The systems present in Demon's Souls are so deep, you can beat the game multiple times without ever realizing some of the things you are able to do. That is all a part of the magic, however, since the game is beatable regardless of what play style you choose.
Even if you have beaten the original 2009 classic or the PS5 launch title remade by Bluepoint Games several times over, some of the tips below will make your next play through infinitely more manageable. If you know all of these well, then congratulate yourself on your mastery of FromSoftware's classic action-RPG.
10 Farming At The Fourth Archstone
Everyone knows about farming souls by killing the Reaper at the beginning of 4-2 over and over again - something easier to do as a mage or archer - but there is an even juicer spot for souls in the same Archstone. After beating the last boss of this area, the Storm King, the Storm Beast enemies still spawn in the area. You can easily destroy these pests with the Storm Ruler, the weapon you use to defeat Storm King. With the Ring of Avarice equipped you can earn well over 100,000 souls in a matter of minutes.
9 Shortcut In 4-1
Many may not realize this, but there is a shortcut in 4-1 which helps you bypass most of the stage and head directly to the boss. Head to gate where two archers rain arrows on you and go to the staircase opposite of where you came. From the top of this staircase you can roll over the edge and make it over the wall, falling where the Regenerator's Ring is waiting to be picked up. From here there is a path leading directly to the Adjudicator.
8 Farming Certain Upgrades
Weapons are upgraded using a variety of materials. Unfortunately, many of these materials are only in a specific area. This means you'll have to know where to farm upgrades in order to get the most out of your weapons. Look here for a more extensive guide on where to get upgrade materials. In the meantime, you can rest easy knowing some of the upgrade materials can be bought from the filthy merchant in 2-1 and 2-2.
7 Finding King Doran Early
If you play the game in an optimal way, odds are Ostrava of Boletaria will live up until the end of the Boletaria Palace, only dying and giving you the Mausoleum Key before the King Allant boss fight. However, if you want to do this quest line earlier, it is wholly possible to have him die earlier in the game. It is the easiest to do in 1-3, especially when there are three Red Eye Knights chasing you. He does not stand a chance against them, giving you the opportunity to take the key from his body, go back to 1-1 and open the door, finding the King Doran and earning the special weapon.
6 Making The Old Monk Fight Easier
The Old Monk is not just a regular bout; the game actually summons another player through the power of the Internet to take you on. Depending on the other players' skills, you might be in for a rough time as you continually load and search for another opponent after each death.
However, there is a simple way around this problem; disconnect from the Internet. Maybe it is cheesing the game, but we won't judge you for playing the way you want as long as you are having a good time and not hacking an online multiplayer match.
5 Shortcut In 2-2
The Stonefang Tunnel is quite the maze, even when compared to the other levels of the game. Fortunately, there is a simple shortcut at the very start of 2-2 which bypasses the entire area. After heading down the first hallway, take a right and go straight. There is a seemingly bottomless pit, but you can descend safely by jumping down the wooden scaffoldings. Once at the bottom Rock Worms will appear, but you can run past these. There are two tunnels here, and you'll know you went through the right one if a fog door is to your right at the end.
4 Where To Buy The Cheapest Materials
Since Estus Flasks are non-existent here, you'll probably find yourself buying more materials than in other FromSoftware titles. For health items, you are best served purchasing Grasses from Patches the Hyena once he is in the Nexus. He is found in 2-2 and 4-2. For Spices, you should find the Once Royal Mistress, who is in 3-1 waiting in one of the prison cells on the fourth floor. Once you are close to her, you will hear her singing, making the merchant easier to find.
3 Make The Penetrator Boss Way Easier
The Penetrator Boss of 1-3 is tough, but it is made a complete cakewalk if you first save Biorr. One of the Officials in 1-3 drops a key which opens a door right before the Tower Knight boss room.
In this dungeon below is Biorr, donning a beautiful suit or armor reminiscent of Goldar from The Power Rangers. Enter the boss after saving him and Biorr will come and aid you in the battle. He cannot defeat Penetrator by himself, but he does major damage.
2 Don't Fight The Bosses Right Away
While super skilled players can probably take on most of the bosses right away, most are best served waiting a little while before taking them on. To make the play through easier, we would recommend accessing the shortcut to the boss, but not actually taking on the beast. Instead, find the shortcut to the next Archstone, only going back afterwards when the character is beefed up a little more. Do this, and you will be more than prepared for each boss you take on.
1 Seeing How Leveling Up Affects Weapons
If you are unsure whether Strength or Dexterity will increase your weapon's damage, there is an easy way to find out. At the menu for leveling up you can see the damage of both right and left-handed weapons. Before confirming a level up you can see the effect it will have on your stats. You can do this to test out which weapons are or aren't scaled to which stat. This goes a long way towards the most efficient path for leveling up.