The Dark Souls II website announces some downtime for From Software's action/RPG sequel on February 4th to roll out a new patch with new content and changes to pave the way for the upcoming The Scholar of the First Sin DLC. The news is accompanied by some new Scholar of the First Sin screenshots. Here's the big list of planned changes:

• Added new character, The Scholar of the First Sin.
• Additional item description text.
• Choosing to enter the Covenant of Champions will now allow enemies to continue to respawn after being defeated.
• Choosing to enter the Covenant of Champions will now cause enemies to inflict more damage to the player.
• Players will gain access to a new item: The Agape Ring. When players equip the new Agape Ring, souls collected from kills during online play will be absorbed by the ring rather than the player. This allows players to control their online matchmaking experience by limiting their total souls collected.

• Increased effect of Rusted Coin.
• Awestones now dropped more often.
• The bonfire warp selection screen will now highlight the top three areas where players will have the best change to connect with other players online.
• White phantoms will remain in other players’ worlds for longer periods of time.
• White phantoms will no longer return to their world if time runs out during a boss battle.
• Players on their first play through can now match with players on their 2nd or further play through.
• Made it easier for players to match online in general.
• Made it so that invading players cannot use items which invite more enemies.
• NPC conversation text is now displayed more prominently than online notices.
• Players may now choose to cancel out the effect of the Human Effigy at bonfires.
• When a player cannot take part in online play due to the effect of the Human Effigy, made it so that the player can still write signs. (They still cannot summon during this period.)
• The Imitation spell now affects normal enemies.
• The Hush spell is now more effective on normal enemies.
• Load times shortened (PS3 only).
• Calibrations no longer saved each time before the title screen.
• Fixed issue causing map name listed on save data and actual map name after loading to not match.
• Made it possible to skip the ending sequence the 2nd time through and beyond.
• Removed the blur effect used when looking through the binoculars.
• Rouge Water, etc.: Fixed issue causing the user not to recover spell usages for spells only able to be used once.
• Made Old Iron King’s Crown’s effect function consistently throughout the game.
• Adjusted price for Crown of the Ivory King, Ivory King Armor, Ivory King Gauntlets, Ivory King Leggings.
• Fixed Issue whereby the sign in the Iron Keep was not displayed as intended once the player spoke to Lucatiel of Mirrah in Harvest Valley.
• Corrected issue whereby users could not use Bonfire Ascetics at Undead Crypt Entrance Bonfire.
• Adjusted timing for Licia of Lindeldt to become the player’s enemy.
• Adjusted conditions for lighting Majula map from “Defeat Nashandra” to “Defeat Throne Defender and Throne Watcher.”
• To prevent invasion after defeating area bosses, made the Human Effigy effect function in this situation automatically.
• Made it possible to get the reward items after defeating area bosses even if your inventory is full at the time. (Items will drop in front of the player.)
• Made it possible to get the reward items after using Crushed Eye Orb and defeating Licia of Lindeldt even if your inventory is full at the time. (Items will drop in front of the player.)
• In Black Gulch, made it possible to receive Forgotten Key after defeating a Giant when the player has 99 Souls of a Giant.
• In Grand Cathedral, made it possible to still receive the item you are supposed to get when talking to Alsanna, Silent Oracle even if your inventory is full.
• At the Ending, if the player has fulfilled the conditions to receive Illusory Ring of a Conqueror and Illusory Ring of the Exalted but their inventory is full, made it possible to receive the rings properly. (Players will receive the rings as soon as space is opened in their inventory.)
• Adjusted rewards in online play:

(Normal Online Play)

• Host vanquishes invading dark phantom or arbiter spirit: Human Effigy
• Host vanquishes a dark phantom summoned through red sign: Human Effigy
• Host vanquishes invading grey spirit (Bell Keeper): (1 of the following) Titanite Chunk, Titanite Slab, Twinkling Titanite, Petrified Dragon Bone.
• Vanquish host you invade at the covenant “Rat King” area: Added Smooth & Silky Stone in addition to Pharros’ Lockstone

(Covenant “Blue Sentinels”)

• Vanquish dark phantom when summoned as help by a Way of Blue host: Devotion to covenant up +1.

(Covenant “Rat King”)

• Vanquish client summoned to Rat King area: Added Smooth & Silky Stone in addition to Pharros’ Lockstone.

(Covenant “Bell Keeper”)

• Vanquish host when invading as grey phantom: (1 of the following) Titanite Chunk, Titanite Slab, Twinkling Titanite, Petrified Dragon Bone.

(Covenant “Pilgrims of Dark”)

• Host vanquishes abyss spirit in Dark Chasm of Old: added Human Effigy to Bonfire Ascetic.

(Covenant “Brotherhood of Blood”)

• When invading, vanquish Blue Sentinel summoned as help: Devotion to covenant up +2.