random games

[Maniac]

amana is the annoying level of dark souls 2, kinda like lost izalith but not as bad. the original game had one encounter right before the last bonfire that kept murdering me on my first playthrough, but scholar changed it a bit so that it's not as bad anymore

also the amana priestesses robes look really cool and it's a huge shame they aren't wearable

[Random]

I mean I really just miss the Rusted Iron ring from DS1, but I understand that that would ruin this area.

[Random]

Ok, made it through the Shrine of Amana. Felicia actually survived our encounter with the Archdrake knights and priestesses, but she was not smart enough to know how to deal damage to the boss and got kicked to death. So I just had to kill a Demon of Song with more HP than he would normally have. Managed to do it anyway.

On my way out, I went over and visited the actual shrine and talked to the Milfanito over there. I don't know what it does? Like praying to the thing? Nothing apparently.

Oh I also went back and joined the Abyss covenant, but I'm hoping I can do whatever that involves later on. Probably going to have to look it up.

And then I went and freed the last Milfanito who I guess was just dying to see me.

After that I went down into the Crypt, and Floyd, this time Aldia did catch me off guard. I also learned firsthand why summoning NPCs in the crypt is A Bad Idea, as Devotee Scarlett was pretty devoted to making sure every bell was rung.

Velstadt got me the first time. I was fighting him solo because Scarlett and Agdayne were annoying me in the run up. I was playing it safe just kind of learning his attacks, getting him pretty low. What got me was I backed up to heal while he did his projectile attack, only he did the one that spreads, which I hadn't seen yet. The second time he didn't really do any of his scarier attacks. I just went in there and stomped him.

With the ring in hand, I stopped for the night in the lobby of Aldia's Keep, but not before speaking to my dear friend Lucatiel once more and dispatching her long lost brother. An affecting story line, to say the least.

[Maniac]

undead crypt used to have an large group of knights right before the velstadt fog wall, complete with two shield knights right up on the wall more or less ensuring that you had to fight them all over again if you died to velstadt. he's pretty easy, but there was a time when I struggled against him on a limited level run after I used a bonfire ascetic for his NG+ drop and those guys made me hate my life. scholar made it way easier to slip through thankfully.

[Random]

That doesn't sound great. The Dragonrider was enough of a nuisance alongside all the pyromancers. Also apparently the bell guy underneath the stairs just keeps respawning? The good thing about having summons up for that is I was able to loot the chests at the end of the hallway while they kept the enemies busy, but after that it was like, ok I'm gonna go fight the boss now and I don't actually trust you guys to come with. Plus it was Velstadt and I kinda wanted to fight him alone anyway.

[Random]

Aldia's Keep gives me some of those laboratory vibes from Bloodborne where the level is a bit too stressful for me to want to explore it thoroughly, even if this one is much shorter. Specifically I don't want to risk my neck wrangling ogres around to break stuff for me. There were really just two rooms I couldn't get into? At this point I'm not sure what the game could give me that would excite me anyway. I'm pretty satisfied in terms of gear.

I made it past the guardian dragon untouched and then went up to the Aerie. I did go off and do a bit of exploring here. Most of the crystal lizards escaped me, but I picked up all the items I saw lying around.

Before going to the Shrine, I ducked back to the Crypt to talk to Agdayne because I heard he gives you something after you encounter Vendrick. I thought it might be Velstadt's set (I'm not sure where you get it), but it was just Agdayne's stuff instead. On my way to do that, the Forlorn finally invaded me again. That's only the the third time, so I went back to Straid to pick up the leggings.

Back in the Dragon Shrine, I died a couple of times to the big dudes. The last one with the hammer and tower shield killed me the first time, and then I died like twice in a row to the mace wielding one trying to get back in there. I'm assuming that the normal sized enemies all go hostile if I touch that black dragon egg? So I didn't, and I just continued on up to get the Ashen Mist Heart.

So now I can do the Giant Memories I guess, but I'm also ready for the DLC. Not sure which of those I will do first. I've a feeling the memories don't take that long, so maybe I'll start with them.

[Maniac]

as much as people rag on the dragonriders or the covetous demon, guardian dragon is some next level joke boss shit. it's such a pitiful excuse for a boss that scholar put one in the second area of the entire game lol

the big knights in the dragon shrine are definitely among the most dogshit enemies in the game, but they made that area a hell of a lot merciful. used to be several encounters where you'd fight two of them at once. there's only one bonfire there and what used to be the most dogshit boss in the entire series is at the end of it, so I still have nightmares of having to go through all of those assholes over and over again

also scholar's main contribution to that map is kinda cool. if you run past any of the enemies, all of the knights watching you fight will dogpile and end your life for your cowardice

[Random]

yeah it seems really incongruous to not only have the one in Heide's but then promote one to a boss right before an area where there's just three of them hanging out

also that makes those knights even cooler. Weren't there previously like 4 of the big guys on the big staircase before the ancient dragon?

[Random]

Did the memories, assuming there are only three. It's a cool idea for this series, though I don't really understand why there's a time limit.

I also am not planning to kill the Ancient Dragon because I'm not a monster, so hopefully 4 giant souls is enough.

Onward to Brume Tower. I've decided to do these in the order by which I would have unlocked them. And I've had my eye on the FUGS besides. I kinda know what to expect in terms of bosses, but the layout of these levels is a complete mystery to me.

I'm still using the BKUGS for the moment as it hasn't been a bad idea yet to be using a weapon that does fire damage. Only thing I've noticed is that the main knight type enemies take an extra hit when they get their ash buff from the glowing red things. The big giant guys that leak fire from their arms are slightly more problematic. The thing I like the least are of course the shadow ladies that throw lightning balls and teleport behind you. Also the little dudes who carry black powder barrels around are fun, though kinda difficult to make work properly. I imagine having a bow with fire arrows would be pretty useful, rather than trying to hurl firebombs as I have been.

I made it down to the Foyer without too much trouble, then I tried taking one of the chains out to a satellite tower. When I got over there, I was invaded by an NPC. Got him to half health and then he ran downstairs. When I tried to go after him, it was super dark and my curse meter started rising, so... I guess I'll go back there later.

The other way led me further down and into the other tower, the one that's on fire. It was also dark in there, but at least it wasn't curse dark. The oily crawly guys are the first sign of the black knight sword maybe not being a good idea because it ignites them instantly, but I actually found them easier to deal with when they blow themselves up.

I got the scepter, though, and put it in the pedestal in the main tower, and now I'm sort of intimidated by how many options I seem to have. Like I guess it's actually a matter of going up or down, but there's just lots of elevators moving around and yeah. I went up first and found some more smelter shards, but that was a dead end otherwise. Stopped for the moment after that.

Pretty surprised I haven't encountered a boss yet.

[Random]

Did a little more exploring. I kinda think I have everything taken care of in the upper part of the tower. Went back to the throne room and wedged that idol, then took care of two other ones on lower floors. I also found Sir Alonne's armor but couldn't do anything with it yet. Also I got invaded by an NPC that was actually like five dudes at once. It was weird.

So now I need to head downward. What the heck is the Iron Passage? I stumbled in there and it seems off somehow. And there are archers/mages that are literally unreachable, so that's cool and stuff. I died just before getting to a fog door in there because one of those giant bastards caught me by surprise.

[Maniac]

Also I got invaded by an NPC that was actually like five dudes at once. It was weird.

that one's funny. every now and then, pretty rarely, an unnamed black phantom enemy will spawn and attack you in belfry sol. think you might have to be in the bellbro covenant for him to have any chance of spawning. he spawns so infrequently -- and drops his custom armor pieces even less frequently -- that people bitched about it because people think his armor looks pretty cool. that invasion was the developers' solution

[ganonfloyd]

I also am not planning to kill the Ancient Dragon because I'm not a monster, so hopefully 4 giant souls is enough.

if its a boss it must die imo

[Random]

Also I got invaded by an NPC that was actually like five dudes at once. It was weird.

that one's funny. every now and then, pretty rarely, an unnamed black phantom enemy will spawn and attack you in belfry sol. think you might have to be in the bellbro covenant for him to have any chance of spawning. he spawns so infrequently -- and drops his custom armor pieces even less frequently -- that people bitched about it because people think his armor looks pretty cool. that invasion was the developers' solution

interesting. I mean he looked kinda cool I guess.

I also am not planning to kill the Ancient Dragon because I'm not a monster, so hopefully 4 giant souls is enough.

if its a boss it must die imo

yeah but I don't really make a habit of attacking non-hostiles

[Maniac]

you should kill ancient dragon because he's a colossal assmunch of a boss and he's nowhere near as bad in scholar

but yeah, 4 giants' souls are enough and were what I settled with in all but two playthroughs before scholar happened because there are literally no other rewards for killing the ancient dragon so why bother. asshole doesn't even give a trophy

speaking of giants souls, the ultra greatsword vendrick's soul gives is way better than the fume ultra greatsword and you should get that instead

[Random]

but the fume one is so iconic

and fine I'll go back and kill the dragon