3. Level Up Dark Souls II Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
From this chapter, you will learn how to do the most important thing in the game, i.e. to level up. Here, you will find information that concern the requirements that you need to meet, and also where to go to do that. Also, you will also learn about the way and the system of leveling up and investing into specific statistics. Also, you will find here information on how to obtain souls, which are necessary for you to get promoted, and how to prevent losing them.
You can raise your character's experience level at Emerald Herald's, who can be found around the bonfire in Majula. To do that, you need to start a conversation with her and select the Level Up option.
To raise your character's experience level, you need souls. You can obtain them in two ways. The first one is defeating the enemies. For each opponent that you defeat, you receive a certain amount of souls. The stronger the enemy, the more souls you receive. At the beginning of the game, you may find the Covetous Silver Serpent Ring, whose effect is that you receive more souls from each enemy that dies by falling from height. The most souls that you receive is from bosses.
The second way is to consume the souls that you find. Depending on what type of soul you find, you receive a certain amount of points. It is best to consume such souls right before you level up, because it would be a pity to lose them by dying. You receive a similar type of souls by killing a boss, but it is better to save them up for later, when you will get the opportunity to forge them into special weapons.
All of the souls, which you not yet managed to use up, can be lost after dying. Once you die, all of the points, which you have so far amassed, disappear. Of course, you can retrieve them. When you go back to the place where you have died, above the ground, you will notice a mist. Watch out however, while going to that location, because you can only retrieve those of the souls, which you have lost with the most recent death, all the other ones are lost forever. If you, e.g. fall into a chasm, the mist usually appears at the edge of the bridge or the chasm, where the accident happened. At the moment, at which you have gathered a considerable number of souls, and you are afraid that you might lose them, you can use the Homeward Bone, which takes you to the bonfire that you have most recently visited.
The higher the level of your character, which you are interested in, the more souls you need at a given moment. For example, to reach level 62, you need a total of 6031 souls. Raising any statistic by a point, results in raising the character's level by one. For example, if you raise Dexterity by three points and Endurance by two, your character's level increases by five. Rolling over a statistic, displays parameters, on the panel to the right, which will be increased thanks to the promotion.