Elden Ring (FromSoftware)

[Rasix]

Yeah, the delayed spells are insanely OP. Rock Sling hard countered almost all of the NPC invaders and humanoid evergaol bosses for me by itself (the only exceptions were the white mask assassins since the cast time is a bit too long and they close distance too fast, but that's why Adula's Moonblade exists), and

I haven't done many attempts, but I think I'll try that cheese strat. That boss is brutal. I'm trying to use Moonveil just because she closes too fast and my spells don't hit hard enough to outpace her life steal. Sorcery in general is a bit disappointing once you get the point where mobs and bosses start having giga-HP. At that point, you just hope they give you an opening for Comet Azur and don't have phases. Although it is nice to just kamehameha those tree bosses.

[Khaldun]

I'm really thinking I chose hard mode by going all melee, but whatever. It's fun.

[Zetor]

Yeah, the delayed spells are insanely OP. Rock Sling hard countered almost all of the NPC invaders and humanoid evergaol bosses for me by itself (the only exceptions were the white mask assassins since the cast time is a bit too long and they close distance too fast, but that's why Adula's Moonblade exists), and

I haven't done many attempts, but I think I'll try that cheese strat. That boss is brutal. I'm trying to use Moonveil just because she closes too fast and my spells don't hit hard enough to outpace her life steal. Sorcery in general is a bit disappointing once you get the point where mobs and bosses start having giga-HP. At that point, you just hope they give you an opening for Comet Azur and don't have phases. Although it is nice to just kamehameha those tree bosses.

Yea, my first few attempts basically told me 'you either git gud and dodge all of her bullshit attacks so she can't lifesteal (shield block is no bueno) and then methodically take her down or you try to win the DPS race to melt her before she can melt you, mana efficiency be damned'. My build at the time was 80 int, 40 vig, 40 mind, and I stacked all the damage increases I could: carian scepter +10 with the snow witch hat (the dark moon spell is boosted by both of these), both sorcery damage talismans, the sorcery cast speed talisman (the moon spell casts way too slowly without this), and only used one defensive talisman (dragon greatshield or something, anti-physical damage) and a defensive flask for phase 2 (with the two tears that reduce incoming damage). I didn't use Comet Azur since I wanted to keep applying the debuff and stagger from the dark moon spell, but I think you may be able to use it in her second phase when she's stationary. I'm also preeetty sure I got lucky with her move selection on the kill as well, since my summon kept her attention for like 90% of the fight.

[Rasix]

My Chelona's Rise is bugged so I can't get the Ranni version of the spell. womp womp

[Cyrrex]

I'm really thinking I chose hard mode by going all melee, but whatever. It's fun.

Same here.  Occasionally I feel a bit over-leveled, but then I spent two hours yesterday getting my ass handed to me by everything.

[01101010]

I'm probably overleveled, but that gold shade Godfrey in the capital just owns me. I just can't quite get the timing of those attacks for some reason. But I will say I went in cold and got wiped and over the next few tries I was learning the timing and had him down to a quarter health each time. This game is pretty amazing in the fact that all you really need is time with some of these fights. Doing them repeatedly, I always have seen improvements until I clear it... just a matter of how much time I can devote to wasting on it.

I think this weekend I am going to really try practicing parrying, since that function fascinates me with the precise timing of it.

[Trippy]

I'm really thinking I chose hard mode by going all melee, but whatever. It's fun.

Melee sans-shield is definitely the hardest mode for people who aren't intimately familiar with FromSoftware dodge roll mechanics. A 100% block physical resistance shield in the early game, however, makes almost all 1-on-1 non-boss encounters doable, if not trivial (block counter is OP against cannon fodder). Against bosses shields are much less useful (for blocking) but can still save quite a bit of your health.

[schild]

I'm really thinking I chose hard mode by going all melee, but whatever. It's fun.

Melee sans-shield is definitely the hardest mode for people who aren't intimately familiar with FromSoftware dodge roll mechanics. A 100% block physical resistance shield in the early game, however, makes almost all 1-on-1 non-boss encounters doable, if not trivial (block counter is OP against cannon fodder). Against bosses shields are much less useful (for blocking) but can still save quite a bit of your health.

I mean, kind of. They put enemies that can break block really early into Elden Ring. Moreso than the previous games. But yeah 100% physical always recommended, and you can just run south and grab one of the best in the game (turtle shell) really fuckin early.

[Trippy]

Great Turtle Shell shield got nerfed. Stick with Brass for early game.

Edit: double nerfed actually, from 100% physical to 87% and Barricade shield which it comes with was nerfed too (higher cost, shorter duration)

[Morat20]

So just a question: I have a PS5. And disposable income. And a curiosity about this genre of game.

However, I will be honest -- I'm also pretty sure I will suck at this genre of game.

So which game in this genre is going to be least likely to make me rage quit?

[Jeff Kelly]

You can easily spend 40+ hours in Elden Ring without battling any boss. It also has the most options to make life easier. The later bosses get really hard though. Otherwise I’d recommend OG Dark Souls which is probably the easiest and also one of the best.

[Falconeer]

This one Morat, hands down.

[Morat20]

This one Morat, hands down.

Thanks. I'll pick it up and see what I can do with it. :)

[Trippy]

After playing it and learning the basics, if you get stuck, you can check out the "How to get OP fast!" videos on YouTube (find some for your starting class). Those will show you areas you can go to get stuff best suited for your starting class that will make you stronger without needing to fight anything in most cases.

And if you don't mind having your exploration spoiled this map is super handy:

https://mapgenie.io/elden-ring/maps/the-lands-between

E.g. you can select "Hide All" and then turn on things like "Site of Grace" (fast travel, potion refill, and more), "Golden Seed" (carry more potions), "Sacred Tear" (potions are more effective), and "Map Fragment" (turn off "fog" for sections of map) for (generally) easy to find / acquire stuff that will make your journey easier.

Edit: typos

[Khaldun]

If by genre you mean "Souls Game", this one. I've had mixed feelings about all of them and never really finished most of them, but I love this one.

Man, I knew the Turtle Shield had changed. Time to see what else I've got.

Does all the shit in your inventory count as weight or is it just what you have equipped?

[Jeff Kelly]

If by genre you mean "Souls Game", this one. I've had mixed feelings about all of them and never really finished most of them, but I love this one.

Man, I knew the Turtle Shield had changed. Time to see what else I've got.

Does all the shit in your inventory count as weight or is it just what you have equipped?

Everything showing up on the equipment screen counts. The stuff that’s listed under inventory but not on the equipment screen doesn’t

[schild]

Man I wish I hadn't ever seen this genre and could experience Demons Souls again for the first time.

[Rasix]

I could go for Demon’s Souls again, but the run backs in that were brutal.

Malenia phase 2 is giving me fits. I fail the initial dodge 50% of the time, which means you’re just going to die. That carian skill you get from the magic dragon works great for phase 1 but it keeps you a bit close and vulnerable to her flurry.

Right now I’m doing an hour of attempts then bolting and advancing the plot.

[Cyrrex]

Demon's Souls is the only souls game I ever finished, and only once.  And I have fond memories.  But....Elden Rings has possibly ruined me for all other souls games.  Not sure why I would play any of them when I can just play this.

They have also really made it hard to top this with any game that is not open world.

[Khaldun]

It just feels to me like they've finally found a way to make discovery of the world's secrets more intuitive and integrated into the gameplay and yet challenging and surprising still? I'm finding almost every cool thing just by fiddling around and reading messages, whereas figuring some of the hidden shit out in the others absolutely required reading walkthroughs.

[Raguel]

I've mostly played strategy and some stwor lately. Is this game boomer friendly?  (I'm not quite a boomer but my reflexes are :( ).

[Trippy]

Not really. It is the "easiest" of the FromSoftware Soulsbournering* games as we've been discussing but it's still not easy and requires a certain amount of hand-eye coordination and reflexes to be able to progress. You can play with a friend or three to help you along but that opens you up to PvP invaders.

You might want to wait for a sale (which might be a while) so at least you won't be paying full price for it if you can't get very far. Or wait for the Steam (or equivalent) Spring Sale and pick up Dark Souls III for (relatively) cheap and see if you can get past the tutorial boss there. If so and you are willing to do some grinding in Elden Ring so you are always "over-leveled" you can give Elden Ring a try.

* [Demon's|Dark] Souls [I|II|III], Bloodbourne, Elden Ring

[schild]

i'm not even gonna coat this, if you have shit reflexes, move on with your life this ain't it

[Jeff Kelly]

I’ve already played 80 hours and at have barely set a foot into Leyndell.

Nerfed Radahn is a real push over.

Oh and for the record fuck the godskin bosses.

[Jeff Kelly]

Dear From Soft, just because you struck gold once with Ornstein and Smough doesn’t mean that every second boss has to be a Laurel and Hardy-esque due of annoying as ass bosses.

[Rasix]

Double bosses are no bueno. Misbegotten Warrior + Crucible Knight is an epic suckfest. Are any of them actually designed as a set or are they all just one random boss + another boss (possible same type)? I guess Godskin Duo works, but by that time you've fought those bosses indivually and likely more than once.

I've hit yet another brick wall. A full night of getting my ass beat wasn't the best time. That being said, the night previous I beat probably the toughest boss I've ever beat in a video game and I actually did some impressive stuff in the process. It felt good. Not sure if it offset the hours of attempts, but it was something.

[Trippy]

Do you have meteorite (plus staff)? That seems to be the go to spell for sorcery builds for that boss.

Edit: link to a specific strat:

Edit2: sorcery not incantation

[Falconeer]

Duo bosses are usually all very optional, and are mostly meant to make coop more interesting. While still being very killable solo (Misbegotten+Crucible is a good example because by the time you get there you should be able to kill Misbegotten before Crucible shows up, but I am NOT saying this is an easy fight as a solo player).

[Velorath]

There's at least one I remember that isn't optional.

[Falconeer]

That's a totally fair number.

[Jeff Kelly]

According to my PS5 Trophy list nearly 30 percent of all Elden Ring players beat Morgott and nearly 5 percent platinumed the game.

That would be impressive numbers for any game but they are especially remarkable for a souls game

[Trippy]

There's something wrong with the PSN Elden Ring trophy percentages.

I've only been playing for about a week so for so I only have a handful but on mine it says that 71.1% have defeated Margit which is way way too high. In comparison for Demon's Souls (PS5) 70.1% have defeated the very first boss Phalanx who isn't even a real Soulsbourne-style boss fight (it's just a big blob on the ground). There's no way a greater % of people have beaten Margit over Phalanx. In Bloodborne only 48.2% have beaten the first (optional) boss the Cleric Beast and only 45.3% have beaten the first story boss Father Gascoigne. Mine also says that 57.2% have beaten the Elden Ring optional boss in Castle Morne Loenine Misbegotten which seems way too high for an optional side-boss.

[Zetor]

Same thing on Steam, 73.5% have beaten Margit and even hard optional endgame bosses have 20+% numbers.

Maybe everyone just got gud. 

[Cyrrex]

Eh, Margit is an early boss.  I would expect most players have done that, and fairly early.

Margot...is something else I think?

[Trippy]

Less than half the people who have played Bloodborne have beaten either of the first two bosses and Margit is much harder than both of them. The percentages are broken. I suspect the true percentages at least 1/2 less if not more.