How many times have I died in Dark Souls?
As a long-time Dark Souls fanatic with hundreds of hours across multiple characters and NG+ cycles, I estimate my total death count is somewhere between 1,000 to 2,000.
Of course, that tally is just for my primary character. It doesn‘t begin to account for all the other builds I‘ve created and seen through to Gwyn over the last decade this classic game has been available.
Here‘s a deeper breakdown of where those many hundreds of deaths came from and how my experience compares to average player figures:
Deaths by Area and Boss Estimates
I didn‘t meticulously track my deaths by zone and boss, but based on memory, here‘s a rough breakdown:
- O&S: 150+ deaths across all playthroughs
- Blighttown: 80+ deaths
- Anor Londo archers: 50+ deaths
- Sens Fortress: 40+ deaths
- Gaping Dragon: 30+ deaths
As you can see, Ornstein and Smough gave me by far the most trouble. Those lightning spear charges from Ornstein and Smough‘s crushing hammer flattened me more times than I can count.
According to fan surveys, O&S is considered the #1 most difficult boss encounter in the entire series, so my struggles were not unique!
Comparing My Deaths to the Average Player
The average Dark Souls playthrough death tally is 638 deaths. So at 1,500+, my total is more than double that! This highlights my thorough (or perhaps masochistic) playstyle – I insist on exploring every nook and cranny, regardless of the deadly consequences.
I‘m also the type of player who refuses to summon help for boss fights on the first playthrough. Call it a test of skill or just plain stubbornness! Of course, I‘ve since revised that stance after too many rage-inducing losses.
Ranking the Most Difficult Areas and Bosses
Based on my deaths and overall difficulty, here‘s how I‘d rank Dark Souls‘ most punishing zones and boss encounters:
Areas
- Blighttown
- Sen‘s Fortress
- Anor Londo
- Duke‘s Archives
- Painted World of Ariamis
Bosses
- Ornstein & Smough
- Bell Gargoyles
- Gaping Dragon
- Stray Demon
- Iron Golem
I‘ve placed Blighttown at #1 due to the poison swamps, painful verticality, and dangerous enemies that claimed my life dozens of times even on later runs. And of course, O&S occupies the top boss spot for reasons already described!
Describing My Emotional Journey and Learning Process
When I first booted up Dark Souls, I was unprepared for the unforgiving old-school challenge that awaited. The Asylum Demon crushed me on my first attempt. The Taurus Demon batted me off that tower more times than I can remember.
I rage-quit after getting stuck on the Bell Gargoyles and didn‘t return for months. When I finally picked it back up, something clicked – I pushed past them and reached Anor Londo for the first time. That sense of accomplishment was euphoric!
But of course, that high was soon replaced by despair as O&S kept sending me back to the bonfire. Slowly but surely, through each death, I learned their patterns, when it was safe to chug Estus, which pillars provided respite.
Finally felling them solo filled me with that same sense of personal triumph I felt ringing those first bells. That cycle of despair and eventual victory only grew with each new zone and beast I encountered on my winding journey.
Now, I almost crave each fresh struggle Dark Souls throws my way. Mastering its challenges provides a satisfaction quite unlike any other game. And my 1,500 deaths mark the long road it took me to git gud enough for that mastery to happen!
Coping with Painful Deaths Through Jolly Cooperation
While I may have eschewed summons for my first disastrous run against O&S, Sunbros have since kept me sane through subsequent playthroughs!
After losing 50,000 hard-earned souls to a surprise Skeleton Wheels ambush in the Catacombs last month, I had to take a long walk to cool off rather than hurl my controller at innocent drywall.
When the rage faded, I returned to carefully reclaim my lost experience – with the friendly phantasm Solaire in tow for emotional support. We crushed those Wheeler skeletons and the Pinwheel they guarded with ease.
I‘ll gladly swallow my pride these days if it means avoiding another rage episode. Between trusty Sunbros and spams of Lloyd‘s Talisman to stop Estus-chugging Black Phantoms, this Undead has learned all the tricks to minimize future deaths!
Final Thoughts on What All Those Deaths Taught Me
When I look back at my estimated 1,500+ deaths across countless playthroughs, I don‘t feel shame or regret. Rather, I‘m filled with nostalgia for all the lessons those "You Died" screens taught me.
Without those lost souls and humanity, I wouldn‘t have learned to carefully survey terrain, lure individual enemies, master parry and riposte timing, or properly stat my builds. Death is the greatest teacher – truer words have never been spoken for Dark Souls!
So while my death tally may be double or triple that of the average player, each life lost represents a small victory on the road towards true mastery of this genre-defining series. Here‘s to thousands more deaths in Elden Ring and beyond!
