Oooh! nice, people are actually playing ^^

Played through this game once now as a warrior, str, dex, end, vgr and vit based. Trying a mage now, which proves harder.

Tips from personal exp:

* Don't freakin waste effigies
* Don't use bonfire ascetics if you don't know what you're doing. It lasts until ng+ and so on, making it ng++. (I used it for farming, in a place where it couldn't get harder, 200k each run, pm if you'd like to know)
* Got through all of npc's dialogue, they might help you in boss fights or give you cool lore or items. (Use enough souls at merchants, and they might reward you in the talk option)
* Hidden doors can be activated with the action button, instead of hitting'em (little change from DS1, hehe)
* The coffin in the start... Haha, imminent penis
* Don't freakin kill npc's. Especially not the Emerald Herald haha... (Some will be available for resurrection, will cost souls though)

Might add more, if I remember...