I think the best way forward for open world games it to not have “mission states”. A holdover from GTA that refuses to die. Ubisoft is still all about it though.
One problem I am having in Elder Ring is just getting too powerful too quickly. Like, most enemies/bosses are too easy. It’s really easy to happen if you explore a lot.
The more you explore the more you level because of how much stuff is in the world. As you go north on the map enemies get tougher.
The only way I could finish the game! :P
but I agree a bit with you, I could kill some bosses on my second attempt, before I truly learned their patterns.
I wish I had your problems of bosses being too easy! I’m over 100 now but I still suck at melee and thus all bosses.
I find some of the bosses really tough but I like the fact that most are optional and that they can revisited later. And even when I die multiple times on a boss, I never feel like I am hitting an unbreakable wall. There is always a new strategy to try, be it a new weapon, talisman combo, consumables, and or different summoned ashes.
As you level up and your sorcery becomes stronger you will be able to release your mimic (sword in hand) and let him tank while you fire away at distance. Or use Tiche if you have her.
Melee is by far the most difficult path.
I fought some bosses dozens of times with melee. Then I’d fight them maybe twice spamming a Weapon Art.
Spirit summons make bosses a lot easier just by drawing aggro, and the mini-dungeon bosses are a tier or two down in difficulty. They are basically Bloodborne chalice dungeons with slightly more variety in type. (Caves, Catacombs, Mine…)
I feel like it can become a bit of a chore to go through a bunch of mini-dungeons instead of exploring the landscape and progressing the “main quest” or side quests. I’ve found the reward for mini-dungeons appears to be mostly spirit ashes or talismans so it’s kind of a luck of the draw if you get something good your “class” will use. I guess they’re optional like a lot of the game but my completionist mindset makes me do every single one I come across.
Also, don’t skimp on vigor when you are levelling. Can’t count how many times I squeaked through an encounter with only a sliver of HP.
I always play the same build the first time through with the early game two-hander with heavy armor and a shield. Bastard Sword (Demon’s Souls 1-1), Claymore (Dark Souls Firedrake flame path), or in this case Lordsworn’s Greatsword (Third site of grace enemy camp). It has extra backstab damage. The classic R1 frontal sweep is just very damn good.
Right now I am using the Ashes of War called Giant Hunt in which I do a strong upthrust. On normal sized humanoids it launches them into the air like ragdoll which never gets old.
I am guessing 40 endurance is still the cap for stamina gain. I love having a maxed out stamina bar and the extra equip load helps a ton as I do like to wear heavy armor for poise.
In all the previous Soulsborne games I was able to manage with “Vigor” at 30. Even into NG+. Not sure if Elden Ring scales higher but it is longer so maybe?
The caps are actually about 25% higher in ER than in the DS games. You don’t get as much per level up in most cases as you did in DS. Vigor is a prime example where 30 was a good place in DS but with ER 40 or higher is best. I know the INT cap for ER is 80 which is crazy high.
I looked and found this. There are earlier soft caps but for INT and Faith it is still crazy even at 60 (for spells) where as you hit the first soft cap at 18 for STR and DEX. I guess I should get Vigor to at least 40.
Right now my primary strategy is summoning my Mimic and trying to stay away and spam Rock Sling. But in situations where you are forced to time your dodges and hit with melee, I’m dead.
I may have to find a guide and see if I can get Tiche. Then I’ll be fixated on trying to get the rare materials to level Tiche up while I’m trying to get Mimic leveled up.
If you need easy time maybe respect to using spells? Being a spellcaster is always easier than melee.
Spells are really powerful and self-guiding. Just kite and cast for damage assured.
Yeah, I am a high INT character, I’ve got the Meteorite staff, Rock Sling, lots of other spells including the Moon toss or whatever that is (I beat Ranella sp.) I don’t have the Comet Azur and I think I’m a long way from getting it and the stuff that lets you blast it non stop.
I’m doing OK. I think one of my main issues is that I haven’t been able to play regularly, and jumping on when you haven’t played in 3 months is a challenge.
If you need a tank summons, Tiche is awesome but it can take a while to get her. Oleg is a great tank summons that can be picked up fairly early. Oleg carried me through until late game. Lhutel can get picked up fairly early as well. I haven’t tried Lhutel yet but I read she is pretty tanky.
There is a spell called Glintblade Comet, or something similar. It is a more powerful version of the Pebble spell. I found Comet Azur to be too slow against later bosses but I didn’t use anything to speed up casting.
Tiche is good but getting her is like a major boss fight.
It feels like a random time to announce DLC, but still thrilled to see From’s working on more Elden Ring.
All of time is a good time for more Elden Ring.
Can a DLC be Game of the Year? Asking for an Internet.
The only bad thing about that announcement was it reads like it is still quite a ways off.
I want it now. :)
So it looks like the fall of this year.
