I have gone back and forth about this guide. I’ve seen some grievous errors in what a “fatroll” build is and have wanted to set the record straight, so to speak. I’m a nut, I’ve played a fatroll build in Dark Souls 1 and was stubborn and kept playing them in Dark Souls 2, even with the loss of “poise” as it was known in 1.

At first I just wanted to make a pvp text guide talking about poise, hyper armor, lack of need for agility, and so on. After thinking it over I figured, “well maybe someone doesn’t like pvp, but wants to be fat in pve.” Hey, who am I to judge…. the more fatties the better.

So then I thought, “ok I’ll show some against the grain boss fights where usually quick reflexes are a must and the misconception occurs that agility is a must as well.”

…..and well that turned into “well maybe someone wants to see this boss too…”

As a result, I made an example video of almost every boss in the game.

Basics and Numbers

When making a fatroll build there are several key ideas to keep in mind. You are fatrolling for a reason, what do you gain? and what do you sacrifice? The obvious loss is mobility, so the obvious gain will be defense. You need to become a literal wall that laughs at feeble hits by mobs, bosses, and fellow players.

This can be sought in several different ways. First is your basic physical defense stats, then your elemental defenses. You will want either both high OR one high and one medium. Remember, you want to shrug off hits. Your first step is going to be playing with quartz rings and armor to find this balance and hits about 98%-99.9%. Up until 100.1% you will have the same walk and run speed as someone at 70% THIS.IS.CRITICAL. This means your only mobility loss will be your roll…. which you shouldn’t be using anyway (outside of an emergency). Play around till you find what makes you happy. I personally like Havel armor, because it has high defense and ok elemental. There are many different combinations that can achieve any range of physical/elemental defenses.

High HP will be your other concern. This can be achieved various ways, but the most obvious is Third Dragon + 50 Vigor as a requirement and life ring +3 is your choice.

Next is picking a weapon: USE AN ULTRA. Self promotion, but this is my take on ultras.

Look, you are gonna be a wall, who won’t be rolling, and you are gonna need trades (more relevant in pvp, but in pve a little attack rating never hurts) and as a result you are gonna need hyper armor.

Hyper Armor

Hyper armor is the ability to resist complete stagger while in the active frames of your attack. To explain this there are start up, active, and cool down frames. Ultras have hyper armor in and around 130-135+ poise, but some have larger ranges than that. (such as the King’s Ultra Greatsword and the Dragontooth, which seem to have innate hyper armor) The hyper armor will allow you to make the damage trades that are crucial to the fatroll concept. You need to be able to out-trade another player or monster. In order for this to occur lack of stun will become a must and as a result hyper armor will be a bread and butter. Which Ultra you pick is your choice, but a choice you must make.

Agility

Don’t invest a single.point.into.agility.

Seriously the whole point of fatrolling is not rolling at all and tanking hits. Not to mention (I know I’m gonna heat for this) adaptability is a hand holder skill. No seriously. Base agility HAS frames, 5 to be exact. Short of some of the bosses biggest attacks, all attacks can be dodged with 5 frames. “But Xuitus what about pvp and lag??!?!” shush my child. If you don’t roll (which you especially shouldn’t in pvp) guess what never matters? That’s right, your roll frames. Look, just don’t do it… it is a waste of points and waste of your soul memory/level.

So now we move into the portion I never should of made but did. I started these after obtaining the Havel shield, because the tower shield lacks stability and I don’t like it.

Ornstein

Not a lot to say: Block and attack

Smelter Demon

Honestly, bring a Gwyrm Shield if you can, it makes the fight a joke. Needlesstosay…. I did not do this. Be aggressive and bloody hell don’t roll like I do at one point…. like seriously don’t roll… some of his attacks have more than 5 frames (more on this later)

Old Iron King

Just bait an attack and back up then hit him.

Lost Sinner

Just hold up your shield and counter attack. HOWEVER, 0:52 is why I think of agility as a hand hold stat. Lost sinner attacks have 5 frames of damage and as a result you can dodge all her attacks at base agility.

Scorpioness Najka

Hold up your shield. The End.

Ruin Sentinels

Hold up your shield and counter attack. Also, do try and remain up top…. it’s easier that way.

Belfry Gargoyles

Shield up, counter attack, be aggressive

Duke’s Dear Freja

You know what to do, laser beam -> head

Twin Dragonriders

Just trick the first into knocking his friend down (also the tactics used here will be the same you use against the first one in the game, since I didn’t make a video of that fight)

Looking Glass Knight

Just take advantage of his right side and counter attack him, actually rush in for his lightning specials. If you are online and a real player is summoned [see pvp section below]

Demon of Song

Stab it’s face. Stab the face some more. (okay when he does the praise it body slam, back up…then stab it’s face)

Velstadt

It’s important to understand that Velstadt is the first of the “you can’t only block” boss. He can AND WILL break your guard if you are too block happy. It is at this point that the key mechanic of 1h/2h variation and “drop your shield” needs to be discussed. As is understandable you are gonna end up starved for stamina and will need to learn to bait out his attacks and then punish with a single strong attack (I don’t mean R2 I mean a good solid hits, don’t whiff him) Do NOT hold up your shield unless you are pretty sure he is gonna hit you. Also, alternate to 2h then back to 1h to get your strong hit and retreat.

Near the end don’t even bother trying to counter after his swings, bait out the orbs and hit him up close after he fires them to end the fight.

Guardian Dragon

Poke its’ legs and don’t get burnt

Giant Lord

Just bang your head against him long enough and he falls. Circle strafe till he dies. (or I guess more helpful would be circle around him and watch for his heel to raise up a bit, he will swing in front of him. If the whole lifts up he is gonna do a stomp)

Elana The Squalid Queen

Always keep your eye on her, rush her down, and mostly just be super aggressive. Hope for skeletons. If you get skeletons, keep them alive.

Sinh the Slumbering Dragon

Oh man… ok look back leg. HUG THAT BACK LEG. Always try and stay under him. Get rid of the tail. Don’t really even bother blocking…. all his attacks are unblockable.

Executioner Chariot

uuuum ok look this isn’t the “ideal” way of doing this fight, but I find it fun, funny, and honestly easier than the level pull run.

Fume Knight

Fume Knight has some of the heaviest hits in the game and I don’t even mean the damage… the sheer stamina you will lose trying to use a shield pretty much negates the use. Here is where you learn your 5 frames and YOU BLOODY USE THEM FOR ALL THEY HAVE. Not a single attack he has does over 5 frames and pretty much every time I take a hit you can see where I either manage my stamina poorly or dodge too late, but then dodge the same attack later for no damage. 5 frames are all you need.

So strategy: get rid of your shield, hit 70% roll, 2h that ultra FOR THE WHOLE FIGHT, and just be super super SUPER aggressive. (since he pretty much can’t be fought while fat rolling I’ll submit to this being his win irregardless)

Aava

Just bait and counter attack. (Also go get the dead woman’s eye *cough*)

Ivory King

This is mostly a war of attrition and durability. Get all 4 knights, then fight the Ivory King like you did the Fume Knight.

Throne Watcher/Defender

Summon the walking accent, kill watcher, then defender….. ummm press R1.

Nashandra

Remove orbs, press R1.

Now your lumbering to success! Stay tuned for a follow up piece where we take a look at fatrolling in PvP!

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