Because in the open world they have a lot of low level enemies, like I said. So throughout the weeping peninsula, especially, you don’t need any upgraded weapons to wipe the floor with them all. So you’re free to experiment with different weapons. That’s how I came upon how amazing the whip is. It makes the human enemies stagger every time.
I was still nervous on upgrading the whip though. It’s an amazing low level weapon, but would it stay amazing against more powerful enemies? I was too nervous to find out, so I didn’t upgrade it.
Don’t forget the Digging Staff. Found it many, many hours in.
I’ve just been rolling forever with the Demi-Human staff ipgraded to +8.
Kolbex
4193
I mean what you described has nothing to do with the upgrade system. If they removed it you would have been even freer, to experiment on those higher level enemies and see if the whip was really any good (according to the wiki comments, they actually are pretty damned good, some of them).
As others have pointed out, it’s shit.
I’m an Astrologer and I have the meteorite staff. I have 8-9 additional staves. They are all inferior, but at some point in their upgrade curve they are all better than the meteorite staff. Whether it’s +10, +12, +15, or +20 depends on the staff. The only way to know that is to look it up online. (Or waste dozens of hours farming stones, which I am not doing. I already regret upgrading the newbie staff to +7.)
And even then the results are often inconclusive. I get that there may not be a “best” staff in the game for every situation. But the end result is decision paralysis and I’ll probably just keep using the fuckin’ meteorite staff for the rest of the game. Great system!
Scuzz
4195
I have always thought the games were a bit tight for maybe half to two-thirds of the game with the upgrade materials. I understand denying the upper tier stuff until later in the game. But it would be nice to be able take any weapon to +6 or +9 so you could test them out.
I have been thinking of respeccing from STR to DEX but getting a DEX weapon to +16 like my STR weapon might be tough.
Maybe if there was a way to breakdown a weapon you have upgraded.
Bateau
4196
You put far too much emphasis on this. We’re talking talking about couple dozens points of dmg at high end (ripostes and such) of difference at scaling stat’s softcap between top tier and mid tier weapons, at best. From games can easily be beaten with weapons that end their scaling at B, without feeling like you’re gimping yourself.
pyrhic
4197
the base astrologers staff? Lot of places I read list that as S-tier, so not that much of a waste…
And yes, the system is bad. But it’s just not the upgrade part of it, it’s the whole information system. Games with weapon stats have been out there almost as long as there have been games, but is there a system with a more obtuse system? It could really use mouseover tooltips. What is sorcery scaling? If it’s scaling, shouldnt it be in the scaling section? If it’s damage, shouldnt it be in labelled differently? How is it different from magic? Did you know that different staffs can cast at different speeds? I didn’t till i read about it online because that doesn’t seem to be anywhere. Where does the + come in? Right now, nothing is better at sorcery scaling than my meteorite staff, but apparently some get better when you add enough pluses…ya, it’s stupid. However, i will concede i’m glad they don’t color code their weapons…at least this makes you think about it rather than tossing it out based on its color.
Oh, I’d like to add another thing that’s starting to annoy - is there a better place for notices about what some other people have done than right in the middle of my screen? Someone is now an elden lord? Put it right there in front of my face every 2 minutes (yes, i know it’s cause of the group i joined, but that’s not the point) - and it should be set in a giant gray block so that i dont miss the words due to some terrain or something. Someone beat a shardbearer? Great, tell me that too! Like every fucking game in the world that has something similar will put it on the side or in a chat window or something, not emblazoned in the middle of your screen…
Matt_W
4198
Not trying to defend the upgrade system, which is annoying (my rage meter sits at mild annoyance for this one), but every upgrade material is potentially available via a vendor eventually. You can farm runes instead of stones. Eventually. If you find the right vendor upgrade items.
Scuzz
4199
In the more linear DS games this was more true. But with open world ER you may not stumble across the bell bearing 2 or 3 you need for the upgrades to be purchasable. I have spent many hours looking for caves (it’s what I do) and I know I have missed a bell bearing for one set of smithing stones. That “If” is just much greater in this game than past games.
Kolbex
4200
Going shieldless has certainly changed the game quite a bit for me.
jpinard
4201
Can you duel wield staff’s? LOL
This was my plan to start with, but honestly I got so tired of the reuse and the size of the game that I just wanted to get through the filler content quickly.
Yes, in a way! If you have a staff in your left hand it applies any passive buffs to your spells cast with your right hand. For example, if you have the Carian Glintstone Staff, which boosts carian spells, on the left, you get those boosts when you cast with your right hand staff.
Timex
4204
It’s worth noting that the load times we are talking here are dramatically less than anything you would have experienced in prior generations though.
The longest load times seen by testers on the XsX were…20 seconds. And most of the time it’s faster than that.
Petey
4206
I’m level 36 and have played 18.5 hours. Feels like I’ve played for a loooong time. I cannot imagine people playing 50-100 hours already since it’s been out. I’d start feeling annoyed at certain things also If I played that much that quickly so I understand some of the negativity. But, if you’ve played over 50 hours you cant really complain much seeing as you’ve gotten your money’s worth many times over already. It’s a really, really good game.
This is the one gripe I have with playing on XSX - other than that it feels smooth enough for me, and plenty pretty, I tend to forget about the graphics pretty fast when I play anyway. I don’t even have a fancy VRR TV, so I’m one of the lucky ones not sensitive to drops in frame rate.
Kolbex
4208
I have already played it 50% longer than Sekiro but it really doesn’t feel like it. I still have many hours to go, I am quite sure.
newbrof
4209
I don’t really care that much about upgrading. I see a weapon I like, I upgrade and move on. Next replay, I do the same with other weapons/builds … Currently, I don’t have enough material for my twin blades, my Katana and my Greatsword. I still have not unlocked/found the guy who sells smithing stones. But the game difficulty is just right. I don’t know how they tune it, but it always feels right.
Timex
4210
I’m coming up on 150 hours.
