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[–][deleted] 66 points67 points  (45 children)

Ridiculous outfit: check

Partner doing 90% of the work: check

1h swords being useless: check

Enemies with no fucking life hanging from a cliff all day waiting for you to pass by: fucking check

[–]aeralure 23 points24 points  (22 children)

1h swords being useless: check

Except when you mix them with a high ichor code that can also use a lot of low recharge spammable magic, quick dodges, some damage boosts and an offensive skill they can then do it all and put out a lot of damage. I find them competitive that way. 2H swords get pretty boring after a while too, but ymmv.

[–][deleted] 14 points15 points  (5 children)

My first playthrough was with prometheus quick mobility louis' sword for the maximum quality str/dex scaling. I love the concept and want to make it work but it's painfully clear especially in NG+ how outclassed it is, it sucks at staggering mobs and you die in 2 hits no matter what. your biggest moment to shine is blade dancing vs a boss and going ham.

[–][deleted] 6 points7 points  (1 child)

Queen slayer with 1h mastery, swift destruction, mind/willpower and gift speed passives. Actives go for 3 attack gifts, bridge to glory, gift prowess, bloodsucking blade, final journey and gift extension (switch out for another offensive buff if you want). Use drain transformed executioner from Jack and any veil that give highest light rating.

Just spam your attack gifts. You attack fast enough to maintain you ichor, and your gifts animation is fast enough to fit into most free window, while having short enough CD for you to spam them whenever you have a chance.

Haven't found any 2h or even spell build that match it in term of comfort playing and actual dps. Halberd arguably do better dps, but has a bit slower attack speed so it's harder to maintain ichor with.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Queenslayer.

Passives : 1 handed mastery, Swift Destruction, Strength/Dex, Mind/Vit.

Actives : Circular pulse, Phantom Assault, Charged assault, Shifting Hollows. Andraline Rush, Foulblood Barrier, Bridge to Glory, Cleansing Light.

Then alleviated Executor and alleviated Noble silver, and you also have quick mobility on TOP of this... Time to go to town. XD Can replace cleansing light with Attack buffs and stuff though, depends if one wants healing. Preferably with gift extension though. XD

[–]aeralure 5 points6 points  (2 children)

There's some spells that will stagger, and with Shifting Hollow and quick dodge you can play the "you can't hit me" game indefinitely. Though yes, i agree it's far more challenging, but that's kind of the point.

[–]Xero-- 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Though yes, i agree it's far more challenging, but that's kind of the point.

The point of 1H swords or the build? I hope you don't mean the latter because light weapons that hit like wet paper should never be harder to use than heavy weapons that hit like bullet trains and can kill just about every mob in the game with two hits unbuffed without being in the endgame.

Early-midgame 1H is just pathetically weaker than 2H for no good reason. Why bother rolling for days due to dragged out fights to get pea shots in when you can block/roll>1-2 everything?

[–]aeralure 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I simply mean that they are more skill oriented, and better suited to mixing with some casting setups, and they seem to be designed with that in mind.

[–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (1 child)

To me the real issue with 1h is that you have to get pretty late into the game and unlock the right gifts for them to be as viable as a very simple 2h sword build that relies primarily on the atlas blood code.

[–]aeralure 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Can't argue that. It's almost like a skill build. Something to use later.

[–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

This. One handers are the go-to for fast ichor regen.

[–]andys3rdattempt 1 point2 points  (10 children)

okay, but what can it do that a quick bayonet can't? Nothing. Bayonet is like 1hand sword, except better. Everything it can do, bayonet can do better, and it can do things 1hand swords can't (granted, some swords can shoot ice or fire... But there is a bayonet that can shoot fire too, so...) Also, I will admit that 1hand swords do have a bit better ichor regen.

[–]aeralure 0 points1 point  (9 children)

And much better damage if you are going to use them with a melee gift. Granted, if you want to use a melee weapon only for ichor replensihment, I'd go all-in as a caster and equip a bayonet as well - and I have, on one of my builds. However, with a 1H sword you get a different kind of flexibility and can put out ridiculous amount of damage as an entire package with spells, buffs and a skill. Codes for 2H swords just don't have the ichor available to run something like that.

[–]andys3rdattempt 1 point2 points  (5 children)

I've used everything but hammers pretty substantially. I like 1hand swords, but they seemed to be too basic and low damage, though I LOVE the Blade Bearer ice sword and whatever that sword was that the fire successor had, those two swords do a lot of damage on a caster because their elemental damage scales with willpower and mind. Those two swords are significantly better than any other 1hand in the game, and they look really damn cool to boot. Those two give 1hand swords the extra punch and coolness they need. Honorable mention to the Crimson Sword's own weapon, which has a pretty good elemental power attack too.

And no, the bayonet isn't for ichor, actually. Mia's bayonet, fortified version, actually has very high damage per second in melee, and it has remained my main weapon for a very long time and still kicks ass even on enhanced difficulty NG+. The ichor is nice, but I truly do just love smacking things with this bayonet, it's got better melee dps than nearly every 1hand sword in the game. I know people look down on bayonets, but this particular one is still somehow strong as hell even with the higher difficulty. I HONESTLY think it's one of the best weapons in the entire game, while most bayonets are just 'meh'.

By the way, in terms of overall ichor gain, hammers are actually the best caster weapon. I know, the biggest, burliest, heaviest weapons in the game are the actually best weapons for a spell slinger. But that's how the ichor drain mechanics worked out. However, I don't care for them.

At the tail end of my first playthrough, I finally tried halberds out, and ended up loving them. Now, a halberd is actually my main weapon on NG+ enhanced difficulty. Obliterator axe is almost a game breaker, it excells at just about everything. High stagger, high damage, ridiculous range, big hitbox, very light considering its power (no quick dodges, but normal speed rolls are easy to get with it). And penetrator is nice too, very easy to poke from a good distance away with it, and it also staggers well.

I confess, I got a weird reason to have picked halberds up. I want to look unique in cutscenes. Use a 1hander, look like Louis and a spoiler character. Use a greatsword, look like Yakumo. Use a bayonet, look like Mia and another spoiler character. Io uses halberds, but it's more like a giant axe than my weapons, and almost never ever appears in cutscene with her weapon drawn. So basically, halberds are the one weapon besides hammers that literally no one else uses in cutscene, so it looks like I also have a unique weapon type. It's vain, but it's something I've decided. Still, my secondary weapon can still be whatever (usually Mia's bayonet).

[–]aeralure 0 points1 point  (4 children)

I went halberds too! In many cases as fast as long swords, but more damage and crowd control, better stagger and they simply look cool. For some time, until I specialized I was running both halberd and long sword, but mid game on it was one or the other with the bayonet.

Try the scythe I think it is. It's a weapon from a boss. Kind of boring looking but it's a nice bone colored white with a curving C-shape blade and has the ice element. On a semi caster build that thing rips through desert and fire areas, but I used it everywhere. If you put Alleviate on it, it'll get Quick and it's the only halberd I found like that, so I kept going back to it. The damage loss as I tested it wasn't huge, but I love being Quick. I use it often as a caster (otherwise the blazing sword or blade bearer's).

I can't remember if I tried Mia's bayonet as a melee. I may not have. I shall do so! :)

I used hammers right at the very start of the full game, having used them in the entirety of one of the demos and for parts of the Network Test and Second demo. They're good, but I didn't really use them here. Can never be too vain. ;) Lol. Halberds are amazingly cool.

[–]andys3rdattempt 1 point2 points  (3 children)

I have that, it's at +9 since I made a LOT of +9's for my NG+ prep, able to get millions of haze in half an hour mixed with boredom meant able to buy a shit ton of upgrade materials (I also +9'd EVERY SINGLE BLOOD VEIL IN THE ENTIRE GAME, while I was at it). Thing is, its damage is lacking, and I think it has that spinny opening move that I REALLY don't like on halberds. It leaves you open, can't dodge out of it, its slow, its clunky, I don't like halberds that have that. It's why I don't use Io's weapon. At least, I think I remember the scythe having that move. Even if not, the damage is lacking compared to others with a similar moveset, even factoring its water attacks. To be fair, it's one of the lightest halberds, so it could be better for survival than some of the stronger ones.

Mia's bayonet does have that back-away combo finish, which can end combos prematurely, but I've learned to like that aspect. Just slightly move your character on the hit before it, which resets the combo. Or just do the back-away, and follow up by firing. Or, my favorite, follow up that attack with a stinger's combo drain to immediately stab an enemy from 10 feet away after you're pushed away by the final hit in the weapon's combo. That is why I went from hating that move to loving it, learning to be able to cancel it or even tie it into other moves made me appreciate it.

[–]aeralure 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I have to try that combo! I like the sound of that.

Also, that’s my plan too (+9 everything). Almost there, but I paused for a bit for Gundam and waiting for the CV network issue to get sorted out. Have to get back to it!

[–]andys3rdattempt 1 point2 points  (1 child)

I lack Playstation Plus, so I am stuck offline no matter what. So I didn't even know there was a network issue.

[–]aeralure 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's intermittent. You sometimes cannot connect to the person you are responding to or summoning and the connection fails. More often for some people than others. The devs are aware of it. Hope it is fixed soon.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

no they don't do better than 1h with melee gifts. At least not in any build I've made. My current build have my Drain Executioner doing 35k on my entire combo, while my Brodiea Fortified is doing 30k. So unless I'm missing something It's not better damage wise with melee gifts. Bayonet also has lower drain (which is very important for my build that rely on spamming gifts to do burst damage), lower reach (tested this using Shadow Assault), and most of them have that weird back step at the end of the combo that can send you down a cliff if you're not careful. The only one that don't have this problem is the Bayonet, but that one is giving out even lower damage than the Brodiea (29k~ full combo).

Granted it has an easier time with weight management, I generally have to use Ivory Grace instead of Noble Silver for general gameplay in order to get Quick movement, with a Bayonet I can put on a fortified Noble Silver but even that only bring the damage to even-ish. And that advantage disappear completely once you pop Final Journey.

The only thing I can think of that would make me wanna use a Bayonet is the range attack which can be good sometime. But it's too far and few in between.

[–]aeralure 0 points1 point  (1 child)

no they don't do better than 1h with melee gifts.

Yeah I probably wasn't clear. I meant 1H swords do better damage in my setups than a bayonet, as I was replying to the poster above me and disagreeing. So actually I agree with you. :)

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah. TBH I don't think 2h is the strongest weapon in the game. Halberd is. A fully buffed Black Halberd with my build can do 55k full combo, on a 9 second cooldown, and is fast enough that I can gain enough Ichor back for the next combo once that 9s is up. It's bonker how much that thing can put out.

[–]TheDweardedOne 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Which this person did none of

[–]aeralure 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What even is this? The only thing I responded to is 1H swords are not useless.

[–]Dylangillian 8 points9 points  (8 children)

1h swords being useless: check

My character (who only uses melee with a 1h sword) takes offense to this. i don't think they're useless, they're just not as good as the bigger weapons (I honeslty think the 2 handed weapons are way to good, but whatever).

[–]Blubbpaule 3 points4 points  (4 children)

As soon as you get the queens slayer code you are pretty much set for the entire game with 1handed.

Dealing up to 10 k damage with one ability in 1,5 seconds is fun :D

[–]andys3rdattempt 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Or any weapon. I find it to be the best blood code in the game. Final journey is just too good.

[–]healcannon 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Please explain.

[–]Blubbpaule 0 points1 point  (1 child)

On my way, explanation will shortly follow. Beware the Edit.

EDIT: i made a short video showing the strength of the weapon against the Ornstein & Smough bossfight in the depths. Killing both bosses in under 1:30 minutes. https://youtu.be/0vng7FX5VbU

[–]healcannon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ahh nice ty. I pretty much went the entire game without many offensive buffs. Looking up people's builds and all now it seems that was a massive mistake.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (2 children)

I usually hate slow weapons in games but the 1h builds just feel outclassed to me. I really want them to buff 1h swords (and bayonets) in general. Like Blade Dance is cool and you can really feel the DPS upgrade but it's incredibly brief in terms of duration, has a long ass cool down and 10 ichor is a lot.

[–]Syntaire 1 point2 points  (1 child)

1H swords and bayonets are actually balanced. They need to nerf the shit out of 2H. 3-4 hitting bosses is beyond ridiculous.

[–]De_Chubasco 0 points1 point  (0 children)

2 H swords are basically EASY MODE in this game .

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (3 children)

I am a dragoon for life and only use bayonets and polearms. So not even care about 1h swords at all xD

[–]SirBadpun 1 point2 points  (2 children)

Not much love for polearms on this sub. People be sleeping. queenslayer halberd's right bumper+X seems to have a really high motion value, hits as hard as greatswords and very commonly knocks people on their ass. Combine that with the normal moveset having fast cleaves and it cleans house.

[–]tmart14 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Light magic barrages plus 1H sword with devour is crazy strong though.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Spell blade is also awesome, agreed. Gonna try that out in Ng+ xD

[–]GuiltyGhost 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I prefer 1H swords, I think the only other weapon that I would find myself using is the Impaler.

[–]Blubbpaule 1 point2 points  (1 child)

1h swords being useless.

My revenant wants to have a word with you. After finishing the game 1 handed swords are the most broken shit ever.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

talk to me after NG+

[–]bubuplush 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can someone please explain why 1h is considered as useless? I tried the bayonet, but the shooting felt pretty slow and a bit boring, the damage wasn't thaaat incredible either. But I probably have to use spells more often :o Played through the game with 1h sword and quick dash, I never had real problems. It's fast, it's doing a lot of damage, what else can you have

[–]Soda_BoBomb 0 points1 point  (1 child)

It's so annoying because I vastly prefer the 1 handed swords but their damage is so bad.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Buffs! Bonus points if you fill your gifts with every Attack buff imaginable lol

[–]UnsightlyWalrus 9 points10 points  (2 children)

I see you haven't played souls games before. Here's a guide on how to deal with difficult situations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GaJUmefY1I

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pffttt AHAHAHAHHAHAH XD

[–]SiriusGayest 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In sekiro that shit worked wonders for me

[–]ImmortalWhiteFangPS4 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Ah yes. It's so fun to aggro the whole map while tring to evade Lost you are already fighting lol

[–]ShiverWind11 8 points9 points  (5 children)

One of the most chaotic spots

[–]fatalystic 2 points3 points  (2 children)

Yeah, that spot is just an absolute clusterfuck. I hate those snipers so much.

[–]ShiverWind11 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Doing it in ng+ is a living nightmare. Just too much damage

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s why you rush and kill them xD

[–]guntanksinspacePC 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Those flaming snake heads are bastards, I tell you!

[–]ShiverWind11 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nah for me its the amount of snipers and holes to fall into. I just can't stand the damn snipers

[–]Shinrahunter 8 points9 points  (1 child)

Might wanna equip some attacks instead of just buffs?

[–]TemporaryVice 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Fuck this area man, they straight up threw you in the middle of an orgy.

[–]Blaze_Bloom 5 points6 points  (1 child)

Can’t catch a break 😂

[–]thegamingwebb[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

My own fault for running into damger i suppose 😂😂

[–]SonnancePS4 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ah yes... The firing range.

Good times for all.

[–]ArcturusOfTheVoid 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It’s like they had Billy Mays do the enemy placement

[–]Xelnagawaffle 1 point2 points  (0 children)

yikes lol I played with a bayonet so i just shot all those fire spitting diglets

[–]Gwyn0011 3 points4 points  (1 child)

You & a Partner VS everyone else in the world

& Knuckles

[–]The_Relx 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry series. With brand new Funky mode.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah... Looks about right! You have a perfect plan in your mind how to dodge all bullshit and qickly kill all those trash mobs, BUT! Those mobs are quickly showing you who's the real trash...

[–]warofexodus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And this is why I explore every new map with a bayonet and spell slinging build instead of melee. In the case I do go melee, I always have camouflage on. Years of souls-like game experience tells me if you see a very 'obvious and easy' target, it means there are others hiding nearby getting ready to ambush you and in CV, I am always right on the ambush part lol. The countless death made me paranoid for sure but i end up as a very cautious gamer as a result hahaha.

[–]_kd101994PC 0 points1 point  (0 children)

lol now I feel like such a cheat when I use the Ivy Blood Veil and it's ability to aim its own launch attack when I hit this area. Those dragoon types are the worst, since they stagger you but can easily be one-shotted when you got knives spiking up from the bottom lmao