If you ask ten different people about Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin, you’re going to get twelve different opinions. It's a weird game. Honestly, it’s arguably the most divisive entry in the entire FromSoftware catalog, and that’s saying something for a series built on making players cry. Some people call it a masterpiece of build variety and tactical depth. Others think it’s a "gank-fest" that prioritized difficulty over actual design.
But here’s the thing: the "Scholar" version isn't just a simple GOTY edition with all the DLC tossed in. It's a fundamental remix. It changed enemy placements, item locations, and even added a whole new boss and ending. If you played the original back in 2014 and haven't touched this version, you’re basically looking at a different beast entirely.
What is Scholar of the First Sin anyway?
Basically, it’s the "Director’s Cut" of Dark Souls 2. When the original game launched, it was plagued by rumors of a troubled development. The lighting was downgraded from early trailers, and some areas felt... empty. Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin was FromSoftware’s attempt to fix that vision.
It’s not just a resolution bump. Sure, on PC it moved to DirectX 11, and on PS4 and Xbox One it finally hit 60fps—which makes the combat feel way less "floaty"—but the real meat is in the world changes. They moved the enemies around. Remember that Heide Knight sitting under the tree in the Forest of Fallen Giants? Gone. He’s back in Heide’s Tower of Flame where he actually belongs.
There are also new NPCs like the Forlorn, who can invade you almost anywhere. It makes the world feel alive. Or terrifying. Mostly terrifying.
The Elephant in the Room: The "Gank" Factor
We have to talk about the enemy density. This is the biggest complaint people have. In Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin, the developers really leaned into the "group encounter" philosophy.
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Iron Keep is the prime example. In the original, it was tough. In Scholar? It's a gauntlet. Alonne Knights will spot you from three zip codes away and sprint at you in packs. If you try to run past them to the boss fog, you're going to get poked in the back.
This version of the game demands that you play slow. You've gotta use a bow to pull enemies one by one. You've gotta use the environment. If you try to play this like Bloodborne or Elden Ring, you’re going to have a bad time.
Why the Lore actually matters this time
The original game’s story felt a bit detached from the first Dark Souls. You were just a "Bearer of the Curse" looking for a cure in Drangleic. Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin fixed the narrative glue by adding Aldia.
Who is Aldia?
Aldia is King Vendrick’s brother. He’s the "Scholar" the title refers to. He pops out of bonfires (scaring the absolute life out of you the first time) to wax poetic about the "First Sin"—which, in his eyes, was Lord Gwyn linking the fire and forcing humanity into a cycle of undeath.
He adds a philosophical weight that was missing. He doesn't just want you to sit on the throne. He asks: “There is no path. Beyond the scope of light, beyond the reach of Dark... what could possibly await us?” If you talk to him at all three locations and beat the game, you get a new final boss fight and a new ending where you simply walk away from the throne. It’s the first time a Souls game really explored the idea of "finding a third way" out of the cycle.
Mechanics that still drive people crazy
If you're coming from Elden Ring, there are some things about Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin that will feel broken. They aren't bugs; they're just... weird choices.
- Adaptability (ADP): This is the most controversial stat in history. Your invincibility frames (i-frames) during a roll are tied to a stat called Agility, which you raise primarily through Adaptability. If you don't level this, your character will get hit even when it looks like they dodged. You basically have to "buy" your dodge roll.
- Soul Memory: This was an attempt to stop "twinking" (high-level players prey on newbies). Instead of matching by level, it matches by the total number of souls you've ever collected. Spend 50,000 souls on arrows? Your matchmaking level goes up anyway. It's a mess for long-term co-op.
- Hollowing: Every time you die, your max HP drops by 5%. It caps at 50%. It’s brutal, but it makes every death feel heavy.
Is it actually better than the original?
It depends on what you value.
The original version (often called "Vanilla") is generally considered a bit easier because there are fewer enemies. However, Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin includes all three DLCs—Crown of the Sunken King, Old Iron King, and Ivory King—integrated naturally into the world. You have to find the keys yourself now; they aren't just handed to you at the start.
And honestly? Those DLCs are the best content FromSoftware has ever made. Brume Tower and Eleum Loyce are masterclasses in level design. They make the base game look like a warm-up.
Performance and Visuals
On modern hardware, Scholar is the way to go.
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- PC: The DX11 upgrade brings better lighting and shadows. It's much moodier.
- Consoles: 60fps is a game-changer. Playing Souls at 30fps feels like wading through jam once you’ve seen the alternative.
- Durability: Funny enough, the 60fps bump originally caused weapons to break twice as fast because durability was tied to frame rates. They patched it eventually, but it's a legendary bit of DS2 jank.
Don't listen to the haters—just play it
Look, Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin is the black sheep for a reason. It’s experimental. It’s got a "B-Team" reputation because Hidetaka Miyazaki wasn't the director. But it also has things the other games don't.
It has Power Stancing (dual-wielding massive weapons). It has the best fashion (Fashion Souls is real). It has a world that feels vast and dreamlike, even if the geography doesn't always make sense—like taking an elevator up from a windmill into a volcano.
If you want to actually enjoy your time in Drangleic, here is how you handle it:
- Level ADP immediately. Aim for 20-25 to get your Agility to around 99 or 100. This makes the game feel "normal."
- Carry a bow. Always. You need to thin out the mobs.
- Look for the Ring of Binding. It’s in a chest in Heide’s Tower of Flame. It limits your health loss from hollowing to 75% instead of 50%. It’s basically mandatory for a first run.
- Don't join the Covenant of Champions. There's a rock in Majula. If you join the covenant there, the game turns on "Hard Mode." No co-op, enemies have more health, and they hit harder. New players do this by accident all the time and wonder why the game is impossible.
Pick up the Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin edition on your platform of choice and take your time. Don't rush. The game is designed to punish impatience more than anything else.
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If you're looking for more specific help, you might want to look into how to reach the DLC areas, as the keys are hidden in some pretty obscure spots like the bottom of a pit or behind a door in a dark ravine.