Elden Ring - Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion Announced

[5R7]

30 minutes ago, Curtis said:

 

 

Tempted to do a respec so i can use it. Not likely I'm gonna do the crazy-ass long, convoluted questline again on my Mage build.

 

Might just backup my save and have a muck about with it.

 

c'mon, thats a bit of a spoiler. If you didnt know it was in there, put had played the rest, you would be looking for it.

 

and funnily that is what i was referring to with my post a few posts up. and am tempted to respec for it lol

[danbot]

Can anyone share a decent smithing stone 3 place?

Cheers.

[Curtis]

5 minutes ago, 5R7 said:

 

c'mon, thats a bit of a spoiler. If you didnt know it was in there, put had played the rest, you would be looking for it.

 

and funnily that is what i was referring to with my post a few posts up. and am tempted to respec for it lol

Sorry, i've spoilered it now.  

 

I assumed everyone knew of its inclusion, because its part of the legacy.

[StephenM]

Godrick second phase was A MOMENT. 

[Kryptonian]

1 hour ago, jonamok said:

Another slow and steady player here. Began as a wretch, put 40 hours in and am level 35 I think. I die A LOT. So I’ve lost loads of runes. My main weapons are only +8, and my spirit summons at +3. I’ve only defeated the first main boss, and keep getting one-shotted by the second.

I also went wretch and am just over 40 hours and could be around level 45.

 

Main weapon is +2 though 👀

 

2nd boss done mind…

[Jamie John]

Jesus, this game. After every single session I feel all "I've seen things you wouldn't believe..."

 

It's a cornucopia of wonders and terrors combined.

[BadgerFarmer]

32 minutes ago, danbot said:

Can anyone share a decent smithing stone 3 place?

Cheers.

I had to look this up yesterday. Was stuck at +8 for ages, with plenty of level 4 stones just waiting.

Spoiler

Cave in Liurnia, on the right side of the lake, near the top.

 

[Jamie John]

One thing the Souls games have never really got right is encouraging you to try out all the different cool weapons you find, and that seems to be the same here, too. I've got about thirty different weapons in my inventory, but I just use the same Lordsworn Longsword that I've been using since about the third hour in because it's +8 and far more powerful than anything else in my inventory. Granted, you seem to have greater access to low-level upgrade materials in this than you do in other Souls games, but I'm 35 hours in and still haven't found a vendor who seeks level 1-3 smithing stones.

 

I don't really get why you should have upgradeable weapons at all. Why not just have your weapons deal more damage the stronger or more dextrous you become? That would make a lot more sense. It would actually make the amazing weapons you find later in the game more meaningful, too, not just something you immediately forget about because it's nowhere near as strong as the rusty iron sword you found at the beginning of the game which you've steadily been putting all of your stones into. Similarly, if there were no weapon upgrades then you would be encouraged to switch between your different weapons a lot more: slash-based weapons for fleshy enemies, piercing for armoured foes, fire weapons for plant life, etc.

 

I know lots of people bemoan BoTW's weapon degradation, but it definitely encouraged you to use every single weapon you found.

[robdood]

Yeah I still wish they'd be brave enough to just ditch the levelling aspects altogether.  You don't need them really. 

[ChewMagma]

It is a nod to the classic 2nd edition AD&D roots of their games no?

[ChewMagma]

Also they had weapon degradation in earlier games and took it out because it is tedious admin.

[5R7]

@Curtis i know what you mean, but, we have a lot of new people!

[Jamie John]

2 minutes ago, ChewMagma said:

Also they had weapon degradation in earlier games and took it out because it is tedious admin.

 

I don't think they need weapon degradation in this, and I like it's no longer there.

 

Just have the same system as most other games: start off with weak weapons; find better ones later.

[Dark Soldier]

Jesus Christ the map just keeps getting bigger. Each area larger than the last.

 

Boggles the mind.

[BadgerFarmer]

At least the weapon arts let you switch back and forth between attributes now, without faffing around with different kinds of stones.

 

I'd just prefer it if there was a greater supply of normal stones from early on. I've been using a big sword I found near the start for 40 hours too, switching between bleed, heavy and fire at various points. I recently upgraded a special weapon with sombre stones so now I've got a different choice.

 

Edit: Meanwhile I've been mucking about with incantations quite a lot.

[GoblinUK]

I just beat Godric first time whilst playing remote play on an iPad. Might be my greatest ever gaming achievement.  

[Monkeyspill]

I’m cheesing this a bit.

 

Spoiler

I couldn’t kill the red knight near the bottom of Stormveil Castle. I got him to chase me to the lift, rolled off and sent him up to the top. He jumped off to get me and fell to his death.

 

[ChewMagma]

23 minutes ago, Jamie John said:

 

I don't think they need weapon degradation in this, and I like it's no longer there.

 

Just have the same system as most other games: start off with weak weapons; find better ones later.

 

Right but what if you like the moveset of the early weapons, why should they become non-viable?

[kempstar]

42 minutes ago, Jamie John said:

One thing the Souls games have never really got right is encouraging you to try out all the different cool weapons you find, and that seems to be the same here, too. I've got about thirty different weapons in my inventory, but I just use the same Lordsworn Longsword that I've been using since about the third hour in because it's +8 and far more powerful than anything else in my inventory. Granted, you seem to have greater access to low-level upgrade materials in this than you do in other Souls games, but I'm 35 hours in and still haven't found a vendor who seeks level 1-3 smithing stones.

 

I don't really get why you should have upgradeable weapons at all. Why not just have your weapons deal more damage the stronger or more dextrous you become? That would make a lot more sense. It would actually make the amazing weapons you find later in the game more meaningful, too, not just something you immediately forget about because it's nowhere near as strong as the rusty iron sword you found at the beginning of the game which you've steadily been putting all of your stones into. Similarly, if there were no weapon upgrades then you would be encouraged to switch between your different weapons a lot more: slash-based weapons for fleshy enemies, piercing for armoured foes, fire weapons for plant life, etc.

 

I know lots of people bemoan BoTW's weapon degradation, but it definitely encouraged you to use every single weapon you found.

What about those of us that want to SL1 the game? 🤬

[Jamie John]

5 minutes ago, kempstar said:

What about those of us that want to SL1 the game? 🤬

6 minutes ago, ChewMagma said:

 

Right but what if you like the moveset of the early weapons, why should they become non-viable?

 

I guess so, but then the movesets of the later weapons are often the same as the ones you find earlier in the game. Not always, obviously.

 

And re. SL1 stuff, I did think of that. I guess the weapons you found later could have higher base damage than the ones you started with, so even if you didn't level then they would hit harder. Or, as an alternative to the SL1 run, you could do a 'Starting weapon only run' as a challenge run instead.

 

I don't know what the solution is, but I do know that I started this game by telling myself I wouldn't just default to using a greatsword and bow, and I've defaulted to using a greatsword and bow 

[spanx]

@Jamie John agree. I’ve been using the same sword for about 30 hours and nothing else I’ve picked up can be upgraded enough to match it. Just trying to scale up my strength and endurance so I can use the ridiculous sword with loads of blades welded to it

[Qazimod]

I just had a funny moment of "remember that guy who was a boss before" - 

 

Spoiler

at the Altus Plateau Outer Wall I was trying to follow the grace when Magrit showed up without a name or boss health bar appearing, but with what seemed like the same moveset and health. And I died. Nice.  

 

 

[Klatrymadon]

Spoiler

Being able to just ignore bosses on the overworld is hilarious sometimes. Just came upon this enormous well-defended stairway acting as set-up for a double tree sentinel encounter and I simply rode to the grace point behind them.

 

[kensei]

One major difference from previous games is not locking bonfires if enemies are around. It's extremely generous by From standards.

 

I wonder did they try it the usual way but it just caused too many issues in the open world.

[Jamie John]

Ainsel River spoilers:

 

Spoiler

Took out that massive demonic butterfly chrysalis thing. Just found a safe spot and pelted it with arrows. Nasty bitch. I didn't expect to find a merchant under it, though. A welcome surprise!

 

I can see from the map that there's a lot more of this place I haven't seen, but I can't seem to get there yet, so I'm assuming there's another well somewhere, probably further north on the overland.

 

I did find an old friend, though...

 

Spoiler

Motherfucking basilisks 😱

 

They animate the same way as they do in the other games, but I was able to avoid whatever foul gas they were spewing this time and murdered them all. It was a great, if terrifying, moment when I saw one's eyes for the first time, lurking at the back of a cave.

 

You should have the option to leave "Ah shit, here we go again" as a message.

 

 

[Curtis]

Nope, not been playing this much. 

[Dark Soldier]

Have ya slept mate?

[Mike S]

30 minutes ago, Monkeyspill said:

I’m cheesing this a bit.

 

  Hide contents

I couldn’t kill the red knight near the bottom of Stormveil Castle. I got him to chase me to the lift, rolled off and sent him up to the top. He jumped off to get me and fell to his death.

 

I did as I tend to, leap, R2, poison ash.

 

Repeat.

 

Speaking of cheese, l left the game dead in a cave after being assaulted by a very slashy, teleporting/invisible, mini boss but went back with a new tactic - try shield. It seems the shield riposte/counter type move might be very OP as block, then that counter flooded him without too much bother. 
 

As an eternal roll/dodger I shall be using my shield more often from now that is for sure. 

[scottcr]

I found a turtle shield that has a power - pretty much blocks everything. Pity I’m shite at hitting back

[dug]

25 minutes ago, kensei said:

One major difference from previous games is not locking bonfires if enemies are around. It's extremely generous by From standards.

 

I wonder did they try it the usual way but it just caused too many issues in the open world.

 

I was thinking that, but there was one occasion when it wouldn't let me sit when an enemy was there. Admittedly it was right next to me and the grace point. So I think they've significantly reduced the radius around the grace point where an aggroed enemy will block it, but they haven't reduced it to zero.