DS2 Current Patch Any% (OLD)

Dark Souls 2 Current Patch Any% (Math%)

Notes:
These notes are very specific before Drangelic. The 1M soul count for the Shrine of Winter is VERY close (~1,000,121). If the notes say you have to kill something, you have to kill it. If you don't get all the Tesldora set on after a boss or for Rosabeth, you won't have enough souls to open the Shrine. Tseldora set AND Silver Covetous Serpent Ring +1 have to be on for every boss after Pursuer, and Rosabeth.

This route skips a lot of bonfires. If the notes say you have to rest at a bonfire, you have to rest at it.

New paragraphs signify recommended splits. You can split less, but each paragraph contains one significant objective.

Start Explorer, Bonfire Ascetic starting gift.

Run to Majula.
Kill Maughlin for his armor (equip at the end of every boss fight).
Pick up the 5 homeward bones by the Champion's Covenant.
Pick up soul by blacksmith shop.
Tag the Emerald Heald.
Light the bonfire.

Run to Forest of Fallen Giants.
Drop non-tseldora gear and use soul while waiting for gate to open.
Drop into river, pick up soul and bone.
Light & Rest at Cardinal Tower bonfire.
Buy Club and 4 Firebombs from Melentia. Send her back to Majula.
Blow up the wall with a firebomb.
Run to Last Giant.
Pick up Fire Arrows on the way.
On way down elevator, equip club.
Kill Last Giant (Club, Ooze)

Ride Elevator back up, use last giant soul, equip dagger for Pursuer parry.
Kill Pursuer (Parry, 2 ballista shots)

Ride eagle to Lost Bastille (do not take bonfire).
Pick up 2 large shards on the way to the blacksmith.
Blow up the wall with the barrel, don't light bonfire.
Pick up 2 large shards and 5 normal shards from wooden chests in the blacksmith.
Homeward bone back to Cardinal Tower.

Burn a Bonfire Ascetic.
Run to Ballista room.
Whack the door in the basement with your weapon.
Open the trapped chest for 3 chunks.
Use Pursuer soul while waiting for hollows to open the door.
Kill Hollows if you have to (you probably have to), open the chest for 1 large shard and life ring.
Homeward Bone to Cardinal Tower.
Warp to Majula

Buy blacksmith key and 3 brightbugs from Melentia. Talk to her for the Covetous Silver Serpent Ring +1
Open blacksmith, rest, buy 1 shard, Rapier & upgrade to +5, pick up bow from chest.
Level up 12 DEX, 18 END.
Run to Heide's Tower, equip new rings, brightbugs, rapier, bow and arrows while waiting for gate to open.
Kill Dragonrider with falloff strats.

Don't go up the tower, turn around and run to Dragonslayer.
Kill Dragonslayer (Rapier, Ooze, brightbug)
Bone back to Majula.

Buy Cat ring, 2 bones, 6 skulls.
Equip Cat ring over spell protection ring.
Drop down the pit, kill the Lizard on the bridge w/ the club (1 running R1, 1 R1) for 1 Large Titanite.
Run to Black Gluch, nothing special.
Pick up the Fragrant Branch.
Light & Rest at rotten secret bonfire.
Warp to Majula.

Unpetrify Rosabeth, pull the lever.
Equip Leo Ring, throw a skull to distract the hollows, kill Rosabeth w/ Tseldora on, kill basilisk.
Use a Dragonslayer & Dragonrider souls while waiting for gate to open.
Light forked road bonfire.
Pick up Red Tearstone Ring, bone back.
Run towards Head of Vengarl, pick up the soul near him.
Buy 12 lightning resins from the Head of Vengarl.
Pick up Chloranthy ring from chest. (Equip the Chloranthy ring for long section of running)
Bone back as soon as you can.

Warp to Majula.
Level up 29 END, leave 4060 souls for upgrade.
Upgrade Rapier to +8.
Warp to Rotten secret bonfire.
Equip Lightning Resin and RTSR over Cat ring.
Kill Rotten one (Rapier, lightning resin)

Run to DLC1.
Light second bonfire, equip Cat ring over Ring of Blades.
Shoot switch down the hallway to turn the wheel, punch/shoot switch before broken stairs to open door, shoot switch again, pick up soul in the tiny room, shoot switch again, run through.
Pick up Flynn ring.
In spike room, throw an alluring skull in the first set of spikes to distract the witch, climb up the ladder.
Pick up key, bone back.

Go open key door.
Throw a skull to distract the witches, climb the ladders.
Run past invader, light the bonfire, drop down elevator pit one floor (sprint off the ledge closest to bonfire)
Equip Flynn Ring over Cat ring.
Bone back.

Run to petrifying statue room.
Throw a skull in the center of the room, dodge petrifying statues.
Pick up the 3 bonfire ascetics on a corpse.
Throw another skull in the center of the room.
Pick up 2 brightbugs on a corpse.
Bone back.

Warp to Rotten secret bonfire.
Burn ascetic.
Check Rings: RTSR, Flynn, Old Leo, Silver Covetous
Kill Rotten 2 (Rapier, lightning resin)
Bone back.

Burn ascetic.
Kill Rotten 3 (Rapier, lightning resin)
Bone back.

Burn ascetic.
Kill Rotten 4 (Rapier, brightbug, lightning resin)
You can stop putting on Tseldora's set after bosses now.
Bone back.

Warp to Forked Road Bonfire.
Use all remaining souls.
Run to Shrine of Winter.
Kill Lizard before Drangelic with Rapier jumping attack.
Kill Door Guardians.
Light first bonfire in Drangleic, warp to Majula.

This is your last trip to Majula.
Upgrade Rapier to +10.
Buy 3 brightbugs from Melentia.
Buy lifegems if you want.
Level up 10 VGR, 40 DEX, 40 END, the rest into STR/ADP/VGR
Warp back to Drangleic Castle.
Kill statue to open door, equip RoB over RTSR, Chloranthy over Silver Covetous.
Kill Dragonriders (Rapier, lightning resin)

Run around Drangleic, lowering the elevator.
Light bonfire after Dragonriders.
Ride elevator up.
Equip Darksign.
Check Rings: Flynn, Blades, Chloranthy, Old Leo
Pick up key, bone back.
Kill Looking Glass Knight (Rapier, brightbug, Magic Ooze)

Equip Cat ring over RoB down the elevator
Run through Amana, skip all bonfires except the one before the big mushroom, rest at that (Good Luck)
Equip RoB over Cat ring and resin after you enter the fog gate
Kill Demon of Song (Rapier, lightning resin)

Run through the Crypt, skip the bonfires.
Kill Velstadt (Rapier, lightning resin. Brightbug after you enter the fog)
Pick up King's Ring
Bone back

Warp to Forked Road
Equip King's Ring over RoB while running to door.
Equip RTSR over King's Ring while waiting for door to open.
Use brightbug while first Ogre is breaking door.
Stand in front of second Ogre while he breaks down door for RTSR setup.
Kill Guardian Dragon (Rapier, Brightbug, Lightning Resin)

Ride elevator up.
Heal up.
Do Dragon Aerie jump.
Talk to Ancient Dragon for Ashen Mist Heart.
Bone back.

Warp to Cardinal Tower.
If you're a man, equip Cat ring over RoB and 1 shot the King's Door skip. Otherwise...
Drop down ladder, open Soldier's Key door, equip King's Ring and dodge Red Phantoms
Enter Giant Memory
Run past giants to behind dead giant on the right.
Use brightbug, equip RTSR over Cat/King's. Run to where fireball lands, use Lightning Resin.
Get hit by fireball for RTSR setup.
Kill Giant Lord (Rapier, Brightbug, Lightning Resin)
Bone back.

Warp to Drangleic Castle.
Equip King's Ring over RTSR.
Equip Chloranthy Ring over RTSR while waiting for door to open.
Use Brightbug BEFORE summoning Benhart.
Summon Benhart.
Kill Throne Watcher/Defender (Rapier, Brightbug, Lightning Resin or Aromatic Ooze)

Dismiss Benhart w/ Black Separation Crystal.
Your Brightbug from Watcher/Defender should last through this fight. If Watcher/Defender was a long fight, use another.
Re-apply Lightning Resin.
Kill Nashandra (Rapier, Brightbug, Lightning Resin)

You Win!