From Software Elden Ring - From Software's new game with writing by GRRM

[Alphard]

by the way guys i' m a lot disappointed with my fai/ str build. 80 hours and i have only used two weapons so far ( vassal sword and golden halberd) and neither was fun, especially since i cant use ashes with GH. aside for the dragon breath wich are a lot of fun i didnt find my build varied and fun at all. any tip to mix things up, like new weapon/incantation, or i should simply reroll?

 

[Lyric Suite]

Why can't you use other weapons? There's a ton of them and you can change scaling on most.

 

[Caim]

by the way guys i' m a lot disappointed with my fai/ str build. 80 hours and i have only used two weapons so far ( vassal sword and golden halberd) and neither was fun, especially since i cant use ashes with GH. aside for the dragon breath wich are a lot of fun i didnt find my build varied and fun at all. any tip to mix things up, like new weapon/incantation, or i should simply reroll?

Grab a basic weapon of the type you want to give a try and infuse it so that it'll scale with the damage type of your choice. Note that "strength-faith" can be anything from the chainlink flail (dropped from pumpkin heads) to the gargoyle weapons. If you like dual wielding those are a good choice: put the infusable one in your main hand and black one in the other, and hack away.

 

[Bloodeyes]

by the way guys i' m a lot disappointed with my fai/ str build. 80 hours and i have only used two weapons so far ( vassal sword and golden halberd) and neither was fun, especially since i cant use ashes with GH. aside for the dragon breath wich are a lot of fun i didnt find my build varied and fun at all. any tip to mix things up, like new weapon/incantation, or i should simply reroll?

Many of the best weapons in the game are faith and strength, but they're really late. Just look up where to get the red hot whetblade. Flame art scales on FTH. Use that and try a bunch of weapons until you find something cool. Also look up where to get the miner's bell bearings 1 and 2, as those will let you easily try new weapons.

If you need runes to upgrade your stuff you can get them fast in the Grand Cloister of the Lake of Rot. As a faith build you can just shoot the pests from a distance with frezied burst and they're all worth a ton of runes. Then just fast travel to the site of grace and do it again. Resist the urge to gain levels that way though. That killed the enjoyment of my last playthrough as I gained 12 levels in a few hours and was able to walk through bosses.

Consider dumping the STR to weapon requirements though. What's the point? Just scale off FTH. It gives you C faith scaling and E STR and DEX so put it all in FTH and get the physical damage from weapon upgrades. You could always put the STR back when you softcap FTH.

 

[Lyric Suite]

Regular flame scales with both STR and FTH. He can use that on any weapon he likes.

 

[Alphard]

So fire ash of war modify the scaling to both STr and fai? On the wiki it says fire affinity decrease all scalings

 

[NJClaw]

So fire ash of war modify the scaling to both STr and fai? On the wiki it says fire affinity decrease all scalings

Fire affinities definitely reduce scaling, but the added fire base damage more than makes up for it. Just remember that Fire and Flame Art are two different types of affinities: with Fire, your damage will scale with Strength; with Flame Art, it will scale with Faith and (a lot less with) Strength. You can turn any Fire (and regular) ash of war into a Flame Art one with the Red-Hot Whetblade you can find in Redmane Castle.

 

[Lyric Suite]

Haven't figured out the second phase yet but i just wanted to show you how absurd bleed can be:

 

[Andnjord]

Haven't figured out the second phase yet but i just wanted to show you how absurd bleed can be:

Nice use of the Wild Strikes, that was brutal.

 

[Lyric Suite]

So fire ash of war modify the scaling to both STr and fai? On the wiki it says fire affinity decrease all scalings

Nevermind fire only scales with STR. I guess you just need to test either one or the other. Flame has more fire damage than physical damage, fire is more split in the middle and you can take advantage of added STR bonus with two handing. If your STR and FTH are split exactly at the middle it might be better to go with a STR scaling and then use a weapon buff that scales with FTH.

 

[Lyric Suite]

Haven't figured out the second phase yet but i just wanted to show you how absurd bleed can be:

Nice use of the Wild Strikes, that was brutal.

It's so brutal i feel like it's almost cheesing. Considering doing without it, all though his secod phase pisses me off. With the constant damage from the shit he leaves on the ground every mistake is instant death because he basically one shots me if i have less than 95% health. Kinda aggravating.

 

[Bloodeyes]

So fire ash of war modify the scaling to both STr and fai? On the wiki it says fire affinity decrease all scalings

Nevermind fire only scales with STR. I guess you just need to test either one or the other. Flame has more fire damage than physical damage, fire is more split in the middle and you can take advantage of added STR bonus with two handing. If your STR and FTH are split exactly at the middle it might be better to go with a STR scaling and then use a weapon buff that scales with FTH.

I've been doing this only with DEX on my current character. Using a keen weapon and then buffing with Order's Blade or Electrify Armament. I've found it pretty rough in the open world, but the damage is there when you have time to prepare for a fight and buff up. It's hell to level compared to a single stat build, hence my recommendation to get one stat good then work on the other if he still wanted it. It's not just that you lack damage output when surprised or when a fight lasts more than 80 seconds, it's also that levelling two stats leaves you with shit in both and needing to neglect other areas just to get them adequate.

It's a build that seems like it could be awesome at epic levels, but I'm going there the wrong way. There's no reason not to just build one stat up first then switch scaling later. And I'll be respeccing to do exactly that.

 

[Alphard]

Ok guys i did as you suggested and took the flaming strike ash of war and put on a greatmace. I must say pvp is much more fun now with the AOW and a different weapon. I still suck but at least i got some wins here and there. Didnt try pve yet but i will to test new setup.


p.s. flaming strike combo is fantastic to look at, even tough it is hard to land against human players

 

[mediocrepoet]

Haven't figured out the second phase yet but i just wanted to show you how absurd bleed can be:

Nice use of the Wild Strikes, that was brutal.

It's so brutal i feel like it's almost cheesing. Considering doing without it, all though his secod phase pisses me off. With the constant damage from the shit he leaves on the ground every mistake is instant death because he basically one shots me if i have less than 95% health. Kinda aggravating.

I love the great stars weapon. I was surprised that you didn't use the wild strikes finisher though. Do you normally?

 

[Lyric Suite]

I didn't think i had enough FP.

[EDIT] I mean stamina. I figured considering i only had a limited time to hit him doing any fancy moves than wait for recovery was a waste compared to just trying to get a bleed proc after another.

BTW he dead just waiting for youtube which appears to be stuck for some reason.

 

[Lyric Suite]

Finally, here you go:



Decided not to you use the curse crystal tear, since that's as much of a "cheat" as the shakle.

 

[mediocrepoet]

So having started to tool around with a dedicated caster build and I can say, like I suspected, once you start stacking items to go all in to it, it gets pretty hilarious.

 

[Kruno]

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

by the way guys i' m a lot disappointed with my fai/ str build. 80 hours and i have only used two weapons so far ( vassal sword and golden halberd) and neither was fun, especially since i cant use ashes with GH. aside for the dragon breath wich are a lot of fun i didnt find my build varied and fun at all. any tip to mix things up, like new weapon/incantation, or i should simply reroll?

I acquired the Winged Scythe (holy damage, bleed, unique weapon art, scales with Str/Dex/Fth) from the Tombsward Ruins in the Weeping Peninsula early on, although my dexterity and faith were too low to meet the requirements until some point in Liurnia.

By 80 hours, you've probably completed Volcano Manor in Mt. Gelmir and therefore have the Blasphemous Blade (fire damage, incredible unique weapon art, scales with Str/Dex/Fth), one of the best weapons in the game.

Other faith-scaling weapons available before Leyndell (aside from the golden halberd):
If you can kill the enormous gargoyle outside the Bestial Sanctum, he drops the Gargoyle's Black Blade (unique weapon art) and Gargoyle's Halberd, both of which deal holy damage.
If you can defeat the Godskin Apostle at the bottom of the Divine Tower of Caelid, you can obtain the Godslayer's Greatsword which has a unique weapon art and deals fire damage but has an unfortunately high dexterity requirement.
If you can manage Auriza Hero's Grave just outside Leyndell, you can obtain the Golden Epitaph straight sword and Ordovis' Greatsword, both of which have a unique weapon art and deal holy damage.
The halo scythe is a rare drop from Cleanrot Knights in Caelid's swamp with a unique weapon art and holy damage, but I didn't find one in my playthrough (as with the inquisitor's girandole spear or magma blade).
The Inseparable Sword can be obtained by completed Fia's questline, in Deeproot Depths.
You should have obtained the Magma Wyrm's Scalesword by defeating Magma Wyrm Makar between Liurnia and Altus, and it deals fire damage and has a unique weapon art.
If you can brave Deeproot Depths, you can obtain the Siluria's Tree spear and Staff of the Avatar colossal hammer, both of which have a unique weapon art and deal holy damage.
The Treespear can be found in a caravan in southeastern Liurnia and deals holy damage, though it isn't particularly impressive.
Vyke's War Spear drops from the invader near Liurnia's Church of Inhibitio, has a unique weapon art, deals fire damage, and is the only weapon that causes madness.

A fair number of choices.

 

[Bloodeyes]

Letting go the last vestiges of my former playstyle is really bringing my new build to life. My character concept was to use nothing but a rapier, holy seal, robe and sandals and only use the jellyfish as a summon. But I had myself convinced that when the chips were down I couldn't handle anything too difficult without switching to sword and board. So I have been pumping endurance to be able to carry a shield while light and I've had the green turtle talisman equipped. I also felt like I couldn't handle some things without a shortbow in my inventory.

Unequipping the shield and bow allows me to use the blue dancer charm to greater effect. It also makes the green turtle unnecessary, allowing me to equip the winged sword. Running into Caelid for Flame of the Redmanes was also a good move. I'll throw on the assasin's cerulean dagger once I get a third slot and the assasin's crimson once I get a fourth. Now that my damage output is approaching acceptable I'm having fun again.

Another bonus of ditching the shield is I'm casting more. As in I'm actually using Order's Blade, the thing that was supposed to compensate for having split stats. It's been working a treat.

 

[NJClaw]

Vyke's War Spear drops from the invader near Liurnia's Church of Inhibitio, has a unique weapon art, deals fire damage, and is the only weapon that causes madness

the only weapon that causes madness

Ehm... excuse me? You mean the only non-chad weapon that causes madness, right?

 

[Alphard]

by the way guys i' m a lot disappointed with my fai/ str build. 80 hours and i have only used two weapons so far ( vassal sword and golden halberd) and neither was fun, especially since i cant use ashes with GH. aside for the dragon breath wich are a lot of fun i didnt find my build varied and fun at all. any tip to mix things up, like new weapon/incantation, or i should simply reroll?

I acquired the Winged Scythe (holy damage, bleed, unique weapon art, scales with Str/Dex/Fth) from the Tombsward Ruins in the Weeping Peninsula early on, although my dexterity and faith were too low to meet the requirements until some point in Liurnia.

By 80 hours, you've probably completed Volcano Manor in Mt. Gelmir and therefore have the Blasphemous Blade (fire damage, incredible unique weapon art, scales with Str/Dex/Fth), one of the best weapons in the game.

Other faith-scaling weapons available before Leyndell (aside from the golden halberd):
If you can kill the enormous gargoyle outside the Bestial Sanctum, he drops the Gargoyle's Black Blade (unique weapon art) and Gargoyle's Halberd, both of which deal holy damage.
If you can defeat the Godskin Apostle at the bottom of the Divine Tower of Caelid, you can obtain the Godslayer's Greatsword which has a unique weapon art and deals fire damage but has an unfortunately high dexterity requirement.
If you can manage Auriza Hero's Grave just outside Leyndell, you can obtain the Golden Epitaph straight sword and Ordovis' Greatsword, both of which have a unique weapon art and deal holy damage.
The halo scythe is a rare drop from Cleanrot Knights in Caelid's swamp with a unique weapon art and holy damage, but I didn't find one in my playthrough (as with the inquisitor's girandole spear or magma blade).
The Inseparable Sword can be obtained by completed Fia's questline, in Deeproot Depths.
You should have obtained the Magma Wyrm's Scalesword by defeating Magma Wyrm Makar between Liurnia and Altus, and it deals fire damage and has a unique weapon art.
If you can brave Deeproot Depths, you can obtain the Siluria's Tree spear and Staff of the Avatar colossal hammer, both of which have a unique weapon art and deal holy damage.
The Treespear can be found in a caravan in southeastern Liurnia and deals holy damage, though it isn't particularly impressive.
Vyke's War Spear drops from the invader near Liurnia's Church of Inhibitio, has a unique weapon art, deals fire damage, and is the only weapon that causes madness.

A fair number of choices.

thanks. i already got magma wyrm blade and godslayer gs, but the latter has too much dex requirement , the former i have tried but don't like the moveset. i will try to acquire the other weapons you listed and report. for now i'm using a flame infused greatmace

 

[Caim]

TL;DR version:

Nothing new here. He suggests that Melina is the sister of Malenia and Miquella, and that the butterflies you can catch in the game are linked to them (Nascent/Miquella on their young and frail appearance like they come just out of their coccoons, Malenia/Aeonian because of the Scarlet Rot link, and Melina/Smoldering because both serve as kindling), but it's a stretch.

 

[Child of Malkav]

TL;DR version:

Nothing new here. He suggests that Melina is the sister of Malenia and Miquella, and that the butterflies you can catch in the game are linked to them (Nascent/Miquella on their young and frail appearance like they come just out of their coccoons, Malenia/Aeonian because of the Scarlet Rot link, and Melina/Smoldering because both serve as kindling), but it's a stretch.

So he swims in shallow waters because he has no fucking clue otherwise. Anyway I stopped following the guy. The lore threads on 4chan are way better.

 

[Dhaze]

So, since he inflicts such massive damage and I hadn't leveled Vigor appropriately, I had to flee from—sorry, I meant to say implement a tactical retreat against—Great Wyrm Theodorix, but to my surprise he started getting bitch-slapped by a nearby giant Land Octopus. Curious, I attracted two other octopi and maneuvered so that they faced the boss. And what do you know: in a hentai-worthy frenzy of tentacles, they actually killed Theodorix. I love it when that kind of stuff is doable.

Also, it's only now on my third playthrough that I finally managed to initiate Sellen's quest and see it to what I believe is its end. Though I did so mostly by accident—but still, progress is progress. There was a fight between her and Jerren (which kinda came out of nowhere, and it feels like I might've skipped at least a step or two in the quest), that could be initiated via two signs on the floor; one would see me helping her and one would see me betray her.

That, Dark Souls 2 did much, much better. If you progress through Creighton Of Mirrah's and Mild-Mannered Pate's questlines, at one point you'll find yourself in Brightstone Cove Tseldora, and Creighton and Pate will be at each other's throat. It happens just like that: you're exploring, then you hear grunts and the clash of weapons coming from some room, and you have to decide on the spot who you might want to help.
As I see it the whole idea accomplishes three things. For one it means the two characters actually have their own agenda, and they don't exactly wait for your say-so to let their enmity boil to its logical conclusion; secondly it creates a real, memorable sense of immediateness and urgency; and lastly it cements the world you're playing in as the world, rather than forcing you to invade, to act in a somewhat ethereal, alternate reality where things are real but they aren't but they are but they aren't.

Creighton and Pate have reasons to want the other dead, and it's going to happen no matter what; you might miss the fight entirely, but it's actually taking place, right there, right now. Compared to Sellen and Jerren, who wait patiently for you to make a choice, and I suppose that if you do nothing, well, nothing happens and these two characters simply stop progressing—stop being—in any way.

It's interesting to me (™EpicNameBro) that while much has been said about Miyazaki's philosophy anent NPCs' behavior and questlines (they're just people you might cross paths with then never meet again, and their actions are their own rather than the result of yours), it's best, most natural implementation comes from the one title in the whole series that has been decried and shat on by most of the fanbase; the one title in which Miyazaki had little to no involvement.