Elden Ring

[wakka]

So, to follow up on my last post, I was clomping quite happily through Stormveil Castle at around level 18 until I hit a bit of a brick wall - the last chain of enemies and rooms before you reach the fog door was really just a bit too much for me to be able to comfortably do at that stage, and I figured that I'd be way underlevelled for the boss beyond (who I believe gives me my first chunk of Elden Ring?).

So, taking the advice of people in this thread, I went off to explore Limgrave more thoroughly. And yeah, there is way, WAY more to it than I thought!

I've gone right down to the south and beaten the lion guy boss, tried to explore that area as thoroughly as possible, then moved to the east, beating that guy who's in stuck in a gaol along the way. I've explored that and now I'm in the place you get to by going downwards in the well that's in the forest and, wow, this area is incredible. Really, really cool design. It feels about right for my level too.

Really enjoying it. My plan is basically to get as much of this well section done as I can, then return to the castle. I really need to find that whetstone knife in there so I can make my Uchi Keen. I'd like to be heading into the fog door with a +6 Keen Uchi.

Currently pumping Vig mostly, with some End in there too. I already prematurely got Dex up to 22 so I've left that alone for a bit, till I've got the Keen Uchi and I'll really feel the benefit.

Great game.

[Lebowski]

So, to follow up on my last post, I was clomping quite happily through Stormveil Castle at around level 18 until I hit a bit of a brick wall - the last chain of enemies and rooms before you reach the fog door was really just a bit too much for me to be able to comfortably do at that stage, and I figured that I'd be way underlevelled for the boss beyond (who I believe gives me my first chunk of Elden Ring?).

So, taking the advice of people in this thread, I went off to explore Limgrave more thoroughly. And yeah, there is way, WAY more to it than I thought!

I've gone right down to the south and beaten the lion guy boss, tried to explore that area as thoroughly as possible, then moved to the east, beating that guy who's in stuck in a gaol along the way. I've explored that and now I'm in the place you get to by going downwards in the well that's in the forest and, wow, this area is incredible. Really, really cool design. It feels about right for my level too.

Really enjoying it. My plan is basically to get as much of this well section done as I can, then return to the castle. I really need to find that whetstone knife in there so I can make my Uchi Keen. I'd like to be heading into the fog door with a +6 Keen Uchi.

Currently pumping Vig mostly, with some End in there too. I already prematurely got Dex up to 22 so I've left that alone for a bit, till I've got the Keen Uchi and I'll really feel the benefit.

Great game.

its crazy isn't it, you just stumble across the well take this random elevator and bang massive new areas to explore, i love finding this sort of stuff in game its such a cool area with loads of secrets and environmental puzzle too. Would be super easy to miss too and a real shame if you did as like you said its a very unique and different looking zone.

[wakka]

It's really cool. I love the design of that area.

So far I'm still seesawing between whether I prefer this open world set up to the traditional Dark Souls structure though. It'll be interesting to see how I feel as I progress.

[briareos_kerensky]

The more you play, the more you start noticing that even unmarked map pieces hold a lot of detail, and you'll be able easily spot caves (black points with orange/yellow borders) and othet minor dungeons like Hero's Tombs.
If you simply follow directions from major Sites of Grace, you'll miss 70% of the game.

[Lebowski]

The more you play, the more you start noticing that even unmarked map pieces hold a lot of detail, and you'll be able easily spot caves (black points with orange/yellow borders) and othet minor dungeons like Hero's Tombs.
If you simply follow directions from major Sites of Grace, you'll miss 70% of the game.

I think that's where the game sort of lets itself down a bit, I'm all for the not hand holding of these sort of games but the sights of grace literately point you along the main path that misses out a massive chunks of the game. Its not like "go here maybe" its big gold glowing arrows saying this way dude.

All it dose is set you up to hit a wall, maybe that was their intention push you down a path until the enemy's are one hitting you then force you to back track see if there is another area you can progress Id of much prefer a set up that asks you to explore first and then stumble into the story stuff.

[Lebowski]

Stumbled into Caelid's bell bearing hunter last night and hes just all sorts of ridiculous and without a doubt the hardest enemy I've come up against in the game so far. Two hits and your out!! hes stronger than any boss Ive come up against and massively over the level of any of the enemy's in Caelid.

You sort of have to learn his patterns and dodge like a son of a bitch as blocking his attacks with a shield still makes you take a massive amount of damage so much so you cant even block his three hit combo. if this wasn't bad enough the second you try and heal hes on top of you again and punishing you for it. first time ive almost thrown a pad in a game in ages .

[eastyy]

I think what impresses me about the game is just how the world sticks in the memory....second play through and areas just come flooding back, but what makes it feel different is .....I just go to a place once and it stuck in my mind

[Golgo]

Suddenly it's raining a lot in Elden Ring Land. Not a drop before. Did they patch in rain?

[Lebowski]

Suddenly it's raining a lot in Elden Ring Land. Not a drop before. Did they patch in rain?

I've seen quite a bit of rain, the 10% buff to lightning grease when its raining is super handy for certain world bosses too, Just don't' use your fire stuff when its raining as it runs out super fast and dose 10% less damage.

[Atticus]

One of my sons picked this up two days ago (aw, his first Souls game ) so we're both playing and discovering together. And it's full of discovery. Like many I'm exploring Limgrave and I can feel it getting its claws in to me. Loving the open world ... the feeling of exploration is spot on ... like the beginning of an epic fantasy novel.

[Yakumo]

Level 121 now and yet I'm still getting my arse kicked. I'm up to the snow World and man, what a slog.
I think I'm going to have to start cheating and find an easy rune farm. I've seen one where you can disguise yourself as a statue and let the constant respawning enemies kill each other while you rake in all the rune. Need to find this place and leave the series X on over night farming runes

[briareos_kerensky]

For that you need

->Open Spoiler<-

to kill Radhan and then find the catacomb on the norther part of his arena. However it's a very inconsistent method, at times it can last for an hour or so, at times it can last for a few minutes, and even in the best cases the influx of runes is not constant.
At your level, you're better off at Mohgwyn's Palace and kill chickens.
You are at the snow field, so go to the giant tree northwest of the Yelough Ruins, and westnorthwest of that there's a way gate that will bring you to the palace; follow the way down, rest at the Grace you find, and gaze past the ravine west of it: you'll see a giant deformed bird. Aim a bow (any bow and any arrow will do, though you'll have to aim higher with bone arrows) through the branches forming a rough circle and hit the bird; it'll run straight for you, plunging down the ravine and giving around 13k runes if you are using the Gold Scarab talismans. As soon as the bird falls down, get to the Grace, rest (you'll still get the runes), and repeat.

It's a monotonous task to do but with the right equipment you can quite the number of runes in a relatively short time.

[Tobal]

For that you need

->Open Spoiler<-

to kill Radhan and then find the catacomb on the norther part of his arena. However it's a very inconsistent method, at times it can last for an hour or so, at times it can last for a few minutes, and even in the best cases the influx of runes is not constant.
At your level, you're better off at Mohgwyn's Palace and kill chickens.
You are at the snow field, so go to the giant tree northwest of the Yelough Ruins, and westnorthwest of that there's a way gate that will bring you to the palace; follow the way down, rest at the Grace you find, and gaze past the ravine west of it: you'll see a giant deformed bird. Aim a bow (any bow and any arrow will do, though you'll have to aim higher with bone arrows) through the branches forming a rough circle and hit the bird; it'll run straight for you, plunging down the ravine and giving around 13k runes if you are using the Gold Scarab talismans. As soon as the bird falls down, get to the Grace, rest (you'll still get the runes), and repeat.

It's a monotonous task to do but with the right equipment you can quite the number of runes in a relatively short time.

you can also break that bird grind up by massacring the sleeping fishmen right next you.

[Lebowski]

Level 121 now and yet I'm still getting my arse kicked. I'm up to the snow World and man, what a slog.
I think I'm going to have to start cheating and find an easy rune farm. I've seen one where you can disguise yourself as a statue and let the constant respawning enemies kill each other while you rake in all the rune. Need to find this place and leave the series X on over night farming runes

Out of curiosity what are you currently running weapon and stat wise, i'm at a similar level and in a similar place in the game, i'm swapping between a few melee weapons at the mo but mainly using a fully leveled Bloodfang, that manages to kill most normal enemy's in a few hits (but also makes short work of most bosses) . I've not had to farm at all yet.

[briareos_kerensky]

you can also break that bird grind up by massacring the sleeping fishmen right next you.

Yeah, but in terms of efficiency just using the chicken as cushion pin, it's far better.