Tips & Tricks — Dark Souls: Remastered

Tips and tricks for Dark Souls: Remastered.

1.Core Tactics

Learn to parry: Press LT at just the right time; when the sound effect plays, press RB to riposte for heavy damage. Almost any humanoid enemy can be parried; once mastered even Black Knights aren't scary.
Level up: Normal enemies respawn endlessly; you can grind souls and get powerful enough to get through a difficult area.
Farm humanity: Humanity gives a full heal and is used to upgrade your Estus and kindle bonfires. Until you kill Pinwheel the most Estus you can have is 10. Rats in the Depths drop plenty of Humanity.
Learn to dodge: The dodge button is everything; with light armor you get more invincibility frames. Dodge through unblockable attacks, then follow up with a dodge attack.
Magic: If you're struggling, try a sorcery build; sorceries do high damage and are easy to come across.

Builds: Unless you're level 300+ you can't be an all-rounder; focus early. If new, put lots of levels into vitality (it determines HP). Once experienced you can try a second/third playthrough with less HP.
Invasions: Don't run — it shows the invader you're afraid and makes them more aggressive. Face them, and bow if far enough; most invaders only want a fight. If you both bow it's a duel: no drinking Estus, no phantoms helping, no cheesing (chain backstabs, parry spam, etc.).
PvP Covenants: Grey-eye signs and black-glowing white signs on the floor are PvP covenant summons; grey eyes are ideal for PvP experience (like an invasion but you decide when and where you fight).

Pure Dexterity (SL 122): DEX 45, END 48, VIT 45, STR 20. Wield the Balder Side Sword or Uchigatana (bleed damage); alternatively the Great Scythe, which scales strongly with DEX. For ranged, the Longbow or Black Bow of Pharis. Elite Knight armor gives good poise-to-weight; the Grass Crest Shield boosts stamina regen even on your back.
Pure Sorcery/Magic (SL 124): INT 45, ATT 50, DEX 45, STR 16, VIT 15, END 15. STR 16 lets you wield the Moonlight Greatsword, which scales with INT; in your main hand use Logan's Catalyst or the Crystal Catalyst. Crown of Dusk + Dragoncrest Ring increase damage; for light armor use the Xanthous Set.

You need the Master Key as your starting gift; no strong weapon required, just knowing how to roll. Havel's Ring boosts maximum equip load by 50%.

Outside the Taurus Demon boss building, use the Master Key to unlock the door in front of you; of the three floors below, Havel is on the bottom one.
Go down two floors so you're one floor from Havel; make sure you can fast roll.
Once you have Havel's aggro, wait at the top of the stairs; when he starts to swing his Dragon Tooth, roll off the top of the stairs. He follows you off, hits the ground and takes fall damage. Run back to the top and repeat 10 times until he dies.