Notes from author
[Equipment Notes]
Weapons:
1. Grab the Reinforced Club straight out of Asylum as a starting weapon.
2. Try farming for a Jagged Ghost Blade for a quicker Bleed weapon than the club.
3. Farm scales for the Dragon Torso Stone ASAP, Dragon Unarmed is probably tied with Blacksmith Giant Hammer as best DPS 'weapon' of the run.
4. Gather the Blacksmith Hammers. Andre's for raw Physical damage, Vamos' for Fire damage and the Giant's for Lightning damage and generally one of the best AR weapons at SL1.
- Not sure how much no-upgrades diminishes the usefulness of Pyromancy as the game goes on? Probably still good just not *as* good.
Armour & Rings:
- Won't have enough health to tank more than one, often any hits in the late game regardless of armour so better off flipping.
- When armour *can* save me, Stone -> Havel -> Smough. Smough's armour beats out Giant armour in a no upgrades run.
- For the Four Kings DPS probably won't be high enough to play dodge, stack Havels, Magic Stoneplate Ring, Speckled Stoneplate Ring and Crest Shield to try to tank through them.
- When DPS needs a boost stack Sanctus, Red Tearstone Ring, Dusk Crown Ring (to half HP) and Power Within. Let Power Within drain to RTSR range before equipping Sanctus to offset all of it's damage.
Extra Notes:
- Consider backing up your save before fighting Gwynn once everything else is done. Otherwise you'll have to at least clear through to O&S again in NG+ if you want conveniences such as warping when doing SL1 PvP.
- Resist the allure of the noob-hunting SL1 Darkwraith. Be a Gravelord or Dragon and engage in consensual PvP. Or a Darkmoon Blade and make the smurfs fight someone who knows how to and has the gear to fight back for a change.
