Elden Ring
Re: Elden Ring
When I was shopping for the Quickstep ash last night, I noticed that the chap sells the Parry one too. It looks like it can be equipped to swords, but I don't really want to put it on my katana to try it as I'm not sure how easy it is to get a technique back after you replace it. You can "duplicate" them at the armourer in Roundtable Hold, but doing so costs an item that I've not found yet.
Re: Elden Ring
So did anyone else find the teleportation trap and find themselves in a higher level area hopelessly outclassed? 
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DjchunKfunK
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Re: Elden Ring
Yeah, although I didn't find the enemies too difficult it was the terrain and the lack of flat surfaces that made it really hard to fight anything.
Re: Elden Ring
No, but I did walk onto a piece of ground that collapsed as I approached a chest, dropping me into a pitch-black cave full of rats. I did manage to survive it, but then I had to work my way out of a cave with no light sources. I don't have a torch, just a small handful of glow stones and I had no idea how long the cave was going to be. I had just enough to get me out of the place.
When I got back up to the top, there was a horrible piece of flesh in the chest.
When I got back up to the top, there was a horrible piece of flesh in the chest.
Re: Elden Ring
Nice to see some things never change with the way these games troll the player.
The harder area isn't too bad once you've dealt with the ranged foe. I would say it's probably worth the fight because when you go back above ground to the new area there are some decent items you can scavenge. A quick run around on Torrent and I managed to get an extra healing flask plus one of the items that buffs its potency. The area itself is a nice change of scenery too, distinctly darker than Limgrave.
The harder area isn't too bad once you've dealt with the ranged foe. I would say it's probably worth the fight because when you go back above ground to the new area there are some decent items you can scavenge. A quick run around on Torrent and I managed to get an extra healing flask plus one of the items that buffs its potency. The area itself is a nice change of scenery too, distinctly darker than Limgrave.
Re: Elden Ring
I've found three of those flask upgrading items now. They can't be used for anything else, can they? I think my flasks probably heal me for more than my entire health bar now if they each upgrade by the same amount.
Where do you find torches by the way? I would have thought I'd have had one by now given I came across several areas really early on that could have done with a light source.
Where do you find torches by the way? I would have thought I'd have had one by now given I came across several areas really early on that could have done with a light source.
Re: Elden Ring
I don't think they have any other use. It'd be unconventional for the series if they did.
The merchant who looks like Santa Claus at the very first church of Elleh you find when you enter the open world sells torches. They're 500 runes a pop I think and last indefinitely so you don't need to keep replacing them like back in Dark Souls 2.
The merchant who looks like Santa Claus at the very first church of Elleh you find when you enter the open world sells torches. They're 500 runes a pop I think and last indefinitely so you don't need to keep replacing them like back in Dark Souls 2.
Re: Elden Ring
Oh, hah. I haven't actually spoken to him since I first met him. I entirely missed that church at the start as I went to the right of the big guy on horseback, and went to the Gatefront Ruins. Either I didn't think he had anything worth buying besides I think the piece of chainmail I picked up to lower my equipped weight, or I didn't have enough runes at the time to buy both items. I've been to that church probably ten times to upgrade my weapons, but haven't spoken to him.
Incidentally, the rats are *really* unpleasant. They make this unsettling squeaking noise, and it's not helped by the fact that they're covered in boils. I found a small village filled with them (they were hiding in the bushes all over the place), so I was stumbling into them seemingly at random. Of all the more realistic wildlife in this they're my least favourite, but they do highlight something else I'm appreciating - the sound design in this is excellent. Maybe it's the fact that I'm playing it through my cinema audio setup and everything is just a lot more punchy than I'm used to with headphones or my PC speakers, but I think the devs have done an amazing job. The constant shrill stringed instruments playing in the open world ambience give the game a real feel of tension even in the quiet bits.
Incidentally, the rats are *really* unpleasant. They make this unsettling squeaking noise, and it's not helped by the fact that they're covered in boils. I found a small village filled with them (they were hiding in the bushes all over the place), so I was stumbling into them seemingly at random. Of all the more realistic wildlife in this they're my least favourite, but they do highlight something else I'm appreciating - the sound design in this is excellent. Maybe it's the fact that I'm playing it through my cinema audio setup and everything is just a lot more punchy than I'm used to with headphones or my PC speakers, but I think the devs have done an amazing job. The constant shrill stringed instruments playing in the open world ambience give the game a real feel of tension even in the quiet bits.
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DjchunKfunK
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Re: Elden Ring
Yeah I went back yesterday and explored quite a bit.Mantis wrote: ↑Mon Feb 28, 2022 12:56 pmNice to see some things never change with the way these games troll the player.
The harder area isn't too bad once you've dealt with the ranged foe. I would say it's probably worth the fight because when you go back above ground to the new area there are some decent items you can scavenge. A quick run around on Torrent and I managed to get an extra healing flask plus one of the items that buffs its potency. The area itself is a nice change of scenery too, distinctly darker than Limgrave.
Re: Elden Ring
So what build have people gone for?
I usually mainline dex and forgo shields in these games, either two handing a fast weapon or duel-wielding if the game allows. I've pumped some extra points into strength this time though so that I can use the halberd if I need some extra pokey reach. Eventually I'll diverge into one of the magic stats too just so that I have the option of finishing off difficult enemies with a little magic poke.
Primarily though I'm using the twinblade, which I am really enjoying the moveset for. I two hand it in most scenarios and then swap to one hand with a 100% block shield for the tougher enemies where I know I'll need to rely on the odd block/R2 critical or parry (or even just for the damage negation when they have particularly insane attack combos which I'm having trouble dodging). I was using duel scimitars that came with the class to begin with which is also quite a fun moveset but the twinblade just beats it in every way in terms of reach and damage so I've swapped them out.
I usually mainline dex and forgo shields in these games, either two handing a fast weapon or duel-wielding if the game allows. I've pumped some extra points into strength this time though so that I can use the halberd if I need some extra pokey reach. Eventually I'll diverge into one of the magic stats too just so that I have the option of finishing off difficult enemies with a little magic poke.
Primarily though I'm using the twinblade, which I am really enjoying the moveset for. I two hand it in most scenarios and then swap to one hand with a 100% block shield for the tougher enemies where I know I'll need to rely on the odd block/R2 critical or parry (or even just for the damage negation when they have particularly insane attack combos which I'm having trouble dodging). I was using duel scimitars that came with the class to begin with which is also quite a fun moveset but the twinblade just beats it in every way in terms of reach and damage so I've swapped them out.
Re: Elden Ring
Very similar, albeit with the uchigatana rather than the twinblade. I haven't found the halberd yet, though I did find a big spear that requires taking an extra 3 or 4 levels in strength which I don't really want to do.
I've finally killed Margit, which took some doing. I really struggled to read his animations, and so getting hits in without taking damage myself was next to impossible. I think I've basically levelled my way through the fight (I think I was level 31 going into it), I can't see how I would have done it otherwise. In the end I worked out how to break his stance (a single charge attack to the face while he was fighting my ghost dogs, which wasn't exactly easy to time), and I got two criticals in the final go.
Please tell me he's not considered easy for a first Soulsbourne boss, otherwise I may as well give up now.
I've finally killed Margit, which took some doing. I really struggled to read his animations, and so getting hits in without taking damage myself was next to impossible. I think I've basically levelled my way through the fight (I think I was level 31 going into it), I can't see how I would have done it otherwise. In the end I worked out how to break his stance (a single charge attack to the face while he was fighting my ghost dogs, which wasn't exactly easy to time), and I got two criticals in the final go.
Please tell me he's not considered easy for a first Soulsbourne boss, otherwise I may as well give up now.
Re: Elden Ring
Anyone found a way to pause the game? Demon's Souls could be paused by going into camera mode, but I can't find any equivalent in Elden Ring and it's bloody annoying. I get that not being able to pause in the inventory is intended to make nowhere feel safe, etc, which is fine. But sometimes in the middle of a dangerous area I need to answer the door or take a phone call or stop to sneeze or whatever. The inability to pause is a really dumb design choice.
Re: Elden Ring
Well on the Xbox I can suspend the game using the system menu, but that's not going to help if you're on pc. I do agree that the ability to pause should be mandatory regardless of the effect the devs are going for.
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DjchunKfunK
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Re: Elden Ring
There isn't a way to pause the game, there hasn't been since Dark Souls.
I've gone with a dex/faith build that has got more faith heavy as I have gone on due to the fact that I have found upgrade materials hard to come by and therefore been stuck with the starter weapon. This is one of my big complaints with the game, I know there is a way to buy upgrade materials eventually but early on there is a distinct lack of them available so I have felt the need to invest them wisely. This is a thing that I felt the series had gotten away from and allowed you more choice over weapons so it's a shame that it appears to have crept back in. I know there are some people who have found plenty but what with it being an openworld there is no guarnatte that this will be true for everyone.
I've gone with a dex/faith build that has got more faith heavy as I have gone on due to the fact that I have found upgrade materials hard to come by and therefore been stuck with the starter weapon. This is one of my big complaints with the game, I know there is a way to buy upgrade materials eventually but early on there is a distinct lack of them available so I have felt the need to invest them wisely. This is a thing that I felt the series had gotten away from and allowed you more choice over weapons so it's a shame that it appears to have crept back in. I know there are some people who have found plenty but what with it being an openworld there is no guarnatte that this will be true for everyone.
Re: Elden Ring
I would be careful when using the rest/suspend mode on the Xbox version. I don't know if this bug is prevalent across consoles, but I put the PS5 into rest mode to charge the controller on Sunday and it corrupted the installation of the game. Elden Ring wasn't even launched at the time and yet when I went to play later that night it threw up an error code and refused to launch the app.
It seems that the corrupt files are linked with putting the PS5 into rest mode at any point and it required a full fresh install of the game.
Just something to be wary of if you're on Xbox.
I found another teleport beacon last night near a Church of Marika and it launched me right into the top North East corner of Caelid. Man that place is terrifying. I explored the entire area on horseback, picking up the map fragments and getting the bonfires whilst fleeing from most of the enemies that were far beyond me. It's a beautifully haunting area, strong Bloodborne vibes from it.
It seems that the corrupt files are linked with putting the PS5 into rest mode at any point and it required a full fresh install of the game.
Just something to be wary of if you're on Xbox.
I found another teleport beacon last night near a Church of Marika and it launched me right into the top North East corner of Caelid. Man that place is terrifying. I explored the entire area on horseback, picking up the map fragments and getting the bonfires whilst fleeing from most of the enemies that were far beyond me. It's a beautifully haunting area, strong Bloodborne vibes from it.