[SilverEars]

Elden Ring: Commander Niall

Pain in the azz!!! First, he summons two tanky knights, and then he has impossible to get near moves. And then his lightening leg attack one shots anybody even with high vigor! Jesus!

Since I'm melee quality build, I can take care of the knights easily, but Niall won't let me near him and I can hardly get a hit in. This seems to be the pattern in this game. The harder bosses are designed so that we can't get near them without being punished. FromSoft running out of ideas and have to go cheap.

Anyway, I had to use my claws to bleed him quickly as possible. Slow weapons suck for this guy (Well, I guess the video below proves otherwise. lol).

 

[SilverEars]

Elden Ring: Elemer of the Briar

After beating Margit I was progressing through Elden Ring like it's nothing. I must have gone through couple dozen or so chumpy bosses until I ran into this one that's teaching me how to dodge. I'm getting Fume Knight vibes, but much cooler movements. I think the coolest knight I've fought so far. Great looking move set.

Majority of the bosses either stagger from strike or bleed, but this one does neither. Which makes him unusually tough in this game.

When I was beating all the chumpy bosses, I thought FromSoft ran out of ideas. This boss shows that they still got it. The movement from this boss is quite different than what I've seen from previous games from FromSoft. Every FromSoft game I can beat every boss with a slow greatsword, but this maybe the first time I would have to switch to a lighter, faster weapon. This boss punishes really hard if greedy. This boss is a test of skill like Margit. Overleveling wouldn't help that much in this fight.



From what I know of FromSoft Soulsborne series, if the boss is hard, parry. Parry makes any boss much easier.

So, there's identical boss that shows up near shacks all over at night, and is called Bell Bearing Hunter. The one that shows up in Caelid is really hard. This is the boss really struggle with. This the one I can't get past unless I learn to perfectly dodge all attacks. This is probably one of the best designed boss alongside Margit.

 

[SilverEars]

Elden Ring: Mohg lord of blood

Holy hell! This boss was annoying! He spews blood fire all over the place, and you can't hardly dodge!

I usually can take out the tougher bosses with a bleed weapon, double claws if getting tough with a less armored boss, but this boss's 2nd phase and it's transition is the the big problem. First of all. During the transition to 2nd phase, it will triple bleed you and it will heal itself. And then in the 2nd phase, it will be resistant to bleed, which makes minimal damage with the claws.

Since it spews combination of bleed and fire, I had to use Radahn's armor, which has high robust. And I had to use bloodhound fang since claws in 2nd phase is worthless. This combo worked. His 2nd phase is nearly impossible because he flies everywhere, and spews blood fire all over that you cannot avoid.

Worst fight ever so far! I can tell he is a tough one since he is a major boss that gives you a great rune, and gives you 480k in runes. Some people say this boss is fair. When did spewing blood fires everywhere that you cannot walk become fair?!

By the way. I don't use OP magic since it's like not like fighting the boss at all. I don't use summons either. Mimic tear makes bosses too trivial to be any fun. Still, using bloodhound fang isn't all that fair either. I don't like OP magic spells and mimic tear in this game because it causes imbalance of difficulty.

just by the fact that this dude is wearing ugly armor, this dude is taking this fight serious


I can tell even Onbal thinks he's hard because he didn't fight him melee 2nd phase. He just spams magic to deal with it! lol.

 

[SilverEars]

Elden Ring: Astel, the Stars of Darkness

The most BS boss in the game. You can't hardly hit this guy because it's so far above the ground, and it has skinny arms spread out in the open. It keeps teleporting out, and while it's teleporting, it explodes and does damage to you. The only way to hit it as melee is to stay close to him, but it keeps dumping magic down on you. It's a real pain.

Some bosses in this game are more annoying than being challenging in a fair way.


Elden Ring: some random magic golem hidden on the side of the cliff in Caelid

This golem is bs. It has so much health pool, and very high poise. And it shoots magic. It takes forever to chip it's health away. I died many times from the platforming just to get to this golem that gives nothing, but 5k runes. You would think it would give something special for going through all this crap. Big troll by FromSoft.


This is what I luv about FromSoft's SoulsBorne type games. The game puts you in these situations that you have to make survival decisions. I just luv their dungeon designs. I really don't care for the open world gimmick in Elden Ring. Only good times in Elden Rings are the legacy dungeons. I luv digging around and finding hidden pathways and items. It would be nice if FromSoft was very clever with puzzles (like some japanese developers from the 90's), but all we get are hidden stuff and illusionary walls. Some of their puzzles are straight up bs. Like in, impossible, and found by accident and put up on wiki for the community to share. But, illusionary wall no different from burning a bush to find a secret stairs in the original Legend of Zelda. Or invisible walls in Metroid.


And luv the humor arises with players. lol Big reason why their streams are so popular.

 

[Voxata]

It would be nice if FromSoft was very clever with puzzles (like some japanese developers from the 90's), but all we get are hidden stuff and illusionary walls. Some of their puzzles are straight up bs. Like in, impossible, and found by accident and put up on wiki for the community to share. But, illusionary wall no different from burning a bush to find a secret stairs in the original Legend of Zelda. Or invisible walls in Metroid.

The puzzles and vague quest details are garbage in this game. I don't need my hand held but at least make it somewhat clear.

 

[SilverEars]

The puzzles and vague quest details are garbage in this game. I don't need my hand held but at least make it somewhat clear.

It's more of a secret than puzzles. It's stuff you'd find in Nintendo Power magazine for nintendo games like Metroid or Zelda if you grew up in the generation. I prefer good thought out puzzles instead. DS2 crown of the Sunkin King DLC applied some good ones, and I would like to see more of those types. So, SoulsBorne level design has some Japanese old school video game era traditionalism. But, also old school pc western rpg vagueness.

FromSoft Dark Souls games reflect western design more so than the typical Japanese games. I think it's because Miyazaki was into D&D and western RPGs.

This turned out great. The mix of western and japanese design methods works really well for the overall design of the game. Most Japanese games tend to be too weeby to be relatable.

I think the grotesque-ness designs are japanese. I've not played a western game with such imagination for grotesque-ness. Miyazaki knows how to push our buttons. Boss and creature designs are Japanese.

I think the Japane influence comes from manga like Berserk. It's not your typical weeby manga.

 

[SilverEars]

I think this guy brings up a good point about how to approach this game if new to FromSoft Soulsborne series. Margit is a representation of challenges the player will face afterwards, and it makes sense to make that statement at the castle entrance. Are you ready to be challenged? The castle will challenge a newbie.

Are you willing to learn from dying? Are you willing to face a game that you require learning from past mistakes? This was pretty much standard back in the early 8-bit and 16-bit days.

Elden Ring gives much more options than DS3 before the Iudex Gundyr fight. You have a large area to explore, and learn from less challenging bosses. This game is more forgiving than previous Soulsborne titles. It gives a newbie greater alternatives than banging their head against a boss in a linear path. If stuck, you can explore other areas to level up and upgrade weapons. Or find better weapons, skills, ashes that makes the fights easier. It has an inherent easy mode due to how the open world sets it up.

This game gives much greater options for combat to make the combat easier than previous Soulsborne titles. Some of those weapon skills are really practical in making the game easier. It is the easiest Soulsborne title, and I would expect many more people that are new to Soulsborne to beat the game. I expect much less to give up on this one.

It's so odd to me the spike in difficulty Sekiro was, and then this one becomes easier souls game (because Dark Souls series are generally easier than Sekiro, which is really challening). I guess maybe they want it to be more accessible to new players? They do seem to have improved in presenting necessary combat information to players. I really do like FromSoft's attitude to game development from the past. They don't care how accessible to the casual player. They make games they want to make. And that is the truest attitude when creating something.


I just hope that popularity of Elden Ring really shifts gaming development and gamers to accept challenging games like we did in the past. I'm really bored with a lot of the story mode games that's out there these days. It's not real games.

I'm gonna eat my words from this post. I dislike a lot of the boss designs in Elden Ring. They made some of the melee fights really difficult in this game.

I respect boss designs that take time to learn how to beat like majority of bosses in Sekiro. Sekiro is excruciatingly difficult, but fair most times. DS3 has the best bosses of SoulsBornes with fair fights.

But, Malenia really tipped me off. Her rapid flurry slash attack and her slash attacks regening her hp is bs. They could have design this boss better. Elden Ring really isn't the best of the Souls games. I find that open world is gimmicky, and boss designs are unbalanced for solo melee fighters. I don't like to summon for my fights. Fun part of Souls games are solo melee challenges.

Mohg, Astel, Gargoyles, and Malenia are just bs fights.

Elden Ring should not be harder than Sekiro for boss fights, and I would say generally not, but Malenia fight seems to be really difficult, and might be more difficult than Sekiro fights. And this difficulty isn't about learning the patterns like in Sekiro. It's just cheap. Elden Ring is the most difficult Souls game, not due to real fair challenges, but cheap-ness. Beginning to mid it's not challending, but 3-4 bosses makes it seem the most difficult.

Previous Souls games I can go through the game no problem with a STR build, but this in this game, some bosses are impossible with a pure STR build. It's because bosses are doing speedy combos in this game. Magic is OP, and I really don't care for magic in these games, and it was the melee in previous games that mattered. Katana is OP, and it wasn't like this in previous games. Why did they OP katana? And it's just really odd how OP bleed damages are. The Claymore isn't what it were in previous games. I just luv'd dominating with big brute weapons in previous games, and in this game, I get beat from quick combos to even get a hit in with a big weapon.



Here it is, triple flurry combo. This guy figured out the right position to dodge. This Ongbal, the best best souls player out there. This guy can non-hit Malenia with triple parry.

 

[SilverEars]

Elden Ring: Godfrey the First Elden Lord

I like the look of this boss and the move sets. I just don't like the 2nd phase when he turns into Hoarah Loux. WDaF? Is this Zangief from SF2? That is some silly azz weeb design from FromSoft. They need to go back to Dark Souls and Bloodborne design sensibilities. More I get to the end, sillier this game gets. Feels so weird to fight this guy with dual katanas. It feels so wrong that katanas are OP in this game. I found inclusion of samurai class being odd in the fantasy game as well.

Personally, would like to look like Godfrey in this game. I want that armor and wield a huge broken axe! I like the barbarian kinda look. Not to bare like Conan however.

The barbarian king look is cool. It works. It's like a legitimate king like Genghis Khan.

 

[SilverEars]

Elden Ring: Radagon of the Gold Order

First phase is fine. And then I get a 2nd phase with a totally different boss?! It's called Elden Beast, and it's got bs moves like Astel. It spams magic while flying away from you. That's all it does. Elden Ring doesn't care if you are melee. They don't want us to have a fair chance to beat the game if we play fair. This game gets worse and worse as you get toward the end. Just the worst boss designs in the this game. People complaining about boss designs all over. Previous games you can beat the bosses without summons. Why did they design it so atrociously like this?!

 

[SilverEars]

Elden Ring: Radagon of the Gold Order

First phase is fine. And then I get a 2nd phase with a totally different boss?! It's called Elden Beast, and it's got bs moves like Astel. It spams magic while flying away from you. That's all it does. Elden Ring doesn't care if you are melee. They don't want us to have a fair chance to beat the game if we play fair. This game gets worse and worse as you get toward the end. Just the worst boss designs in the this game. People complaining about boss designs all over. Previous games you can beat the bosses without summons. Why did they design it so atrociously like this?!

Finally beat this boss, and I had to go full STR. I just had it, and decided to respec'd all my DEX to STR and power stance. I was doing 1500 per hit damage, and this helped immensely. No summon. No mimic. I don't know how I can beat the final boss without doing this much damage.

This is what I turned into by the end of the game. I've become a crucible knight with Colossal hammers. FromSoft threw a curve ball with the final boss. The whole time, bosses were susceptible to bleed damage and dual katanas were the weapons of choice, until the final boss that doesn't bleed and takes mainly physical damages. This is when STR build shines!

This guy does a really good job first phase. But, he shows how tedious the 2nd phase is when you are being really careful.


If he can dodge Malenia, he's good. Not just that, he can beat her with a greatsword. That's skills.

 

[SilverEars]

Two of the worst bosses among many in Elden Ring.

Asmongold really expresses how painful these bosses are if you are being a chad. This guy is pretty entertaining. Probably the best streamer for raging. lol



This guy is pretty entertaining. I see why he has so many followers.


And then you got totally unwatchable, annoying streamers. I reallly dislike how she talks! She sounds like scratching metal on metal.

 

[wowsuchricky]

Nameless King in DS3 for sure. Otherwise, has to be Sans from undertale

 

[CoryGillmore]

Finally beat this boss, and I had to go full STR. I just had it, and decided to respec'd all my DEX to STR and power stance. I was doing 1500 per hit damage, and this helped immensely. No summon. No mimic. I don't know how I can beat the final boss without doing this much damage.

This is what I turned into by the end of the game. I've become a crucible knight with Colossal hammers. FromSoft threw a curve ball with the final boss. The whole time, bosses were susceptible to bleed damage and dual katanas were the weapons of choice, until the final boss that doesn't bleed and takes mainly physical damages. This is when STR build shines!


This guy does a really good job first phase. But, he shows how tedious the 2nd phase is when you are being really careful.


If he can dodge Malenia, he's good. Not just that, he can beat her with a greatsword. That's skills.

God those weapons look so ridiculous. I could never. I'm still using a +10 Claymore myself, waiting till I'm 40 STR so I can use the grafted greatsword. I care more about looks than damage output for sure.

 

[SilverEars]

God those weapons look so ridiculous. I could never. I'm still using a +10 Claymore myself, waiting till I'm 40 STR so I can use the grafted greatsword. I care more about looks than damage output for sure.

I only do it for the hard hitting boink. lol. Luv the damage output per hit, but the problem is, I have a long boink animation times that makes me really vulnerable to quick bosses.

Try the increased jump attack talisman and powerstance jump attack with the colossal hammers. Damages are just massive if you have all your points in STR. If you had trouble with crucible knights. The solution is the power stance colossal hammers. lol. I obliterated the boss fight with two crucible knights.

Claymore is my goto for typical FromSoft games from the past, but not this one. Katanas work so well in this game, I rarely used my Claymore past early game. I moved on to dual katanas and Bloodhound Fang.

I recommend upgrading Bloodhound Fang and use that instead. It just does damage better and has bleed. It will take out enemies/bosses quicker than a Claymore in this game. If you do the dung eaters quest, you can get a better greatsword than Claymore. It's length is like a Claymore, but it has bleed damage on top of it.

If you're STR 20+, you can dual hand the grafted greatsword. The STR requirement values are for one handing. I find ultra greatswords too slow for me. Claymore is the slowest I can go.

Also, if you are having trouble with bosses. Use the Ash of War option, and try different whetstones. You can try bleed, frost, fire, etc.. No need for grease.

Currently, I'm playing pure sorcery build starting as an astrologer, and some bosses/enemies are tough with a mage. I'm trying to do a pure glintstone magic run, no melee.

Nameless King in DS3 for sure. Otherwise, has to be Sans from undertale

Hardest and the coolest boss for me in DS3. His delayed timing attacks really threw me off. Elden Ring is all delayed attacks unfortunately.

My best boss fights were DS3, and DS1 up to Ornstein and Smough. And of course Sekiro, the best From Soft boss designs that leaves you no choice but to git gud.

Ornstein and Smough is my all time fav boss fight. It's just so memorable as a new soulsborne player at the time. It was a huge difficulty spike as a first time souls player.

And the music is so epic! This is the epitome of Dark Souls for me. Anor Londo and then fight these guys. These guys are the real final bosses of the game.

 

[CoryGillmore]

I only do it for the hard hitting boink. lol. Luv the damage output per hit, but the problem is, I have a long boink animation times that makes me really vulnerable to quick bosses.

Try the increased jump attack talisman and powerstance jump attack with the colossal hammers. Damages are just massive if you have all your points in STR. If you had trouble with crucible knights. The solution is the power stance colossal hammers. lol. I obliterated the boss fight with two crucible knights.

Claymore is my goto for typical FromSoft games from the past, but not this one. Katanas work so well in this game, I rarely used my Claymore past early game. I moved on to dual katanas and Bloodhound Fang.

I recommend upgrading Bloodhound Fang and use that instead. It just does damage better and has bleed. It will take out enemies/bosses quicker than a Claymore in this game. If you do the dung eaters quest, you can get a better greatsword than Claymore. It's length is like a Claymore, but it has bleed damage on top of it.

If you're STR 20+, you can dual hand the grafted greatsword. The STR requirement values are for one handing. I find ultra greatswords too slow for me. Claymore is the slowest I can go.

Also, if you are having trouble with bosses. Use the Ash of War option, and try different whetstones. You can try bleed, frost, fire, etc.. No need for grease.

Currently, I'm playing pure sorcery build starting as an astrologer, and some bosses/enemies are tough with a mage. I'm trying to do a pure glintstone magic run, no melee.

Yeah I've yet to find a katana. I'm about level 60 at 60 hours in. I just completed the Liurnia castle/boss. Does the katana scale with STR? What's the requirements on the katana's you've found? I'm a pure STR, VIG and END build. I do have the jump attack talisman and I use it along with the charge attack enhance talisman mostly. I'm curious about this dung eater quest sword too....most of the cool weapons I've found require INT or other stuff I'm not putting points into. I do have 16 DEX as I put a few points into it before I really knew where I was going with my build. This has been my first souls game.