The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Dark Souls II does not have one compulsory route through every area. Use Majula as your hub, follow the branch that fits your edition and goal, and treat progression gates—not a single universal area order—as your guide. This overview covers the original game and Scholar of the First Sin; consult the matching edition’s flowchart for a complete area-by-area sequence.
Why there is no single route through every area
Majula connects to several branches, including the Forest of Fallen Giants, Heide’s Tower of Flame, Huntsman’s Copse, the Pit, and Shaded Woods. That layout gives you choices about where to explore rather than requiring you to clear every region in one fixed order. The area guide provides separate flowcharts for the original Dark Souls II and Scholar of the First Sin, so make sure any route you follow matches your edition.
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For a general playthrough, focus on areas that open progression and treat other branches as optional exploration unless your goal is to find optional bosses, items, or additional content. The available area connections establish that the world branches; they do not establish one best order for every player.
Progression gates that affect your next steps
Reaching the Lost Bastille
The Lost Bastille has two access conditions: defeat either the Pursuer or the Flexile Sentry to travel there. These are alternate ways to reach the area, not two bosses you must defeat first. In Scholar of the First Sin, skipping the Pursuer can also mean missing the Dull Ember, according to the boss reference. If you want that item, account for the consequence before choosing the alternate route.
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Opening the Memory of Jeigh
The Last Giant drops the Soldier Key, which is required to access the Memory of Jeigh. If you have reached this point in your progression and are looking for the route forward, check whether you have defeated the Last Giant and collected the key.
Choose a route by edition and goal
- For a basic playthrough: Use the flowchart for your edition to track the main progression branches. Do not assume that every area connected to Majula is mandatory.
- For optional bosses or broader exploration: Explore side branches as they become available, and check the relevant area and boss references for access conditions.
- For Scholar-specific details: Use the Scholar flowchart and watch for edition-specific consequences, such as the Pursuer’s connection to the Dull Ember.
Bandai Namco describes Scholar of the First Sin as the “complete Dark Souls II experience,” but the practical point for route planning is that the editions have separate flowcharts and some content differs. The publisher’s game page identifies the edition; use the edition-specific area chart rather than assuming an original-game route applies unchanged.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What changes on later journeys
Second and third journeys, as well as Bonfire Ascetics, can change encounters and item availability. The area guide notes additional phantoms and changes to chest items. If you are replaying an area or using an Ascetic, do not assume its first-journey encounters and loot will remain the same.
Quick Recap
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Quick answer: what should I do next?
- Identify whether you are playing the original Dark Souls II or Scholar of the First Sin.
- Use that edition’s flowchart to see which branches are available from Majula and how they connect.
- Check gates before committing to a branch: the Lost Bastille accepts either the Pursuer or Flexile Sentry route, while the Memory of Jeigh requires the Soldier Key from the Last Giant.
- Decide whether you are following main progression or exploring optional content, and use the relevant area or boss reference for that goal.
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