Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree - Blind Playthrough #05: Scadu Altus II

[@theharmfulhydra]

Not using scadutree fragments is like not using smithing stones or not leveling up. It is modulating the difficulty but it is not the intended way of playing. The reason I bring it up is because you do level up and do use smithing stones but hesitate with scadutree fragments. Fromsoft leaves a finite amount of scadutree fragments lying around that will never let you become as overpowered as you could in the base game by overleveling or by farming materials. The boss fight with the dragon does feel like watching a sl1 run or no upgrade(smithing stones) runs from something like the base game or other Dark souls games. All that being said, it is your playthrough and I hope you find a balance that is right for you.

[@Dangerman-zg3ui]

Happy Christmas, Chanukeah Sameach and other various holidays! Also awww at Aurelia having a cameo!

[@nucularmechanic9623]

I struggled with ghostflame dragons at first. Then I discovered their weakness.

[@kepe7323]

What a lovely christmas gift. Praise Regret.

[@jlmeyer7]

Aegon, brother, please do a wiki-aided NG+ run. I would love to see what sort of input you have with the aid of the community and the ability to finish obscure quest lines.

[@silentservant_]

44:45 😂 well Aegon I did struggle trying to do it on my own , that’s when I used my Mimic Tear 😬

[@justkallmekai]

Naturally it's a matter of what build/weapons you're using. I had no problem with airborne enemies thanks to my whip build, which was very fun!

[@ghostmacekillah821]

I know it's probably too late to tell you this but the boss you missed in the main game ties in to a quest and boss in this dlc.

[@joshk494]

I did not struggle with the ghostflame dragons, but I also did not hesitate to use the scadutree blessings, and I dislike using weapons as small as thrusting swords in general. By the time I faced the particular dragon giving you grief at the start of this episode, I think I had explored the surrounding area enough to already have like 8 scadutree blessings, and I was using an occult great katana. The bleed didn't make a difference but the poise damage and reach absolutely did. I forget what skill I was using at the time, but I know I also pressed L2 more than you do. But really, the biggest difference was the blessings. The way From designed the DLC, if youre struggling, you're meant to go explore more to find more of them, and upgrade your damage and negations. Second guessing this was your biggest problem. And, maybe just not realizing that these guys are more like set pieces than anything else that only reward you with hearts and smithing stones. You can and should skip them entirely if you want to.

[@painfuldiscourse5231]

Real shame you missed Thiollier in the first area before the run Great broke.

[@jlmeyer7]

Thiolier is still there. Just did a run where I didn’t see them before the rune broke. Everything is fine

[@painfuldiscourse5231]

@@jlmeyer7 I know the questIine is still available but I think he won't get the half of the dialogue and Moore connection and the nectar thing. Also really enjoyed Thiollier's visible change to following St. Trina

[@HeevaEgo]

@@painfuldiscourse5231 yeah, talking to him early - before the charm-breaking - adds so much depth to his character and relations with other characters. Oh well, at least he’ll still be there for Aegon if he goes back there

[@user-wy8jo3yg6u]

There are just too many ghostflame dragons or furnace golems in this game.

[@4blasphemy]

wow, its pretty crazy how instead of pressing r2 or l2, and/or upgrading a different weapon that might deal more poise damage, you decided to get stat increases through the blessing, i more than understand your situation of time, but this is a level of backwards care giving i didnt expect you did it to save time, and yet the thing that could have saved time waaaaaaay more you didnt do (r2, l2, different weapon), i am not mad or sad, im surprised that it could be done this way

[@dorkmoonblade4315]

What are you even referring to?

[@4blasphemy]

@@dorkmoonblade4315 the ghostflame dragon, the thing he spent probably more than a week on, and he actively decided to not kill it fast but rather a slower and more boring way

[@dorkmoonblade4315]

@@4blasphemy That thing is awful and horribly designed, it's the worst content in the dlc and it's not even close. The biggest waste of time was choosing to kill it in the first place.

[@4blasphemy]

@@dorkmoonblade4315 oh, so you dont know how to fight the dragons either, its a shame since agheel was meant to be the teacher of that, but if you actually hit the face, and do press r2 or l2 on it, it is a really good fight (just like other dragons) continuing to hit the leg after having experienced it as boring shows a character of unopenness to trying other stuff, but then to be surprised that you experience it as awful after on purpose not trying other stuff is on no one but the player

[@dorkmoonblade4315]

@@4blasphemy This Ghostflame Dragon has an absurd amount of health, and every time you die all the mobs around him respawn as well, and they will aggro to you if you fight the dragon. meaning they all have to die again before you get a second chance. It is deeply unfun and it doesn't matter if the dragon's base moveset is fair, the mobs will always make it a bullshit encounter.