Dark Souls 2 - All gifts at a glance

In this practical tip we give you an overview of the various gifts that you will receive in Dark Souls 2 at the start of the game. We'll also tell you their advantages and disadvantages.

Overview: The gifts in Dark Souls 2

If you want to keep your gaming experience fresh, be warned of spoilers. In some places we will deal with items that you will only receive later in the game.

• Nothing: The worst possible choice for beginners. Advanced players can increase the level of difficulty at the start of the game. Real experts and masochists prefer to choose the ascetic beacon as a gift.
• Life ring: The life ring can be very useful for bloody beginners because it increases the life energy by a few points. On the one hand, the effect is not too strong, on the other hand, attentive players will find the same ring after one or two hours. The use of the ring is therefore rather limited.
• Ascetic Beacon: If Dark Souls 2 is not yet difficult enough for you, it is best to choose this gift. The ascetic beacon makes the enemies in the area stronger and more aggressive. It is also useful in the later course of the game to let opponents reappear who will not be revived after a break at the beacon. So you can continue collecting their dropped items. Like most other gifts, the ascetic beacon can be found and bought later.
• Healing substances: With healing substances you can heal various negative status effects such as poisoning or bleeding. This gift is also only conditionally recommended, since corresponding alternatives can be found relatively quickly. This gift, like the life ring, is more for beginners.
• Giant Tree Seed: If you want to better protect yourself from enemy invaders, the Giant Tree Seed could be something for you. With this gift, the opponents in your immediate vicinity fight against the intruder. A nice way to turn the tables. Can be found and bought later.
• Petrified something: You cannot use this gift directly, but you can exchange it for something useful. In the tutorial section "In between" you will discover a nest on a tree. There live (the invisible) Dyna and Tillo. If you put something soft in their nest, such as the petrified something, you will get another random item back.
• Image of man: Rather not recommended. First, you can find these items relatively quickly and regularly in the course of the game (also for sale). Second, you can handle the consumption of human images and the loss of humanity with one trick.
• Home bone: With the home bone you can be teleported from your current position to the beacon of your last rest time-saving and without loss of souls or humanity. This gift is less useful because home bones can be found and bought quite often. You can also find an "old feather" later in the game, with which you can port yourself back unlimited (and also without losses).

Not sure which character class in Dark Souls 2 suits your playing style? We give you an overview, including advantages and disadvantages.