Board Thread:Dark Souls II/@comment-26058888-20150309172137/@comment-16047389-20150309222040

The simpleset answer is to just master the art of rolling and parrying. Learning to recognize movesets and spellcasts is the first thing you absolutely must do when getting into the mainstream of PvP, as most spells in the game are actually remarkably easy to roll through. And all MLG Dark Souls players know how to parry. If you can master the art of parrying, you've just eliminated Katanas, Shortswords, Spears, and Twinblades as viable threats (meaning you've just eliminated 90% of the PvP community as a threat).

I don't care what anyone else says, it is far better to be able to dodge/parry a hit than be able to take one. If you can do that effectively, you can wear whatever armor you want. Even if it is no armor at all. Havel monsters put too much faith into their armor to protect them, that they get thrown completely off balance the moment the realize their opponent can just whittle them down anyway.

In my experience, it's better to be fast and skilled, than heavily armored and strong.