Kolbex
1921
I think that thing is called the Carthus Worm. I don’t believe DS3 has a Centipede Demon.
Fffffffuuuuuuuuuuuu.
Man, I hate these bosses with multiple health bars. Even Bloodborne, which never met a boss that didn’t have multiple phases, didn’t do that. But at a certain point in DS3 they decided the game was no longer for anybody but those most masochistic git guders, and it’s tearing me apart (Lisa).
I guess this is why god invented the sunbros.
We didn’t get formally acquainted before it tried to kill me, so I just called it a giant centipede demony thing! Plus I probably got the name subconsciously from the Centipede Demon in Dark Souls 1.
Do you mean like this? Or is this some fresh hell?
Scuzz
1924
Well, it is kind of the same thing since when you killed one of the law firm the other suddenly got more bad ass and full of health. But it was a unique thing in DS1 whereas it is a common thing in DS3.
I’ve yet to encounter one, but I guess I have that to look forward to! :o I really loved the Dark Souls DLC and, despite not beating two of the bosses (Manus and the dragon), it contained the highly memorable Artorias fight. I enjoyed the DS2 DLCs a lot less, but I was also pretty burned out on it all by then. I’m still having a good time in DS3 but I’m clearly approaching the end game now.
The problem with the multi-phase boss fights is that too often the next “phase” is really just a different boss. If you’re going to make players replay the whole fight every time, each phase should be building upon the previous so that a) it doesn’t feel like wasted time reinforcing the base mechanics, and b) people don’t die early on later attempts because their timing got all messed up playing the later stages.
Kolbex
1927
Yeah. Nameless King I liked. King of Storm I thought was kinda bullshit and was ultimately why I called in the cavalry.
Standing around with my sign down for the NK, I hear the bell ringing off and on and realize it’s been ringing the whole time I’ve been in this stage. Is it like the Bell of Awakening in DS1, where it rings for you whenever any player rings it? If so, pretty neat.
Only the Ringed City remains.
Ok, had a quick look at the boss. I assume this is Prince Lothric, with some other dude crawling around… and then teleporting. First time I got him down to about 1/3 health, no worries I’m thinking, but he goes a bit nuts towards the end; lots of teleporting behind me and then whack! Died. Second attempt, I went in and he teleported behind me immediately, whack! Then while I was picking myself off the floor he teleported further away and instakilled me with a bolt. I don’t think I even had time to get my bearings!
I can tell this is going to be another fight where I nearly win on the first attempt, and then fail repeatedly afterwards. At least it’s a quick run back without any enemies to dodge.
Scuzz
1929
My only tip here is when you see him teleporting you jump to the front right. That will work 90% of the time, but he does have one slam attack that will punish you the other 10%.
You must have got the second shortcut open. I have helped so many people get to the fog door who have never opened the second short cut (because you can’t open the second short cut if you have a summons in your party, kind of a weird thing) and so if they lose to the boss they have to run the whole gauntlet again.
PS…The Winged Knights drop some good items and you can actually drop down into the Archives from there and pick up a few items. Spells if I remember right.
Yes, the elevator at the top of the stairs, down to the Dragonslayer Armour bonfire. You can’t activate the elevator if you have a summons in your party? That’s indeed very odd. I did see a sunbro summon sign inside the main hallway before the fog gate, but I’m going to see if I can solo it first.
I can beat one of those winged knights, but having to do three without running out of estus or making a mistake might be frustrating. I’ll go have another look though, although I’ve no need for spells.
Bateau
1931
No, O&S are WYSIWYG, you expect ass reaming from the start and you end up getting it too.
What @Kolbex is talking about is the “Haha! This isn’t even my final form!” bosses.
I’ve enjoyed the bosses a lot so far. I mean, I haven’t touched the DLC so I couldn’t comment on those, but Gundir established the pace from the off; you get a transformation in behaviour halfway through, and that’s been fine. I saw the comments about the three phases of Sister Friede upthread, which sounds like ass, but that’s DLC and I’m expecting it all to go to shit there anyway. As pointed out earlier, sounds like they’ve thought “Fuck it, this is the last Dark Souls content ever, let’s make people suffer!”
Ok, this Lothric fight is no joke. I managed to get him to phase 2 once, so now I know what you’re all talking about. However it seems roughly similar to phase 1, just with added magic nonsense. With the extra slab I found nearby, I’m rocking a +10 Refined LS now, and with lightning infusion it does pretty great damage against him (35 STR and 40 Dex with the Knight, Eagle and Carthus Milkrings). The Dragoncrest Shield is keeping me mostly safe, but I can’t seem to get the timing right with his divine energy blast, and it hits me every time. As it seems to do about 800 damage, I need to keep my health topped up to have any chance. The best I’ve done is when he didn’t actually get an energy blast off at all, straight to phase 2 but then bam! Blasted to pieces again.
I may be up for some cooperation again later! :) But I may yet get them.
It’s a tough fight, but it’s not impossible/too frustrating (nor nearly as bad as what some of the DLC will throw at you, cough ringed city cough). It’s also super easy if you bring along a pal. I’ve seen tons of summon signs in front of Friede, and there is no boss run to speak of. I also think thematically and lore wise it’s a pretty solid encounter.
Friede is still basically almost top tier solo. Make no mistake. As the only “distinctly” 3 phrase boss in the entire series, and her final form being the most aggressive/difficult…yeah. I spent a solid 2 and a half hours on her at least. But I have long since been carved out of wood. Imagine if I was a wad of dough.
Kolbex
1936
I’ll be around!
I did probably ten or twelve runs of jolly cooperation on NK last night l, and the dude is no joke even co-op. One false move and you’re toast. I died probably three or four times, and I think that’s the first time any boss has killed me as cooperator.
Jesus Christ.
Still holds the crown for hardest souls boss, imo.
Kolbex
1938
I had a couple shieldless hosts die on me in Phase 2, which I generally just tanked with the Dragonslayer Greatshield, but Phase 1 is where I always died thanks to (wait for it) the damn camera, plus they just generally hold the target out of reach although I escorted one sorcerer through the ride, and that part was not a problem for him. That fucking downward flame gout move is so infuriating. Hard to see coming and practically impossible to avoid.
Also lame (for co-op) is how the second phase moves all the way to the other end of the arena. Generally the first part happens near the fog gate, so I always had to hoof it double quick as the jolly cooperator. Had one guy die on me before I could even get there.
SoC has some bullshit moves, too, like his seemingly undodgeable grab, but I refused to call in help for that one.
I can’t believe just how huge the Cathedral area turned out to be that you guys sent me back to. And after I plunked away at the giant, I figured I was home free. Nope. I spent multiple hours last night in and around this giant Cathedral. It’s too big!
I love the sense of scale by the way. The giant chandeliers, the arches, the statues, and even the fact that the bottom floor is a swamp, which seems like a really From thing to do.
Kolbex
1940
It’s a neat place, although I have to say its architecture doesn’t seem particularly well-suited to holding services.
Forgot to chronicle one of my more ignominious exploits from the other day. Hanging around as an Aldrich Faithful when I’m summoned into a world. See the tower moving, so I know they must be over there. Hotfoot it over and see them. They’re naked, so I give chase full tilt with my Exile Greatsword. They just run and roll away from every single one of my and the other enemies’ attacks, up the stairs, turn the crank, roll roll roll, I get not a single hit. They hit the bonfire and I make my move and bam, the first non-roll move they make they parry me as easily as a baby and riposte, then finish me off with a single thrust before I can recover. Masterful.
Also, too many of the cool weapons (especially greatswords) are quality weapons and uninfusable. Damn it.
