Elden ring!

[Mathemagician]

I’m waffling on taking my character in NG+ mode. I completed every single quest and side every single dungeon on my first playthrough. Platinum’d it as well.

So while I wouldn’t mind replaying I’d want to keep my stuff and respec to more powerful/OP stuff versus just starting over again.

I did the frenzied flame ending last and so now I have glowing eyes while I run around until I decide what to do.

Played through as a mage this time so may actually try and go melee. I wish there was a katana that inflicted scarlet rot, lol.

Running around with death poker and sword of Milo’s power stances atm. I swap Death poker for blasphemous blade sometimes, that thing is too fun.

 

[Wc707]

I’m waffling on taking my character in NG+ mode. I completed every single quest and side every single dungeon on my first playthrough. Platinum’d it as well.

So while I wouldn’t mind replaying I’d want to keep my stuff and respec to more powerful/OP stuff versus just starting over again.

I did the frenzied flame ending last and so now I have glowing eyes while I run around until I decide what to do.

Played through as a mage this time so may actually try and go melee. I wish there was a katana that inflicted scarlet rot, lol.

Running around with death poker and sword of Milo’s power stances atm. I swap Death poker for blasphemous blade sometimes, that thing is too fun.

I debated NG+ as well because of possible DLC. Didn't wanna get hammered too hard cause of a difficulty spike.

Ive had fun with combat and having to research where stuff is on my new build. Kinda a slog to get through some areas, but it's still challenging.

Was afraid having all those toys at my disposal would make me lose interest.

 

[wankerness]

My problem with NG+ is since there's no new gear, there's no progression happening anymore when you do it. A lot of the fun for me in this game is building out the character and collecting gear, if there's nothing left to collect and your stat increases no longer have much of any effect (like after level 150 or so). I don't find it very interesting going on a steamrolling tour of the same content for minimal stat increases. I mean, having a character with 80 str/80 dex/80 int/80 faith that doesn't need to respec could be fun, but still seems a lot duller than starting from scratch.

 

[wankerness]

I’m waffling on taking my character in NG+ mode. I completed every single quest and side every single dungeon on my first playthrough. Platinum’d it as well.

So while I wouldn’t mind replaying I’d want to keep my stuff and respec to more powerful/OP stuff versus just starting over again.

I did the frenzied flame ending last and so now I have glowing eyes while I run around until I decide what to do.

Played through as a mage this time so may actually try and go melee. I wish there was a katana that inflicted scarlet rot, lol.

Running around with death poker and sword of Milo’s power stances atm. I swap Death poker for blasphemous blade sometimes, that thing is too fun.

There are a couple weapons that do scarlet rot, I think they're mostly called "Rotten [X]." I used a pokey one, Antspur Rapier, that you get off the NPC that's in the field off to the west of the shaded castle on one boss that was weak to Scarlet Rot (the golden version of Godfrey) but otherwise haven't messed with it at all. I think most bosses are immune to it, making it a bad thing to build around.

 

[Wc707]

My problem with NG+ is since there's no new gear, there's no progression happening anymore when you do it. A lot of the fun for me in this game is building out the character and collecting gear, if there's nothing left to collect and your stat increases no longer have much of any effect (like after level 150 or so). I don't find it very interesting going on a steamrolling tour of the same content for minimal stat increases. I mean, having a character with 80 str/80 dex/80 int/80 faith that doesn't need to respec could be fun, but still seems a lot duller than starting from scratch.

This is what I hem and haw about. The satisfaction of earning or finding new gear is great.

 

[wankerness]

So, there was finally a DLC announement - for free PVP dlc! Zzzzz. I mean, great if you like PVP in these games, but I don't. DS2/3 PVP was occasionally fun when I'd fight invaders, but Elden Ring's is awful cause of the monstrous burst damage everyone can do.

It's labelled DLC1 in the game files apparently, though, so I'm assuming there will be substantial ones coming eventually. After how great the DLC was in DS1/2/3 and Bloodborne, I have very high hopes.

 

[Leviathus]

Predictable move, though cool nonetheless. I suck at souls pvp, but i'll check it out and get in a few scrims.

I do expect they'll release a proper DLC at some point.

 

[LostTheTone]

I know that there are some mad people who are just into Soulsborne PvP but I have never ever understood why. I guess they must be the same kind of people who are super into fighting games, but given the jankiness and occasional brokeness of FromSoft games it doesn't seem like a good venue for it.

Still, I guess we'll see how things go.

I am really undecided on PvE Elden Ring DLC, leaning towards not buying any that shows up. I recently came back for another playthrough and I really felt that once you don't have exploration to break up the game (ie, you know what to do and where to go) then it's a real slog just bashing these janky bosses.

Perhaps some DLC with a fresh map to explore, and some more considered boss design, will give the game some fresh life? I'unno. I'll wait for the reviews.

 

[wankerness]

I really like playing it repeatedly with different builds/weapons. It certainly loses the "exploration" aspect of that first playthrough, which I think people rightfully say is what makes it the best open-world game since BOTW, but I'm ok with repetitively doing all the stuff and not having much discovery anymore. I love the vibes and the environments and the gameplay enough that I'm more than happy to just keep playing it over and over. And even on playthrough #6 I'm still occasionally happening upon stuff in the world and items I've never seen before.

I find its replay value better than Dark Souls 3, because I don't really like the level design in that one compared to Elden Ring's legacy dungeons or the previous DS games (yeah, I know everyone hates DS2's level design, but I like it for some reason, it's very fast and furious going through everything and there's more variety IMO than in DS3).

 

[LostTheTone]

I really like playing it repeatedly with different builds/weapons. It certainly loses the "exploration" aspect of that first playthrough, which I think people rightfully say is what makes it the best open-world game since BOTW, but I'm ok with repetitively doing all the stuff and not having much discovery anymore. I love the vibes and the environments and the gameplay enough that I'm more than happy to just keep playing it over and over. And even on playthrough #6 I'm still occasionally happening upon stuff in the world and items I've never seen before.

I find its replay value better than Dark Souls 3, because I don't really like the level design in that one compared to Elden Ring's legacy dungeons or the previous DS games (yeah, I know everyone hates DS2's level design, but I like it for some reason, it's very fast and furious going through everything and there's more variety IMO than in DS3).

I used to be very into doing different builds and styles in From games, but neither DS3 or Elden Ring felt much fun to do that in to me. In both those games I kinda felt like every weapon does just about the same damage (in DPS) so there just doesn't feel like much difference. There are plenty of unique movesets, especially when you include weapon arts, but a lot of weapons just have crappy movesets and unique weapons often have dreadful arts that can't be changed.

It's just... It doesn't have the magic to me, and it leaves me a bit unexcited. It used to feel exciting to do Moonlight Greatsword builds, and I was super stoked to do Luccatiel cosplay in DS2. But in ER I don't feel like I get anything from that.

 

[NotDonVito]

So, there was finally a DLC announement - for free PVP dlc! Zzzzz. I mean, great if you like PVP in these games, but I don't. DS2/3 PVP was occasionally fun when I'd fight invaders, but Elden Ring's is awful cause of the monstrous burst damage everyone can do.

It's labelled DLC1 in the game files apparently, though, so I'm assuming there will be substantial ones coming eventually. After how great the DLC was in DS1/2/3 and Bloodborne, I have very high hopes.

yeah that's why it's fun, who needs skill when i can just spam blasphemous blade over and over and win

 

[wankerness]

yeah that's why it's fun, who needs skill when i can just spam blasphemous blade over and over and win

These games are designed as primarily PVE experience, the PVP tends to be an afterthought at best. If people enjoy it great. I don't. If I play a game with a huge imaginative world loaded with hundreds of items and monsters, I'd rather spend my time doing that instead of hanging out in one location and spamming emotes at people in between combat experiences that tend to be more frustrating versions of the fake invaders in these games without any of the rewards. If I wanted PVP, I'd go to a game renowned for that, like any one of the million primarily multiplayer shooters or DOTA clones out there.

Of course it takes more skill to win at PVP, but does that make it fun or rewarding? Clearly to people who value these games primarily to test skills, but not me, who likes playing through the levels and fighting monsters. And the ridiculously OP builds here all make the barrier to entry much higher. Like when I dabbled, you basically had to learn to parry rivers of blood, cause 80% of invaders were just going to spam the weapon art on that at you over and over again. If you learn the timing and then can counter all of them, more power to you. There was no in-game reward for it, though, besides runes and runearcs that you could get via plenty of other means.

 

[LostTheTone]

These games are designed as primarily PVE experience, the PVP tends to be an afterthought at best

That's an interesting point, but I am reasonably sure that PvP really wasn't well thought through back in the day and From have been forced to just keep on with it.

But... Has any Soulslike had better PvP? Or better online stuff? Is there actually a good way to do PvP in this kind of game?

 

[Mathemagician]

I’m just waiting on them to release new bosses for me to nuke. Although I’m sure all the gear I leveled has been nerfed now.

 

[LostTheTone]

I’m just waiting on them to release new bosses for me to nuke. Although I’m sure all the gear I leveled has been nerfed now.

Is it cynical of me to say I kinda hope they don't make any new bosses

I know that From have really good history of making baller DLC bosses, but holy shit if I have to wade through yet another boss who has too much HP, multiple phases, long combos and willfully obtuse attack timing then I'm going to kill someone.

 

[wankerness]

I’m just waiting on them to release new bosses for me to nuke. Although I’m sure all the gear I leveled has been nerfed now.

I think the only weapons that really got hit with the nerf bat were Rivers of Blood and Blasphemous Blade's range/damage, and then the stun on Moonveil's weapon art. And all are still plenty overpowered, just not as much as before.

RE: PVP in these games, from everything I hear, DS2's was the best cause the build variety and gear options were so crazy compared to DS1 and 3, and your characters couldn't generally be annihilated in less than 2 seconds like in elden ring. DS1 remastered's PVP is exclusively people exploiting lag to chain backstabs and nothing else, and DS3 seems ok but the fights tend to go on FOREVER cause of how much estus can be used and how low burst damage is relative to Elden Ring. But again, I've only read reports second hand, usually complaining about elden ring. I have very little experience myself, just getting invaded several times in each, usually by people with names like NOOBKILLER who had some crazy twink build and would just mechanically seek you out kill you as fast as possible and then send messages through PS+ like "lol noob."

I bet DS1's pvp was fun wayyy back in the day, especially before people really knew what they were doing. With elden ring everyone immediately beelined for the most overpowered awful setups like fingerprint shield +block increase items/abilities +bleed spear, or dual spear jumping, or for just general annoyance spamming the rivers of blood weaponart nonstop or that elden beast AOE spell. And moonveil briefly was pretty overpowered in multiplayer thanks to everyone having it and the stun on the weapon art being nuts.

 

[wankerness]

I'm really rusty with this. My worst experience so far has been the jump sequence to get to the frenzied flame door. I seriously died like 20 times. I hate that so much. I'd previously had a few playthroughs where I got through it first try no problem. The platforms just had some specific order you had to do to make it easy and it's very easy to choose wrong and make it way more difficult.

I died a LOT of times to Maliketh's second phase. Would get him to P2 in like 20 seconds every time without taking more than a hit, then he'd do all his flipping bullshit and I'd get maybe 2 hits on him before dying, usually after over a minute of him constantly jumping way out of range. I hate that fight, and eventually just upgraded Rivers of Blood and said screw it and annihilated him in seconds.

I was also terrible at Hoarah Lux and ended up doing the same thing. I usually think I would annihilate him so fast that he wouldn't have much of a chance to do anything, but here that was not the case. His phase 2 is ridiculous. Just tons of SUPER delayed attacks where it's really hard to not jump the gun on your jump avoidance or rolling and get nailed. The ones where he basically makes the whole floor explode and it hits you for 90% of your health bar (I have 50 vigor) are the most obnoxious.

I think both of these guys would actually be easier without summoning ashes. Part of the problem is their unpredictability and flipping all over the frickin place ricocheting between you and your mimic. But, I'm just trying to get through the game, not learn bosses for real! It just seems like there's this weird gray area where summons make fights harder unless you have the right setup where they're so overpowered that they totally trivialize the fight and make it end in 30 seconds.

For example, Mohg was funny cause I somehow managed to kill him before he could heal during the phase transition. I've been using the Bloody Helice primarily on this playthrough. It's really good for some specific purposes - mainly fighting NPC invaders and then fights where the boss doesn't jump around and is weak to bleed.

 

[wankerness]

Finally, real DLC announced!



Of course there's no details besides a title and a picture that looks like it's of Miquella maybe.

 

[MFB]

Figured I'll switch my chronicles over to here as I'm sure I'm the only one playing at the moment until Alberto starts his playthru, and won't clog the WGAYP thread up again Made it to Malenia at the end of the Haligtree, only tried her twice as I don't think I did on my 1st run, got wrecked regardless of level, and don't really desire to fight her. Also beat the Fire Giant and lit the forge, so now I'm getting the great gauntlet that is Crumbling Farum Azula! Fuck this portion of the game, so dumb platforming, but it is what it is.

 

[wankerness]

Figured I'll switch my chronicles over to here as I'm sure I'm the only one playing at the moment until Alberto starts his playthru, and won't clog the WGAYP thread up again Made it to Malenia at the end of the Haligtree, only tried her twice as I don't think I did on my 1st run, got wrecked regardless of level, and don't really desire to fight her. Also beat the Fire Giant and lit the forge, so now I'm getting the great gauntlet that is Crumbling Farum Azula! Fuck this portion of the game, so dumb platforming, but it is what it is.

Crumbling Farum is a million times easier than Haligtree and even Mountaintop of the Giants IMO. The only really bad section is when there's scads of those skeleton guys cause they're super beefy and will poise right through your attacks if you try to hit them while they're attacking. Good time to use moonveil and pull carefully - especially when you first go up the elevator and there are a few of them that aggro together if you walk forward that look dead unless you hit them with a ranged attack. Oh, the sentinel miniboss is also a huge asshole, but that's kind of to be expected. If you don't feel like beating him fair and square you can always run up to maliketh's door, save and quit, and then creep up behind him and kill him with poison mist without any threat to yourself.

The other section(s) of crumbling farum that suck are a few specific enemies - especially the full health sleeping dragon in middle of the level and the INCREDIBLY beefy crucible knight. I learned to just never fight either, since neither one gives you any drops, and they have a pathetic amount of runes for how difficult they are. The banished knights that hang out around the godskin duo are really nasty too but you can take them out as long as you sneak up and hit them with a few super powerful attacks before they can retaliate.