Dark Souls II Scholar: Weapon Upgrades
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Make one weapon reliable first
In Scholar of the First Sin, most ordinary weapons follow a regular Titanite path to +10. Special weapons generally use Twinkling Titanite or Petrified Dragon Bone and finish on a shorter track. The important early decision is not which path has the largest number in a spreadsheet. It is whether the weapon reaches its targets safely, fits your Strength and Dexterity, and leaves enough stamina to escape.
Find a blacksmith, reinforce the weapon you are actually using, then test it in the next area. A few reinforcement levels can change a long enemy exchange into a cleaner opening. Do not split every shard between weapons you have not equipped yet. Keep a second option only when it has a job: strike damage for armoured foes, a bow for pulls, or a different damage type for a resistant enemy.
Infusion is a commitment to your build
Infusions alter base damage and scaling. A physical build can often stay on the normal path while it learns the game. Magic, fire, lightning, dark, poison, bleed, raw, enchanted, and mundane options ask a more specific question about your attributes and plan. Check the before-and-after attack values in the blacksmith menu; an infusion is not automatically an upgrade because its letter grade looks better.
This page assumes the PS4, Xbox One, and DirectX 11 PC Scholar release, which rearranges enemy and item placement. Older Scholar releases on PS3, Xbox 360, and DirectX 9 PC do not share that route. Upgrade material availability also opens over the course of the game; use what you find instead of treating a missing late material as an early-game failure. For character spending that affects your dodge, read Agility and Adaptability and pair it with Getting Started.