Dark Souls 2: Rating Messages Provides Authors With Benefits

Like its predecessor, Dark Souls 2 allows players to leave helpful messages behind for other players to see and interact with. Most of these scrawlings are left behind in the world, and come in the form of helpful tips that aid adventurers who happen by the same locations.

For instance, a tip might suggest for the player to avoid a rolling boulder trap a few steps ahead, or prepare for a boss fight with specific weapons in hand.

In Dark Souls 2, players will be rewarded for providing helpful tips. To dissuade players from trolling and to incentivize helpful behavior, FromSoftware appears to have made it so that it's possible to rate messages left behind by other players.

Interestingly enough, the author of the message will receive a bonus heal during battles that's equal to the effect of a Stone of Healing.

Evidence of the new message rating system can be found in the this video, wherein a player uses his Orange Soapstone to place a message next to the beginning bonfire. Around the 5th minute or so, the player is then healed during combat with a tiny point of light that appears to emanate from his body.

Given that the game is set to be even harder than its predecessor with purity being "key", players can use all the help they can get.