Honestly, you get a solid challenge out of these games no matter how you build. Different bosses/ enemies will challenge different builds. I also enjoy the everything-bagel battle-mages. I try to stack enough mental stats to cast every spell in a game, enough strength and dex to wield whatever weapon I pick up for that run, and enough attunement to learn 3-5 spells at a time. My health, stamina, and equip-load are whatever I have left within the arbitrary level cap I set for myself (usually 201)
Anyway, my point is there’s no better / worse way to build. All that matters is what you like and what you don’t.
I know a lot of people hate on ds2 but it’s honestly a good game. It has its faults. It’s definitely the weakest title, but it’s still a banger if you think of it in a vacuum instead of comparing it to other FromSouls games. If you like the genre, I highly recommend ds3. It is (imo) the most polished by far. I like it better than Elden Ring but that might be a hotter take.