Elden Ring - gamertags on first page

For my current playthrough I decided to go light load and claws only (except fists as secondary when I want strike damage), and back then I thought of this as a bit of a challenge run. How wrong I was, good grief the damage and all the blood!

I originally went for no magic, but then again I did that on previous PTs already, and what the heck, let's just put Bloodflame Blade on them already! Turned out very enjoyable indeed. To me that is, not so much to poor Radahn and the Putrid Tree Spirit in the catacombs nearby.

Wow so I went up to explore Altus and it is massive! It's actually insane how big this world is. Someone offered to take me to volcano manor but that sounds risky so I think I'll stick around here for now. Love that the troll things appear to be regular mobs now. Also thought I'd got away from poison swamps for a bit but then obviously found a castle sat on another swamp.

I've still got the feeling there's enough of the world opened up right now to not need to bang my head against difficult bits and it feels as fresh as the opening segments in Limgrave, Liurnia etc. I'd been worried by a lot of comments that it just gets too tough in the end game but so far so good (appreciate I'm nowhere near the end yet).

Loving the poker thing Danno btw glad I branched out for a bit!

I’m continuing to bounce around and avoid the main quest. Last night I made it to Sellen Crystal Tunnel but the normal way, not the oh-shit-I-teleported way that’s most people’s first experience of it. I was trying to find my way up to Dragonbarrow from Siofra via Caelid, but couldn’t work out if there was a way through.

Anyway I could cope with the miners and pests but not the boss (yet), so then I found the Gael tunnel and started working through it to get to the boss there for that sweet, sweet Moonveil. Still haven’t done any evergaols or catacombs, or gone to Stormveil, so I’ve got all that to look forward to!

I followed a guide for it and just did the bits with loot I wanted. It was confusing as hell at first, and only seeing 3 feet in front of you while being attacked by a huge translucent dragonkin soldier felt… cheap, for a From game.

Cheap is the word. With such a low draw distance it was impossible to tell whether you’d fall to your death or drop three feet when trying to get around.

And the Mausoleum-with-tactical-nukes can also go fuck itself.

Still. Just spanked Astel who was a pain in my arse at first.

That mausoleum is fine once you’re up close, it’s just getting there that’s a pain. And there’s a grace just behind it that’s also a better staging point for taking on the deathbird in that area.

Don't forget the x1.5 str bonus from 2 handing

Mods (especially stuff like the Convergence mod) should be all the excuse you need

loto thanks, I did it the hard way. Galloped all the way to Farum Greatbridge from West Limgrave and then smashed a few Vulgar Militia when I got there - still a great rune farming spot! I’ve now got a Keen Nightrider Flail and not enough smithing stones to get it past +2, so I’ve jumped back* to the main path to get to Raya Lucaria and the first bell bearing.

*beat Margit first try, no big deal

Can you do Radahn before the main quest too? I figured he must be locked away in the early game, but yeah I’d read about that spot too.

I’m over-levelled for Stormveil now, these enemies are dropping peanuts compared to the ones in Caelid, but I’m just pushing through to get to Liurnia and the academy for all the good spells.

Edit- ok it’s pre-Radahn but starts from his castle, got it

Ah, the good times when I had to open inventory in the middle of the boss fight and scramble to find something blunt because I walked into a Crystalian with only a katana and my catalyst equipped

Radahn is optional, can do the main quest without him. He's more tied up with Ranni's quest, which you can stuff up if you do him too early.

I made it to Liurnia this morning- Stormhill castle was more confusing than I remember, I’m sure I did it in a silly order. Made a mental note to go back to the seed beast under the castle later, I skipped it because I’m still trying to get to the Academy for the sorcery stuff. Godrick wasn’t much trouble this time.

I ate his remembrance because I don’t need strength weapons- it still felt really wrong though. My first playthrough I’d still pick a weapon even if I never used it.

Patches?