Dark Souls 2 offers the best weapon and build diversity compared to other games in the series

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1

From my perspective, DS2 stands out as having superior balance across different playstyles and equipment choices.

What makes this game special is how virtually any piece of gear can work effectively in PvE and PvP scenarios. Weapons that are usually considered joke options in the first and third games actually perform well here.

Take crossbows as an example - they fire quicker, reload automatically, allow movement while aiming, and deal respectable damage. This makes ranged combat actually enjoyable instead of clunky like in other entries.

Whips, claws, and other unconventional weapons also feel genuinely viable rather than being pure novelty picks. The damage scaling seems more consistent across weapon categories.

Another factor might be the increased soul gain and higher level caps, which let you experiment with hybrid builds more easily. You can invest points into multiple stats without feeling completely gimped.

Does anyone else feel this way about DS2’s equipment balance? Or do you think one of the other games handles build variety better?

2

Dual wielding daggers was surprisingly effective in DS2. The poison builds actually worked well too which caught me off guard since poison is usually terrible in these games.

3

The higher soul memory system definitely helped with experimentation since you could afford to mess around with stats more freely.

4

Whips were actually fun to use in DS2 which is saying something. Most games make them feel like you’re tickling enemies but they had decent reach and damage there.

5

Crossbows in DS2 are great. They seem fun and actually work in combat, not just as a backup.

6

Totally agree about the balance thing. I remember doing a pure faith build in DS2 and actually feeling useful throughout the whole game. Lightning spears weren’t completely nerfed yet and you had tons of spell variety. In DS3 I tried the same thing and it felt like I was struggling just to keep up with basic enemies until way later in the game.

7

I agree, DS2 really nailed the weapon variety. The powerstance feature let you mix and match in a way that felt surprisingly effective. I loved being able to dual-wield odd combos like a sword and a mace. Magic builds had a solid presence too, unlike in DS1 where they could tank. Sure, the level design had its flaws, but the freedom to craft builds was definitely one of the best parts of the game.

8

Powerstance was a game changer for build creativity. Surprised they didn’t bring it back in the later games.