Should You Consume the Lead Demon’s Soul in Demon’s Souls?
The short answer is: absolutely not, at least not yet. The Lead Demon’s Soul is a crucial component in crafting the Scraping Spear, a unique weapon that, while not ideal for most PvE encounters, is essential for specific situations and a key piece of the game’s arsenal. Consuming it early on for a mere soul boost would be a significant mistake for any player looking to fully experience what Demon’s Souls has to offer.
The Importance of the Scraping Spear
The Scraping Spear is not your typical damage-dealing weapon. Its primary function is to destroy enemy armor, drastically reducing their defenses and leaving them vulnerable to further attacks. While this might seem less effective in standard player-versus-environment (PvE) combat, where other weapons excel in direct damage, the spear’s true potential lies in two main areas:
- Specific Boss Fights: Certain bosses with heavily armored forms can become significantly easier to manage when their armor is stripped away using the Scraping Spear. This strategy allows for quicker battles and conserves valuable resources.
- Player-versus-Player (PvP) Interactions: In PvP, the Scraping Spear is often used to deliberately break down an opponent’s equipment, a controversial tactic but part of the game’s mechanics nonetheless. Be warned however, in PvP, bringing out the Scraping Spear can immediately paint a target on your back, with other players reacting aggressively to its use.
While the Scraping Spear may be considered niche, it is a unique weapon that can add depth to your strategy and tactics.
Delaying the Consumption
Given the unique purpose of the Scraping Spear, it’s not advisable to consume the Lead Demon’s Soul until you’ve at least explored the option of crafting it. Once you’ve acquired it, you can decide if the weapon is beneficial to your playstyle. This process generally looks like this:
- Obtain the Lead Demon’s Soul: This is obtained by defeating the Phalanx boss in world 1.
- Upgrade a Spear to Level +7: Any spear will do, so choose one that fits your preferred stats.
- Travel to Blacksmith Ed: Blacksmith Ed is found in World 2, in the Stonefang Tunnel area. He is the key NPC to forging boss weapons.
- Forge the Scraping Spear: Once you have the Lead Demon’s Soul and your spear at +7, speak to Blacksmith Ed to craft the weapon.
After getting the Scraping Spear and determining you will never use it, then consuming the soul may be worthwhile. However, generally holding onto demon souls is the superior choice.
Early Game Soul Needs
New players might be tempted to consume boss souls, including the Lead Demon’s Soul, for a quick level up. However, the soul boost you get from a single boss soul is relatively small, especially as you progress further into the game. Farming common enemies in early areas is more efficient for gathering souls, particularly if you are willing to put in some time. Consuming the soul for a limited amount of early-game souls isn’t worth it compared to the weapon’s value, especially given its role in the game.
Other Demon Souls and Their Uses
It’s important to note that the same logic applies to other boss demon souls in the game. Generally, they should be preserved until you have explored all the weapons and spells they unlock. These souls can be used to create very powerful weapons and spells, often unique to each boss. Blacksmith Ed is your primary contact for this, but you will need to provide him with a Searing Demon’s Soul before he is able to upgrade boss weapons.
Why Not Consume All Boss Souls?
- Unique Weapons: The primary reason for keeping boss souls is to unlock powerful and unique weapons. Weapons like the Northern Regalia, created by combining Demonbrandt and Soulbrandt with the False King’s Demon’s Soul, demonstrate the game’s most powerful options. These weapons often have special abilities or damage scaling that make them incredibly valuable.
- Spells and Miracles: Certain boss souls can be used to learn magic spells and miracles, further expanding your character’s combat abilities and versatility.
- Missed Opportunities: Once you consume a boss soul, you lose the opportunity to craft the corresponding weapons or spells in that playthrough. This means potentially limiting your options and missing out on powerful items.
Conclusion: The Lead Demon’s Soul Deserves to Live
While the immediate gratification of a small soul boost might be tempting, the Lead Demon’s Soul holds far greater potential when used to craft the Scraping Spear. Avoid consuming it until you have fully evaluated the benefit of this unique weapon for your own gameplay. This strategic thinking should be applied to every boss demon soul in the game, to avoid long-term regret and ensure you can experience everything Demon’s Souls has to offer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What exactly does the Scraping Spear do?
The Scraping Spear has low base damage but its main benefit is the ability to reduce the durability of an enemy’s equipment with each hit. It is effective for specific boss fights and has a particular role in PvP combat by breaking enemy armor.
2. Can I upgrade the Scraping Spear?
No, the Scraping Spear cannot be upgraded.
3. Is the Scraping Spear effective in PvE?
It is situational, but can be quite effective against armored enemies. However, its low damage and small reach make it less efficient in most PvE scenarios where other weapons are more effective for damage.
4. Where is Blacksmith Ed located?
Blacksmith Ed is located in the Stonefang Tunnel area of World 2.
5. Do I need to give Blacksmith Ed a Searing Demon’s Soul to make boss weapons?
Yes. You must give him the Searing Demon’s Soul, obtained by defeating the Flamelurker boss, in order for him to craft unique boss weapons. This is a one-time requirement.
6. What happens if I use a boss soul?
If you consume a boss soul, you will gain a lump sum of souls which can be used to level up your character or purchase items. However, this prevents you from using the soul to create unique weapons or learn spells from it.
7. What are Colorless Demon’s Souls used for?
Colorless Demon’s Souls are used to upgrade special unique weapons, like weapons forged from boss souls, and provide 5,000 souls upon use. They are hard to come by, making them highly sought-after.
8. How do I obtain the Northern Regalia?
The Northern Regalia is made by forging Demonbrandt and Soulbrandt with the False King’s Demon’s Soul at Blacksmith Ed.
9. Can I get the unique weapons if I have already consumed the boss soul?
No. Once a boss soul has been consumed for souls, it is permanently removed. The unique weapons or spells from the souls can only be acquired using that soul.
10. Is it better to consume a boss soul for souls or to craft a weapon with it?
Generally, crafting a weapon is the better choice due to the unique abilities and scaling they can offer. Consuming the soul should only be done if you don’t intend to use it for a weapon or magic.
11. Can I use the same boss soul to make multiple weapons or spells?
No. Each boss soul can only be used once. Some boss souls will unlock multiple unique weapons and/or magic, but once used, it is used completely.
12. What happens if I lose the Lead Demon’s Soul by dying?
Boss souls are stored in your inventory and are not lost when you die. You simply have to retrieve your souls if you are defeated before making it back to where you died.
13. Can I summon other players after I beat the boss?
No. Once a boss is defeated in an area, you can no longer summon other players for assistance in that specific area. You can, however, place your sign down to be summoned by other players.
14. Is the Vanguard boss supposed to be defeated during the tutorial?
The game expects the player to be defeated during the fight with the Vanguard, however it is possible to defeat this boss during the tutorial with careful play.
15. What should I do with soul jars?
Soul jars can be smashed for a small amount of source points, but there is no benefit to consuming them. They can be consumed for a source point or smashed later. Soul jars don’t have any impact on their owners after they are destroyed.