[Mentalist]

Traveller, on 30 April 2019 - 06:46 AM, said:

If you sneak through the hidden forest, there are 4 monkeys and another drunk guy who spits poison.

Think you get a bead from him. Then follow the ledge round to get on top of that hut. Fall in and kill Mist Noble - and the mist clears across the area and the ghosts disappear. There's a hut up the path you can get into through a secret door underneath - theres another bead in the roof.

Also you could take out the corrupted monk, but I don't think you get a bead.

Btw try using the normal umbrella against terror, mine works. I've just usually run out of emblems at that stage.

You're going to overtake me at this rate unless I can beat this monkey. Did you pick up the mortal blade yet?

Yup. Been sending possessed monks in the afterlife for a few days now.

Hmm, ok guess I'll try the forest once more then. Extra health could be handy.

Hmm, I'll have to check what that combat art with the mortal blade does. (Ashina cross, too). Might be time to visit the dummy again.

I don't think you really need to over-spend emblems in Phase 1 as long as you get the parry pattern down and can avoid the grab attacks. Once again, it's a fight that seems to emphasize the jump as opposed to dodge, and that often feels counter-intuitive.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 30 April 2019 - 11:43 AM

[Traveller]

Yeah. Go visit Hanbei now you have the mortal blade...

[Mentalist]

Traveller, on 30 April 2019 - 12:23 PM, said:

Yeah. Go visit Hanbei now you have the mortal blade...

Shit, he's described as Hanbei the Infested, isn't he?

[Traveller]

Go see him!

[Traveller]

Ape is Dead! I've been waiting two days to have a go. Got emblems, firecrackered up, and went for it. Got him to second straight away, then took a few goes to see what worked in the second.

Got the second to literally one... hit... away. He had a sliver left - I had a method, I had time, just got greedy and went for the extra hit. So I just missed it, and had run out of emblems.

Went back to Mibu village, one run through, then back to Ape. Knew I could do it though, I have a method for second phase but I won't spoil it unless anyone's interested. I'll just say I used firecrackers for 1st, and nothing at all in tbe second.

So finally killed shit flinging monkey, got final prosthetic, that will do for one evening.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 30 April 2019 - 11:16 PM

[Mentalist]

I killed the Glutton, the Spirit Noble thing (doesn't drop a bead- BOO!), and reached the Mibu village. There's a purple ninja powered up with poison that made my life miserable; the village itself is insane (both in terms of difficulty and literally), and its 2 bosses will require some patience (and probably LOADS of purple candy)

I DID get 2 more beads (one is under the Gunfort; the other is free-lying in the Mibu village between the 2 mini-bosses), so I did get my 6th necklace- that's something. And the Purple Gourd might prove useful against the Ape's Terror attacks.

Tomorrow gonna do some more grinding in Senpou for money to get some more prosthetic upgrades. (and maybe the Gunfort for a few more skills), and then I'll tackle the Ape. Or if I'm feeling adventurous, the Mibu bosses.

EDIT: did the math and Gunfort gets you 1571 XP in less than 5 min. That's pretty broken.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 01 May 2019 - 06:07 AM

[Traveller]

My farm in Mibu gets me 2400 min in 3 minutes! That's if I don't kill the little fellers and the bell ogre. This is my next stop, I need to resupply and get some new skills for whatever comes next.

There are some some vicious little bastards in the village though, the little ones in the blue. They die easy enough but that multiple stab if they grab you is kinda horrible to watch.

I might try ringing the Demon bell. Apparently you get more item drops, and an item that returns things to normal whenever you use it. Might be worth using it before next bosses. I might have to wiki a bit in case I make a choice that limits the endings, there are usually at least two ways to finish a From game.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 01 May 2019 - 08:36 AM

[Traveller]

Spent some skill points, to get the force push and the couple of prosthetic skills before that. Hope I didn't waste them - I did use the lilac umbrella to beat the first Headless, closely followed by the magic warrior in the dungeon, but I ended up just hitting him loads with divine confetti.

But no beads from either of them! I suppose the tanto is useful.

I do feel like I should have more money than this, I literally have none at this point and there's still a load of stuff I haven't bought or upgraded.

[Mentalist]

I don't think Headless drop beads. They have specialized items though- which is why I want that Devotion skill!

I'm pretty busy this week- had a 2.5 hour practice last night, have a make-up game tomorrow and a playoff on Friday. Went for a swim tonight to make sure everything's nice and loose before those games.

Played for maybe 40 min. Did one round of the temple with wealth balloons to grind money, followed by some Gunfort to pick up the missing XP to cap off the skill point.

I need 5 more to unlock Devotion. I'll try to farm that before the weekend, so that then I can tackle the Ape and the next assortment of bosses- the Headless in the forest, the Monk in Mibu and O'rin.

Hey Trav, did you use up the coin purses as well? There's probably a decent chunk of change in those....

[Traveller]

I used up a lot just buying emblems, also to bump up to buy prosthetic upgrades, which are around 1000 each.

Before I go back to Kuro, I think I'm just going to run through all the previous areas, collecting coins and having fun using the new upgrades. Using skills like ichimonji on the earlier guys makes it a walk over. Also the umbrella blocks those rooftop bombers, and the projected force returns bullets absorbed so I'm going to enjoy that again.

[Mentalist]

I'm still gated in how many prosthetics I can unlock by missing Magnetite. It's incredibly annoying.

I think the albino monkeys in Valley drop it. Might need to farm them a bit. Also the samurais for some more purple candy.

Doing a single Senpou run with 3 wealth balloons nets me like 3k Sen, so I'm not worried about money. It's all about finding the time to grind out those 4 skill points now. Then I can get back to having fun.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 03 May 2019 - 01:31 PM

[Traveller]

I got a load of sen when I noticed the vendor has a 'sell' option! I had about 250 ceramic shards, instant cash boost!

Just did some more farming in mibu. The villagers respawn out of the ground so you can keep chaining kills, and they all drop sen in small amounts but it soon adds up. Plus those four ghost ninjas can all be back stabbed for exp.

Found another bead in a pond near the temple - currently 3 out of 4, but that's all of them until I go back to kuro to progress the game.

[Mentalist]

The Headless in the forest is getting on my nerves.

I got the skill points for Devotion, but before going for the Ape I figured I'd see which uber-candy he drops.

That area is tiny, though, so I get forced into bad corners against tree trunks.

Long story short, I burned most of my Divine confetti on him.

So then I went back to Ashina Castle to farm some more off the blue samurais. It's not boring cuz they still hit hard, so I'm working on my deflections. AND from time to time they drop Magnetite, so I got a bunch more prosthetic upgrades down.

Up to over 30 Divine confetti now, but I'm pretty close to the next skill point, so I'll grab before going back to more bosses.

[Mentalist]

Monkey down. Did phase 2 in 3 tries. (but it obviously took a bit of practice getting there)

The

Spoiler

umbrella

does wonders.

Tried the Headless before that maybe 5 times and he's just im-fucking-possible to block. I'll try him again with the umbrella trick, but first I need to grind some more so as not to waste the precious 4 k exp I got from the Ape.

Edit: Wolf is a ghost buster now! Headless down (it's Gaiichin, so teh Spiritfall's pretty useless) and killed the Mibu Monk, so now my attack power is a shiny 7.

Almost out of divine candy though, so gonna farm some more tomorrow. Those samurais also occasionally drop Magnetite, which is pretty awesome.

Hey, Trav, did you try going back to the room with all the blood on the floor on the way to the Hidden Forest, past the poison lake where the snake eyes mini-boss was? I'm contemplating that, since there's supposed to be a new boss there now...

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 05 May 2019 - 04:58 AM

[Traveller]

Not sure which room that is but I'll check it out. I know that two ape bosses spawn in the big cave on the way to the hidden forest, is that where you mean?

I've now got the rice ball for Kuro from the Divine Child, and the two Viscera from the Serpents, so think I'm all set to return to Ashina. Going for the more complicated ending on first run through, there are more bosses on that one!

Did you get the mid-air death blow from Blackhat? Finally bought that, it ruins anything that jumps up or flies.

[Mentalist]

Traveller, on 05 May 2019 - 06:34 AM, said:

Not sure which room that is but I'll check it out. I know that two ape bosses spawn in the big cave on the way to the hidden forest, is that where you mean?

I've now got the rice ball for Kuro from the Divine Child, and the two Viscera from the Serpents, so think I'm all set to return to Ashina. Going for the more complicated ending on first run through, there are more bosses on that one!

Did you get the mid-air death blow from Blackhat? Finally bought that, it ruins anything that jumps up or flies.

Yeah, them. They drop beads

[Traveller]

Mentalist, on 05 May 2019 - 02:32 PM, said:

Traveller, on 05 May 2019 - 06:34 AM, said:

Not sure which room that is but I'll check it out. I know that two ape bosses spawn in the big cave on the way to the hidden forest, is that where you mean?

I've now got the rice ball for Kuro from the Divine Child, and the two Viscera from the Serpents, so think I'm all set to return to Ashina. Going for the more complicated ending on first run through, there are more bosses on that one!

Did you get the mid-air death blow from Blackhat? Finally bought that, it ruins anything that jumps up or flies.

Yeah, them. They drop beads

*picks up swords and heads off to explore..*

[Mentalist]

Killed O'rin- Piercing Sabimaru is a wonderful, wonderful tool. Just messing about now, looking for treasure carps. Finally picked up the Gourd seed in Mibu- those burrowing villagers really are a pain. Anyhow, up to 9 gourd uses now.

I'm almost out of wealth baloons- I think I need to run Hirata a few times to replenish my supplies.

I think there's 2 more Headless to kill (need to test out the Projecting Force on the Shield) and then I'll check out the Wedding Cave.

I do have the air deathblow, but I'm having problems using it, cuz i tend to jump away from aerial targets, not towards them.

EDIT: Joke's on me, the Shield doesn't work under water! those Headless are tricksy, primarily cuz underwater controls are all over my keyboard.

saw your Ghost Nightjars in Mibu. Also there are some ghost samurais spawning in the Valley , and the Mibu Bridge.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 05 May 2019 - 07:49 PM

[Traveller]

Two apes down; two beads, a memory and a new ninjitsu skill! Well worth it.

Edit.. just took out Headless in the hidden forest too. Combination of lilac umbrella and ceremonial tanto. No confetti left but still didn't take long.

(To boost health I used some of the rice from the Divine Child - boosts health like pellets but like 100% better.)

So I'm back at the castle, and it's respawned some nasties. Just killed another chained ogre, a purple swordsman in the dojo, and both dropped beads.
Wondering if I need to recheck everywhere here again, I found another Headless in the moat - anything else?!

This post has been edited by Traveller: 05 May 2019 - 11:42 PM

[Mentalist]

Headless number 4 is pissing me off. Ungo was probably the most tedious circle-strafe boss battle in the game, but this 4th guy has a long run with 3 ghost samurais on the way to him.

Edit: ok, nailed the mofo. That's Gokan, the posture damage-reducing guy.

Now, just the terror guy in the catacombs and the monkeys.

EDITAGAIN: ARGH, the monkeys killed all my candy! but Ako sugar does wonders.

Need to farm some more candy, then I'm owning those beasties.

Oh, and if you go to the cave from the Hidden Forest idol, 2 more ghost nightjars spawn in. One of them spawns in literally to be backstabbed, so that's EZ 1200 exp right there.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 06 May 2019 - 05:09 AM