Dark Souls 2: Farming and Grinding Guide
Discover top strategies for farming and grinding in Dark Souls 2! Learn the best locations, how to find rare items, and balance farming with progression.
Delve into the treacherous world of Dark Souls 2 with our ultimate Farming and Grinding Guide! Whether you're hunting for rare items or seeking the most efficient ways to level up, this comprehensive guide will be your key to mastering the game's toughest challenges. Explore the best farming locations, learn efficient grinding techniques, and uncover hidden treasures that will give you the edge you need. We’ll also help you balance farming with your progression and provide tips for grinding safely in the perilous lands of Drangleic. Gear up and get ready to boost your journey with expert strategies and insider tips!
Best Farming Locations
Dark Souls 2 is all about the grind. Whether you’re looking to level up, buy new gear, or just stock up on those sweet healing items, farming is an essential part of the game. Here are some of the best spots to get the most bang for your buck.
Forest of Fallen Giants
Enemies: Hollow Infantry, Hollow Soldiers, and Knights
What to Farm: Souls, Lifegems, Titanite Shards
The Forest of Fallen Giants is one of the first areas you’ll visit in the game, and it’s a fantastic place for early-game farming. The Hollow Infantry and Soldiers drop a decent amount of souls and items like Lifegems and Titanite Shards. To farm efficiently, start at the Cardinal Tower bonfire. Make your way through the area, killing everything in your path, then return to the bonfire to reset the enemies. Repeat this process until you're satisfied!
Tip: Focus on backstabbing the Hollow Soldiers for quicker kills and more drops. They’re particularly susceptible to this, making them a gold mine for easy souls and items.
Heide's Tower of Flame
Enemies: Old Knights
What to Farm: Souls, Human Effigies, Sublime Bone Dust
Once you get a bit stronger, try taking on the Old Knights in Heide's Tower of Flame. These giant, slow-moving enemies yield a hearty amount of souls per kill, and the drops are worth the challenge. Start from the Tower of Flame bonfire, circle around the area, and take down each knight. These guys are straightforward but do hit hard, so dodge carefully!
Special Note: After clearing the area a few times, you’ll come across Sublime Bone Dust. Burn these at the Majula bonfire to boost the power of your Estus Flask.
The Gutter
Enemies: Havel Knights and Poisonous Undead
What to Farm: Poison Moss, Large Titanite Shards, Souls
The Gutter is a dark, maze-like area perfect for farming because of its high enemy density. Poisonous Undead drop valuable items like Poison Moss and Large Titanite Shards, which are crucial for upgrading your weapon early on. Havel Knight runs are excellent for gathering more souls and rare drops.
Strategy: Equip a torch to light up the area and make it easier to navigate. Be careful of environmental hazards and poison pools.
Iron Keep
Enemies: Alonne Knights, Ironclad Soldiers
What to Farm: Souls, Titanite Chunks, Twinkling Titanite
Iron Keep is excellent for mid-to-late game farming. The Alonne Knights and Ironclad Soldiers there drop a copious amount of souls and upgrade materials like Titanite Chunks and Twinkling Titanite. The Iron Keep bonfire is your farming hub here. Clear the area, run back to the bonfire, and repeat.
Pro-Tip: Make sure to watch out for the fire traps and narrow ledges. A shield with high fire resistance will be very helpful for this location.
Shrine of Amana
Enemies: Amana Mages, Lizardmen
What to Farm: Souls, Twinkling Titanite, Skeptic's Spice, Simpleton's Spice
Despite its annoying water mechanics and hide-and-seek enemies, Shrine of Amana is a pretty good farming spot. The enemies here drop useful items and quite a few souls. The Twinkling Titanite drops are especially great for upgrading unique weapons. Start from the Crumbled Ruins bonfire for the best farming route.
Farming Advice: Equip a bow to take down the Amana Mages from a distance before they get a chance to cast their devastating spells.
Final Tips
- Covetous Silver Serpent Ring: This ring boosts the number of souls gained from each enemy. Make sure to equip it while farming.
- Bonfire Ascetics: Use these to intensify enemies around specific bonfires, making them drop more valuable gear and souls.
- Patience is Key: Farming in Dark Souls 2 is a marathon, not a sprint. Take your time, learn enemy patterns, and you'll be rolling in souls and loot in no time.
Happy farming, Undead!
Efficient Grinding
Dark Souls 2 can be a tough game, and sometimes you need to grind a bit to make your character stronger. But, grinding doesn’t have to be a tedious task. Here’s a guide on how to make it more efficient and actually enjoyable.
1. Choose the Right Spot
Not all areas in Dark Souls 2 are created equal when it comes to grinding. Here are a few great spots to get lots of souls and items:
- Heide's Tower of Flame: The enemies here are tough but give a good amount of souls. Plus, it's pretty early in the game, so it's a popular grinding spot.
- The Gutter: This dark and creepy area is filled with enemies that drop a lot of souls. It's also a good place to find upgrade materials.
- The Giant Lord in Memory of Jeigh: This boss can be farmed repeatedly and drops a ton of souls. You'll need the Ashen Mist Heart to access this area.
2. Gear Up for Maximum Efficiency
Having the right gear can make a huge difference in how quickly and efficiently you can grind. Consider these items:
- Silver Serpent Ring: This ring increases the amount of souls you get from defeated enemies. It's a must-have for efficient grinding.
- Jester’s Gloves: These gloves increase the souls you get from enemies. You can wear these along with the Silver Serpent Ring for a significant boost.
- Covetous Gold Serpent Ring: This ring increases item discovery, helping you get more rare items from enemies.
3. Plan Your Routes
Having a good route can save you a lot of time and effort. Take some time to map out the best path through your chosen grinding spot. This should include:
- Areas with the highest density of enemies.
- Shortcuts you can unlock to make the run faster.
- Bonfires or respawn points to reset enemies quickly.
4. Efficiently Use Bonfires
Respawning enemies means you’ll need to frequently reset them by resting at a bonfire. Make sure you know the closest bonfire to your grinding spot. In some cases, you might want to think about burning a Bonfire Ascetic to increase the difficulty, which also increases the souls you earn from enemies in that area.
5. Take Advantage of Online Play
Online play can make grinding less of a drag. Summoning other players to help you clear areas can make the process faster and more fun. Alternatively, you can be summoned to help others, earning souls along the way.
6. Know When to Move On
Grinding can be useful, but don’t get too caught up in it. Sometimes, pushing through the game and tackling tougher enemies will get you more souls and better gear than staying in one place. Use grinding to give you an edge, then move on when the returns start to diminish.
Final Tips
- Keep it fresh: Grinding can get boring, so mix it up by alternating between different spots and tasks.
- Stay stocked: Make sure you have plenty of healing items and repair powder to reduce downtime.
- Level smart: Use your souls wisely. Leveling up key stats like stamina, health, and your primary attack stat will make future grinding easier.
Remember, the world of Dark Souls 2 is a dangerous place, but with these tips, you can make grinding an efficient part of your journey. Happy farming, and may the souls be ever in your favor!
Dark Souls 2: Farming and Grinding Guide
Finding Rare Items
Finding rare items in Dark Souls 2 is crucial for any serious player. Whether you’re collecting powerful weapons, unique armor sets, or rare crafting materials, knowing where to look can save you tons of time and frustration. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you snag those elusive goodies.
1. Item Discovery and Luck
First things first, your item discovery stat is your best friend. Boosting this stat increases your chances of finding rare items. The easiest way to enhance this is by equipping the Covetous Gold Serpent Ring, which comes in several flavors (normal, +1, and +2). The higher the number, the better your chances. You can find the basic version in the Earthen Peak after defeating the Covetous Demon.
Other helpful items to increase your luck include:
- Prisoner’s Hood: Dropped by the Undead Jailer in The Lost Bastille.
- Watchdragon Parma: Found in Dragon Shrine.
- Symbol of Avarice: Drops randomly from Mimics.
2. Farming Locations
Heide’s Tower of Flame: This area should be one of your starting points. The Old Knights here drop useful items like Human Effigies and Old Knight Halberd. They respawn until you've killed them around 12 times, so make each run count.
The Huntsman’s Copse: Full of easy-to-kill enemies that can drop Titanite Shards and Large Titanite Shards. This area is perfect if you're trying to upgrade your gear early on.
Brightstone Cove Tseldora: You’ll find a plethora of enemies that drop various crafting materials. The Spiders and Falconers here can drop Titanite Shards, Large Titanite Shards, and even Petrified Dragon Bones.
3. Specific Rare Items
- Bleed Stone: Increases bleeding build-up on weapons. Farm the Prisoner Set enemies in the Iron Keep.
- Twinkling Titanite: Needed for upgrading unique gear. Crystal Lizards in No-Man's Wharf are a great source early on.
- Petrified Dragon Bone: For those special weapons, look in Aldia’s Keep. The Corpse Rat enemies drop this material.
- Vine Balmer Herbs: Useful for spellcasters. Found in Harvest Valley.
4. Treasure Hunts
Certain rare items don’t come from enemies but are instead hidden away. Here are a few treasure spots you shouldn’t miss:
- Black Knight Halberd: In the Iron Keep, fall to the ledge after the first chain bridge.
- Dragon Chime: Perfect for clerics, found in Shrine of Amana behind a door requiring the King’s Ring.
- Moonlight Greatsword: Obtained by transposing Benhart of Jugo's soul after completing his questline.
5. Covenant Rewards
Some rare items are exclusive to covenant ranks. Joining and leveling up these groups can get you powerful and unique items. For example:
- Dragon Remnants: PvP to earn Dragon Scales which can be traded for powerful gear.
- Company of Champions: Earn Awestones to unlock unique items.
Conclusion
Finding rare items in Dark Souls 2 might take some effort, but the payoff is worth it. Enhance your item discovery, focus on the best farming locations, hunt down hidden treasures, and don’t forget those covenant rewards. Good luck, and happy hunting!
Balancing Farming and Progression
Dark Souls 2 can be a tough game. Sometimes you need to take breaks from progressing to farm souls or gear. But how do you balance farming and moving forward in the game? Here are some tips to keep your journey smooth.
Know When to Farm
It's essential to know the key moments when farming can give you an edge. Here are some scenarios when you might consider farming:
- Struggling with a Boss: If you keep dying to the same boss, it might be worth farming souls to level up.
- Out of Supplies: Running low on consumables like Life Gems can be frustrating. Spend some time farming for souls to restock these essentials.
- Equipment Upgrades: If you find a weapon you love, farm Titanite to upgrade it. A stronger weapon can make a huge difference.
- Desolate Areas: Some places in the game have little progression value but are packed with soul-gaining enemies, making them ideal farming spots.
Finding the Right Farming Spots
Not all areas are created equal for farming. Here are a few recommended spots:
- Heide's Tower of Flame: Early in the game, this area is great for farming. The enemies drop a good amount of souls, and it's not too hard to clear.
- The Gutter: The enemies here drop Life Gems. If you need healing items, this is a good place to farm.
- Dragon Aerie: Later in the game, the dragon enemies here drop a ton of souls. Be ready for a challenge, though--these guys are tough.
Efficient Farming Techniques
To make farming less tedious, use these techniques:
- Equip Soul-Boosting Items: Equip items like the Covetous Silver Serpent Ring to increase the number of souls you gain from enemies.
- Rest at Bonfires: After clearing an area, rest at the bonfire to respawn the enemies. Repeat this to farm efficiently.
- Try Jolly Cooperation: Helping other players defeat bosses through summoning can earn you lots of souls and some extra goodies without too much risk.
Don't Over-Farm
While farming can be helpful, spending too much time farming can lead to burnout and decrease your enjoyment of the game. Here's how to avoid that:
- Set Goals: Decide how many souls or items you need before you start farming. Stick to this goal to ensure you don't farm endlessly.
- Mix It Up: Alternate between farming and progressing. Beat a boss, then farm a bit. This keeps your experience fresh and exciting.
- Use Your Breaks Wisely: Whenever you get frustrated, take a break from challenging areas and farm instead. This keeps you productive without stressing out.
Progress While You Farm
There are ways to make progress while you farm, ensuring you don't feel stuck:
- Explore New Areas: Clear out new zones while farming souls. Sometimes you discover shortcuts or valuable items.
- Focus on Smaller Goals: Instead of trying to beat a tough boss, aim to collect certain items or find hidden secrets. You’ll farm souls while still inching forward in the game.
Balancing farming and progression is key in Dark Souls 2. Knowing when to grind, where to farm, and how to do it efficiently can make a massive difference in your journey. Follow these tips to keep an edge over the challenges that lurk in the dark world of Drangleic.
Good luck, and happy farming!
Want more tips? Check out our guide sections dedicated to maximizing your farming efficiency and optimizing your build for different playstyles!
Safe Grinding
Grinding in Dark Souls 2 can be a real lifesaver when you need more souls or items. But, it's easy to get greedy and end up losing more than you gain. Here are some tips and strategies to keep your grinding safe and effective.
Stick to Familiar Areas
First things first, grind in areas you know well. Knowing the enemy patterns and layout of the area means fewer surprises that can mess up your rhythm.
For beginners, places like the Forest of Fallen Giants or Heide's Tower of Flame offer good opportunities. These areas have predictable enemies and easy-to-navigate terrain.
Don't Overstay Your Welcome
It's tempting to keep grinding when the souls are rolling in, but the longer you stay out, the more chances for missteps. Set a goal, like collecting a certain number of souls or items, and head back to safety once you've reached it.
Remember, enemies only respawn a limited number of times before they despawn completely -- use this to your advantage.
Use Bonfire Ascetics Wisely
Bonfire Ascetics let you respawn enemies and reset items in an area, but they also make it tougher by increasing the game's difficulty in that spot. Use them judiciously to farm rare items or fight bosses again, but be prepared for a tougher challenge.
Equip the Right Gear
Make the most of your grinding sessions by equipping gear that boosts soul collection or item discovery.
- Covetous Silver Serpent Ring: This ring increases the number of souls you get from fallen enemies.
- Prisoner's Tatters: Found in the Lost Bastille, this armor increases item discovery.
- Symbol of Avarice: This headpiece increases soul absorption and item discovery, but it also drains your health over time. Be careful when using it.
Use Lifegems and Estus Sparingly
Keep an eye on your health and use your healing items wisely. Lifegems are plentiful and easy to farm, but Estus Flasks are limited. Balance their use to ensure you can keep grinding safely without running out of health-restoring options.
Farm in Co-op Mode
Summoning a friend or NPC phantom can make grinding much safer. With an extra hand, you can deal with enemies more efficiently and reduce the risk of getting overwhelmed. Plus, you get the added bonus of shared souls!
Use Environments to Your Advantage
Understand how to use the environment in your favor. Lure enemies to narrow spaces where you have the upper hand, or use areas with drop-offs to easily dispatch foes. Knowing the terrain can give you a critical edge.
Watch Your Back
Always be aware of your surroundings. Enemies can ambush you from behind or above. Clearing an area methodically and not rushing ahead can save you from surprise attacks.
Bank Your Souls
When you've collected a sizable amount of souls, don't risk losing them. Head back to Majula to level up or buy items you need. Banking your souls early and often is a straightforward way to protect your progress.
Learn and Adapt
Every enemy has a pattern, and learning these can drastically improve your grinding safety. Adapt your strategies based on enemy weaknesses and strengths. If you're dying frequently in a particular spot, reconsider your approach or gear.
Grinding can make your Dark Souls 2 experience smoother and more enjoyable if done smartly. Stick to these tips to keep it both safe and efficient.
Happy farming!