The Lost Bastille & Belfry Luna

Start from the Tower Apart bonfire. Grab the Dull Ember from an iron chest. You will give the Dull Ember to Steady Hand McDuff to allow him to infuse weapons with elemental stones. Your immediate objective is to locate Lucatiel, who can be found inside a tower propping her back against the wall. Exhaust her dialogue to advance her quest line. Your second, but more important, objective is to unlock the services of McDuff, a blacksmith who can infuse weapons and sells an unlimited amount of Large Titanite Shards. You should have Fragrant Branch of Yore x 2 in your inventory: one to open a path to the area boss and the other for unlocking a merchant. Melentia sells a Fragrant Branch for 12,000 souls and you should have collected a Fragrant Branch at No-man's Wharf.

12. The Lost Bastille, Dark Souls II: SotFS

Within the room where you find a Royal Swordsman and Stray Hound x 3, a door leads to a treasure chest. Running to the chest would cause the Pursuer to spawn. Defeat the Pursuer to obtain a Twinkling Titanite. The treasure chest contains three items, one of which is a Fragrant Branch of Yore. You require one Fragrant Branch to open the passage to the area boss.

Find your way to McDuff's workshop. Use a gun powder barrel to blow a hole in a wall near McDuff's workshop. Light the McDuff's Workshop bonfire, then light the sconce inside McDuff's workshop. Exhaust McDuff's dialogue, give him the Dull Ember, rest at the bonfire, and he should start hammering away at his workshop. Complete the above tasks as soon as possible because you will need McDuff to infuse some weapons for you. Upgrade the Rapier to +6. If possible, upgrade your main weapon and the Tower Shield to +6 as well.

Notable loots:

• Large Titanite Shard x 4. One is found on a ledge above the area where the Pursuer spawns, near the Tower Apart bonfire. The second is on a corpse inside the tower where Lucatiel is located. Two are in a chest at McDuff's workshop.
• Titanite Shard x 5. Found in a chest at McDuff's workshop.
• Antiquated Key. Found inside a chest near Lucatiel.
• Gold Pine Resin. On a corpse, behind the Undead Jailer who stands next to a gun powder barrel. Use this barrel to blow a hole in the wall near McDuff's workshop.
• Alluring Skull. Random drop from the Undead Citizens found near Straid's Cell bonfire. Ten Alluring Skulls can be purchased from Sweet Shalquoir. Stock up on Alluring Skulls as preparation for two later boss fights.
• Rusted Coin. Random drop from the Bell Keepers at Belfry Luna. This consumable is useful whenever you want to farm for rare items. The effect of Rusted Coin stacks with the effect of the Watchdragon Parma. In fact, you should equip the Watchdragon Parma while you farm Rusted Coins from the Bell Keepers.
• Fragrant Branch of Yore x 2.
• Elizabeth Mushroom.

Backtrack to the area where Royal Soldier x 2 stand near a bunch of barrels. Defeat the Royal Soldiers and unpetrify the statue blocking an iron door. An ambush awaits within. Dispatch of all Royal Soldiers within the room, then head for the boss arena.

Ruin Sentinels

This is a gank boss. Use any weapon you are comfortable with, but buff your weapon with lightning or any elemental Pine Resin you have at hand. Consider using the Tower Shield to block an attack. Summon one NPC phantom, preferably Felicia the Brave, to help you distract at least one of the three Ruin Sentinels. Take down the first Ruin Sentinel as quickly as possible. Once other Sentinels arrive, your NPC phantom(s) would most likely not survive the fight.

13. Rescue Straid, Dark Souls II: SotFS

Defeat the Ruin Sentinels and light the Servants' Quarters bonfire, but don't descend the nearby ladder yet. Open a nearby door and look for the Bastille Key. You will need this key to increase visibility during an upcoming fight. Navigate to the cell of Straid of Olaphis. One Fragrant Branch of Yore is required to unpetrify Straid and allow you access to the bonfire behind him. Straid is a merchant who can transform boss souls into weapons. Unpetrify him and exhaust his dialogue. Have the Dragonrider Soul in your inventory and at least 1,500 souls. Trade the Dragonrider Soul with Straid for the Dragonrider Bow. Ensure you have at least 20 Strength and 18 Dexterity to properly wield the Dragonrider Bow because we will take this bow to end game.

Now start from the Exile Holding Cells bonfire and make your way to Straid again. Near the Exile Holding Cells bonfire is a courtyard guarded by a number of enemies, including Stray Hounds. Don't jump down to the courtyard. Instead, use a ranged weapon to dispatch of all nearby enemies including those on raised platforms and as many Stray Hounds as you can. Dropping down to the courtyard would trigger the Pursuer to spawn. Defeat the Pursuer to obtain a Twinkling Titanite, then explore the area for an Estus Flask Shard and open a shortcut to McDuff's workshop. The Pursuer will spawn again at a location outside of a room filled with Undead Citizens. The location can only be accessed by removing an illusory wall. Defeat the Pursuer, grab the Twinkling Titanite, and collect the Bracing Knuckle Ring. Equip the ring to slow the degradation of your equipment. At the moment, you can't purchase an unlimited amount of Repair Powder. The Bracing Knuckle Ring serves as a viable alternative to, but not a replacement for, Repair Powder.

14. Belfry Luna, Dark Souls II: SotFS

Have a Pharros' Lockstone in your inventory to allow you access to Belfry Luna. A Lockstone can be found in the Pit at Majula. Descending the Pit can be fatal as the steep fall can kill your character. Purchase the Silvercat Ring from Sweet Shalquoir for 13,400 souls. Equip the ring and aim to fall on the ramps. Chug your Estus Flask as necessary. Grab the Pharros' Lockstone on one of the ramps and light the Harval's Resting Place bonfire. You will need this bonfire later on to explore the Grave of Saints.

Start from the Servants' Quarters bonfire and descend the nearby ladder. You will encounter the Pursuer again. Defeat the Pursuer, grab a Twinkling Titanite, and insert a Pharros Lockstone into a Pharros contraption to reveal the path to Belfry Luna. The Bell Keeper of Alken sits near the door to Belfry Luna. Exhaust his dialogue, but don't join his covenant at the moment. Belfry Luna is a PvP hot spot. To prevent other players from regularly harassing you, consider playing offline while exploring Belfry Luna. Ascend to the top level of Belfry Luna, pull a lever to ring a bell, and the gate to the area boss would open.

Belfry Gargoyles

This is another gank boss. You must quickly defeat each gargoyle. The longer you drag the fight out, the more gargoyles would join the fight. It's possible to be ganked by three or more gargoyles at once. The gargoyles are weak against magic. Buff your weapon with Aromatic Ooze or any elemental Pine Resin you have. Summon Masterless Glencour to help you distract at least one gargoyle.

15. Sinner's Rise, Dark Souls II: SotFS

Before you fight The Lost Sinner, purchase all Brightbugs from Melentia. Using a Brightbug would boost your damage output by 20% while decreasing the damage you take by 20%. Note that you can only use a Brightbug if you fight a boss solo. Having a summoned phantom or a shade around would prevent you from using a Brightbug.

The Lost Sinner

This boss is weak against magic. Use any weapon you are comfortable with, preferably a fast weapon such as a straight sword or a rapier. To advance Lucatiel's quest line, summon Lucatiel to help you distract the boss. Also summon Sellsword Luet to maximize the chance of Lucatiel surviving the fight. This should be the second time that Lucatiel helps you against a boss.

Defeat The Lost Sinner, light a Primal Bonfire, and purchase all Brightbugs from Melentia.