Demon’s Souls Remake might be a launch title for this generation but anyone who might have played the original PS3 release of this amazing RPG would know that Demon’s Souls is one of the hardest games out there. This high level of hardness also does not come from difficult levels or you being surrounded by too many enemies but it comes because the combat of Demon’s Souls requires skill and this is why it is important that you get comfortable with the combat of Demon’s Souls as soon as possible. This Demon’s Souls Combat Guide will help you in just that.
Combat Guide – Demon’s Souls
Our Demon’s Souls Combat Guide details everything that you need to know about combat in Demon’s Souls.
Placement Plays a Key Role in Combat
Your character placement in Demon’s Souls plays an important role in combat. Every enemy in the game has a set attack pattern. Some come with ranged attacks, some with melee while some will combine with a mix of both. When I say character placement, it means that you have to be at the right spot at the right time. For example, a boss may have a melee weapon, but that attack might actually land some feet away from the boss and the area closest to the boss might not be affected by that attack. So, in this attack, it would make sense if you would stick close to the boss despite him having a melee attack. Similarly, a boss may unleash a more deadly ranged attack if you go too far from it rather than stay close and make the boss stick to more manageable melee combat.
It all boils down to your understanding of your enemies. Every time you start a fight with an enemy, give them some space, and allow them to land some attacks. Dodge their attacks and understand their attack patterns. While doing so, develop an attack strategy in your mind about where you will target the enemy from. Once you are ready, move in, strictly follow that attack strategy and you should be able to conquer the enemy of the boss in no time. Getting behind the enemy always works but nearly every enemy or boss has a rear attack so even if you get behind your enemy, land a few hits and get back to safety and plan your next move. Never attack bosses without a proper placement strategy. Also, make sure that you do not fight enemies in tight spaces. Lure them out to open spaces or more favorable locations.
Never Get Greedy
I was never good at any Souls game until a friend of mine gave me a tip that never gets greedy while fighting enemies. Ever since then, I have taken my time with every enemy I fight in the game. Demon’s Souls is not a hack n slash where you can chop down enemies and move to the next area. Even if you begin slashing, the enemies will chop you down instead if you are not careful. Most enemies will simply break through your attacks and send you flying which is why you must never get greedy with your attacks. If you get a window, quickly get in there and land some attacks and then retreat back to safety. This is especially useful for boss battles as you always get a short window before the boss comes back with a powerful comeback attack. Understand the window timing and nab in a few hits and then get back.
Land Stealthy Back Attacks
One of the most key attacks at your disposal is the back attacks. These silent attacks will rip even the mightiest bosses a new one. However, to make the most effective, you must land these attacks while in stealth. Sneak up behind your enemies and if they are not aware of your location or presence, simply jab your sword in then from behind to deal a massive amount of damage. While smaller enemies will be killed in one hit, many bigger enemies will suffer a large amount of damage as well that will simply render them vulnerable for your next set of attacks which will most likely finish them off.
Use a Shield
Unless you are an overconfident veteran of the franchise, always keep a shield equipped. Not only does a shield provide you with valuable defense and a means to block enemy attacks, but it will also allow you to parry enemy attacks. If your strength and stamina are high enough, you can even block attacks from bosses and the biggest enemies in the game at the cost of your stamina. Even if you are a pro player, shields are massively useful in a game like Demon’s Souls. It will even help you get access to areas that are riddled with traps as they can block incoming fire streams, a volley of arrows, and plenty of other projectiles so they are extremely useful in the game. I will always recommend that you always keep a good shield handy in the game with you.
Exploit Enemy and Boss Weaknesses
Every enemy and boss in Demon’s Souls has some sort of a weakness. It could be weak against a particular type of weapon or a spell or an item. Always exploit these weaknesses because it will give you a much-needed edge in your battles against them. Considering how challenging the boss fights are in the game, you will need to squeeze every last bit of damage out of your weapons and spells in order to quickly defeat the bosses so these exploits can certainly help you achieve that extra little edge over your enemies.
Ranged Combat is Just an Important as Melee Combat
While your main attacks will always be melee in the game unless you opt for magic builds, your ranged attacks play just an important role in combat as the melee combat. Some of the bosses react differently to melee combat and ranged combat so depending on the enemy, sometimes you can leverage this and stick to ranged combat using your bows and crossbows. While they do not any sort of major damage to enemies, they serve as excellent options to annoy your enemies or have them come to a more desired location for fighting. You can also use your ranged weapons to explode barrels or other explosive things near enemies to set them on fire or make them fall off cliffs. Make sure that you always keep some arrows and a bow with you. You never know when you need them.
General Combat Tips & Tricks
- Always get better weapons and armor to make it easier for you to fight your enemies. You can also upgrade your weapons and armor to make them more effective in combat.
- Make sure you spend points and level up your character every time you get a chance. Invest in stats that you need the most for your build and then go for stats that you do not really need right away but could be useful in the long run. Avoid wasting points in stats that you will never have a use for in your build. For example, skip magic increasing stats if you prefer Knight class and want to focus more on suing weapons with sheer strength and brute force.
- I always go for bow and arrow instead of using the crossbow because it is much easier to use and much quicker. If you prefer magic, stick to your magic wands for ranged combat.
- Parrying will save your life and make you exceptionally good at combat. Start practicing parrying and then the riposte right from the start of the game to get familiar with this useful mechanic right from the start of the game.
This is everything that we have to share about combat in Demon’s Souls. If you need more help with the game, check out the guides linked below.
This concludes our Demon’s Souls Combat Guide. If you have some combat tips and tricks for us, make sure that you share them with us in the comments section below.
