SoulsBorne Talk

[PrismRed]

Mad Midget Five but with Dank Souls Engine

 

[Raziya The Seeker]

See this? This is the stuff I come here for.

Halfbreed Mara, Ashen Phoenix

Opening Cutscene: The protagonist enters through the white light into a room resembling an oversized study. Portraits of beasts and desks full of unfinished writing, and an easel's portrait depicting a lion-woman with long scarlet hair. There is a sound like a wind chime, and the camera pans over to an oversized tome bound in cracked, scratched-up red-brown leather. You're sure this wasn't there on that prominent center desk before.

The book flies open with a crack, and with arms crossed a pale sphinx-like being slowly flows up into being, ascending from the pages. Arms crossed, eyes closed and head down. Large bird wings across her back, a combination of ashy greys and shades of black, smoldering slowly with purple flame. Cut to the face, and the eyes open with a mild jumpscare as pulsating violets and starry-sky patterns pulse across the piercing eyes, a sound between a caterwaul and a bird of prey's shriek pierces the room.

Now fully arisen from her tome, Mara hops down from her book. Slowly flowing down to the ground with extended wings she snarls, the violet flames of her feathers flaring up, and the fight begins.

Strategy: Mara shifts between observation and sheer aggression. As a tell, when her eyes flare up like they did in the opening cutscene, she's ready to lunge forth and attack with her claws. If she catches the player in this dash, she's likely to score multiple hits and then try to punt them away. This is brutal. Durable shields and heavy armor help, but dodge-rolling helps all the more.

Her other melee attacks are a forward kick by itself (still knocks the opponent away), and a one-two clawing attack when trying to maneuver herself.

If Mara's eyes don't flare up, her wings will pulse again. She knows a few pyromancies, and going off the Dark Souls 3 list she knows the following: Fire Orb (a large thrown fireball), Black Fire Orb (a dark, slower version of Fire Orb) and Great Chaos Fireball (even bigger fireball that leaves short-lived puddles of lava on the ground as a hazard). When below half health, she'll immediately tap into Power Within -- her physical attack and defense increase, but she'll continually take damage for its duration.

Meeting aggression with aggression would be the best way to deal with Mara. She's absolutely vicious against those who won't defend themselves. If the player tries to kite her, she'll either lunge forward for her mauling combo, or she'll flap into the air and throw down Great Chaos Fireball. When at 1/3rd health or less, she will also snarl and unleash her wail once more. If you can hit her hard enough her, you'll stagger her. If not, dodge away. She'll try to pounce forward and, if she grabs you, will tumble forth and flap herself into the air, chomping on you. This builds up Bleed status, and will also restore some token health to herself to add insult to injury.

When reduced to 1/10th health, Mara will crumble to the ground in a crouch and pant. A bit of dialogue will pop up, "Well done. You've... just get it over with already. Let this end." If the player doesn't finish her off in time, she'll dart her head up and snarl, "Really now...? Save your pity, cur! I DON'T NEED IT!" She'll then rise up abruptly and unleash a vicious explosion from herself, similar to the Wrath of the Gods miracle.

This will also damage Mara and eliminate herself, but only if the player survives the blast. It'd be a painful way to have to redo the fight if it defeats an unwary player. And if Mara dies this way, it almost appears like she's melting into mauve goo before disappearing as normal.

Weaknesses: Though she's aggressive, Mara is a glass cannon in some ways. Heavier weapons can make her stagger, let alone interrupt her pyromancies. While she cannot be broken out of activating Power Within, nor can she be stopped once she unleashes her final blast against a hesitant player, it's very possible to stunlock her if you can.

If going off of Dark Souls 3 stats, she is vulnerable to the Frostbite status effect. Otherwise, protection against fire damage is helpful against her. High stamina with a good shield will be helpful, but trying to tank her claw attacks might not be helpful if the player isn't built towards it. Otherwise, risky as it could be if you fail, skinny-rolling (the opposite of fat-rolling: doing the dodge roll with little to no encumbrance, as opposed to trying to roll with heavy encumbrance) can prove useful. Kiting isn't helpful due to her in-your-face actions, but could be useful to deal chip damage while she's observing and/or throwing fireballs.

Rewards: Soul of Mara -- "Soul of Halfbreed Mara the Ashen Phoenix, who escaped this dying world into her mysterious labyrinth, the Ardentian Ruins." Can be used to create one of two Boss Soul Weapons...

• Ardent Staff: A quarterstaff-styled polearm with Fire and Lacerating infusions. Fire is obvious. Lacerating causes stacks of Bleed, which immediately causes victims to lose a chunk of HP when it fills up. As a special effect, grants some MP back (assuming DS3 where they had MP instead of spell charges) when it kills or bleeds an enemy. This is because the Phosphorescent Pole from Demons' Souls is awesome and RPGs need more combat staves. Its description notes that this is based on Mara's life before the fall, and implies that her unfinished painting of the lion-woman was supposed to represent this.
• Ashen Feather: A curved sword with Blessed and Hollow infusions. Blessed grants Faith stat scaling for damage, deals more damage to "reanimated" enemies and notably, prevents reanimated enemies from reviving when killed with such weapons. Hollow damage scales with the Luck stat, and buffs your Luck when you're Hollow yourself. Needless to say, this feather-motif scimitar represents Mara after her fall from grace, noting that she effectively went Hollow in a sense from death after death, miserable life after miserable life, of being a phoenix.

...if it weren't abundantly clear, I like Crossbreed Priscilla and based bits and bobs of this idea off her.

 

[mrmoe273]

a huge stickman who throws rocks at you! >:D

 

[moonbits]

I've always clashed with the idea of cataloguing Sekiro as a soulsborne. To me. it's an action game with some light progression.

 

[destinyduelist]

I was JUST looking at Demon's Souls for PS3, is it worth playing today? I'm on my Yakuza journey right now, but if I don't play something else I'll probably get bored and burnt out of Yakuza, which I don't want happening.

 

[Deleted member 1816]

 

[Codexion]

I was JUST looking at Demon's Souls for PS3, is it worth playing today? I'm on my Yakuza journey right now, but if I don't play something else I'll probably get bored and burnt out of Yakuza, which I don't want happening.

Any game is worth playing, go for it!

Post automatically merged: Mar 11, 2025

I've always clashed with the idea of cataloguing Sekiro as a soulsborne. To me. it's an action game with some light progression.

I can remove it if you'd like?

 

[Deleted member 288390]

Bloodborne is my favourite, even though I struggle with it so much (I still cannot beat the DLC at all). Demon's Souls was my first Soulsborne game though, and I'd rate that second after Bloodborne.

Never played Elden Ring even though I want to. Can't afford it. Dark Souls 1 is my least favourite.

 

[TechnologicalMF]

I've always clashed with the idea of cataloguing Sekiro as a soulsborne. To me. it's an action game with some light progression.

It really isn't imo, especially when you consider the fact that Sekiro was a successor to Tenchu anyways.
I don't count it as a soulsborbne it all, first off it lacks a very vital bit which is well... the actual souls (sen doesn't count) and then the lack of build variety etc.

An example of a soulsborne with a vibe like that is Nioh imo

 

[moonbits]

Any game is worth playing, go for it!

Post automatically merged: Mar 11, 2025

I can remove it if you'd like?

Oh nono, don't bother. It's just something to discuss

 

[TechnologicalMF]

But yeah for me it is DS1.
It was my first one and I still feel it was a highly special and atmospheric game.
I also love how it encouraged outwitting some bosses and the fact that it has such a dedicated challenge run community to this day I think kind of speaks volumes as to how well progression and variety is handled in the game.

One challenge I really need to do is a Belmont run

 

[Yousef Yousef]

They do talk when there’s souls

I can remove it if you'd like?

nah you’re fine

 

[TechnologicalMF]

Also to anyone getting into these, do not ever play DS3 first or something like that.
You will literally deprive yourself of one of the coolest end bosses and just second half game tribute in gaming

Post automatically merged: Mar 11, 2025

I really hate how sometimes encouraged this is, its a horrible idea

 

[Yousef Yousef]

Also to anyone getting into these, do not ever play DS3 first or something like that.
You will literally deprive yourself of one of the coolest end bosses and just second half game tribute in gaming

Oh for sure. I felt this when I started out with it.

 

[TechnologicalMF]

Oh for sure. I felt this when I started out with it.

Another example I can think of with something like this is DMC 5. I cannot for the life of me understand why people think skipping straight to 5 for newcomers is a good idea in any way, shape or form.

It doesn't make sense neither gameplay or storyline wise for anyone to start out with DMC5

 

[Yousef Yousef]

Another example I can think of with something like this is DMC 5. I cannot for the life of me understand why people think skipping straight to 5 for newcomers is a good idea in any way, shape or form.

It doesn't make sense neither gameplay or storyline wise for anyone to start out with DMC5

Ya and besides DMC 1, 3 and 4 are all fire anyways.

 

[GardeniaSky's icon GardeniaSky GardeniaSky]

I said DS1 because I have fond memories of Anor Londo

Then I remember that this game series traumatizes me in the worst way and turns me into a raging beast. Everything is 'fking BULLSHIT'

I do get better every time I pick one up. I should play through Demons Souls, 2, and Bloodbourne, and Sekiro. Haven't touched them.

 

[Deleted member 288390]

I did an LP of Bloodborne for my youtube channel (minus the DLC), and I put some silly stuff in the later episodes, like music montages. I'm quite proud of one episode in paticular, where I fought Logarius (who I usually struggle with a lot) and the Crow of Cainhurst.

Despite how much I struggle with this game, I actually find DS3 even tougher. DS3 is probably the hardest of the Soulsborne games I've actually played.

 

[moonbits]

I said DS1 because I have fond memories of Anor Londo

Then I remember that this game series traumatizes me in the worst way and turns me into a raging beast. Everything is 'fking BULLSHIT'

I do get better every time I pick one up. I should play through Demons Souls, 2, and Bloodbourne, and Sekiro. Haven't touched them.

Bloodborne is exquisite.

 

[GardeniaSky's icon GardeniaSky GardeniaSky]

Bloodborne is exquisite.

So I've heard. It definitely checks all my boxes for aesthetics.

 

[Ravl]

Elden ring at (currently) 0.0% eases my soul

 

[Ravl]

I do not consider Sekiro a dark souls-like game but here's my ranking:
Dark Souls>Bloodborne>Dark Souls III>Dark Souls II>Elden Ring>Sekiro

Post automatically merged: Mar 11, 2025

what I will never understand is why bloodborn is so loved the game is hell of easy and honestly no fan of the settings and the freedom of making different or out of this world builds are barely even there.

Honestly, all of these games are easy but I actually think Bloodborne is the hardest due to less weapons, build variety, no magic, no shields and less I-frames on the dodge.

Also I agree Sekiro is not a souls game it´s more action game with big bosses and semi souls UI. No charter creation, no slow as dodge rols and freedom of build making and so on. It´s not a bad game but it ain´t a souls game.

I mean if we gonna count souls games how about Nioh or Code veine, lies of p and so on or do we only count fromsoft games.

It's just because it's made by the same devs, also spamming "X game is a souls-like!" is a trend these days

 

[Graw]

Dark Souls 1 is the only one of them I really like. Bloodborne was ok but I got bored of it and never finished it. All the rest of them just made me wish I was playing Dark Souls 1 instead. This is one of those series where I feel like I enjoy different things about it than everyone else. All the later ones seem to focus more on combat and boss fights but I really liked exploring the world in Dark Souls, back tracking and finding shortcuts and alternate routes. I really wish the later soulsborne and soulslike games kept the world design of the first Dark Souls.

 

[Lweo4]

Sekiro is one of my favorite games of all time (I always come back to defeat all bosses at least one time per year) and my favorite one made by From Software, but I don't consider it a 'souls-game', it's like calling the new Armored Core a souls-like, not trying to be a smart ass with people that consider Sekiro a souls-like, it's just my opinion, so I will have to go with Dark Souls 3 on this one.

 

[TechnologicalMF]

Dark Souls = rollslop
Sekiro = parryslop

Yea i play vidya