[Traveller]

Have you found a refined gem anywhere yet?

I've going back through all the bits of Irithyll that I've missed. Found the room where Siegward should have been, derp.

[WinterPhoenix]

Traveller, on 28 April 2016 - 09:16 PM, said:

Have you found a refined gem anywhere yet?

I've going back through all the bits of Irithyll that I've missed. Found the room where Siegward should have been, derp.

I must have because I made my Dark Sword Refined, but I honestly cannot remember where I found it, it must have been from a Crystal Lizard I think, sorry that I can't be of more help.

[Traveller]

That guy in blue with red eyes outside the cathedral with emma in it is supposed to drop one but I thought I'd killed him, I'll go back and check.

I took on the Irithyll boss last night, and got my ass handed to me - he's fast. I kept rolling but I'm sure I managed to block him a couple of times so that may be the way. On my second go I got into a good repeating loop of hitting hin then dodging behind him without taking any hits, but his phase two started with an explosion while I was hacking away at his back - it didn't end well, so I took myself off to bed.

[Traveller]

Crap this game is big. Took what I thought would be a quick sewer shortcut to find a whole level; very reminiscent of the asylum type level in Demon's Souls.

And then dungeons, more sewers, and then a whole new area after that.

I went back to Irithyll just to have another poke at the boss, and my daughter came and watched. It's really fun explaining what you're doing while you're fighting, it highlights just how much strategy can be involved. Anyway after getting one shotted a few times, I started to block properly and get some hits in.
Then got him down to half - by this time my girl was getting quite involved! Went back again (persistence is a good lesson right?) and beat him to his second phase, then beat his double, and then finally got him - it was so tense, and so much fun as he only had a sliver at the end and I was rolling like a madman trying not to get wiped out in one hit.

I think she was as elated as me by the end! She kept saying 'I cant believe you did that daddy!' Nothing like an appreciative audience!

This post has been edited by Traveller: 30 April 2016 - 12:27 PM

[WinterPhoenix]

Traveller, on 30 April 2016 - 12:17 PM, said:

Crap this game is big. Took what I thought would be a quick sewer shortcut to find a whole level; very reminiscent of the asylum type level in Demon's Souls.

And then dungeons, more sewers, and then a whole new area after that.

I went back to Irithyll just to have another poke at the boss, and my daughter came and watched. It's really fun explaining what you're doing while you're fighting, it highlights just how much strategy can be involved. Anyway after getting one shotted a few times, I started to block properly and get some hits in.
Then got him down to half - by this time my girl was getting quite involved! Went back again (persistence is a good lesson right?) and beat him to his second phase, then beat his double, and then finally got him - it was so tense, and so much fun as he only had a sliver at the end and I was rolling like a madman trying not to get wiped out in one hit.

I think she was as elated as me by the end! She kept saying 'I cant believe you did that daddy!' Nothing like an appreciative audience!

I'm currently making my way through what seems to be Anor Londo, or the precursor to it. I beat Pontiff Sulyvahn on my first try, to my immense discredit though I did use both available summon signs for Anri and Black Hand Gotthard. Actually there was a 3rd sign for Pale Shade of Londor, but it seems you can only use a maximum of 2 for any one fight. The thing is I hate not using summons when they are available, because you never know with Souls whether ignoring them will stopper a questline or something. I think I'll try the boss fights without them on NG+, though giving it some serious thought, perhaps I should've done things the other way around! lol I can imagine how tough the Pontiff would be by yourself :/

I think i'm going to head back and do the Irythyll Dungeon before I complete Anor Londo, I believe Aldrich is the boss for the area, and Yhorm is for the Profaned Capital at the bottom of the dungeon, so I've got a choice who to go for. If I go Yhorm I can finish Siegward's questline apparently, plus I get the next sorcery scroll as well.

[WinterPhoenix]

Ok so I can confirm that you are right about Orbeck as well Traveller, I guess what I read was just worded confusingly. But yeah I went back and slaughtered the Old Demon King (it was a massacre ) before heading into the Irythyll dungeon, so that was Abyss Watchers, Wolnir, Pontiff, Demon King and Orbeck is still sitting in his usual spot, so all is well.

EDIT: Didn't want to triple post, so I'm editing. Found a wicked souls farming spot, the weird spider things near the first bonfire of the Irythyll dungeon area (well the bonfire just before it actually) - the area looks like a sewer entrance and leads to the kitchen where you can find Siegward. Anyhow with the Covetous Silver ring, Shield of Want and the Symbol of Avarice, I run in kill about 10 of these things in 2 hits each, run out 15'000 souls richer in about 2 minutes tops. The Symbol of Avarice btw is a rare drop from any Mimic, I believe it's also supposed to drop once you've killed all mimics in any playthrough, but i'm not sure how far you'd have to go to accomplish that. If you use any Undead Hunter Charms (lloyd's talismans) on a mimic it will give up any treasure it has, the treasure is reset every charm you use it seems. I was trying to kill one without much of a fight because I had no estus left, so I was just cycling through all my charms and hitting it once, 4 charms I had both the loot that would drop once it was dead and the Symbol. Was so chuffed lol

This post has been edited by WinterPhoenix: 30 April 2016 - 06:49 PM

[Traveller]

Didn't know you could do that with mimics - you use talismans? There are certainly a lot of mimics, and I've definitely left at least two because I was looking for bonfires and didn't fancy being kicked to death!

I managed to get quite a few souls on various trips past the spiders, but I didn't think about farming them. I was testing my flaming sword pyro on them, two hits each. Maybe I'll go back there when I need some souls quickly.

I've found Yhorm over in the Profaned Capital, I want to free Siegward and the witch first though. I've found them both and got the key, plus the stormruler sword required to beat Yhorm.

Another good reason for freeing Siegward - titanite slab!

Edit.. plus Gold Serpent Ring. Just freed them both, beat Yhorm, and tooled into Anor Londo. So weird being back in DS1 territory!

This post has been edited by Traveller: 30 April 2016 - 11:06 PM

[WinterPhoenix]

Traveller, on 30 April 2016 - 07:36 PM, said:

Didn't know you could do that with mimics - you use talismans? There are certainly a lot of mimics, and I've definitely left at least two because I was looking for bonfires and didn't fancy being kicked to death!

I managed to get quite a few souls on various trips past the spiders, but I didn't think about farming them. I was testing my flaming sword pyro on them, two hits each. Maybe I'll go back there when I need some souls quickly.

I've found Yhorm over in the Profaned Capital, I want to free Siegward and the witch first though. I've found them both and got the key, plus the stormruler sword required to beat Yhorm.

Another good reason for freeing Siegward - titanite slab!

Edit.. plus Gold Serpent Ring. Just freed them both, beat Yhorm, and tooled into Anor Londo. So weird being back in DS1 territory!

Yeah it's a trick I knew from DS1, throw a Lloyd's Talisman (called Undead Hunter Charms in this game) at a Mimic and it's stunned, opens it's mouth and after a slight delay its loot shows up. In DS1 you had to kill all mimics in any playthrough to get the Symbol - and I think that still applies here, as in you get a guaranteed drop after the last mimic is downed, no idea where all the mimics are though of course - but in this game it seems all mimics have a chance to drop it - I've got 2 now - though I'm assuming it's a fairly rare drop. Basically I discovered that using Charms resets their drop every time, by accident. I came across a mimic with no estus left and fairly low health, figured I'd just chuck a charm, power attack, chuck a charm etc. On the third or fourth charm a second set of loot showed up, bang Symbol of Avarice. I then had another one drop for me in the dungeon.

The only annoying thing about farming the spiders is they only drop Green Blossom, nothing really interesting, but it's such a quick run for fairly good investment. Didn't even have to use Carthus Flame Arc to 2 shot them with my OP Dark Sword Though I have started using it fairly regularly now.

I've freed Siegward, collected the slab and the Gold Serpent Ring. Freed Karla, given Karla the two female only pyromancy tomes, used the Jailers key to run back and get the Prisoner Chiefs Ashes in one of the locked cells and gathered the Xanthous Ashes in one of the cells in the room with like 8 Jailers, the same room with Karla's cell. Also found a lightning miracle (cannot remember it's name) by rolling off of a lift that goes down to a praying dragon statue. The only thing I haven't been able to find, is whatever damn key opens up the little window shortcut on the upper level near the first bonfire, there's an item just below it that I can't reach without opening it and it's driving me crazy! It's not the Jailers Keyring or the Old Cell Key :/ I've done everything (everything I could find anyhow) in the Profaned Capital as well, left the game chilling outside the fog gate. I've not come across Siegward though, is he actually in the boss room? And where's this stormruler sword???

[Traveller]

It's by the throne in the boss room - you have to run past Yhorm to get it. (You can charge the special and run around with it, you don't have to use it immediately.)
And then you only have to hit him about four times - it's all a bit easy really, like Wolnir.

It pretty much sounds like where I'm up to; I found the tomes and went back to open cells and pick up loot.. I think I got it all, including the stuff down in the swamp area.

You should find Siegward in the boss room. I didn't meet him as I missed his kitchen appearance - just found a second stormruler where he had died/left the game, so I left a message and a toast, I liked that guy.

Also found Greirats ashes which I wasn't expecting, I had to kill Horace, and the old mage guy in Firelink has died too! And then I went into Anor Londo and found... well you'll see.

I hate invaders, I hardly ever use embers but I hate it when I've nearly reached a shortcut or fire and someone with a great pvp build appears amd I have all the wrong stuff equipped tondeal with them.

Do you mean the door to the right of the Dungeon Bonfire that is initially closed from the bonfire side?

This post has been edited by Traveller: 01 May 2016 - 07:24 AM

[WinterPhoenix]

Traveller, on 01 May 2016 - 06:22 AM, said:

It's by the throne in the boss room - you have to run past Yhorm to get it. (You can charge the special and run around with it, you don't have to use it immediately.)
And then you only have to hit him about four times - it's all a bit easy really, like Wolnir.

It pretty much sounds like where I'm up to; I found the tomes and went back to open cells and pick up loot.. I think I got it all, including the stuff down in the swamp area.

You should find Siegward in the boss room. I didn't meet him as I missed his kitchen appearance - just found a second stormruler where he had died/left the game, so I left a message and a toast, I liked that guy.

Also found Greirats ashes which I wasn't expecting, I had to kill Horace, and the old mage guy in Firelink has died too! And then I went into Anor Londo and found... well you'll see.

I hate invaders, I hardly ever use embers but I hate it when I've nearly reached a shortcut or fire and someone with a great pvp build appears amd I have all the wrong stuff equipped tondeal with them.

Do you mean the door to the right of the Dungeon Bonfire that is initially closed from the bonfire side?

No there is an actual window you can open, it lets you jump down to a ledge to pick up the Bellowing Dragoncrest Ring, it's opened via the Jailbreakers Key, I went back hunting and found that item in such an obvious place, was bloody facepalm moment, so I figured that had to be the key for the window. The window in question is at the opposite end of the bonfire side ledge, so running from the bonfire through the door, past the first jailer then directly down to the far end, past the bridge with 2 more jailers.

I haven't had to deal with invaders at all, as I am currently without the PSN, so no online connectivity.

Anyhow, I won't lie, because I had nothing to do this weekend (was supposed to be busy, but it all got moved to next week) I had a marathon session yesterday/today, played right through the early hours of this morning. I beat Yorm, Aldrich, The Dancer and another boss in Lothric Castle, I was right at the Grand Archives entrance when I turned it off because one too many silly deaths told me I was way too tired to still be playing. Siegward died helping me with Yorm, the fight was easy, but would have been even easier if I didn't mess up the charged attack about 7 times! Dancer is far and away the hardest boss I've had to fight so far, literally had to hide behind pillars and poke at the end of her combos, I just couldn't get the timing right of any dodges, very erratic and aggressive attack pattern. Aldrich was pretty easy, definitely equip gear with high magic resist, Pontiff Knight gear is great for that if you had any drop, especially the shield.

I Upgraded my Dark Sword to +10 with the Slab from Onion Bro, at 35/28 Dex/Str it now has 406 AR, my Refined +8 Murakumo does 409, but I think I prefer the moveset on the sword tbh, plus it's less stamina heavy. Have 14 Estus at +9 now, I'm assuming I have just one more of each to find.

Did you find the Darkmoon Covenant in Anor Londo? There's an invisible bridge leading off from the spinning mechanism, if you go down from the Anor Londo bonfire (the one called Anor Londo) there's a path that looks like it leads nowhere, but there's a building over the other side, the woman who lets you join is standing just outside.

This post has been edited by WinterPhoenix: 01 May 2016 - 08:34 AM

[Traveller]

I've not really explored Anor Londo yet - I did reach the boss gate on a run through, and got wiped out by a massive spell, but I didn't go over to the tower yet.

I'm becoming aware that the end is in sight - I might try and have a night off and slow it down a bit, as this is supposedly the last souls game. I seem to be killing one boss, then reaching the next in the same evening. I know there's always ng's, and restarts, but there's nothing like a fresh new area to explore, and I'm definitely rushing through at the min. It's just too addictive!

I say I'll try and have a night off, I'll probably be on by 9.

[WinterPhoenix]

Traveller, on 01 May 2016 - 06:13 PM, said:

I've not really explored Anor Londo yet - I did reach the boss gate on a run through, and got wiped out by a massive spell, but I didn't go over to the tower yet.

I'm becoming aware that the end is in sight - I might try and have a night off and slow it down a bit, as this is supposedly the last souls game. I seem to be killing one boss, then reaching the next in the same evening. I know there's always ng's, and restarts, but there's nothing like a fresh new area to explore, and I'm definitely rushing through at the min. It's just too addictive!

I say I'll try and have a night off, I'll probably be on by 9.

I think I was going at an alright pace, but yeah after the marathon session I had yesterday I am speeding up the inevitable end. That being said I won't be able to play much at all over the next couple of weeks, because I will be separated from my console by a number of miles lol

Yeah Aldrich has a number of really damaging spells, I found the biggest one not to hard to dodge for the most part, but I did get hit by it twice I think. I had seen a friend fight Aldrich, so I knew it was a magic intensive fight, I put on every piece of gear I had with the highest Mag resist, and the Pontiff Knight Shield which has 79% Mag absorb, basically just tanked what I couldn't dodge.

[amphibian]

Friend just told me he found out you the player and all NPCs have no actual poise. Only non npc enemies do.

He's annoyed because this makes rapiers super powerful in PVP and that he can be stunlocked with a dagger while wearing Tarkus armor.

[Traveller]

It's a bit of a mystery. Poise is definitely there - as in referred to by a number of weapons, and you have a stat which can be altered, but... it doesn't seem to work.
Which makes heavy armour and shields a bit useless.

There are weapons whose special skill is boosting poise though. I can't remember which, but there's a cestus or hand weapon that boosts it to prevent staggering; and it really works, how high poise used to.

It might be a glitch, which may be patched is there is a lot of fuss about it, or they may have done it so they could add it as a special to some weapons, who knows.

[WinterPhoenix]

amphibian, on 02 May 2016 - 03:37 AM, said:

Friend just told me he found out you the player and all NPCs have no actual poise. Only non npc enemies do.

He's annoyed because this makes rapiers super powerful in PVP and that he can be stunlocked with a dagger while wearing Tarkus armor.

All armour has a poise stat in the menu, frankly I've pumped alot of hours into this game already and from PvE standpoint only - I'll be interested to see what Traveller thinks, seeing as he's already mentioned not liking invaders - I can't say as I've noticed a whole lot of difference between when I have say 19 overall poise as 27 or what. That being said I have noticed that some of the NPC red-phantom invaders are definitely harder to stagger than others.

I have heard about how powerful the Estoc and other Rapiers can be, but then I've heard similar things about Straights Swords; Anri's Straight Sword scales with Luck as well as Str and Dex, so it's overall damage can be insane, Sunlight Straight Sword comes with a built in Sacred Oath buff, meaning even if you don't have the stats to cast the miracle outright you can just use the weapon art for it, heck equip the weapon, use the buff then switch to whatever other weapon you want - there's literally no time that Sacred Oath wouldn't be useful. Frankly the damage on my Dark Sword with a refined infusion on a quality build is pretty crazy, I mean greatsword comparable damage on a weapon that gets 6-7 hits with 20 End, compared to 2 with any Greatsword or Ultra Greatsword - R1 spam your way through pretty much everything honestly.

I always remember my brother's complaints about OP weapons in DS2, I never played that one very much because despite shelling out for the Scholar of the First Sin edition I simply couldn't get into like the first. So it seemed to me he was complaining about every other weapon someone was using, this OP weapon, that OP weapon etc, I eventually just said to him, if they're all OP surely none of them are? Turns out he was mostly complaining about bullshit hitboxes, which were a plague on DS2 PvP, thankfully hitboxes are by large miles better in this game, so I guess we will see how the PvP arena shapes out after a few patches to nerf obvious nerf candidates and new meta is decided upon.

Anyhow to return to the matter at hand (sorry for all the rambling), I don't think I've seen the poise stat make a whole lot of difference tbh, ostensibly it's there, not sure it's doing anything though.

EDIT: Didn't see you post Traveller, until I'd already posted, ninja's me. But yeah it doesn't really seem to do anything most of the time, but seeing as you mention weapon arts, the skill on the Dark Sword is the Stomp one that alot of the greatswords and hammers have, that grants you increased poise and allows to follow up with a heavy attack. It is pretty useful for tanking a hit you don't want to dodge because it will leave you too far away to do any damage. It basically makes you unstaggerable, so poise must be working in some for or another.

This post has been edited by WinterPhoenix: 02 May 2016 - 04:43 AM

[Traveller]

I've found that even without pvp it's possible to get stunlocked by darts.. or rats, which can be fatal if you get mobbed.

I just looked it up... apparently the poise mechanic IS in the game code.. but it's been turned off for the player. Which is causing some debate!

W'Phoenix - those hitboxes are SO much better. I notice it most when using the bow - I can hit a limb or sliver of head showing above an obstacle, through railings, without the arrows sticking to everything else. I have managed to kill a couple of things through solid walls, but that's just DS now isn't it!

This post has been edited by Traveller: 02 May 2016 - 04:50 AM

[WinterPhoenix]

It's odd though because it can't have been turned off completely, the Stomp art being a case in point, I definitely cannot be staggered in the second or so that art grants you of super-poise. It's very odd, I really cannot see why they have turned it off, it does unfairly hamper anyone who wished to use the heavier sets. Frankly heavier sets seems to have been nerfed acorss the board, Greatswords and UG's have terrible, awful stamina usage, to the point where even 40 End is pretty naff compared to comparable Straight/Curved Sword users, as well as rapiers. Vit doesn't seem to increase your Equip Load by very much, and even Havels and the Ring of Favour seem to have been nerfed in how much load they add. I'm using both to be able to run the Brass Set (because it looks so freaking awesome!) even with a pretty light weapon and shield and no bow, I'm over 55%.

EDIT: Yeah it wouldn't be DS without clipping through solid obstacles, bullshit when a Winged Knight hits you with the spin to win through the wall your using for frantic Estus use cover though lol

This post has been edited by WinterPhoenix: 02 May 2016 - 04:53 AM

[Traveller]

Yes I noticed the lack of equip load increase with vitality. I've been sticking with the fallen Knight set which I'm rolling around with so I haven't put any more into it.

There are bound to be more patches, and there's a whole load of dlc planned so maybe it will get adjusted.

[Traveller]

Ha, yes, and knowing you're not safe behind a wall or fog door is pretty much DS standard!

I've used the uchi special through a few walls now. Btw the special on that, the parry, works nicely on those Anor Londo silver Knights.

(Reason I'm awake early? Didn't stay up playing last night! Actually got some sleep)

This post has been edited by Traveller: 02 May 2016 - 04:59 AM

[WinterPhoenix]

Traveller, on 02 May 2016 - 04:54 AM, said:

Yes I noticed the lack of equip load increase with vitality. I've been sticking with the fallen Knight set which I'm rolling around with so I haven't put any more into it.

There are bound to be more patches, and there's a whole load of dlc planned so maybe it will get adjusted.

That set does look pretty cool, none too heavy either, I was using it until fairly recently myself tbh, the headpiece looks awesome.

Havel's ring adds 9 points to your carry weight, so it's comparable to about 9 levels of Vit I guess, but it does feel as though it's not as good as it was in DS1. I've actually just realised I am just under 70% without it, so I'm going to switch it for something that helps me out more in other areas.

EDIT: I mostly messed up the SIlver Knights with fire buffed dark sword, took them down so quickly it was ridiculous, I always had a nightmarish time with them on DS1. Lol, the reason I am up, I watched WWE Payback and couldn't sleep afterwards, I have to travel later in the day, I'm f'd if I go to sleep now :/

This post has been edited by WinterPhoenix: 02 May 2016 - 05:03 AM