You realize: the only way to truly win Dark Souls 2—Scholar of the First Sin, version 1.03.r.2—is not to link the fire, not to usurp it, not to walk away.
At base stats, your roll feels "clunky" because you're actually getting hit at the end of the animation. Leveling ADP makes the game feel like Dark Souls 1 2. Crowded Spaces (SotFS Signature) Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin v1.03.r.2...