Two Perfect Invasions

[@blugoo]

I'm very glad you brought up self-expression as a reason for invading, my favorite part of fromsoft online is getting to show others my fun cosplays or personal character builds. I just love playing as a character designed to feel like a base game NPC phantom or invader.

[@genghiskhan6809]

Same. I have so many Mohg themed npc builds like a bloodflame monks, blood paladins, and plain old deranged slashers that found a lord to enable them.

[@Velumbra]

Hard agree, man. Themed builds are where it's at, you gotta min-max fashion with efficiency all the while staying true to builds theme. Made a black flame guy at level 80 then another at 120 and discovered that the godslayer greatsword hits like a fright train in both PvE and PvP, black flame ritual is super effective in hallways and indoors as a whole and I swear that the basic black flame fireball has a slight lingering hitbox because that thing lands consistently if you free aim at the floor.

[@buckyhurdle4776]

I appreciate any invasion thats close. I like a tense loss. What I don't like is a ten second fight, whether I win or lose. I like those invasions where you start to get a sense of the players' personalities and strategies.

[@t.b.cont.]

I’ve been invading in these games for approaching 8 years now. When he said “end on a good invasion” I knew precisely what he meant lmao.

[@spacecowboy5486]

Based pfp

[@diegoalderette6485]

Had an invasion in forsaken depths, spawned at the living jars just before the cage elevator. Got 2 hits on the phantom before the host slaps me and big jar spun and knocked me onto the elevator and started going down. *big brain time* wait till elevator is halfway down and use bloody finger. Spawn BEHIND them at the ladder. Theyre waiting for elevator, backstab the phantom, he falls into elevator shaft. Host whacks me, elevator shows up WITH the phantom. We all go for a ride. Dodge their r1 spam. I land a full 2h banished knight gs r1 chain on them both, finish off with an R2. Dex/int frost boi at lvl85.

[@info_mercial]

That’s what we like to see champ that’s the stuff RIGHT THERE

[@Velumbra]

I like what you said about builds and self expression. It's always a treat to fight somebody who's playing with their favorite stuff then getting to see their personality shine through in how they play, isn't it? Some are playful and emote happy, others are serious and completely mute preferring to focus. Some are very aggressive, others extremely defensive. Some will exploit any opening you give them while another might run in as if to attack only to back off leaving you guessing. Faith build vs int build, str or dex, ranged or melee. Carefully selected weapons and armor in the name or fashion or a neon blue nudist goblin creature with an array of seemingly random weapons. Hell, last year around Christmas, I ran into a red named Santa during some level 80 co-op and he started dumping popular weapons all over the floor, then the co-op session turned into a fight club where Santa beat the ever living shit out of two phantoms and a blue before dying to the host.

[@DontDont-dt2be]

You can drop weapons?

[@Velumbra]

Yeah, people often get their buddies to drop gear like weapons, armor and talismans so they can start the game with the Hand of Malenia or something funny like that. Can drop most items actually, we aren't able to drop spells though for some odd reason, been that way since the older Souls games too.

[@smmk88]

One of my favorite Elden Ring PvP moments happened early on. A host had taunters and white ring on, low to mid level, I was a blue and I fought this one red while another fought the host. A single gesture and then an all out brawl, qe both had limited estus and blue and fought to win. It ended in a double kill but man, was thst one of the purest pvp experiences possible. Fughts like those are why I have blue on, and so I can help invaders find afk hosts.

[@Spahki]

Currently my 130 build is an INT/DEX where the main focus is hitting people with a level 3 Carian Grandeur. I can back up other players with sorceries if needed, and I have two frost curved swords if I REALLY need a change in playstyle, but landing that fully charged giant magic sword slam is what makes my dopamine buzz

[@ETBrooD]

I distinguish between choreography and fighting. A choreography is when things go as expected and the outcome is certain. A fight is when something unexpected happens that forces a struggle and the outcome is uncertain. One way is not better than the other, but there are different upsides and downsides. I like it when a fight contains a mixture of fighting and choreography. This creates a dynamic of expectations being met and broken, back and forth until the end. Peaks and valleys.

[@ianwilliams2632]

Interesting thoughts on builds expressing people's personalities and telling a story. I find Souls had more potential for this, but you're echoing a sentiment and belief that goes back along way and it's nice seeing it continued here. It's one reason I taunter's-tongue host, to give invaders something fresh and different to encounter, beyond Radahn armour with BHF or another youtube spambuild. It's not about the damage, it's about having a soul. Also, I used to find it tiresome, but now I love how sweaty co-opers are in ER. They really hate reds with a passion, and that lack of moderation leads to all sorts of screw-ups and openings for invaders to take. Like that guy at 5:10 came back, knew his host was dead, but had to try to get even. It's over, friend, just gesture and try again. But nope, CHARGE IN and GET REVENGE! Hilarious.

[@TheAzul_Indigo]

They literally see red 😂

[@eternalnight9453]

I appreciate your videos a lot. I've been trying to get into invasions but for various reasons I've felt intimidated by them. One thing is of course making a build, which really feels overwhelming, ER being such an open-world souls like. There's also the fact that I have anxiety issues. But I watch your vids frequently and they give me some confidence. So I try to do them from time to time. So thank you!

[@Crit-Multiplier]

if you need smth specific just ask. what helped me with the stress as an invader was analyzing my enemies and sorting them into catecorys. bc if you invade someone you can predict what he's up to, you know how to fight him, thus making you less stressed over your mistakes and lets you focus more on enemy mistakes

[@TheAzul_Indigo]

Always have a ranged knock down option like explosive greatbolts or golem arrows. Best advice I can give to any invader!

[@eternalnight9453]

​@@TheAzul_Indigo @Crit-Multiplier Thanks! I'm currently invading at level 89. Just trying it out from time to time. I don't have a ranged option yet (apart from using the storm blade). I've seen those come in handy in others' videos. I still need some dex for the bows I think. I also need to get good at swapping items; I can't swap and walk at the same time haha.

[@TheAzul_Indigo]

@@eternalnight9453 hard swapping gets easier when there’s no pressure, but personally I keep my greatbow on soft swap using great jar arsenal. Good hunting out there!

[@eternalnight9453]

@@TheAzul_Indigo does everyone use claw grip or something when swapping? because otherwise it makes no sense how they can do that so fast while running and moving the camera.

[@SRGgames]

Love these videos. Just getting into invading myself and currently running thru the game to get all my stuff for a level 30 invader. It’s been rough but this is good motivation, looks so fun!

[@TheAzul_Indigo]

Best bracket to start at. Once you can distill a perfect version of your build and and know what would make it better, consider making a new character and taking it to higher brackets!

[@iRunKids]

My favorite character to play is a level 80 “Int” build, here are my stats: Vigor: 40 Mind: 15 Endurance: 25 Strength: 19 Dex: 20 Int: 24 Faith: 7 Arcane: 9 Does it do massive damage? I mean, it’s pretty good for level 80 to the point where I can solo bosses like Maliketh and Malenia. You might look at that stat spread and think I’m a complete newb or just a moron but I can and do use all of my favorite weapons and I don’t care that I only have 20 poise cuz I look better than anyone else in the game.

[@TheAzul_Indigo]

First invasion 3:03 every time he’s broken neutral so far it was a jump R2 and you went for a parry 🤣 2nd invasion: satisfying 3rd invasion, very satisfying. 4th invasion 7:37 “skill and practice” as the host casts SOR for the 10th time in a row. On the topic of unique quality builds, I took your advice. I have my dlc character at RL 93 right now with 14 Str 20 dex 19 int and 33 fai. He’s a madness boi with immutable shield, straight sword and greatbow. madness spells are surprisingly good main handed!

[@KaedNinescarred]

Great video! So good to see someone having fun with the beast incantations. I love the dynamic invasions with real drama to them. Thanks for being such a force of good in the "relatively new to invading" community. You helped inspire me to start making my own videos. I just posted my first one last night and shouted you out in it for inspiring and encouraging me. If you watch it I'd love any feedback. Thanks again for making cool stuff and sharing it with us

[@apolloisnotashirt]

The flamberge is one of the coolest weapons.

[@samthompson5750]

I’m completely with you about the lack of build creativity in this game. The main issue is balance but I also think that invasions are massive hindrance too. If you want to play a sub optimal set of builds with friends then invasions get in the way so badly. NB this is about build creativity, not saying invasions in general are bad.

[@Claudiust]

You sound a little like Patrick Bateman on a monologue, except instead of music it's invasions.

[@p0nt]

do the dungeon master voice

[@BLK_MN]

Oh, I think you have a pretty good idea of what it's like to run into the same builds over and over again. And if you don't, you don't want to, trust us.

[@treycole8327]

For the most part when im playing with a friend i find invasions to be simply annoying. 95% of invaders just run and hide behind strong enemies. I just want the ability to choose when i can be invaded because sometimes i do like to have some pvp.

[@caglover]

👁👁 👄

[@info_mercial]

👁️👁️ 🦷🦷

[@Panurome]

Nice video, but i have to ask why is your flamberge keen if you are doing a quality build

[@blizzardgaming7070]

A lot of weapons will still have higher damage as keen or heavy even with a quality build, it's the main reason so few people make them.

[@Panurome]

@@blizzardgaming7070 Maybe for other cases, but I put his stats on a calculator and it shows that the flamberge with his stats is a bit better on a quality infusion than a keen infusion

[@GhostProdigy]

Another hallowed victory is when the host just has no idea how to pvp and gets clapped in 30 secs, like tou said its better when it's actual fight.

[@Crit-Multiplier]

to me, a good invasion is when i got control over the fight. bc if i can control them at their best, i can do whatever i want. there are so many possible victory scenarios for me its crazy. loosing against an absolute newbie while trying your hardest not to kill him and giving him time to learn the pvp or stomping 3 goobers all decked out and cleansing theyr corpse with a roped fire bomb.. and i hate the invasion when i loose bc of enemy wifi, general latency or a personal gripe, when i cant punish arrogance. but tbh i dont rly hate them. invasions are still the best amd eldenring has the best basic formula for a flourishing pvp. wheter it's well balanced or not, i dont care about and no one should. youre gonna go hollow searching for perfect fairness. give others the fairest fight you can muster, the rest will follow

[@augustinbest4009]

love your video :)

[@Scriffer]

Me doing something that is different and special. The people who fight me leaving hatemail on my profile page about how I'm not just using psss or psgs or halbard offstock.

[@whatTheFup]

Meta builds have always been boring in soulsborne. One of the reasons I switched away from my first charactet, a RL150 quality arcane (25/25/50) dual curved sword bleed setup. It became meta quite fast 😂 I have since played around with it just to see what dmg numbers I could get. Incorperating poison pushed the attack values of both swords to well over 1100 when everything was triggered 😂 One of funnest runs Ive had was in trying to set up a RL150 sith build, using the red twinblade, and red spells, its a wierd faith/arcane setup that is alot of fun

[@matrixreal4742]

What all Invader have to remember, especially veterans in Souls games, is that 2 mediocre players are enough to defeat a good player if they organize themselves correctly. Elden Ring PvP is poorly designed and has a lot of noobs, which is the only reason why invading is still active 😌

[@JanuarySnowstorm]

But aren't you just interrupting people innocently playing co-op most of the time? That's like going into a movie theater and blowing an air horn, whatever your reasons.

[@tawoorie]

Its a tradeoff, you can pull through solo or risk invasion with coop

[@JanuarySnowstorm]

@@tawoorie Yeah, okay. I'm not criticizing the mechanic, even though that is pretty dumb. The people who invade, though. I mean, it sounds like this dude exclusively runs into people with "phantoms" meaning people who summoned help. He could be could be doing literally anything else, but he's chosen to do this instead. I'm pretty sure there's a way to get invited to a fight if he's really interested or even a battle arena now. If it were me, I'd leave these people just innocently playing with one another alone. Acting like these people are asking for it is like saying girls walking home alone at night are asking to be attacked. Sure, it's not safe, but there's still only one person to blame in that scenario. I guess I just don't have the mindset of someone who sits around waiting to interrupt another person's game, just like I don't have the mindset of an urban predator.

[@khallous]

@@JanuarySnowstormJesus Christ dude it’s video game lmfao

[@JanuarySnowstorm]

​@@khallousIs that your excuse for everything?

[@Crit-Multiplier]

​@@JanuarySnowstormlets get this straight. these girls could be doing literally anything else. but they chose to walk at 2am in a dark allyway thinking they wouldnt get robbed or worse. you can walk through the world oblivious as is or you can open your eyes and live a little longer. the choice is yours. man i love myazaki. he knows this too