From Software 'n such

[Lander]

Finished my DS1 pyro run. Ended up going Ricard's Rapier +15 for the latter half, then switched to Gold Tracer +5 at the very end for some flashy backflips.
Enjoyable all round - maining the flame gives a nice spread of situational options to give you the edge once you have enough ammo, and bringing three Fire Storms to a boss fight is great fun.
Not sure if the DEX cast speed bonus is worth building around - it's somewhat noticeable and probably saved a few tight situations, but Combustion is already fast enough and Fireball is still too slow to insert manually.

But good lord, Gwyn is such a car crash of a final boss for a no-poise build. Manus? Fine. Kalameet? No trouble. Dark Anor Londo Gwyndolin? Bastard of a runback, but a fun gimmick to unpick. Gwyn? Pure hitbox rushdown CBT.
Tried everything I could think of save for straight grinding, and the only winning strat was meta capitulation - tactically deploying a half-Havels and Ring of Favor and Protection to claw back enough margin to burn him down. Pah

In the end, noted arsonist Arthur Brown of Whitby - who looked more like Bruce Dickinson of Worksop, but what can you do - incinerated the world by hand, and is still at large. Word is he's working on a comeback album.

0/10 shit game. Can't wait to replay it again as a rush-lordvessel holy hammer paladin.

[Blinge]

fucking based hahah.

I actually..have beaten DS1 using only pyro, not a single melee attack.
and this was without realising you can ascend the flame for a whole new slew of upgrades urrrgh!

anyhow - totally agree on Gwyn.
he was the hardest part of my SL1 run because you fail that parry once and you're dead. and i was too dumb to just equip havels- was wearing the gold hemmed set the whole time.
opted to just fight him with rolls and a club. Again, not advised.

https://youtu.be/9WY6KSWT8Ro?t=3147
some ancient blinge here. jesus what was i recording on

[Blinge]

So as I'm getting into my final loop of BB

I've decided to play it all like this
https://youtu.be/19QXRqQpfxI
a nod to the good doctor, Toal Fact edition

I wonder.. could a playthrough of the game be possible using the beast gauge meter as the GetPointsSystem from Dodonpachi.. like your whole goal could be to clear areas without losing the beast gauge. Turn BB into a combo game haha.

https://youtu.be/JuD2V7Ik2R8
Amelia Dearheart liked it.

[BIL]

I wonder.. could a playthrough of the game be possible using the beast gauge meter as the GetPointsSystem from Dodonpachi.. like your whole goal could be to clear areas without losing the beast gauge. Turn BB into a combo game haha.

Oh fucc, that'd rock. Could see the first Act of HOONTERS NIGHTMARE up to Wiggeh-sama being a particularly good stretch, chasing down hyperaggressive AND scurred beasts while the Blood-Drunk Hoonters try to steal your kills.

Also settin' up them 1337 CHAINZ in Outer Hemick, aka VIET-YHAM

Similarly, Fishing Hamlet makes a badass improvised THE MERCENARIES mode - take out all four BIG SHARKIES in five minutes or less, add no-heal stipulation for NITEMARE MODO. I gotta make a cheese-lovin' AMV of this sometime tbh!

Hawt FOGGY ALLEYWAY run btw, my favourite little place in the whole game. Gots the hos AND the bros in arcade-tight surroundings, what's not to love?

Squire done said it long ago, mayne. Desert Island Hard 3D Action Game.

[Blinge]

Viet Yham hahaha..

those hunters exterminated this raving beast (me). blingeast.
I tried to rush into the group of gunners and a perfectly timed 4 bullet combo put me down

The one enemy that's made me rethink my loadout is the begger/ abhorrent beast. Fighting him in Cathedral ward this time because he's next to the lantern. I've realised what happens. All his fur and electric effect + maybe having Yharnam loaded in makes the game shit itself. Framedrops, and i swear your inputs are affected aswell, with lag.. and dodging in the wrong direction (ie where the camera was pointed before)

The claws are actually too slow and laggy for that guy.. so In a cool moment I had to re-tool myself with weapons meant for actually killing beasts. Cleaver, fire paper.. appropriate runes+gems. Difference was night+day

[BIL]

The one enemy that's made me rethink my loadout is the begger/ abhorrent beast. Fighting him in Cathedral ward this time because he's next to the lantern. I've realised what happens. All his fur and electric effect + maybe having Yharnam loaded in makes the game shit itself. Framedrops, and i swear your inputs are affected aswell, with lag.. and dodging in the wrong direction (ie where the camera was pointed before)

Oof, yeah. I think if the Church Miggy is visible (>40 Insight), it's even worse. One of the very few places where BB will reliably grind to a halt, can't recall anything else like it.

The very first time I outed him, he was outside the Chapel (and had eaten the auld rude fucker, finally clueing my dumb ass in... I totally missed the massacred family he's crouched over covered in gore, when you first meet - actually, he'd given me a mutual jumpscare, as I blindly rolled straight into him while barrel-breaking 4 hidden treatz). I was kinda "Well this is bad" and ran the fuck away, eventually fighting him near the Lower CW elevator. So I had no idea about the framerate killer at first, haha. Much later on I went for an honourable rematch and was all "oh hell no"

What an amiable VA. Blimeh! Don't scare meh like that!

Kind of because framerate, though mostly because I enjoy the smaller arena (with comedy ring-out potential - either death, or disgrace), I usually fight him in the woods now. Ever try chucking something (like a Molotov) up there at him while he's still in disguise? Transformation explosion lights up the sky, but I think he's hardcoded to never leave the rooftop. I wanted to try nailing him with that nearby cannon.

Lorewise, really fond of the idea that Forbidden Woods Act 1 aka DOGMANTOWN is set up like a fortress not to keep you (or others) out, but to catch Abby. There's a dead Hoonter armed with a Cannon right below his perch, and a dead Huntsman with a brace of Poison Throwing Knives, which are super effective on him (cheeze strat is apparently to poison him, then retreat to the doorway where he can't reach you - shamefur!).

[Lander]

You bastards, you're making me want to hook up the creaky old PS4 Peasant and return to the choppy streets of 'yham to hunt FAAHL BWEESTs.

I think I did a Beast Claw run at some point. Stupid sexy Fromsoft making us wade through the Phallus Dungeons to get it early.
It didn't seem particularly strong for the amount of effort needed to make the build take off, though I suppose that matters less once you're divorced from the character stat dogma

https://youtu.be/9WY6KSWT8Ro?t=3147
some ancient blinge here. jesus what was i recording on

Ahaha fuck, that spur-of-the-moment Point Down after the final blow is exactly what I did. Makes me wonder what portion of the playerbase does the same after getting reamed by the wrinkly old coot for an hour or so

Props for doing at it SL1, that's hardcore. I'm still in SL80ish no-summon experimentation land over here, figure I'd want to know exactly where all the low-stat gud gear is before even thinking about it.

[Volteccer_Jack]

Beast Claw is likely the worst weapon unfortunately. That's what happens when your main gimmick is something that every other weapon can do with a very plentiful consumable item. I wish Beast Blood Pellets would stack with or buff Beast Claw somehow, and/or that Beast's Embrace would give a more significant improvement. It's a really cool weapon, just doesn't have math on its side.

It does let you get around the "only one buff at a time" limit though, since the beasthood effect on the Claws is innate. So it's the only weapon that will let you use things like Lead Elixir or Old Hunter Bone while still enjoying beast-mode damage output.

[Blinge]

The key is the beast transformation rune from the DLC
I think people don't realise you gotta put those together.

but yeah i'm painfully aware of just how fucking bad even the transformation version is.
the dodge is longer and a bit goofy, you often end up where you don't wanna be, the attacks dont snap quickly enough to the direction you're locked onto - if you just dodged. So it feels like a DS2 big weapon sometimes.

Logarius at NG+7 doesn't fuck around. if he does the jump straight up and slam attack...? you're in for an 80%health loss.
and you gotta be near him to hit him, obviously.

I literally can't dodge that move.

I've got clips of me dodging through his scythe swipe and still getting hit too so i wonder if beast mode has an effect on your iframes too?
I eventually gave up and just pulled the gun out for an ez back off and parry fight.

I might actually give up the canonical Beasts ackshully won! end to my BB experience just because i'm getting annoyed by it now.

[Sumez]

If you're doing a Pyro run you can very very easily catch Gwyn in a simple loop where he can't get a single hit in. No reason to even parry. Works completely fine on SL1 as well.
I can't remember, I think it's Great Combustion that does it? There's a video somewhere on YouTube of someone demonstrating it.

[Volteccer_Jack]

I've got clips of me dodging through his scythe swipe and still getting hit too so i wonder if beast mode has an effect on your iframes too?

AFAIK the only thing that changes dodge iframes is Old Hunter Bone (which reduces them slightly lol). It's no fair that floppy squid gets super armor during dodges but feral beast doesn't

[Blinge]

I may indeed have a floppy squid, madam.
but at least it has super armor.

[BIL]

YAHOOOOOO

What Gehrman sees when he blazes that Moon Scented Grass

Spoiler

I may indeed have a floppy squid, madam.
but at least it has super armor.

The eye of a blood-drunk fuckin noob who's balls-deep in DSIII and dodging spoilers beckons you to the BB thread（＾w´ ）

[Lander]

We are born of the boost, made men by the boost, undone by the boost.

[BIL]

"Fear the Old Boost."

"I must take my leave."

"By the Gods, fear it, Laurence.

Wait. Laurence? Did I hear you lift my keys, you cheeky bastard? And what is that beastly racket?! It sounds like... a two-stroke engine?! Oh no.

Dear Gods, even he wouldn't..." NWS

(that's Larry's alternate machine - the man had NO fear WHATSOEVER when it came to the most unhallowed and eldritch of BOOSTING TECHNOLOGIES His spirit animal is on fire because he pushed the machine too far, leaving this mortal coil in the fiery wreck which ultimately claimed much of Old Yharnam - the vaseline was a natural accelerant )

[Blinge]

jesus fucking christ

[BIL]

You gotta risk it all to be First. In the Vicarage, and on the track!

[Blinge]

I mean.. somethings very wrong upstairs for him to get to the point where taking it up the chuff no longer does it for him

[BIL]

True, Larry's story is unmistakably a cautionary tale, on the reckless pursuit of ultimate bumming *cough* sorry, boosting technology - some theorise the headless statue, seen above his mortal remains and "Clint Beastwood" spirit animal alike, is offering our fallen Vicar not water, but lube!

You know what I wonder about - there's an identical statute in VietYham, right above the four Riflemen chilling around the campfire (just to your right as you enter the area), but nothing suggesting Larry. Other than perhaps the blazng fire itself.

Asset reuse and even simple error is always a possibility - cf that goofy-assed statue cluster still blighting Ol' Yharny's sky to this very day (a real *CLANNNG* when I go to admire the peerlessly GOFFIC skyline, and it's been long enough I've forgotten it's there ). But I like to give Miyazaki and co the benefit of the doubt. I wonder why it's there, particularly with the Grand Cathedral barely a stone's throw away overlooking the scene.

VietYham is a cool place, I dig interstices. Not quite Yharny, not Hemwick either (outside of all the Bone Marrow Ash up for grabs, and the Mad Ones that appear when you've enough Insight... ok I guess it is pretty Hemmy in there). WTB a BB2 with pretty much the same surface area, but letting you, say, clamber up that cliffside and see what's in the buildings overlooking the area. I wonder what's in there.

I finally noticed on my most recent return, you can roll-stun the Hemwick lunatic ladies, almost like wearing rascally KURT's armour from DS1... I went "HOLY FUCK COOL" and tried it on everything else, no dice. It does work on the Chalice Pthumerian zako, the really basic emaciated doodz. Neat detail, mahfuckas need to bulk up!

[Lander]

It's fine, we only see it that way because of a low insight stat.
...But wait, insight is for elder things, not beasts the church has gone too far!

And I'll be, never twigged that cutscene Loz and the optional DLC boss are one and the same. No more "who dis" on subsequent DLC replays

On a tenuous link to other matters of church, I started that holy hammer run with baldy big-body paladin Peter Pious - blessed be the reflection off his shiny dome.
Highlights include skipping the Burg, Lautrec insta-pitting himself in awe, becoming unstoppable after body-snatching Paladin Leeroy, a sweet high-poise heavy weapon slugfest with Artorias, and realising too late that not even its rightful owner pumps the 50STR / 30FAI needed to one-hand Grant.

I'm now desparately hoovering up extra souls to course-correct equip load before NG+, so it's worked out as more of a well-intentioned holy axe murderer build.
In some ways easier than DEX Pyro, since poise is busted, Force / WoG is busted, the Crescent Axe is great, and free heals between fights never hurt. Though the STR / FAI imbalance and weight trouble have it take a pasting from chunkier endgame bosses.

[Blinge]

You're using the Grant!??

So I'm playing Elden Ring..
some brief thoughts.
Okay I've decided to be a pussy and pay homage to my OWN youtube content I've gone for the glintstone sorcery build. spellsword, basically.. if the mood to use melee takes me, i'll use melee.
I don't know what other magics there are, i know nothing about the game. The astrologer class looked less DUMB than the other one.
I was about level 23 when I

Spoiler

broke through mr GIT the fell who blocks the castle entrance

I had to play genuinely well to beat him, I think a lot of bosses are designed to counter long-range casters way more than they ever were in previous souls games. This guy input reads and throws projectiles to close the distance pretty fucking fast. I guess you've experienced the same thing if you try to drink when far away. We're talking as soon as I hit L1 to cast a spell the projectiles came, slower spells would get insta-punished every time!
DS1 you can sleepwalk with magic. Not so in Elden Ring

I like the change tbh.
caveat - most regular groups of enemies have no answer to magic

Not using ashes because it seems like they'd trivialise every fight.
( busting through a checkpoint of guards using muh pet wolves is pretty fun tho )

***
Also playing
Demon's Souls ! again! ha

Yeah I just.. wanted to stream it but I can't run the emulator well enough on muh PC.
Doing the no rolling thicc boi run on DeS.
It's crazy how just doing 1-1 and half of 2-1 is enough to get you a +5 weapon, no farming involved.. just get the bag.

I went for 3-1 as my 3rd area clear.. Temple Knight class, Abjudicator Shield.. couldn't block any hit from Abjudicator. Just got knocked TF down. Gonna pump end, use the steel greatshield and try to build my char up more.

[Lander]

Tried to had some fun blasting groups of scrubs with its R2 explosion and crushing early NG+ bosses, but I traded in Gwyn's soul for the uber lightning miracle and just kind of crumpled at the realisation of how many more FAI points it would take to lock the build in proper.

Cosplaying Paladin is well and good, but having to bring an appropriately religious fervor to take it all the way? Real funny, From.

Also, fuck the bridge drake. I can understand making his point blank breath instakill when he's acting as a stage hazard - since it forces you to take the lower route or puzzle out the sprint timing - but keeping it when you're fighting him mano-a-mano is EGREGIOUS. Mufucka is stronger than Kalameet.

And man, Elden Ring has some SNK-tier input reading. Did you get the Kamehameha sorcery yet? You couldn't summon for a boss without tripping over at least three of those guys back at launch.

[Blinge]

I don't know, i'm not gonna summon

nah i'm super early. i'm still breaching the castle

[Lander]

Oh right, proper first playthrough stuff. Well suffice to say, sorcerers can delete bosses real good this time.
Don't sleep on Catch Flame like I did first go round - it has a special property that cancels the startup of certain bigger spells if you combo out of it, which is great for staggering or stealing a few extra frames.

Re. Ashes, yeah kinda. There's one later on that's pretty busted (you'll know it when you see it), but a lot of them tend to get wiped pretty quick in a boss fight after buying you a bit of margin.
Believe it or not, that horny old git secretly fears the humble jellyfish on account of a low poison resist stat.

[Volteccer_Jack]

I had to play genuinely well to beat him, I think a lot of bosses are designed to counter long-range casters way more than they ever were in previous souls games.

Yes and no. There are more enemies who outright dodge or counter spells, but sorcery is IMO more OP in ER than any of the previous games. One hilarious example is that a number of enemies will read your inputs and dodge when you cast a spell. But because they are reacting to your casting rather than the actual projectile, if you stand far enough back, the spell will have time to track to their position after the dodge, and they won't even try to perform a second dodge.

That and I think melee is significantly worse in ER than in past games, for a number of reasons.

[Blinge]

Catch flame? looks like pyro has been rolled into Miracles this time around..
I'd consider that stuff but my faith is rock bottom so that seems like a hell of an investment..

also i'm made of paper cause nothing looks better than my astrologer drip so far.

[Blinge]

My whole point about magic is if the player actually has to play in order to win, then they've been successful in rebalancing. we'll see if that's the case.

When 3 soul spear and 5 of homing soulmasses can melt O&S + super O in Souls1, are you even playing?

[Sumez]

Trust me(/us), the further you get into Elden Ring, the less "balanced" it'll feel, and I think it's perfectly intentional even though it's sad how easy it is to completely miss the better intricacies of a lot of the later boss fights, since you can just pummel them.

I admire you not using summons though - I did the same thing myself. There's one really late game boss fight that I think seems designed entirely around the idea of you absolutely relying on a leveled up summon at that point, which is regrettable. Of course, I'm sure plenty of people have beaten it solo regardless. People do everything with these games.

EDIT: And of course any of the 50 other ways to cheese a boss could be used as well against it, so I guess I need more qualifiers than simply "solo'ing" it. But as I'm sure you'll learn, it becomes increasingly hard to draw the line before what counts as cheese in this game, and it's something many intense internet fights have been started over

[Stevens]

100% agree with Sumez here.

Spoiler

Certain late game areas/some late game bosses are balanced like, how you say? Like shit.

[Lander]

Having recently gone back to Dark Souls, I think I prefer the OG approach to the new input-reading one. I swear there's something in those old AI routines that plans around player hubris and lines up groups of enemy attacks to convert one mistake into a successive string of hurt - mostly predictable and abusable, but still able to humble the player when needed.

ER's approach feels a bit meta, like they analyzed player behaviour and built in a bunch of systematic catches to change "when needed" into "as often as possible", rather than designing the enemies to be intrinsically tougher.

That and I think melee is significantly worse in ER than in past games, for a number of reasons.

Optimal Strat:
Jump Attack
Jump Attack
Jump Attack
Jump Attack
Stun Riposte
Jump Attack
[Repeat From Step 1]

Granted, Forward + R2 was always excellent in the older games thanks to closing the distance during startup, but ER's jump button really granted it a spot in the meta pantheon.

Catch flame? looks like pyro has been rolled into Miracles this time around..
I'd consider that stuff but my faith is rock bottom so that seems like a hell of an investment..

The level range is like ~50% higher than traditional souls, so you'll probably have enough spare points to dual-class in eventually if you go full squishy caster. Though there's no Velka's Talisman equivalent, so no cheating your way into the clergy with brainpower.

Case in point, I had designs on a pure celtic barbarian build for my first run, but ended up overshooting into powerstanced greataxes and eventually casting due to an excess of stats.