Updated Title Publisher
Updated Title Publisher
Updated Title
Published Title Score Editor's Choice
Published Title Score
Table of Contents
Expand All

We reckon you should either pick the Healing Wares, the Bonfire Ascetic or the Seed of a Tree of Giants. The rest can be found easily enough in-game.

Just like in Dark Souls 1, you can start your adventure with a free gift. Each gift, generally, has a specific purpose and some are definitely better than others when it comes to benefits offered. So let’s take a closer look at each one and see if it’s worth picking or not.

  • Nothing: Start without any freebies ( pointless ).
  • Life Ring: Slightly raises your max HP (pointless as you’ll find this easily in the main game ).
  • Human Effigy: A single Effigy to return to human form ( not worth it as there’s a good amount in-game to be found ).
  • Healing Wares: Start with numerous Lifegems and some Poison Moss ( great pick for those just starting out in the game ).
  • Homeward Bone: Crush it to return to the last bonfire you touched ( more than enough of these can be found in-game - so don’t pick it ).
  • Seed of a Tree of Giants: Turns any AI-controlled creatures into enemies if you’re invaded ( very, very rare in-game but only useful if you like to PvP a lot ).
  • Bonfire Ascetic: Burning this at a bonfire will make enemies in that area much harder to beat (so it treats an area as if you’ve finished the game and come back). Perfect for seasoned players and speedrunners as it also unlocks a lot of New Game + content early - otherwise it’s masochism for anyone else.
  • Petrified Something: Drop it in the bird’s nest in Things Betwixt and greatly increase your odds of receiving a much better item back in return (compared to a small smooth and silky stone for example) - but it’s still complete luck what you ultimately end up with. Can be found in-game so difficult to recommend.
No Comments
Guide Information
  • Publisher
    Bandai Namco Entertainment
  • Platforms,
    PC, PS3, PS4, XB 360, XB One
  • Genre
    Action RPG
  • Guide Release
    5 May 2014
  • Last Updated
    7 December 2020
  • Guide Author
    Andrew Mills

Share this free guide:

You are an Undead, the bearer of a curse, who has gone “hollow” and half mad searching for a cure to restore your humanity. You have arrived in Drangleic, a place rumoured to harbour powerful souls that can help you regain your humanity and avoid this terrible fate. You must seek out these souls and save yourself and others from a fate worse than death itself. But it will not be easy…

  • A full game walkthrough.
  • The main differences between Dark Souls 1 and 2.
  • Keeping the Grim Reaper at bay with our top 10 essential survival tips.
  • An in-depth guide to the most important thing in Dark Souls 2 - the combat.
  • The character builds that saw us sail through the single-player story mode.
  • Learn what the new covenants do (and what you need to do to be able to join them all).
  • All the bosses made easy with helpful HD videos!
  • NPC info and much, much more!

Get a Gamer Guides Premium account: