LogFAQs > #967546406

If I were to do another playthrough I'd just leave Lautrec locked up >_> I tried him again a few times today but it's no good. It's not like I need Firelink's bonfire lit so I'll just come back to it later.

My instincts were right, a boss fight was imminent. In fact, two in one! Dragon Slayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough are kind of fascinating. They don't do any team attacks or combo work at all, they're simply two boss fights overlaid onto each other. And somehow it works, this fight feels very epic (not least because of the kickass music and grand arena). As you may have guessed, I spend a long time on this fight. So much so that I've memorised their names. In many ways this battle is silly and game-y: the two frequently push each other around, hit through each other without causing damage, and knock each other off trajectory while they both run at me. And I won't lie, there were several times that I shouted 'oh come on' at the game when things weren't going my way. But somehow this may also be my fav boss fight yet.

For my first few attempts I feel things out. Initially I aim for Smough first as he's a bigger slower target and he takes a lot more damage from a single hit. But I soon realise that it's safer to focus on the faster smaller threat. It's much easier to drag Smough around and keep an eye on him in the background while I work with Ornstein than it is the other way around (the slayer seems to love stabbing straight through his big pal to get me). Both bosses resemble tougher versions of regular enemies fought around this area, so it's not too hard to get used to their patterns, but still this fight is pretty relentless. They each have a very wide movepool and it's not always easy to tell which move they're about to pull off. I generally play it defensive, trying to pull Ornstein away and strike when there's a gap, forcing myself to not get greedy. I have varying degrees of success here, but as with most battles in this game it becomes second nature after a while.

The first time I defeat Ornstein I think I'm gonna be fine, Smough after all is slow and a big target. But the game has another twist for me, and Smough gains his late friend's electric powers. You wouldn't think this would change much, but then he insta-kills me with his lightning charge. In fact I kill Ornstein 4 times without managing to take down the big guy afterwards! And most of those times I had plenty of potions left! It may be my imagination, but Smough seems a little quicker in this second phase, and is definitely more deadly. I can't rely on my shield at all given the lightning hammer, and he's fond of doing the big divebomb move that creates electricity all over the arena. I just roll as far as I can when I see that one coming.

My main wish with this fight is for a weapon with longer reach, I can't tell you the number of times I was a little too far out with my sword. As it happens I found a Crystal Halberd somewhere in this area with pretty good stats, but my strength isn't high enough to wield it so I had to make do with the Longsword+10. Well, pretty much. On my fifth attempt at solo Smough, after he's down to about a quarter health I start firing crossbow bolts from far away (only one at a time, as they are very slow to load!). A bit of an anticlimactic end to the fight, but I'm happy to take it.

I think the game knows this is a difficult fight, because our reward is grander than normal. It's a giant princess! With a large set of... antiquated vocabulary. Gwynevere is Gwyn's daughter (idk if literal daughter or this is some godly 'our father' kind of thing) and gives us the Lordvessel and some lore. I don't trust her at first, games don't usually have me kneel to a god and have them be the good guy, but she does seem pretty straight up. Hmm. We can now warp between bonfires, hooray! For real, the doors slowly opening and the sunlight shining around Gwynevere's silhouette is a really cool visual, this feels like a major moment.

The firekeeper at Anor Londo gives me some new lore about Seath the Scaleless and his archives, and then it's time for an amusing interlude with Kingseeker Frampt. The tone of this game is all over the place in the best way lol. We open three gates (two of which I don't recognise >_>) and we now seemingly have free reign again of where to go. We've gotta kill 4 big lords to fill the vessel- the Witch of Izalith, Seath the Scaleless (I guess he's in the path from Anor Londo), the Four Kings of Londo (hey the dude in Ghosttown mentioned them!), and another one I forgot the name of. The world is my oyster! Though I will miss Anor Londo, it's nice to be back home in Firelink for a moment.

Edit: OH I forgot to mention Smough's little laugh! That's a cool little detail to add personality. I love the design of these guys.