Dark Souls II (SOTFS) any% Old Souls Speedrun Notes.

Start as the Swordsman Class                                                            Pick up Safety bonfires as required
Select Healing Wares

[Important Note]

First and most importantly : Follow these notes along with PeachyMike's World record run for visualisation of everything. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIVqjQGO75w&t=1881s

Secondly, some things you'll be needing : MSI Afterburner, if you're planning on submitting any runs you'll need to be using MSI Afterburner showing that your game is running/capped at 60fps. Next, your choice of timer on screen most commonly being LiveSplit or WSpit. To help yourself with any questions make sure you are part of the Speedsouls Discord. https://discord.gg/0S9je8Fk3vg2CZht

These notes were designed in a way for me to learn the game as easily as possible, which as a result makes them incredibly long winded.
Please note that these are pretty much just for people new to the game like myself, and all notes are taken from PeachyMike's World Record Run. He's since given some valuable information to me that I am purposely not following at this point just so I can make the learning process easier for myself. What he has stated is that there is some potential for the run to be greatly improved (as it's not a hugely popular category/game a lot of optimisations are still to be found) He however has said that it probably is still better to start as the Explorer and kill Maughlin for his armour as well as putting more levels into Strength. The other thing he said that is of utmost importance is that after the pursuer you could go and get the Red Tearstone ring before heading to the Rotten ect. The reason for this is that it will make bosses like The Rotten and Demon of Song faster and the time made up from those bosses should be enough to make getting it worthwhile. Problem for right now is that there aren't many good efficient setups for the RTSR. Like I've said, I am currently ignoring these things because I was half way through the notes before finding out about it.

My Advice : If you're using these notes as someone completely new to the run (like myself) I'd say just follow them as closely as possible without integrating the stuff I've stated above. If you find you've a new found love for Dark souls 2 and think you could potentially start challenging the best times by all means start testing/theory crafting for yourself and incorporate these things into your run. These notes if followed closely with enough practice/dedication should result in you ending up with a good time, I hope with these notes available it encourages a lot more people to start running it which should result in a lot more optimisations being found a lot quicker.

[Segment 1]

Run to majula jumping off the cliff down to the binoculars.
Talk to Firekeeper, get estus and touch the bonfire.
Run straight to the dragonrider. (Making the chest platform jump if comfortable.)
Talk to Licia (exhausting Dialog.)
Warp back to Majula.
Run from the bonfire through the forest up to the old lady (Thank you Kindly) Exhaust Dialog after buying everything.
Buy a Club, The Key, as many firebombs as you feel comfortable to make the shortcut with and 2x Brightbug.
Equip Firebomb and perform the skip.
Run to the Last Giant fight Equipping the Silver serpent ring on the elevator down.
Dark Sign out (keeping all souls.)
Once back at the old lady bonfire run the same route over to the Pursuer (crossbow strats.)
Pop the Soul of the Last Giant after the Pursuer kill (as you wait for the fog to wall to leave.)
Equip the Club, and run to the Crow's nest.
Touch the Bonfire and immediately pop the Soul of the Pursuer + Equip the Pursuer Ring.
Warp back to Majula.
Unlock the Blacksmith's door and run back to the Firekeeper.
Level your stats to ( VGR 4 > 6, END 8 > 14, STR 9 >14.)
Sit at the Bonfire to open to make the Blacksmith move inside.
Buy a Rapier, Buy a Repair Powder and buy 10 Titanite Shards.
Upgrade your Rapier to +3.
Run to Cat Lady.
Buy the Cat Ring, Buy 1x Homeward Bone and buy 10x Alluring Skulls.
Equip the Cat Ring and make the fall.
After falling to the bottom kill the Crystal Lizard with the Club.
Run past the Exploding Ghouls and fall down the construction, once you reach the bottom equip your Rapier.
Make the run through the Gutter (unfortunately.)
Make the Jump over to the Great Club and open the chest and pick it up.
Roll through the pots and make your way down through the Black Gulch to The Rotten (Picking up the Fragrant Branch of Yore.)
Kill the Rotten and Homeward Bone out.
once back at Majula run to the blacksmith and upgrade your Great Club to +4.
Go to the old Lady and buy a Fragrant Branch of Yore and 3x Bright bugs.

[Segment 2]

Leave Majula and make your way to the petrified Pyromancer Lady and Pick up the homeward bone + Lifegem outside the shrine.
Use Fragrant Branch of Yore on her and pull the lever, kite around until the gate opens and Kill the big frog.
Whilst Running up the stairs to the second gate Use the Soul of The Rotten.
and Discard your club to keep your inventory Tidy.
Run through the Shaded woods as normal and touch the bonfire.
Make your way through the Ghost town and run up to Statue man buying 13x Gold Pine Resin.
Make your way over to the cliff side chest that contains the Cloranthy Ring, equipping it ASAP.
Now Proceed out of the Shaded woods over to Skorpion Lady (Using a Bright bug and Gold Pine Resin before the boss fight.)
After Killing Scorpion lady (najka) proceed through to the Doors of Pharos, start making the typical run through the game.
Equip Great club for the Crystal Lizard after the axe thrower, kill the crystal Lizard and run past the Shield and run up the stairs.
Come out into Brightstone Cove and stick right and run down the path, once at the door throw an alluring skull to the right and open the door.
Equip the Great Club after opening the door and use a gold pine resin on the second ramp down, proceed to the Prowling Magus and congregation
After coming out of the boss door directly turn left and make the jump onto the platform with the Crystal Lizard (ideally plunging it)
Turn around run through the door, roll through the pot on the right and grab the charcoal pine resin
Run through the little cave and open both doors, behind the second one turn right and kill the Crystal Lizard
Now grab the titanite chunk the edge of the building covered by spiderman and run directly forward and run towards the door.
Pop a Brightbug before opening the door, open the door and grab the Titanite Chunk.
Now run towards the spike pit and drop into it and grab the x1 Titanite Shard, x3 Titanite Chunk, x1 Titanite Slab.
Open the door and run towards the lever, throwing and Alluring Skull behind you at the spider that drop just in front of the lever.
Pull the lever, kill the spiderman and climb the ladders. Use Charcoal pine resin at the top of the ladder.
Drop down the cobweb room to Freja, no real strategy to this fight other than hit the heads and kite the little spiders around (alluring skull when overran)
"Examine" the Great soul Skittle at the edge of the room and homeward bone out into the Shaded Woods (warp to Majula ASAP)
Once at Majula run directly to the blacksmith and begin upgrading your Great Club (getting it to +10)
Now run over to the old lady merchant (Thank you Kindly) and buy x3 Brightbugs
Now warp to the "Tower apart" Bonfire (crows nest bonfire after the pursuer)
Make a run down to the Ruin Sentinels, once you get to the door with the petrified hollow in front of it use a fragrant branch of yore on him.
Whilst you have the time use it to pop the Najka Soul, once used kill the hollow and open the door.
When in front of the Fog wall use a Gold pine Resin.
After killing the Ruin sentinels equip the Rapier and run up to the bonfire room and proceed onwards.
Use the Rapier to kill the Exploding guy before the lever, once pulling the lever pop the Ruin Sentinel Soul, as well as the Freja Soul.
Kill the exploding ghoul the guards the door and run past the rest, pull the lever that opens the door onto the bridge.
Once at the other side of the Bridge roll off the platform to the left and take the elevator straight down.
Use this time on the Elevator to Equip your Great Club and apply Gold Pine Resin to it.
Make the run to The Lost Sinner.
Once you've beat The Lost Sinner just homeward bone out back to The Lost Bastille, and warp back to Majula ASAP.
Once back talk to the Firekeeper and Level your stats up (VGR 6 > 18, END 14 > 25, ADP 6 > 8)
Talk the Old Lady Merchant and buy x3 Brightbugs and 10x Radiant Lifegems. As well as a bunch of Regular lifegems (20 or so).

[Segment 3]

Make your way down the Dragonrider path and talk to Licia getting her to move the path
Follow the path up to Huntsman's Copse
Once you get to the lever to lower the bridge, pull it and equip your great club
Once across the bridge, run through the cave pretty much just keep to the left and go out onto the bridge.
Just run the path down to the fight with the Skeleton Lords, After killing the 3 lords, kill the Bonewheels.
Once the regular skeletons spawn run to the exit and throw 2 alluring skulls to the right of the fog gate to swarm them all up to kill in a few hits.
Pull the lever to lower the bridge and pop the Soul of the Lost Sinner as well as the Skeleton Lord's soul.
Once you've ran all the way up the path into Harvest Valley jump off the ledge beside Chloanne and continue forward.
Once at the ladder, perform the skip past the rock. Once you've ran around the rock apply a Charcoal Pine Resin to your Rapier.
Roll off and you'll find yourself at a bridge before the Poison filled pots, now just run up to the Covetous Demon.
Once you've finished prodding him in the belly, equip your great club and run up the stairs, once in the room with the pots passed the bonfire use a Brightbug
Just continue up and go up the ladders (you'll get jumped by 2 backflip people, kill them!)
Once you've climbed the second set of ladders and are stood before more pots, use a Charcoal Pine Resin.
Drop down and go to the boss fight (Get rid of the poison if you feel you need to, understand that it is far slower to do so.)
Once dead go up the stairs into the elevator and use a Poison moss, pop the Covetous Demon Soul as well as the Mytha Soul.
Once into Iron Keep with your Great club still equipped kill the first 2 enemies you encounter.
Make the Jump skip to the right once you're up the stairs over to the platform with I believe an Ember on it?
Regardless, do that and climb the stairs and ladders and drop on the right side. Roll down onto the metal stairs and turn the valve.
Kite around a little and then drop off the platform and open the door, climb the ladder inside the furnace dodge the archer (or kill him for safety) and go up the next set of ladders
Once up kill the 2 knights and run passed the turtle man, make your way over to the fog gate (kill the turtle man infront of it)
Make the standard run to the Old Iron King, using a Gold Pine Resin as well as a Brightbug once you've entered the fight.
Once dead Homeward bone out back to Majula (or if you've used any safety bonfires along the way just warp back)
Once back talk to the Firekeeper and level up (VGR 18 > 25, END 25 > 31, STR 14 > 28.)
When you're done levelling warp to the Shaded Woods.
Start running down the path to the Shrine of Winter, just jump down the hill and follow the left path.
Just follow it up to the Castle, once you've gotten the door open and are inside the castle take the right path.
Once you've dropped down the ladders and ran down the hall way to the 2 blue doors, touch the bonfire behind the second.
Once you've killed the statue the opens the door, ran through that room and pick up the shiny under the stairs (x1 Soul of a Hero, x3 Old Radiant Lifegem, x1 Monastery Charm)
Run up the stairs and drop into the pit and grab the Elizabeth Mushroom.
Just run the standard castle route up to the boss, once you're standing before the Fog wall use a Gold Pine Resin.
Once you've killed x2 Dragon Rider touch the bonfire directly outside the boss wall.
Run from the bonfire and climb the ladders on the right hand side, when at the top open the gate (kill the ghost infront of the door and open it)
When opened drop down and run back up to the statue in the room at the top of the ladders and kill one of the Dagger fellows in front of the statue.
Now run back into the door that had the ghost in front of it and run into the main room passed the big horse.
Open the main door and climb the ladders and drop off the roof onto the stairs, run down them back to the bonfire and sit at it.
Go to the Elevator and head up, once at the top open the door grab the chest on the left and Dark Sign out.
Once back at the bonfire just run the same path yet again and once you enter "King's Passage" use a brightbug and run to the fog wall, using a Gold Pine Resin once you've entered and ran past his opener.
(Apply resin before the boss if you're not confident)
After killing the Mirror knight take the elevator down and unequip the Silver serpant ring on the way down.

[Segment 4]

Enter the Shrine of Amana and drop down to the little path you see from the top of the steps, follow that path to the cave just avoiding all the enemies.
The run through is as follows, just pretty much try and keep yourself out of the water as much as possible following the standard path set out.
When you reach the enemies outside the fog wall, kill the 2 on the left side and pull the other 2 from in front of the fog wall and jump past them so that they don't interrupt the fog wall animation.
At sort of the half way point between the giant mushroom and the bonfire use a brightbug, now start running at the big mushroom crab and kill it in order to pass.
Once through, just hold left at the start and run to the door. Once opened follow the steps down to the fog wall.
Use your resin in front of the Demon of Song before the fight really starts (or earlier if you're unconfident.)
Make your way out and kill the knight guarding the door.
Get on the elevator and use a repair powder and equip your rapier.
Once at the bottom run up the stairs in the Undead crypt and go to the knight on the right hand side, kiting him right enough to leave the door exposed so you can run through.
Tap the big shield blocking guy and kill the old man to the left of it.
Once the door is exposed run through and continue onwards to the fog wall.
Once through continue to make the standard run and tap the right hand Shield blocking guy between the 2 that are blocking the way get ready to dodge the attack that they'll both do.
Drop down the hole and continue running the standard route, equipping the great club before getting into the Main Hall before Velstadt.
Jump off the platform to the right and hold close to the right wall, when you hear the bell use a Gold Pine Resin.
Continue running up to the Fog wall, dodging when needed and enter the boss fight. Once in use a Brightbug.
Once dead unequip the Great Club, and run down to Vendrick, grab the King's Ring and Darksign out. (Regardless of safety bonfires or not, begin warping to the Shaded Woods, Ruined Fork Road.)
Once you've loaded into the Shaded woods run up the stairs and take the path up to the hippo man guarding the Red Tearstone Ring. (Equip the King's Ring on this path.)
Wait for the Door to open and run the standard root into the building on the right. Run up the right side stairs and make the skip on the left hand side from the middle staircase.
Continue running up and pull the level on the dragon statue at the top of the stairs, equipping the Great Club afterwards.
Run straight down the hall, stop roughly where you see the shiny under the table on the left and Brightbug.
Continue running, dodging the hippomen charges, on the last door before the fog gate apply a Gold Pine resin as you're waiting for the door to be broken.
Proceed to the boss.
Once you've killed it just go to the elevator and take it up.
You've now entered Dragon Aerie, take the path up and drop down on the left before reaching the firekeeper.
Take the bridge across and climb the ladders, at the top of the ladders defy all logic and swing across the rope.
You're now faced with another bridge, just make your way over that one as well.
Run to the Ancient Dragon.
Once you've got the "Ashen Mist Heart" Darksign out.
When you get back to the bonfire Warp to the Forest of the Fallent Giants, Cardinal Tower.
When you've arrived at the Cardinal Tower drop down the hole and go across the bridge and open the door to the knight guarding the door.
Once the door has opened, run to the tree and enter the memory.
Before the Giant Lord where the HUGE statue head falls down use a Brightbug as well as a Gold Pine Resin.
Kill the Giant Lord and Darksign out.
Once you've returned to the Cardinal Tower Warp to Drangleic Castle, King's Gate.
When you get to King's Gate bonfire, simply walk out and turn left. Wait for the gate to open and run down to the Fog wall. (Use a Brightbug on the run down to the fog wall, as well as a Gold Pine Resin.)
Upon arriving at the top of the steps use an Elizabeth Mushroom.
After Killing the Throne Watcher and Throne Defender Re-apply your Brightbug and Gold Pine Resin.
Once beating Nashandra you've done it, you've finally finished. Congratulations!

NOTE : Stop your timer when the ending cut scene plays after touching the big light beam.