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Dark Souls II |OT++| Bearer of...Seek...Seek...Lest
- Thread starter Vazra
- Start date
I don't think the bosses in the DLC's are actually harder, only the environment (and normal enemies) are scaled up in difficulty.
I'd rate the following, according to difficulty in environment and enemies
.DLC 1 - Uber Easy
.DLC 2 - Moderate
.DLC 3 - Moderate
Because difficulty is one of the selling points of the game, and they assume that you've beaten the game at least once on an earlier playthrough, and/or beaten the final boss before trying the DLCs.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Couldn't disagree more. Not a single one of the regular game bosses are as hard as Elana, the trio ganksquad, Fume Knight, Sir Alonne, the Ivory King or the pet duo. The only ones that come close are Darklurker (but they can be cheesed with magic) and the Ancient Dragon.
Whereas the environments didn't cause too many problems for me, other than the pre-boss gauntlets (especially the Iron Passage and the Frigid Outskirts).
My deduction was based on playing with two characters, one at the lowest SM possible (with SM of 1 MIL as a minimum for DLC 3) and one at 10+MIL SM (both the characters in NG).
Bosses felt the same, while playing with either lower SM character or the Higher SM character. Because the bosses themselves were placed in a single place the whole time and required a bit of either practice or change of tactics to succeed. More over bonfires were near to every boss, except the
dual
But the environments, enemies and enemy placement turned out to be a bit harder with lower SM character on all the DLC's (DLC 1 being extremely easy). Because it required me to manage a lot of parameters with the character, especially the healing charges, weapon durability and spell casts. With Meele, the DLC's normal enemies barely stagger with weapons, required multiple weapon swings to kill and requiring me to have backup weapons or weapon repair spell/powder.
Speed running in DLC 2 and DLC 3 isn't easy either.
Red Liquorice
Member
Watching a stream of the 3rd DLC -
Seriously?
I'm going to get round to playing it probably next week - I'm done with the second part I just don't have the desire to complete it, but the level design of this 3rd DLC seems the best so far. Enemy types, placements and AI still seem as awful as the main game, but the level seems huge, twisty-turny and very pretty.
White Jabba the hut in the crystal caves.
I'm going to get round to playing it probably next week - I'm done with the second part I just don't have the desire to complete it, but the level design of this 3rd DLC seems the best so far. Enemy types, placements and AI still seem as awful as the main game, but the level seems huge, twisty-turny and very pretty.
Arjen
Member
This was some grade A bulshit btw. Getting punished for exploring.
Zomba13
Member
So I bought the Season Pass just before Smash arrived and I've now finally beaten all three DLC areas (minus one side boss). Really, really great bits of DLC. Loved the third one, pretty much everything about it was super cool (lol). Really interesting stuff with the story and how it connects to the goings on in the the main world.
With the other bits of Manus going off and finding kingdoms and getting in with the lords just like Nashandra did.
Cannon Goose
Member
I started a new character and am doing a "Bellcenaries" run, which means I am playing through the game while wearing the Bell Keeper ring the entire time. So far it's been tons of fun, lots of invasions against very new players (I've seen the Drangleic set + Heide Knight Helm combo a dozen times now) and best of all, heaps of titanite chunks! I went with a faith build and am using Emit Force as my main ranged spell now that Lightning Spears are no good. Emit Force is surprisingly effective and is a pretty quick cast which is nice.
D
Deleted member 30609
Unconfirmed Member
this didn't happen to me, but thinking it over: yeah, that's an offensively bad decision.
D
Deleted member 30609
Unconfirmed Member
nothing about the previous encounters suggested that taking out the idols was a bad decision
Arjen
Member
It's not a big problem, but it is stupid, because you only can get the last wedge by killing the boss, which is only usefull for killing the boss..
I'm fine with making decisions, but i'd like to know i'm making them, if you know what i mean.
Overall I didn't like the second DLC at all, gangbang galore, suprise spawns out of nowhere, ugh. Made me remember why i disliked the base game.
Ivory King>Sunken Crown>>>>>>>>>>>>>Old Iron king
Yes that's what it is not much different other than color.
Its useful for getting the full Nadalia soul. Thats like the most important thing it does.
Wait, are you still summoned if you are not in the bellfry?
I think the farthest I've been summoned when having the ring on is,like, the bonfire just before Luna.
33-Hit-Combo
Member
Did it have less HP? Cos I wrecked him in fewer hits I think.
Arjen
Member
It also stops the boss from having a healing option. Why on earth is it logical to hide the last wegde at the very end when you don't need it anymore. I think it's pure bulshit.
As long as you wear the ring, you can get summoned from any location that's applicable for normal invasions and co-op. It usually summons you to the Belfry that's closer to you, but it might be random if you're way outside from both Iron Keep and Bastile.
The fuck.
I was never summoned outside the bastille for the Luna -and always very close to Luna-, and the second half of the Iron Keep for Sol.
The fuck.
I was mad too until I actually fought him and it was never a problem at all.
Arjen
Member
I managed to beat him just fine, just think it's a dumb design choice, that's all.
Orochinagis
Member
It is, devs could have thought about the players being scary to not go to the cursed tower or the room with the minotaur and save it after finishing the boss.
Pretty safe in early game there and you dont need to save your ass with a shield now.
To be fair, Elana can go from incredibly difficult to very easy, depending on
who she decides to summon.
Orthogonal
Member
I have seen speedrunners make short work of her before a summon really had a chance. Using a brightbug with a glass cannon build and they were taking like 1/5 of her health off per hit.
Lots and lots of plinking enemies from afar with Soul Arrows. Early game as a Sorcerer is the most boring time I've had with the game. Once you get some extra spells and spellslots they can get pretty interesting. Remember to grab the Binoculars.
Unless your character is exactly the same as the first time you fought it that's more likely stat and equipment investment than anything else.
There's some intresting hybridization that you can do with INT couple of very strong natural INT weapons early on too.
DarkHeartedKill
Member
If it makes you feel better
I wasn't able to beat him even with all the ashen mist statues around the arena gone.
Which is funny considering in the third DLC you actually get helped more if you decide to explore thoroughly.
Anyone know if the Symbol of Avarice has any better item find boost than the Travelling Merchant Hat or the Jesters Hat? Everyone else seems to be wearing it to find loyce souls but I'm worried about boosting my SM too much. Racking up levels a lot quicker than I am loyce souls! :/
Arjen
Member
Bunch of suicide runs to Alone, get butchered constantly and get annoyed with the run there. Decided to use the summons to despawn the zone. 2 flask left, fuck it, let's try that fucker with summons for shits and gigles. Katana does 40 damage to the fucker.
Succeed anyway. Jeez.
Succeed anyway. Jeez.
Laurentius
Member
Some people are saying that Loyce Soul drops don't seem to be tied to item discovery at all. That would sort of make sense, since it seems like when you're doing co-op everybody gets the same Loyce Souls drops. So if it were tied to item discovery, who's item discovery in particular? Just the hostss? If that was the case, phantoms wouldn't need to wear item discovery items.
As to the actual question, I'm not sure. Since Item Discovery isn't a visible stat in DS2, it's hard to tell what gives the best discovery bonus.
What are you using and stats you got to get 40 damage? You'd probably be better off punching it bare handed at that point.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Agreed completely. First time I had to fight him with one healing statue left, so I had to lure him on one side of the arena constantly. He's hard enough without the healing statues, FFS, why would they give the last wedge after you don't need it anymore? Stupid.
Except the game pretty much tells you it's a good idea to destroy those idols, in fact, that it's necessary to destroy them all.
Still no reason to give the last wedge after the last boss. Hell, my friend didn't explore as well as I did and missed one of the statues, so he destroyed every idol around the boss area. That's just asinine.
At least they fixed the exploration in the third DLC, as someone said.
Arjen
Member
Uchi. Damage was probably reduced because of the two phantoms, solo I did way more. Kind of bummed I beat it with the summons to be honest
Orochinagis
Member
I can differ about that, the exploration seems pretty separate of the main path, more like a bonus phase while in DLC 1 exploration was the first thing you do instintly, DLC 2 was in the road while you were following Raime's steps.
There's a lot better options than the uchi like a black steel or chaos blade. Not even mentioning the DEX orientated greatswords either which are far stronger than those two.Uchi. Damage was probably reduced because of the two phantoms, solo I did way more. Kind of bummed I beat it with the summons to be honest
Arjen
Member
Yeah I tried the blacksteel, but I don't like the R2, I loooove my uchi's forward stab. Curved swords are but to heavy, I'm doing a very low vit build to use Flynns ring, in combination with ring of blades and 5) DEX it still does a nice 422 damage. I forged allones blade now though, seems like a fun weapon as well.
Orthogonal
Member
Interesting if true. I don't have much evidence, but anecdotely the item find gear seems a bit better, but that could just be bias confirmation.
There is a decent etiquette developing at the boss however. I won't be rude and bail on a host and crystal out of the fight, but I have had several send me back when the mop up before the boss was complete. It's a nice gesture when it's obvious I am there to farm.
DarkHeartedKill
Member
Pretty sure its is tied to item discovery, and not everyone gets the same drop. I've summoned people before and saw them running around picking up items and getting excited over their mic going "Yes a Loyce Soul!" when I don't see anything. And vice versa, I'd pick up Loyce Souls and the host never sees em. Also the phantom already has a higher drop rate than the host, I guess to encourage people to co-op. As for the discovery items, I've gone in with no items and got one every like 3 summons. Then i put on the Gold ring +2 and wore the Symbol of Avarice and got 2 minimum each time. I guess it also depends on the length of the battle, if it goes on longer you kill more knights and therefore have better chances at getting more.
It's alright you probably don't want to use the self buff if you've not got too high health. You should try the drangleic sword if you want to get even more out of your DEX.
Arjen
Member
Good to know, thanks. I've been using drangleic as well as a backup to the uchi.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
I was disappointed by Alonne's sword. My dex dual wields a Chaos Blade (rh) and a Washing Pole (lh, sometimes swapped for Blacksteel Katana), and fully upgraded at 45 dex, these weapons all have higher AR. Hell, even the friggin' uchi is stronger. It has only 20 durability too. Basically it's like the Washing Pole, only weaker. Moveset doesn't seem particularly unique or interesting either.
What am I missing? Right now I'm wearing Alonne's armour and powerstancing Alonne's sword and a Washing pole just for the Fashion Souls, but I'll probably revert to Chaos Blade/Blacksteel if I need to do better damage...
The uchi should be the backup its weaker the drangleic sword in terms of AR.
Not much it's not a great katana.
Arjen
Member
Damn that's disappointing
Why do most boss weapons suck so much. I only played with allone for a little while, but it looked like 2 handing it did a shitton more damage, don't know if that's true or that something else was happening. Dex might do piss damage, but it will always be my favourite way of playing souls.
Arjen
Member
It's faster though, I'm so used to its speed, other weapons tend to fuck up my timing.
Uchi also has ridiculous counter modifier, which can often put it over Drangleic in DPS.
That's the Eleum Loyce, not Alonne's katana. Unless he was moveswapping.
Iva Demilcol
Member
Can't you hit your buddies with Alonne's katana and heal them during coop? I'm pretty sure a guy hit me with the sword and give me some HP while fighting the final boss of the Crown of the Ivory King DLC.
Edit: Oh I see, I thought it was Alonne's Katana because the guy was wearing Alonne's armor set.
Edit: Oh I see, I thought it was Alonne's Katana because the guy was wearing Alonne's armor set.