So I went from being the shittiest player you have ever seen to someone who . if I say so myself , got gud . Here are a few tips # 1 . Get gud . # 2 . Be patient with your attacks . Don ' t just spam the attack button . Attack and parry , block , or retreat . Repeat . # 3 . Try to lure . Don ' t fight groups if you can help it . # 4 . Use a weapon that feels comfortable . Any weapon is a viable option in DS . Some are better than others but doing a bit more damage doesn ' t really save time if you keep dying and have to redo the area anyway . # 5 . Don ' t throw points into everything or try to build a balanced character . Think about what kind of build you want and invest in necessary attributes . # 6 . If none of this helps , you can run past everything to the boss , or refer back to rule # 1 .