LogFAQs > #941480412

UshiromiyaEva posted...

I keep using Blood Vials when trying to change weapon modes.

You should get past this pretty quickly, but still pretty common. I think they did this on purpose to troll players or something. For me I tend to have the opposite problem where if I try to go back to playing other Souls games and I want to heal myself, my character just stands there fiddling their their weapon.

Peace___Frog posted...

Tldr - don't concern yourself too much with optimal play, feel free to do suicide runs after Amelia (though I'm unsure if you'll like the arm, given your dislike of the kirkhammer), and if you have any questions we're here to help.

If you plan to go this route, here are the weapons you'll have 'easy' access to.

Beast Cutter: You can get this pretty quickly. People compare it to the threaded cane but with strength scaling. I think... the comparison is really aesthetic at best, and even then it's still a little flimsy. The TC biggest problem is lack of hard hitting, while this weapon actually hits hard. The TC also tends to feel like it doesn't reach quite as far as you want it to, while this weapon has a really good feel for reach. Basically this weapon is more like what you'd want the threaded cane to actually be. In addition to this, the non-trick forms play totally different and the beast cutter is a solid one handed weapon option that doesn't use the same sword moveset or sprite as the other one handed swords in the base game. Solid B tier.

Boom Hammer: You'll pick this up naturally as you progress through the level. It has a similar problem to the Tonitrus where the moveset feels pretty limited in what the weapon can actually do. Your L1 button is reserved for buffing the weapon and you don't have a trick form, just a buffed form. It improves upon those issues a little bit, giving some slight variety to the moveset, but... The thing about the Tonitrus is that it's a TOP tier weapon, despite being boring. It's worth using because of how good it is. The Boom Hammer is NOT a top tier weapon. The buff has to be re-applied constantly, and the weapon doesn't land elementally buffed hits as frequently. The charge attack may be worth investigating but I doubt it compares favorably to stuff like the Hunter's Axe. Simple is better. It's probably C tier.

Amygdalan Arm: This one will require you to get into a side area, but thankfully you don't have to get back out. Once you've picked up the arm, even if you die to all of the chaotic shit in there, you'll be fine. There's also lots of upgrade materials in the cave. This weapon has a bit of a delay on its attack patterns which can make it feel unsatisfying to use. It's a fun alternative option for an arcane/strength build, but... it's definitely not in the A or B tier of weapons.

Beasthunter Saif: This one is a little further in and will require a good amount of 'running past' stuff to reach it. It's a skill based weapon that promotes a unique playstyle. The Saif has a longer wind-up before your initial attack, and more of a forward step, than other weapons in the game. The trick attack also has movement built into it. At the end of the day, the use of this weapon is all about positioning on the battlefield. It will actually make your life harder if your strategy is to circle strafe everything, but even if you are using spacing strategies I sometimes find that the built in movement is more of a hindrance than a help. Similar to the Amygdalan arm I think this one is fun and unique but not great, and is likely C tier as well.

Whirligig Saw: Finally something actually great. Though you will have to totally explore the first area and go onto an optional path to find this -- it's worth it. The one handed form is very satisfying, it has a fast swing but TONS of stagger as you're essentially bashing enemies with a flanged mace repeatedly. But when you press the L1 button the fun really comes out. It's a giant pizza cutter that you can use to slash enemies to pieces. I wouldn't say it has a top tier move set, but it FEELS amazing to use, and the move set is good enough that the weapon can easily be used. Especially the high stagger and relatively fast attacks for the type of weapon it is, these attributes carry over into the 2H form as well. Easily a solid B tier weapon, I might even go so far as to say it's an A tier.

If you want the Holy Moonlight Sword you'll have to beat the first boss, but I don't think you'll be ready to do that for a while. When people recommend you should be at level 65+ with a mostly or fully upgraded weapon (and decent blood gems), what they really mean is that you need all of those things to be able to fight the very first boss safely.

---

all the rest weren't so unfortunate
https://imgur.com/yv2eC4n