A nice suit of armor and a big shield are as essential as anything when playing a medieval fantasy game. In Demon's Souls, these are critical aspects of playing as the Knight class. As with many RPGs, one of the most important decisions in the game is made before any gameplay happens: choosing one's class. It is especially meaningful in the Souls series, which significantly revolves around leveling up stats and equipping the proper weapons and armor.
With the remake of Demon's Souls captivating, as well as frustrating, many players, it is crucial to understand which class is right for each gamer's playing style. The Knight class is an excellent choice for beginners due to its high starting strength and excellent heavy equipment.
Choose The Right Shield
Shields are an integral part of the knight class, in fact the Knight class starts with the kite shield which is a great medium-sized shield for blocking attacks and diminishing the amount of damage taken from an enemy. But it is important to find the right shield that fits the individual's style. A smaller shield, such as the rune shield, offers more versatility for dodging attacks and parrying, rather than simply blocking. Likewise, larger shields, such as the tower shield, are impressive at weakening enemy attacks and ensuring the player's vitality doesn't reduce too much. Shields can also be upgraded, often to have better guard break reduction, which allows for a character's stamina to not fall significantly when hit.
Use Items To Increase Strength
The Knight class is often associated with heavy armor and massive weapons that allow for players to deal some serious damage to enemies while absorbing blows that could otherwise be fatal. To use some of the heavier items in the game, players will need to upgrade their strength through either leveling up or using special items.
One such item is the Ring of Great Strength, which allows players to increase their equipment capacity by 50% and use heavier armor earlier in the game. It can be found in the dragon's nest at the Gates of Boletaria or dropped by Biorr, Of The Twin Fangs.
Use A Spear
Spears are an underrated way to ensure player's defenses don't wane when they attack. They are quite helpful when playing as a knight due to the fact players can block and then attack quickly and efficiently. This combination of heavy defense and offense does use up a lot of stamina, so players should still be weary when facing a horde of enemies or a massive monster of a boss.
Upgrade Endurance Early
Leveling up stats is a key feature of any Souls game and it is important to capitalize on using your souls wisely as it becomes more and more difficult to level up as the game moves forward. Many players find it easiest to focus on a few key stats earlier in the game, as opposed to simply leveling up every stat. For the Knight class, endurance is a crucial stat as it increases the player's stamina and equipment burden. For a heavily armored character who will be blocking often, substantial endurance is a must.
Avoid The Slow Roll
Rolling is another key feature in Demon's Souls. Being able to quickly roll out of a fight and reset stamina and defenses is integral to playing as a knight. There is a fast roll and a fat roll that depends on the player's equipment weight. Try not to let the equipment weight surpass more than 50% of the max equipment burden to ensure that the rolls are quick and not clunky.
Learn To Parry Or Attack With A Shield
Just as important as the primary weapon for a Knight build is the shield. The secondary function of a shield can operate as a weapon that allows the player to swipe at enemies and potentially deal some significant damage. For smaller shields, parry to stun an opponent and then counter-attack them. For larger shields, use the slower bashing attack to deal out some serious destruction. Players might also consider using the spiked shield, used for a devastating piercing attack. It can be found in The Lord's Path on the scorched bridge or dropped by Boletarian Soldiers.
Don't Rule Out Using Magic
Knights might look like they are built for heavy combat, but the magic statistic isn't necessarily something to ignore. Knights have a starting magic stat of 10, which isn't amazing but it does provide an opportunity for players inclined to use magic to do so comfortably. Casting spells is a great way to change up the game's combat and provide a character with a little extra padding when coming face to face with a difficult boss.
Find Regenerative Items
Vitality is an important stat to consider as it increases the player's health and item burden. However, health can also be increased through a couple key items in the game. The Regenerator's Ring increases 4 HP per second; it can be found in The Shrine of Storms (Island's Edge) behind a broken wall, in The Swamp of Sorrow in the muddy waters, or traded with Sparkly the Crow for the Jade Hair Ornament. Another such item is The Adjudicator's Shield, which regenerates 2 HP per second. It is also found in the The Shrine of Storms guarded by a black skeleton.
Don't Worry About Luck
Knights have a pretty low starting luck stat at only 7. Although the temptation may be considerable to level up the luck stat, it doesn't actually do all that much in terms of combat. Luck increases the item drop rate as well as poison resistance, which are both tantalizing features to have.
However, Knights should rely on their stamina and strength more than the opportunity to acquire certain items. Players can find many amazing items hidden throughout the game without a high luck stat.
Adapt To Find A Fitting Playing Style
Demon's Souls is a game that revolves around adapting the mechanics to fit an individual player's gameplay style. Finding out what works best for a gamer's preferences takes time and a lot of trial and error, but once the initial obstacles of starting this extremely difficult game are overcome, the rewarding experience is quite special. While playing as a Knight, it is easy to get wrapped up in the close and personal combat style, but as the story progresses, players may need to explore new methods to overcome a certain boss or area. Demon's Souls takes time, practice, and a whole lot of patience.