Elden Ring

[briareos_kerensky]

The Fang uses somber stones, and you need only one stone per level, but each level requires better stones.
For example: for level +1, you need a single somber stone (1); for level +2 you need a single somber stone (2), and so forth up to +9. For +10 you need a somber ancient dragon smithing stone.

Standard smithing stones follow a different path, and you'll need multiple stones to upgrade a weapon. For example, you'll need two smithing stone (1)s to get a weapon to level +2.

https://eldenring.wiki.fextralife.com/Somber+Smithing+Stones

https://eldenring.wiki.fextralife.com/Smithing+Stones

[QualityChimp]

Cheers man, all of this is good info.

So I could use, for example, Somber stones 1 through 4 for the first four levels, then 5 x standard smithing stones to get it to level 5?

[Tobal]

You easily get enough stones on both paths to level at least 4 weapons, probably more more unique weapons as i remember somber stones being easy to find and required 1 per level of that level.

[Lebowski]

Cheers man, all of this is good info.

So I could use, for example, Somber stones 1 through 4 for the first four levels, then 5 x standard smithing stones to get it to level 5?

for my build the bloodhound fang was an amazing weapon it took me a long time to find anything that came close to it and i still went back to it quite a bit even late game as its a real workhorse that massive damage boost from the blood proc is always nice to see too, nothing nicer than a big chunk of boss energy just disappearing.

[briareos_kerensky]

Cheers man, all of this is good info.

So I could use, for example, Somber stones 1 through 4 for the first four levels, then 5 x standard smithing stones to get it to level 5?

No. Some weapons require normal smithing stones, other weapons require somber smithing stones. You'll see which stone a weapon requires once you get to a smith that can upgrade weapons.
Let's say that generic weapons (like the ones you've started with or those dropped by normal enemies around the world) use normal smithing stones; unique weapons (those with an evocative name like "Moonlight Sword", or the already mentioned Bloodhound Fang, which are usually dropped by bosses or found in particularly hard/secluded areas) use somber smithing stones.
It's either one or another, you cannot mix smithing stone types to upgrade weapons.

[QualityChimp]

No. Some weapons require normal smithing stones, other weapons require somber smithing stones. You'll see which stone a weapon requires once you get to a smith that can upgrade weapons.
Let's say that generic weapons (like the ones you've started with or those dropped by normal enemies around the world) use normal smithing stones; unique weapons (those with an evocative name like "Moonlight Sword", or the already mentioned Bloodhound Fang, which are usually dropped by bosses or found in particularly hard/secluded areas) use somber smithing stones.
It's either one or another, you cannot mix smithing stone types to upgrade weapons.

Cheers, all good stuff, mate.

Thanks all. Looking forward to getting home and playing some more!

[Finsbury Girl]

Bloodhound Fang carried me a LOT. Great weapon.

[QualityChimp]

Had another "dip" into this which basically ran from about 8pm to 1am, just "tinkering". :/

I'm still following the guide to get all the somber smithing stones to hopefully level up the Bloodhound Gang.
All was going well, despite the guide being based on experienced players, but I felt a bit abandoned at the Volcano Manor section.
Basically, you have to go through the secret hidden passageway, past the slugs and to the church. No problemo. Not sure if the anti-beast torch is repelling them, but that was easy.

From the church, you have to get to the second fire site and the guide just kinda cuts straight to it, saying "just make your own way there". What it doesn't say is how tough that section is and I lost a chunk of souls! I was well out of my depth for the second day of play!
Firstly, there's a snake guy (remember, I'm still using my starting uchikatana), who kept rinsing me. I just couldn't kill him, no matter what I tried, so I made a dash for it.

Flip me! Snake guy, three dogs and a bomb-throwing zombie on the first stretch, at the end of which is one of those mechanical Iron Maiden pendulum automatons! Then more dogs and snakes.

Tried going via the roofs - no joy.
Clearly a boss battle in another tower - noooope.
Steps down to a town square with more dogs, zombies and some kind of boss guy - painful.
Some tower blocked by a snake guard - ouch.

Eventually, I have to watch a video to find where I'm going, and it's that final tower, filled with tortured dudes.
Made it to the room, but some monster followed me in, so I couldn't like the fire and he chomped me to death.

At least I know where I'm going, so I blazed it there and managed the save. FFS.

Did the next section through the lava, past the lava slugs and up the lift.
Dodged the wizard, raised the drawbridge through the lava and rested to chillax the wizard.

Sooooo...

I'm told you can do a cheeky shortcut to get the next somber stone, but it requires some pixel-perfect glitch jumping.

I tried for a while, but I couldn't do it and I had to go to bed.

Anyone else done this?

[hudson]

Oh Mr Chimp, you are giving me the urge. The urge to jump back into the lands in between. Oh you cheeky chimp you.

[fuse]

I've not seen jumps like that used outside of speedruns, and also a little surprised you're already poking about in Volcano Manor! Appreciate wanting to give yourself an edge, and do absolutely play how you want to, but I'd also say this game's got plenty of other ways to alleviate any roadblocks you might be expecting, mainly being that at almost any point you can just bugger off and do something else that's more suited for your current level. By the sounds of it though, you're going to maul some of the early challenges when you come back to them!

[QualityChimp]

Oh Mr Chimp, you are giving me the urge. The urge to jump back into the lands in between. Oh you cheeky chimp you.

Do it!

Also see if you can do that jump - I'm not sure if the last patch nerfed it!

I've not seen jumps like that used outside of speedruns, and also a little surprised you're already poking about in Volcano Manor! Appreciate wanting to give yourself an edge, and do absolutely play how you want to, but I'd also say this game's got plenty of other ways to alleviate any roadblocks you might be expecting, mainly being that at almost any point you can just bugger off and do something else that's more suited for your current level. By the sounds of it though, you're going to maul some of the early challenges when you come back to them!

Yeah, Volcano Manor definitely felt like I shouldn't be there yet!
From the trebuchets raining destruction outside, to the copious guards to the imposing lift statues at the end.
Maya was like "Ooh, I knew you was like a super warrior dude, here's an invite to tha Volcano Crib", but in reality, I'd seen her an hour earlier in the swamp and just caned a few requirements.

Totally aware I'm streamlining the experience, but will be a lot happier when I can kill some chumps a lot easier and will go back to a few places I've legged it through.
However, I'm really enjoying myself, not quite the way FROM imagined, but that's still the main idea, right?

[briareos_kerensky]

I'd say you are placing too much faith (yours, not the in-game stat) into upgraded weapons.

Even if you were using a maxed out character in the first playthrough, bosses would waste you if you don't get down dodging/shield blocking and attack timings...all these skips are meant for players who at least know their way are previous Souls.

Clear the two starting areas (Stormveil and Weeping Peninsula), maybe attempt Caelid (there's a stationary boss you can kill without any effort that gives a tons of runes...bring gold fowl feet if you have them; Patches in the Manor sells a few), and don't be too concerned with skips.

Also some jumps/skips/glitches might no longer work due to patches.

[fuse]

Also some jumps/skips/glitches might no longer work due to patches.

That bastard! I knew he was sneaky, but this is next level.

[QualityChimp]

I'd say you are placing too much faith (yours, not the in-game stat) into upgraded weapons.

Even if you were using a maxed out character in the first playthrough, bosses would waste you if you don't get down dodging/shield blocking and attack timings...all these skips are meant for players who at least know their way are previous Souls.

Clear the two starting areas (Stormveil and Weeping Peninsula), maybe attempt Caelid (there's a stationary boss you can kill without any effort that gives a tons of runes...bring gold fowl feet if you have them; Patches in the Manor sells a few), and don't be too concerned with skips.

Also some jumps/skips/glitches might no longer work due to patches.

No, it's cool, BK.
Appreciate your guidance, though.
I know one weapon won't make me invulnerable, but it'll definitely give me an edge, plus I'm enjoying myself at the moment.

Once I've done the smithing of Bloodhound, I'll probably start exploring a bit more.

I had a whole bunch of nope last night where I needed to get to a castle to the East of my position, but a cliff drop stopped me.
I worked out a river cut through the cliffs, so I headed West towards it.

Spotted some dudes on an island, so started to run over to investigate.
A blimmin' giant dragon few down and started chomping them, so I ran away, down towards the river.
ran past all the skeletons and enemies, only to find it was some boss zone and some badass invaded the game (NPC), so I turned around and ran back again.
Found a lift down to a mine. Attacked the first enemy mining away, but took ages to kill him, so I ran away from there.

Then back the way I came, past the miners, past the skeletons, past the invader zone, past the skeleton and back to where I started!

I then found a safer way around!

I'm doing a lot of running away at the moment...

[Golgo]

Mood music for Chimp's Elden Ring playstyle: