Don't rely solely on Estus. Buy the infinite supply of Lifegems from Melentia (the hag) as soon as she moves to Majula. Strike Damage:
If you have all three crowns, he stops.
Loading an official save into a modded game version can permanently corrupt it. Backup your %AppData%/DarkSoulsII/ folder first. Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin v1.03.r.2...
Version v1.03.r.2 is the final polish on this vision. It is the version where the Agape Ring (added in later calibrations) functions perfectly, allowing players to halt their Soul Memory growth for PvP builds. It is the version where the engine limitations are known, accepted, and worked around. It is the definitive way to play. Don't rely solely on Estus
…unless the next patch changes it.
Unlike the vanilla release, Scholar of the First Sin introduced sweeping changes that cater to both new players and veterans: Loading an official save into a modded game