Should You Fight Vendrick Before DLC in Dark Souls 2?
The question of whether to tackle King Vendrick before venturing into the Dark Souls 2 DLCs is a common one among players, and thankfully, the answer is straightforward: It doesn’t significantly matter, but there are compelling reasons to fight him before the DLC. While the game’s structure permits you to explore the downloadable content at any point after unlocking access to it, choosing to confront Vendrick beforehand will unlock access to a mandatory boss and provide a more complete narrative experience.
The core reason why many players consider fighting Vendrick first lies in his connection to the optional boss, Aldia, Scholar of the First Sin. To encounter Aldia and unlock a specific ending for Dark Souls 2, you must defeat Vendrick first. So, if you’re aiming for the full narrative experience, Vendrick is a necessary pre-requisite, rather than merely an optional boss.
The other aspects, such as Vendrick’s item drops or dialogue, do not significantly influence the DLC experience itself. The crowns collected during the DLC give Vendrick more dialogue and lead to a powerful blessing, but this blessing applies to all four DLC crowns, irrespective of when you get it. In essence, there’s no direct, in-game benefit to doing DLC first or Vendrick first in terms of equipment boosts or area access.
The flexibility within the game means that you’re free to delve into the DLCs before confronting Vendrick if you wish. The choice ultimately boils down to your personal preference and what you want to achieve on your current playthrough. If you’re after a comprehensive story experience and want to face Aldia, tackling Vendrick earlier rather than later is beneficial.
Understanding Vendrick and His Mechanics
The Giant Souls and Damage Reduction
Vendrick’s unique mechanic involves giant souls, which drastically affect how much damage you can inflict. Without any giant souls, he’ll only take minimal damage. For every giant soul you hold in your inventory, your damage output doubles, so holding all 5 giant souls allows you to inflict normal damage on him. The location of all 5 giant souls are in: 1 from the Ancient Dragon, 3 from the memories accessed via the Ashen Mist Heart and 1 in the Black Gulch.
Aggroing Vendrick
It’s also worth noting that Vendrick won’t aggro simply because you are in his presence. If you are dealing negligible damage to him due to a lack of giant souls, he will simply pace around his chamber and ignore you. He needs to feel the effects of damage in order to turn on you. This mechanic further incentivizes gathering giant souls for an actual fight.
The Rewards of Victory
Defeating Vendrick allows access to his armor and the King’s Soul. This soul can be traded for the King’s UGS, one of the most powerful weapons in the game. While this reward can be beneficial, it is by no means a game changer, and the value of this reward depends entirely on the player’s individual playstyle.
DLC Considerations
The DLCs in Dark Souls 2 offer distinct challenges and unique content. The Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the Ivory King all offer new areas, enemies, and boss fights. The difficulty of these DLCs varies, with Crown of the Old Iron King and Crown of the Ivory King often considered more challenging than Crown of the Sunken King. However, your build and playstyle influence how you will perceive the difficulty of the DLCs.
The timing of your DLC playthrough does not impact the story of the main game, except for how it effects Vendrick’s dialogue.
Flexible Progression
Ultimately, the flexibility Dark Souls 2 offers allows you to choose your own progression path. There is no right or wrong time to explore the DLC areas or to tackle Vendrick. The only important factors that tie into this decision are your personal preferences. If you seek to face all bosses in a single playthrough, fighting Vendrick is mandatory.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the relationship between Vendrick and the DLC in Dark Souls 2:
1. Is Vendrick a required boss to finish the game?
No, Vendrick is an optional boss, however to face Aldia and access a different ending it is mandatory to fight him.
2. Can I fight Vendrick after beating the final boss?
Yes, after defeating the final boss, you are free to explore the world as much as you want, and this does include being able to fight Vendrick and explore any undiscovered areas. This means you can engage Vendrick or do the DLCs at any point until you move to New Game Plus.
3. Will fighting Vendrick affect my ability to do DLC?
No, defeating Vendrick will not impact your access to any DLC content. The DLCs can be done at any point, without the need to have defeated Vendrick.
4. How do I get the five Giant Souls needed to fight Vendrick properly?
There is one Giant Soul from the Ancient Dragon, three from the memories accessed through the Ashen Mist Heart, and one in the Black Gulch.
5. Do I need all five Giant Souls?
While having all five is ideal as it allows you to deal normal damage to Vendrick, you can defeat him with fewer, though it will take more effort. Four is a common number to aim for, making the fight manageable, but three or less will make the battle a true struggle.
6. Is Vendrick the final boss?
No, the final boss is Nashandra, located at the Throne of Want. Vendrick is merely an optional boss.
7. Can I summon other players to help fight Vendrick?
No, you cannot summon other players to help fight Vendrick. This fight is meant to be a one-on-one encounter.
8. Is there a recommended order for the DLCs?
There isn’t a set order, but many players find Crown of the Sunken King to be the easiest, followed by Crown of the Ivory King, and then Crown of the Old Iron King.
9. What are the rewards for defeating Vendrick?
You will receive Vendrick’s soul which can be used to create a powerful greatsword, along with his armor set.
10. What is Vendrick’s Blessing, and how do I get it?
Vendrick’s Blessing is obtained by talking to Vendrick after collecting all three DLC crowns and is a powerful blessing that nullifies the detrimental effects of each DLC crown. The order of collecting the crowns doesn’t matter.
11. Is the DLC difficult?
The DLCs are considered to be some of the most challenging content in Dark Souls 2, featuring difficult bosses and intricate level design, however the game is ultimately balanced, and you will be able to experience them whether you are in the early or late game.
12. What is the final boss of the DLC?
Each DLC has its own challenging final boss. The bosses include: The Fume Knight, Sir Alonne, and The Burnt Ivory King, among others.
13. Do any boss souls from the DLC affect Vendrick?
No, only Giant Souls affect Vendrick’s damage resistance. No other boss souls from the main game or DLC areas will impact his defenses.
14. Why does Vendrick ignore me?
Vendrick may appear to ignore you if you have too few giant souls, thus doing too little damage. He will only turn hostile if you can inflict some level of meaningful damage.
15. Does fighting Vendrick affect the ending I get?
Yes, you must fight Vendrick to unlock Aldia, which, when defeated, unlocks a special ending. Without defeating Vendrick, you will miss this final encounter and the unique ending.
Conclusion
In summary, while there isn’t a “correct” order for tackling Vendrick and the DLCs, choosing to fight Vendrick first offers a more complete and satisfying narrative experience, and is mandatory for the true ending of Dark Souls 2, if you choose to seek it out. Ultimately, the decision is yours, allowing you to tailor the game experience to your personal preferences. Regardless of when you choose to face the crazed King, ensure you have gathered the required Giant Souls for an actual, engaging boss fight. Happy gaming!