Polygon: Dark Souls 2 pre-order weapons and shields revealed

[Stunt]

Those who pre-order Dark Souls 2's Black Armor Edition or its Collector's Edition will receive a voucher for the Black Armor Weapons Pack of shields and weapons, publisher Bandai Namco announced today.

The voucher will unlock content that ranges from light and quick daggers to slower maces and heavy shields with heightened defense. Each will be available alongside Dark Souls 2's starter weapons and could offer early game benefits for those who wield them.

Following Dark Souls custom, each item's description also includes a sliver of opaque fiction:

• Black Flamestone Dagger and Black Flamestone Parma. A dagger and shield encrusted in Black Flamestone both found in the Gutter at Black Gulch. Even though they are heavier than a normal dagger and shield, the Flamestone crystal's unique properties make the dagger extremely sharp and give the shield high resistance to damage.
• Yellow Quartz Longsword and Yellow Quartz Shield. A straight sword and small shield hardened with yellow quartz both uncovered at the bottom of the Iron Keep. Even though these items can break easily due to their high level of corrosion, they are exceptionally light and their power to inflict damage has not declined.
  Bound Hand Axe and Bound Wooden Shield. A brutal hand axe and shield found in the Undead Purgatory. Both items are wrapped in chains and thorns to cause additional bleeding on enemies. Both the axe and shield have diminished in overall slashing power but their ability to deliver pain has been deliberately increased.
• Homunculus Mace and Homunculus Wooden Shield. A mace and shield with spherical protrusions found in Aldia's Keep. Although heavier-than-normal maces and shields, the hard protrusions greatly increase the striking power of the mace as well as the shield's defensive capabilities.
• Transgressor's Staff and Transgressor's Leather Shield. A staff and leather shield entwined with an unknown and seemingly lackluster element; these items are found in the Dark Chasm of Old. They have become a catalyst for sorcery and hex and cause an effect known as Darkness.

You can see each in the image below.

Announced last September, Dark Souls 2's $59.99 Black Armor Edition is a free upgrade that comes with a metal case and the game's soundtrack. The $119.99 Collector's Edition contains the Black Armor Edition's contents, plus an art book, a cloth game world map and a 12-inch figurine. Pre-orders are available at Amazon, GameStop and EB Games Canada.

Dark Souls 2 is set for a March 11 release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 with a Windows PC release to follow. For more on the game, be sure to read our hands-on impressions of the beta from the Tokyo Game Show and our interview with co-director Yui Tanimura from E3.

News Source: Polygon.com

[XbatousaiX]

They look really cool I'm not sure how I feel about this in a game like Dark souls 2.

[Murph]

They look really cool I'm not sure how I feel about this in a game like Dark souls 2.

Doesn't matter. You're screwed either way. Sure these weapons look and sound good, but in reality - this being Dark Souls - they will be no more effective than taking a plastic spoon to a herd of elephants.

[XbatousaiX]

Doesn't matter. You're screwed either way. Sure these weapons look and sound good, but in reality - this being Dark Souls - they will be no more effective than taking a plastic spoon to a herd of elephants.

Yeah I know,cant wait for the game but will have to wait for the Pc release because my ps3, how can I put this mildly forked out.

[Stunt]

They actually don't look that impressive to me, in all honesty. I shared this for the LE/CE fanbois. I'll be happy if I can build a +15 Claymore again.