General Gaming Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree - Information Thread, update (06/21): Fextralife guides posted

[BloodyHell]

1 minute ago, Kal-El814 said:

I don’t really care about the endings in From games; the “plots” are at best esoteric and have little to no impact on anything. I would wager that 99% of Bloodborne players had no fucking idea what happened in that world prior to reading a wiki and that’s completely fine. It just doesn’t matter, the games get by on vibe checks because From delivers those expertly.

 

I “care” about the side quests, particularly the ones in this game, because it seems like entire upgrade routes are locked behind some of them and it’s not clear that’s the case. It’s not even clear when some side quests start or what causes them to advance or what causes them to fail, etc. I wouldn’t care about the quests being esoteric of even bad if I wasn’t sure that not finishing Side Quest X would lock me out of something that would be relevant to my play style. There’s a difference between not getting to dress like Eileen the Crow and potentially not realizing that Side Quest X is going to unlock upgrades for your kit.

 

The gulf between a game “coddling” the player with perfect information / guidance and what Elden Ring provides is a mile long and just as deep. From should be better at this than they are, them being like this for a long time doesn’t make it better, them doing it deliberately doesn’t make it smart. And it’s not like they don’t bother iterating, the way information about stats was delivered to you in Demon’s Souls was atrocious and they fixed that, in the same game you were one button mistap away from drawling permanent aggro on the one NPC who could store your loot and they fixed that, etc. Even if they don’t want to give players a quest log, they could at least have characters with an active quest reference it when you talk to them; some of them do this. Some characters will mark your map with POI, etc.

 

Is there even a way in this game to see what the status effect / character effect icons mean? Maybe I overlooked it, it’s not where I remember it being in Bloodborne.

There is nothing I know of that locks you out of any type of upgrade, so im not sure what you're talking about there. 

 

I do know theres a built in "guide", so status effects might be there, but I never checked.

[Bacon]

15 minutes ago, Dimden said:

I swear, Ubisoft spoiled the lot of us.

I don't play their games. If it wasn't for Far Cry 5 I wouldn't have play an Ubi game since AC3. 

 

I know how I worded it, but other quests other than ending quests were included. I just didn't think anyone would be enough of a cock to point to be that literal. Yes, the actual ending aren't hard to get, but there are plenty of quests you can fuck yourself out of or they become bugged. And you totally left out Sekiro and Bloodborne. Like, yes, eating umbilical cords is totally obvious. How could I have missed that. Then Sekiro. Like, just read the wiki. 

 

Like, I've have played these game more anyone here. I've basically gotten platinum trophies in all of these games minus DeS because I've only played it one time just to beat it. I know how this shit works. The side quests are dumb buggy bullshit. Always has been. And that was part of the point. I said that Elden Ring does things differently. We've had over 10 years to get use to it and now shit is changed. It's just not about the ending side quests. I knew it was a mistake it word it like that but I didn't think anyone would care. But there are so many side quests you can access early and there is no MSQ progression requirement to finishing them just like every other From game. It doesn't matter how lenient ER is when the previous games haven't been lenient when it comes to side quests. 

 

And you talk about making a mountain out of a molehill. Look at your own post, buddy. 

[Bacon]

Also, the reason I am unhappy with the system in ER is because I am overleveled. I like the challenge these games can bring. I had no idea I was getting over leveled until it was too late. I was just doing Ranni's quest (and 100%ing the zones it took me to) because I didn't want to fail it. I also ended up fighting a boss that gave nearly half a million runes early. The last mandatory boss I fought gave 80k. Feels like shit to be overleveled. 

[Zaku3]

31 minutes ago, Bacon said:

Also, the reason I am unhappy with the system in ER is because I am overleveled. I like the challenge these games can bring. I had no idea I was getting over leveled until it was too late. I was just doing Ranni's quest (and 100%ing the zones it took me to) because I didn't want to fail it. I also ended up fighting a boss that gave nearly half a million runes early. The last mandatory boss I fought gave 80k. Feels like shit to be overleveled. 

 

It's my goal to get overpowered asap in these games. Fuck Miyazaki thinking he can make a game that can stop me.

 

On a serious note ran into something interesting. It might be a bug but a dude had a weapon that builds up death and used a potion to shield himself and a spell to hurt himself to pop the death effect of his weapon. It happens so fast though I didn't even realize my death meter was filling up. I think the best counter is either range or just waiting for his spell to end and then going in. Wanted to warn people about being invaded by someone doing this.

[Dodger]

35 minutes ago, Bacon said:

Also, the reason I am unhappy with the system in ER is because I am overleveled. I like the challenge these games can bring. I had no idea I was getting over leveled until it was too late. I was just doing Ranni's quest (and 100%ing the zones it took me to) because I didn't want to fail it. I also ended up fighting a boss that gave nearly half a million runes early. The last mandatory boss I fought gave 80k. Feels like shit to be overleveled. 

You can always just stop leveling. It’s not like you have to be level 99 to unlock Ultima or anything.

[Zaku3]

Mmm didn't realize the Witch we meet has 2 setd of arms. Unsure if she is still my waifu. 

[TheLeon]

I don’t really have a dog in this fight, but I think it’s kinda funny to say “you know what to expect, they’ve done things the same way for decades, etc.” when this game is stuffed with quality of life improvements. A little bit of help managing/tracking quests, especially in a game this much more complex than previous entries, isn’t that far out of line with some of the other changes they’ve made. 

[Bacon]

1 minute ago, Dodger said:

You can always just stop leveling.

No. Because what I am mostly over leveled in is my weapon. It is already at max and I'm not going to use weapons I like less.

 

Also, I already spend as many runes as I can on shit other than levels, but I'm not just going to throw away my boss rewards because From can't balance their game. That said, I don't even put points to to dex or str anymore and just level vigor because vigor is the only stat that matters if you aren't a mage. 

[JPDunks4]

43 minutes ago, Bacon said:

Also, the reason I am unhappy with the system in ER is because I am overleveled. I like the challenge these games can bring. I had no idea I was getting over leveled until it was too late. I was just doing Ranni's quest (and 100%ing the zones it took me to) because I didn't want to fail it. I also ended up fighting a boss that gave nearly half a million runes early. The last mandatory boss I fought gave 80k. Feels like shit to be overleveled. 

 

There's nothing stopping you from respec'ing and not using all your points.  From using less powerful, or less leveled up weapons.  It's one of the main reasons I've stayed away from every OP thing that's been brought up.  I used the Ice Hoard Stomp thing once, saw out stupid powerful it was in clearing a group of enemies, and immediately unequipped it.  Tried Bloodhound sword for one fight, and saw how much more effective it was than my leveled up Axe, and immediately unequipped it.  I get my fun from these games in the feeling of progression and figuring out the bosses.  If I was to become so crazy OP that fights were a joke, it'd definitely take a lot of fun out of it.

 

Any truly open world game like this allows you to get really over leveled depending on how you tackle content if it does no enemy scaling.  

 

I still have been enjoying the game a lot and the challenge is still reasonable and exciting during each encounter, even at Lvl 120ish.  I've poured all my points into Magic stats to allow me to use weapons since like Lvl 80ish, so a lot of the actual important stats for me aren't really too crazy.

[Bacon]

I will never intentionally weaken myself. If a player has to make themselves weaker then the game as failed at balance. 

[Zaku3]

8 minutes ago, Bacon said:

No. Because what I am mostly over leveled in is my weapon. It is already at max and I'm not going to use weapons I like less.

 

Also, I already spend as many runes as I can on shit other than levels, but I'm not just going to throw away my boss rewards because From can't balance their game. That said, I don't even put points to to dex or str anymore and just level vigor because vigor is the only stat that matters if you aren't a mage. 

 

They have gotten better at it tbh. I maxed out my claymore in DS1 far faster then my claymore in DS3 and my vanilla halberd still isn't fully maxed out. I only have a maxed out weapon because I switched to the commander's standard and it uses the somber smithing stones. Otherwise I'd still be at a +16(?) Halberd.

[Zaku3]

https://youtu.be/deaaH2Yg5Zo

[Bloodporne]

5 hours ago, Kal-El814 said:

It’s interesting to me that they kept the rune retrieval mechanic in this game. Being able to fast travel almost 100% of the time means that you can just yeet yourself back to a site of grace and level up, shop, etc. Keeping a ton of runes on you at any one time seems like it would only happen if you’re self restricting or you just forgot. I appreciate that it’s a series hallmark and I get that it imparts a certain vibe, but the “stakes” in this game feel way lower than any other From game I played.

 

So while it's nowhere near as brutal as say Demon's Souls, it definitely ramps up later into the game and I've found myself getting into some situations where I got ambushed or similar and lost a good chunk ultimately. Especially in an area like Caelid. My favorite part of the way Elden Ring does it is that we're back at DS1 where you can be 100% in the world the vast majority of the time by being able to do everything at the bonfires. If it's one thing I've really disliked ever since after DS1, it's been the mandatory hub worlds to level up and constantly take me back out of the world. Granted you can quick travel a lot but I tend to not do that. 

[JPDunks4]

23 minutes ago, Bacon said:

I will never intentionally weaken myself. If a player has to make themselves weaker then the game as failed at balance. 

 

They can fail at balance while I still make the game as enjoyable as possible for myself by not being so OP the game feels broken.

 

As long as you are aware you are making the game less fun by decisions you are making, then that's fine.  You are the one that complained you aren't enjoying the game as much now because of your build.  Well then change your build so it feels fun and challenging again.

[BloodyHell]

1 hour ago, Zaku3 said:

Mmm didn't realize the Witch we meet has 2 setd of arms. Unsure if she is still my waifu. 

Spoiler

She's actually a doll inhabited by Renni's spirit. 

 

[Bacon]

33 minutes ago, JPDunks4 said:

As long as you are aware you are making the game less fun by decisions you are making, then that's fine.  You are the one that complained you aren't enjoying the game as much now because of your build.  Well then change your build so it feels fun and challenging again.

Not because of my build. I am not making the game less fun. You assume that weakening my character would make it more fun, but you are wrong. Purposefully making my character weaker has never been fun for me. If I have to to take difficulty into my own hands then it is all on the game. Like, you probably can't understand but there isn't a winning situation here. There is only one less sucky one. And weakening my character to get more a challenge is by far the worse option. At that point, the game has stopped being hard and I am the one just making things pointlessly harder. I cannot be the one to make things harder. It will 100% ruin my experience more than just being overleveled. Especially when I will eventually not be over leveled or overleveled to the point where it isn't fun. This is why I will never find a Level 1 run fun and why I will never do one. And again, throwing away the only reward a boss can give me just feels like shit. 

 

And when it comes to build, I am not going to use a build or weapons I like less because it will make the game harder. In every game I have made the same build. And ever since Dark Souls 2 I start out using the halberd and then swap to a great sword (even in BB). I don't like other weapons. This is how I like playing the game. Now with Elden Ring, this is the first time I have ever dual-wielded weapons, but I am still using great swords. I could stop using the bloodhound's fang but it honestly isn't much stronger than the other weapon I have in my off-hand. The only difference is that one my off-hand is two upgrades from being maxed while bloodhound's is maxed.

 

And I have done magic builds before. And that is always the most overpowered bullshit way I can play the game. It is why they are never the way I play the game first. I actually want to fight a boss. I want to dodge attacks, not just cheese everything from across the room. 

[Bacon]

Oh and it's not like the game is ruined or anything. If I didn't like the game I'd just stop playing it. Well that is a lie, cuz even if I hated it I'd still 100% it but I would have been far more vocal about. But the balance is the worst it has ever been for a first play-thru, with Dark Souls 3 being behind it. And it just isn't with my character's level. It is also how the devs handle boss encounters. Less openings and more damage. Means the player attacks less, heals more, and it expected to play fights more perfectly than other titles assuming you are playing Melee. 

[Best]

This game keeps impressing me. Every time I think I'm stuck I find another site of grace, a new boss, or location.

 

I beat 3 more bosses today, opened up like 5 sites of grace, and leveled up to 85.

 

I have 7 sombering stones yet I cannot upgrade my weapon? What am I missing here? I haven't felt this way about a game since Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. It's incredible.

[Zaku3]

8 minutes ago, best3444 said:

This game keeps impressing me. Every time I think I'm stuck I find another site of grace, a new boss, or location.

 

I beat 3 more bosses today, opened up like 5 sites of grace, and leveled up to 85.

 

I have 7 sombering stones yet I cannot upgrade my weapon? What am I missing here? I haven't felt this way about a game since Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. It's incredible.

 

The sombering stones are for unique weapons. Standard weapons just use smithing stones however they use alot of them. It's 2 for the 1st level of the stone, 4 for the 2nd, and 6 for the 3rd. Unique weapons only need 1 of each level to upgrade. 

[Best]

15 minutes ago, Zaku3 said:

 

The sombering stones are for unique weapons. Standard weapons just use smithing stones however they use alot of them. It's 2 for the 1st level of the stone, 4 for the 2nd, and 6 for the 3rd. Unique weapons only need 1 of each level to upgrade. 

 

Holy shit. I did find smithing stones today but not enough. I have my Bloodhound Fang to +6 so I'm not going to upgrade anytime soon. Sucks.

[BloodyHell]

9 minutes ago, best3444 said:

 

Holy shit. I did find smithing stones today but not enough. I have my Bloodhound Fang to +6 so I'm not going to upgrade anytime soon. Sucks.

Bloodhound fang needs a single Somber Smithing Stone, not regular ones.

[Zaku3]

4 minutes ago, best3444 said:

 

Holy shit. I did find smithing stones today but not enough. I have my Bloodhound Fang to +6 so I'm not going to upgrade anytime soon. Sucks.

 

The unique weapons seem to be easier to level up since you just need 1 stone as opposed to 12.

[Best]

2 minutes ago, BloodyHell said:

Bloodhound fang needs a single Somber Smithing Stone, not regular dtones.

 

What kind of somber smithing stone and where do I get it?

[BloodyHell]

1 minute ago, best3444 said:

 

What kind of somber smithing stone and where do I get it?

When you try to upgrade it tells you exactly what you need. For +7 you need a Somber Smithing Stone [7], for +8 you need Somber Smithing Stone [8], etc etc.

[Best]

1 minute ago, BloodyHell said:

When you try to upgrade it tells you exactly what you need. For +7 you need a Somber Smithing Stone [7], for +8 you need Somber Smithing Stone [8], etc etc.

 

Hmm. I'll have to pay attention when I'm at the blacksmith. I really want to upgrade. I feel pretty strong at level 85.

[BloodyHell]

Just now, best3444 said:

 

Hmm. I'll have to pay attention when I'm at the blacksmith. I really want to upgrade. I feel pretty strong at level 85.

Regular weapons need differing amounts, but the unique weapons always need a Somber of the level you want to upgrade to.

[Mr.Vic20]

Gents, I did it! Play through one is done, and play through two has just begun! 

[Best]

9 minutes ago, Mr.Vic20 said:

Gents, I did it! Play through one is done, and play through two has just begun! 

 

What level did you end with?

[JPDunks4]

10 minutes ago, Mr.Vic20 said:

Gents, I did it! Play through one is done, and play through two has just begun! 

 

What was your final level?  I think Im close but really have no clue.

[Mr.Vic20]

I was level 192 at the end. Definitely went a *little* overboard with the leveling... 

[Best]

Just now, Mr.Vic20 said:

I was level 192 at the end. Definitely went a *little* overboard with the leveling... 

 

Omfg! 

[Best]

@Mr.Vic20 what are your thoughts on the game after finishing it? Nothing long to write up but is it one of your favorite games ever?

[Mr.Vic20]

Just now, best3444 said:

@Mr.Vic20 what are your thoughts on the game after finishing it? Nothing long to write up but is it one of your favorite games ever?

Oh my God yes! This game has completely captured my attention foe the last week and a half. It literally everything I wanted in an open world souls games! Do I want more? Well of course I do! But I expect DLC as well as a couple of sequels. This is easily one of my top 10 games of all time. 

[Mr.Vic20]

OK, back to play through two, looking to hit level 250 so I can wield literally everything! 

 

[BloodyHell]

29 minutes ago, Mr.Vic20 said:

OK, back to play through two, looking to hit level 250 so I can wield literally everything! 

 

The soft cap is apparently 80 now, right?