Elden Ring

[King Ellis]

Interesting, I haven't looked into them too much. I know there the shopkeep that takes them as currency but I'm not sure I've picked up any so far. I did get one on a new character I made just to try one of the other builds, I killed the guy in the Elleh church to see what he dropped and I think there was a bearing there.

[RPS]

5 hours ago, apsham said:

Levels scale with runes, yes. What I did at the start to get used to the game and my weapon was to use the Gatehouse checkpoint (the one that I got the ability to upgrade/horse at - but it could be different for you) because there's that big enemy camp nearby. Every time I was exploring and I was close to getting another level, I'd warp back there, get the runes that I needed and get the level instead of running around scared to lose things.

No horse yet but yes the enemy encampment near Gatehouse is where I'm farming. I'm actually trying to avoid detailed how to guides. I saw some place saying "upgrade vigor, get health" but I'm just yolo going to be a glass cannon early on and doing focus (I think that gives me more health) and intelligence. 

It is interesting that this game is marketed as hard. I guess it is hard if you are dead set on one approach to the game. But I learned early on - I will die lots, that is okay but I still try to avoid dying. It's very risk reward in an interesting way. 

I think the comparisons to BOTW are strange. BOTW rewards mobility significantly more. There is zero advantage to staying put in BOTW. In Elden Ring, there is significant risk to exploration - the unknown and losing your runes. It instead encourages you to stay put, master your combat style and enemies and gradually move.

I am going to stay put in Gatehouse until I can clear that enemy encampment out with no issue and than move onto something different. 

How do I learn new spells? Presumably from finding them in the world. 

[apsham]

1 hour ago, RPS said:

No horse yet but yes the enemy encampment near Gatehouse is where I'm farming. I'm actually trying to avoid detailed how to guides. I saw some place saying "upgrade vigor, get health" but I'm just yolo going to be a glass cannon early on and doing focus (I think that gives me more health) and intelligence. 

It is interesting that this game is marketed as hard. I guess it is hard if you are dead set on one approach to the game. But I learned early on - I will die lots, that is okay but I still try to avoid dying. It's very risk reward in an interesting way. 

I think the comparisons to BOTW are strange. BOTW rewards mobility significantly more. There is zero advantage to staying put in BOTW. In Elden Ring, there is significant risk to exploration - the unknown and losing your runes. It instead encourages you to stay put, master your combat style and enemies and gradually move.

I am going to stay put in Gatehouse until I can clear that enemy encampment out with no issue and than move onto something different. 

How do I learn new spells? Presumably from finding them in the world. 

Focus is resistance to poison and madness, stuff like that - I never usually touch it. Vigor is your health.

You'll get horse soon enough, it's the 3rd point of grace you sit at. You'll be close to it if you grab the one of the other side of the encampment then.

New spells happen by finding them or meeting vendors.

[Maxx]

If he's met Melina and can level up, he should have the horse, those things happen at the same time.

 

Starting to regret that I've been favoring and upgrading a greatsword, took a look at when I might be able to find a better version of the one I have, and it seems its going to be a while.  I'm still happy with the sword I have, but I'm getting like 5 different weapons for seemingly every other type.

[rocksta]

I stumbled upon Bloodhounds fang great early game weapon if you want to look it up. Can be two hands and scales w str+dex. 

 

Past the point where i can respec I think is one time only though? So saving and just cruising through. Just got to level 50 and just kind of putzing around. 

[apsham]

24 minutes ago, rocksta said:

Past the point where i can respec I think is one time only though? So saving and just cruising through. Just got to level 50 and just kind of putzing around. 

Once you can respec you can do it multiple times, you just need to find more of the items that enable it. There are a limited number of those items per run, however.

[Ruki]

Managed to get to play thanks to a friend and Steam Family sharing.

So, even though I suck, I think I am enjoying Elden Ring more than I did the previous games. I stalked some guards and ganked them (although, as a mage-y type, it didn't insta kill them. My first chance to level up I put 2 points into strength and mind so I could kill them and have more blasty). And I cleared out a wolf cave and beat a boss + that first fort (and found the runes underground). But anytime I run into a thing with a shield and I have to think about parry? Game over

 

[Draevyn]

4 hours ago, Ruki Returns said:

Managed to get to play thanks to a friend and Steam Family sharing.

So, even though I suck, I think I am enjoying Elden Ring more than I did the previous games. I stalked some guards and ganked them (although, as a mage-y type, it didn't insta kill them. My first chance to level up I put 2 points into strength and mind so I could kill them and have more blasty). And I cleared out a wolf cave and beat a boss + that first fort (and found the runes underground). But anytime I run into a thing with a shield and I have to think about parry? Game over

 

How long did that boss take you? Gathering we've both said we suck, I want to compare myself to you and not these other "Awesome at video games that are hard" assholes

[Ruki]

1 hour ago, Forky said:

How long did that boss take you? Gathering we've both said we suck, I want to compare myself to you and not these other "Awesome at video games that are hard" assholes

The boss in the wolf cave? First try, and a few minutes. Got it down to 25% hp then I ran outta mana. So I spent the majority of the time (and 3 flasks) rolling and whimpering hoping I  wouldn't die.

[Draevyn]

27 minutes ago, Ruki Returns said:

The boss in the wolf cave? First try, and a few minutes. Got it down to 25% hp then I ran outta mana. So I spent the majority of the time (and 3 flasks) rolling and whimpering hoping I  wouldn't die.

I hate you

I wonder if magic builds are better. I'm going with more of a strength/Dex build. It took me 45 minutes to beat that jerk. So I guess on the level of suck....I'm suckier than you. Haha

[apsham]

Magic is strong but it's a limited resource, even the best magic builds usually need to build out something like DEX as well to have a weapon on the side that can make it so you aren't consistently having to use magic in every situation. And then there's the magic resisting bosses, etc. They give you a lot more options in boss fights though, especially to have that range vs a pure melee character.

Even with melee for the most part I'd suggest going with either DEX or STR at a certain point. Split or "quality" builds were super common in the older souls games, but there's a lot of weapon in here that require 40+ in either value to get the most out of, so having 20/20 DEX and STR and then picking something else once you know what kind of weapons you like is a better call for Elden I think.

[Maxx]

Happy to help folks out on multiplayer if anyone needs it.  Sometimes it goes well!

[gunnar hendershow]

I got the game today. Started off as a Confessor, will see how it goes after a few hours. Feel like it should fit my playstyle well reading up on it a bit more than Vagabond would've.

[Ruki]

Played a bit more Elden Ring. I got lost, I killed two giants, got killed by something called like a Sentinel Knight. Found a weak ass sorcerer. Got invited to the roundhold hall or something, got killed there by an invading enemy because I dunno how to leave the hall or get back. But I bought a summoning bell so I have some pet wolves that can do all the fighting for me now. How do I level up summons?

[apsham]

2 minutes ago, Ruki Returns said:

Played a bit more Elden Ring. I got lost, I killed two giants, got killed by something called like a Sentinel Knight. Found a weak ass sorcerer. Got invited to the roundhold hall or something, got killed there by an invading enemy because I dunno how to leave the hall or get back. But I bought a summoning bell so I have some pet wolves that can do all the fighting for me now. How do I level up summons?

There's a lady near Stormhill Shack on the way to Stormveil Castle, if you talk to her a few times she'll give you a jellyfish summon. Now that you have access to the Roundtable, she'll be there standing around in the main room (I think) talk to her, talk to the Blacksmith and then warp back to the roundtable and keep doing that. After a couple of times their story will take place and she'll be in the same room as him.

The items that you need to upgrade spirits you'll find near graves or in crypts, usually.

[Ruki]

1 minute ago, apsham said:

There's a lady near Stormhill Shack on the way to Stormveil Castle, if you talk to her a few times she'll give you a jellyfish summon. Now that you have access to the Roundtable, she'll be there standing around in the main room (I think) talk to her, talk to the Blacksmith and then warp back to the roundtable and keep doing that. After a couple of times their story will take place and she'll be in the same room as him.

The items that you need to upgrade spirits you'll find near graves or in crypts, usually.

I actually found the jellyfish lady and I saw her at the Roundtable! So I just warp in and out, talk to them a bunch? Cool. Now.... how do I warp back into Roundtable? I didn't see it as an option when I was camping.

[apsham]

21 minutes ago, Ruki Returns said:

I actually found the jellyfish lady and I saw her at the Roundtable! So I just warp in and out, talk to them a bunch? Cool. Now.... how do I warp back into Roundtable? I didn't see it as an option when I was camping.

The Roundtable is in the bottom left of the entire map, it's own little special section.

BUT! A trick I learned recently is to - when on the map - look at the buttons you can press on the bottom, and it'll say something like "Show all warp locations" or what not. Hit that button, and another one will show saying "Warp to Roundtable".

Also - you can walk up to the roundtable and level up there. I thought there wasn't a way to do that in there for a... very long time.

[Ruki]

I found a trapped chest, ended up in a crystal mind and a poisoned land. THAT WAS A SCARY PLACE TO BE AND I DID NOT LIKE IT. I AM JUST TRYING TO FIND FLOWERS FOR MY GHOST PUPPIES.

Edit: I managed to find the Storm catacombs and kill the jumpy sword statue. Well, my wolves did. I just cast magic from the back. But they were such good bois that I leveled them up with spooky flowers. Not sure why you'd use any other summon (nobles? villagers? Pfff)

[RPS]

6 hours ago, Ruki Returns said:

I found a trapped chest, ended up in a crystal mind and a poisoned land. THAT WAS A SCARY PLACE TO BE AND I DID NOT LIKE IT. I AM JUST TRYING TO FIND FLOWERS FOR MY GHOST PUPPIES.

Edit: I managed to find the Storm catacombs and kill the jumpy sword statue. Well, my wolves did. I just cast magic from the back. But they were such good bois that I leveled them up with spooky flowers. Not sure why you'd use any other summon (nobles? villagers? Pfff)

I hated that crystal mind. 

[King Ellis]

Those shrimps with the homing attack are sure annoying when you play without a shield.