Ok. I have dilly-dallied long enough. Let’s tackle the last area of Elden Ring. In the last post, I rambled about a lot of stuff, including the different endings, the plat, and whatever else is on my mind. So let’s talk about the final section, which is *SPOILERS* a reskin of an earlier area. One you were at just previously. The one I jokingly say is the end game area–and it actually turned out to be true. Leyndell Royal Capital, the place I was firmly convinced was the last area. Except, now it’s Leyndell, Ashen Capital. Everything is in ashes because you set the Erdtree on fire. Or something. I am not 100% clear about that, but that’s close to what happened.
Anyway, you’re transported to Leyndell, Ashen Capital once you kill Maliketh. You are outside in the sandy dunes and have to make your way up to the throne area. Or you can go through the hole to the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds if you want. But you cannot go back to Leyndell Royal Capital.
That irritated me in my first playthrough because there was an easily missable item that I could not get once I burned it all down. It’s a faith-based weapon behind a closed door that I did not know could be opened. I can get it on NG+, of course, but I’m saving this character for the DLC, which means she cannot go into NG+ for some time.
It’s an interesting thing to do. I’m ambivalent about it, honestly. I get why it happened from a story point of view, but it feels a bit….cheap. Like, we can’t be bothered to make a new area for the last area. Which, I know that sounds contrary to my earlier argument that there are too many areas in the game. It’s not, though. They could cut out Miquella’s Haligtree, cut Mountaintops of the Giants in half, and then create a whole new final area.
Hm. In thinking about it more, I do understand why they did it the way they did. For context, the first time you go to Leyndell Royal Capital, you fight the Golden Shade of Godfrey and then Morgott, the Omen King. Afterwards, you try to get to the throne, and there are thorns blocking your way. You find out that you have to do something to burn them down.
That’s when you go to the Mountaintops of the Giants…by the way. There are these field bosses that are only found at night. They are the Night’s Cavalry, and they are pretty imposing. They are a knight on a horse, all covered in black, and they come out at night, obviously. They are the nighttime version of the Tree Sentinels. In the Consecrated Snowfield in the Mountaintop of Giants, there is a calvacade that has two of them guarding the yeti-pulling caravan. The first time I fought them, it was such a hard time. Common advice is to pull one away from the caravan and fight them and then pull the other.
They are strong, and it tooke me forever to figure out a way to successfully cheese them. This time around, in NG+, I was going around cleaning things up before going into NG++. I decided to do them and resigned myself to several attempts. Instead, it took me twice and I only died on the first attempt because I did not heal at the right time. I still cheesed them, but much less so. Here’s the deal. All the enemies have a leash limit. They are tethered, some with a tighter leash than others. With these guys, you can pull them back to where the Site of Grace is and then they’ll slowly retreat back to the caravan. In the past, I just Swarm of Flies them until they died. That was tedious and hit-or-miss. That’s how I did all the Night’s Cavalry, to be honest.
This time, I pulled them to the limit of their leash and then as they walked back, galloped in and hit them twice before galloping away. It was easy-peasy, and took so little effort. I then went and cleaned up some of the other Night’s Cavalry. There are other night bosses, which is an interesting thing. Most of them are hard as nails, and Ididn’t bother with them after my first playthrough execpt when I wanted what they dropped.
So when you goup to the Elden Santcuary in the last area, you’re greeted by Sir Gideon Ofnir. He is a fascinating character because he has been an NPC that you have interacted with throughout the game. You meet him fairly early at the Roundatble Hold, and he’s very snotty to you. He’s seen your ilk before, and he’s not bothered by yet another Tarnished arriving, battered and bruised at his door.
At some point, a door opens and he’s sitting behind a desk. He’s writing and reading, and he tells you a bit about what’s happening. His servant is outside his door, and the latter does not speak. After you do a certain thing and return to the Roundtable Hold, Ensha of the Royal Remains (the servant of Gideon) will attack you. If you bring it up to Gideon, he will apologize and say that Ensha had acted too hastily. He words it very carefully so you may not immediately realize that this was supposed to happen, but maybe not at that time.
Gideon is a fascinating character because he plays off as being avuncular and helpful to you, but he is anything but. He is also the adopted father of Nepheli Loux, and he treats her like trash, too. He doesn’t love her and only keeps her around as long as she’s useful to him. Then, once she no longer is, he casts her out. That’s enough reason for me to hate him. Nepheli Loux is quite possibly my favorite NPC in the game and no one messes with her.
I learned from a video something that I kinda pieced together on my own. Gideon is a big old jerk. He is spying on you and he does not want you to be Elden Lord. He has someone following you around (or he is doing it himself) and anything you don’t pick up, spells and incantations-wise, he does. The first time I fought him, I didn’t find him hard at all. This was iny first playthrough. Yes, he cast a few spells ,but he was not that hard. But, and the wikis are not completely clear how exactly this happens, but what spells/incantations he uses is based on which bosses you have killed and what other spells you have acquired.
Apparently, he picks up the spells of the major shardbearers whom you don’t kill. Same with sorceries found around the world. So if you don’t, say, interact with Azur, then he gets Comet Azur–which is the most powerful spell in the game (arguably). The second time I faced him, he wasn’t terrible because I had done most everything in the game except a few major bosses. So Gideon was a bit more difficult, but not much more so.
Then, the third time I met him, he thoroughly rinsed me. He busted out all these spells/incantations he had never shown before. I only beat him by using Wolf’s Assault (Ash of War on the Royal Greatsword that is a front somersault followed by Hoarfrost Stomp). That melted Gideon, but I was so surprised by his array of magicks.
I think that is the coolest thing. I like the idea of a dynamic boss fight, even when he thoroughly kicked my ass. I love his armor, too. I don’t wear it because it doesn’t suit me, but it looks so badass.
I was going to get to the last two bosses ,but I am not there, obviously. Tomorrow. Probably.