DS2 Scholar All Bosses note (early Dark Weapon)

Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin All Bosses DLC Melee Dark Rapier/Lightning Red Iron Twinblade route, version with early Dark Weapon
POINT OF THE NEW ROUTE:
Doing Rotten then Skelly Lords + Covetous early, so I can get Dark Weapons and Homeward, destroy the Giants and not bother with Forlorn invasions.
From calculations, it's pretty much the same speed than the previous route, BUT it reduces Forlorn RNG significantly.
FORLORN INVASIONS THAT AREN'T AN ISSUE ANYMORE:
All Gulch invasions:
 - before Giants
 - while talking to Gandalf
DLC 1 invasion
FORLORN INVASIONS THAT ARE STILL SIGNIFICANT:
First Bastille visit
Amana Shrine
Undead Crypt
Shaded Woods (before entering dungeon)
Gulch (before entering dungeon)

So 4 Forlorn invasions out of 8 fixed, which is pretty good.
Only thing that is worse is Rotten with +3 instead of +6 which adds RNG, Giants kill is much faster but not less risky sadly.

- Start Explorer/Healing Wares
- Kill Maughlin with witching urns
- Talk to Emerald Herald and then run away
- Light the bonfire in Majula, then head towards Cardinal Tower
- Light the Cardinal Tower Bonfire
- Buy Axe & Firebomb
- Blow up the poorly made wall and run towards Last Giant
# Last Giant (Axe, Ooze)

- Dark Sign quickly
- Pop Last Giant soul while talking to Melentia, get Blacksmith key, 2 BB, 1 Firebomb
- Talk and get the ring, then send Melentia to Majula
# Pursuer (Ballista)


- Get the Dull Ember (chest)
- Destroy the wall with the barrel (use firebomb if not lucky)
- Sit at bonfire and warp to Majula
- Open Blacksmith door
# Dragonrider (Gravity)
- Pop Pursuer soul, talk to Licia, take bonfire and warp to Majula

- level up to 9 VIG, 10 END, 12 DEX
- Pick up the bow by the blacksmith
- Buy Rapier, Mace, 7 shards & 21 Arrows, Rapier+3, Mace+1
- Buy Cat Ring, 10 skulls then 4 bones from Shalqoir
- Drop and take the bonfire
- Kill the lizard
- Pickup the branch in black gulch
- Unlock BOTH bonfires
# Rotten (Rapier, Ooze)
- Bone back and warp to Majula

- level up 19 FTH, 16 INT, 13 ATT
- Pop Rotten soul, Buy Chime, Homeward, Force, Unlock the path
(- Pick up Rouge Water)
- Get Staff and Dark Weapon from Felkin
- Light the Bridge Approach bonfire for later use (Chariot)
# Skeleton Lords (Mace, Ooze, Brightbug)

- Buy Soul Appease, Talk to Chloanne enough to send her back to Majula, apply Ooze while talking
- Grab the chunk in the pool
- Pickup the torch
- Do the fancy OOB skip
# Covetous (Rapier, Ooze)
- Take bonfire, warp to McDuff, attune Dark Weapon + Homeward

- Buy 5 Large Shards, Upgrade Rapier+7 and infuse Dark, warp to Gulch
# Giants (Rapier, DW)
- Homeward back, warp to Mini-Rats, Attune Soul Appease

- Get DLC 1 key in pit and homeward back
# Mini Rats (Rapier, Soul Appease, Skull)
- Warp to Gulch, Attune Dark Weapon

- Go to talk to Grandahl and Homeward back
- Run through the 1st DLC, light the second bonfire.
- Grab the 20k soul with the Dragon Charms
- Grab Flynns Ring, get Forgotten Key, grab secret bonfire, warp to Heide
# Dragon + Ornstein (Rapier, DW)

- Shoot the bell and use the strat you want for No Man’s Wharf
- Talk to Carhillion, buy staff and Yearn
# Flexile Sentry (Rapier, DW)
- Bone back and warp to Majula, attune Soul Appease

- Level up to 16 VGR, 19 END (can change it to your likings, but 16 VIG is good to be safe in Belfry Luna)
- Buy Branch, 3 Brightbugs, rest in lifegems
- Grab Fork Ruins bonfire
- Grab the Chloranthy ring +1
# Najka (Rapier, DW)

# Royal Rat Authority (Rapier, DW, Soul Appease)

# Congregation (Rapier, DW, Soul Appease)

- Get Chunk on ledge, Chunk in room below
- Get 3x Chunks + Slab in spikes
# Freja (Rapier, DW)
- Kill Duke for branch
- Take primal bonfire, bone back, warp to McDuff, attune Homeward

- Upgrade Rapier+10
# Sentinels (Rapier, DW)

- Light the Servants Quarters Bonfire
- Get 2x Herb on Belfry Luna roof if you can
# Gargoyles (Rapier, DW)

- Homeward Bone back
# Sinner (Rapier, DW)

- Warp to Majula
- Buy 3 Brightbugs, 10 Radiants and 5 Human Effigies from Melentia
- Level up to 25 END, 16 ATT, 19 INT, rest in VIG (29-30 normally)
- Warp to the Forest, Attune Yearn
- Get DLC2 key and homeward, warp to Earthen Speak
# Mytha (Rapier, DW, Radiant Lifegem)

- Do the fancy jump before Smelter
# Smelter (Rapier, DW)

- Grab the Flame Butterflies in the chest after Smelter
# Old Iron King (Rapier, DW)

- Use Repair powder on elevators
- Run through the 2nd DLC with cancer jumps
- Light the second DLC bonfire
- Light the third DLC bonfire
- Get the Scorching Iron Scepter and Homeward
- Go get the Key and go for Fume Knight
# Fume Knight (Rapier, DW, Brightbug)

- Homeward to elevator bonfire
# Blue Smelter (Rapier, DW, Brightbug)

- Bone back to the elevator bonfire, warp to Fork Road
- Pop your souls while waiting for the big door to open
- Grab the King's Gate Bonfire
- Talk to Gandalf, Homeward back to bonfire
- Pick up Mushroom in pool for RITB pickup
# Dragonriders (Rapier, DW)

- Light the Central Castle Drangleic
- Grad Flame Butterflies in side room
- Get the Key and Homeward back
# Mirror Knight (Rapier, DW)

- Pickup Red Iron Twinblade in Shrine of Armana (use mushroom)
# Froggy Frog (Rapier, DW)

- Buy all the shrooms from Agadayne (+Ring of Thorns if you want)
- Light the Undead Ditch in Undead Crypt
- Pull the lever to open up the shortcut for Vendrick later
# Velstadt (Rapier, DW)

- Grab the King's Ring and then Homeward back
- Warp to Fork Road bonfire- Grab RTSR
# Guardian Dragon (Rapier, DW)

- Talk to Aldia
# Ancient Dragon (Red Iron Twinblade, DW, Brightbug, RTSR)

- Homeward back to bonfire, warp to Cardinal tower
# Giant Lord (Rapier, DW)

- Don't forget to pickup the Soul of a Giant, then homeward bone back, warp to Alonne
# Sir Alonne (Rapier, DW, Brightbug)

- Buy 3 shards, 5 large shards, 6 chunks, 2 Bolt Gems & Soul Appease from Chloanne
- Level up 22 INT, 16 ADP, 20 DEX, 13 STR, 46 VIG, rest in END minus one level (for McDuff)
- Warp to McDuff
- Upgrade Red Iron Twinblade to 10+, infuse to Lightning, Rapier too
- Warp to Vendrick
# Vendrick (Rapier, Sunlight Blade, Brightbug, RTSR) (With 3 giant souls)

- Warp to DLC 1
- Get Dragon Stone and Homeward back
- RTSR setup on fall
# Elana (Red Iron Twinblade, DW, RTSR, Brightbug)
# Sinh (Red Iron Twinblade, DW)

- Homeward back to bonfire then warp to the other DLC1 bonfire
- Pickup the 2 Brightbugs before Gank Squad
# Gank Squad (Red Iron Twinblade, Sunlight Blade, Brightbug)

- Homeward and go to DLC3
# Fucking Aava (Red Iron Twinblade, DW, Brightbug)
# Old Chaos (Red Iron Twinblade, DW)
# Ivory Dude (Red Iron Twinblade, DW , Brightbug)
# Double Kitties (Rapier, Brightbug, DW)

- Homeward back, warp to Chariot
# Chariot (Rapier, DW, Yearn)

- Homeward back to bonfire, attune Force, warp to Shaded Woods
- Survive the 1st Dungeon (Rapier, Red Iron Twinblade, DW, Force)
- Warp to Gulch (first bonfire)
- Survive the 2nd Dungeon (Red Iron Twinblade, DW)
- Homeward and Warp to Drangleic
- Survive the 3rd Dungeon (Use Rapier, Force)
# Darklurker (Red Iron Twinblade, DW, Brightbug, RTSR)

- Homeward back to bonfire
# Watcher & Defender (Red Iron Twinblade, Brightbug, DW)
# Nashandra (Red Iron Twinblade, DW)
# Aldia (Red Iron Twinblade, DW)

Brightbugs :
Obtain x13 :
- 2x after Last Giant
- 3x after Covetous
- 3x after Sinner
- 3x after Alonne
- 2x in DLC1
Use x13 :
- Skelly Lords
- Fume Knight
- Magic Smelter Demon
- Ancient Dragon
- Sir Alonne
- Vendrick
- Elana + Sinh
- Gank Squad
- Aava
- Old Chaos
- Twin Cats
- Darklurker
- Final Trio