I recently heard it was a brutal experience and have been thinking of trying it as a challenge.

Here is a list of the changes that were made in one of the balancing updates: https://pastebin.com/HxMjdaBx

Some of the notable changes were:

  • Upgrade scaling buffed 5-20%
  • Overall increase in souls gained (~2-2.5 times more)
  • Damage reduced on some mobs?
  • HP lowered on some mobs?
  • Reduced acquisition range on normal enemies.
  • Supposedly reduced poise on some enemies.
  • Bosses drop Humanity and Homeward Bones
  • Ghosts and Skeletons give souls now.
  • Twinkling Titanite drop rate improved.
  • Pyromancers in Catacombs drop Skull Lanterns.
  • Darkwraiths in New Londo drop Dark Hand.
  • Male Undead Merchant: Also sells bottomless box
  • Female Undead Merchant: Sells Arrows / Crossbolts
  • Andrei: Sells Arrows / Crossbolts
  • Domnhal of Xena: Sells Arrows / Crossbolts, Master Key (5000)
  • Giant Blacksmith: Sells Arrows / Crossbolts, Small Titanite Shards, Large Tit Shards, Twinkling (8000 per, inf amount), Green Shards, Repair box, upgrade boxes
  • Vamos: Arrows / Crossbolts, Small Tit, Large tit, Repair box / upgrade boxes
  • Inglwood: Sells Transient Curses