Elden Ring (George RR Martin and From Software)

Stone Deaf 4evr

Reached crumbling farum azula yesterday, and stopped for the night once I had defeated the godskin Duo.

In terms of how much game is left - am i near the end? It been a blast, but I'm starting to get that itch where I want to go back to playing other stuff.

I haven't done the haligtree / milenea area yet, but I do intend to check it out.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119008383#Comment_119008383

That area is pretty much the last main area in the game. Technically once you beat that area all you really have left are the last few boss fights. The Haligtree area is optional, but is worth checking out especially for the Malenia fight which is probably the toughest boss in the game. Though you might need to do that area to get a specific ending or avoid a specific ending. I can spoiler it if you want to know or care about which ending you get.

Stone Deaf 4evr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119008450#Comment_119008450

perfect, I'm aware of the endings and know which one I'm in line for. I must have a look at the wiki and see what else I should mop up before completing it anway.

I have also switched to the Rivers of Blood / moonveil combo and once I got used to the moveset, I can see why its so popular. have actually been dumping the last few levels into Mind to up my FP, and spamming it works incredibly well on a lot of enemies - so much so that its inevitably going to be patched I reckon.

johnny_ultimate

Moonveil remains great throughout the game for general gameplay and most bosses, but I reckon Rivers of Blood is at this stage among the only viable options for taking down Malenia solo. At the very least it’s the most foolproof way of doing so - said as a fool who only got through it in co-op!

Actually booted up the game once or twice in the last few weeks to earn a few extra levels to pump into arcane for bleed damage, just in case I do get the urge to NG+ at any point. Gotta say the ‘wave of gold’ farm spot is immensely satisfying!

Penn

The Moonveil was incredible. I used it with a talisman that restored FP on critical hits, so even if the weapon art didn't kill an enemy, chances are it staggered them, I'd get a crit to kill them and get most of the FP back. Plus bleed damage built in for larger enemies and bosses. Never used RoB too much myself.

seraphimvc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119008378#Comment_119008378

Loved Wing of Astel - and also the Astel flail if you havent tried it already (360 nebula) - i was holding both with my mage build ha, so much fun. Sadly for me they are not effectively late game against the bosses that move fast or with massive hp - would be interested to hear your experience lol.

I havent gone to NG+ with my astrologer, i have been just load up the game time to time and do coop for radagon/EB aha, so much fun. I stopped at lvl180 and main with RoB build for radagon (corpse plier is the strongest 2 clicks in this game i am sure at this stage, it is just so fast), and then marais sword (the bell bearing hunter/shade castle boss weapon) to nuke down EB fast (after using the flask that boosts consecutive attacks). Definitely still need some luck with EB as it is so annoying when it pulled away the distance from me; radagon definitely has BS moves that oh well i am used to them by now.

gimli2112

All I kept saying during the Radogan fight was why the hell is he so fcuking fast?

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119009820#Comment_119009820

I didn't have time to think about it because he was dead in two bleed combos from rivers of blood.

gimli2112

Radogan turned out to be ok in the end, following extensive research, farming the Haligtree Shield, boosting my holy defence and faith and summoning an absolute legend random, he was a piece of cake. I'm almost at max level for where I want to be now (150) and will have another crack at Melenia.

Stone Deaf 4evr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119010201#Comment_119010201

Rivers of blood is crazy alright, I wasn't looking forward to the Godskin Duo, but got them on the second try handily enough.

I had actually killed them both at one point, only for the Skinny one to reappear for some more punishment - I know theres supposed to be a resurrection aspect to the fight, but thought that at least one of them would have had to been alive.

Was fighting Mohg and getting destroyed in phase 2, summoned a cooperation who had an incatation that stunlocked him at the very beginning of the fight, we wailed on him together and he didnt even get a chance to go to the 2nd phase, mental stuff.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119010246#Comment_119010246

Mohg's Shackle. It's a useable item. Patches sells a similar one for Margit before Stormveil. You can use it twice in Mohg's first phase to pin him down, but doesn't work in his second phase. Though if you do enough damage like it sounds like ye did, he might not reach second phase. There's also a Physick flask tear you can get from an invader which greatly cancels out Mohg's biggest attack at the start of phase 2.

Also I don't know how some of you had such trouble with Commander Niall. Got him 2nd try, mostly just with Rock sling and the wing of astel weapon art if he got too close.

During the weekend, I saw a hole in the side of a mountain in Altus Plateau. Realised I had no idea how to get into it and had never noticed it before. Checked the map but couldn't really see anything helpful, so I just carried on about my business. Tonight, I was going through the area behind Volcano Manor and noticed some messages on the side of a big drop over lava. But there was a ledge under I could possibly get to. Didn't have a lot of runes as I'd levelled up nearby, so chanced the drop and made it. And I followed the area down... and down... and down... through a new area and boss fight I had no idea existed. Came out the exit of the cave.... the hole in the side of the mountain.

I goddamn f*cking love this game.

Mr.Fantastic

Just beat the fire giant and I finished mohg the demon,

Am I near the end now? I am also aware of the area near where

Spoiler Warning

You can get the flame of frenzy ending

I must be near the end surely? around 60 hours in running a moonveil/uchi combo dex/int build around level 111

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119013092#Comment_119013092

You need to go up to the big cauldron near where you beat the Fire Giant. That will then transport you to the last main area of the game; Crumbling Farum Azula.

Well done on getting there in 60 hours and a decent level. I'm near enough the same point time and level wise but it's my second playthrough so I already know where to go, boss strats etc.

Stone Deaf 4evr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119013092#Comment_119013092

That was a very quick runthough, I dont think I hit level 100 till about the 80 hour mark, and I didnt beat the fire giant till I was level 125 or so.

CptMonkey

Just after getting to the snow place and thought I was all set. Until I met these guys who shoot frost. 😭

Vicxas

Frostbite is a bitch in this game.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119013601#Comment_119013601

I very rarely use summon ashes outside of boss battles, but that's one area I always do. Those f*ckers hit quick and hard.

Mr.Fantastic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119013209#Comment_119013209

Yeah i have been to most of the optional areas to be fair , did rannis, fias, nepheli loux, volcano quest and have mimic tear +10 bit cheesy but you need that distraction for some bosses.

I am a souls vet finished all of them so maybe some of it was muscle memory. :D

Stone Deaf 4evr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119013617#Comment_119013617

I think I hate death blight more, from those tall lads that puke up maggots on you, it builds up mega fast and its instant death.

sweetie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119013749#Comment_119013749

Was quite proud of how I got the hang of easily dealing with the blight lizards but those lanky guys can fcuk right off!

theteal

My xbox was out of action for 5ish weeks so I'm a fair bit behind everybody but getting back into it (well, as much as I can, still don't know how to throw any of the blue spell things I have for example). Just got to Caria Manor, poxy crawling hands made me jump out of my skin - even though I was expecting something

Penn

I hate deathblight, as well as the other insta-kill statuses in other FromSoftware games. It's not the worst in this game, as there were definitely sections in DS3 and Bloodborne which were far worse. And at least the death animation is cool as f*ck. The most difficult thing with the deathblight frogs is they're always hidden, there's always a few of them, and they jump and flop all over the place.

My three most hated enemies in the game:

1. Revenants (the f*ckers with all the arms)
2. Burial Erdtree Watchdogs (the ones found as normal enemies in catacombs)
3. Axe Misbegottens (the delay on their attacks is just insane, you could make a cup of coffee in between them arching back with the axe and when they swing the f*cking thing)

_CreeD_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119008594#Comment_119008594

Rivers isn't the only viable option - Mohgs Spear, Mimic tear and no human summons : 1st try getting to know her moves and not really attacking, fine. 2nd was I'm sure I can do this now, died quickly. 3rd I thought maybe she was vulnerable in the flower transition, noooope. 4th I finally took it seriously and down she went. I think the key with her is just hit and run and having a quick highly damaging attack like the Mohg's spear blood build up really help.

Retr0gamer

I think the key is getting through her anime attack. She is perfectly manageable other than that attack and when you manage to figure it out she isn't too bad.

_CreeD_

Aye but to be fair if it really was an anime attack you'd just see her wrist move slightly while holding the still sheathed hilt and then you'd crumble into 57 pieces.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119017682#Comment_119017682

Beat Mohg last night and got his spear. Respecced for an Arcane build. Going to try out this Easy Mode some of ye mentioned. Is it worth using a seal for buffs with it (which would require throwing points into Faith) or just go pure bloody damage?

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119018093#Comment_119018093

I think with some of the special weapons buffs don't work. when I went to a bleed build the buffs I was using didn't work on rivers of blood.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119018142#Comment_119018142

Yeah I kinda figured maybe Flame Grant Me Strength might not apply to it, but wasn't sure about the likes of Golden Vow and Blessings. But I hate having to apply them so often anyway (especially in later areas with so many tougher enemies) so figured I might be best going pure weapon damage.

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119018193#Comment_119018193

Flame Grant me Strength is a buff to the character and not weapon so will always work.

Trying to stack bloodflame or lightning on top of rivers of blood though is unfortunately a no go.

Stone Deaf 4evr

Casually browsing youtube last night watching the famous 'let me solo her' as he tries for his run towards 1000 victories over her,

after watching for about 30 mins, to be fair, she does seem fairly predictable in terms of what shes going to do with regards to where the player is positioned.

of course, I say this now, as someone who hasnt actually gotten to her yet, so I might not be long changing my tune.