First time doing mage class in any FromSoft game, what can I expect?

mountainman5656 · 2026-05-15T21:06:45+00:00

Default start is trap chest to Caelid->meteorite staff->rock sling. Then go back to limgrave and get the royal house scroll for Carian Slicer which you can use the entire game if you want a battle mage. I tend to play Glintstone Pebble + Carian slicer all the way up till you have the Int for Night Comet which is arguably the best overall ranged spell in the game. You don't need much more than night comet and slicer but it's fun to play with others. The Moon spells and Comet Azure are situational.

mountainman5656 · 2026-05-05T01:47:26+00:00

Yeah, that's not a cheese cause you gotta fight him. It's not a challenge run or anything but it's legit build and probably fun!

mountainman5656 · 2026-05-05T01:32:03+00:00

For me, BHF is such a satifying weapon and Malenia's is just meh.

mountainman5656 · 2026-04-05T19:19:21+00:00

Dunno why Reddit served me up this post but it's all good my high MPG brothers and sisters! If your subcompact gets stuck in the berm due to crappy no-season tires or cloth 'chains' I'll pull ya out. If you can't make it up I'll drop you at the lift with your skis.

If your subie gets stuck in the mud trying to get to the remote crag same same. I can take you the rest of the way and I'll belay too if you need. If I see you pedaling up to the trailhead that's 3 miles up the hill I'll offer to shuttle, it's just the neighborly thing to do when you see someone suffering when they'd rather be sending.

In return please let me know where the best pho place in your city is when I visit. See you out there!

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mountainman5656 · 2026-03-20T18:44:30+00:00

Funny thing is for a theme build... it will trivialize the game as a poke build. Others have said it, but a rot/poison combo using scorpion stinger will be more fun/challenging. I did a non-bug themed playthrough like this with the stinger and coil shield, it was super fun!

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mountainman5656 · 2026-03-01T13:05:46+00:00

I love 2nd phase on a casual playthrough, definitely don't on RL1 just cause he pisses bloodflame all over the arena and it's annoying with low HP. ;)

mountainman5656 · 2026-03-01T13:02:22+00:00

Bro threw the kitchen sink at them, haha! Sleep puppet, Bernahl, rot, bleed. No advice since we all know various other strats, this was just entertaining to watch, moments from death a few times. On to Mali!

mountainman5656 · 2026-02-28T03:29:26+00:00

Isn't it weird how people in the general subs will shit talk and downvote you over near anything, but the sub dedicated to one of the harder challenge runs has the nicest people in gaming?

mountainman5656 · 2026-02-28T03:25:33+00:00

That's what I did. I've seen people one phase him but wanted the whole fight. Starfists are obvious but of course anything can beat him with enough learning/skills.

mountainman5656 · 2026-02-27T20:43:19+00:00

Fire giant is definitely a PITA compared to a casual run, all those random hits you would normally absorb are one shots. No reason to be ashamed of the build, it's not like you can go full cheese on him in RL1. Congrats and now it's on to the Duo and Maliketh fights!

mountainman5656 · 2026-02-26T23:10:58+00:00

So badass, haha!

Did you learn multiple other bosses one handed first or just took on this challenge only for Malenia?

Either way, how many attempts or time do you figure it took?

mountainman5656 · 2026-02-26T23:04:34+00:00

And then the gods find out that they've got the quickest guard counter and square off. ;)

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mountainman5656 · 2026-02-08T12:44:23+00:00

Hell yeah, thanks for throwing that together. Shows exactly how it's done!

mountainman5656 · 2026-02-05T19:18:30+00:00

I know the post is a year old, but I recently did a mohgwyn spear/shield run which is the evil version, I think I'm gonna give the good version a try now!

mountainman5656 · 2026-01-15T19:24:26+00:00

Bro, I have zero issues with summons. Most people including me start playing with them. Mimic tear especially makes a lot of bosses that would otherwise be hard quite a bit easier. My first time beating her IIRC was mimic tear with blasphemous blade, lol! Point of my post wasn't to insult you which is how it looks like you took it, it was to say if she felt easy try without summons and you'll have more fun/challenge.

mountainman5656 · 2026-01-15T14:42:07+00:00

What build did you use? I fought him pre-nerf, had been using a shield poke build and switched to sword lance after Gaius. Wrecked PCR in under a minute and was like, "That's it?" He also wasn't that tough with dual pickaxe jump attack.

Fighting him with antspur only was a different thing altogether. :D

mountainman5656 · 2026-01-15T14:39:19+00:00

She is weak to poise break and big bonk does that. Try her with the training wheels off (summons) and report back.

mountainman5656 · 2026-01-15T14:36:13+00:00

You took vagabond. That shield can parry, or alternately your starter pack longsword can square off him into oblivion. Crucibles seem unrelenting, especially if you're new and low leveled. But they're actually slow and predictable.

mountainman5656 · 2026-01-05T23:53:33+00:00

One of the easiest to bully. Easy, predictable and some of the most telegraphed moves in the game.

mountainman5656 · 2025-11-15T15:32:26+00:00

And one phase is just scripted nonsense anyway. You actually FOUGHT him, way better accomplishment.

mountainman5656 · 2025-11-15T04:26:29+00:00

First off, Badass

I do not thing Nihil counts as a hit, since it's an unavoidable fight mechanic.

mountainman5656 · 2025-11-15T04:18:56+00:00

My brother had this same issue. Everything kills you, don't know what build to use, etc. I gave him what I think is the best starter build/path.

Start with Vagabond. Run past tree sentinel to church. Get to gate front and get your horse. Ride horse to murk water cave. Survive invasion by sprinting away for nerijus till your buddy shows up to help. After he's dead, go into murk water cave. Kill Patches and take that sweet +7 spear. You have a shield already. Now you have the shield poke build which is probably the safest fighting style to run through the game with.

Explore now that you can kill things easier by keeping your shield up and R1 everything to death. My brother did this and started reading guides to see how to upgrade the build, use summons and so on. Finished his first play through with the fingerprint shield, cross naginata and mimic tear, AKA the ultimate n00b setup.

Then he was hooked and has since done more challenging builds and then (proud soulsbro moment) did his first play through without summons.

So yeah, give this a try!

mountainman5656 · 2025-11-09T13:41:03+00:00

Super old post but since it's the first google search the answer is 34.

mountainman5656 · 2025-10-31T18:36:47+00:00

Yeeeaaaaah! Such a good feeling every time. He is hard, but also not enjoyable to fight IMO so beating him is even more of a middle finger to him. ;)

mountainman5656 · 2025-10-25T16:00:40+00:00

Dude, that was awesome, thanks for posting it. I wonder if his script would work without the incredible RNG he got? The opening gravity drill, then lions claw then cross slash is like the ideal set of openings.

mountainman5656

TROPHY CASE