Is A Black Flame Monk Build in Elden Ring Worth It? Black Flame Secret Starting Class

[@tulokmango6684]

Use code HAIGHT50 to get 50% OFF your first Factor box plus 20% off your next month at bit.ly/3zuUxMg!

[@93DAIMOND]

your political commentary is so cute when you identify what nihilism is, before, because I think deep down you know that no matter how you vote and which party the country will not improve significantly regardless, people who control the printer control the world so you could pick a party and pretend there is a meaning or just embrace the nihilism which was born from people weakness to change anything meaningful other than the name of the ruling party

[@NathanTruby]

I love how you start diving deep into political commentary when the run starts getting boring. Makes things interesting again and teaches people critical thinking.

[@93DAIMOND]

@@NathanTruby I don't disagree ust pointing out ironies

[@NathanTruby]

@@93DAIMOND dude, I don't even know you. I was commenting at Tulok.

[@ichigo9055]

As someone who only just recently got out of being homeless, I really appreciate the media literacy check about the struggles of homelessness. I ended up homeless because I got unlucky and randomly got a major back injury by, get this, falling asleep. The amount of struggle just to get back into a physically stable enough condition to TRY getting work again was insane and I was lucky enough to be in a state where access to medicaid was readily available so imagine how bad things are for the people in states without. If you see a homeless person out there you don't have to hand over your life savings or give them a room in your house but just treat them like a human being and give them a hand if you can, ya know? And thank you for bringing attention to the problems homeless people face

[@huffn_puffn3710]

Grateful for you sharing your experience, and grateful for your improved fortune!

[@ichigo9055]

@@huffn_puffn3710 Appreciated friend, very kind of ya

[@bendrowned8506]

if you dont mind me asking, how did sleeping cause the back injury? i believe you completely but thats really strange

[@ichigo9055]

@@bendrowned8506 Not 100% clear on the specifics but the injury itself when I finally got it figured out (5 years after it happened, yay American healthcare) was a severely herniated disc crushing my sciatic nerve for 5 years, my best guess is while rolling around in my sleep I twisted my back really badly and ended up with the disc out of place.

[@kingofcringe0]

@@bendrowned8506 lose of muscle probably?

[@otishawkridge2331]

51:22 Tulok has finally understood spell enjoyers. It's not about what is good, its about what is fun and looks cool.

[@Ripvanwinckle255]

Elderly woman run when

[@bplatinumpaladin]

Celebrant, Secret Starting Class. XD

[@mossygreen89]

that would just be a barf drinker build

[@davidduncan5897]

LOL make him farm the Celebrant's Sickle

[@Ghostly3011]

Cane sword??

[@-beelzebub]

@@Ghostly3011I did a run with that and it sucked the rib rake reminded me of a broom so I used that it was so much better

[@johndipietro9301]

"This one is going to be nice and smooth... how could it not be?" Is, uh, this a "foreshadowing is a narrative device" moment?

[@Frommerman]

Foreshadowing sure is a narrative device

[@gabe3042]

i haven’t watched yet, but i don’t think so. i think its one of those funnies. yeah, no foreshadowing at all

[@splatzec]

Goddamn it Tulok I love your yapping. Hearing others voice my thoughts about the state of the world gives me hope that humanity will eventually overcome this crap.

[@tabletopnephilim4633]

Not gonna lie, I was desperately trying not to "um actually" you when you were talking about how people have never screwed themselves over just to screw someone else over more, and my faith in you was rewarded when you said "psyche" and started listing every example I was thinking of.

[@t.d.3803]

Yeah sometimes he emphasizes a point with a technique known as sarcasm.

[@StoryDrafting]

Media Literacy Check is rad as hell in general but this one is the raddest so far

[@NGE7]

I failed

[@on.ya.]

I think in terms of length you were looking at the “mace” which is just the plain mace you can buy from the maiden husks. it’s actually referred to as “monk” on the range chart, putting it as longer than marika’s hammer by a few inches or so. doesnt really change the fact that yeah, it’s stil chodeish, but i think that’s more the fault of hammers in general as opposed to the flamemace.

[@genxmonk70]

26:32 Yay! My favorite segment! 39:34 when you do stop the Media Literacy segment could you ask your editor to make a long form compilation video of them all? Please?

[@Uberphish]

I love the media literacy sections. I watch tons of lore explainers and political diatribes, and it's refreshing to have a version of _both_ of those that also has the madcap energy of a passionate substitute community college professor subbing in for someone who didn't give a shit. "Sit down and shut up, I'm only here for a day so I'm about to give you the entire textbook in an hour."

[@adipsia6154]

Come for the builds, stay for the forbidden lands dialogue and media literacy sections 🤘

[@ImiiVy]

So true

[@eaglelord145]

That was a fucking BANGER of a media literacy segment. They always cook but goddamn.

[@Onorel]

34:19 You can't get a job (or even social aid, or food stamps for that matter) if you don't have an address. You can't get an address if you don't have any revenue. There isn't enough space in homeless shelters in most big cities in north america. If you end up in the street for any reason, yeah, you're probably screwed. And the rethoric of saying people who live in the streets are lazy is so stupid. A lot of them have untreated mental health issues however, and the healthcare system doesn't have the time nor the financial incentive to take care of them.

[@Broken__Reality]

the US healthcare system is a travesty. I'm lucky to not be American and live in a country with healthcare that is accessible otherwise I would have been dead long ago due to mental health issues.

[@toranstarfall1058]

With the talk about the differences between nihilism, misanthropy, and anarchy, it made me realize that each has their own ending. Dung eater, as you discussed, is misanthropic, and his ending reflects that, the Frenzy ending is very much nihilistic, trying to destroy the entire world, and Ranni's ending is somewhat anarchist, believing that people should be able to govern their own actions, just this time going against gods instead of governments(although the government is under the control of a god in Elden Ring)

[@fraserrankin9357]

The scouring black flame incantation **Apparently** has the potential to hit twice, (something to do with how the hitboxes on it work) so the scadutree avatar definitely could have been hit twice on some occasions by the incantation

[@say5070]

Im Elden ringed out. Havent played it in a month and dont even really watch content for it but I always make an exception for this channel because I like Phil, and damnit there os so much value in it outside of elden ring. Enjoyed the lore/politcal rant. My mans went in. Lol

[@burrito9327]

DAMN That Dungeater section went hard, hard facts

[@JustissRoss937]

Unless something has changed you should be able to get Ansbach's stuff if you reload the area

[@LightLukk]

Same experience here too.

[@Saurekin]

yeah that's correct, I haven't beaten Radahn while summoning Ansbach, and I've always gotten Ansbach's stuff (same for Thiollier but Tulok isn't doing a Thiollier build, at least not yet) Ultimately it's a moot point because he finished playing the Ansbach run well before this video came out anyway.

[@DiegoOrtiz-tu6gf]

Puerto Rico mentioned!!!!! 🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷 (I live there)

[@jacksonbrown396]

These media literacy segments just get better every time

[@angeryboye]

Blackflame Blade fpr some reason casts quicker after a roll or a light attack so rather than staying still to cast it try using it right after dodging an attack, it feels much better and makes it more usable

[@psycoNaughtplaysMCPC]

It locks you into a standing position when you cast it, you’re more likely to get hit m8. Just roll and save the pepper for when you’re elbow deep in a boss’ guts

[@davidduncan5897]

7 seconds doesn't exactly feel usable unfortunately. Considering the fact that Bloodflame Blade (arguably a better Incantation) lasts for 60 seconds I feel that Black Flame Blade should last for 30 seconds.

[@darthplagueis13]

@@davidduncan5897 Difference is, Black Flame Blade works like a drawstring grease rather than a regular blade grease. Much faster buffing animation, higher potency (aside from the HP sapping, the fire damage is also like 60% higher than Bloodflame Blade) but short duration. I think the reason they gave it such a short duration is because the percentage based health sapping is really potent.

[@gabe3042]

it cast faster cuz its part of the “cast immediately after performing another action” family of spells, like carian slicer

[@edwardobrickiii8256]

You can cast blackflame blade while jumping and it doesn't lock you in the animation (:

[@thoughtfulfreespace]

This media section was really great, fun way to link the dung eater and the systems in real life.. Also glad you're feeling better, woop woop!

[@ploosiedasix]

I already enjoy the media literacy checks, but as someone who both has been homeless in the past and does volunteer work with the homeless in the present, I especially appreciate this one

[@A.C_B.]

Second video to comment: Gideon is a prime example of the colonized intellectual. He is a tarnished himself, one who explicitely seeks to know everything. Issue is: the systems of knowledge (the Discourse) is controlled by Marika, by the Fingers, by the golden order. Gideon is devoted to the academic study of knowledge, but this means that he has to work within the systems of academia, within the systems of knowledge dictated by the golden Order. He turns the ideology which seeks his own exploitation into his own personal paradigm of how to understand the world. As such, it becomes impossible for him to think anything that contradicts the golden order. When he says "I know in my bones that a tarnished cannot become Lord" what he really means is: "I have become so invested into an ideology which presents people like me as second class citizens, that it has become impossible for me to imagine myself or anyone like me breaking out of that system" This is why knowledge is power. Knowing/being told that something is impossible, is a very valid way of controlling one's behaviour. Mistrusting the Fingerreader Crones is the first step of breaking out of that system. Vyke is also an interesting case here: he mistrusted the golden order, so instead placed his faith into the frenzied flame, which destroyed him. A nice example of how revolutions often turn into Authoritarianism with even more severe censorship than the previous governments.

[@CrumblierKey0]

I didn't expect the Woop Woop reference. 10/10.

[@lucasandersen3610]

media literacy bit was GREAT, important theme and such a good text

[@d9_1056]

My whiteboard in my office has had "magnets, how do they work" on it so long, the dry erase ink wont rub off. I want to say at least 3 years.

[@NativeGrizz]

I never summon Ansbach but his stuff and Thiollier’s stuff is always there after I rest at grace

[@bplatinumpaladin]

9:05 you sounded like you turned into Woody. "This isnt flying, this is Falling with Style!"

[@garrettsweet9826]

Happy to hear you're doing better boss. Looking forward to whatever the new stuff is, I am indeed locked in, as the youth say.

[@giordano__bruno1]

The woop woop is unstoppable

[@BlazingAzureQrow]

I love that I get a little educational section over the boring grinding and have cool rabbit holes to research later. Thank you for Phil, for making my favorite content every week 🫡

[@allielowry6191]

Man I love when tulok just says the most based shit I've ever heard while giving me gameplay to watch, it's like those tiktok videos with the subway surfers footage with reddit posts being read over them

[@darthplagueis13]

I've definitely see people get Ansbachs set after beating Radahn without summoning him. Did you maybe just not reload the area? I think you need to reload it for the stuff to spawn in. Either that or you might have to watch the "cutscene" but I think actually just sitting at the site of grace will cause it to spawn in.

[@gatlinbliss]

I love when you have a talk about an complex topic and just explain it better then some teachers and you still tied into the game

[@FoozleMoozle]

Black Flame Blade is hella fun. Works best with a weapon you want to one-hand that is fast (due to short casting time with short duration).

[@Lord_Ocram]

Ooo, I did a Black Flame Monk build a while back. It was very fun! Although, I did use the Godslayer's Greatsword and Godskin Peeler, so it was a bit easier than this one. Farming the set was a pain though, and there were definitely some roadblocks.

[@TinyToast-pg2xj]

All those stripped of the grace of gold shall meet (destined) death, in the embrace, of Tulok’sssssss flame

[@Kb24magick]

Honestly i only watch these videos for the info and the jokes at this point, i still love the videos

[@AceTrainerBanjo]

I loved the part when he said, "It's jugglin time" and whoop whooped all over the place.

[@Shmethan]

When are we gonna be done with this meme?

[@NGE7]

@@Shmethannever

[@solaireofcatarina44]

So dung eater was an omen withoyt the omen apperance whatever that means. Which means that he prorbalybwas a norpal human and then learned about omenes and decided to go killing, that's when they locked him up. And milos is probably a small troll that maybe was omen cursed. We see bears and animals with omen marks in land of shadow so it may be something like this. Or milos was just some poor troll that dungeater killed

[@ThiagoCRocha-fh6lg]

Holy shit Media Literacy check is the best part of my week Hands Down

[@JS.bass244]

I think a better description for anarchists would be: those that are against hierarchal power structures (anti state and anti capitalist) and are pro freedom of association, pro mutual aid, pro self defence and pro self determination. I really enjoyed your dissection of how awful it is to be homeless in the US and how so many people are convinced against their best interest and the interest of people who have more in common with them than those at the top of oppressive power structures. I also love when you play Elden ring. Can’t wait to see you play more hades 2 as well

[@curvilinearcube8716]

Oh I know uncle iron is gonna make that swag jump first try

[@zeyalderson]

If you don't fight for others, there won't be anyone left to fight for you

[@UndeadInnkeeper]

New uploads are always the highlight of my week. I always make time to sit down and watch as soon as I get the notification, and if I'm at work I know I have something to look forward to watching after.

[@glupiglupek]

love how an elden ring video is about americas poverty and different philosophies

[@KnightOfTheKey]

This has to be the best media literacy segment you've done to date.

[@rebbeca5967]

Holy shit (pun intended), the Media Literacy section was incredible

[@wyattweber9983]

The whole time you were griping on the mace I was like just get the sword broseph. Don't ever stop media literacy, you're a scholar and a gentleman. PS I also always put myself in Ymir's hat hole

[@yukariyoshisaki6333]

thanks man, every time you upload im looking forward to my weekly politics lesson not much that is new to me but its still fun to listen to

[@KawabungaDude]

homelessness is literally one bad day away. years ago i broke up with a girl and had to leave the apartment, quickly finding that i had no where to go and anyone who would have taken me in was too far away. still worked a job, was leasing a car that i slept in at my work parking lot, showered at a gym, had to keep my shit in a storage unit, lived off dollar menu food and went to the movies often to escape the summer heat. never did anything bad like hard drugs or gambling addictions, life just happened and shit hit the fan. and yes, going to the bathroom was always a hassle. i skipped dinner most nights so i wouldnt need a bathroom in the middle of the night and you're left to fend for yourself. the shelters nearby only took in women and children and i was young so i didnt know how to navigate the system for food assistance and the like. lived like that for months and it was a special kind of awful. so it's always frustrating to see the homeless treated like theyre a plague when i think about how the only thing i wanted when i was homeless was help.

[@eldenbeast8901]

I love that you're using your platform of gaming to spread much needed information about political issues to people that might not know what's on considering they spend their free time indoors hiding from people. Your doing good work bud

[@NotoriusMango]

If you summoned him at least for one run, his dead body should be there after resting. Hell, when I did Thiollier's quest run and Ansbach was still alive (saved him from Leda), both of their bodies were in the end arena after my multiple attempts. Thiollier wasn't there for my last attempt too.

[@pixelated_human]

these media literacy sections have elevated what i already considered peak youtube videos even higher- highly doubt i'll get sick of em lmao

[@DataDrain02]

So, a few things. Ansbach's gear should be in the arena as long as you did his side quest. Reload the area maybe via the Grace site? I didn't summon him at all in one of my runs. He still somehow died despite not even seeing Radahn's sword. Second... speaking of Radahn. Future runs are gonna be less painful. He was nerfed quite a bit. Still super hard. But much more managable.

[@darthplagueis13]

Yeah, I think he didn't reload the area and just assumed it was missing.

[@salvadbg]

Some of the biggest BARS ever dropped by Tulok in a video. Kinda wish this were on the Little Mac run video. Balls

[@evanwhite5704]

Scouring Black Flame sometimes just hits two times! If you noticed it doing inconsistent damage that might be what it was.

[@matteodidonatantonio]

Tulok at the beginning of the video:"Black flame monk video lessgo" 30 minutes later Tulok:"Society...."

[@ThiagoCRocha-fh6lg]

Very important to be Wide and respect the saxophone; Can't live without those

[@JimmeeGG]

beautiful media literacy check this week, thank you for that

[@SheffiTB]

Ok damn the media literacy section slapped today. Keep it up dude, I love to hear your explanations of these things. They're mostly things I already know, but you word them so much better than I ever could.

[@adamproulx6919]

My jaw is still on the floor from the Dung Eater parable. 🤘 Thanks Tulok, I really enjoy your videos.

[@klyekyle]

I want Tulok to run for office just so he can sarcastically fact bomb whoever dares to stands in his path. However, since he’s an intelligent self aware human being I’m pretty sure he is disqualified from any sort of public office 🤷‍♂️ thanks for the hour of entertainment though!

[@aminox273]

Ansbach's stuff will spawn, just, rest in that grace

[@Mattimation01]

fun fact about the fire monk you farm to get the curved greatsword, he always starts by doing an overhead attack that is missing its hurtbox, it cannot do damage to you

[@FreyRosfield]

now that i finally finished the dlc, i can watch your runs again yay love your videos and humour Phill, great job always

[@Hender.Kerensky]

I can't wait for the media literacy supercut someday!

[@evantheatheist]

Been waiting for this one. Black flame supremacy

[@davidduncan5897]

Black Flame builds are super underrated, especially after they fixed the Poise for Queen's Black Flame on the Godslayer's Greatsword. I wouldn't bother with Scouring Black Flame or Black Flame Blade though....awful Incantations both.

[@burnttoast9081]

Your announcement about there being new projects coming in the future was so exciting, it had inspired me to leave a comment. But now that I'm here, your dissection of misanthropy was one of the best dissections of one of the worst things we as a species could ever conceivably experience. It was succinct, comparatively, yet still incredibly thorough in making it's point.

[@Kalamari24]

Legit? One of my fav vids from you in a while

[@toyfischer]

i thought i was the only one who noticed the glass in famous amos. im not complaining though like you said those things are good, the blood really helps soften the cookie.

[@justjames391]

Currently doing this build in my ng+ 3 run and the godslayer great sword (bc my monk is the main character ofc🗿).

[@hankdriskill6153]

Yeah, godslayer great sword is PERFECT for this theme and is an awesome weapon too.

[@davidduncan5897]

I love using Black Flame Ritual and then following it up with a Queen's Black Flame while my enemy is still burning in the Ritual. It melts HP like crazy. Proper Black Flame builds are so underrated. Actually the Black Flame Incantation itself is so good that I throw it on every single Faith build I ever make, even the Holy based ones like my more recent Euporia/Sword of Light/Multilayered Rings of Light build.

[@edenwagner-brown1106]

Thanks for making this one! I was just trying to find weapons for a juggalo build last night.

[@headecas]

That always sunny clip about killing rats was a great edit

[@obelisk5926]

i really like the media literacy checks. It helps me expand my view on other options and ways of helping others. Thank you :)

[@JuniperJitterZ]

The Gamzee Makara build combo into the media literacy check is exactly why i come back to this channel weekly.

[@walkernickel4017]

Dung Eater section slaps ✨

[@YaBoyPerun]

I am loving the media literacy, hell I dont agree 100% with what Phil is saying but I can still understand the thinking, agree with some arguments, and at the end, enjoy a new perspective

[@kubomagico8853]

Have you considered doing the chicken run? As armor you use the Redmane Knight Helm, the Gravebird's Blackquill Armor and the Divine Bird Warrior Greaves (whatever for gaunlets) As the weapon the chicken wing (Bloodfiend's Arm)

[@d3vout719]

If it comes with media literacy checks You son of birch I’m in doesn’t matter the content This is more investing and educational than college

[@funkdefied1]

“You are infinitely closer to being homeless than you are to being a billionaire.” Very nice. We’re on the same team.

[@rvril]

Yay secret starting class in thumbnail

[@rvril]

Nvm u been doing it for awhile

[@Kakotheres]

Correct Anarchy mention gets multiple thousands of likes as it should.

[@vikkstardoom2950]

black flame and death flame are the the same thing but black flame is no longer empowered by the rune of death, it fizzled out

[@headlesshiidra]

Honestly surprised you didnt farm for the flame blade much earlier, i imagine it was driving you nuts. Also I appreciate that you do summons in your runs, I get tired of the themed runs where they basically outlaw summons. Its much more relatable this way honestly

[@GenericNintendoFan]

Ah yes, the homestuck reference run.

[@disnark]

“Overrun with pop-up ads and unusable” does… does he not run an adblocker on his browser? That’s fuckin brave in this era.

[@cartooncritic7045]

Some websites shit themselves or prevent you from viewing their site if you run an adblocker. KZbin has tried a few different methods to curb adblockers lately, like preventing a video from playing or making them load for longer than they need to.

[@MFD00MTR33]

6:02 Monk (the hammer you're using, it's not the Mace) is longer than Marikas hammer. It's the 6th longest hammer pre dlc.

[@papadaddio866]

Lol, those Dark Carnival references and woop woops had me dying. Magnets. How do they work?

[@Havic101-atc]

As soon as he said the armor set only had 50 poise and didn't break the 51 threshold, I was hoping he'd remember that you can grab the Bullgoat Talisman without needing to fight anything in order to get that poise boost.

[@wyvernslayer4530]

A voting id is a good thing actually

[@Zekken.00]

God I can't wait to see Tulok do a Fire Prelate build eventually

[@ThatSpiderGuy69]

Never been this early 😂, love the vids man keep up the great work, I'm excited to watch when my foods done

[@Zekken.00]

Honestly the perfect example of Nihilism is the Frenzied Flame as described by Hyetta. It literally wanta to burn everything away till there is nothing, no life, no people, no more births. And you are correct on Dung Eater not being an Anarchist or anything like that. Dude is just a pure psychopath who made a Rune that will spread a curse (that the Hornsent may have created against Marika) to everyone for generations to come

[@FizzbanTheFabulous]

I had a funny comment in mind about how the chatter denying the existence of the mace was a hero, but nevermind I'M EXCITED FOR NEW PROJECTS

[@sadhomie9294]

Ansbach's stuff showed up for me even though I didn't summon him, his corpse should be against the wall left of the entrance (when facing the doorway)

[@filippo_of_the_night]

great work as always, only two things if I may: nice thing to know is that I belive they have nerfed black flame for dlc only, basically it does less damage (I remember reading it somewhere); other thing, I think you can have ansbach gear even if you didn't summon him for Radahn, it should be on the side of the arena somewhere

[@PoyoDesuka]

Im a big time cooperator, and BFBlade is super useful for keeping up with the 3 player bosshealth, and i like prayerful strike on firemonk hammer so thats fun :)