Fatroll to Success in Dark Souls 2 : PvE
Oct. 1, 2015Fatroll to Success in Dark Souls 2 : PvE
Ihave gone back and forth about this guide. I’ve seen some grievous errors in what a “fatroll” build is and have wanted to set the record straight, so to speak. I’m a nut, I’ve played a fatroll build inDark Souls1 and was stubborn and kept playing them inDark Souls 2, even with the loss of “poise” as it was known in 1.
At first I just wanted to make a pvp text guide talking about poise, hyper armor, lack of need for agility, and so on. After thinking it over I figured, “well maybe someone doesn’t like pvp, but wants to be fat in pve.” Hey, who am I to judge…. the more fatties the better.
So then I thought, “ok I’ll show some against the grain boss fights where usually quick reflexes are a must and the misconception occurs that agility is a must as well.”
…..and well that turned into “well maybe someone wants to see this boss too…”
As a result, I made an example video of almost every boss in the game.
When making a fatroll build there are several key ideas to keep in mind. You are fatrolling for a reason, what do you gain? and what do you sacrifice? The obvious loss is mobility, so the obvious gain will be defense. You need to become a literal wall that laughs at feeble hits by mobs, bosses, and fellow players.
This can be sought in several different ways. First is your basic physical defense stats, then your elemental defenses. You will want either both high OR one high and one medium. Remember, you want to shrug off hits. Your first step is going to be playing with quartzringsandarmorto find this balance and hits about 98%-99.9%. Up until 100.1% you will have the same walk and run speed as someone at 70% THIS.IS.CRITICAL. This means your only mobility loss will be your roll…. which you shouldn’t be using anyway (outside of an emergency). Play around till you find what makes you happy. I personally likeHavelarmor, because it has high defense and ok elemental. There are many different combinations that can achieve any range of physical/elemental defenses.
High HP will be your other concern. This can be achieved various ways, but the most obvious isThird Dragon+ 50Vigoras a requirement andlife ring+3 is your choice.
Next is picking a weapon:USE ANULTRA. Self promotion, butthis is my take on ultras.
Look, you are gonna be a wall, who won’t be rolling, and you are gonna need trades (more relevant in pvp, but in pve a little attack rating never hurts) and as a result you are gonna need hyper armor.
Hyper armor is the ability to resist complete stagger while in the active frames of your attack. To explain this there are start up, active, and cool down frames. Ultras have hyper armor in and around 130-135+ poise, but some have larger ranges than that. (such as theKing’s Ultra Greatswordand theDragontooth, which seem to have innate hyper armor) The hyper armor will allow you to make the damage trades that are crucial to the fatroll concept. You need to be able to out-trade another player or monster. In order for this to occur lack of stun will become a must and as a result hyper armor will be a bread and butter. Which Ultra you pick is your choice, but a choice you must make.
Don’t invest a single.point.into.agility.
Seriously the whole point of fatrolling is not rolling at all and tanking hits. Not to mention (I know I’m gonna heat for this) adaptability is a hand holder skill. No seriously.Base agility HAS frames, 5 to be exact. Short of some of the bosses biggest attacks, all attacks can be dodged with 5 frames. “But Xuitus what about pvp and lag??!?!” shush my child. If you don’t roll (which you especially shouldn’t in pvp) guess what never matters? That’s right, your roll frames. Look, just don’t do it… it is a waste of points and waste of your soul memory/level.
So now we move into the portion I never should of made but did. I started these after obtaining theHavel shield, because the tower shield lacks stability and I don’t like it.
Not a lot to say: Block and attack
Honestly, bring a Gwyrm Shield if you can, it makes the fight a joke. Needlesstosay…. I did not do this. Be aggressive and bloody hell don’t roll like I do at one point…. like seriously don’t roll… some of his attacks have more than 5 frames (more on this later)
Just bait an attack and back up then hit him.
Just hold up your shield and counter attack. HOWEVER, 0:52 is why I think of agility as a hand hold stat. Lost sinner attacks have 5 frames of damage and as a result you can dodge all her attacks at base agility.
Hold up your shield. The End.
Hold up your shield and counter attack. Also, do try and remain up top…. it’s easier that way.
Shield up, counter attack, be aggressive
You know what to do, laser beam -> head
Just trick the first into knocking his friend down (also the tactics used here will be the same you use against the first one in the game, since I didn’t make a video of that fight)
Just take advantage of his right side and counter attack him, actually rush in for his lightning specials. If you are online and a real player is summoned [see pvp section below]
Stab it’s face. Stab the face some more. (okay when he does the praise it body slam, back up…then stab it’s face)
It’s important to understand that Velstadt is the first of the “you can’t only block” boss. He can AND WILL break your guard if you are too block happy. It is at this point that the key mechanic of 1h/2h variation and “drop your shield” needs to be discussed. As is understandable you are gonna end up starved for stamina and will need to learn to bait out his attacks and then punish with a single strong attack (I don’t mean R2 I mean a good solid hits, don’t whiff him) Do NOT hold up your shield unless you are pretty sure he is gonna hit you. Also, alternate to 2h then back to 1h to get your strong hit and retreat.
Near the end don’t even bother trying to counter after his swings, bait out the orbs and hit him up close after he fires them to end the fight.
Poke its’ legs and don’t get burnt
Just bang your head against him long enough and he falls. Circle strafe till he dies. (or I guess more helpful would be circle around him and watch for his heel to raise up a bit, he will swing in front of him. If the whole lifts up he is gonna do a stomp)
Always keep your eye on her, rush her down, and mostly just be super aggressive. Hope for skeletons. If you get skeletons, keep them alive.
Oh man… ok look back leg. HUG THAT BACK LEG. Always try and stay under him. Get rid of the tail. Don’t really even bother blocking…. all his attacks are unblockable.
uuuum ok look this isn’t the “ideal” way of doing this fight, but I find it fun, funny, and honestly easier than the level pull run.
Fume Knight has some of the heaviest hits in the game and I don’t even mean the damage… the sheer stamina you will lose trying to use a shield pretty much negates the use. Here is where you learn your 5 frames and YOU BLOODY USE THEM FOR ALL THEY HAVE. Not a single attack he has does over 5 frames and pretty much every time I take a hit you can see where I either manage my stamina poorly or dodge too late, but then dodge the same attack later for no damage. 5 frames are all you need.
So strategy: get rid of your shield, hit 70% roll, 2h that ultra FOR THE WHOLE FIGHT, and just be super super SUPER aggressive. (since he pretty much can’t be fought while fat rolling I’ll submit to this being his win irregardless)
Just bait and counter attack. (Also go get the dead woman’s eye cough)
This is mostly a war of attrition and durability. Get all 4 knights, then fight the Ivory King like you did the Fume Knight.
Summon the walking accent, kill watcher, then defender….. ummm press R1.
Remove orbs, press R1.
Now your lumbering to success! Stay tuned for a follow up piece where we take a look at fatrolling in PvP!
Visit theDark Souls 2 Wiki
Check out moreGuides
XuitusTheGreat
Hunter of big weapons and bigger armor. I’m not ashamed to have bought some of my favorite games based on seeing a cool sword on the box art. I love games that make me feel emotions I wasn’t ready for or simply let me get lost in their combat.
Ya it got edited out but lvl 125 50 str 10 dex 50 hp 20 stamina
I’m like the total opposite in play style but you make an intriguing bid for me to try yours. Too bad we’ll never meet in pvp to test the opposites against one another.
Cool!
I always wanted to try a fat rolling char. Never dared it, though.
I would like to know your stats in all those fights.
But at least in the fight against the dlc bosses, like Aava. And what is you SL ?
many thanks
cool!
