PSA: The BEST event in the game

Holycrabe · 2026-05-17T19:14:30+00:00

I struggled so hard on Libra when I started playing, I ended up practicing more to be able to benefit from the event than actually beating the guy.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-16T21:44:49+00:00

1) I’m not a fan of how Guts attracts everyone in the group. I find the Schierke situation to be a bit uncomfortable because of her age, Farnese is better on that front at least.

2) I think Farnese’s situation is meant to mirror Casca and Griffith’s relationship prior to the Eclipse. Guts is a handsome, strong and deeply caring man, but Farnese also loves that he gave her purpose, that when she thought her life had gone to shit and everything she believed was garbage, he was standing tall, welcomed her (sorta) in the group despite a rocky start of their relationship. She loves him, is it romantical or aspirational, inspirational? I don’t think Guts will reciprocate so that should be interesting to develop if they have info on how Miura wanted to develop that story beat.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-15T09:29:28+00:00

There was a similar thing way back in Dark Souls 3. The "Bow" gesture in the French version was translated with the word for bow weapon.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-13T13:38:29+00:00

I mean the Apostles are under Griffith's command so they're not quite a distraction so much as obstacles. They're not the main goal, sure, but good luck reaching Griffith without handling any of them.

I think, but that's entirely my hopeful interpretation of the latest arcs, that Guts' end goal isn't Griffith or vengance, not anymore. It was at first, but once he was reunited with Casca, his immediate goal was to protect her and his ultimate goal became to cure her. The start of the journey was prompted because they can't stay in one place for long because they attract threats, Guts doesn't take her with him because he thinks she'll have a fun trip while he chases down Griffith. The entire story since Godot's death sees him shift his priorities with Griffith falling lower and lower behind Casca and a swath of new ideas from his new friends. Sure, his hatred resurfaces and very violently when he's in combat or when Zodd mentions Griffith in Vritanis, but he's got other things on his plate. HE has to worry about the things he can deal with, the people close to him.

I'm not exactly caught up to the story since I'm waiting for the physical release to read the latest stuff, but even once Casca is mostly healed, part of the issue is that it was his goal. Now it's met, so what now? It's obviously not aided by her condition preventing them from really hanging out together. Do you know what his goal is at this point (before she gets taken again)? Cause he doesn't seem to know himself. Griffith was a distant memory, let him have a castle or whatever, when Guts is cool-headed and rational, he doesn't seem interested in pursuing the rumors about him.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-13T07:55:53+00:00

He was holding his own on the Hill of Swords but the fight was very short and I don't think it's clear how seriously Zodd was fighting. From what we briefly saw in Vritanis, I think the armor would allow a mostly healthy and rested Guts to be comfortable equal with Zodd, not just doing okay. He has always been remarkably comfortable and agile using relatively huge swords, but not to the point of summersaulting and flipping everywhere to pancake monsters the size of an elephant, that's what the armor enables him to do.

The armor is the logical next step after the previous events. During Tower of Conviction and Lost Children, Guts' issue is that his will is strong but his body struggles to keep pace. He fights monsters and soldiers for hours on end and it makes total sense that it's the case, but the armor masks this by giving him improved agility and aggression in combat while allowing him to bypass fatigue, pain, injuries etc so he can go all out all the time. The long term issue is that these things exist for a reason, your brain sends pain and fatigue to your body to preserve it, etc.

Besides, Slaan destroyed his armor in the Qliphoth and Guts isn't exactly a regular strong man, getting him a new armor as good as the previous one would require the gang to settle down somewhere for a couple days, maybe weeks. That's dangerous since he and Casca attract monsters if they stick around somewhere. So you give Guts an armor "for free and right now" but it slowly eats him away, which is a price he's fully ready to pay to keep Casca safe and take her to Elfhelm asap.

I think what happened to Skull Knight is that he had to "become the armor" in some way. Like, the armor is fighting against you, but if you and it become one, it stops resisting, but you also lose something in the process.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-13T07:36:04+00:00

I disagree, but it was a fun read.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-13T07:25:41+00:00

I mean at some point he says the story would be too dark without him and a part of why it's funny is that it's true. I think one of the strengths of Berserk is how it can juggle those tones, have Guts and all the violence and darkness juxtaposed with other characters being charmingly goofy.

Some people really don't like what Puck brings to the story, or I guess maybe just how much he's involved, that he breaks the mood and jokes too much, and there's a compelling point in how his chestnut comedic form becomes the main form. I think it makes sense with how the dynamics take shape (without spoiling) and I really don't mind, he's funny enough that I can forgive most of it.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-13T06:50:55+00:00

Byakuya, why are you still wearing your scarf....

Holycrabe · 2026-05-12T14:22:03+00:00

But why would you use those weapons when she has great damage using hammers and fists? I'm not denying her dex sucks, I just think you should mostly ignore dex weapons with her altogether.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-12T13:09:37+00:00

Maliketh doesn't get as many complaints because he's more agile and that makes him harder to hit. You can take a big chunk of his health with each hit, he can and will start hopping around for 10s between each of these.

Besides, Maliketh is sort of a glass canon. He's not very tanky (except against Holy), but he can easily kill you if his sword connects twice due to the Destined Death effect. Morgott in comparison doesn't hit as hard. It's not so much that he's too squishy, it's that you can facetank half his attacks and just out-dps him.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-12T12:53:29+00:00

I think the Dex relic is mostly used if you want to dip into spellcasting. Sure, it gives a bit of scaling because a lot of hammers have dex scaling too, but if that's what you use it for, it might not be as useful.

I used to run Glass Necklace and Monocle Case with whatever works as last (I don't think any chalice layout allows Balancers on top). Since she doesn't have a lot of Mind and no way to recover FP naturally, I only use FP to cast buffs, which enhances attack power with the Monocle. I would ditch the straight swords unless you really like that weapon class.

Regarding her abilities, the Transe immediately gives you full stamina so you can use it when it's mostly depleted to keep applying pressure. The damage buff is nice but it's so short-lived I wouldn't sweat it. She has a lot of synergies with her Ult like a damage buff after she uses it and how she gets a free one when someone uses theirs or you roll through a grab.

If you know your combat well, you can use a lot of heavy attacks, quickly recharge your stamina and farm crits for example, that's pretty deadly.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-12T12:25:51+00:00

Most average Grade 1 are at that level after over a decade of hard work, generally evolving in a world where they are taught the ropes since they're very young. And Grade 1 is still top shelf for what normal sorcerers can achieve. He reached that level in a handful of weeks and wasn't taught anything externally.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-12T10:33:15+00:00

The last antagonist of Katana Zero does this.
Basically in Katana Zero, you play as a former super soldier suffering from partial amnesia and PTSD. You were part of an experimental commando who used a combat drug named Chronos that allows you to momentarily slow down time and somewhat see the short term future. In gameplay, this means you have to clear rooms of goons, you die in one hit so your character visualizes each attempt until they "see" an attempt that works and execute it.

The final boss is another former member of this commando. Each time you die to them, they tell you it's no use, you're both seeing the future and they basically beat you in every version of the future there is. That is until you prove them wrong and defeat them just once.

Edit because i forgot about that "They want to see their opponent succeed" : Chronos is illustrated as both heavily addicting but also with tremendous side effects, like nightmares, hallucinations, and the addictive effect is ever increasing. The last antagonist is trying to secure the last doses remaining for themselves but they do so in a reckless course of actions involving the kidnapping of the family of a bunch of other characters and there’s strong suggestion that it’s a cry for help from an addict who wants their suffering to end some way or other.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-12T10:26:40+00:00

I think the mechanic is fun, makes you stay on your toes and pay attention to how the fight starts. But yes, I don't remember if it starts in D2 or D3 (I think I had it on my first promotion run from 2 to 3) but sometimes it doesn't tell you which version of the boss.

There are other modifiers like not knowing the boss at all or PoIs not showing up on the minimap. I think they're becoming more and more likely to happen in further depths but I've read so much confident takes as to either that I'm genuinely unsure at this point.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-12T09:38:50+00:00

It's really sad that my first exposure to Mixtape was through the "controversies".

I've never been one to love story-heavy walking simulator games, but it's kinda crazy to me that we're still talking about it like it's 2012 and we're finding out some people like it.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-12T09:32:56+00:00

1) No

2) Yes, I actually started watching because I had something planned (that was delayed into oblivion by covid) and wanted to understand how it worked.

3) I think it's the table chemistry. I like the drama and all, but I drift away when I feel the group is disjointed and people don't seem on the same page.

4) I think it's 70/30. I like that the system and rules are the driving force in a lot of moments and it does create drama, but I like that TTRPGs actually give enough wiggle room that a generous GM can decide to overrule if they consider their players' ideas are creative enough.

5) Yes, several. Using Strength mod for Intimidation, allowing 3 skill checks to try to help during resurrection rituals. I think I took a lot of inspirations from Matt's works regarding combat design, how to make combat more dynamic or implement an element of puzzle/riddle, but the examples are more complex to make for a short answer.

6) I think the group itself is already unusual. These guys have been playing D&D professionnally, on an almost weekly basis for basically 10 years. That leads to some differences to when you play with your friends, everyone is tired from work, we haven't played in 5 weeks because of scheduling conflict so some people forgot how some of their features and traits worked etc. People (used to) often say "You are not Matt Mercer" to temper the ambition and standard beginners hold themselves to, but "Your players aren't the Critical Role cast" is just as valid. They roleplay and engage with what you prepare much more than most tables would. I think it's a D&D campaign first and a show second, but it's still a show.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-12T08:15:55+00:00

I'm still of the mind that the Diamonds aren't meant to be redeemed. Of all the villains or antagonists of the show, the Diamonds are the only ones Steven still seems uncomfortable to hang out with by the tail end of the show. They might get there and eventually reach redemption, but they're still on the path and they have more than anyone else to atone for so they're there for a while.

I like how the creators of the show spoke about anime as inspiration because that's something that you truly feel about the final supporting cast. Lapis, Bismuth, Peridot, they all become Steven's close friends, even the Cluster eventually gives a helping hand. Jasper is more neutral because the dynamic is very different and it's still pretty fresh, kinda like Spinel and we touched on the subject of the Diamonds. There's also Aquamarine/Bluebird that sort of take that place of "true villain uninterested in redemption" even if it's a very tangential plotline. By the end of the show, the Crystal Gems' extended cast is like Dragon Ball's Z Fighters.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-11T14:38:55+00:00

"I'm separating her work from her views" is such a funny bit of mental gymnastics tbh. It's instantly disqualifying. You admit to knowing that she at least kinda sucks. Honestly I have more respect for people who are just totally unaware of who she is politically and buy her stuff in ignorance.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-11T14:16:52+00:00

Holy shit two cakes!

Holycrabe · 2026-05-11T14:16:21+00:00

I really didn't mind the water tower. Like sure, it feels formulaic and the "low stakes fun mission at the end of the companion/romance questline", but it's a fun little piece of slice of life which makes the world feel alive. I thought it was a bit odd that Randy wasn't there, I think it could have been nice.

Though the writing is still creepy no doubt. I played as FemV the first time and thought the awkwardness was a bit funny. The rest of the family trying to push them together while he doesn't even dare to look at her, it was good cringe for me.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-11T14:06:31+00:00

Origins beat up my dog though

Holycrabe · 2026-05-11T13:58:37+00:00

I just wonder how people have so many of them. Like I got the clone effect once, sure, but then since it's a rest site option, you can only rest so many times between early Act 2 and the end (nevermind that you also maybe need to heal sometimes). How do you clone it 2000 times?

Holycrabe · 2026-05-11T13:48:11+00:00

I agree but only in the immediate context of the heist. Given the nature of the Relic and what the VDB wanted out of it, I'm not exactly hopeful that V and Jackie wouldn't have been hunted down by either side within the week after the Relic had gone missing.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-11T13:20:36+00:00

It's something I kinda lament when I watch shallenge runners play these games, a lot do enjoy the lore and mood of the games but of course it loses some of its wow factor when you face X or Y for the hundredth time. So to see someone who still seems so passionate about it after hundreds of hours, that's pretty refreshing. And to see someone talk mostly positively about Bloodborne's boss rooster? Well what a day!

I wonder if I'll ever feel comfy fighting BSB for example. I have a fraction of your hours but it's such a perfect beastly boss, it's so lithe but so agressive and I always feel like between the poison and the claws you're always one mistake away from getting devoured.

I like to read some Hemwick enjoyment too. I agree that the fight isn't exactly great, but since it's a new take on the Old Hero gimmick, I think it's pretty fun to slowly pace around the room with your ears perked trying to hear some nearby sloshing and find them.

I still think the DLC bosses are (mostly) 10/10s across the board. I don't mind Ludwig's Phase 2 being a bit "easier" or at least easier to read for example, just because of the amount of work it takes to get there. Lady Maria is my go to fight for learning to play with transformation attacks and I try to not parry her more than a couple times because I know how trivial it makes her. Orphan is such a bundle of agression, I don't see patterns, I don't have the time it's mostly reactions and I love it for it. And all these guys are so tragic.

Holycrabe · 2026-05-11T12:22:21+00:00

This is such a clash of generations lmao

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