In What Order Should I Play Dark Souls 2 DLC?
Greetings, fellow cursed one! As an avid fan who has replayed Dark Souls 2 countless times, I‘m here to illuminate the path through Drangleic‘s harrowing yet captivating downloadable adventures. Should one brave the maddening iron peaks, plunge into flooded ruins, or match wits with the Ivory King? Read on for guidance from one undead to another!
Introducing the Lost Crowns Trilogy
Dark Souls 2‘s DLC unfolds across three chapters known as The Lost Crowns trilogy. Each sends you into fallen kingdoms linked to the cursed land of Drangleic to retrieve the mystical Crowns that forestall hollowing. But in which order is best to recover these crowns? Let‘s examine what awaits you:
Crown of the Sunken King
Crown of the Old Iron King
Crown of the Ivory King
Crown of the Sunken King Breakdown
This was the first DLC released. You‘ll delve into the submerged Sanctum City, discovering deadly sorceries and a battle with the everlasting dragon Sinh, the Slumbering Dragon.
Features
- Poison-themed area enemies and traps
- Puzzles and hidden secret passages
- Unique ultra greatsword and hex rewards
- Mid-difficulty bosses, Sonh considered toughest
Recommended Level: 80-100
Time to Beat: 3 hours (completionist)
With serpentine tunnels and toxic locales, the Sunken Crown makes for a challenging opening chapter. Let‘s see how it compares to the next fiery land.
Crown of the Old Iron King Breakdown
Here a grim kingdom of iron and brimstone awaits below the Iron Keep, ruled by a steel warrior king now lost to chaos. The highlight is a duel with nightmarish Fume Knight.
Features
- Fire and molten metal level theme
- Highly challenging areas and bosses
- Forlorn armor set and new weapons
- Few shortcuts or co-op summoning help
Recommended Level: 90-120
Time to Beat: 4 hours (completionist)
As you can see, the Old Iron Crown is geared towards seasoned players. Only the bold need proceed to its supreme test against the Fume Knight! Now let‘s examine a more mystical crown.
| DLC | Environment | Difficulty | Time to Beat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunken King | Flooded Ruins | Mid | 3 hours |
| Old Iron King | Fire & Iron | Very High | 4 hours |
Crown of the Ivory King Breakdown
Lastly we have Eleum Loyce, a frozen city concealing sacrifices to an enigmatic Ivory King. This encapsulates a sense of tragic nobility unique among Souls tales.
Features:
- Snowy, cathedral-like level design
- Iconic boss fights with tigers and the Ivory warriors
- More co-op and NPC summon options
- New Loyce Knight armor and greatsword trophy
Recommended Level: 100+
Time to Beat: 4 hours
So there you have it! Based on the above, the Sunken Crown is the easiest start while the remaining ancient crowns offer their own formidable challenges. Now on to my recommended order!
After much crawling through fallen kingdoms myself, I‘ve concluded the most logical progression is:
- Crown of the Sunken King
- Crown of the Ivory King
- Crown of the Old Iron King
Begin with the Sunken Crown to get your feet wet. The Ivory Crown lets you build skills before the harrowing Old Iron trial. Furthermore, the grand boss fights of other DLCs make fitting end cap challenges to overcome after all other crowns are claimed!
So don your galvanized armor, brave Ashen One! If the twisting dark of Drangleic has not broken your spirit yet, march proudly into its buried past and reclaim the hallowed Crowns. This is your destiny and, indeed, our curse!
Let me know if you have any other questions about traversing the perilous lands of Dark Souls 2. Good luck out there, my friend!
