Elden Ring - From Software + George RR Martin

Started Wretch and still only have a helm and gauntlets, but I farmed up 16 str to use a long sword and a 100% phys bronze shield.

Got Margot to like 35% and got my ass kicked. Fun fight but I do such low damage it feels like it takes forever.

Stumbled on a bird boss / dragon / and of course that horse knight so far in the open world.

Are you able to upgrade weapons before beating the first legacy dungeon?


Games great though, I spent 4 hours and it seemed to go so quickly

Blueweed said:

Was running around aimlessly and thought I give this a go... Not bad

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So, I decided to try this only I didn't go straight for the points, but looked at the video, got somewhat of an idea of where to go and set off on my horse. I ran around for about an hour (didn't find all the things since I forgot some of the places). I hardly fought things. In that hour I found.... 10-15? places where "things" were. As in dungeons, bosses and whatnot that I just ran past. And looking at the map now (found one more piece), I explored a small section of the first and second part of the map. Still in first "zone", not passed into anything else.

The game is so big. There is so much to do. While I haven't gotten to play as much as I wanted, but will get more time today. I am 3 hours in, one of which was just running around. This might turn into my favourite game of all time. The feeling of exploration is off the charts. Even with that video showing some items, there is so much more on the paths that the video show. 5 or so NPCs? So much to go back to and do.

As for my class, decided to go with Samurai and boosting my int and faith from there. Since dex increases casting speed, they're not waisted stats. Bow is great, especially the power shots. I think I will change my main weapon though, since the katana doesn't really do much poise damage I think. I see videos of people jump attacking to break poise, but that doesn't happen on anything I don't really oneshot with a swing anyways.

Best item I found so far, a vendor sold a lantern I can equip on my belt!

Jozu said:

Its so insane how a ps5 for 500$ can optimize a game so much better than a 4,000$ PC in 2022.

I get the complexity of having to optimize for an infinite number of different PC set-ups, which is eliminated with consoles, but its crazy to see people with 3080's and beastly CPU's having to run a fucking game in windowed mode.

Can someone quickly explain the way the multiplayer aspect works? I dont have much experience in Souls games, I understand the basics of invading and cooperative play, but what is the reason for it? Is it there just to allow players to get help against certain encounters? Are there any benefits or consequences for invading some ones game? How does that even work, do you just randomly get paired with other people or do you pick?

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yeah, friendly invasions just allow you to get help with fights. Some people say its sort of the whole intent behind MP, to help out noobs with bosses and there are tons of players who love being white knights. I don't think there is any VOIP either so all communication is done with emotes and signs which is hilarious sometimes ("point" at boss room or enemy you are having trouble with, etc).

red invasions (hostile) are simply to grief people, and can be hilarious. I don't think it can be done at boss fights (at least in all previous games), only out in the regular areas. Basically 1v1 PVP. You get shit like training mobs onto people, kicking people off ledges, etc. It can be set to friends only, wide open, or just turned off (go offline). It can be used to farm mats if you do it with friends (take turns killing each other, you don't "lose" anything iirc but get mats) etc.

Its just a nice little bonus that is totally optional, 99% of the time I play offline or with friends only activated but it can be fun when you are done with the game and bored. Invasions do level scale I believe as well, so a level 1 noob isn't gonna get invaded by a level 99 player. Hardcore players tend to create multiple characters and set them at different levels, like you'll have a level 10 player, a level 40, level 70, level 99, etc.

I'm hoping whatever the next patch tries to fix in regards to mouse sensitivity also helps what I'm seeing ingame. Its like a paralax image where the background is way faster than the foreground, and jittery. Only seen this is ER. Don't see this happen in other games like BDO, Genshin Impact, or even Babylon's Fall (demo out, game is trash due to the horrific art direction).

For you people missing weapons, how?

Right after the spot where you meet the maiden for leveling there is a flail and a Lordsworn's Greatsword in chests. How are you not already rocking a 2H STR build?

TJT said:

I mean, play how you want, but you're kind of doing yourself a disservice by looking for cheese items right out the gate.

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No doubt slightly yes. Pretty comes to a screeching halt when you hit the 1st real boss.

LiquidDeath said:

For you people missing weapons, how?

Right after the spot where you meet the maiden for leveling there is a flail and a Lordsworn's Greatsword in chests. How are you not already rocking a 2H STR build?

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Thats the sword I'm using but 1handed because I'm a pussy, was a huge upgrade from the club but barely scratches Margot currently, I'm just taking my time exploring.

Found a few areas already that I seem to be way unprepared for...hoping I find a complete set of armor at some point, patchwork or not. Still need legs / chest / boots, being wretched is a blast though!

Jozu said:

Can someone quickly explain the way the multiplayer aspect works? I dont have much experience in Souls games, I understand the basics of invading and cooperative play, but what is the reason for it? Is it there just to allow players to get help against certain encounters? Are there any benefits or consequences for invading some ones game? How does that even work, do you just randomly get paired with other people or do you pick?

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In previous Souls games there were Covenants, which were like guilds. So you could join a certain covenant that would reward you if you killed others when invading, or reward you if you defended others from invasion. I honestly never got into it so not sure how good/bad rewards were. The only time I really used coop was on bosses if I got frustrated with them, and to help others on bosses as well. In previous games it restored your “humanity” which means your health went back to max, but also made you susceptible to invasion. Elden Ring doesn’t seem to use this system though. Matching is random.

If you are needing smithing stones:

LiquidDeath said:

For you people missing weapons, how?

Right after the spot where you meet the maiden for leveling there is a flail and a Lordsworn's Greatsword in chests. How are you not already rocking a 2H STR build?

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Started as wretched, so you have to dump a lot of points to get to the point that you can use those weapons. I’m putting first points into vitality and endurance since those are always needed, and club is surprisingly effective especially when stealthing. It’s also much better at breaking than 1h swords. I’ll eventually put 6 pts in star needed to wield that 2hder.

Had this thing drop late last night, not a fan of the move set but hits like a truck.