Elden Ring

[Guybrush]

I bought this game and it's still in the plastic unopened. I'm a bit afraid to get into it. I don't think I'm going to end up liking it to be honest. I have a stupid library of back catalog titles to get through. So one day I will open it and give it a whirl.

Did you ever give it a whirl?

I did finish Elden Ring (and every boss) and felt like I'd pretty much mastered it, but now I'm back in the DLC and getting my ass kicked again 😄

Most enemies die quickly, but the two bosses I've just found from running around kick my asses. The mobs do a lot of damage in general.

Also the game feels a little slow after Jedi Survivor 😄 but that's alright. I just need to get back in the ER groove.

[DJChameleon]

Did you ever give it a whirl?

I did finish Elden Ring (and every boss) and felt like I'd pretty much mastered it, but now I'm back in the DLC and getting my ass kicked again 😄

Most enemies die quickly, but the two bosses I've just found from running around kick my asses. The mobs do a lot of damage in general.

Also the game feels a little slow after Jedi Survivor 😄 but that's alright. I just need to get back in the ER groove.

No I never did. I'm messing around with Suicide Squad currently.

I bought two new games for my Switch and a memory card only to find out that someone stole my Switch and sold it. So I'm back to chipping away at my ps5 games.

[SGR]

No I never did. I'm messing around with Suicide Squad currently.

I bought two new games for my Switch and a memory card only to find out that someone stole my Switch and sold it. So I'm back to chipping away at my ps5 games.

How do you know they sold it (your switch)? Was it someone you knew who fessed up?

[SGR]

Did you ever give it a whirl?

I did finish Elden Ring (and every boss) and felt like I'd pretty much mastered it, but now I'm back in the DLC and getting my ass kicked again 😄

Most enemies die quickly, but the two bosses I've just found from running around kick my asses. The mobs do a lot of damage in general.

Also the game feels a little slow after Jedi Survivor 😄 but that's alright. I just need to get back in the ER groove.

I'm almost through the entire DLC - I got to the final boss before I finished exploring everywhere, and the final boss of the DLC completely wrecked my shit. I can barely tank a single hit. So I bugged off to explore areas I hadn't yet.

One complaint I have about this DLC is that it's a little bit too big. Many people praised how big it was, and there's some merits to it, but it doesn't feel big like the base game does, where there's always something interesting right around the corner. There's just a lot of empty space in the DLC.

Not to spoil too much, but there's one area that basically necessitates using a mechanic that was never truly necessary in the base game that is just a complete slog to get through. Not only that, but it might also be the most truly confusing area to navigate in the entire game, base and DLC. You'll know it when you get there. 

[DJChameleon]

How do you know they sold it (your switch)? Was it someone you knew who fessed up?

I know the person that stole it and because of what activities they are into they would sell it to buy other things.

[Guybrush]

I'm almost through the entire DLC - I got to the final boss before I finished exploring everywhere, and the final boss of the DLC completely wrecked my shit. I can barely tank a single hit. So I bugged off to explore areas I hadn't yet.

One complaint I have about this DLC is that it's a little bit too big. Many people praised how big it was, and there's some merits to it, but it doesn't feel big like the base game does, where there's always something interesting right around the corner. There's just a lot of empty space in the DLC.

Not to spoil too much, but there's one area that basically necessitates using a mechanic that was never truly necessary in the base game that is just a complete slog to get through. Not only that, but it might also be the most truly confusing area to navigate in the entire game, base and DLC. You'll know it when you get there. 

I killed the dancing lion boss today on second attempt. I basically let my mimic and summoned NPC tank it while I ranged it and dodge rolled when it got close, so felt a bit like cheesing it, but what the hell.. getting to that boss took a little more effort.

I definitely have noticed that empty space. I was kinda taken by surprise because the base game world is rather rich. It made me think it might be made more for exploring on your steed.

That big wicker man giant killed me a bit early on. I left him thinking I can figure him out later and now I'm kinda wondering if perhaps he's intended to be fought on horseback.

[SGR]

I killed the dancing lion boss today on second attempt. I basically let my mimic and summoned NPC tank it while I ranged it and dodge rolled when it got close, so felt a bit like cheesing it, but what the hell.. getting to that boss took a little more effort.

Bear no shame in using the mimic (or summons)! I use it in every boss fight. There's a weird kind of purity testing in the Souls game communities about things like this. Does it make the fights easier? Yes. But I'm almost 30, and I don't have the time or the fucking patience any more to beat these boss fights the 'legit' way (solo). I will use every single tool the game gives me to win without shame or regret.

When it comes to those big ass furnace dudes, I still haven't figured out how to beat them. 

[Guybrush]

Bear no shame in using the mimic (or summons)! I use it in every boss fight. There's a weird kind of purity testing in the Souls game communities about things like this. Does it make the fights easier? Yes. But I'm almost 30, and I don't have the time or the fucking patience any more to beat these boss fights the 'legit' way (solo). I will use every single tool the game gives me to win without shame or regret.

When it comes to those big ass furnace dudes, I still haven't figured out how to beat them. 

Yeah, it's not an exploit so completely legit strategy. In a way, figuring out a way to make boss fights easier is also kinda clever (unless you're just looking up cheese methods on YouTube).

Also, I'm in my 40s and just wanna play it however I find it enjoyable. Needlessly spending hours on one fight isn't necessarily what I like the most.

I did spend at least a good hour trying to beat ancient dragon Sesennax (?) or something above jagged peak. In my best attempt , I got him down to like a 5th HP, but eventually I get stun locked and flamed and die.

I'm not even sure I need to kill him, but it made me take a break from the DLC as I figured there was stuff I could do in the base game so I looked up an interactive map and.. oh shit. There are even Golden seeds and Sacred tears I hadn't found yet and I think I found like 4 extra world bosses just from riding around randomly. The mirage tower I hadn't done and I found two more dungeons..

I'm OP back in the old world of course, but that makes it a nice way to get back in the groove. There are so many game mechanics that I've yet to really explore, like throwable consumables. What the hell is perfume? So yeah, I'll wrap things up there, learn a bit and then go back to the DLC after 🙂

[SGR]

Yeah, it's not an exploit so completely legit strategy. In a way, figuring out a way to make boss fights easier is also kinda clever (unless you're just looking up cheese methods on YouTube).

Also, I'm in my 40s and just wanna play it however I find it enjoyable. Needlessly spending hours on one fight isn't necessarily what I like the most.

I did spend at least a good hour trying to beat ancient dragon Sesennax (?) or something above jagged peak. In my best attempt , I got him down to like a 5th HP, but eventually I get stun locked and flamed and die.

I'm not even sure I need to kill him, but it made me take a break from the DLC as I figured there was stuff I could do in the base game so I looked up an interactive map and.. oh shit. There are even Golden seeds and Sacred tears I hadn't found yet and I think I found like 4 extra world bosses just from riding around randomly. The mirage tower I hadn't done and I found two more dungeons..

I'm OP back in the old world of course, but that makes it a nice way to get back in the groove. There are so many game mechanics that I've yet to really explore, like throwable consumables. What the hell is perfume? So yeah, I'll wrap things up there, learn a bit and then go back to the DLC after 🙂

Ah yes, Bayle the Dread above the Jagged Peak. He's rough.

I just managed to beat the final boss of the DLC the other day. All I'll say is good fuckin luck. 

My suggestion would be to get all the Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes before doing real attempts.

[Guybrush]

Ah yes, Bayle the Dread above the Jagged Peak. He's rough.

I just managed to beat the final boss of the DLC the other day. All I'll say is good fuckin luck. 

My suggestion would be to get all the Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes before doing real attempts.

I killed him today on the tenth real attempt or so. After a few tries, I copped out and changed build to something that could kill him relatively easily (poking him from behind fingerprint shield). I used my Mimic tear as well and eventually got him.

I was getting kinda tired of the game tbh as it's been way too much of a time thief and my wife had also started complaining 😅 I haven't built around any of the previous DLC bosses, but now I'm glad I got it done without too much effort because the ending of the DLC was hugely anticlimactic. I wasn't even sure why I'd killed the final boss at all, so spent a little time lore-digging.

Spoiler

I still don't quite get it. Was Miquella such a bad guy?

[close]

Whatevs. It was a great DLC even if the ending wasn't satisfying. Now I'm ready for other things 🙂

[Guybrush]

As a quick comment, tanking in this game is very powerful and ridiculously so when you add the fingerprint shield.

I'm not sure I'd call it cheesing because you're not breaking any rules, rather just being smart. FromSoft made these items and people are just using them in straight, stand-up fights. Still, the build I used is so tanky it feels a little bit like cheating.

It still wasn't as easy as this guy makes it look, but I ended up spending more time on Gaius as well as the.. what's it called.. skeleton knight on a horse.

So for myself, the mounted bosses were the hardest.

I also realized whatever feels the most challenging is going to gave a lot to do with how many scadutree fragments and level of blessing you have when you fight them. I beat Radahn (and Bayle) with lvl 17. Since then, I found a few more getting it to level 18.

If I do anything else in this game, it's probably just finding those last upgrades.

[Guybrush]

By the way, while I ended up doing a Rivers of blood bleed build for most of the DLC, I kept my trusty Guardian Sword spear with me.

https://eldenring.wiki.fextralife.com/Guardian's+Swordspear

You can infuse it with spectral lance, making you able to throw a ghostly spear at targeted enemies.

Its damage is boosted by at least two talismans (often 3 in my case when I got bleed going) as well as buffs so the damage is actually very good and the FP cost is low.

I couldn't see the point in bows when I could just toss spears at things. Also worked great against some bosses like Rakshasa. He dodges if he's far away, but you get him if he's closer and it quickly breaks poise.

If you use summons, you can also let those tank while you toss spears. I believe that's how I eventually got the mounted bosses.

[SGR]

As a quick comment, tanking in this game is very powerful and ridiculously so when you add the fingerprint shield.

I'm not sure I'd call it cheesing because you're not breaking any rules, rather just being smart. FromSoft made these items and people are just using them in straight, stand-up fights. Still, the build I used is so tanky it feels a little bit like cheating.

It still wasn't as easy as this guy makes it look, but I ended up spending more time on Gaius as well as the.. what's it called.. skeleton knight on a horse.

So for myself, the mounted bosses were the hardest.

I also realized whatever feels the most challenging is going to gave a lot to do with how many scadutree fragments and level of blessing you have when you fight them. I beat Radahn (and Bayle) with lvl 17. Since then, I found a few more getting it to level 18.

If I do anything else in this game, it's probably just finding those last upgrades.

No shame in how you beat the DLC. I was and am a faith build, and that's how I play most Souls games so that I get my trusty lightning spear. I only engage in CQC when I have to, otherwise, I'm pelting your ass from afar and putting my faith in God. Most of the base game was rather easy, bar the last few bosses, but some of these bosses in the DLC really gave me a run for my money, even with summons.

[Guybrush]

No shame in how you beat the DLC. I was and am a faith build, and that's how I play most Souls games so that I get my trusty lightning spear. I only engage in CQC when I have to, otherwise, I'm pelting your ass from afar and putting my faith in God. Most of the base game was rather easy, bar the last few bosses, but some of these bosses in the DLC really gave me a run for my money, even with summons.

I will usually try various approaches. My favourite way to play is faster melee with dodging. I didn't parry much in Elden Ring (fighting without shields). This Rivers of Blood bleed build suits me very well. I played most of the base game using that sword spear, but changed things up later on. When I finally beat Melania, I was using the starfist weapon (kinda like spiked boxing gloves). I doubt it would be anyone's first choice for that fight, but pairing it with bloodhound step (short teleport) allowed me to get close and still dodge most of her attacks when I got her moves down. I never spent more time learning to do one fight in a video game, though.

Following guides this time around makes me realize how incredibly many valid builds there are in the game, many of which melts bosses.

One video I saw was a guy doing a consumables only run where everything was killed by tossing pots, using perfumes etc. Too much inventory management for me, but seemed valid 🙂