The Dark Souls franchise can be a very unwelcoming host. Although all of the tools are there for success, not everyone has the patience to truck through all of the horrors that await, or cope with bundles of lost experience points. But fear not -- you can make it with some help.

[Warning: this guide contains light, non-story related spoilers regarding some of the early events in the game.]

In addition to the spoiler warning, I really have to start with this caveat: I strongly encourage you to play as much as possible without the use of any reference materials, as part of the allure of these games is to discover and conquer everything on your own. That said, I'd rather bring people into the game than push them away by leaving them to their own frustration, so here are some strategies to help take some of the edge off your frustration.