Did Lichdragon Fortisax today and basically shredded him. It's an awesome fight, but I must have been overleveled for it because he straight melted in like 8 strikes. Then did Auriza Hero's Grave, which was a frustrating pain, and the double Crucible Knight boss fight at it's end. Which was really intimidating until I realized how overleveled I was for that. Three shot them both.
So I was getting slightly worried about the quality of the rest of the game. My buff-heavy faith build maybe just too good? Particularly with Blasphemous Blade and all the fire damage I can output? And then I went back to the Subterranean Shunning Grounds and my fears quickly faded. That place is brutal! Omens with high defense and ridiculous HP pools, those stupid bloodletting imps everywhere, the death frog things around half the corners and cloaking rats just for funsies. Plus giant lobsters! Lost 68k runes to a particular bout of stupid when I died to the second lobster, and on my way back I forgot I had to jump a small gap to the next ledge. That was a long, expensive fall to my death.
Boss fight at the end was no joke either. Took my three tries to get a good read on him, but all his moves cause blood loss and if it procs you're so far in the hole it feels hard to get caught up. Particularly when he punishes healing as hard as Margit/Morgott. Yikes. Still, a fun brawl and I look forward to the rematch when I get to Mohgwyn Palace later.
Tomorrow it's time for Castle Sol and, unless I get snagged somewhere within, the Forge and the area boss for the Mountaintop.
Another thing to keep in mind: casting has basically no poise. You can slap her out of ANY of her spells before she finishes casting them. Get in her face and stay there and she's basically helpless. Her mobility means she'll escape out eventually, but you just need to work yourself back in. If you're a caster, keep something quick (Glintstone pebble, Bestial sling, even Lightning Spear can work uncharged) and unload it any time she tries to cast at mid-range. You can shut down a lot of her jank if you have quick fingers.
Also, when she does her spirit summons, you don't need to kill them. They only last a few attacks and then fade (though if she calls the dragon, those few attacks can be a real pain, so watch out). Dodge where you can and keep your focus on her unless you are in mortal peril.
I think I'm in love with the Jellyfish shield. Outside of the fact that it's a greatshield, and therefor heavy, I feel like this thing was built for casters. 100% physical block, and a skill that buffs any attacks?
My new jam: Wondrous Physick with Fire Shrouding Cracked Tear, Golden Vow, Flame Grant Me Strength and Jelly Shield buff. Black flame procing for more than 1000 damage? Giantsflame Take Thee for 1700? Yes, please. The only downside is you can't use your weapon art with the shield buff, because Taker's Flame would love this thing.
Doing the Ringleader's Evergaol this afternoon. And she only has ONE move that's actually a serious issue. So why do I keep dying?! The frustration isn't that the fight is hard. It's a good battle, but her move set is quite simple. It's that I keep making every. damn. mistake. Time and again. This took me like 8 tries when it should have been three. Felt really, really good when I finally got it right though.
There's a lesson in here, I feel like. The real opponent in From games is never the enemies, it's always myself. Greed and foolishness are like 98% of my deaths in these things.
Following your advice I finally got the Witch Queen!
The dogs helps so much!
So where should I go from here, where I won't get slaughtered?
I am level 64 now
The distribution of Somber Smithing Stone (7) seems pretty messed up in this game, at least in the order I did it. Finally found one after many hours and was immediately able to apply the 8 and 9 stones I found in a mine a very long time ago.
Edit: just got two more lol
Last edited by Frobisher; 03-31-2022 at 01:15 AM.
The first two areas you can access are Siofra River Well (found near the Mistwood in Limgrave) and the Ainsel River Well, found about midway up the eastern edge of Liurnia. Both are small areas where you will be able see sections you cannot reach.
To reach the additional section of Siofra, called Nokron, Eternal City, you will need to defeat General Radahn at the Radahn Festival at Castle Redmane in Caelid. This is the only way to access this area, currently.
From Nokron you can access an area called Deeproot Depths beneath the Capital. You can also get here via the Subterranean Shunning Grounds in the Capital sewers, so you aren't locked out of it if you don't beat Radahn. But, honestly, the Shunning Grounds are probably harder. Deeproot Depths has a path to Ainsel River Main, which is the part of Ainsel River you couldn't reach before. It also has a back way into the Capital if you come here first, and allows you to skip the boss guarding the Capitol entrance (though you have to beat like four other bosses to get here).
You can also access Ainsel River Main directly by doing the Ranni the Witch NPC questline. Which will first require accessing and completing Nokron, Eternal City. You will need to go through Ainsel River Main, and then through the Lake of Rot to the Grand Cloister and then further still in order to reach the final section of Liurnia, the Moonlight Altar, which is the plateau above the Village of the Albinaurics. There is no other way to reach this location.
On my second playthrough. Game is so fun. The end is a bit of a boss rush though.