[Wolfdrop]

Anyone else got Crown of the Sunken King?

Only played half an hour or so but looks to be a great DLC, awesome level design and scenery.

...and difficult, some great new mechanics and difficult enemies that you need to approach differently to the normal mobs.

[Traveller]

No but I'm away at the moment... I'll check it out over the next few days.

It looks like they're releasing it in different installments for each 'lost crown' - so more to follow.

[tiam]

Does it tie into the plot? I havnt followed the plot at all with this one.

Beat the smelter demon if you can call it me beating it. I summoned a tank aswell as the NPC one who distracted it for me to use all 24 of my slow firing spells that were doing bugger all damage. Anyway ive just went back and found the pyromantic flame and have quite a few spells for it so maybe max it out as much as possible and use them instead of the weak soul sorceries until I get homing soulmass and soul spear.

Ive got the giant lava demon to beat. I shot it once did no damage and then fell down a hole . Theres also a load of rats down a hole and a forest full of ghosts to contend with. I turned myself human was doing really well making good progress then got knocked into the lava.

I think those are the 3 main Lord Souls locations aswell.

[Defiance]

Wolfdrop, on 23 July 2014 - 06:52 PM, said:

Anyone else got Crown of the Sunken King?

Only played half an hour or so but looks to be a great DLC, awesome level design and scenery.

...and difficult, some great new mechanics and difficult enemies that you need to approach differently to the normal mobs.

How does it compare to the Artorias of the Abyss DLC from the first one? I wasn't to impressed with DS2 - levels were way too small and bosses were too similar. Most were extremely easy (I killed around 80% of them on my first try).

[tiam]

Beat the Old Iron King guy. Beat him on my first attempt today. Very easy especially for a lords soul. Ive got the ghost forest and ive just got down to the Gutter or Blighttown MK II as I believe it is. Could see a bonfire through some slats slid down the closest ladder underneath it and the ladder cut off halfway and dropped me 50 foot to the floor. Sigh

Also upgraded my catalyst. DS1 it only upgraded physical damage but it actually helps your magic attack on this one which seems a bit better.

[Wolfdrop]

Quote

How does it compare to the Artorias of the Abyss DLC from the first one? I wasn't to impressed with DS2 - levels were way too small and bosses were too similar. Most were extremely easy (I killed around 80% of them on my first try).

So far I'm enjoying more than AoTA, more than any other part of DS2 so far in fact.

Level design is great, lot's a vertical stuff. There's stones that can be hit with bows/spells to raise and lower platforms to traverse the level, get items or provide cover. Also there's buttons to activate/deactivate traps that you can of course use to your advantage

Apart from the very first bonfire at the start of the DLC they are all very well hidden, I've only found two. Expect to be wandering about old ruins with 0 flasks and your favourite weapons broken, in a cold sweat until you find the far flung bonfires!

A note on the enemies: Most have something that makes them harder. For example, some don't stagger, some have a poisonous aura/ corrosive aura. Archers outfitted with corrosive arrows to wreck your equipment. My favourite enemy I've found so far are artorias-esque knights dual wielding falchions, they appear as ghosts (like the ones you see from bloodstains). They take next to no damage from even the best weapons, but they are beatable. You'll need to delve into ancient tombs find their mortal remains and destroy them, then they stop being ghostly and are easier.

Not found too many items, but so far they've been relatively unique. A shield that can cast miracles and sorceries, a hexer's crossbow that shoots dark orbs with RT, and my favourite so far, a sword made of small interconnected stones. Light attacks work like a sword, strong attacks make all the stone separate and behave like a whip, two handed RT can do a 360 attack twice. Pretty nifty.

I've seen a dragon fly about a few times, I'm guessing he'll be at the end so can't compare him to Kalameet yet. Only found one boss so far and it's bullshit, an NPC gank squad including a havels and a dude hiding with a greatbow. I've heard it's optional and is designed for coop, I wasn't impressed. Been the only let down so far

[Defiance]

I ended up purchasing it. Haven't fought a boss yet, but it's definitely been worth it so far. This is what Dark Souls 2 should have been in the first place. There's actually a feeling of exploration. I haven't wandered across an entire area in the span of five minutes, and I'm getting lost repeatedly. And there doesn't seem to be a bonfire around every corner, which is great.

Looking forward to the bosses. I've been told the dragon is an even better fight than Kalameet, which was a fantastic dragon fight (far better than the Guardian Dragon who I killed on the first try in DS2).

[Wolfdrop]

Better than Kalameet? That's a hard one to top.

The amount of time I spent to get that tail cut...

worth it

[tiam]

Just found my way through that ghost forest with the backstabbing shades. Is there a way of doing it properly? I just belted through it a couple of times and got the plus 1 cloranthy ring and a few items but ill clear it properly if theres a legitimate way of doing it.

[Traveller]

I just worked round it and collected the ring along the way. I think if you hit the trees with the faces they chime or something and attract/divert the shades, but I didn't need to, they are pretty easy to kill.

Dragon fight? Better than Kalameet? Dammit I'm going to have to check this out now.

[Traveller]

Well after the system updates and software updates, I've gone back to DS 2 for the dlc.

Weird how after only a short time away I forgot how much stuff I'd collected... and how little I'd actually used.

Like the new level so far, glad I've got a shitload of arrows.

[Wolfdrop]

The system update absolutely crippled my faith build, 22 uses of lightning spear to6! And reduced the strength of defender greatsword. Think it's time for a soul vessel

[Traveller]

What equipment and weapons are you using? I've been wearing the Kings Armor as it looks cool, but I keep falling back on my Drangleic Mail +4 as it's the best by far.

I'm generally using the Pursuers Ultra Greatsword +5, as it pretty much finishes anything in one or two hits.

It's a bit odd though as I've found a ton of stuff but none of it seems to be as useful.

[tiam]

Traveller, on 24 July 2014 - 10:51 PM, said:

I just worked round it and collected the ring along the way. I think if you hit the trees with the faces they chime or something and attract/divert the shades, but I didn't need to, they are pretty easy to kill.

Dragon fight? Better than Kalameet? Dammit I'm going to have to check this out now.

Glad the rings the best gear in there. Yeh there not that difficult to kill but your using an ultra greatsword with a big swing whereas im a rapier user with a narrow thrust rather than slash.

Got to the other side killed that giant basilisk then was easily defeated by the standard enemies.

[Traveller]

Stupid thing is, although the greatsword I'm using does a massive amount of damage, the primary attack is a vertical swing down. If the target is inconveniently moving,
is is very, very easy to miss completely, then there is a moment where you're left open.

I was using a regular longsword back then, great slash and a useful thrust attack.

I just died trying to find a bonfire in the area with the double katana wielding ghost guys. Got all the way down to the spiked floor room, but the two ghosts in there can walk on them without taking damage. I backtracked a bit to heal, and fell down a hole into another room - I'd just swapped my Cats ring for Poison bite too, so the fall was enough to kill me.

Great level design so far, the moving towers are nice - although jumping across the tops to reach the tantalisingly close bonfire was a bit tense.

[Wolfdrop]

There's actually a button to retract the spikes, and hate to say it but you were seconds away from a, albeit hidden, bonfire

I wasn't a fan of the Pursuer's Greatsword, the normal greatsword has a more horizontal move set and is easily upgraded.

I'm usually a hexer though, so big weapons aren't really my thing. Usually rocking a dark chaos blade +5. Combine that with ring of thorns+1 and old sun ring and it's devastating cause chaos blade damages you with each hit then sets off your rings.

Played through sunken king on my lower level faith build as my main was recently into NG+ and not for enough along to start the DLC. My hexer got hit by the patch a while ago that reduced great resonant soul's damage but that was necessary, it was ridiculous how much damage it did. Maxed out the dragon covenant in a few hours by poisoning people with 2 casts of dark fog, then one shotting them while they were attempting to chug estus/poison moss.

The amount of hate mail received was...satisfying

It really looks like faith builds have been wrecked, sorcery still seems viable.

[Traveller]

Damn, I knew there must be a fire close by. I shot a switch from the stairs but it didn't move the spikes... and I couldn't see the bodies belonging to the ghosts either.

I might look at upgrading a different weapon, but although the Pursuers sword has to be precise, it's making mincemeat out of those katana guys - backstab in one.

Most used sword so far... Drangleic Sword +5. I can manage 5 quick swings, it also has thrust when you need it.

I like your ring combo, might try that. I like using the chaos blade plus red tearstone with the bow, saves a lot of arrows. Haven't even touched spells or hexes yet, maybe I'll use a soul vessel at some point, I seem to have quite a few now.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 26 July 2014 - 08:22 PM

[Wolfdrop]

IIRC that switch you hit reveals the bonfire, try looking for a ladder in the right side spike room, it's against the wall

[Traveller]

Well, I'm in the spike room again. I've killed every last thing I can find, (quite satisfying finding the ghosts crypt and destroying their remains to make them all vulnerable again)

Finally located switch to bonfire. That was close though, had them all onto me while I took out the tombs, then went back upstairs and set the spikes up again.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 26 July 2014 - 09:45 PM

[Wolfdrop]

Rating: 134
"Hurrah for revenge!"
Rate this message
>Yes No

Best part of the crypt with the bodies