FromSoftware released Scholar of the First Sin in April 2015, rebuilding Dark Souls II on a DirectX 11 renderer, folding in all three Crown DLCs and shuffling enemy placement so returning players could not run their old routes. Drangleic still runs on Adaptability, the stat the game never explains: it feeds Agility, which starts at 85 and caps at 120, and Agility decides how many invincibility frames a roll carries. Aldia now appears as a burning apparition at bonfires and returns as an optional final boss after Nashandra.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Majula | Adaptability and Agility basics | Warrior | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Forest of Fallen Giants | Soul Memory matchmaking mastery | Warrior | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Heide's Tower of Flame | Power stancing + gear | Knight or Warrior | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Iron Keep | Build optimization | Knight | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Drangleic Castle | Min-max | Knight or Sorcerer | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Majula)
The hub, and the only truly safe place in Drangleic. The Emerald Herald handles every level up, Sweet Shalquoir sells rings, Maughlin sells armour, and the bottomless pit beside the mansion hides an entire optional area.
Level/Difficulty: Soul Level 1 to 15 Key Rewards: Emerald Herald level ups, the Estus Flask, Sweet Shalquoir's ring stock, the pit leading to the Gutter
What to Do in Majula
- Learn Adaptability and Agility. Adaptability is the stat that feeds Agility, which begins at 85 and caps at 120. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Warrior as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Adaptability is the fix for every complaint about the roll. Take it to 20 as fast as you can, check Agility on the status screen rather than the stat itself, and stop at 96 or 105 depending on how much you want to spend.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Estoc or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Adaptability and Agility fundamentals
- Warrior selected and functional
- Majula main content cleared
- Ready for Forest of Fallen Giants
Phase 2: Early Game (Forest of Fallen Giants)
The first real area and the one that teaches the ambush pattern the rest of the game repeats. The Pursuer shows up here early and again later, and the Cardinal Tower bonfire is the safest respawn point for the whole region.
Level/Difficulty: Soul Level 10 to 30 Key Rewards: Soul of the Last Giant, the Pursuer fight, the Soldier Key, several Estus Flask Shards
What to Do in Forest of Fallen Giants
- Work on Soul Memory matchmaking. Co-op and invasion ranges run off Soul Memory, the running total of every soul the character has ever picked up, spent or dropped on death, sorted into 45 tiers. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Estoc if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Lifegems are the reason Melentia exists. She sells them from Majula in stacks, they heal over time instead of instantly, and carrying 30 of them removes almost all pressure to reach the next bonfire on low Estus.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Heide's Tower of Flame.
- Consider whether Knight might suit your playstyle better than Warrior.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Soul Memory matchmaking integrated into gameplay
- Estoc acquired
- Forest of Fallen Giants fully cleared
- Ready for Heide's Tower of Flame
Phase 3: Mid Game (Heide's Tower of Flame)
A drowned white stone ruin with Old Knights patrolling wide platforms. It is optional early but worth doing, because two bosses here drop souls and the path continues down to No-man's Wharf and the Blue Cathedral.
Level/Difficulty: Soul Level 15 to 35 Key Rewards: Dragonrider Soul, Soul of the Old Dragonslayer, the Blue Sentinels covenant, Heide Knight equipment
What to Do in Heide's Tower of Flame
- Master Power stancing. Holding the two hand button with a matching weapon type in each hand opens a separate dual wield moveset with its own attacks. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Zweihander. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Enemies stop respawning after 12 kills in the same area. That is a legitimate tool: a corridor that keeps killing you can simply be emptied over a few attempts and it will stay empty for the rest of that New Game cycle.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Hollowing and Human Effigies for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Power stancing mastered
- Zweihander acquired or in progress
- Heide's Tower of Flame fully cleared
- Ready for Iron Keep
Phase 4: Late Game (Iron Keep)
A fortress sunk into lava with Alonne Knights on every walkway and the game's most notorious archer placements. It sits directly above Earthen Peak in a piece of geography nobody has ever managed to defend, and it holds two boss fights.
Level/Difficulty: Soul Level 55 to 85 Key Rewards: Smelter Demon Soul, Soul of the Old Iron King, access to Belfry Sol and the Bell Keepers
What to Do in Iron Keep
- Finalize your build. You should be running Knight or Warrior with optimized gear.
- Zweihander should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Fragrant Branches of Yore are limited. Do not spend one on the first petrified statue you see; the Ornifex rescue in Brightstone Cove Tseldora and the Cave of the Dead in the Crown of the Ivory King content are the ones worth the branch.
- Bonfire Ascetics optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Drangleic Castle.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Zweihander upgraded to max
- Iron Keep fully cleared
- Ready for Drangleic Castle
Phase 5: Endgame (Drangleic Castle)
The late game gate, opened only after collecting the Great Souls. Ruin Sentinels and Royal Guards defend the halls, and past the Looking Glass Knight the King's Passage leads to Velstadt and the way into the Undead Crypt.
Level/Difficulty: Soul Level 85 to 120 Key Rewards: Looking Glass Knight Soul, the King's Ring from Velstadt, the route to Vendrick and Nashandra
What to Do in Drangleic Castle
- Drangleic Castle tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Torches matter far more here than in any other Souls game. Several Scholar of the First Sin areas darken to near black, and a lit sconce also unlocks doors in the Gutter and reveals Shaded Woods paths.
- The endgame loop: run Drangleic Castle, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Sorcerer for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Bonfire Ascetics mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Drangleic Castle fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Ignoring Adaptability because the tooltip is vague, then blaming the game for rolls that do not dodge anything at 85 Agility.
- Hoarding souls without spending them, which raises Soul Memory into a higher matchmaking tier while the character stays weak.
- Running past enemies toward a boss fog gate, since Dark Souls II reliably places two or three chasers that follow you straight into the arena.
- Upgrading three or four weapons at once when Titanite Slabs are scarce, instead of committing to a single weapon at +10 by mid game.
- Treating the Iron Keep archers as a skill test rather than a positioning problem, when the answer is to break line of sight and pull them one at a time.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Adaptability is the fix for every complaint about the roll. Take it to 20 as fast as you can, check Agility on the status screen rather than the stat itself, and stop at 96 or 105 depending on how much you want to spend.
- Lifegems are the reason Melentia exists. She sells them from Majula in stacks, they heal over time instead of instantly, and carrying 30 of them removes almost all pressure to reach the next bonfire on low Estus.
- Enemies stop respawning after 12 kills in the same area. That is a legitimate tool: a corridor that keeps killing you can simply be emptied over a few attempts and it will stay empty for the rest of that New Game cycle.
- Fragrant Branches of Yore are limited. Do not spend one on the first petrified statue you see; the Ornifex rescue in Brightstone Cove Tseldora and the Cave of the Dead in the Crown of the Ivory King content are the ones worth the branch.
- Torches matter far more here than in any other Souls game. Several Scholar of the First Sin areas darken to near black, and a lit sconce also unlocks doors in the Gutter and reveals Shaded Woods paths.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Guides
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Overview
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Best Builds
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Tier List
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Beginner's Guide
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Tips & Tricks
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Weapons Guide
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Combat Guide
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Boss Guide
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Maps & Locations
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Crafting Guide
- DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Classes & Characters
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