Elden Ring

[Spartacus]

1 hour ago, titansNvolsR#1 said:

Have gotten to the Mountains and good lord I hate it. Back to getting slapped around by everything. Stuck at Rykar’s second version, fire giant, Niall, and the two carrion knights in a cave. 

Unfortunately it doesn't get any better after that either. Haligtree & Farum Azula are both brutal difficulty  spikes. The end game of this one makes me really sad considering how great the rest of the game is. My solo no ashes character has gotten past the capital and I don't even feel like finishing because the rest of the game is just not as much fun.  

[minutemancl]

16 hours ago, Apparition said:

Can pretty safely conclude that there are the top 3 bosses in this game - Malenia, Radagon/Elden Beast, Maliketh - that represent massive difficulty spikes, and then there's everyone else.

With the Moonveil nerfed, I've only been able to beat Maliketh by inflicting Scarlet Rot in each phase, and then playing extremely cautious. 

Radagon and Elden Beast both need to have their HP pools nerfed. As they are, the latter fight is just no fun at all. 

Maliketh wasn't too bad for me. Took me a handful of tries and about an hour, but I was able to beat him this weekend. Getting him to the second phase was easy and I was able to do that consistently. My biggest problem with him was how fast he moved, and with my character using colossal weapons, I was unable to even land a single hit. Every time he hit the ground he inflicts a small AOE attack around him so I'd wait that out, then try to run in and hit him, but he'd move before I could even get to him. Incredibly frustrating.

I finally got him when I switched up my spirit ashes and used the little greatshield guys. They were stationary enough that Maliketh apparently felt it best to stay put and swing his sword on the ground to hit him, which gave me just enough openings to hit him. I beat him having only used 2 flask heals and I was able to stagger him twice.

Finally got to the Haligtree last night. Excited to get to Malenia; I heard fighting her with colossal weapons though is near impossible, but I want to see for myself.

[minutemancl]

I also had no trouble with a few bosses that seem to give people trouble. I beat Niall first try. I beat the Fire Giant in 3 tries. Godskin Duo took 2 tries (although I did summon Bernahl to help. I know I didn't need it, but I like using the story provided summons. In DS2, it was the only way to progress some questlines so I'm stuck in that way of thinking). 

Meanwhile, that Draconic Tree Sentinel outside of Maliketh's boss room that you have to fight with no Torrent and no ashes is brutal. Also, I have tried a few times, but can't even come close to beating that Black Knife Evergaol in that plateau in Liurnia above the Albinauric village. The regular attacks do no damage, but any special attack that I don't dodge just evaporates my health. And that backstab is BS.

[JBURGE]

I just got this game yesterday,. played about 30 minutes. I started as Samurai and plan to dual wield build, any tips for early game? The dudes on horses are annoying

First FromSoft game btw

[Apparition]

3 hours ago, Spartacus said:

Unfortunately it doesn't get any better after that either. Haligtree & Farum Azula are both brutal difficulty  spikes.

Haligtree and Farum Azula both have a lot of mobs that will wreck you if you don't have a weapon that can do significant poise damage. If you have a weapon like that, both are significantly easier. The end bosses, however, are both brutal.

But I would say the only aspect of the game that really felt like a sour note was the final boss. No fun at all.

3 hours ago, minutemancl said:

I also had no trouble with a few bosses that seem to give people trouble. I beat Niall first try. I beat the Fire Giant in 3 tries. Godskin Duo took 2 tries (although I did summon Bernahl to help. I know I didn't need it, but I like using the story provided summons. In DS2, it was the only way to progress some questlines so I'm stuck in that way of thinking). 

Meanwhile, that Draconic Tree Sentinel outside of Maliketh's boss room that you have to fight with no Torrent and no ashes is brutal. Also, I have tried a few times, but can't even come close to beating that Black Knife Evergaol in that plateau in Liurnia above the Albinauric village. The regular attacks do no damage, but any special attack that I don't dodge just evaporates my health. And that backstab is BS.

What's your build like?

[Apparition]

3 minutes ago, JBURGE said:

I just got this game yesterday,. played about 30 minutes. I started as Samurai and plan to dual wield build, any tips for early game? The dudes on horses are annoying

First FromSoft game btw

Get the Reduvia (you find it by beating an npc invader in the canyon north of Agheel Lake, and make that your early-game weapon. The weapon art is a godsend, especially against Margit and other early bosses.

[minutemancl]

1 minute ago, Apparition said:

Haligtree and Farum Azula both have a lot of mobs that will wreck you if you don't have a weapon that can do significant poise damage. If you have a weapon like that, both are significantly easier. The end bosses, however, are both brutal.

But I would say the only aspect of the game that really felt like a sour note was the final boss. No fun at all.

What's your build like?

Strength/faith. Lots of strength and vigor, a really good amount of endurance and faith. I mostly run golden halberd +10 2-handed. I really don't use any incantations outside of buffs (golden vow, flame protect me, etc). Armor set alternates between crucible knight set and blaidd's set. For talismans, I use the jump attack one, radagon's soreseal (+5 to everything), the +1 reduce physical damage talisman, and the green turtle. I rely a lot on stagger and poise breaking, mostly done by waiting for big attack opportunities (you need them to get even a single swing in with the golden halberd) and going for jumping attacks whenever possible.

[minutemancl]

@Apparition I don't have a frame of reference (this is my first playthrough and I've really only used Colossal weapons the entire time), but Farum Azula was not that difficult for me to get through and I do rely on poise breaking a lot. So that checks out.

[JBURGE]

6 minutes ago, Apparition said:

11 minutes ago, JBURGE said:

I just got this game yesterday,. played about 30 minutes. I started as Samurai and plan to dual wield build, any tips for early game? The dudes on horses are annoying

First FromSoft game btw

Get the Reduvia (you find it by beating an npc invader in the canyon north of Agheel Lake, and make that your early-game weapon. The weapon art is a godsend, especially against Margit and other early bosses.

Can I dual this with the Uchigatana effectively?

[Spartacus]

6 minutes ago, JBURGE said:

Can I dual this with the Uchigatana effectively?

If you want to dual wield you can get another uchi fairly early in the game and then you can power stance them. The reduvia is a great secondary with its weapon skill to give you some range to do blood damage without needing a bow or magic. 

[Apparition]

8 minutes ago, JBURGE said:

Can I dual this with the Uchigatana effectively?

If you dual wield it, put it in your right hand because that way you can use the weapon art. It's a ranged attack that causes bleed buildup. Extremely useful. 

You can see me using it on Margit at level 28.

 

[Apparition]

16 minutes ago, minutemancl said:

Strength/faith. Lots of strength and vigor, a really good amount of endurance and faith. I mostly run golden halberd +10 2-handed. I really don't use any incantations outside of buffs (golden vow, flame protect me, etc). Armor set alternates between crucible knight set and blaidd's set. For talismans, I use the jump attack one, radagon's soreseal (+5 to everything), the +1 reduce physical damage talisman, and the green turtle. I rely a lot on stagger and poise breaking, mostly done by waiting for big attack opportunities (you need them to get even a single swing in with the golden halberd) and going for jumping attacks whenever possible.

Yeah, I can see how that tree sentinel would be tougher with a build like that. His attack recovery basically requires quick-hitting weapons. How many points do you have in arcane? If you have at least 12, you can get the Rotten Breath incantation from the Cathedral of Dragon Communion and inflict him with scarlet rot, which makes that fight a lot easier. 

[Spartacus]

1 minute ago, Apparition said:

Yeah, I can see how that tree sentinel would be tougher with a build like that. His attack recovery basically requires quick-hitting weapons. How many points do you have in arcane? If you have at least 12, you can get the Rotten Breath incantation from the Cathedral of Dragon Communion and inflict him with scarlet rot, which makes that fight a lot easier. 

Many MANY bosses can be cheesed by landing them with Rot as well. 

[Apparition]

4 minutes ago, Spartacus said:

Many MANY bosses can be cheesed by landing them with Rot as well. 

I don't consider that cheesing. That vulnerability is part of their mechanics. 

[Spartacus]

Just now, Apparition said:

I don't consider that cheesing. That vulnerability is part of their mechanics. 

I mean to bosses in boss rooms its not but to bosses in the open world hitting them with rot and then backing out of aggression range is pretty much a great way to handle any of them that are weak to it.