AWKWARD ZOMBIE

How does weapon scaling work?
Do I need to have it equipped in order for it to scale with me, or no?

it's hard to explain, read the wiki. Most weapons scale with stats, and upgrading them along the normal path sometimes (it depends on the weapon) will raise the rate at which it scales with stats.

Finally got around to beating the Tomb of Giants. Now onto the Duke's Archives so I can attempt to bring down a dragon.

Well. Got back into Dark Souls sometime last year. Finally beat it at least. Right now just doing PvP builds. At the moment, focusing on a Belmont build. Using the notched whip +15, no shield. Great Lighting Spear, Wrath of the Gods, Power Within, and Darkmoon Blade, because I'm pro like that.

Eugh, I should get back to playing this.
I beat the bell guardians but I might as well restart because I jumped off a cliff and lost all my stuff, and I really can't progress without the three level ups I lost.

Edit: Question, if I die while being summoned, do I have to go and recover?

You all need to git gud

Those tiddies aren't even real, son.

If I remember correctly, theres no risk in being summoned. You don't lose anything for dying as a white phantom accept maybe liquid humanities.

No, you don't lose anything. Not even soft humanity. You get sent back to the bonfire you last rested at though.

So being summoned to fight bosses over and over is a good way to earn souls right?

Yeah.
edit: Bow of Pharis +14 and 45 dex is great
all that damage
all those humanities

Man.... Fuck the Crystal Cave. I can't even deal with all these invisible walkways right now.

Warp back to firelink and buy prism stones and cheap arrows from the female undead merchant in the aquaduct.
You can shoot in front of you to see if you can step there and throw prism stones to check if falls will kill you.

When I was there, someone was nice to mark the entire path with messages.

I memorized the path to reach the boss room in the Crystal Caves.

Now reaching the Blue Titanite Slab, that killed me lots of times.