Thanks for the explanation. So on my 1st playthrough, i doesnt really sound like I’m missing anything critial to my build. I can explore in NG at some point…
How many of you play through the game without looking anything up (unless you get totally stuck?) i prefer just exploring and not worrying about finding everything, but I find myself really wondering how everyone has all of their spirits and weapons fully upgraded and it makes me want to look at walkthroughs and maps. Same for quests, as it seems like it can be very easy to completely screw something up (like when I killed Patches, though apparently that was no big deal.)
I look a lot of stuff up as I have limited gaming time and can’t explore everything with a fine tooth comb. I usually go through a new area kind of quickly then watch a walkthrough video to see what I missed and go and do anything that interests me.
I tried not looking stuff up but eventually due to the “shortage” of some upgrade materials I started looking those up.
I’ve mostly not looked up anything and just gone with the flow. 100 hours, and I’m about level 80 or so. That’s when I took a break. But when I get back, I think maybe I’ll start looking stuff up, just to speed things along a little. But maybe not, who knows?
The truth is, when you’re just exploring in this game, and continuously finding new areas, I have no urge to stop doing that and go look stuff up instead.
I looked up a few things but never where things were. I loved the world and the sense of discovery. My build was my own and I had to over-level and get help for 3 fights. I know I didn’t find everything and most of the quests were lost of me. After 3 months of not playing I still think this is my favorite game of all time.
Thanks. I’m very much an explore at my leisure vs laser focus to “win” in open world games. Just managed to do Carian Manor and start Ranni’s quest. I may look things up if I can’t figure out on my own where to go for this but only if I get stuck.
I said earlier it was hard for me to get back into the game after being away for about two months. Started Ranni’s quest, went down the well, and wow. I love their world design. I’m hooked on it again. Got the day off but have stuff to do so had to quit at the grace point at the bottom of the well but, once again, I find myself in can’t wait to start it back up mode.
I mostly wing it as well. I’ll look things up if I’m really stuck, but for the most part I want to preserve the serendipity of happening across something cool that I wasn’t expecting.
For me, going in, and even when I knew I really, really liked it, I also knew it was the sort of game I would likely never finish. And I’m ok with that, I don’t finish a lot of games that I really like - journey, not the destination, etc. But with Elden Ring I started getting really caught up in the lore and the community on youtube etc. and I just left me wanting to know more and more so I have used sites esp. fextralife very extensively to make sure I’m not missing out on anything ‘important’. Or, often, when the way forward isn’t clear enough to me. But it hasn’t felt like a detriment to me, I don’t feel like I’ve cheated myself. Rather I think it has added to my enjoyment.
Oh! and I’ve now ‘finished’ it several times; currently with my main working on NG+3
I look up questlines. Some of that stuff is so random and obscure I would never find it.
Questlines, boss fight strategies and weapon builds when I start feeling weak.
Well, crap. I talked with Ranni at Ranni’s rise. Talked to all 3 specters. Then couldn’t leave. Could not figure out why… So I went back to the grace point in the rise. Rested. It let me fast travel to a grace point near the well, where I went down into that underground area. However, I can’t find Blaid though. I looked at a walkthrough and apparently I missed the step where I was supposed to have returned to Ranni after I talked to all three specters. (Hey, the guy said you ready to meet me at the well? So I went there.) I fast traveled back to the grace point at Ranni’s rise, and I went back up to talk to her, but she doesn’t say anything to me (I get the … response.)
Am I just totally screwed? Ranni’s quest is pretty important! I SO wish there were save points for when you screw something up!
Did you talk to Blaidd before talking to Ranni? In the forest using the emote?
If you do go down the well and have talked to Blaidd he should be along the cliff on the right edge of the world, about half way to the where the cliff turns left.
I may have panicked too soon. I finally found Blaiid in the underground area and I’m moving through the quest. Just left Sellen, and I assume the next step is to go back to Blaiid in the underground city. I’m trying to play the quest without a guide, but I think it’s prudent to have one to check, as it appears there are ways to break quests doing what seems intuitive. Hopefully I’ll start finding the somber stones and smithing stones and stuff I need to upgrade my blades, Carian Regal Scepter (still using the Meteorite staff as it appears you have to upgrade the Regal staff quite a bit before it equals and surpasses the Meteorite staff) and spirits.
I just finished it. I can’t really say I beat it. The last 2 areas were thankfully bountiful with godly summons. I did try a few of the boss fights solo just to see their movesets and cutscenes. That was a really fun and at times, frustrating game.
2 absolute truths.
- I couldn’t have advanced far without the rune farm at the palace approach.
- I couldn’t have completed the game without summoning awesome players.
I beat the final boss 3 times. The first time took many tries, both with my mimic and with summons. Probably 20 tries at least. The second time with a slightly changed character took maybe 6 tries with a summons. The third time I did maybe on the third tty with just my mimic. Damn that one made me happy.
If you really want to follow a quest then I would recommend using a wiki or some other guide. Ranni’s quest is pretty long and complicated. You visit several areas. You need to go all over the map.
I would like to give you a hand on completing the manor.
The only zone I have left, I left after an
hour when I couldnt get to the 2nd grace. Tree, bubble enemies, ants.
That is probably the toughest area of the game. I would suggest just running down the tree to the first Grace. Then try grinding again. I died so many times between the first Grace and the second one I found. Of course I had missed one in between. But take your time and look to the left for a shortcut.