Tools of the trade
Before starting your SL802 run, ensure your character is Hollowed and remains Hollowed throughout the run. The main reason is that your character must be Hollowed in order to level up 5 times with Yoel in each NG cycle. Consider being at under 30% weight ratio to allow your character to move as quickly as possible. One way to get past enemies as quickly as possible is to cast Hidden Body and/or equip the Slumbering Dragoncrest Ring. Another way is to perform the Ring of Favor glitch to dash without depleting your Stamina bar:
Ring Of Favour Glitch V2 - Infinite Stamina
As you're sprinting to the boss arena, equip gradual healing items to restore some HP on your way. For example, equip a Blessed infused Caestus+10 in the left hand and the Sun Princess Ring. Some routes require you to jump off steep cliffs or from high places. Use the Silvercat Ring to negate any fall damage. Another trick to help you save some time is to backup your save file "DS30000.sl2" before you fight a boss. If your character dies during the fight, reload the backup and try again without having to sprint to the boss arena. Refer to these for how to backup and restore your save file. If you delete an old backup, ensure the file is moved to your Recycle Bin instead of being permanently deleted.
https://steamcommunity.com/app/374320/discussions/0/2152098843861775918/
How To Back Up Your Save (Followed By Invasions!) Dark Souls 3
For controller players, learn to use a claw grip to help you navigate your inventory while walking/dashing.
Dark Souls: Controller tutorial
How To Use XB1 Controller For Speedrunning Souls Games
Consider using spells or items to buff your damage output. The most useful spells are Sacred Oath and Deep Protection, but if you don't have Sacred Oath you can use the weapon art of the Sunlight Straight Sword. After killing a boss, quickly equip these items for extra souls: Mendicant's Staff, Shield of Want, Symbol of Avarice, and Silver Serpent Ring+3. Just before you start fighting a boss, if your weight ratio is over 30%, you might as well equip 1 or 2 soul boosting items to save some time. Generally, you should have a fire and lightning weapon ready to hit some enemies that block your path en route to a boss. My weapons of choice for this case are the Chaos and Lightning infused Lothric Knight Swords+10. An un-infused Lothric Knight Sword+10 also works, but you must buff it with Charcoal/Gold Pine Bundle to quickly dispatch of any enemies that block your way. Alluring Skulls are also effective at distracting most enemies, allowing you to sprint past them. Swamp areas tend to slow you down and make you fat roll. Two-handing a dagger and performing the weapon art would allow you to quickly traverse a swamp area. Furthermore, your character should have all items necessary to help you defeat bosses as quickly as possible. If you don't know which items you would need, collect all items in the game or ask another player to drop you items that you're missing. Note that spells and boss souls cannot be traded between players. Refer to this page for which items can be traded:
https://darksouls3.wiki.fextralife.com/Player+Trade
Also refer to wiki sites
- https://darksouls.fandom.com/wiki/Dark_Souls_III
- https://darksouls3.wiki.fextralife.com/Dark+Souls+3+Wiki
- http://darksouls3.wikidot.com/
or youtube videos for strategies to fight bosses:
Dark Souls 3 NG+7 Speed Run 58:37(no glitch, no skip)
Dark Souls 3 - NG+100 Challenge Run Complete World First
World Record First Legit Dark Souls 3 Completion of Journey 999
Some bosses can be cheesed with the weapon art of the Millwood Greatbow. This weapon requires the following ammunition:
Dragonslayer Greatarrow
Dragonslayer Lightning Arrow
https://darksouls.fandom.com/wiki/Dragonslayer_Lightning_Arrow
Onislayer Greatarrow
Millwood Greatarrow
If you want to use the glitch, ensure you have 600+99 of each type of great arrows: 600 in your storage and 99 in carry. After depleting your supply of great arrows, get to the Cleansing Chapel bonfire as quickly as possible, talk with Gael and accept his offer, be transported to the Ashes of Ariandel DLC, light the first bonfire, and suicide run to the tower with Millwood Knights to grab the Captain's Ashes. Give the Ashes to the Shrine Handmaid and you would be able to purchase Millwood Greatarrows. These videos show how the Millwood Greatbow glitch works:
Killing bosses from outside the room ( Millwood Greatbow glitch ) Part 1
Millwood Greatbow glitch part 2 ( Halflight, Cinder... ) boss cheese
If you plan on using sorcery, miracle, and/or pyromancy to fight most or all bosses, consider allocating your (Ashen) Estus Flasks. I find that an Estus Flask to Ashen Estus Flask ratio of 6:9 is a nice balance between the number of heals I want and the number of times I need to cast spells.
Here's a strategy to save some time when you offer the Cinders of a Lord at Firelink Shrine. Offer the Cinder of a Lord at the throne of the Twin Princes. As you run and descend to the throne of the Abyss Watchers, spam the interact button. If you do it right, the Cinder should be offered at the throne of the Abyss Watchers while you're running to the throne of Yhorm. Offer all four Cinders of a Lord and interact with the bonfire to be transported to Flameless Firelink Shrine. Once there, use a Homeward Bone and return to the last bonfire rested at, which should take you to the Kiln of the First Flame.
