Understanding the Prepare to Die Edition Changes
The Prepare to Die Edition is the expanded PC and console release of the original Dark Souls. It added the Artorias of the Abyss DLC, rearranged some item placements, and introduced a few new weapons and spells. Most importantly, it changed how multiplayer invasions work compared to the Game of the Year edition you might find on some digital storefronts. If you're looking for a Dark Souls Prepare To Die Guide
that actually helps you navigate those differences instead of just restating wiki pages, read on. I spent probably forty hours in 2012 grinding through the base game on Xbox 360 before the PTDE came out, then another twenty or so running through everything in the expanded version. The differences are subtle but they matter when you're optimizing a build or trying to farm specific drops.
What Actually Changed Between Versions
The biggest shift is that some late-game items moved locations. The Dragonslayer Greatbow, for instance, is now found in New Londo Ruins on a corpse near the entrance rather than being dropped by a boss. The Moonlight Greatsword location also shifted. If you're running a sorcery build and you know where that sword was in the original release, you'll walk right past it in PTDE because it's in a different spot entirely. Summon sign locations changed too. Siegmeyer of Catarina now appears earlier in Anor Londo and stays there longer if you haven't triggered certain story events. I ran into this specifically when I was trying to get his armor set in a single playthrough — he wouldn't appear at the bell tower because I had already spoken to him in Sen's Fortress, and the conditions for both locations aren't independent like the game makes them seem. The workaround was straightforward: reload a save from before entering Sen's Fortress, grab Siegmeyer at the bell tower first, then continue normally. New weapon types include the Follower Sabre, the Follower Shield, and the Old Moonlight sorcery. The DLC adds new enemy placements that respawn differently than base game enemies. Charming Dragons from the DLC don't respawn the same way — they're treated as unique killable entities rather than regular field enemies, which affects any farming strategy you might have.
Multiplayer Differences That Matter
PC players on PTDE use a different matchmaking system than console players. Invitation codes work differently across platforms. If you're trying to cooperative farm Soul of a Cruel Dragon or any of the dragon hearts, you need to match platform versions, not just game editions. This is one of those things the game never explains anywhere and you only learn through pain. Invasion mechanics also changed slightly. The Black Eye Eyes item works differently in PTDE — it has a higher chance of triggering an invasion at certain bonfires compared to the original release. I noticed this when I was testing various PvP setups and the invasion rate felt consistently higher on my second playthrough through a fresh install of PTDE.
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Build Optimization in PTDE
With the new weapons added, the optimal build paths shift a bit. The Follower Sabre scales with Faith and has surprisingly good move speed for a small sword. At 40 Faith it hits harder than most people expect — the damage curve is steeper than it looks on paper. Pair it with the Roselius' Hood for bonus spell power and you're looking at a solid mid-game option before you commit to a full faith build. Sorcery builds benefit most from the version change. Old Moonlight has no attunement requirement — it just uses your intelligence stat directly. That means you can run it without investing in attunement slots at all, freeing up equipment load for defense. It's an underappreciated build option that barely gets mentioned in guides. The soul level caps remain the same across both editions. Maximum level is 512. The soft caps for stats work identically. Nothing fundamentally broken about the progression system, which is why this game still has active communities nearly a decade later.
What This Guide Won't Fix
PTDE has known issues. The PC port has had persistent driver problems, especially on AMD cards. Stuttering during boss fights isn't uncommon and nothing in the game itself will resolve it — you're dealing with a porting limitation. Some players use older launcher configurations to mitigate this, but the results vary based on hardware. DLC difficulty is not significantly easier than the base game. Artorias of the Abyss is genuinely hard, particularly the Oolacile Sanctuary area with its crystal lizards and the final boss encounter. Going in unprepared will waste several hours. I'd recommend being at least soul level 80 before attempting it, preferably higher if you're solo. The game does not have a difficulty selector. Cheats or mods exist on PC but they're not officially supported and they'll flag your account in online play. If you're struggling with a specific boss, the most efficient route is usually learning its attack patterns through multiple attempts rather than trying to exploit anything. The game rewards patience and observation more than anything else.
Download and Installation Notes
The Prepare to Die Edition is available through Steam and other major retailers. Make sure you're purchasing the version explicitly labeled "Prepare to Die Edition" and not the 2013 GOTY edition, as they're not identical. Item locations, summon placements, and some event triggers differ between the two. If you own the original Dark Souls and want the DLC content, you can purchase Artorias of the Abyss separately. The DLC requires the PTDE version installed, not the base game alone. This caught a few people off guard when it first came out and it still trips up new players occasionally.
