Dark Souls II: Demon's Souls Archstone Mode

DARK SOULS II: DEMON’S SOULS ARCHSTONE MODE
by 6h05tly

Twitter: @6h05tly
TwitchTV: 6h05tly

CREATED: 18/07/2015
UPDATED: 19/07/2015

ABOUT
This is something I came up with after my countless revisits playing Demon’s Souls. Said game had limited checkpoints and you needed to work your way to the boss with only that checkpoint in order to reach the next checkpoint. That is the basis of the idea I had for Dark Souls II along with a few other things to (slightly) emulate it. With that, here are the rules:

*NOTE THIS ONLY APPLIES TO SCHOLAR OF THE FIRST SIN (PATCH UPDATE OR RE-RELEASE)*

1. ONLY USE the bonfires mentioned per boss as the starting point.
2. DO NOT USE bonfires to HEAL YOURSELF. Demon’s Souls never had such a thing re: archstones.
3. YOU MUST defeat the bosses in the order they’re set up. (Choosing which of the first 4 is entirely up to you; more on this later).
4. ALDIA is required to complete the mode.
5. OPTIONAL BOSSES (Executioner’s Chariot, Darklurker) are omitted from the list. You can still fight them (if you so choose), but make sure to ONLY USE the bonfires mentioned below.
6. If you want to start said area with enemies respawned, you must return to Majula & back again.

Not required, but if you want infinite enemy spawns (to fully emulate Demon’s Souls), you can enter the Champions Covenant. It’s not required, but remember you won’t be able to co-op when doing so.

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PART 1: TO MAJULA
Access bonfire for (obviously!) stat swaps and the crows. Other than that, head to Majula like normally.

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PART 2: THE FOUR (4) OLD ONES

Like Demon’s Souls, you can choose which worlds you want to start with first and hold off for later to focus on the others. Instead of 5, there are four to represent Dark Souls II’s layout, somewhat. Parts 3 through 6 (seen later) are in a fixed order however. Below is a Legend for reference

NAME OF WORLD*
BOSS 1 NAME [Area: Area’s bonfire** (1st/2nd/3rd (bonfire))]

*Additional notes
**Additional notes

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LOST BASTILLE PATHWAY (2 options)*
Option 1:
LAST GIANT* [Forest of Fallen Giants: Crestfallen’s Retreat (1st)]
PURSUER** [Forest of Fallen Giants: Cardinal Tower (2nd)]
RUIN SENTINELS [Lost Bastille: The Tower Apart (4th)]
LOST SINNER [Lost Bastille: Servant’s Quarters (3rd)]

Option 2:
DRAGONRIDER [Majula bonfire]
FLEXILE [Heide’s: Tower of Flame (2nd)]
SENTINELS [Lost Bastille: Exile Holding Cells (1st)]
LOST SINNER [Lost Bastille: Servant’s Quarters (3rd)]

*You’ll eventually have to defeat Last Giant in order to access Giant Lord, if you chose Option 2. See PART 5.
**The one leading the fog gate, AVOID THE ONE near the 2nd bonfire. After he’s dealt with, you can access the 2nd bonfire.

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SHADED WOODS/PHARROS/TSELDORA
NAJKA [Shaded Woods: Old Akelarre (1st)]
MAGUS [Doors of Pharros: Gyrm’s Respite (1st)]
FREJA [Tseldora: Chapel Threshold (2nd)]

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PIT/GRAVE/GUTTER/GULCH
THE 2 BLACK GULCH GIANTS [The Gutter: Upper Gutter (1st)]
THE ROTTEN [Black Gulch: Hidden Chamber (2nd)]

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IRON KEEP PATHWAY
SKELETON LORDS [Huntsman’s Copse: Undead Refuge (1st)]
COVETOUS DEMON [Harvest Valley: Poison Pool (1st)]
MYTHA [Earthen Peak: Lower Earthen Peak (1st)]
OLD IRON KING [Iron Keep: Threshold Bridge (1st)]

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PART 3: DRANGLEIC CASTLE AND CRYPT
DRAGONRIDERS* [Shaded Woods: Ruined Fork Road (2nd)]
LOOKING GLASS KNIGHT [Drangleic Castle: Central Castle Drangleic (4th)]
DEMON OF SONG [Shrine of Amana: Tower of Prayer (1st)]
VELSTADT** [Undead Crypt: Undead Crypt Entrance (1st)]

*After Dragonriders, you’ve access to the 1st bonfire, unlocking wise. Will only be used for the endgame.
**After Velstadt, you’ve access to the 2nd bonfire. Will only be used for Vendrick.

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PART 4: THE ASHEN MIST
GUARDIAN DRAGON [Aldia’s Keep: Foregarden (1st)]
ASHEN MIST [Dragon Aerie bonfire (1st)]

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PART 5: SOULS OF A GIANT/GIANT LORD/VENDRICK

(If you chose Option 2 from PART 2’s Lost Bastille pathway, you will need to defeat LAST GIANT in order to access room leading to Giant Lord. Otherwise, carry on.)

MEMORIES (2)/GIANT LORD* [Forest of Fallen Giants: Cardinal Tower (2nd)]**
VENDRICK [Undead Crypt: Undead Ditch (2nd)]

*If you die during progression, you MUST play through the 2 memories’ path before heading to Giant Lord.

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PART 6: ENDGAME
THRONE DUO > NASHANDRA > ALDIA [Drangleic Castle: King’s Gate (1st)]