[Wolfdrop]

Quote

Any luck with the Fume Knight?

Managed to take him down with the help of a sunbro. The optional boss after is super difficult too, though I think he's intended for co-op. He's a samurai type guy called Alonne with a more badass version of Shiva's armour and uses a HUGE katana. Lore wise, he came from the east and helped the Old Iron King found his kingdom, hence why the order of Alonne Knights was named after him and why they all use katanas, in imitation of his fighting style.

I love these lore tie-ins.

The fume knight one especially.

Spoiler

He's Raime, Vendricks other bodyguard/defender (the first is Velstadt). They were described as Vendricks left and right hands. He led a rebellion against them at some point (from the description of Rebel's Greatshield) and was banished. He fled drangleic and found Nadalia, who then made him into the Fume Knight I guess. He powers up after he gets to around 60% health and uses a massive flaming sword. If you go in wearing any of Veldstadt's armour he'll go mental and power up straight away. Nice touch.

Also found a ring that makes you invisible while rolling, pretty good for PvP.

[Traveller]

Just found that ring, too. And the smelter demon mark2.

I really like the level design in this one.

EDIT... Just found out that, after going back to kill all those ash piles, that YOU NEED 4 SMELTER WEDGES LEFT TO HELP DEFEAT THE BOSS!

Goddamn it, now I find out.

The Fume Knight is pretty tough. Especially as he has one idol left which can heal him if he gets close enough. So far I'm taking the no-armour big sword approach, which gets him down to about half before I get finished off.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 31 August 2014 - 10:33 PM

[Traveller]

Finally beat him.

Used Flynns Ring, Ring of Blades, Cloranthy and the shield that gives a stamina boost.

That was a tough one - had to keep him out of the corner near the idol so he couldn't heal.

Off to get Alonne next.

[Wolfdrop]

I missed one of the idols so I had enough to get rid of all the ones in the boss room. Just took down Sir Alonne, I found it easiest to clear out all the enemies on the way to the boss door then going back to summon the phantoms, just beat him and got his weapons and armour. The swords got an awesome self buff that you get by impaling yourself. I've also heard that he bows if you how to him first but I'd killed him by then.

[Traveller]

Well I had about 5 smelter wedges left, but went back to get the soul fragments. .. before finding out what the last four did.

I read that if you beat Alonne in under 5 minutes he commits Seppuku.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 04 September 2014 - 03:11 PM

[Wolfdrop]

That sound's cool, when you get his sword it's seppuku that powers it up.

They did a great job on the phantoms on this one, the white phantoms greet you with waves/bows and drop "Hello" carvings.

The red phantom assassin was also super sneaky, the dude with the lance. If you run away he uses camouflage to blend in. He legs it when he's a low health and heals once he's away. I awaited for him to run away to heal so he was with all the enemies then used a Seed of a Tree of Giants to turn all the enemies on him, so they killed him for me.

You can pick them up from the Giant that has turned into a tree next to the bonfire with all the Ironclad Knights in Forest of Fallen Giants. One spawns/has a chance to spawn every time you're invaded. I use them often, whenever I get invaded mid game, they seem to be really underused though.

[Traveller]

Just been clearing the area leading up to Alonne. The phantoms really are good, the ai on the red ones especially. I haven't tried the Giant seeds at all yet.

Have you used the Fume Knight soul yet? The merchant in the Cove has both his swords that I've found so far.

[Wolfdrop]

I used it to get the ultra greatsword. I've not been able to upgrade it since I used all my bones on Alonne's sword. Also traded in Nadalia's soul to Straid for a pyromancy. It's basically the top level firestorm but only has a single use. Seemed more worthwhile than another chime.

[Traveller]

Yeah I got the ultrasword. I've upgraded it a few times, it still doesn't do quite as much as my maxed out Pursuers sword but it has a great strength bonus.

[Malaclypse]

Couldn't get into it for some reason on PS3 - started it recently on PC and loving it

I'm lvl 59 - mageblade type dude as usual, just coming to grips with the huntsman's copse

farmed the Old Knights or whatever they're called to exhaustion, got the Sunset Staff and the Hexer's Set

saving my bonfire ascetic for the Skeleton Lords so I can get the +55% casting ring

This post has been edited by Malaclypse: 12 September 2014 - 08:17 AM

[Malaclypse]

alright so, I finished the Bastille, did some farming, bought almost everything Straid has to offer.

Not having any luck with the Skeleton Lords on bonfire intensity 2 - the ppl I summon seem to be idiots - the last guy killed the bonewheel lord first and then died, leaving me to get murdered by the boneweheels

anybody wanna meet up and do it together? I'm in the sunbro covenant if that makes any difference

[Traveller]

I might be wrong but aren't you better off solo-ing the Lords anyway? Getting help just increases their hp, and they don't take long to kill iirc.

(I was just running round the room hitting them on the way past without locking on though).

I would help but I think you have to be around the same level.

[Traveller]

Just put this back on after a week or so off, and finished off Alonne. I think that's it for this dlc unless there are some rings or something that I missed.

Next Crown dlc due at the end of this month.. hope it has a satisfying conclusion.

[Wolfdrop]

I've still not taken on the blue smelter demon/challenge area yet. I just need to pick up a few of the items that a missed. There's a cool bull head helmet, a flaming sword and a spell casting spear among others.

A lot of the cool drops are just from farming so will probably take me a while to get those!

[Traveller]

That area really is pretty nasty. As a boss-run, anyhow. Well, I thought so when I found what I thought was a shortcut and it turned out to be worse than the long route.

You'll see!

This post has been edited by Traveller: 15 September 2014 - 08:20 PM

[Malaclypse]

I'm still chugging along - lvl. 96 now, feeling pretty powerful now that I got out of the sorceror's hellhole that was shaded woods (specifically the lion dudes). Got a +10 archdrake staff and of course the lion mage gear (finally!) which, with the hexer's hood, makes my dude look much like a homeless person who picked his wardrobe from a surfer shop rubbish bin but hey, it's good stuff

Just about to tackle Brightstone Cove...

I might have another go at the Lords on my own and see what happens.

I read online that I should be able to use another ascetic on the shaded ruins bonfire, run to the boss, get a couple to help and get a ring that gives you +3 attunement slots! I might give that a shot as well

This post has been edited by Malaclypse: 16 September 2014 - 02:25 PM

[Wolfdrop]

i could never bring myself to wear the lion mage set. It just looked too awful and the benefits were negligible compared to the Clear Bluestone Ring +2.

I usually wear the chaos set from Navlaan just cause it looks awesome, it does have some nice benefits for spellcasters though as the hood raises casting speed and has +3 INT. I couldn't get until after beating the final boss to complete his quest without killing NPCs though.

Fashion Souls before stats. Always.

[Malaclypse]

good to know, I'll keep an eye out for that gear - not unhappy with what I have at the moment though

Interestingly, I'm playing more as a pure sorceror with this game whereas with the others I was always very much a wizard with a sword that I knew how to use - sometimes I don't even have a melee weapon equipped and it's cool

This post has been edited by Malaclypse: 18 September 2014 - 09:25 AM

[Traveller]

For all the earlier complaints about DS2, it's actually proving to have a long life.

Mal, playing as a pure mage sounds really interesting - esp now that even though I'm level 151 or so I haven't used a single spell or hex or anything, even though I have a ton of them now. Might be worth starting a second playthrough after all...

[Malaclypse]

Yeah, I am having to admit that I am enjoying this one a lot - it's weird with the Souls games because currently I'm thinking I'm enjoying this one the most but then you get that hit of nostalgia for some sado-masochistic level like Blighttown or the place with the plague babies from Demon's Souls. Or farming spots! There were some fantastic farming spots - that place with the flying manta rays that you had to knock out of the sky! Incredible

I love the mageblade approach, more or less equal sword and sorcery but I got seduced by all the spells available! It's good fun but I got out of practice with the sword because everything was melting to sorcery for a long while and it was a tough slog dealing with those lion warriors!

I tend to put aside a day and just binge on it, don't play during the week at all so I'm looking forward to my next session.

This post has been edited by Malaclypse: 18 September 2014 - 11:43 AM