Kind of a funny story + question.

Are healing spells 100% necessary in this game?
To start - I'm rolling with a bandit - I think I'm floating around level 20
and every point I have is dumped into str, vit, dex, and endurance.

I didn't really want to focus on miracles or spells or anything at all -
this was going to be a large-weapon-wielding BADASS.

Anyway, my girlfriend picked up the controller and took a swing
at the cleric in Firelink Shrine (the one by the elevators to Undead Burg,
the one that teaches you healing miracles).

He is forever hostile (I didn't kill him yet, I just keep running away lol),
and I don't feel like dumping 40k souls to
'cleanse my sins' - I'm under the impression that you need to equip a talisman
in a weapon slot to use a spell anyway?

Should I start over?

NO!

Once you clear the gargoyles and ring the bell, a NCP will appear in the bell tower that allows you to "forgive your sins" and turn accidental hostiles back to friendlies.

I believe the first time is rather cheap.

Magic is rarer this time around, but seems much more powerful and useful.

So then you'd suggest that you learn a healing spell with ANY class then..?

Haven't gotten far enough to really tell if you need healing magic later on, but so far the mix of flasks and bonfires has worked out well for me. I am only like level 30 and about to take on the Capra though.

It costs your SL x 2000 to be forgiven your sins. Not cheap.

That's so stupid - she just swung ONCE and he went hostile -
shouldn't there be some kind of warning or a different mechanic?

I was reading on another forum about some guy who accidentally
dropped his controller and struck an important NPC - and there
was nothing he could do but start over or talk to that sin dude.

SO DUMB -
I should be fine without any healing spells right?

You need to equip a talisman anyway, don't you?

You don't need it. I accidentally the pyromancer.

This game is so stupid and unfriendly.

"Fire Keeper Soul : Use to strengthen Estus Flask."

I consumed it, how was I supposed to know
you're supposed to take it to that mute chick?!!!!

New game.
Starting over. 6-8 hours wasted between this and the NPC.

fourthplace wrote:

This game is so stupid and unfriendly.

"Fire Keeper Soul : Use to strengthen Estus Flask."

I consumed it, how was I supposed to know
you're supposed to take it to that mute chick?!!!!

New game.
Starting over. 6-8 hours wasted between this and the NPC.

Maybe read what she says when you talk to her?

Rule #1 of Dark Souls (learned from Demon's Souls): Never consume anything until you read the wiki.
Rule #2: Never upgrade anything until you read the wiki.
Rule #3: Never kill an NPC until you read the wiki.

Rule #4: Always talk to every NPC several times. Quite often they don't offer quests or items for sale until you speak to them 3-4 times in a row.

Rule #5: Target it before you swing at it. You can't target NPCs.
Rule #6: Toad's rules are ghey.

Rule #8: Have fun

Rule #8 rocks! I've only gotten rage quit frustrated once...and that's just because I had stayed up too late and didn't think hard enough.

I love this game. I like it better than the first. Though I think the first did better at making an oppressive environment, this one just has so much more to do...and a lot more mini-bosses.

I'm finding it easier...

I think it's much easier.

TyrantII wrote:

I'm finding it easier...

I am too, but mainly because of the Drake sword so far. That and I am still in the beginning part of the game so it's still easy to back stab everything and get a one shot kill in. Also the camera hasn't been obscuring my view, the bonfires are a big help and I haven't run into any Donkey Kong style platforms that kill you if you don't jump perfectly.

Lol about talking to her before consuming her - I didn't discover her until AFTER
I had consumed it! =[

I did start over though, 30 minutes in - went with the Bandit again.
I'm kind of glad I started over, I'm going right back for the Drake Sword,
pumping more stats into endurance, and I know not to consume the Fire Keeper Soul, LOL.

Also opted to start with the master key rather than the black firebombs,
originally started with the firebombs to kill the first boss - which netted me that
mace. Realized that there are better weapons in the game though, and you can't
find the master key.

fourthplace wrote:

Lol about talking to her before consuming her - I didn't discover her until AFTER
I had consumed it! =[

Which = doin' it wrong.

Virtually back to where I was -
how come the boar didn't drop the helmet this time around?
He didn't kill me + I had 3 humanity points.

I really liked that thing. =[

AlphaShepherd wrote:

fourthplace wrote:

Lol about talking to her before consuming her - I didn't discover her until AFTER
I had consumed it! =[

Which = doin' it wrong.

That staircase was very hidden! :X

fourthplace wrote:

Virtually back to where I was -
how come the boar didn't drop the helmet this time around?
He didn't kill me + I had 3 humanity points.

I really liked that thing. =[

From what I've read the boar helmet is kind of a rare drop. There are more boars in the game though so you still have a chance to get one. I only have found the first boar and he didn't drop the helmet for me.

AlphaShepherd wrote:

fourthplace wrote:

Virtually back to where I was -
how come the boar didn't drop the helmet this time around?
He didn't kill me + I had 3 humanity points.

I really liked that thing. =[

From what I've read the boar helmet is kind of a rare drop. There are more boars in the game though so you still have a chance to get one. I only have found the first boar and he didn't drop the helmet for me.

That sucks, I dominated the Boar and haven't even died
up until this point. Unfortunate, because I really liked that thing. =[