How To Level Up In Demon Souls

Demon Souls is a role-playing action video game for the Playstation, most recently the Playstation 5. You create a customizable character who is an adventurer. Your goal is to defeat enemies to gain souls, which are used as in-game currency. You can exchange them for items and attributes to improve your stats and use them to level up. But how do you level up in Demon Souls? If you are new to the game, then this guide will help you. 

How Do You Level Up? 

Many people don’t realize that to start leveling up in Demon Souls. You need to defeat the first boss. You could spend a few hours playing the game and not come across the boss if you don’t know where to find them. Only after you have defeated the first boss can you start using souls as currency to level up. 

Defeating The First Boss 

When you start the game, you will begin in an area called the Boletarian Palace. It’s sort of like a tutorial area where you can get used to the controls and the gameplay. You will need to spend some time in this area completing the level before your character can open the large gate that you see at the beginning.

You can only pass through and find the boss when you open this gate. As you make your way through the level, you will need to kill enemies, avoid a fire-breathing dragon, and collect any useful items that you find. Keep an eye out for fire bombs and pine resin, as they will be very helpful when it comes to defeating the boss. 

Completing The First Level 

If you want to complete the first level as quickly as possible, this is what you need to do: 

• Take the left path towards the castle and keep going left until you reach the stairs. 
• Go up the stairs and through the door, avoiding the hole in the ground. 
• Follow the path until you are back outside on the castle walls. 
• Go through the fog door and halfway down the stairs to the platform. 
• Take the platform outside and cut the two chains to open the shortcut door. You may need this later if you die. 
• Go back through the fog door and look for the stairs going up. 
• At the top of the stairs, go through another fog door and look for the large wooden object. 
• Attack the object to release the logs, killing multiple enemies at once. 
• Continue towards the bridge, where there will be a dragon. Carefully time your run across the bridge to avoid the dragon, and don’t stop running until you are back inside. 
• Once you are inside, you will see a lever that will open the large gate, triggering a cut scene. 

Finding The Boss 

Once the gate is open, you will need to go down the stairs to the ground level, where you will find a lever. Pulling the lever reveals a shortcut that will take you through a misty door to the Phalanx, the first boss. The enemies in this section are vulnerable to fire, so you must use your fire bombs.

You can also use the pine resin to add fire damage to other weapons. Target the hoplites first, the little blob monsters with shields. This will leave the Phalanx unprotected and easier to defeat. 

Claiming The Soul 

Once you have defeated the Phalanx, you must claim the soul before leveling up. Look for the archstone and touch it to claim the soul of the demon you just killed. You will then need to return the Nexus, the hub area that you saw at the beginning of the game. 

There are different characters that you can talk to in the hub. You need to find the black maiden. She is the person who can exchange your souls as currency to level up your character. The black maiden can usually be found around the Middle of Nexus near the large pool of water. She will never be far away from the archstones. 

When you find the black maiden, she will tell you to speak to the demon souls monument first. This is because it is your first time leveling up. Once you have done this, the four archstones that were previously locked will be unlocked. You can then return to the black maiden. 

Exchanging The Soul To Level Up 

When you return to the black maiden, she will give you two items. She will then ask if you want to seek soul power. Select yes. This will take you to the level-up screen. From this screen, you can see the current level of your character and their stats. You can also see how many souls you need to reach the various levels.

You can also see how improving different attributes will impact your overall stats. Once you have enough souls, you can exchange them for various attributes and watch your stats improve and your level rise. Hit the confirm button to spend your souls. In the future, when you approach the black maiden, you can ask her to seek sole power to access this menu. 

Things To Remember 

If you haven’t played Demon Souls before, then here are a few things to remember:

Get Used To Losing Souls

Every time you die, you lose the souls you were carrying that had not yet been exchanged. You can return to the area to get them, but if you leave the area or die again before you reach your body, then you lose that chance. It can be frustrating, but it makes the game more challenging and fun. 

Look For Shortcuts

You will need to keep returning to archstone portals to exchange your souls. Keeping an eye out for shortcuts in the game will make this much easier. Hidden levers, ladders, and secret doorways are scattered throughout the game, so don’t forget to keep an eye out. 

Monitor Your Inventory

You cannot carry an unlimited amount of items in this game. Make sure you aren’t carrying an excessive amount, or you won’t be able to pick up new items. 

Summary 

With this guide, you can quickly figure out how to level up for the first time and get on with playing the game and improving your stats.