Dark Souls 3

I make run through the whole series at least once every 18 months. I wasn't planning on doing it until this summer, but now I'm tempted, too.
 
I fought Sister Friede last night...still the toughest boss in any Souls/Bloodborne game...I saved my game right before the fight so even after I beat her I went back to the previous save and practiced...I can beat her pretty consistently now but it's never easy...very fun and rewarding fight once you finally defeat her but Stage 3 is borderline unfair because of how she can almost one shot you with multiple moves...you really need to master directional rolling to have any chance...I recorded a video of my fight with her...

and I beat the game using kb/m...so don't let anyone tell you that you need to use a controller...kb/m is fine for playing Souls game on PC...directional rolling is annoying using kb/m but it just takes some practice...

 
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I fought Sister Friede last night...still the toughest boss in any Souls/Bloodborne game...I saved my game right before the fight so even after I beat her I went back to the previous save and practiced...I can beat her pretty consistently now but it's never easy...very fun and rewarding fight once you finally defeat her but Stage 3 is borderline unfair because of how she can almost one shot you with multiple moves...you really need to master directional rolling to have any chance...I recorded a video of my fight with her...

and I beat the game using kb/m...so don't let anyone tell you that you need to use a controller...kb/m is fine for playing Souls game on PC...directional rolling is annoying using kb/m but it just takes some practice...


Panic rolls for the win!
 
if you need summoning help you're not a real Souls player ;) ...I think a lot of people use summoning help and pretend like they beat the game solo...
 
dude please. a guy once talked about how he watched a girl twitch stream a fight against that boss.... for 7 hours. that can probably describe me against a lot of the bosses. my reflexes are slow and my pattern recognition sucks and fights consists of me banging the keyboard hoping something works. lol
 
I think a lot of people use summoning help and pretend like they beat the game solo...

80% of people I invade always have 1-2 summoning partners...I'm like c'mon dude, where's the satisfaction in beating the Souls game if you need 2-3 people helping you with every level and every boss...but to each his own and I guess my love of brutal difficulty is not the norm
 
80% of people I invade always have 1-2 summoning partners...I'm like c'mon dude, where's the satisfaction in beating the Souls game if you need 2-3 people helping you with every level and every boss...but to each his own and I guess my love of brutal difficulty is not the norm
if you are invading people then they are just a gank squad fishing for invaders, not actually playing the game
 
dude please. a guy once talked about how he watched a girl twitch stream a fight against that boss.... for 7 hours

that's the beauty of the Souls series...dying multiple times to a boss...feeling like it's hopeless...then slowly getting better and finally defeating it...it took me 30+ tries to beat Sister Friede the first time...I thought Stage 3 was literally impossible as she was too fast, didn't give you any time to heal, she has endless 15-18 hit combos and total BS insta-kill moves...but now I can beat her somewhat regularly and only use ~5 estus during the entire 3 stages
 
if you need summoning help you're not a real Souls player ;) ...I think a lot of people use summoning help and pretend like they beat the game solo...

I only played DS3 solo. And... it was a pretty slow process. I never beat it either, but that was because I got distracted. I think with Prey or something. I want to guess I was about 1/3 to 1/2 way in, and having a lot of fun even with all the repetition. Never did I feel like I wanted to play with Rando Calrissian though :D

Maybe with a friend or something but that’d be it.

I really need to start over so I can catch my rhythm. I doubt starting where I was would be very fruitful.
 
I only played DS3 solo. And... it was a pretty slow process. I never beat it either, but that was because I got distracted. I think with Prey or something. I want to guess I was about 1/3 to 1/2 way in, and having a lot of fun even with all the repetition. Never did I feel like I wanted to play with Rando Calrissian though :D

Maybe with a friend or something but that’d be it.

I really need to start over so I can catch my rhythm. I doubt starting where I was would be very fruitful.

I was half kidding about not being a true Souls player if not played solo...but I do think it makes for a more rewarding experience...plus it's a badge of honor to beat every boss solo...using NPC or summoning cheapens the experience...but if that's what someone needs in order to play this series then go for it...you should get back and finish DS3...there are definitely some really challenging bosses past the halfway point and into the DLC...
 
my fight with the final boss of the DLC (and final boss of the Souls series)- Slave Knight Gael...I had to switch up from my usual STR weapon to something quicker as it was hard to get clean shots on him with a slower weapon as I kept getting damage from his follow through magic in Stages 2 and 3...

 
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I think Friede is the only boss in any of the Souls games that I haven't beaten without a summon. I've only fought her twice, but I got fed up both times. I've taken out all of the others solo, though. Midir and the Nameless King were both complete hassles to deal with. Lud and Zallen on NG+ (and above) are still the worst, though. The fact that there's no save point after that damn valley is just a giant middle finger from the devs IMO.
 
I think Friede is the only boss in any of the Souls games that I haven't beaten without a summon. I've only fought her twice, but I got fed up both times. I've taken out all of the others solo, though. Midir and the Nameless King were both complete hassles to deal with. Lud and Zallen on NG+ (and above) are still the worst, though. The fact that there's no save point after that damn valley is just a giant middle finger from the devs IMO.

Friede is the hardest boss in any game IMO. There's something about her that gave me a significant amount of trouble, took me like 50 attempts to beat her. I've beaten her around 3-4 times now but still gives me a lot of trouble.
 
Friede is the hardest boss in any game IMO. There's something about her that gave me a significant amount of trouble, took me like 50 attempts to beat her. I've beaten her around 3-4 times now but still gives me a lot of trouble.

DS3 is very similar to Bloodborne in that a lot of the bosses are incredibly aggressive and move very fast with very little openings to heal (Abyss Watchers, Sister Friede, Champion Gundyr etc)...Friede is like a souped up version of Lady Maria...even though I can beat her somewhat consistently now it's easy to die to her multiple times while you get back into the rhythm of the fight
 
I recall completing Ariandel and Ringed City DLC the first time using my lvl 57 character (stubborn me thought I needed the extra challenge). I was so underleveled for the DLC it wasn't funny. I can't event imagine doing a SL0 run through each DLC.

Of all the DLC bosses, I had more trouble with Midir. While I died a lot to Friede (probably 50 times), each time I walked away learning something new. The next time I fought her, I did better. However, with Midir, I felt like I was banging my head against the wall. He wasn't nearly as predictable. And his HP pool has to be one of the largest amongst DS3 bosses.
 
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DS3 is very similar to Bloodborne in that a lot of the bosses are incredibly aggressive and move very fast with very little openings to heal (Abyss Watchers, Sister Friede, Champion Gundyr etc)...Friede is like a souped up version of Lady Maria...even though I can beat her somewhat consistently now it's easy to die to her multiple times while you get back into the rhythm of the fight

It's probably why I love DS3 boss fights. I hope Elden Ring builds on it.
 
I love the way Dark Souls 3 combat has evolved...it's obvious From Software is discouraging players from using heavy armor/shields and wants them to roll instead...so many boss fights (Sister Friede, Abyss Watchers, Champion Gundyr, Soul of Cinder etc) and even mini-bosses (Monstrosity of Sin, Ghru Leaper etc) in DS3 demand a mastery of rolling...for STR users it's a real challenge using a STR weapon plus heavy armor...using Havel's Shield or heavy armor is nearly impossible for some of the fights as you need to stay under 70% equip load (under 30% for the fastest rolls)...enemies can wipe out your stamina bar in a few hits...that was my biggest adjustment with the game-- learning to master directional rolling

it started with Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3 to a lesser extent...Sekiro again was From Software telling players not to rely on shields...I'm sure Elden Ring will take this to another level...that's just one of reasons From Software is currently the best developer- their games have the same basic template but they don't play the same at all...they are constantly evolving and challenging players in new and interesting ways
 
In earlier games on subsequent NG+ cycles the bosses will hit hard enough that heavy armor and shields become useless naturally. In the first game you're not making it to NG+7 if you keep trying to face tank. Dark Souls 3 changed it up by making almost every boss unique on your first playthrough. Some bosses you can face tank, others demand more mobility while some need to be parried. I think when you boil it down almost every boss in the first two games are quite similar to one another.
 
Some bosses you can face tank, others demand more mobility while some need to be parried. I think when you boil it down almost every boss in the first two games are quite similar to one another.

I never beat any of the bosses in any of the Souls games by parrying...Champion Gundyr was easy to parry but I still preferred rolling and fast movement...I've always felt that parrying was too risky...mis-time something and it really messes you up
 
I was watching a video today about the best Dark Souls 3 bosses and in discussing Sister Friede he made a good point...what makes the boss fight so amazing is that it's purely skill based...there's no gimmick...comparing it to something like Ornstein and Smough which was also difficult but it was more environmental-based because you had the pillars to strafe around/hide...with Friede (especially Stage 3) it's just you and her mano-a-mano...skill vs skill
 
I was watching a video today about the best Dark Souls 3 bosses and in discussing Sister Friede he made a good point...what makes the boss fight so amazing is that it's purely skill based...there's no gimmick...comparing it to something like Ornstein and Smough which was also difficult but it was more environmental-based because you had the pillars to strafe around/hide...with Friede (especially Stage 3) it's just you and her mano-a-mano...skill vs skill
I enjoy a variety, however. I like having some of the gimmick bosses and/or boss rooms with varying sizes or more interesting architectures. It can get old circle dogding in big square rooms.
 
I've made entire runs through all 3 of the DS games without parrying a single time. It always felt like a high risk move that didn't always reward you appropriately. Obviously it's super powerful if you're really good at it, but your timing and positioning have to be really, really good. If you succeed you get a critical hit...but if you screw up you're potentially going to die right then and there. At the very least you're going to take an equally big shot. My strategy usually revolves around 2-handing a large weapon that staggers most foes. With bosses, I tend to just circle them mixed with occasional rolls. In DS1 they don't often let you do that, but in 2 and 3 it works wonders vs. the larger foes.
 
I've made entire runs through all 3 of the DS games without parrying a single time. It always felt like a high risk move that didn't always reward you appropriately. Obviously it's super powerful if you're really good at it, but your timing and positioning have to be really, really good. If you succeed you get a critical hit...but if you screw up you're potentially going to die right then and there. At the very least you're going to take an equally big shot. My strategy usually revolves around 2-handing a large weapon that staggers most foes. With bosses, I tend to just circle them mixed with occasional rolls. In DS1 they don't often let you do that, but in 2 and 3 it works wonders vs. the larger foes.
The nice thing is that for the most part you have a lot of options on how to approach fights. For parrying, it is really just learning the attack patterns of enemies, how they telegraph their attacks, and knowing which ones to parry and which ones not to. Once you get into the rhythm of it there really is no risk anymore.
 
The nice thing is that for the most part you have a lot of options on how to approach fights. For parrying, it is really just learning the attack patterns of enemies, how they telegraph their attacks, and knowing which ones to parry and which ones not to. Once you get into the rhythm of it there really is no risk anymore.
Yep. I realized that getting good at parrying, and then actually pulling it off in the clutch - particularly against huge bosses - is maybe the most satisfying and thrilling thing in the game.
 
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Parrying works pretty well in PVP. You often get a rather large window, due to lag. And if you use a weapon which gets a large damage modifier for parry's, it can be pretty killer.
 
Dark Souls Series Sales Surpass 27 Million Units Globally With Dark Souls 3 Selling More Than 10 Million Units

The DARK SOULS series has sold over 27 million units to date...We are incredibly grateful to every single one of our players...This success is owed to you...We hope you continue to enjoy our games, and look forward to Elden Ring, the new Action RPG that's currently in development...

https://twitter.com/fromsoftware_pr/status/1262628410079080453
 
I would still buy a PC Bloodborne immediately. Even at full price. I still think the Bloodborne Axe might be my favorite From weapon of all time.
Tough to say how much stock I put in this right now, though. I mean, they could be working on an enhanced port for the PS5 so a PC version could essentially go hand-in-hand with that. Feels a little late otherwise. They don't usually port exclusive games 5 years after the fact.
 
^ yeah if it wasn't for Horizon Zero Dawn going PC I would dismiss Bloodborne possibility outright. But maybe Sony realized that MS is only going to ramp up Xbox games on PC going forward, and so decided better not ignore PC.
 
the Bloodborne rumors have been popping up for years now...I would love for it to happen but I don't believe it...now those Demon's Souls PS5 remake rumors are definitely legit...that is pretty much a lock at this point
 
Bloodborne didn't even get a PS4 pro patch, so I doubt a PC port is on the way. Pity, because even though it's a 10/10 masterpiece there's still issues which could be fixed with a PC port, such as the frame pacing and occasional blurriness due to the mandatory chromatic aberration.
 
Bloodborne didn't even get a PS4 pro patch, so I doubt a PC port is on the way. Pity, because even though it's a 10/10 masterpiece there's still issues which could be fixed with a PC port, such as the frame pacing and occasional blurriness due to the mandatory chromatic aberration.
None of the Dark Souls games ever got a PS4 Pro or One X patch, yet they all have PC versions.
 
Dark Souls Series Sales Surpass 27 Million Units Globally With Dark Souls 3 Selling More Than 10 Million Units

The DARK SOULS series has sold over 27 million units to date...We are incredibly grateful to every single one of our players...This success is owed to you...We hope you continue to enjoy our games, and look forward to Elden Ring, the new Action RPG that's currently in development...

https://twitter.com/fromsoftware_pr/status/1262628410079080453
Wow that's....that's a lot of Dark Souls 3!

I'm so proud T_T
 
None of the Dark Souls games ever got a PS4 Pro or One X patch, yet they all have PC versions.
Not the ones that Sony have the ownership rights to (Bloodborne and Demons Souls), which is the key difference.

Rumor has it that Sony asked FROM to assist with a ps4pro patch for bloodborne and FROM said no, they are not going to dedicate resources to that game anymore. If they won't even assist with a ps4 pro patch, then the game is never getting a PC port with FROM's involvement. (Sony will have to approach another developer to do it)
 
Looking at some of the older posts about soloing the games vs summoning (I never got super into Souls until post Bloodborne despite attempts) in my pure paranoia of being invaded I played Bloodborne offline whilst also never realizing NPCs could be summoned to help.

So my biggest achievement is soloing Shadows of Yharnam. (Also but less so Abyss Watchers). Never beat any of the games but I’ve played my money’s worth and enjoyed them. Just lack the skill or determination to break through the skill ceiling.

All that said finally forced a buddy to give Bloodborne a second go (and he’s loving it) but we’re co-oping basically all of it. And yeah there is definitely a fantastic sense of achievement and relief at soloing a tough battle, I think the games are purely much more fun with friends/summons. It skews the difficulty sure but it feels in keeping with the multiverse theme. Such as NPCs summoning the player to their world for battles on rare occasion.
 
From put summoning/co-op in the series for a reason. I forget what the #'s were, but there were a staggering number of players that never even killed the first boss in Dark Souls 3. You would typically encounter him in the first 15 minutes of playing the game. I'd rather people get to experience the games in some fashion than to run into a brick wall in the first half hour. Not everyone has the time or desire to "git gud" when they have other things to do and other games to play.
 
I keep hearing that you could get soft banned for using mods in any of the Souls games (PC)...1) what is the likelihood of this happening?...2) what exactly is a soft ban compared to a 'normal' ban?
 
From apparently never cared about the old DSFix mod as I used it like 99.9% of the time. I can't tell you the number of times I've reverted to old saves and tried random graphical tweaks and mods. I still got invaded pretty often there's no shortage of player comments on the ground.
Could just be an empty threat to keep people from going ham.
 
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