Ok it's been awhile since I've played Demon's Souls, but I'm going back to it today. So far I'm a lvl 30 Knight and I still have the same armor on since the start of the game; I've defeated the armor spider and I'm stuck on 2-2 because I keep falling down all the goddamn time I try to clear it >_>. Btw, the steel shield and the Winged Spear are my best friends in that lvl (Saved me from dying in the spider boss fight; I want a Purple Flame Shield, but the damn dragon won't let me get it ;_;.).

@Darkheaven63

Do you have the Compoud Long Bow from 1-2? Go and buy yourself 150 arrows, position yourself on the first tower after the first dragon passing and snipe him from there. With 150 you'll kill him in about 15-20 minutes.

Afterwards get the Purple Flame Shield, and upgrade it as soon as you can to +5. It's the best 100% damage reduction shield in the game with a good Guard Reduction % to weight Ratio.

On NG+ now...i want to get the platinum, but theres just so many different things to do...and changing white/black world/character tendincies seems difficult...

Anyway, every now and then I have red smoke coming from my head....does anyone know what that means? It seems somewhat dependent on what I have equipped, though I haven't figured out which cause it for sure yet....

@epicurean

That happens when you have the Ring of Avarice equipped. You're gaining 20% extra souls, but you become a beacon for the enemies, so the overall hostility towards your character increases.

Platinum can only be achieved on NG+++ since some Demon's Souls from bosses have four different uses.

I don't have the long version, but I have the short one. I'll have to look for it. I held that part off b/c I wanted to get the lava bow do the job. But I would have to kill flamelurker >_>....

@darkhaven63

I'm sorry, it's the short version that you get on 1-2 xD my bad.

The Lava Bow won't make a difference against both Red Dragon and Blue Dragon, since they are immune to fire damage. You should be going for both the Lava Bow and a Sticky Compound Bow +5 if you are doing a dexterity build, if not, White Bow will do fine.

Hmmm...I do use the ring of avarice a lot, but it doesn't seem to ALWAYS give me that red flame.  I noticed it for the first time on my NG+ yesterday, and I'm over half way through it (I also noticed it once or twice on the first game...primarily during the Shrine of Storms missions). 

Planning on going through the game many, many times, so I'm not worried about the Souls for the different spells/miracles.  More the rings/weapons you have to get in certain world tendenices.  And farming to some extent, but I'm really not even close to worrying about that yet....:)

Did start farming souls like crazy last night though with the ring of avarice and soul sucker by going backwards on 3-3.  My strength is finally high enough to equip any weapon now.....just need to work on dexterity next (started out primarily as a magic user).

Darkhaven is your PSN ?
i'd add you and help you out, i haven't played it for awhile but my character is skilled at long range.

The effect only appears if you don't have any other ring or equipment that gives you an "Aura" effect, like the Adjucator Shield, the Eternal King Ring or the Thief's Ring.

I'm still at NG+ as well, started as a Knight, and still have to work on both my Magic and Intelligence stats to use Soulsucker properly. I have enought Strenght and Vitality to wear anything and not causing burden to my character (Ring of Great Strenght helps too). My main setup is Meat Cleaver with Ancient King armor set, Ring of Great Strength and Eternal King Ring (I'm always on soul form to properly influentiate the World Tendencies, I only have to get the PB WT events now).

I'm a heavy long range user as well, my Dexterity is at 35, a Sticky Compound Long Bow + 5 = Pure ownage.

I'm almost through the NG+ now, so its probably too late, but how do you influence your WTs?  And character tendencies?  Are there any good ways of doing it without playing online?  I can go that route, but I haven't yet, other than getting invaded.  And I'm absolutely HORRIBLE in PvP...the Yellow Demon's Soul (Old Monk...summons a black phantom) was easily the hardest for me in NG+....I tried probably 40 times before switching to offline play.  (Cheap, I know.  I'm embarrassed to admit it)