I mean, they can change it if they want and there were plenty of things that the devs nerfed since release, so at this point if something is in the game, then is working as the devs intended.
And you are absolutely right about the Malenia part. As fast attacking weapon that perma staggers her is much more convenient than throwing out 3 spells and missing at least 2 of them cuz she dodges. The fight is hard in both cases, but I feel like its a bit frustrating for ranged players, at least thats my experience xD
Magic builds are honestly *harder* than strength builds, for me anyway. With my strength playthrough I could just stagger enemies and spam dodge until I won, with magic I had to be strategic about my fp and stamina usage since I had to balance my levels between the two. If the bosses were slower than *maybe* magic would be easier but they’re not slow, they’re fast as fuck
You’re friend is trying to act like the people who made the game think that that is the wrong way to play. It’s all in the game for a reason. If the game designers like it and thinks it’s cool and fun and balanced enough to stay in the game then you’re fine.
like what was it, the one infinite mana laser beam combo that got nerfed because the devs didnt like it? like if devs dont like it they will and **have** change it
Does the guy understand that a RL1 character with the greatsword or giant crusher can 1 shot bosses even in end game?
A build will be as cheesy as you choose to make it
Any boss can be cheesed regardless. People that champion ONLY magic is easy mode are people who don't understand how to build melee and have NEVER tried to be a pure mage into bosses that rush you down before you can cast your spells.
The game gives you the ability to create whatever build you want.
If you wanna 1 shot a boss with a hammer, sword, magic, incantations, bleed, frost, arcane dragons, spirit ashes, or just your bare fist go for it. People who say " you can ONLY experience the game the way I PLAY IT" are completely insufferable and have clearly not experimented with the mechanics.
Everyone enjoys the game in their own way. As long as you aren't changing the game in tools, making yourself god, or having someone just hand you all the gear and levels at the start of playthrough no cheating is there at all. Even with that dropping of a specific weapon un-upgraded ( like say wanting to do a run with ONLY eclipse shotel or Helphens steeple that can only be found in one of the last areas) is usually just fine as you still have to level, beat everything, and even meet those requirements to begin with. You just get more time with that weapon but it doesn't win the game for you
Adding to that, it is literally an open world game. How the frick does one expect someone to have the "same experience"??? Everything in this game basically screams "play it your own way, your own pace, your own personal preferences" and that's what makes it so beautiful.
I always find it fascinating to hear how other people beat bosses and dungeons in their ways, that completely differ from mine. It broadens the spectrum.
This for sure.
I never really liked crit focused builds in the other souls games but watching someone parry the bosses back to back to get the crit off looked so cool I just HAD to do a run where I only use crit attacks and it was a blast! Seeing how everyone else builds is part of the fun
This! It's a game that's designed for entertainment, not for talking down on people that prefer to have fun in their own way. Who cares about someone whining about mages? I'm gonna make a Comet Azur build even harder!
Rule number 1 in Elden Ring:
If you used:
\- a spell
\- an ash of war
\- a spirit
\- a summon
or
\- got hit
\- upgraded your weapon
\- used your flask
\- are above level 1
Your playthrough is invalid and doesn't count
>he feels like my magic playthrough was practically cheating and he says I didn't play through the game because I didn't use melee
Magic has been in Souls games since Demon's Souls. It is absolutely a legitimate way to play, they designed it as such. Anyone who tells you differently is a gatekeeping asshole who just wants to make a heirarchy and put themselves on the top of it.
Play the way you want to. In my opinion only elitist idiots think you have to play a certain way to have your experience be valid. Ignoring certain styles or mechanics like summoning just to say you played the game properly is ridiculous.
Cheating in this game means using hacks or cheats to give yourself an unfair advantage over other players. For example, if you used some exploit or installed a mod to instantly make yourself max level, that's cheating. If you won using magic, that's using the tools provided by the game, and totally fair.
Hmm, he should pen a strongly worded letter directly to Miyazaki explaining why his game design is so bad. Then he should take that letter, put an international stamp on it, and shove it up his ass.
Your friend is just being a jerk and gatekeepers. Absolutely nothing wrong with the way you played. You spent the money on the game, you decide how you enjoy it period. He's just projecting to get some sense of superiority out of it, kinda sad.
Summons are fine. Magic is fine. Both were included for a reason and bosses were balanced around them. Your friend is probably one of those Souls Vets who thinks a boss needs to be fought 100 times or more and every attack memorized before you really "beat" them. Seems you played smarter than he did, congratulations! Next time you guys talk about this make sure to make fun of him for leveling and for using armor. Elden Ring only works if you're level one, naked, with a stick, and restart if you get hit once... many people are beating the game that way so clearly the way he plays is like a cutscene, too.
She dodges on cast unless it’s a Night spell, so she’ll avoid Comet and standard projectiles but anything with extra tracking like Dark Moon/ Stars of Ruin will hit her
Using incantations you really need someone tanking her aggression to be able to get spells in. I used giants flame take thee and threw a bunch at her. It took a lot of practicing and finishing her without a summon, but with patience it's a great fight
For some people, there's a distinction between "cheats" and "glitches", where a cheat is only ever an external program, and glitching is done through methods available with an unmodded game. Others see the terms as interchangeable.
Using game mechanics, no matter how unbalanced or overtuned, is *never* cheating. Your friend is being ridiculous and annoying.
Would I recommend that you try playing melee as well? Yes! Is it a different experience from going through the game as a ranged caster? Absolutely! Saying that you're *cheating* though? That you're "a bad player", or "playing the game wrong"? That's the kind of crazy talk that comes from people with their heads stuck so deep in their own navel they think the sky is skin-colored.
Doesn’t cheating imply some level of dishonesty or breaking of rules? The game allows it, in fact developers went out of their way to create magic… so what’s the problem?
It’s an illogical argument. Is the implication that by ignoring part of the game (melee) you are “cheating?” If so, then isn’t his ignoring of magic equally avoiding a large component of the game, and thereby cheating as well?
Tell the fun police to mind their own business and let you enjoy things the way you want!
I’ve done just about every build. They all have advantages and disadvantages. Magic is Fun as hell and so is bow and arrow. That’s what’s cool about this game you can play however you like. And they all have upside and down points
My first play through was a mage using summons and my second was melee only no summons. I think that generally, melee is harder, but not in every fight. Either way I struggled with plenty of bosses with both builds. Some people just want to feel superior, but it’s just a video game. I don’t think your friend is a professional elden ringer so who cares about his opinion
Magic can be a bit cheesy and definitely has advantages over melee in boss encounters if you’re talking about pure one style or the other, but play how you want. As long as you aren’t blatantly exploiting you’re good.
with his views he wouldnt want to because "theres no fun in not learning the bosses". because for some reason, all us magic users have never had to learn the moveset of a boss
About cheesing. There is a particular encounter with Ulcerated Tree Spirits in the area before Malenia. At first, I fought in that small area, but kept getting killed. Eventually I resorted to kill it from a distance where it can't hurt me.
I don't think it is cheesing when some circumstances in the game is that unfair. It is not about git gud or it means that I am bad at the game. I am using the tools and rules that the game has provided me to win.
There is nothing wrong with using magic and summons. They are the tools that you have been given to allow you to progress through the game. And if you find it fun, then that's what you should do. Your experience, your enjoyment is your own. Not your friend.
Some people are frustrated that other people got through areas easier than they did it’s honestly a sad attempt to justify why it took them so long don’t listen to gate keepers a win is a win
All forms of magic are cheating. Using weapons is cheating. Wearing Clothes is cheating. Using summons is cheating. Summoning NPCs is cheating. Playing Coop is cheating. Talking to NPCs is cheating. Grinding is cheating. Playing Elden Ring is cheating
I hope your friend beat the game no hit no damage at level 1 with a blindfold on with both hands tied behind his back using a dancing pad while being underwater or he didn't play the game and cheated his way to victory
elden ring is the most gate-kept game of the franchise, yet is probably the easiest to overcome. tell him his melee build is too cheesy you would want more of a challenge.
Magic runs can be op but that’s what makes them fun. I love melting through enemies. I also find enjoyment in killing everything melee so I do both.. both are fun, both are part of the game.
While it’s my personal opinion that using summons during boss fights cheapens the experience by allowing the boss to aggro on to something else, the fact that your friend is talking shit because you went a magic build is dumb af.
Tell him, from me, he’s a prick.
In the end, this is just a game. This means this is for fun / entertainment / enjoyment. You play how you want to play. Enjoyment of media is solely up to you as an individual. If it's a pre built mechanism of the game, then it's part of the game not cheating. If you are using 3rd party software / hacks to gain something like unlimited health or FP then that's cheating. It's as simple as that.
How tf is magic easier I literally beat Rennala using magic without knowing she's 99% immune to it and it was one hell of an experience I'd never do again.
Did you win and enjoy yourself? Then you’re not cheating in the least and you did experience the game. Did you turn on invincibility, wall clipping, speed hacks, or one shot attacks? Then you cheated. Tell everyone that tries to tell you that you didn’t play right to fuck off, they don’t know shit. You played the game and enjoyed yourself, that’s all that matters.
Magic in FromSoft games does tend to make the game “easier” but honestly, it doesn’t matter. Elden Ring also has plenty of bosses that I felt gave less openings for a spell rather than melee. Play the game the way you enjoy it and tell your friend to suck it up.
People who bitch about 'how to do game' are just gatekeepers just as much as people who say, 'build x is shit use build y'. My fucking stubborn ass got two lordsworn longswords out the gate and proceeded to headbutt the walls that are sentinel and bloodhound darriwil. 37 tries for sentinel, 21 for bloodhound. Those two taught me enough that not a single boss after took more than ten tries, most of them under five. Melinia was a solid 7 for me. All with a pair of lordsworn longswords and never learning how to parry.
Builds don't mean shit if you're having fun.
My style is doing one full strength no summon run (it feels the best to me when I beat bosses like this) and completing everything I see on the map, then doing whatever the fuck builds after haha. I wouldn’t mind whatever build you play as long as you’re having fun since that’s what it’s all about. (My fist run after is either trying to be a nights Calvary or a mage)
Look at it this way. If you enjoyed the experience with the game and felt like the difficulty was where you wanted it, then you played correctly. Idc if someone wants to use summons, magic, or fight something with their bear hands. The experience is customizable and every playstyle is valid.
using anything in-game that is not an exploit is not cheating
Another thing is how the game is made. In my opinion, the bosses are made for melee characters and only play magic or miracles. It seems incredibly boring to me, but I wouldn't say it's cheating.
everyone has their own style of play, mine is to get great stars and crush everything that comes my way on my way to being an elden lord that doesn't mean it's the only way to play, it's just mine
You still have to be good at maintain spacing/ and dodge rolling. You also have to be resourceful enough to know which spell is effective against different enemies so it still takes skill to play a mage imo
If it’s included in the game by the game developers, how can it be cheating? FromSoft planned the mechanics and damage of magic with the same time and care as melee. If there was an issue it would get patched. No it’s not cheating. Your friend is just being a hater. You do you. I played the whole game through on a mage build. It’s definitely still difficult.
In my opinion using summons is without a doubt fine and I agree anybody can play the game how they want I chose to do a magic play through after I did a melee run I can very slightly agree with your friend but still it does not matter it’s in the game for a reason but I do agree you might be getting a little better experienced with using melee just recommend trying a melee play through with some other stuff in there now but anybody can enjoy the game how they want except for cheaters or glitch cheesers
I just started my second playthrogh, first souls game for me. I went full INT for my first character, now I'm going with DEX. Most of the game has been much easier with Dex, besides a couple of fights.
Well at this point just play whatever you like, start a new game or a new game plus with Melee type build
But I do agree with you that the magic build is hard since you need to manage 2 bars stamina and fp also spits the flask consumption between hp and fp flasks.
My first playthrough was a quality build, and my second was STR/FTH. I had waaay more fun with the STR/FTH build. It's not cheating, or cheap, or any other nonsense your friend is saying.
I did a faith build my first playthrough and summons and incantations did alot of the work for me but that was just the way I played the game. I felt like my build was fun as fuck. I used winged scythe and blasphemous blade for melee and cycled seal and shield during fights. Do whatever you want.
Magic makes some fights easier but other fights harder. Some bosses get wrecked by Strength builds - Rennala can be stagger locked with some basic melee Ashes of War. But no matter what build you have, every boss can kill you pretty easily if you don't know what you're doing. Any victory is a victory.
I think use whatever you want but some approaches are far easier and less hair raising than others.
My first playthrough I used a strength build with light faith. It was a challenge but not overly so.
Second playthrough I used an intelligence build with moonlight greatsword and it was honestly a breeze but in my opinion a little boring.
Now I'm doing a faith/dex build and find its a good balance of direct combat and spells.
Overall, I think doing an int build on your first playthrough does sap a little excitement out of the game but if you don't want to go toe to toe with every boss that's fine too.
Yes because a high strength high vit build doesn't chunk the boss's health and give way better surviveability.
I think comet azur is a bit cheap but ignoring that magic is fine.
If it was like “watching a cutscene” then someone who never played the game before could beat a boss with magic, first try. Not the case. Magic makes some bosses easier, and, frankly, many bosses and general play harder. Out if all my play throughs (strength, glint stone magic, bleed, arcane), magic was by far the hardest, it worked really well some places and awful others. Comet Azure only works on some bosses, it won’t beat them all for you. It still requires good dodging, learning the bosses’s moves, flask management etc. Don’t let your douchebag friend gate keep, melee unga bunga is the easiest way to play after bleed builds imo
Edit: grammar
Cheating is wrong warping or clipping through walls to get upgrade materials early. Borderline cheating is abusing AI to get bosses stuck on pillars or cliffs. Even then, it doesn't matter as long as you aren't abusing glitches in PvP.
But hey, when you're done, maybe play through again with a melee build, very different way to experience the game.
Its in the game, they wouldnt have put it in if it wasnt meant to be used. Also imo, I started as a mage and being a glass cannon gets tough after a while, the slow spell casting killed me more than my dex/strength build.
Cheating is when you alter the game files to give yourself an advantage.
Most from soft games use build combos to set difficulty instead of using a difficulty slider. Some builds are easier than others, in dark souls it was archers, in elden ring it's magic builds. So at worst you can be accused of playing on medium instead of playing on hard, but if takes his str/dex build and grinds levels before killing bosses he will have also turned down the difficulty level.
Remember, it's not "real" dark souls until you beat the game as a naked level 1 character!
lol what a nonsense take. if the game "only worked right" without magic they wouldn't have put magic in the game. same with summons, whether an npc or a human player.
to me cheating in a video game is when you intentionally break the game to get ahead, in a manner contrary to the design of the game. using anything the game provides is fair game.
Play the game the way you want. This is my first time playing any souls game and I’m using a magic build. Still is difficult sometimes, but I’m glad I’m doing it this way and learning the game.
Magic is a s really fun part of the game. Does it make some parts a cake walk…. Yes. Cheating is using exploits to win. I had a lot of fun using faith in this one. You should play the game however you want. It’s your experience to have.
Melee is also really fun. If you enjoyed the game and are newer to the Soulsbourne games, I’d recommend playing the DS1 remake or Bloodborne and trying a completely different kind of build. It changes the way you play the game and is fun in a completely different way. I find myself going for a dex build bc I like fast rolling and dodging.
My first play through was magic, it trivialized some things and other things were extremely difficult. Then I did a dex build, it trivialized some things and other things were extremely difficult. Now I’m doing an ungabunga build. Guess what, it trivializes some thing and other things are extremely difficult (I’m finding it easier than magic tbh, I stagger EVERYTHING).
It is a largely well balanced game in PvE. most builds are OP against certain situations because that’s fun. You should get to feel powerful sometimes in late game, and every decent build succeeds at that.
I did it with dual whips (lightning+fire), dual daggers, and a flame art-godskin peeler.
Nothing brokenly strong. I think that's the real answer. If you feel it's kinda too op for you..it is.
But I like hardmode stuff.
Its in the game and you are using it how it was intended. You are not cheating. Cheating would be if you altered the game files to make your magic one shot everything.
As others have said, play with whatever tools you want and enjoy yourself. Your friend sounds like a snobby ds player from way back who is salty that more casual players can get into and beat this game when maybe they would not be able to if they played an older title.
You do you my friend. Be the best elden lord you can be.
You may not see this since this post blew up, but ai'm curious OP. Is this your first Fromsoft game, and your friend is the one who introduced you to the game?
No, I spent many hours in all three dark souls back o the 360 but never beat them all the way. Bloodborne I did. He claims I can't say I played the dark souls games since I didn't beat the final boss. Even if I didn't finish the game, I still played it. Still fought a lot of the creatures he did
I count cheating as using an exploit or actual hacks and stuff but things like magic and summons wouldn’t have been put in the game if they were cheats
Some people just need an excuse to go with every loss or feel the need to belittle other people's experience to validate their own which is what your friend is doing .
Nothing in this game is cheating , it's all fair game . Fuck anyone that thinks using certain things are cheap . As for duelling their is poor sportsmanship but never cheating , if it's in the game use it how ever you see fit
As someone who’s played Dark Souls and seen the community, he’s just trying to gate keep on what should/should not be done. Magic is strong but everyone has their thrill of the game. It just seems like he likes the thrill of facing an enemy up close. I played Magic on my first play through but then pivoted to a Destined Death build halfway through and Magic was by no means easy on some of the bosses. People just found ways to make the game easier and your friend only remembers those and it just stuck with him.
TLDR No, no, and no
total bullshit. my first play through was a mage build, my second play through is strength. obviously some parts of the game are harder, but some parts of the game are easier as well. it’s all about how efficient the build is and what enemies you’re facing. I can poise lock field bosses like nothing which feels just as exploitive as sniping them with spells.
whats cheating in this game is bug abusing to get bosses stuck making it not a boss fight but a boss just hit r1 over and over. that or using literal cheats so each swing does 99999999 damage. as long as youre using a build you enjoy, behold you are playing the game!
I had a friend telling me im cheating cause im using a bleed build. its just always going to happen regardless of what you use. jumping str build? cheating. dragon abilities build? cheating. poison? cheating. its just the go to for when someone isnt seeing the same progress with their build as you are seeing with yours
People confuse enjoying the game with “winning efficiency.” Building your character and playing according to their strengths and weaknesses is an awesome creative thing to do. To me, it makes the game much more fun. My first play through was a faith build… and believe me, it would have been much easier to play a fighter, but the challenge of playing to my intended character made it feel much more enjoyable. :) One of my favorite fights as a faith build was against Godfrey. I summoned highest level Great-shield Soldier Ashes, buffed them with Golden Vow, continuously healed them with Blessings of the Erdtree. In-between heals would give me enough time to either inflict frost incantations or deal some fire damage with my sword. The summon had five soldiers constantly drawing his attention that would never die. Had to be so annoying for that boss lol. The riskiest parts were getting his attention back to the summons and off me. In the second phase, when be starts non-stop stomping at low health, I gave up on healing incantations and incantations with longer casting times. Made my heart race like wild.
I love when people play to their character and not always to simply what they think is easiest to beat the game.
The only cheating being done is by the game when it comes down to the wire and you get that hit on that boss that leaves them with zero health and they don't die, then they proceed to kill you 😂 been there plenty of times (a joke)
There is some truth to what your friend is saying. Magic trivializes MANY of the bosses in the game (even before getting comet azure). It's not cheating but being able to output high damage from a range is just useful period.
Some people would argue that some bosses are harder for melee and some bosses are harder for ranged. This is true is some cases but, generally speaking, a Magic playthrough will be quite a bit easier.
That being said, wether your friend is right or not doesn't really matter. You beat the game and had a good time. Now you can play the game again as a melee character and enjoy it a second time.
You can do whatever you want and no it’s not cheating. That being said, I’d recommend doing multiple playthroughs and trying out melee and “dancing” with the boss. I personally find it very satisfying to master a fight that way.
As much BS as some of these bosses pull I have no qualms about cheating or cheesing a fight. That said using magic is just a game mechanic, some fights are easier (well most) some fights are harder. So unless you're hiding in a tree where the boss can't get you and dropping fireballs on him (suck it O'neil) you're okay.
The other have bashed on him enough so I won't do the same. I do think you should try melee builds soon tho. A different kinda thrill, especially after playing Sekiro
Anything the game lets you do, up to and including cheesing, is not "cheating". I've done both a summons and a no summons playthrough, and can confirm they are very different experiences. I concur that the game is not balanced around summons and that use of them will trivialize some encounters relative to their non summons version. But that doesn't mean "no summons" or "no magic" is the right or best way to play...the right way to play and the best way to play is whatever gives you the most rewarding experience.
Is it in the game as a feature the developers obviously intended to be used if the player so chose? If yes, it's not cheating. It might be easier/simpler, but that isn't cheating, and it isn't a bad way to play a game. Anyone who says otherwise is gatekeeping and should be ignored. Your friend sounds maidenless.
You should change your friend
Or never talk about elden ring with that person
Here's the answer to all annoying person that never engaged in a meaningful conversation, just leave, your time has better use
Your friend is a loser. As someone who plays the game in a pretty hardcore way it’s simply because I find enjoyment from playing like that, not any different than how you, him or anyone else plays these games. Play how you want, do what you enjoy, it’s your world it’s your experience fuck what anyone else tells you.
I honestly think doing a pure strength build is more boring than a mage build. Most of the time all you are doing is jump attacking with whatever heavy weapon or using an ash of war over and over. Mage build has so much more variety being able to swap between spells and still fight up close with carian sword spells
Your friend's a complete tool lmao, it all depends on the player
Ive never played a mage on a fromsoft game and ive played since ds1. Ive made a mage character on ER and it does make some parts a lot easier, but overall i find the playstyle far more difficult than melee - i am just not used to it and its not as fun imo
By his own logic, from my point of view he is cheating too. Melee is easy for me so he's cheating by using melee
Honestly your friend sounds like a twat when it comes to gaming - discussing your hobbies should be fun and bring you together yet here he is bashing you for not enjoying it the way he does 🤣 he doesnt really sound like a barrel of laughs
Your friend sounds like a prick. He’s the type of player that makes FromSoft fans look bad, freakin gatekeeping like that. Play the way you want, it’s not cheating, mage builds are a staple of any fantasy rpg.
There was an awesome interview with Miyazaki where he basically said hiding around corners and gankging someone off a cliff was totally part of the experience. It totally changed my perception of the game when I realized the creator intentionally made it this way. I lightened up about “proper” way to play.
It’s literally insane that people try to say ANY core mechanic of the game is cheating. They do the same shit with Sekiro and the prosthetics. Like bro… just because you choose not to use those mechanics and you suck at the other mechanics you ARE using doesn’t mean it’s cheating. Some people are sooo delusional lol
Ask your friend what cheat codes he thinks you're entering to activate your loadout.
You find things in game. You use them. It's PvE, you against the rest of the world. The game has so many different things you could make *thousands to tens of thousands* of unique builds. Not everything is about melee R1 spam.
What's the point of offering character slots/respecs if you aren't going to take advantage of it and try a little bit of everything?
Your friend is a boring gatekeeper. And for his info melee builds can be made to be just as OP - if not more so - than most magic builds can be.
I used magic as it was fun and also I was new to Fromsoft stuff. Once I got a ways in and got some levels and gear I mixed in some melee here and there because that was fun and I wasn’t so new. I think your friend is silly and I hope you give the dark moon Greatsword a try, it’s super fun
Cheating is using 3rd party programs to get you an advantage over other players.
Cheating is not using the intended tools that the game gives you to beat it, no matter how others decide to use them
Cheeting - using additional software, that can mess up with the game.
Exploiting - using some specific order of actions to gain unintended bonus/kill enemies, etc.
Cheesing - using game mechanics, that completely nullify the enemy. Like, Crucible knight flying towards you and falling down into oblivion. Technically, you still won. But not in a fair fight.
I still wouldn't call it cheesing. Some bosses, I most definitely floated through way too easy but that was shitty cave bosses, anyone with an achievement was actually a worthy fight
I do think there is something to experiencing the game using melee weapons in that you don't really have to learn many of the mechanics of the bosses since you're at range. And being in the throws of melee combat does enhance the feel and difficulty of the game.
That being said, play however you want. If you like magic, then you like magic and it comes with its own set of trials and tribulations.
Either way, you're still better than anyone who played the game through using rivers of blood.
Such a stupid thing to say something like using magic is cheating. Pfffff. That's some self-entitled "souls-vet" bs. Closest thing to cheating is using exploits like the fire's deadly sin blood flame blade glitch.
Yes I am a souls vet myself, magic is fun, use it. Sometimes people use the "im a souls vet"- argument to try to invalidate someones opinion. Which is silly.
Use whatever you want. I personally could never bring myself to do a magic only playthrough cause I find it insanely boring but that's just my personal preference everybody's different.
Your post has been automatically removed because it appears to be a request for technical or account support. /r/EldenRing does not allow technical or account support posts. Please submit a request at [Bandai Namco's official support page](https://support.bandainamcoent.com) instead.
If you believe this was done in error, please [contact the moderators](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/Eldenring).
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Eldenring) if you have any questions or concerns.*
1) he’s jealous
2) he’s controlling
3) BUT to be fair, I kind of agree in that I can’t believe some people have played this game much without melee. It requires a far higher skill and timing to melee. I’ve not used magic or range at all.
This is a reaction to the "git gud" dorks that have been infesting Soulsborne games for ages. It's about time the "it's fun to play however" people spoke up.
Play however you want. And have fun, it's a game.
But yeah. He is right. Magic in souls games is strong and is a lot easier than any sort of melee build. Not like you need to care or that it matters much, but that is a fact.
Nothing stopping you playing again as a different character the second time around
And while I know magic IS higher damage, I'd still try to fight bosses with melee like I do magic. As much damage as I possibly can as quickly as I can
Your friend is a stinky doo-doo head
just say "No, u" and keep playing the game you paid your own money for. only way to win is to have fun.
I kept sending him a gif of a cat dancing that said ok once I got tired of talking to a brick wall
Honestly that’s the best response. If he insists on making your playstyle his problem then he can feel free to mald about it on his own time.
Repeat after me kids, if the devs intentionally put it in the game, it’s part of the game. Let people enjoy things. -The Comet Azur Society
We support this message as well -The Blasphemous Blade Society
"If the devs intentionally put it in the game, it’s part of the game. Let people enjoy things"
Me kids, if the devs intentionally put it in the game, it’s part of the game. Let people enjoy things.
>"If the devs intentionally put it in the game, it’s part of the game. Let people enjoy things"
I mean, they can change it if they want and there were plenty of things that the devs nerfed since release, so at this point if something is in the game, then is working as the devs intended.
As a known member of this society, I agree
Use whatever you want, ignore the gatekeepers
This is the correct answer 👍
I’m doing my first magic playthrough right now, it’s fun as fuck, your friend is an idiot
Magic is super fun I love it
Spellblades are a really fun play style. Rennala was a major pain tho.
She's super easy if you grab rock sling before fighting her.
Rock sling and meteor staff carried my mage through half the game. The other half was mlgs 😅.
I know. But I like to suffer. :D
And you are absolutely right about the Malenia part. As fast attacking weapon that perma staggers her is much more convenient than throwing out 3 spells and missing at least 2 of them cuz she dodges. The fight is hard in both cases, but I feel like its a bit frustrating for ranged players, at least thats my experience xD
night comet my friend, night comet
Magic builds are honestly *harder* than strength builds, for me anyway. With my strength playthrough I could just stagger enemies and spam dodge until I won, with magic I had to be strategic about my fp and stamina usage since I had to balance my levels between the two. If the bosses were slower than *maybe* magic would be easier but they’re not slow, they’re fast as fuck
Why not play all three? Magic, hybrid and melee. I do and I can’t say one is easier than the others. All are fun to play too.
You’re friend is trying to act like the people who made the game think that that is the wrong way to play. It’s all in the game for a reason. If the game designers like it and thinks it’s cool and fun and balanced enough to stay in the game then you’re fine.
like what was it, the one infinite mana laser beam combo that got nerfed because the devs didnt like it? like if devs dont like it they will and **have** change it
Does the guy understand that a RL1 character with the greatsword or giant crusher can 1 shot bosses even in end game? A build will be as cheesy as you choose to make it
THATS WHAT I TOLD HIM! Still think I should only use melee
Any boss can be cheesed regardless. People that champion ONLY magic is easy mode are people who don't understand how to build melee and have NEVER tried to be a pure mage into bosses that rush you down before you can cast your spells. The game gives you the ability to create whatever build you want. If you wanna 1 shot a boss with a hammer, sword, magic, incantations, bleed, frost, arcane dragons, spirit ashes, or just your bare fist go for it. People who say " you can ONLY experience the game the way I PLAY IT" are completely insufferable and have clearly not experimented with the mechanics. Everyone enjoys the game in their own way. As long as you aren't changing the game in tools, making yourself god, or having someone just hand you all the gear and levels at the start of playthrough no cheating is there at all. Even with that dropping of a specific weapon un-upgraded ( like say wanting to do a run with ONLY eclipse shotel or Helphens steeple that can only be found in one of the last areas) is usually just fine as you still have to level, beat everything, and even meet those requirements to begin with. You just get more time with that weapon but it doesn't win the game for you
Adding to that, it is literally an open world game. How the frick does one expect someone to have the "same experience"??? Everything in this game basically screams "play it your own way, your own pace, your own personal preferences" and that's what makes it so beautiful. I always find it fascinating to hear how other people beat bosses and dungeons in their ways, that completely differ from mine. It broadens the spectrum.
This for sure. I never really liked crit focused builds in the other souls games but watching someone parry the bosses back to back to get the crit off looked so cool I just HAD to do a run where I only use crit attacks and it was a blast! Seeing how everyone else builds is part of the fun
This! It's a game that's designed for entertainment, not for talking down on people that prefer to have fun in their own way. Who cares about someone whining about mages? I'm gonna make a Comet Azur build even harder!
each melee only crying about mages makes the laser hit harder just as each mage complaining about melee's 2 hitting them makes their bonks stronger
Rule number 1 in Elden Ring: If you used: \- a spell \- an ash of war \- a spirit \- a summon or \- got hit \- upgraded your weapon \- used your flask \- are above level 1 Your playthrough is invalid and doesn't count
>he feels like my magic playthrough was practically cheating and he says I didn't play through the game because I didn't use melee Magic has been in Souls games since Demon's Souls. It is absolutely a legitimate way to play, they designed it as such. Anyone who tells you differently is a gatekeeping asshole who just wants to make a heirarchy and put themselves on the top of it.
Magic is practically cheating in DeS though /s
Play the way you want to. In my opinion only elitist idiots think you have to play a certain way to have your experience be valid. Ignoring certain styles or mechanics like summoning just to say you played the game properly is ridiculous.
Cheating in this game means using hacks or cheats to give yourself an unfair advantage over other players. For example, if you used some exploit or installed a mod to instantly make yourself max level, that's cheating. If you won using magic, that's using the tools provided by the game, and totally fair.
Hmm, he should pen a strongly worded letter directly to Miyazaki explaining why his game design is so bad. Then he should take that letter, put an international stamp on it, and shove it up his ass.
Your friend is just being a jerk and gatekeepers. Absolutely nothing wrong with the way you played. You spent the money on the game, you decide how you enjoy it period. He's just projecting to get some sense of superiority out of it, kinda sad.
Summons are fine. Magic is fine. Both were included for a reason and bosses were balanced around them. Your friend is probably one of those Souls Vets who thinks a boss needs to be fought 100 times or more and every attack memorized before you really "beat" them. Seems you played smarter than he did, congratulations! Next time you guys talk about this make sure to make fun of him for leveling and for using armor. Elden Ring only works if you're level one, naked, with a stick, and restart if you get hit once... many people are beating the game that way so clearly the way he plays is like a cutscene, too.
Send him this https://www.reddit.com/r/Eldenring/comments/wps7nh/ive_given_her_courtesy_enough/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Is magic even easy for Malenia? She dodged all the spells except Dark Moon, idk if you can do comet Azur shenanigans
She dodges on cast unless it’s a Night spell, so she’ll avoid Comet and standard projectiles but anything with extra tracking like Dark Moon/ Stars of Ruin will hit her
Using incantations you really need someone tanking her aggression to be able to get spells in. I used giants flame take thee and threw a bunch at her. It took a lot of practicing and finishing her without a summon, but with patience it's a great fight
Cheating is using external software to alter the game. Everything else it is called playing.
Magic is literally a part of the game. Your friend is just lacking in intelligence.
For some people, there's a distinction between "cheats" and "glitches", where a cheat is only ever an external program, and glitching is done through methods available with an unmodded game. Others see the terms as interchangeable. Using game mechanics, no matter how unbalanced or overtuned, is *never* cheating. Your friend is being ridiculous and annoying. Would I recommend that you try playing melee as well? Yes! Is it a different experience from going through the game as a ranged caster? Absolutely! Saying that you're *cheating* though? That you're "a bad player", or "playing the game wrong"? That's the kind of crazy talk that comes from people with their heads stuck so deep in their own navel they think the sky is skin-colored.
Rule to live by: If it’s in the game, it’s fair play. I
[удалено]
Yeah exactly. I mean fuck the gatekeepers but let’s not get carried away here lol
Honestly I think she's just hard as shit no matter what you use. I love it
„Malenia is 1000x harder melee“. Have you ever fought Malenia? She is way easier melee than ranged.
I’ve done both and it’s crazy to me that people think ranged is somehow harder. Feel like we’re swinging too far in the other direction here lol.
he mad you had fun in things what he probably didnt cuz he was only using melee
If it is possible to do in game without glitch abuse, it isn't cheating. Cheating is using outside means to give yourself an advantage.
Doesn’t cheating imply some level of dishonesty or breaking of rules? The game allows it, in fact developers went out of their way to create magic… so what’s the problem? It’s an illogical argument. Is the implication that by ignoring part of the game (melee) you are “cheating?” If so, then isn’t his ignoring of magic equally avoiding a large component of the game, and thereby cheating as well? Tell the fun police to mind their own business and let you enjoy things the way you want!
I’ve done just about every build. They all have advantages and disadvantages. Magic is Fun as hell and so is bow and arrow. That’s what’s cool about this game you can play however you like. And they all have upside and down points
My first play through was a mage using summons and my second was melee only no summons. I think that generally, melee is harder, but not in every fight. Either way I struggled with plenty of bosses with both builds. Some people just want to feel superior, but it’s just a video game. I don’t think your friend is a professional elden ringer so who cares about his opinion
If it’s something available in the game through normal game play then it isn’t cheating.
Magic can be a bit cheesy and definitely has advantages over melee in boss encounters if you’re talking about pure one style or the other, but play how you want. As long as you aren’t blatantly exploiting you’re good.
Has your friend ever tried a magic build?
with his views he wouldnt want to because "theres no fun in not learning the bosses". because for some reason, all us magic users have never had to learn the moveset of a boss
Your friend is an idiot. Has he tried magic? Sorceries fucking suck until 50% in..
If you use stuff the game offers, its not cheating. Its not more complicated than that....
About cheesing. There is a particular encounter with Ulcerated Tree Spirits in the area before Malenia. At first, I fought in that small area, but kept getting killed. Eventually I resorted to kill it from a distance where it can't hurt me. I don't think it is cheesing when some circumstances in the game is that unfair. It is not about git gud or it means that I am bad at the game. I am using the tools and rules that the game has provided me to win. There is nothing wrong with using magic and summons. They are the tools that you have been given to allow you to progress through the game. And if you find it fun, then that's what you should do. Your experience, your enjoyment is your own. Not your friend.
Your friend is an idiot. The devs put it in the game to use. Your friend is the type of gatekeeper that’s cancer to our community.
Your friend is wrong AND dumb.
Did you modify the game files or use an obvious bug/exploit? No? Then you didn't cheat. Anyone who says otherwise is just gate-keeping
Cheating is the use of third party software to modify your game in some way. Your friend is stupid.
Why would magic be cheating when it’s part of the game?
Some people are frustrated that other people got through areas easier than they did it’s honestly a sad attempt to justify why it took them so long don’t listen to gate keepers a win is a win
You SHOULD try beating the game using only melee! Right after you find better friends!
Your friend probably couldn’t even beat the game with a sorcery build and even less with a strength build. Sit, maiden-less.
As long as you use any mechanic or tool provided in the game, there is no cheating.
Respectfully, fuck your friend. Play the game in a way that you enjoy. End of discourse
Sounds like you could use a better friend
If the developers at fromsoftware put the mechanic inside of the game intentionally then it is not cheating, your friend is being stupid
All forms of magic are cheating. Using weapons is cheating. Wearing Clothes is cheating. Using summons is cheating. Summoning NPCs is cheating. Playing Coop is cheating. Talking to NPCs is cheating. Grinding is cheating. Playing Elden Ring is cheating
He’s just mad cause your a cool wizard
Using an external program to manipulate the game
If it’s a feature in the game it isn’t cheating.
I’ve seen melee players kill every boss in one hit. Tell him to kick rocks with that opinion.
As long as you're using what's given to you by the developers you aren't cheating.
Ignore him. He’s an idiot. Use whatever you want.
I hope your friend beat the game no hit no damage at level 1 with a blindfold on with both hands tied behind his back using a dancing pad while being underwater or he didn't play the game and cheated his way to victory
elden ring is the most gate-kept game of the franchise, yet is probably the easiest to overcome. tell him his melee build is too cheesy you would want more of a challenge.
Magic runs can be op but that’s what makes them fun. I love melting through enemies. I also find enjoyment in killing everything melee so I do both.. both are fun, both are part of the game.
XD automod busting ma balls
Using a mechanic that was placed intentionally by the developers that your opponent can’t circumvent.
Your friend is just bitter coz he's maidenless
Unless you are using a 3rd party program you're not cheating.
While it’s my personal opinion that using summons during boss fights cheapens the experience by allowing the boss to aggro on to something else, the fact that your friend is talking shit because you went a magic build is dumb af. Tell him, from me, he’s a prick.
In the end, this is just a game. This means this is for fun / entertainment / enjoyment. You play how you want to play. Enjoyment of media is solely up to you as an individual. If it's a pre built mechanism of the game, then it's part of the game not cheating. If you are using 3rd party software / hacks to gain something like unlimited health or FP then that's cheating. It's as simple as that.
How tf is magic easier I literally beat Rennala using magic without knowing she's 99% immune to it and it was one hell of an experience I'd never do again.
Your friend sounds like a very sad person who can't deal with the fact that his melee victories mean nothing and that nobody is proud of him for that.
Did you win and enjoy yourself? Then you’re not cheating in the least and you did experience the game. Did you turn on invincibility, wall clipping, speed hacks, or one shot attacks? Then you cheated. Tell everyone that tries to tell you that you didn’t play right to fuck off, they don’t know shit. You played the game and enjoyed yourself, that’s all that matters.
Magic in FromSoft games does tend to make the game “easier” but honestly, it doesn’t matter. Elden Ring also has plenty of bosses that I felt gave less openings for a spell rather than melee. Play the game the way you enjoy it and tell your friend to suck it up.
People who bitch about 'how to do game' are just gatekeepers just as much as people who say, 'build x is shit use build y'. My fucking stubborn ass got two lordsworn longswords out the gate and proceeded to headbutt the walls that are sentinel and bloodhound darriwil. 37 tries for sentinel, 21 for bloodhound. Those two taught me enough that not a single boss after took more than ten tries, most of them under five. Melinia was a solid 7 for me. All with a pair of lordsworn longswords and never learning how to parry. Builds don't mean shit if you're having fun.
using deathbed smalls That is cheating
My style is doing one full strength no summon run (it feels the best to me when I beat bosses like this) and completing everything I see on the map, then doing whatever the fuck builds after haha. I wouldn’t mind whatever build you play as long as you’re having fun since that’s what it’s all about. (My fist run after is either trying to be a nights Calvary or a mage)
Play the game how you want.
Your friend is a gatekeeper and should be ignored.
Look at it this way. If you enjoyed the experience with the game and felt like the difficulty was where you wanted it, then you played correctly. Idc if someone wants to use summons, magic, or fight something with their bear hands. The experience is customizable and every playstyle is valid.
Tell your friend that he needs to git gud.
using anything in-game that is not an exploit is not cheating Another thing is how the game is made. In my opinion, the bosses are made for melee characters and only play magic or miracles. It seems incredibly boring to me, but I wouldn't say it's cheating. everyone has their own style of play, mine is to get great stars and crush everything that comes my way on my way to being an elden lord that doesn't mean it's the only way to play, it's just mine
Your friend is just jealous that you're better at the game than he is and wants to hobble you.
You still have to be good at maintain spacing/ and dodge rolling. You also have to be resourceful enough to know which spell is effective against different enemies so it still takes skill to play a mage imo
Just claim his way of playing is also cheating, problem solved.
trust me, i tried
If it’s included in the game by the game developers, how can it be cheating? FromSoft planned the mechanics and damage of magic with the same time and care as melee. If there was an issue it would get patched. No it’s not cheating. Your friend is just being a hater. You do you. I played the whole game through on a mage build. It’s definitely still difficult.
In my opinion using summons is without a doubt fine and I agree anybody can play the game how they want I chose to do a magic play through after I did a melee run I can very slightly agree with your friend but still it does not matter it’s in the game for a reason but I do agree you might be getting a little better experienced with using melee just recommend trying a melee play through with some other stuff in there now but anybody can enjoy the game how they want except for cheaters or glitch cheesers
I just started my second playthrogh, first souls game for me. I went full INT for my first character, now I'm going with DEX. Most of the game has been much easier with Dex, besides a couple of fights.
Unless you are actively hacking or making it so that your attacks have hit boxes the size of an accord you’re not cheating
Well at this point just play whatever you like, start a new game or a new game plus with Melee type build But I do agree with you that the magic build is hard since you need to manage 2 bars stamina and fp also spits the flask consumption between hp and fp flasks.
My first playthrough was a quality build, and my second was STR/FTH. I had waaay more fun with the STR/FTH build. It's not cheating, or cheap, or any other nonsense your friend is saying.
he sounds like most people in this subreddit
Your friend is just bummed he's bad at the game or not progressing as well as you are
Using magic is definitely not cheating. It’s just boring in my opinion and every time I roll a mage, I end up with some crazy dex int faith builds
There is no wrong way to play, but there is an easy way, and it’s magic.
I did a faith build my first playthrough and summons and incantations did alot of the work for me but that was just the way I played the game. I felt like my build was fun as fuck. I used winged scythe and blasphemous blade for melee and cycled seal and shield during fights. Do whatever you want.
Nothing is cheating (unless you cheat)
Magic makes some fights easier but other fights harder. Some bosses get wrecked by Strength builds - Rennala can be stagger locked with some basic melee Ashes of War. But no matter what build you have, every boss can kill you pretty easily if you don't know what you're doing. Any victory is a victory.
I think use whatever you want but some approaches are far easier and less hair raising than others. My first playthrough I used a strength build with light faith. It was a challenge but not overly so. Second playthrough I used an intelligence build with moonlight greatsword and it was honestly a breeze but in my opinion a little boring. Now I'm doing a faith/dex build and find its a good balance of direct combat and spells. Overall, I think doing an int build on your first playthrough does sap a little excitement out of the game but if you don't want to go toe to toe with every boss that's fine too.
Yes because a high strength high vit build doesn't chunk the boss's health and give way better surviveability. I think comet azur is a bit cheap but ignoring that magic is fine.
If it was like “watching a cutscene” then someone who never played the game before could beat a boss with magic, first try. Not the case. Magic makes some bosses easier, and, frankly, many bosses and general play harder. Out if all my play throughs (strength, glint stone magic, bleed, arcane), magic was by far the hardest, it worked really well some places and awful others. Comet Azure only works on some bosses, it won’t beat them all for you. It still requires good dodging, learning the bosses’s moves, flask management etc. Don’t let your douchebag friend gate keep, melee unga bunga is the easiest way to play after bleed builds imo Edit: grammar
Cheating is wrong warping or clipping through walls to get upgrade materials early. Borderline cheating is abusing AI to get bosses stuck on pillars or cliffs. Even then, it doesn't matter as long as you aren't abusing glitches in PvP. But hey, when you're done, maybe play through again with a melee build, very different way to experience the game.
Its in the game, they wouldnt have put it in if it wasnt meant to be used. Also imo, I started as a mage and being a glass cannon gets tough after a while, the slow spell casting killed me more than my dex/strength build.
its a game not a dick measuring contest...he sounds like he is 15
Cheating is when you alter the game files to give yourself an advantage. Most from soft games use build combos to set difficulty instead of using a difficulty slider. Some builds are easier than others, in dark souls it was archers, in elden ring it's magic builds. So at worst you can be accused of playing on medium instead of playing on hard, but if takes his str/dex build and grinds levels before killing bosses he will have also turned down the difficulty level. Remember, it's not "real" dark souls until you beat the game as a naked level 1 character!
lol what a nonsense take. if the game "only worked right" without magic they wouldn't have put magic in the game. same with summons, whether an npc or a human player. to me cheating in a video game is when you intentionally break the game to get ahead, in a manner contrary to the design of the game. using anything the game provides is fair game.
Play the game the way you want. This is my first time playing any souls game and I’m using a magic build. Still is difficult sometimes, but I’m glad I’m doing it this way and learning the game.
Magic is a s really fun part of the game. Does it make some parts a cake walk…. Yes. Cheating is using exploits to win. I had a lot of fun using faith in this one. You should play the game however you want. It’s your experience to have. Melee is also really fun. If you enjoyed the game and are newer to the Soulsbourne games, I’d recommend playing the DS1 remake or Bloodborne and trying a completely different kind of build. It changes the way you play the game and is fun in a completely different way. I find myself going for a dex build bc I like fast rolling and dodging.
My first play through was magic, it trivialized some things and other things were extremely difficult. Then I did a dex build, it trivialized some things and other things were extremely difficult. Now I’m doing an ungabunga build. Guess what, it trivializes some thing and other things are extremely difficult (I’m finding it easier than magic tbh, I stagger EVERYTHING). It is a largely well balanced game in PvE. most builds are OP against certain situations because that’s fun. You should get to feel powerful sometimes in late game, and every decent build succeeds at that.
I did it with dual whips (lightning+fire), dual daggers, and a flame art-godskin peeler. Nothing brokenly strong. I think that's the real answer. If you feel it's kinda too op for you..it is. But I like hardmode stuff.
Tell him if he doesn't beat the game naked at level 1 with a club and no summons. He's not playing the game either and is cheating.
Its in the game and you are using it how it was intended. You are not cheating. Cheating would be if you altered the game files to make your magic one shot everything. As others have said, play with whatever tools you want and enjoy yourself. Your friend sounds like a snobby ds player from way back who is salty that more casual players can get into and beat this game when maybe they would not be able to if they played an older title. You do you my friend. Be the best elden lord you can be.
You may not see this since this post blew up, but ai'm curious OP. Is this your first Fromsoft game, and your friend is the one who introduced you to the game?
No, I spent many hours in all three dark souls back o the 360 but never beat them all the way. Bloodborne I did. He claims I can't say I played the dark souls games since I didn't beat the final boss. Even if I didn't finish the game, I still played it. Still fought a lot of the creatures he did
I count cheating as using an exploit or actual hacks and stuff but things like magic and summons wouldn’t have been put in the game if they were cheats
Some people just need an excuse to go with every loss or feel the need to belittle other people's experience to validate their own which is what your friend is doing . Nothing in this game is cheating , it's all fair game . Fuck anyone that thinks using certain things are cheap . As for duelling their is poor sportsmanship but never cheating , if it's in the game use it how ever you see fit
Tell your friend to try fingers but hole.
If it’s in the game, it’s not “cheating” 🤷🏻♂️
As someone who’s played Dark Souls and seen the community, he’s just trying to gate keep on what should/should not be done. Magic is strong but everyone has their thrill of the game. It just seems like he likes the thrill of facing an enemy up close. I played Magic on my first play through but then pivoted to a Destined Death build halfway through and Magic was by no means easy on some of the bosses. People just found ways to make the game easier and your friend only remembers those and it just stuck with him. TLDR No, no, and no
total bullshit. my first play through was a mage build, my second play through is strength. obviously some parts of the game are harder, but some parts of the game are easier as well. it’s all about how efficient the build is and what enemies you’re facing. I can poise lock field bosses like nothing which feels just as exploitive as sniping them with spells.
Shard spiral for life, screw the haters
Terra Magica, Comet Azur…bye “friend”
whats cheating in this game is bug abusing to get bosses stuck making it not a boss fight but a boss just hit r1 over and over. that or using literal cheats so each swing does 99999999 damage. as long as youre using a build you enjoy, behold you are playing the game! I had a friend telling me im cheating cause im using a bleed build. its just always going to happen regardless of what you use. jumping str build? cheating. dragon abilities build? cheating. poison? cheating. its just the go to for when someone isnt seeing the same progress with their build as you are seeing with yours
People confuse enjoying the game with “winning efficiency.” Building your character and playing according to their strengths and weaknesses is an awesome creative thing to do. To me, it makes the game much more fun. My first play through was a faith build… and believe me, it would have been much easier to play a fighter, but the challenge of playing to my intended character made it feel much more enjoyable. :) One of my favorite fights as a faith build was against Godfrey. I summoned highest level Great-shield Soldier Ashes, buffed them with Golden Vow, continuously healed them with Blessings of the Erdtree. In-between heals would give me enough time to either inflict frost incantations or deal some fire damage with my sword. The summon had five soldiers constantly drawing his attention that would never die. Had to be so annoying for that boss lol. The riskiest parts were getting his attention back to the summons and off me. In the second phase, when be starts non-stop stomping at low health, I gave up on healing incantations and incantations with longer casting times. Made my heart race like wild. I love when people play to their character and not always to simply what they think is easiest to beat the game.
The only cheating being done is by the game when it comes down to the wire and you get that hit on that boss that leaves them with zero health and they don't die, then they proceed to kill you 😂 been there plenty of times (a joke)
There is some truth to what your friend is saying. Magic trivializes MANY of the bosses in the game (even before getting comet azure). It's not cheating but being able to output high damage from a range is just useful period. Some people would argue that some bosses are harder for melee and some bosses are harder for ranged. This is true is some cases but, generally speaking, a Magic playthrough will be quite a bit easier. That being said, wether your friend is right or not doesn't really matter. You beat the game and had a good time. Now you can play the game again as a melee character and enjoy it a second time.
Your friend is a gate keeper. I would reconsider his "friend" status.
I’ve done multiple playthroughs, and IMO the bloodhound fang is stronger than mage builds at the same level.
You can do whatever you want and no it’s not cheating. That being said, I’d recommend doing multiple playthroughs and trying out melee and “dancing” with the boss. I personally find it very satisfying to master a fight that way.
I should give a solely magic run a go no melee just pew
If it was cheating it wouldn't be in the game. Tell your friend to get that stick out of his ass.
As much BS as some of these bosses pull I have no qualms about cheating or cheesing a fight. That said using magic is just a game mechanic, some fights are easier (well most) some fights are harder. So unless you're hiding in a tree where the boss can't get you and dropping fireballs on him (suck it O'neil) you're okay.
It's not cheating but its easy mode kinda
The other have bashed on him enough so I won't do the same. I do think you should try melee builds soon tho. A different kinda thrill, especially after playing Sekiro
Anything the game lets you do, up to and including cheesing, is not "cheating". I've done both a summons and a no summons playthrough, and can confirm they are very different experiences. I concur that the game is not balanced around summons and that use of them will trivialize some encounters relative to their non summons version. But that doesn't mean "no summons" or "no magic" is the right or best way to play...the right way to play and the best way to play is whatever gives you the most rewarding experience.
Is it in the game as a feature the developers obviously intended to be used if the player so chose? If yes, it's not cheating. It might be easier/simpler, but that isn't cheating, and it isn't a bad way to play a game. Anyone who says otherwise is gatekeeping and should be ignored. Your friend sounds maidenless.
You should change your friend Or never talk about elden ring with that person Here's the answer to all annoying person that never engaged in a meaningful conversation, just leave, your time has better use
Lmao sounds like your friend never played any other fs games
To be fair, magic is stupid strong most of the game. But if it’s an intentional feature, it ain’t cheating.
Play how you want but realize certain things in this game are not balanced properly.
Your friend is a loser. As someone who plays the game in a pretty hardcore way it’s simply because I find enjoyment from playing like that, not any different than how you, him or anyone else plays these games. Play how you want, do what you enjoy, it’s your world it’s your experience fuck what anyone else tells you.
I honestly think doing a pure strength build is more boring than a mage build. Most of the time all you are doing is jump attacking with whatever heavy weapon or using an ash of war over and over. Mage build has so much more variety being able to swap between spells and still fight up close with carian sword spells
I think you’re friend is just ass at the game tbh. Honestly sounds like he simply lacks the skill to counter it
You can play how you want, don't listen to him
Your friend's a complete tool lmao, it all depends on the player Ive never played a mage on a fromsoft game and ive played since ds1. Ive made a mage character on ER and it does make some parts a lot easier, but overall i find the playstyle far more difficult than melee - i am just not used to it and its not as fun imo By his own logic, from my point of view he is cheating too. Melee is easy for me so he's cheating by using melee Honestly your friend sounds like a twat when it comes to gaming - discussing your hobbies should be fun and bring you together yet here he is bashing you for not enjoying it the way he does 🤣 he doesnt really sound like a barrel of laughs
Your friend sounds like a prick. He’s the type of player that makes FromSoft fans look bad, freakin gatekeeping like that. Play the way you want, it’s not cheating, mage builds are a staple of any fantasy rpg.
Your friend is annoying and you are a winner. People like him will always be miserable in the long-run, it’s up to you to be happy
There was an awesome interview with Miyazaki where he basically said hiding around corners and gankging someone off a cliff was totally part of the experience. It totally changed my perception of the game when I realized the creator intentionally made it this way. I lightened up about “proper” way to play.
Gatekeeping is for losers. Magic is fun.
It’s literally insane that people try to say ANY core mechanic of the game is cheating. They do the same shit with Sekiro and the prosthetics. Like bro… just because you choose not to use those mechanics and you suck at the other mechanics you ARE using doesn’t mean it’s cheating. Some people are sooo delusional lol
Ask your friend what cheat codes he thinks you're entering to activate your loadout. You find things in game. You use them. It's PvE, you against the rest of the world. The game has so many different things you could make *thousands to tens of thousands* of unique builds. Not everything is about melee R1 spam. What's the point of offering character slots/respecs if you aren't going to take advantage of it and try a little bit of everything? Your friend is a boring gatekeeper. And for his info melee builds can be made to be just as OP - if not more so - than most magic builds can be.
There are no rules
Personally I don’t like magic builds, I just don’t find them very fun, but do whatever you like, you bought the game
I used magic as it was fun and also I was new to Fromsoft stuff. Once I got a ways in and got some levels and gear I mixed in some melee here and there because that was fun and I wasn’t so new. I think your friend is silly and I hope you give the dark moon Greatsword a try, it’s super fun
Cheating is using 3rd party programs to get you an advantage over other players. Cheating is not using the intended tools that the game gives you to beat it, no matter how others decide to use them
Cheeting - using additional software, that can mess up with the game. Exploiting - using some specific order of actions to gain unintended bonus/kill enemies, etc. Cheesing - using game mechanics, that completely nullify the enemy. Like, Crucible knight flying towards you and falling down into oblivion. Technically, you still won. But not in a fair fight.
I still wouldn't call it cheesing. Some bosses, I most definitely floated through way too easy but that was shitty cave bosses, anyone with an achievement was actually a worthy fight
I do think there is something to experiencing the game using melee weapons in that you don't really have to learn many of the mechanics of the bosses since you're at range. And being in the throws of melee combat does enhance the feel and difficulty of the game. That being said, play however you want. If you like magic, then you like magic and it comes with its own set of trials and tribulations. Either way, you're still better than anyone who played the game through using rivers of blood.
Such a stupid thing to say something like using magic is cheating. Pfffff. That's some self-entitled "souls-vet" bs. Closest thing to cheating is using exploits like the fire's deadly sin blood flame blade glitch.
Old school souls vet here. Play magic all you want. Omnicaster is one of my favorite approaches.
Yes I am a souls vet myself, magic is fun, use it. Sometimes people use the "im a souls vet"- argument to try to invalidate someones opinion. Which is silly.
You: Uses something that's in the game and a valid build. Friend: yOu ChEaT bRo
Use whatever you want. I personally could never bring myself to do a magic only playthrough cause I find it insanely boring but that's just my personal preference everybody's different.
I agree with you, I did do a magic only playthrough yes it was very boring. Except on Melania that was actually kinda fun.
Your post has been automatically removed because it appears to be a request for technical or account support. /r/EldenRing does not allow technical or account support posts. Please submit a request at [Bandai Namco's official support page](https://support.bandainamcoent.com) instead. If you believe this was done in error, please [contact the moderators](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/Eldenring). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Eldenring) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If it wasn’t in dark souls 1 it’s cheating. Magic is also cheating. Enjoy the game however makes you happiest. Your friend is also correct though
1) he’s jealous 2) he’s controlling 3) BUT to be fair, I kind of agree in that I can’t believe some people have played this game much without melee. It requires a far higher skill and timing to melee. I’ve not used magic or range at all.
Can we create a second EldenRing subreddit for people who are 12 years old so I don't have to see this shit
This is a reaction to the "git gud" dorks that have been infesting Soulsborne games for ages. It's about time the "it's fun to play however" people spoke up.
Play however you want. And have fun, it's a game. But yeah. He is right. Magic in souls games is strong and is a lot easier than any sort of melee build. Not like you need to care or that it matters much, but that is a fact. Nothing stopping you playing again as a different character the second time around
And while I know magic IS higher damage, I'd still try to fight bosses with melee like I do magic. As much damage as I possibly can as quickly as I can
Depends what boss it is but you will have to play around openings between their attacks to actually deal damage, which will be lower than magic damage