get to NG++ atleast, since you have to get everything you need on a single char. If you are worried that it will get boring to play the same char 3 times (the 3rd wont be long since you only have to rush to a certain merchant) you can always use the soulvessel to change your stats and try a different build and you can change your looks every few areas (or atleast every NG) to feel fresh. Also, you only have to complete the DLC areas 1 time if you collect everything.

[AB_Shaper]

NG++ for miracles and pyromancy achievements is necessary. to obtain sunlight spear you need to get summoned as a sunbro early so the use of the agape ring help.

[Dmitry]

I'm in that situation right now. I hate how so many of the achievements are locked away as covenant rank rewards/NG++ merchant items. There is an area closer to the end of the game where an npc gives you spells. You may want to look it up because pulling a single lever can lock those spells off from you for the rest of that run. The npc's name is Royal Sorcerer Navlaan.

[Zesc]

Sigh... atleast not a boring hunt for +2 Rings like in DS3. Anyway, thanks folks. Btw, mentioning the sunbros: how much covenant grinding is involved? I saw you need to discover each, and max out one. Is there attritioning grind necessary, or could i earn them actually via online PvP? (e. g. is there still active Multiplayer?)

[Dmitry]

Originally posted by Zesc7:

Sigh... atleast not a boring hunt for +2 Rings like in DS3. Anyway, thanks folks. Btw, mentioning the sunbros: how much covenant grinding is involved? I saw you need to discover each, and max out one. Is there attritioning grind necessary, or could i earn them actually via online PvP? (e. g. is there still active Multiplayer?)

I think the only covenants that are actually required are the sun one and the bell keepers. The only other achievements that are covenant rewards are spells that also become available from a merchant once you get to NG++. The multiplayer has been pretty dead during my time playing over the last week or so. Sunlight medals for the sun covenant can be grinded pve and apparently the bell keepers can be completed by killing a respawning npc invader.

[Zesc]

Originally posted by Dmitry:

Originally posted by Zesc7:

Sigh... atleast not a boring hunt for +2 Rings like in DS3. Anyway, thanks folks. Btw, mentioning the sunbros: how much covenant grinding is involved? I saw you need to discover each, and max out one. Is there attritioning grind necessary, or could i earn them actually via online PvP? (e. g. is there still active Multiplayer?)

I think the only covenants that are actually required are the sun one and the bell keepers. The only other achievements that are covenant rewards are spells that also become available from a merchant once you get to NG++. The multiplayer has been pretty dead during my time playing over the last week or so. Sunlight medals for the sun covenant can be grinded pve and apparently the bell keepers can be completed by killing a respawning npc invader.

Uh thanks... I'm still having a medium PTSD from grinding Silver knigths for proofs of Concord Kept, but let's see. I'm hyped.

[Sillicha]

If you play with a friend you get the sunbro stuff in no time, but level the covenant in 1 go, changing covenants resets your progress to the next level. Bell Keepers needs to be covenant level 2 (30 succesfull invasions). Took me 2 evenings to complete not that long ago, but on the right soul memory (and being atleast a half decent pvper unlike me) you can probably to this in 1.

Also, you probably want to look up Royal sorcerer Navlaans quest since its kinda complicated, not close to DS3 nonsense but still.

[Zesc]

Thanks. Doesn't even sounds as dastardly grindy as certain things i had to in certain other games. And i think i can get my friend to co-op with me from time to time, so no problem here either.

[Jouni]

There are 3 covenants in the game which you need to work on in order to get all spells. These are:
1. Pilgrims of Dark(purely PvE covenant)(rank 3)
2. Heirs of the Sun(rank 3)
3. Bell Keepers(rank 2)

You rank in Bell Keepers by killing other players during automatic covenant invasions or by killing Mad Warrior who spawns randomly in one of the 2 Bell Keeper covenant areas. Mad Warrior can be farmed pretty fast by using the Unveil miracle. Unveil casts an orb which homes to nearest enemy or goes up if no enemies are near enough. To make this work you first have to permanently kill all other enemies nearby by killing them 12 times. Then just cast Unveil from bonfire and sit down if the orb doesn't home into anything. It takes much less time to do it this way than to go check if Mad Warrior spawned every time. He may spawn twice in a row but sometimes it may even take 10 tries.

Getting your 30 Sunlight Medals is just a matter of doing co-op with White Soapstone(but not Small White Soapstone). It's also recommended to get Agape Ring(no more souls = no soul memory increase) so you won't go up in matchmaking. Iron Keep is an area where you usually don't have to wait for very long to be summoned. A minute or so on average during peak times assuming that you are at correct sm range. Very early areas are also really fast farming spots but you would have to rush ahead to get Agape Ring in order to farm medals from those.

[TrueArchery]

It is absolutely possible with just one character and the regular NG, but really, it's A ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ PAIN.

The reason is simple, you've to max out two covenants, namely the Brotherhood of Blood and the Blue Sentinels, for their rewards. Those covenants are based on PvP. The former requires you to gain 500 points in 1v1 duels. You get a point when you win, you lose a point when you lose. Cannot become negative, but still. Now go figure how long it takes to max it.
The BS require 500 points aswell. "Luckily", you "only" have to win 500 matches in another arena. The trick: You've to offer an item which you get for a sucessful coop session each time you want a duel. They can be farmed offline, but it's annoying and slow. As a reward for won matches you get Cracked Blue Eye Orbs to invade sinners (those can be farmed offline, too, i.e. the Old Knights in Heide's Tower drop them). Each defeated sinner gives you +1 point, too, so technically you'd only have to do like 250 coop sessions followed by 250 1v1 duels followed by 250 sinner invasions, not counting the times you lose. Well, technically you'd have to mix it up because you can only hold x99 of an item (x198 if we count storage box).

Anyway, you get the idea that going to NG++ to buy those spells is quite obviously a MUCH, MUCH faster way of getting those spells. I guess it'd take you hundreds of hours to max out those covenants nowadays and as a PvP-beginner.

[TrueArchery]

Originally posted by Jouni:

There are 3 covenants in the game which you need to work on in order to get all spells. These are:
1. Pilgrims of Dark(purely PvE covenant)(rank 3)
2. Heirs of the Sun(rank 3)
3. Bell Keepers(rank 2)

lol no, you also need Rank 3 BS and Rank 3 BoB

[TrueArchery]

As a sidenote, you only really need to farm for the Bellkeeper cov. If you play with your friend and coop your way through the game, you'll EASILY own 30+ Sunlight Medals by the time you've reached NG++.

[Jouni]

Originally posted by TrueArchery:

Originally posted by Jouni:

There are 3 covenants in the game which you need to work on in order to get all spells. These are:
1. Pilgrims of Dark(purely PvE covenant)(rank 3)
2. Heirs of the Sun(rank 3)
3. Bell Keepers(rank 2)

lol no, you also need Rank 3 BS and Rank 3 BoB

Getting rank 3 on those is not needed since you can buy the spells later. I think it was already pretty clear that getting 100% without going to NG+ was not a real option.

[Yal]

Covenant progress doesn't reset if you leave a covenant, either. I accidentally aggroed a covenant leader during my Bellkeeper grind (shot a spell that clipped through the wall and hit him) but picked up with exactly the same progress values as when I'd hit him once I'd gotten pardoned and rejoined the covenant. It's probably more EFFICIENT to do all the grinding for each covenant in one go, though.

Before you enter NG+, make sure you have everything you can get in NG, though... drop rates increase on higher difficulties, but it's still nice to avoid having to unlock a place a second time if you need something only found there (such as the spells in the DLC areas - some are very easy to miss, like Dark Greatsword).

[Zesc]

Oh so many answers in the mean time...

Originally posted by TrueArchery:

It is absolutely possible with just one character and the regular NG, but really, it's A ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ PAIN.
[*snip*]
Anyway, you get the idea that going to NG++ to buy those spells is quite obviously a MUCH, MUCH faster way of getting those spells. I guess it'd take you hundreds of hours to max out those covenants nowadays and as a PvP-beginner.

I grinded all DS3 covenents offline, quite a soul attritioning task, if you get the pun.
But OMG. Please no. Whilst reading this, somethign within me died by desperation. I'm already suffering just when i imagine the pain that would be. Yes, yup, defentily NOT an option at all, especially as idk about SotFS PvP.

Originally posted by Jouni:

You rank in Bell Keepers by killing other players during automatic covenant invasions or by killing Mad Warrior who spawns randomly in one of the 2 Bell Keeper covenant areas. Mad Warrior can be farmed pretty fast by using the Unveil miracle. Unveil casts an orb which homes to nearest enemy or goes up if no enemies are near enough. To make this work you first have to permanently kill all other enemies nearby by killing them 12 times. Then just cast Unveil from bonfire and sit down if the orb doesn't home into anything. It takes much less time to do it this way than to go check if Mad Warrior spawned every time. He may spawn twice in a row but sometimes it may even take 10 tries.

Uh, thanks, i'll make sure to test that out, my first char was planned to be a FTH/DEX build anyway, so... Thanks!

Originally posted by TrueArchery:

As a sidenote, you only really need to farm for the Bellkeeper cov. If you play with your friend and coop your way through the game, you'll EASILY own 30+ Sunlight Medals by the time you've reached NG++.

We're not filthy co-op plebs! The fun thing about DS isn't the "coop" mode, but rather bragging at your friend who's still stuck at some boss, and taking the challenge not to get emberassed yourself. But i think there will be some way or another to get 30 medals... DS2 has a way to respawn bosses without entering NG+, right?

Originally posted by Yal:

Before you enter NG+, make sure you have everything you can get in NG, though... drop rates increase on higher difficulties, but it's still nice to avoid having to unlock a place a second time if you need something only found there (such as the spells in the DLC areas - some are very easy to miss, like Dark Greatsword).

Already planned to do that, but thanks anyway!