Summarize the following:
Attacks in Dark Souls are deliberate, slow, and usually cannot be canceled. This is true for both you and your opponent. The best time to strike is following a heavy attack that leaves your opponent open. Your attacks are also slow, so be conservative with your attacks, lest you leave yourself with an opening as well.  It may be advantageous to try and keep your distance for a bit and observe an enemy’s attack patterns to determine when there are openings. Always keep an eye on your stamina when attacking. Some attacks from particularly large enemies may break your guard. In these scenarios dodging is a superior option. Parries can be used once you have gained a sense for the timing of your opponent’s attacks for a critical strike.  Not all attacks (especially by bosses) can be parried. A missed parry will leave you open to attack. The risk is great, but so is the reward. Blocking is easier for beginners, but a well-timed dodge is a better way to get into a good striking position. Lock-on is a tool, not a requirement. Sometimes it can be advantageous, especially against larger enemies, to forego the target lock for better maneuverability and camera control. You can toggle target lock on and off as many times as necessary in the middle of a fight, but remember that target lock does have a range limit. Stray too far and you won’t be able to relock until you move in close again. Many of the enemies in Dark Souls will take extra damage from Fire or Lightning attacks. Often you will need to experiment to discover which enemies are weak to what if you don’t want to look them up. Using firebombs is a cheap and safe way to check for fire weakness.

Summary:
Time your attacks. Learn when to block, dodge, or parry. Learn when to use the target lock. Exploit elemental weaknesses.