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

[Bloodeyes]

So I decided to grind a few levels. Just a few, seeing as I was frustrated and feeling not very good at the game after a few unfortunate encounters. I've been killing the frost guys in the Zamor ruins.

There's something gratifying about taking enemies that made me tear my hair out and then farming them for runes. I figured out they're actually really basic. If I use my golden vow, flame grant me strength and determination then jump attack it takes over half their health in one hit. So two jump attacks and they're done.

I had to stop myself, I was having too much fun getting revenge on those bastards... yeah I've got 67 strength now. This makes me feel a lot better about my build, and more positive about the game in general. I killed the whip guy for Volcano Manor and headed back there. Rykard was a bit of a spectacle.

I've never fought him before and was pretty worried that the spear I was given was +0. So I summoned Tiche. Tiche fucked him up. I probably took 1/2, maybe 2/3 of his health at most just hanging back and spamming that L2 while she cut him to pieces. It was really unnecessary overkill but also kind of funny.

Now I really will take a break, but I'm pretty excited to be in volcano manor. Can't wait to finally get Royal Knight's Resolve! That's been the plan for this build since I started using the Guts Greatsword back in Liurnia, before I even had the STR to one hand it. I'll probably look up where to find the Godskin Duo after that. I need that bell bearing. The sword is mighty but it must be stronger. Not levelling anything but STR now for the rest of the run. 42 endurance will have to do. 40 vigor... fuck it. I'll just burn rune arcs when I need more HP. I've got like 40 of them.

 

[Lambach]

Finished this last Friday. Gotta say, Maliketh,Godfrey/Horra Loux and Radagon are seriously a fucking masterclass in Boss design. Challenging, flashy and spectacular, but never feel unfair or straight-up bullshit (unlike fucking Malenia). Despite getting my ass kicked repeatedly by them over and over, I never felt so much as a tinge of frustration when dying to them (unlike motherfucking Malenia), and I really enjoyed learning all the ins-and-outs of their respective movesets. They're the definition of "git good" in all the best of ways.

One complaint, though, is that they kinda screwed the pooch on Elden Beast, it being simply an "OK" encounter that worsens the overall impression of the finale. Part of it is the fact that it's another "huge cunt that covers most of the screen when you get close, so hug its crotch" type of Boss that by its very nature is less interesting than their non-gigantic counterparts, and part of it is the fact I spend more than half the fight just running towards it because it constantly moves from one side of the (huge) arena to another and snipes you from a distance.

Starting NG+ now, with the intention of going through all the stuff (mostly Quests) I missed in this one. I'll probably re-spec once I beat Rennala, I want to try out a Sorcery-based build. I have enough levels and Talismans to keep my Dex very high and still put 65+ points in Int, so the idea is to mix the Hand of Malenia (i.e. the Waterfowl Skill on that weapon that she fucked me a 100 times with) with Sorceries and see how that goes. Not a very optimal build, but if I start getting my ass kicked, I can always re-spec again.

 

[NJClaw]

One complainy, though, is that they kinda screwed the pooch on Elden Beast, it being simply an "OK" encounter that worsens the overall impression of the finale. Part of it is the fact that it's another "huge cunt that covers most of the screen when you get close, so hug its crotch" type of Boss that by its very nature is less interesting than their non-gigantic counterparts, and part of it is the fact I spend more than half the fight just running towards it because it constantly moves from one side of the (huge) arena to another and snipes you from a distance.

The Elden Beast is so surreal and its attacks are so spectacular that I can't help but forgive all its flaws. I died more than once because I was staring at him in awe like a moron.

Also, it's so out of place that it almost feels like a reference to King's Field's final boss.

 

[Lambach]

The Elden Beast is so surreal and its attacks are so spectacular that I can't help but forgive all its flaws. I died more than once because I was staring at him in awe like a moron.

I dunno, it just didn't do it for me. Its visual design felt goofy more than anything to me. Like a blob of goo that sparkles, swings a sword and shoots stars at you.

 

[Bloodeyes]

Starting NG+ now, with the intention of going through all the stuff (mostly Quests) I missed in this one. I'll probably re-spec once I beat Rennala, I want to try out a Sorcery-based build. I have enough levels and Talismans to keep my Dex very high and still put 65+ points in Int, so the idea is to mix the Hand of Malenia (i.e. the Waterfowl Skill on that weapon that she fucked me a 100 times with) with Sorceries and see how that goes. Not a very optimal build, but if I start getting my ass kicked, I can always re-spec again.

If you're going DEX/INT and want to use a katana you should at least try Moonveil. I'm not really a katana guy but that sword looks absolutely amazing.

 

[Lambach]

If you're going DEX/INT and want to use a katana you should at least try Moonveil. I'm not really a katana guy but that sword looks absolutely amazing.

I was planning on going DEX/INT in NG+ as I approached the endgame in the NG run, so I preemptively upgraded Moonveil to +10 before taking on Radagon. But I really, really want to use Hand of Malenia's Waterfowl with Millicent's Prosthesis + Winged Sword Insignia and see how that goes, so Moonveil is the back-up choice.

I also have enough Levels to leave enough points in Faith to be able to use Golden Vow and Flame, Grant Me Strength, just to add some extra spice to Waterfowl and the aforementioned two Talismans if the Sorceries don't work out well enough.

 

[Child of Malkav]

Here's some more:

 

[Lyric Suite]

Well boyz, it is done:



I actually did it once but it was too much of a shit show so i decided to try it again to get a bit of a better video lel.

Can't believe it is actually over. Too bad for the save corruption that's probably what made me burn out in the end. My plan of taking frequent breaks worked very well, but when that happened i figued let's just finish this and having to redo so much of the game plus all that i had left eventually wore me down.

Radagon was actually a great boss. I really liked how he doesn't really have "combos", all of his movements are uncoupled from each other and every sequence of attacks is different from the other and yet despite all that he never actually feels unfair. In the first tries i used the whips which didn't do much damage so i had to really get good with my dodge-fu and it was pretty fun. I also tried parrying for a bit and that worked well too. Eventually i settled to bonking just so i could get rid of him quickly to get to the Beast, which to be honest i didn't like all that much. Yes it's cool visually but i don't know, maybe by that point i just didn't care anymore. Between Godfrey, Radagon and this thing it feelt a bit too much. Might have appreciated it better if i didn't do all of them back to back, or if there was a whole area separating Godfrey from the last two (and Ashen capital wasn't much of a separation between Maliketh and the final showdown to begin with).

Kinda lame that most of the endings are just a variation of the same cinematic. Not that it matters but i don't see the point in having so many if it's just the same thing basically. Also disappointed nothing changed after. I talked to all of the remaining NPCs and none of them had anything new to say. Maybe Boc would have had something to say.

 

[Lyric Suite]

Ho btw i don't know if you caught it but in that ring attack i used that thing that turns magic damage into health. You can see me standing there to eat it and it actually heals me. Should work for the stars as well. Wanted to try it as it seems it would be useful as SL1.

 

[NJClaw]

Well boyz, it is done:

Great job. And these will be the last two videos (and, incidentally, two of my best fights: the one against Radagon is perfect, while against Hoarah Loux I mistimed a single dodge):

Ho btw i don't know if you caught it but in that ring attack i used that thing that turns magic damage into health. You can see me standing there to eat it and it actually heals me. Should work for the stars as well. Wanted to try it as it seems it would be useful as SL1.

Yeah, I used exactly that strategy

 

[Lyric Suite]

Ho so you have to circle around Godfrey in the second phase lmao. Jesus i'm a retard i tried to spare with him while facing him head on. To be honest i'm glad i didn't figure it out as i liked the feeling of being scared shitless.

No surprises with Radagon. If i could parry him it was a given you would have done it that way.

As for the beast, so there's no way to give him a critical hit after staggering him. I managed to bonking him down on a couple of tries and the first time i kept looking around him to see where the hell his weak spot was. Guess there isn't any.

 

[NJClaw]

Ho so you have to circle around Godfrey in the second phase lmao. Jesus i'm a retard i tried to spare with him while facing him head on. To be honest i'm glad i didn't figure it out as i liked the feeling of being scared shitless.

Oh, don't overestimate my courage. I assure you you can be scared shitless even while strafing around him. But yeah, most of his attacks can be avoided by just walking to his right. You just need to be ready for his grabs and for when he goes apeshit with the two-arms flurry.

As for the beast, so there's no way to give him a critical hit after staggering him. I managed to bonking him down on a couple of tries and the first time i kept looking around him to see where the hell his weak spot was. Guess there isn't any.

It's right in front of him. I hit him with a crit after every stagger, but also try to squeeze in as many charged R2 as possible while he's immobile.

 

[Lyric Suite]

Wait, i had the video paused i see now that you CAN critical hit him. WTF what was i looking at lmao.

 

[Lambach]

Lmao, how the fuck do you make it look so easy? I had no issues with the first phase of this fight, I sliced him up all the way to Horra Loux even on my first attempt no problem, but finding enough openings to actually hit back during the second phase was a goddamn nightmare. I ended up sacrificing 95% of my HP to throw a single Ekzykes's Decay on him which eventually brought his HP down so that I felt comfortable enough to get close to him with like 2 Health Flasks remaining.

 

[Lyric Suite]

Ho wow, that slam attack he got you with at the end that almost one shot you. I shit my pants and i wasn't even playing lul.

 

[Lyric Suite]

Honestly, depiste the glaring issues with this open world direction i still liked the game a lot, all though that might just be because it's still better than 99% of the modern nu-shit by a fucking mile. Even so, my hopes for this game is something akin to a Scholars of the First Sin patch up of the main game as opposed to extra content for the first DLC. If they could bring all of the game areas in line with Limegrave and introduce some new bosses or enemies to avoid recycling the existing ones so much i think it would make this one of their best releases. As it is now, it's in the same place as DS2 and DS3 are, good but flawed. And ironically the flaws are different for all three games which it's kinda of wierd.

 

[Lyric Suite]

So i just did the frenzied flame ending and got the last achievement and during the cut scene with the three fingers i saw the profile of my character's face for the first time, and i just realized i have no fucking chin. I just used one of the presets for the face forgot which but only ever saw myself from the front and then once i started wearing helmets didn't think about it anymore.

Fucking hell i just played as some low T goofy looking nerd the whole time.

 

[NJClaw]

Fucking hell i just played as some low T goofy looking nerd the whole time.

That's what you get for not taking the patrician route of putting a gentle lady on the Elden Throne.

 

[Raghar]

Obligatory SL1 repost:

Wait how did you stagger him in the second phase? I rewinded the video a bunch of times and i can't tell what you did, all though i'm on my phone now so i can't see shit.

That weapon art is brutal, even though i used bleed i think i can say i went fairly vanilla and ignored a lot of broken shit which i'll definitely exploit in my SL1 run.

I used red flame and misericord to stagger him in second phase.

 

[Child of Malkav]

 

[Multidirectional]

Roundtable Knight Vyke was pretty tough. Couldn't do him with Bloody Longsword, then went and picked up Rivers Of Blood and got it up to +8. Still took few tries to kill him even after that.

 

[Bloodeyes]

If you're going DEX/INT and want to use a katana you should at least try Moonveil. I'm not really a katana guy but that sword looks absolutely amazing.

I was planning on going DEX/INT in NG+ as I approached the endgame in the NG run, so I preemptively upgraded Moonveil to +10 before taking on Radagon. But I really, really want to use Hand of Malenia's Waterfowl with Millicent's Prosthesis + Winged Sword Insignia and see how that goes, so Moonveil is the back-up choice.

This got me thinking about successive attacks. Not so much as advice for you, as something I want to try in a future playthrough. Millicent's Prosthesis, the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Lord of Blood's Exultation and shard of Alexander as talismans. Weapon, uchigatana with spinning weapon ash and cold affinity. DEX/INT build with some faith.

Buff with golden vow. Use exalted flesh as buff. Thorny crystal tear and dexterity knot as physick.

Roll into the big tanky boss and spin the weapon on his nutsack. When you spin:

- Frostbite procs immediately lowering damage negation.
- Bleed also procs because you're hitting so fast. Because you're using the Lord of Blood's Exultation this increases attack power by 20%
- The Rotten Winged Sword increases attack power by 13% and should trigger almost immediately because of the rapid spinning.
- Millicent's prosthesis should boost attack power by a further 11%
- Spinning weapon is a weapon art. It should be boosted by the shard of Alexander by 15%

That's a lot. Not much should be able to survive that. Spinning weapon also works on other things, so maybe the ughigatana wouldn't even be the best base weapon. A cold infused flamberge would look cooler. No idea how the scaling would compare between the two, this is just off the dome. I haven't got in there with the AR calculator yet.

 

[Sunri]

People still talk about ER?

123

 

[Child of Malkav]

People still talk about ER?

123

Unfortunately this place too has fallen to decline.

 

[Zeriel]

I never would've expected From to land the inevitable ASOIAF game. At first glance I was appalled, but am warming to the idea.

Here's what From does very well: environmental storytelling, atmosphere, action, and Gwynevere's titties.
Here's what an ASOIAF game needs: environmental storytelling, atmosphere, action, everybody's titties, and a coherent adaptation of source material.

That last one is a big fat question mark, but we'll see. At the very least, I expect it would be extremely fun to roleplay as the Mountain. Of course, I'm basing my thoughts off the assumption that this article is anything other than fake news.

Lol this post sure aged