Yeah I understood what you were saying. It was a comment of @Jophiel’s that implied some people might choose to have a heavy equipment load at the expense of the medium dodge roll. I was curious if that’s a workable strategy or not. I know when I’ve accidentally had a heavy equipment load it’s been horrible, but my character is balanced strength / dexterity and I don’t tend to stand and tank.
The Godskin Apostle at the Divine Tower in Caelid has my measure at the moment. I went at him for several hours last night but didn’t seem to be getting anywhere. He does drop 95000 runes, so I guess that’s an indication it’s a tough boss. I’ve just respecced to put more into Vigor at the expense of my Strength / Dex. I also wanted a bit more Mind because I didn’t have enough FP to summon some of the Spirit Ashes I’d picked up. Being able to take a few more hits between heals might help.
The YouTuber, Ratatoskr, who did the above video about putting more into Vigor has another video with a convincing argument for being a Wretch on the first playthrough. It essentially goes like this, the starting “classes” are quite well kitted out and look pretty cool. You will struggle for some time to find equipment that is significantly better than what you already have. Starting as a Wretch gives you a stick, a board, and some modesty pants. As you play the game, particularly on a first playthrough when you don’t know where stuff is, you appreciate picking up all the bits and pieces you find. Pretty much anything you get will be better than what you started with. Your character develops in a more organic / natural way.
I spent some time on this same boss. At the time, I was still doing a melee/armor thing so I tried both all in on heavy stuff and tanking hits and going medium and dodging more. Of course, even heavy, I’d dodge long range magic blasts or roll to put in distance to heal, etc. Anyway, neither seemed more effective for me than the other. My best attempt was while heavy but that could have been random chance as much as anything. On average, I got him to the same place either way.
This doesn’t mean there’s actually no difference for anyone or that everyone should load up. I’m sure someone better at the controls might be able to make better use of the added mobility. But, for me and my skill level/capability, it didn’t make much difference.
Now that I’m running around in magic pajamas, I certainly keep it at Medium since I can’t afford a hit and am usually dodging ranged attacks rather than boss melee sequences so I have more time to react.
I might try that. I’m guilty of trying to kill the boss each time instead of holding back and just studying the moves. It’s a lot of trial and error which I enjoy but it is less enjoyable if I’m not learning anything. I don’t seem to be able to pick his spinning attack and often find it happening when I’m close to him and can’t get away.
I’ve had the opposite. I’ve rolled / ran past an enemy, got through the yellow boss mist, and then been fatally backstabbed through the mist by the enemy on the other side while my character is going through the “look it’s a boss fight” animation.
The Godskin Apostle was the first time I noticed my Ash Spirit getting distracted. But, on that one, if I didn’t kill the guy outside the door and instead ran past him and just phased through the yellow mist, my Ash Spirit would waste most of the fight arguing with the guard on the other side instead of helping.
Finally hit my first “total bullshit boss”. Draconic Tree Sentinel that guards the entrance to the capital. He has a move that he spams that casts 1-shot lightning that is unblockable and 360 tracks around him. The only way to avoid it is to ride the horse to a very distant stand-off, so far away that there is not enough time to ride back in, take a swing, and get out of range for the next one. I’ve got good armor, lots of stamina, the +1 lightning defense talisman and it’s not enough. Hits me for 95-100 of my health and staggers badly, leaving no time to escape or pop a health potion before he casts it again. I know there are a couple of cheese tactics to beat him but this is a totally garbage boss design. You ain’t pure meleeing him.
Is it the move where he points his shield arm at the sky? There’s a tell there: his shield arm will move downwards right before the lightning strike comes down on you. Dodge when you see the arm movement and you’ll dodge it completely.
I played purely with a shield and a big stick and struggled for an hour or so until I learned his tells.
YES!! No summon and a claymore! Used Rotten Stray and got rot on him right before the spirit died. I barely survived! Like 5 health left as the rot chipped his last sliver away.
It helped to stay off the horse until the second phase.
Just walked into the Capital. The initial view may be one of the most intricate levels I’ve seen from afar. Pretty cool.
I think you have to beat Radan to get in the main gate.
The capital is super labyrinthine but the streets are surprisingly empty so far. I was able to find the shortcut back to the first bonfire on my first pass which was pretty lucky.
That Knight outside the city was a pain in the ass, although I managed to beat him by… well, beating on him. Summoned my skeletons and tried to stay behind him as they distracted. Used a heavy weapon with bleed and freeze. Still took me a ton of tries.
I got through the Capital and happened to look at the global Steam stats and noticed that I skipped a couple guys most people hit first: Starscourge Radahan and the boss from Volcano Manor. Picked up Starscourge (that was sort of fun; different at least) and will take out the other guy after I knock around Nokron for a bit.
The Volcano Boss had to be last the way I did it - access to his Boss lair depends on a quest which culminates in the Mountaintops of the Giants. There could well be another way of getting to him, though.
There are some levels below the Capital that I thought were some of the best in the game on first playthrough - recommend checking them out. Completely optional though.
I went to Volcano Manor, killed a handful of red-glowie NPCs at the behest of the owner and got a personal invite to meet the Big Guy. Plus some nifty equipment from the guys I killed. Not necessarily BETTER gear but nifty gear.
