ALWAYS enter a new area with your shield raised or at the ready to dodge a trap.
Take your time and properly execute every fight (even if you've already been through this area dozens of times).
Even at high levels, if you underestimate the weaker enemies, they'll often find a way to make you regret it. If you go into a fight or a new area realizing that there is inevitably an enemy waiting around the corner who can kill you within seconds, you'll live much longer and save time scrambling to recover your lost souls and humanity.
You've probably heard some advice from players and websites that the game requires heavy doses of patience, but what does that really mean? If you're a beginner at this game, consider the following thoughts:
