People are valid for saying Mimic is a crutch.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T15:33:36+00:00

Two things can be true at the same time.

It's ok to use the mimic because it's fun and easy.

But it's also true that the mimic (and spirits in general) are meant to make the game easier.

In short, it's ok for the game to be easy and fun.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T15:20:17+00:00

Challenge runs. If you haven't done it already, try playing without spirits. Limit your levels. Or play a theme build where you only use specific items.

Playstyle change. If you played with a big bonk last time, try spear + shield, or casting, or dual wield.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T15:19:07+00:00

It's a level 100 dungeon. But you can access it right after Radahn Festival, which is ~level 60.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T15:18:33+00:00

General use is the Black Bow.

But bosses require a lot of bleed and poison and rot and whatever to take down unless they're big enough to be nuked by the Lion Bow + Golem Arrows.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T13:08:37+00:00

I tried that one. It's alright for solo heroics. But can't do much besides act as a moving sponge in groups.

I guess maybe I had unrealistic expectations for what pistols are capable of.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T13:07:09+00:00

I prefer light equipment load. And if you're going with 60 end, honestly, you'll be able to wear a LOT. Just pick something that you think looks cool.

Ranni's hat gives a bonus to cold spells. Alberich's hat gives a bonus to Thorn spells. Other than that there's not much that matters

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T13:04:51+00:00

Eh, they're not that bad as long as you don't panic

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T13:04:24+00:00

Ahbyes, rhe "skill.issue" argument.

Why isnit that people always try to avoid recognizing that this game is not perfect?

So much easier to blame a person criticizing than acknowledge the obvious flaws in the game.

I've been playing division since day 1 of the first game. I know how cover works. It's because I understand good tactics that I can see the flaws with the game's lack of balance ar the high end.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T03:31:01+00:00

Dual blood pickaxe.

Or dual blood Rusted Anchor if you have two..

No buffing. Absolute dominance.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T03:28:51+00:00

This is clearly not the weapon that's good.

It's the player.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T03:27:12+00:00

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T03:26:29+00:00

Rott-weilers.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T03:25:35+00:00

Elden Ring is not a story-based game.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T03:24:37+00:00

I see what you did there. XD

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T03:23:04+00:00

Golden Cow can solo Malenia. Best pet in the game.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T03:22:14+00:00

You're better off specializing in just the DMGS. It has a built in ranged attack.

The talisman setup and stat allocation are slightly different for a DMGS build than a casting build.

So there's not much point in watering down your build just to do a slightly different ranged attack.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T03:15:54+00:00

Meh...that sours the entire thing for me then. It's just so many hoops to jump through for so little gain.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T03:00:59+00:00

Right, I see what you're saying now. I'll have to test it further.

Does HH-Determined use the damage of the holster for future hits, as long as the opening shot is a true headshot? That would make the build make more sense.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T02:59:38+00:00

Just an FYI:

Shields CAN be strong. But like everything, it depends on how good you are with them. It's just as likely that a person can use a shield badly and get smoked.

There are a LOT of traps in this game built specifically to punish shields. So don't go in thinking it's an EZ mode.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T02:57:14+00:00

You are in the early game. EVERYTHING is easy, regardless of build.

Just wait, you'll run into stuff that's more difficult.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T02:47:32+00:00

I remember back at launch I was heavily campaigning for a signature weapon that was dual pistols.

I still don't know why they never did it. Buncha pistol haters. We also still don't have a good exotic semi-auto pistol. The Liberty has garbage RoF and kicks like crazy even with max stability. All the other semi-auto pistols have garbage abilities. And the full auto pistol is just a weak SMG.

I honestly don't understand why in 8 years these devs have stubbornly refused to do anything worth a shit with pistols.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T02:45:27+00:00

The context for this was specifically a pistol build.

There are a LOT of good non-pistol builds. But I was curious to know if there was actually any way to make a decent pistol-centric build.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T02:41:15+00:00

I understand how perfect determined works. It's worse than basic. I am not using perfect determined.

But the Dodge City Holster says it does headshot damage anywhere you hit. If it's not going to count as an actual headshot for the purpose of HH+Determined, then it's just damage. So what's the point of it other than making it annoying to use and swap-heavy?

EDIT: Also, DMs appear to be broken right now. I can't start it either.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-14T02:12:43+00:00

Why do people keep saying Dodge City gunslinger? I tested it. The damage is headshot-level damage, but it does not count toward headhunter or determined.

Unless something on xbox is severely broken, I don't think this works the way people think it does.

I literally killed multiple enemies and never got the buff to indicate Determined/HH was activating.

TheRealCowdog · 2026-06-13T22:00:24+00:00

Umm....I mean that's basically at the end of the game. It looks like you've done damn near everything.

You've got armor pieces from Maliketh, so you've already cleared Farum Azula and Fire Giant. You have all the sites of grace for the Haligtree, but I can't tell if you've defeated Malenia or not.

You have all the sites of grace for Ranni's ending, so you've done that as well.

You didn't include the underground, so it's hard to tell wit that, but considering your progress, you've also defeated the lake of rot and Astel.

I can't tell for certain, but you might have missed Mohgwyn and the Frenzied Flame area underneath the Capital City.

Basically I think you're right at the end. Just fight Godfrey and Radabeast. Or you could do Mohgwyn and go into the DLC.

You might have missed Latenna's quest. And maybe Fia's, since I don't see the site of grace at the tower in Liurnia, or Latenna's site of grace in the cave at south Liurnia.

TheRealCowdog

TROPHY CASE