The Shadows are Long Here
Since last writing, I’ve explored even more of the Shadow Realm. My character is about level 154 by this point, with 80 points in Intelligence and 36 points in Dexterity. Going forward, I may round out Dexterity to 40, and try to round out Mind to 40 as well. Levels have become less important in terms of feeling stronger. Going forward, understanding enemy weaknesses and movement patterns will be more important than ever.
I’ve enjoyed playing as a Magic-User. The variety of spells is pretty cool. I need to experiment a bit more with them instead of relying on a select bunch. I wish the invisibility spell was as useful as it is in Dark Souls III, where mobs can be by-passed quite efficiently with generous application of the spell. I recently re-played DSIII with a magic-using character, which is why it’s still fresh in my mind. Here the invisibility spell appears to be less effective for avoiding enemy fights, although perhaps it needs to be paired with the incantation that silences one’s footsteps.
I reached the area with the viking funeral boats inside the Shadow Keep. There were two summoning signs in that spot, one to help Edena and one to help Hornsent. After weighing the options (and looking up what happens when you assist either one), I ultimately went with assisting Edena to defeat Hornsent. We crushed him without breaking a sweat; he never had an opportunity to use his special move, Swift Slash (which apparently is quite powerful).
On the opposite end of the world, I reached the Cerulean Coast, a location full of great sights. I proceeded to the Fingers Ruins of Rhia, where I rang the bell thanks to the item I received from Count Ymir. Considering my character’s magic-use, it seems beneficial to complete Count Ymir’s questline as quickly as possible, since all the rewards should be useable by my character. I confess to being a little underwhelmed at the first reward’s benefits. It doesn’t seem to increase spell casting speed that much more than the Radagon Icon talisman; definitely not worth the increase damage tradeoff, at least in my humble opinion. Maybe I’m missing something?
Rellana’s Twin Moons continues to prove to be worth its weight in runes. It may not be the best method to defeat the Furnace Golems, but it can work. It’s also incredibly useful for groups of slow-moving mobs. Easy way to farm runes.
Before stopping for the night, I made it to the Darklight Catacombs. I took a few steps inside and was delighted to see that the dungeon appears to be pitch black. I’ve always liked areas in these games that force players to engage with darkness. Do you sacrifice your off-hand for a torch? Do you try to get by with the dim glow of the belt lantern? Or, in my case, do you risk running out of mana casting the light spell?
The path to the Darklight Catacombs is long and hidden. Players need to find a not-so-obvious ladder at the Shadow Keep, walk behind a waterfall to find a hidden area, and then discover an illusionary wall that leads outside. It takes commitment from game designers to be willing to make levels that players may miss entirely. From Software has been doing it ever since Dark Souls I (and maybe even Demon’s Souls, although I’ve yet to try it).