From Software Bloodborne. Discuss or die!

[Strange Fellow]

I can only think of one: the Centipede Demon. That one is a mess to play locked on. It's a mess to play without lock-on too, of course, but marginally less of one.

 

[Lutte]

I can only think of one: the Centipede Demon. That one is a mess to play locked on. It's a mess to play without lock-on too, of course, but marginally less of one.

DS1 is the game that benefits most of playing unlocked, not just on Centipede demon but everything. Lock on mode has too many restrictions, one of which is the lack of omnidirectional rolling. If you haven't realized going back to DS1 after playing latter souls, you CAN omni directional roll like in later installments IF you play unlocked, it's a restriction solely imposed by lock on in DS1 (and DS2/DS3 lock-on modes were a vast improvement over ds1 lock-on by letting you move more freely in lock on mode)

 

[Jasede]

The thing is, I never felt like it would benefit me to unlock in any of these games. I can see that it would be better because you can just run around an enemy but I just rolled every time I was attacked and got through the games just fine like that.

That's why I struggle with Paarl more than Isshin. Isshin is fast but you can always see him and react. With locked Paarl camera I can't see half his wind ups and can't tell when he is doing his AoE. It's just not a great boss for me.

 

[Strange Fellow]

I can only think of one: the Centipede Demon. That one is a mess to play locked on. It's a mess to play without lock-on too, of course, but marginally less of one.

DS1 is the game that benefits most of playing unlocked, not just on Centipede demon but everything. Lock on mode has too many restrictions, one of which is the lack of omnidirectional rolling. If you haven't realized going back to DS1 after playing latter souls, you CAN omni directional roll like in later installments IF you play unlocked, it's a restriction solely imposed by lock on in DS1 (and DS2/DS3 lock-on modes were a vast improvement over ds1 lock-on by letting you move more freely in lock on mode)

That's true, and it's the thing that annoyed me the most when I went back to DS1, but even so, I don't have the thumb action to play unlocked and keep the camera straight while also timing my dodges and making sure I attack in the right direction. I suppose if I practiced I would git gud enough, but eh, I can beat the game blindfolded at this point anyway.

 

[Lutte]

Never? Not even on things like the Stray Demon (return to the asylum) in DS1 whenever he did his delayed AoE ? where you can be perfectly safe 100% of the time just running toward his butt? Jasede..

 

[cvv]

Can't really imagine playing Centipede, Gaping, Firesage or Stray locked.

 

[Jasede]

Definitely never unlocked during stray demon. Though dummy me did keep wondering why that AoE did so much damage.

 

[Somberlain]

I play unlocked against all the flailing beast types and bosses that are so big that you can't see where you're going if you lock on. Otherwise it's always lock-on.

 

[Matador]

Darkbeast paarl is not very hard, I think is intended when you are higher level. The camera is bad.

 

[Silva]

I feel you on Paarl, Jasede . Never managed to grok it's rhythm and end up relying on all little bonuses you can get (summon that NPC + wear Hendryk anti-shock outfit + serrated weapon + fire paper) and counting with a big dose of luck. And yeah, go camera-unlocked it's easier.

Oh and if you're bloodtinge, you'll want to look for a weapon called "Chikage".

Edit: are you on PS4? Maybe I can help you. What's your PSN I'd? I'm "Theolessa" send me an invite so we kick that dog ass together!

 

[Matador]

I'm interested in make a chikage bloodtinge run. Is the fastest way to get one going to a chalice dungeon like this?

https://bloodborne.wiki.fextralife.com/Cursed+and+Defiled+Root+Chalice

 

[Silva]

I'm interested in make a chikage bloodtinge run. Is the fastest way to get one going to a chalice dungeon like this?

https://bloodborne.wiki.fextralife.com/Cursed+and+Defiled+Root+Chalice

But there's no Lost Chikage in that chalice, right? Lost is considered the best version due to slots. I never farmed chalices so I don't know. I get my Chik the storyfag's way (aka Cainhurst Castle).

But I've found this on reddit:

Lost Chikage is the best for a bloodtinge build due to slots. Glyph: kwnp6g7i first bonus area. You have to farm off shaped bloodtinge blood gems though and that takes hours even with all the eye runes. It's your call, do you want to spend AT LEAST 10 hours farming?

1 point·11 months ago

how drastic is the difference in damage when using the lost chikage? If you are not going lost, the tempering gems affect blood damage right?

huntin' since release, no plans on stopping
3 points·11 months ago

If memory serves the strongest tempering gems fall in at 27.2%, whereas the strongest Bloodtinge gems fall in at 32.6%

So you're looking at a difference of up to 16.2% damage if my math is correct

That's really where the potency of BLT builds comes from. Due to the transformed states of their weapons doing pure BLT damage (As well as scaling purely from BLT while transformed) you can theoretically have over 15% more damage per swing than any other comparable weapon, with a build that only requires one attack stat at 50 and secondary attack stats at the base for weapon wielding. Allowing you to allocate your levels elsewhere.

 

[Silva]

Jasede , also remember to raise your Vit to 25 minimum before upgrading other stats. Weapons upgrade is enough for carrying you through the early areas.

 

[Hyperion]

There is, of course, the Bloodletter for a Bloodtinge build....

...But that requires killing Ludwig.

 

[Somberlain]

There is, of course, the Bloodletter for a Bloodtinge build....

This is purely hypothetical, of course. Because everyone knows that Chikage is the only real choice for a bloodtinge build

 

[Jasede]

Some progress notes...

I killed Shadows, Rom and, before those two, some guy on a castle and bought a Chikage. This is good because it reminds me of the Sekiro moveset so I have some decent experience with it, even though I never used katana in Dark Souls before. But that's okay.

It does a lot of damage.

I have some issues with this game, though:

good: beautiful art, great combat, snappy mechanics
bad: a lot of stuff is hard to see because things look too grey, too samey. This bothered me especially in the Forbidden Woods where everything is the same shade of grey-brown. I will also never forgive the camera in that Paahrl fight. I much more appreciated the Shadows of Yharnam fight which was completely fair, or the castle roof guy.

Also, the game is weirdly opaque about things. For example, why do I wake up in front of that place when I kill Rom? Why didn't anyone tell me that the phrase uttered in the Amelia cutscene is a password?

neutral: thanks to Sekiro I am still parrying everyone and everything that can be parried. Feels good. Am level 60 now.

 

[Silva]

Congratulations. That sword in your hands is the most elegant weapon in all Soulsdom. You just need to learn how sheath-unsheath it quickly during the fight, as to economize your health.

Have you met the Bloody Crow? He will surely test your Sekiro skills.

Also, the game is weirdly opaque about things. For example, why do I wake up in front of that place when I kill Rom? Why didn't anyone tell me that the phrase uttered in the Amelia cutscene is a password?

The password is cited by some NPCs, no? I think Alfred mentions "The Old Adage" or something?

Rom is a mistery, though. The more popular theory is that Rom is an ascended (but flawed) Great One that functions like a Dreamcatcher, preventing the nightmare from taking over Yharnam, and when you kill it, hell breaks lose. But take that with a grain of salt.

 

[80Maxwell08]

Congratulations. That sword in your hands is the most elegant weapon in all Soulsdom. You just need to learn how sheath-unsheath it quickly during the fight, as to economize your health.

Have you met the Bloody Crow? He will surely test your Sekiro skills.

Also, the game is weirdly opaque about things. For example, why do I wake up in front of that place when I kill Rom? Why didn't anyone tell me that the phrase uttered in the Amelia cutscene is a password?

The password is cited by some NPCs, no? I think Alfred mentions "The Old Adage" or something?

Rom is a mistery, though. The more popular theory is that Rom is an ascended (but flawed) Great One that functions like a Dreamcatcher, preventing the nightmare from taking over Yharnam, and when you kill it, hell breaks lose. But take that with a grain of salt.

I think there's a note on the ground in the area after you get the get the black priest outfit that says the password to the forbidden woods is the old adage of the of the church.

 

[Jasede]

Ah, must have missed it.

 

[Silva]

"The city of Yharnam and its environs are one big Great One playground, where most humans go insane with horror or bloodlust and the few that remain sane are picked off one-by-one. There's also other eldritch factions that nobody has ANY intel on. That's not even getting into the possibility that the entire game is a mass hallucination brought on by the dreams of the Great Ones. In a bit of a twist, the Great Ones themselves are generally pretty docile and non-interfering, and some even appear to be trying to help humanity with this situation. Most of the danger and madness comes from human factions that have obtained a sliver of the Great Ones' power and are misusing it."

Just saw this in the TVtropes "Cosmic Horror Stories" page. It's such a great insight about the game, that even with all Great Ones running around the city, in the end the true evil is made by the humans.

 

[Elwro]

To maintain the illusion that I will play anything even for an hour in the coming weeks while working 10 hrs a day and taking care of a small kid in the remaining time, I'm considering returning to Bloodborne. Could anyone recommend a fun way of playing an eventual Arcane build through the beginning and midgame? Same for Bloodtinge? I have not tried these and with my time constraints I will certainly not be reading the internet on this; please, do enlighten me with the Codexian wisdom!

 

[Silva]

Elwro if it's not your first time, go Arcane from the start.

1. Cruel Fate
2. Get saw spear
3. Raise body until 2x
4. Hunt for elemental gems (fire in the alley behind cathedral)
5. Make use of lots of tools.

Otherwise I recommend playing Slay the Spire. It's awesome for small bursts.

 

[Elwro]

Thanks, Silva . OK, fate, spear, body, elemental it is.

That said, a new rogulike game might be they way to go for me right now, thx for pointing me to something new!

 

[Serious_Business]

Elwro, Arcane is only meant for true philosophers, and since you decided to become a family man, it just won't happen in this lifetime

Seriously though, it's not the most accessible build out there. But you can play around with the basic weapons, get bolt, fire and arcane gems, and hope for the best, but the fact of the matter is, physical damage is almost always far more straightforward (just like your normative life choices). You can try to get to Cainhurst as soon as you can to get the executioners gloves ; probably the best spell in the game if you really bump up your arcane (potentially up to 99), it makes some bosses trivial on NG.

Regarding Bloodtinge, it's a bit easier I'd say ; you can focus all on Skill or Strength, and secondarily put points into bloodtinge. Skill synergies well for the parries and the visceral attacks (even if a man like you doesn't know anything visceral about life anymore). Strength is more marginal, but you can get the Bloodletter and cannons, which is pretty cool. I want to do that build myself someday (since I have no family and I will die alone ; but, I will surely master all weapons in Bloodborne).

 

[Elwro]

Elwro, Arcane is only meant for true philosophers, and since you decided to become a family man, it just won't happen in this lifetime.

TWIST! 'True philosophy' aside, I am actually employed at an Institute of Philosophy. Maybe there's hope for me! :D

I finished the game twice with kinda mundane builds (but once I managed to become this adorable little squid, which took some effort). So I thought I would try something interesting this time. Thanks for the advice! I'm sure I will be able to at least reach Hemwick Charnel Lane before the term break in February