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I've never really been sure how "aware" the congregation of the Deep are. On the one hand, they seem to be Hollows across the board and could just be going through the motions, but on the other Aldrich's faith was already apparently dominant enough for it to be the primary religion of the land outside the Angelic Faith of Lotheric, especially since it seems to be derived from the Way of White. And Aldrich himself is basically pure evil, so even if the clerics of the Cathedral are still aware, they could just be assholes.
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Sep 3, 2016 20:55
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Arcade Rabbit posted:So now is a good time to bring up a big issue i have with this game. Its incredibly linear. After the Deacons, this pathway just ends completely and you're forced back to the swamp area. Or you finished the swamp area, hit a thing, and was forced to detour over to get the Doll. As a whole, the game is very linear, and its really noticeable after DS and especially DS2. DS starts pretty open, then widens a lot at the end. Inversely, DS2 starts out really open before narrowing down for the end game. Then there is DS3, which is basically the same start to finish every time. There are off shoot areas, some optional and some required, but it is still ultimately the same journey start to finish. In DS, my first Lord Soul boss I fought was Seath. In DS2, my first was The Rotten. In DS3, its the first Lord of Cinder because its always the first Lord of Cinder. It has to be, without some major glitch shenanigans. Its just really glaring to come off of the first two games, and end on this note. Bloodborne was sort of the same, but not as bad or as glaring about it. It isn't readily apparent to those who've only played the Dark Souls titles, but DS3 has a great deal more in common with Demon's Souls than the rest of the series. If it weren't building on the plot of DkS, this game would be better titled Demon's Souls 2. That includes the linearity, of course; Demon's Souls had a very similar path of progression through the game, in which you'd warp to an area from the central hub (the Nexus in DeS, Firelink Shrine here), clear out that area's series of "levels," then warp back to the central hub after you reach the end of the path and pick a new series of levels to tackle. As someone who absolutely loved Demon's Souls (even though I started the series with Dark Souls), I appreciate that DS3 harkens back to the series' origins, as the (allegedly) final game. It is an interesting way to come full circle and still acknowledge Demon's Souls even though DeS's plot has nothing to do with DkS. On the other hand, I do feel like From abandoned a lot of the good things about DS2. Not just the non-linear progression, but a lot of the core gameplay mechanics as well. All the Souls games are their own strange beasts, but in the case of DS3 it feels like all the things they ought to have learned from DS2 were just tossed out, and that irks me a bit.
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Sep 4, 2016 14:58
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KieranWalker posted:It isn't readily apparent to those who've only played the Dark Souls titles, but DS3 has a great deal more in common with Demon's Souls than the rest of the series. If it weren't building on the plot of DkS, this game would be better titled Demon's Souls 2. That includes the linearity, of course; Demon's Souls had a very similar path of progression through the game, in which you'd warp to an area from the central hub (the Nexus in DeS, Firelink Shrine here), clear out that area's series of "levels," then warp back to the central hub after you reach the end of the path and pick a new series of levels to tackle.
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Sep 4, 2016 15:05
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anilEhilated posted:That really sounds more like Dark Souls 2, though. In that (and Demons'), you can at least pick which out of the four or five paths to tackle; 3 is completely linear. Fair point; DS3 is extremely linear even by DeS standards. In that respect, I suppose it's more like Bloodborne. But moreso.
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Sep 5, 2016 00:17
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Arcade Rabbit posted:Admittedly its speculation on my part, but feels like a solid enough reason. Gotcha. No worries, I just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed something like the dev interviews about DS1 or something. It is definitely something I'd never considered! I ended up liking the Cathedral, but it's the stage that made my brother give up on the game. The part from the chapel bonfire to unlocking the first door is punishing and relentless, and it doesn't help there aren't any other bonfires and the first shortcut is basically worthless (you skip the cemetery, but not any of the ambushes). If you didn't make friends with the giant you probably aren't getting that bone shard, and that makes it even harder to string out your healing long enough. Of course, nowadays we both know that if you use a chime instead of a talisman for miracles you can just use the regen to get through the early game until you get enough flasks, but back then....  The linearity is definitely damping my enthusiasm for the game too. As-is, I've started 2 games, one streaming and one offline to see if a more traditional build would work better; and they've both stalled 2 zones ahead of this LP. For comparison, by the same time from when I started DS2, I had gotten to the halfway point, ragequit, picked it back up, Platinumed it, then started helping a friend play it. 
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Sep 5, 2016 04:57
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    Soul of the Deacons of the Deep Soul of the Deacons of the Deep. One of the twisted souls, steeped in strength. Use it to acquire many souls, or transpose to extract its true strength. After Aldrich left for the Boreal valley, Archdeacon Royce remained in the cathedral with the high priests, to keep eternal watch over their master's coffin. Deep Souls Sorcery of Archdeacon Royce and his deacons, said to have been imparted to them by McDonnell of the Boreal Valley. Fires dark soul dregs. Souls which swell from the deep pursue their target, drawn towards life. Cleric's Candlestick Candle stick used as both sword and catalyst. Used for worship by the Deacons of the Deep. The deacons, under the guidance of Archdeacon McDonnell, became both Clergymen and sorcerers. Skill: Guiding Light - A candle provides a temporary source of light which reveals additional guidance. Small Doll Small silverwork doll depicting a young squire. In the legendary old city of Irithyll situated in the Boreal Valley, the Pontiff Sulyvahn gave this doll to valued subjects, so that they might use it to cross the barrier when they return home. Listen carefully, and you can hear it say, "Wherever you go, the moon still sets in Irithyll. Wherever you may be, Irithyll is your home." Astora Greatswords This greatsword, bestowed only upon elite knights, is a relic of the ruined land of Astora. Designed for a focus on thrust attacks, this sword is hard and sharp, but not unusually heavy. Skill: Charge - Hold sword at waist and charge at foe. Use strong attack while charging to extend the length of the charge. Executioner's Greatsword Greatsword of a debauched executioner used for beheadings. This sword retains a keen memory of its executioner's duty, and absorbs FP from each fallen foe. Skill: Stomp - Use one's weight to lunge forward with a low stance and increased poise, and follow with strong attack for a spinning slash. Saint-Tree Bellvine Sacred chime for casting miracles of the Gods. A bellvine cut from a small saint-tree that has been meticulously tended to. Saint-tree bellvines are customary in the far north, and allow for faster casting than ordinary sacred chimes. Skill: Gentle Prayer - Recovers HP for a period of time, albeit extremely slowly. Works while equipped in either hand. Saint Bident A silver bident decorated by a holy symbol, formerly wielded by Saint Klimt. He discarded this weapon, that draws upon one's faith, on the day that he put his own faith behind him. Skill: Charge - Hold spear at waist and charge at foe. Use strong attack while charging to extend the length of the charge. Drang Hammers Paired hammers of the Drang Knights, descendants from the land known for the legend of the Linking of the Fire. When the Drang Knights disbanded, they scattered across the lands as sellswords. They quickly became known for shieldless, aggressive tactics that struck fear in the hearts of men. Skill: Spin Bash - Bash foes with a large spinning motion, and utilize momentum to transition into an overhanded strong attack smash. Drang Armor Set Dark Souls III: Armour of the Drang Knights, proclaimed descendents of the land known for the legend of the Linking of the Fire. Fine protection that is both light and strong, having been reinforced with rare geisteel. The Drang knights were once feared sellswords, until treason meant descending into the abyss, and they were seperated forever. Dark Souls II: (Llewellyn Set) Armor reinforced with rare geisteel. Belonged to Chancellor Wellager. Quality equipment that is both light and strong. Crafted by the castle's resident master smith Llewellyn, and supplied only to a selected few. His work easily identified by its lack of ostentation, Llewellyn focused solely on an economy of simplicity and strength. Notched Whip Dark Souls III: A whip with thorny spikes that shred slaves, causing heavy bleeding. The Cleansing Chapel uses whips such as these in order to produce the drops as puddles to wipe clean during its rituals. Skill: Impact - Strike from the left to evade shields and deal a stinging blow that temporarily slows stamina recovery. The shackles of bondage lie deep in the hearts of all humankind. Dark Souls II: A whip covered in spikes. Shreds skin and causes bleeding. Very effective against bare flesh, but not against enemies with armor or like protection. Dark Souls: Whip with sharp spikes. Only slightly effective against armor and tough scales, but quite formidable against enemies with exposed skin. Also causes heavy bleeding. Barbed Straight Sword Dark Souls III Sword of Longfinger Kirk, the infamous Knight of Thorns. This sword's blade is lined with countless deadly thorns. The thorns of this ominous weapon induce heavy bleeding. Skill: Stance - While in stance, use normal attack to break a foe's guard from below, and strong attack to slash upwards with a forward lunge. Dark Souls: The choice weapon of the infamous Darkwraith Kirk, also known as the Knight of Thorns for the gnarly spikes on his favorite weapon. This frightful sword deals only thrust attacks, and causes heavy bleeding. Armor of Thorns Dark Souls III: Armor of Kirk, the notorious knight of Thorns. A dense patch of thorns grows form its surface. A fitting item for the murderous Kirk, for even the simple act of rolling can damage enemies when wearing this attire. Dark Souls: Armor of Kirk, knight of Thorns and notorious member of the Darkwraiths. A dense patch of thorns grows from its surface. It is a fitting item for the murderous Kirk, for by simply wearing it and rolling, one can damage enemies. Spiked Shield Dark Souls III: Shield of Longfinger Kirk, the notorious Knight of Thorns. The surface bristles with thorns. Its vicious design makes it an effective weapon, and its thorns can inflict heavy bleeding on those unfortunate enough to be struck. Skill: Shield Strike - Use shield to attack enemies. Works while equipped in either hand. Dark Souls: Shield of the infamous Darkwraith Kirk, Knight of Thorns, Covered with spikes. Can be used as a weapon. Sharp spikes cause heavy bleeding. Curse Ward Greatshield Dark Souls III: Greatshield given to those who resisted the curse long ago. Far too heavy for an ordinary person, perhaps it signifies the foolishness of resisting the curse. And yet, those who bear the weight of this shield will not find its protections against curses wanting. Dark Souls II (Pursuer's Greatshield): Greatshield of the Pursuer. For those who can handle the weight of this shield, it offers resistance to curses. The Pursuer hunts down those branded by the curse, as if each Undead soul that he claims will atone one of his sins. Note: The shield seems to be rotated by 90 degrees in Dark Souls III, aside from that they look identical Archdeacon Robes Armor worn by an Archdeacon of the Cathedral of the Deep. Presented solely to delegates of the gods. Of the three Archdeacons of the Deep, one cast off his white crown and left the cathedral to stand by Aldrich. A sign of the Way of White's highest rank. Of the three Archdeacons of the Deep, one stood over Aldrich's casket, with hope that he would return one day. Of the Archdeacons of the Deep, one attended to Rosaria, Mother of Rebirth, whom he deemed a goddess. Paladin's Ashes Umbral ash of a worn-out paladin who sought the Cathedral of the Deep. With this, the shrine handmaid will prepare new items. This paladin paid quite a price for his headstrong justice. Deep Braille Divine Tome A braille divine tome of the Deep, belonging to the deacons of the cathedral. Intended to teach divine protection to the deacons of the deep, but later, dark tales were added to its pages, such that it is now considered a thing profane. Aldrich's Sapphire A malformed ring left by Aldrich, Saint of the Deep. Recovers FP from critical attacks. Aldrich, infamous for his appetite for flesh, apparently had the desire to share with others his joy of imbibing the final shudders of life while luxuriating in his victim's screams Lloyd's Sword Ring Ring given to knights of the Way of White. Depicts Allfather Lloyd's Sword of Law. Boosts attack power when HP is full. Much time has passed since the worship of Lloyd was common in the Way of White. The clerics of Carim had always strongly asserted that Lloyd was a derivative fraud, and that the Allfather title was self-proclaimed. Deep Ring A ring bestowed upon the Deacons of the Cathedral of the Deep. Allows attunement of additional spells. In the Cathedral slumber things most terrible, and as such, the deacons require a grand narrative, to ensure they do not falter in their duty. A philosophy, to ward away the madness beckoned by the grotesqueries at hand. Rosaria's Fingers (Covenant) Sacred seal of Archdeacon Klimt, who served Rosaria, Mother of Rebirth. Equip to pledge oneself to the Rosaria's Fingers covenant. Rosaria's Fingers collect tongues in her name. Some do it to be reborn; others do it to help comfort their voiceless goddess. IGgy IGsen fucked around with this message at 00:27 on Sep 10, 2016 |
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Sep 9, 2016 19:55
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Fascinating- so the order of the deep are what became of the Way of White, the old newbie "good" covenant from DS1. Rhea, the doomed Anri parallel that IGgy already mentioned, was the main follower we'd seen in the past. The Way of White followed Gwyn and were straightforward rekindle-the-fire types, generally depicted as well-intentioned as a whole, but simultaneously corrupt and naive. They were also responsible for the whole undead purge that framed the first Dark Souls. It seems like the Lovecraftian whatever-it-is that is the Deep has fully corrupted the Way, since they don't seem to appear in any other form in-game. So far it looks like there were three leaders of the Cathedral: Royce, who was the boss of the Cathedral, Klimt, who now serves Rosaria, McDonnell, who continued to follow Aldrich when he left the Cathedral. McDonnell was apparently the really powerful member of the three, and has further ties to Aldrich from Irithyll. Irithyll is probably not the home of the Church or the Way of White, which was implied to be a place called Thorolund in DS1. At this pointPontiff Sulyvahn appears to lead the church above and beyond the archdeacons, but we know nothing about him. It's also unclear what the corruptive force of the Deep exactly is- if it came from nowhere, Darkness, Aldrich, or something else. Speaking of Aldrich, it's clear that he was huge when his coffin was built, but that at some point after that, he presumably revived and left. This led to the splintering of the archdeacons. Time is weird in DS, but it seems like the church is still functioning, but with different parts largely doing their own thing.
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Sep 9, 2016 21:53
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Discendo Vox posted:[...] the Lovecraftian whatever-it-is that is the Deep [...] Currently assuming the Abyss, since that's kinda the "goes hand-in-hand with corruption" thing. Also, are Aldrich's Sapphire and Loyd's Sword Ring supposed to have the same description?
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Sep 9, 2016 22:59
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azren posted:Currently assuming the Abyss, since that's kinda the "goes hand-in-hand with corruption" thing. No, I made a mistake while copy pasting, thanks for letting me know. Here's the correct description: Lloyd's Sword Ring Ring given to knights of the Way of White. Depicts Allfather Lloyd's Sword of Law. Boosts attack power when HP is full. Much time has passed since the worship of Lloyd was common in the Way of White. The clerics of Carim had always strongly asserted that Lloyd was a derivative fraud, and that the Allfather title was self-proclaimed.
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Sep 10, 2016 00:28
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Discendo Vox posted:[...] It seems like the Lovecraftian whatever-it-is that is the Deep has fully corrupted the Way[...] I don't really get much of the story and associated lore, but did the series turn into cosmic horror? I always thought of it more as high fantasy.
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Sep 12, 2016 22:58
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Delirare posted:I don't really get much of the story and associated lore, but did the series turn into cosmic horror? I always thought of it more as high fantasy. The Abyss/Deep/Whatever that Manus represented has always been the big force that was slowly consuming the world, but there aren't too many tentacles involved. I guess the guys who get the black stuff coming out of them and the red eyes can be sort of cosmic horror-ish, but nothing to the level of Bloodborne.
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Sep 12, 2016 23:06
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Okay, so there is some kind of entity that warps reality and perverts the world. I thought this Fire/Darkness dichotomy was something natural happening in the setting. Thanks.
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Sep 13, 2016 00:16
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Delirare posted:I don't really get much of the story and associated lore, but did the series turn into cosmic horror? I always thought of it more as high fantasy. What's the name of the big bad guy we're chasing after again? azren posted:Currently assuming the Abyss, since that's kinda the "goes hand-in-hand with corruption" thing. I can't tell, because the Abyss is pretty strictly based on darkness, and the Deep stuff has a blue/aquatic theme going on, which I think is new. The Deep may be related to the sea that's at the bottom of the world trees in earlier DS games. Discendo Vox fucked around with this message at 02:35 on Sep 13, 2016 |
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Sep 13, 2016 02:14
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The Deep is an interesting concept in this game, but we don't really know a lot about it. I'm hoping the second DLC will have something to do with it. With what little we already know and some choice details we've yet to discover we can only speculate how cool it would be as an area. It's not impossible that it's the same thing as the Abyss, or a different aspect of the Abyss, though. But there's so much potential for it to be more. Delirare posted:I don't really get much of the story and associated lore, but did the series turn into cosmic horror? I always thought of it more as high fantasy. That said, both the Abyss as well as the Deep have the potential to actually be fuel for a lovecraftian cosmic horror. I'd be into that, because I loved Bloodborne, but I'd understand if they didn't want to retread that ground in this particular fashion.
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Sep 13, 2016 22:27
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And yet the PC will fight against the odds and win, topple gods and shape the world as he/she pleases. At least in the hands of a competent player. Dark Souls beat me up pretty easily, I just did not learn. Discendo Vox posted:What's the name of the big bad guy we're chasing after again? Wait, I know that one a least. We're collecting VIPs because they have a connection to the first flame, and by burning them together we can rekindle the aspect of light and apparently stagnation? The next one on our list is the leader of this Church of the Deep, whos gluttonous ways turned him into The Blob and just won't stay in his coffin. Do I get points for partial answers? And sorry, I tried to get into a drunken argument fueled by Kölsch to prove that the works of Lovecraft are more than just dark fantasy. Delirare fucked around with this message at 21:16 on Sep 14, 2016 |
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Sep 14, 2016 09:19
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Delirare posted:And yet the PC will fight against the odds and win, topple gods and shape the world as he/she pleases. You forgot the most important theme, that seems to spread across all the Soulsborne titles (Demons' Souls a bit less so): the part where we bring some degree of ruin to those around us, whether they are actual opponents or not. Just wait, our actions will, at some point, completely wreck some poor innocent SOB's poo poo. There shall be no happy...
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Sep 15, 2016 20:45
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Delirare posted:And yet the PC will fight against the odds and win, topple gods and shape the world as he/she pleases. At least in the hands of a competent player. Dark Souls beat me up pretty easily, I just did not learn. That's kind of debatable. The core theme of the series is how interchangeable it all is- specifically how the purpose of the Dark Souls universe is to rehash Dark Souls over and over again. If anything the PC is more of a cog, mass produced and intended to be replaced when it breaks; fighting against the odds and toppling the gods and all is just more of the gear whirling away until it crumbles. It's kind of hard to talk about "shaping the world" when the shape it always ends up in is "Dark Souls again".
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Sep 16, 2016 04:17
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 The Swamps Poisonous swamp areas, at this point are a staple of the Soulsborne games. Every game had some variation of that theme as a gameplay area. It started in Demon's Souls with the Valley of Defilement, feeling like a journey into the Heart of Darkness. Through a shantytown up above further and further down until you reach the vile swamp. If you go further still you'll find another shanty town in the middle of the poison, fly's buzzing as you trudge through. All of this is leading up to the Maiden Astraea fight, one of the most powerful moments in the Souls series, I've covered this in a previous post, though. Dark Souls explored this idea again with Blighttown, a shantytown up above and you travel down into a swamp. Dark Souls II is the odd one out, while it has areas that mirror the swamp-area mechanically it doesn't actually have a swamp area. Harvest Valley is, instead, a daylight area with several mining tunnels that have poisonous gas seeping out of them. Another area in Dark Souls II covers the Shantytown aspect: The Gutter. Blightown on the other hand skips the shantytown part and goes straight to the swamp in the Nightmare Frontier. I will not get into the latter here, mainly because it takes a different approach and I also haven't played Bloodborne as much as the other games. Dark Souls III brings us Farron Keep. Out of the swamp areas this is probably the most well designed one, though, I personally like the Valley of Defilement more due to the atmosphere and by association with the Astraea fight. Whether there's a shantytown or not, these areas always share a few of their elements. The Valley, Blighttown, The Gutter and Farron keep all guide you by placing fire to draw you to specific places. Dark Souls II being the exception/subversion to this rule. In the Gutter there's barely any flame, instead you have to light sconces yourself allowing you to easily retread your steps in case you die. You do get to see a fog gate in the distance, at least, giving you a vague idea of where to go. Although I never liked the area when I played Dark Souls II, looking back on it it's probably one of the better ones in the game. The other areas, again, guide you with various fires around the area. The thing is that the swamps of the Valley of Defilement, Blighttown and Farron Keep are fairly open and potentially allow you to go places and get lost, so the path to progress is always lit. If you feel like wading through the poison later on or if you're just feeling lucky you can ignore this and just get some treasure that you otherwise wouldn't be able to get depending on your build there may be some essential items, even. We haven't found them yet but there's two Socrcery Scrolls in the swamp of Farron Keep. Aside from those there aren't really any treasures that are essential for other builds, just nice to have. Whether they are worth being poisoned is your call. The shantytown part has been cut in more recent variations or, in case of Dark Souls II, it's been relegated to being it's own separate area. Valley of Defilement 1, Upper Blighttown and The Gutter are arguable more easily navigated. Here too, there's some fire showing you the way. Mostly easily missed ladders. It's easy to get lost here. They tend to be very vertical areas as opposed to the horizontal swamp aspect. Generally, if you want to boil these areas down to one aspect they all share it's that they try to push players out of their comfort zones. I mentioned in the video that when I played Demon's Souls first I thought I was missing some kind of trick to get through the swamp, an item that makes me immune to poison, or a way around that I'm just not seeing. I thought the game wouldn't make me do THAT! This is true for the vertical aspects of the areas too. They encourage you to drop down ledges, something you'd usually avoid, to get through the area more easily. One of the paths in The Gutter makes you actually jump over a large gap down onto a different platform. They include an area that does this in every game simply to teach players to be a bit more daring sometimes. They also want you to know that they don't gently caress around. IGgy IGsen fucked around with this message at 17:40 on Sep 16, 2016 |
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Sep 16, 2016 14:29
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Farron Keep is one of the most loathsome areas I've ever been through in a Souls game. The central issue is that while "swamp areas" in video games are generally designed with some annoying characteristic or another, Farron Keep didn't feel content to just grab a few. Rather, it combines a number of them into one terrible package.
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Sep 16, 2016 19:58
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Fire absolutely obliterates the big tree bear things.
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Sep 16, 2016 20:40
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Jeez, it's just lucky Part 2 of this piece of poo poo zone is actually pretty great. Because gently caress blightswamps.
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Sep 17, 2016 01:27
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I honestly think Farron Keep is one of the best areas in the game. What that says about the rest of Dark Souls 3 is an interesting question.
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Sep 17, 2016 02:35
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I can understand why a lot of people wouldn't like this area but...quote:Much of the time your movement is slowed. IGgy avoided most of this through the power of foreknowledge, but if you take pretty much any other route then you'll be forced to deal with conditions that would make the Elbonians nostalgic. quote:It's very easy to get lost, even if you've played through the area several times before. IGgy did point out the fires but they're few and far between, so frequently you have no ability to landmark at all. In fact it's possible to get so turned around so as to head up to the same fire-sconce platform multiple times. Alternatively: git gud, scrub! This poo poo's easy if you know everything there is to know before hand! (Seriously, though, I think the area is really well designed in how it guides you. I think I pointed this out when I wrote about how the first area guides players subtly, but this kind guidance is just lost on some people through no real fault of their own)
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Sep 17, 2016 22:35
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I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree? We could keep arguing back and forth on this, neither of us convincing the other or backing down, but then the thread would likely devolve into a mess that no one really wants.
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Sep 17, 2016 23:47
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I really like your Dark Souls LPs. Thanks for making them.
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Sep 18, 2016 00:53
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 Oolacile Oolacile is a land that has been long gone by the time Dark Souls rolls around, at least untl the Artorias of the Abyss DLC, which let us explore this past version of another area of the game. And there is a chance that in Dark Souls III we have returned here once more. Several things related to Oolacile can be found in Farron Keep. We have a small island of dead Killer Mushrooms, the Crown of Dusk. Dusk being a character from Dark Souls who originates from Oolacile. Later on in a cave we can find another dead Mushroom that presumably is Elizabeth f´rom Dark Souls next to a chest that contains Dusks dress as well as a scroll with light sorceries that were previously sold by Dusk and Elizabeth (further proof of my ridiculous theory that Dusk and Liz are the same person! That or the corpse in the cave is Dusk, I dunno). We can also find a Darkwraith here, while Darkwraiths are more commonly associated with New Londo they are also associated with the Abyss, which ran rampant in Oolacile. Then there's a sharpshooting giant helping us defeat a large enemy, but I'm not sure I should count that one. There are yet more details that would link the area to the Abyss but that's something that we'll see soon. All of this might mean that it's the same place or a place with similar roots. But what do we actually know of Oolacile? From Dusk we learn that it is home to a gentler magic that takes it's power from light. There's a spell that illuminates the area around the player, spells that obscure them or their weapons. Then there's Chameleon. Also some repair spell or whatever, not sure how that's light related but I'll take it. None of the spells are offensive, so it stands to reason that Oolacile was peaceful for the most part. We also know that eventually someone dug around a bit too much and awoke Manus, Father of the Abyss, who many believe to be the Furtive Pigmy. This unleashed the Abyss on Oolacile transforming its inhabitants into monsters, even corrupting Artorias who came to stop the spread of the Abyss. Eventually some unknown hero succeeded in doing this (It's us). Years pass by and the Royal woods of Oolacile become the Darkroot Woods while the Oolacile Township diappears and roughly in its spot New Londo rises with the purpose to contain the Abyss. Eventually even that crumbles away. Who knows what happened here next? Eventually it may have become Farron Keep.
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Sep 23, 2016 17:51
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   Abyss Watchers  And so we fight our first Lord of Cinder. A Lord of Cinder is somebody who has linked the fire before. In this specific case they are multiple lords of cinder, though technically they are united by the blood of the wolf that flows inside them. That wolf is the Great Gray Wolf Sif, loyal companion to Artorias, the Abysswalker and Wolf Knight. The Abyss Watchers' duty is to fight against creatures of the Abyss. Considering that there is a part of the Abyss inside them too it's quite ironic that they are locked in an eternal battle against each other. It is not too far fetched to assume that the Abyss Watchers, aka the Legion of Farron is what became of the Forest Hunter covenant from Dark Souls after Alvina, another of Artorias' animal companions, left. This link to Artorias shows in the fighting style of the Abyss Watchers. They use a weapon that looks very similar to the Greatsword of Artorias too and a lot of their moves mimic Artorias' Style from the first Dark Souls. Even the opening of the music is reminiscent of Artorias' theme. As long as you learn to deal with their swings one Abyss Watcher isn't going to give you a lot of trouble. But this is where the fun starts. A short time after the battle starts a second Abyss Watcher will join the fray. They don't share a health bar so your job is to beat the first one. Fighting against two can be a much more difficult challenge, however, this being a relatively early boss fight the game is not too cruel. Because the third Abyss Watcher that joins the battle will be a red-eyed one, presumably corrupted by the Abyss. That third one will actually attack both the Abyss Watchers as well as you if you get too close. Mostly the third focuses on his colleagues, though. You can kill the second and third Watcher, but they will get back up after a short while. So it is wise to try and lock the second and third watcher into battle and take care of the first one while the other two fight. Once he's down the blood of the wolf begins coalesce into the dead body of one Abyss Watcher. Phase 2 begins and now the boss is on fire. Literally. There won't be any additional Watchers joining in on the fun but the one that's left is much more dangerous than the others. In additon to a few new moves the existing ones get powered up as well. The trail of flames his sword leaves behind now can actually damage you. What makes this fight fair, considering the point in the game we're at, is that you can easily stagger the Abyss Watcher. If you can get one hit in you will usually also be able to get in a second or third before it's smarter to get out for the time being and look for another good opportunity to attack. This fight is pretty awesome all things considered. The music does it's part. It's a fair challenge but it still feels intense. Soul of the Blood of the Wolf Soul of the Blood of the Wolf. One of the twisted souls, steeped in strength. Use to acquire numerous souls, or transpose to extract its true strength. The blood was spread amongst the Abyss Watchers, and their souls are one with the soul of the wolf blood master. Farron Greatsword Greatsword of the Abyss watchers which is atypically paired with a dagger. The dagger is utilized as a wedge in the left hand while the greatsword is held in the right, a unique technique that was synonymous with the Undead Legion. Confounds foes the manner of wolves hunting prey. Skill: Parry - Deflect an attack when timed properly and follow up with a critical hit, executed with the dagger. Wolf Knight's Greatsword Dark Souls III: Greatsword of Artorias tainted by the dark of the Abyss, and master of the wolf's blood of Farron. The wolf knight was the first Abyss Watcher, and his sword is more punishing against creations of the abyss. Skill: Wolf Sword - While in stance, use normal attack for a low spinning slash, or the strong attack to leap forward in a vertically-slashing somersault. Dark Souls II (Majestic Greatsword): An ancient greatsword of unknown origin. This sword was passed down through generations, until it reached Gordin, wandering knight of Forossa, and was lost upon his death. Uncannily, every last one of the prominent swordsmen who inherited this weapon was left-handed. Dark Souls (True Greatsword of Artorias): Sword born from the soul of the great grey wolf Sif, guardian of the grave of the Abysswalker Knight Artorias. Sir Artorias hunted the Darkwraiths, and his sword strikes harder against dark servants. Dark Souls (Cursed Greatsword of Artorias): Sword born from the soul of the great grey wolf Sif, guardian of the grave of the Abysswalker Knight Artorias. The sword can damage ghosts, as it was cursed when Artorias joined a covenant with the creatures of the Abyss. Dark Souls (Abyss Greatsword (of Artorias)): This greatsword belonged to Lord Gwyn's Knight Artorias, who fell to the abyss. Swallowed by the Dark with its master, this sword is tainted by the abyss, and now its strength reflects its wielder's humanity. Soul of a Stray Demon Soul of the stray demon. One of the twisted souls, steeped in strength. Use to acquire numerous souls, or transpose to extract its true strength. The Stray Demon, now lacking even a trace of flame, was once the gatekeeper of Lothric. Havel's Ring A ring for warriors keen on heavy acoutrements. Increases maximum equip load. This ring was named after Havel the Rock, the battlefield compatriot of Gwyn, the First Lord. The art of war has been a constant since ages past, and those who would follow in Havel's footsteps are no fewer now than in his own day. Boulder Heave Art of a stray demon of a stifled flame. Spews a boulder from one's mouth. The boulder is heavy, but shatters easily. Watchdogs of Farron (Covenant) Ancient medallion depicting the crest of a wolf. Symbolizes the pact with the Old Wolf of Farron. Equip to pledge oneself to the Watchdogs of Farron. The Watchdogs ensure that the warriors sleep in serenity, by taking the form of loyal spirits and hunting down those who would trespass the woods of Farron. Summoning takes place automatically while this is equipped. Wolf's Blood Swordgrass A leaf signifying duty fulfilled by the Watchdogs of Farron, who stand beside the old wolf to ensure serenity to those at rest. Depicts a swordgrass leaf stained with dried blood. Long ago, the swordgrass leaf quietly identified members of the Undead Legion. In the rotted forest rest the spirits of warriors past, their acceptance and gratitude toward their guardians is expressed eloquently by the humble leaf. Black Bow of Pharis Dark Souls III: A black longbow named after a hero of old, known for the unusual stance from which it is fired. Has a longer range than standard bows, but successful usage requires a trained, dexterous hand. Skill: Pharis Triple-shot - Swiftly nocks three arrows with finesse after drawing the bow, firing them simultaniously. Dark Souls II (Hunter's Blackbow): A black bow designed for long distances. Difficult to handle at first, and requiring some amount of practice to master. The hunting Goddess Evlana was no goddess at all, but rather a brave and highly skilled bow huntress. Long after her demise, the passing of lore transformed her into a deity. Dark Souls: The preferred black bow of the heroic archer Pharis. Has a longer range than standard bows, but is more difficult to use. Without proper abilities, results will be underwhelming. Pharis' Hat Dark Souls III: Broad-brimmed leather hat. Traditionally used by master archers, and especially favored by forest-dwelling hunters. The name Pharis is said to have once belonged to a hero, but is now more widely known as a style of hat. Dark Souls: Broad-brimmed hat favored by the archer heroPharis. Pharis was an accomplished archer, and though he was human, he ranked alongside Hawkeye Gough, one of the Four Knights of Lord Gwyn. His hat is universally popular among children. Dark Armor Set Dark Souls III: Armor of the Darkwraiths, relics of a small country that fell to the dark long ago. Looks as if it may crumble to dust at any moment. The Darkwraiths were the oldest of the Red Eye Invaders, and rumored to have served a Primordial Serpent. Dark Souls II: Armor of a knight subsumed by dark. No one knows the true identity of these men who are said to freely manipulate dark. Old foreign legends describe them as poor souls who chased the lost art of life drain. Dark Souls: Armor of the Darkwraiths, former knights of New Londo who descended into Dark. Their armor transformed, and remains a symbol of the Dark servants and their diabolical art of Lifedrain. Some say the skeletal mask of an ancient Darkwraith is partially fused with the flesh of its face. Antiquated Dress Dark Souls III: Dress sewn in a long-lost fashion. The elaborately embroidered, ivory-colored silk is imbued with ancient magic power. No protection is offered by this garment, as it was never intended for battle. Dark Souls: A dress from the ancient fallen land of Oolacile. Its ivory-colored silk features elaborate embroidery and is imbued with ancient magic power. One cannot expect any physical protection from this garment, as it was not meant to be worn in battle. Sage's Coal Coal used for weapon infusion. The white magic flame produced by this coal was given to the Undead Legion long ago by one of the Crystal Sage twins. Give to the blacksmith in the shrine to allow the use of gems for crystal, blessed, and deep infusion. Golden Scroll A golden scroll chronicling the vast research of the xanthous scholars. Give to a sorcerer to learn the arts of Oolacile. In the lost land of Oolacile, the sorceries orchestrated light, and were said to shine in golden hues. Sage's Scroll Scroll containing sorceries of the Crystal Sages. Give to a sorcerer to learn Sorceries of the Sages. As any sorcerer knows, sorcery is a talent, and these sorceries were refined to nurture a very special talent. Dreamchaser's Ashes Umbral ash of one who dreamt of joining the Undead Legion. With this, the shrine handmaid will prepare new items.In the end, the dream chasers who wandered aimlessly in the rotted forest found a sense of fulfillment. IGgy IGsen fucked around with this message at 10:12 on Oct 1, 2016 |
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Oct 1, 2016 00:55
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Man, these guys are super cool. Especially their kickin' rad gang sign.
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Oct 1, 2016 03:43
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The thing that makes the Abyss Watchers much easier is that they can be backstabbed during both phases. Upgrade your shield and block while you circle-strafe until you get an opening, then charge up a power attack as they get back up.
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Oct 1, 2016 05:27
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I've a lot of issues with this game, but the Abyss Watchers aren't one. Awesome design that incorporates themes from across the series, including Bloodborne, and a unique but fun twist on the usual group boss shenanigans of old make this a really great fight.
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Oct 1, 2016 07:28
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Arcade Rabbit posted:I've a lot of issues with this game, but the Abyss Watchers aren't one. Awesome design that incorporates themes from across the series, including Bloodborne, and a unique but fun twist on the usual group boss shenanigans of old make this a really great fight. Yeah, the way it incorporates elements from the first game is what I consider to be fan service done right. One of the most common complaints brought up against Dark Souls III is that there's fan service. Supposedly there's a lot of "HEY REMEMBER DARK SOULS WE MADE THAT GAME HERE'S A THING" according to some. I never really felt that was the case. I don't mind Andre being there, for instance, I don't mind other things and things that we haven't seen yet that are referencing the other games at all as I think they are mostly pulled off well, but this boss fight executes it best in my opinion.
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Oct 1, 2016 10:15
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It's subtle enough that I don't even notice it unless it's specifically pointed out. If I didn't know about the Sif connection, I would've said it was a Bloodborne reference, due to the Watchers having a facemask that resembles Henryk's (I think I used that set for the majority of the game, hence why it springs to mind) and fire attacks that mimic Lady Maria's third phase.
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Oct 1, 2016 12:01
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Yay! Artorias stuff! Artorias and his story were one of my favorite parts of the first game; the DLC added so much depth for me, and I love it dearly, so I'm glad to see traces of him returning. Considering that the Abyss is kind of a long running thing in the Dark Souls games, I find these to be particularly appropriate references to another game in the series. Something I find interesting, though, is that the item names and descriptions throughout the game have frequently used names of people and places that were considered forgotten in DS2; the Darkwraiths are an active force, Gwyn and Artorias (among several others) are referenced by name, people know what Oolacile was, etc. I don't know if there's any actual relevance, but I find it interesting. I still want something referencing Priscilla...
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Oct 1, 2016 15:22
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azren posted:Something I find interesting, though, is that the item names and descriptions throughout the game have frequently used names of people and places that were considered forgotten in DS2; the Darkwraiths are an active force, Gwyn and Artorias (among several others) are referenced by name, people know what Oolacile was, etc. I don't know if there's any actual relevance, but I find it interesting. Y'know how Drangleic had a lot of hints that it was Lordran in the future, but nothing was explicit? Likewise, how some bosses dropped what were clearly the lord souls and the Old Chaos was obviously Izalith, but it wasn't 100% clear, just like 99.99% clear? Yeah, turns out that was all coincidence, and Drangleic really is somewhere entirely different.
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Oct 1, 2016 19:30
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Sum Gai posted:Y'know how Drangleic had a lot of hints that it was Lordran in the future, but nothing was explicit? Likewise, how some bosses dropped what were clearly the lord souls and the Old Chaos was obviously Izalith, but it wasn't 100% clear, just like 99.99% clear? Yeah, turns out that was all coincidence, and Drangleic really is somewhere entirely different. It's part of the weird cyclical history thing the souls games have going on. Drangleic was that age's version of Lordran, but the world was even more screwed up because of the Abyss (through the Children of the Dark) and the Chaos Flame seeping into and infecting everything.
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Oct 1, 2016 19:34
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wiegieman posted:It's part of the weird cyclical history thing the souls games have going on. Drangleic was that age's version of Lordran, but the world was even more screwed up because of the Abyss (through the Children of the Dark) and the Chaos Flame seeping into and infecting everything. I don't really see how that explains people forgetting the events of Dark Souls and how the world was created, though, or what the difference is between Lothric and Drangleic, since the Abyss is clearly doing just fine seeping into Lothric.
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Oct 1, 2016 20:14
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Sum Gai posted:I don't really see how that explains people forgetting the events of Dark Souls and how the world was created, though, or what the difference is between Lothric and Drangleic, since the Abyss is clearly doing just fine seeping into Lothric. It could be dozens or hundreds of cycles by the time DS2 rolls around, and the gods are dead or gone to greener pastures. Every great civilization falls at the height of its power, whether through active malevolence by agents of the Abyss or just the loss of whatever fuel kept them going. There's no one left to keep any records, just oral histories and the researchers who keep discovering the same things over and over. The games could very well take place in the same place geographically, not that the term has any meaning when the world itself is breaking down.
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Oct 1, 2016 20:27
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My take is it's a 50/50 shot between thee following two options: 1. Dark Souls II was headed by a different lead designer (Two, actually, one of which left partway through production. The game had a very troublesome development) The designer seemed to prefer doing his own thing a bit and leave the specifics of the lore of Dark Souls in the background but he still had to acknowledge it somehow. He did that by obscuring it a bit behind what seems like several thousand of years. In Dark Souls III Miyazaki was back at the helm and he liked his Dark Souls I stuff, so he wants to include it completely. 2. Dark Souls IIs theme is the loss of memory and identity (see, the process of going hollow, which the game emphasizes mechanically and with some lines of some characters. Also Lucatiel). Drangleic also seems to be set in a place outside of the regular world too (you jump into a vortex at the beginning of the game and end up in Drangleic), so maybe the reason things have been "forgotten" is that there's no real way to know them there, since everybody who goes there is cursed to lose theirselves anyway or already halfway there, so whatever history is recorded is only recorded very poorly and with even more holes that the lore of the first game. The only thing I'm pretty sure of is that Dark Souls III is set after Dark Souls II. Dark Souls III seems more final, but I don't wanna get ahead of ourselves here. It also references some things from Dark Souls II. IGgy IGsen fucked around with this message at 20:36 on Oct 1, 2016 |
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Oct 1, 2016 20:34
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IGgy IGsen posted:Yeah, the way it incorporates elements from the first game is what I consider to be fan service done right. The only one I could have done without was the Seigmeyer redux. Like I'm cool with a Catarina Knight. But adding a new character that was the exact same as the old character, especially personality and mannerisms, was a bit much.
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Oct 1, 2016 21:10
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 High Lord Wolnir  Wolnir is a very large skeleton imprisoned in his own small part of the Abyss. A lot of people like to theorize that he's the Player Character from Dark Souls II but I don't believe that was the intention. That theory is mainly based on the description of the crown, which mentions that Wolnir defeated lords and ground the crowns of them to make his own crown. The idea here being that tose crowns would be the three crowns from the DL that would, when combined with the fourth crown, the one of king Vendrick along with Vendick's blessing would grant immunity to the effects of the curse. But again, I don't like that theory or believe it holds any ground because his story seems to be a different one in that he was a ruler of some kind and eventually conquered other kingdoms and ground the crowns of their lords to dust to make his own crown in order to crown himself high lord. Fighting Wolnir can go quick either way. It's possible to die really fast, and also to kill Wolnir quickly. In our fight he didn't even get a chance to show off half of his attacks. If you attack Wolnir normally you'll notice that your attacks do very little damage. What you need to do is to attack his bracelets, once one is destroyed Wolnir takes a huge chunk of damage. It's best to stay on the outside of his arms because if you stay on the inside you might get dragged into the fog of death by his attack and idle animations. Staying on the outside also makes all of his other attacks easier to dodge and less effective in general. He can sweep with his arm, which you can dodge through or run away from, he can breathe fog, which can either be dealt with by running or getting really close, there's a bit of a sweet spot between the fog behind him and the one he's spitting across the arena. Wolnir will also summon skeletons on some occasions but he almost never does it for me. I find them very trivial to deal with as long as they stay on the inside for the arms while you're on the outside. Another thing that we didn't see was his sword. Wolnir can get out his sword, which extends his moveset somewhat but since all his attacks come out really slow anyway they should be simple enough to predict and dodge. His most dangerous move is probably just moving forward. If you get too far away he will charge towards you, which also causes the fog behind him to advance. So if he actually catches up with you you're dead. He can sometimes also do this regardless of your distance to him after destroying a bracelet, so it's wise to get ready to run for a few seconds after a bracelet is dealt with. Aside from that it's better to stay close rather than far away, because if he repeatedly charges you'll eventually reach the wall behind you, making a comeback from that is incredibly hard. But destroying a bracelet makes him go back down a bit too. IGgy IGsen fucked around with this message at 23:54 on Oct 7, 2016 |
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Oct 7, 2016 16:24
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