After a while I decided to finish the game again, but now with ranged hero - a mage. I had few dozens of spells in the inventory of my hero and now I want to try them all. All that great damage I caught with my face in PvP - now it is my time to melt faces. But real thing made me to start the game again was a movie - some guy was making two achievements - to pass the game without any death and without resting at bonfire. I could not believe it is possible even after I watch a movie. I remember how many hundreds of times I died during my gameplay, but this guy was just immortal. I even post a link to this movie - definitely worth watching. I thought I'm skilled enough to finish this hard game, but my skill is like a latern before the sun compared to his.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsTJbmTbvGs
Now, I want to share my expirience with bosses as a mage. Obviously after first pass the game is easier, anyway - this is another hero and another expirience. This will be in
Boss/Level/Difficulty/Tries/Comment format. I will update this post from time to time, untill the game will be finished. Lest go!
I dont clean all areas, I'm trying to pick all items, but not farm enemies until they stop to spawn, so I think I might die several times on the way to the boss.
1)
The Last Giant - 24 - 2/5 - 1 - As usual, stay behind the boss and just avoid leg attack.
2)
Dragonrider - 31 - 4/5 - 6 - Surprisingly hard. My magic had very slow and weak casts. I believe cast speed and damage will increase in the future, but for now I was just slow. Also, without shield it was hard to avoid his attacks.
This is fun to play as mage, many things looks much easier now, since you dont need to come close to enemies. But there are few drawbacks - slow cast speed - if a hollow came close to you he will definitely hit you before you cast, and one more thing I cant understand - I cannot target an enemy until it comes close - maybe it is my spells works so? Small range of attack. If so this is very sad, since this range is not far longer than melee attacks.
3)
Old Dragonslayer - 36 - 4/5 - 5 - Same as Dragonrider - it was hard to avoid his attacks without shield. I even tried to raise my strength, to use Leather Shield - but with low strenght and without 100% physical shield it was even worse.
4)
Pursuer - 43 - 4/5 - 7 - Obviously this boss was still hard despite class change. My low level also didnt make things easier, but I decided to finish this zone before going to No-Man's Wharf.
5)
Flexile Sentry - 47 - 1/5 - 1 - Now with Heavy Soul Arrow things got easier, my damage increased as well as casting speed, due to level. And column in the middle of the room helps again.
Ruin Sentinels smashed me to the ground same as last time (see my post in June). 7 tries, but I could barely kill first Sentinel - remember guy from movie without any death? I still cant believe it is doable. As for me I will go to Huntsman Copse for now.
6)
Skeleton Lords - 61 - 3/5 - 5 - Even after I already completed this game there are many things I dont know yet. For example I didnt know group of skeletons spawn only after you kill affording Lord. Slow but steady: Lord, the pack, Lord, the pack, and so on.
7)
Covetous Demon - 65 - 1/5 - 1 - Easy, same as last time.
8)
Mytha, the Baneful Queen - 71 - 2/5 - 1 - Easy without poison. I managed to reduce weight of my gear to 25% so I roll very fast, avoiding all boss' attacks.
Few times already, and especially in the Iron Keep my lack of armor as a mage became too obvious. One combo of Alonne Knights almost killing me. One arrow of Alonne Capitans reduces my HP by half. I died good 20-25 times before I could reach Old Iron King.
I also tried Smelter Demon - 5 deaths - zero progress, he seems to have way too much magic resistance.
9)
Old Iron King - 76 - 1/5 - 1 - Boss is slow as snail, very easy. First Great Soul
10)
Ruin Sentinels - 78 - 5/5 - 17 - I've never wasted so much time on a boss. I was definitely lacking damage - when I managed to kill one Sentinel two others swiftly finished me. But same as last game I decided to not use any help or summons. Finally using Soul Spear and spell refills I managed to do it.
11)
The Lost Sinner - 81 - 2/5 - 1 - four words: Just Four Soul Spears.
12)
Belfry Gargoyles - 85 - 1/5 - Gargoyles were dying in two casts. I didnt even get a hit.
13)
Smelter Demon - 88 - 4/5 - 8 - This guy seems to have nice magic resistance - about 50%, so killing him was a pain. Without shield his rapid attacks was finishing me very fast. Though two Soul Spears made its work.
At first I tried only Arcane magics - Soul spells. Then after a while I respecced using Soul Vessel and tried Hexes, Miracles and Pyromancy. Still I think Soul spells are the most damaging ones. Maybe I just didnt have good spells from other schools yet, maybe because I still use my first upgraded staff. My magic setup for now is three Great Heavy Soul Arrows and two Soul Spears. Arrows hit for about 320 and Spear for about 650.
14)
Scorpioness Najka - 90 - 2/5 - 1 - Though I got a few hits it was easy.
I decided to kill Scorpioness first since I remember she was easy, and way to her was short - why not to get some extra souls? Now to the Gutter! Oh and one more thing to mention - killing lizards was a pain as melee, now it is far easier.
15)
Royal Rat Vanguard - 93 - 3/5 - 2 - Intresting thing - bosses that were easy for the warrior now hard for the mage, and vice versa. Bosses with multiple enemies are hard since my casts are slow. I used roll good hundred of times before I killed Mr.Rat guy.
16)
The Rotten - 97 - 3/5 - 3 - Good amount of HP, fast attacks and no armor. Oh and fiery pools on the ground makes it even more fun. Now for the last Great Soul.
17)
Prowling Magus and Congregation - 98 - 1/5 - 1 - Soul Spear killed bosses in 2 hits, rest of zombies was not a problem to deal with.
18)
The Duke's Dear Freja - 98 - 2/5 - 1 - Zone was harder than boss, I didnt die on boss, despite small spiders strongly wanted to kill me, but I died at least 10 times due to homing magic missled from necromancers.
Now with nice amount of different spells, with upgraded staff, pyromancy flame and chime I tried all availible spells again. I will not mention all spells, only some I find useful - it is Affinity (high damage, and intresting mechanics) and Fireball\Fire Orb - weaker than GHSA, but still useful. Other spells are useless for me. My setup is 3 GHSA, 3 Soul Spears and Affinity\Fire spells depends on situation.
19)
Twin Dragonriders - 102 - 2/5 - 1 - Still easy, though they hit me several times.
20)
Looking Glass Knight - 104 - 3/5 - 3 - This guy is still very hard, but attacks from range helps a lot.
21)
Demon of the Song - 107 - 1/5 - 1 - Very easy, since I know tactics already.
Few words about Shrine of Amana - this is the hardest zone in the game IMHO - zone is full of casters with homing missiles, while you cant reach them since area is full of water. Death awaits you on every step in deep holes, invicible underwater. I died at least 20 times in this zone (remember the guy without any death?)
22)
Velstadt, the Royal Aegis - 111 - 3/5 - 2 - Surprisingly easy. Maybe I was just lucky, since the boss mostly casted something with his bell-mace and not pursuing me.
23)
Guardian Dragon - 115 - 1/5 - 1 - Boss was dead in about 5 seconds. Soul Geyser I found in Aldia's Keep is really powerful.
24)
Throne Watcher and Throne Defender - 114 - 3/5 - 2 - These bosses have fast running speed and fast long attacks, it was hard to avoid.
25)
Nashandra - 119 - 2/5 - 1 - Finally the last boss. Her main weapon - cursing spirits didnt work on me, since I stayed in range. This was easy - just run from her and attack then. Hear dark beam could cause some problems, but this is only if you stay far away from her - I was close enough to not get beams, but not so close to get curses.
Victory!
It was fun to play as a mage. Maybe I will try again as an archer - especially since DLC is coming soon.
See you!
