Maidenless run is bugged

[Silverborn]

I've found this game to lack a real challenge after having played near all Souls-games. The beginning still feels like I have to pay attention, but after a while things kinda become a joke, more so if you have optimized routes to get better gear/items fast.

So... this game introduces the maiden at the 3rd Grace you find. She gives you the option to accept or refuse her offer -> a normal run in which you can level up and visit the Roundtable, OR being forced to stay at the level of your starting character and create "builds" using the gear you find, unable to increase your stats without gear. It forces you to use all items you have and you actually start using the crafting system a lot.

Yet, this 'maidenless run' is incredibly bugged and impossible to finish as of yet. I'm not there yet, but right now you need a maiden to progress the last quarter of the game. Normally you need enough runes to enter, but you HAVE to talk to your maiden to enter certain walls that are blocked otherwise. So now there are players who pushed this entire game right up till the capital (60+ hours in) and... they are forced to get the maiden to enter, allowing them to level up, and giving them a horse again.

Weirdly, if you do have enough runes and reach those walls, it will tell you "you don't have enough runes". But these players DID kill the main bosses.

The game gives you the option to do a maidenless run, but doesn't allow you to finish the game that way. This seems like a major and massively game-breaking bug.

[Kerrack]

Not a bug.
The game is just not designed to let you beat it without Melina.
You don't want to level up or use Roundtable Hold or Torrent?
Fine.
Just never use them.
But you *have* to take Melina with you.
Them's the breaks.

[Sam]

talk to Verre, he will enable the run to start questline wise, youll still need a maiden for a short time though

[Kyutaru]

Melina is not the only maiden. By the time you're in the capital and have access to the sewers, you have another option.

[p00se2]

Silverborn eredeti hozzászólása:

I've found this game to lack a real challenge

no death shield bash only

good luck

Silverborn eredeti hozzászólása:

The game gives you the option to do a maidenless run, .

i dont think so

[Sam]

p00se2 eredeti hozzászólása:

Silverborn eredeti hozzászólása:

I've found this game to lack a real challenge

no death shield bash only

good luck

Silverborn eredeti hozzászólása:

The game gives you the option to do a maidenless run, .

i dont think so

temporarily maiden less lol

[Kyutaru]

Also, there's an immortality bug that lets you beat the game even as a lvl 1 scrub. So just wail on everything with a greatclub and get every boss drop without leveling up.

[Silverborn]

Kerrack eredeti hozzászólása:

Not a bug.
The game is just not designed to let you beat it without Melina.
You don't want to level up or use Roundtable Hold or Torrent?
Fine.
Just never use them.
But you *have* to take Melina with you.
Them's the breaks.

Then why give the option to accept or refuse her? Why does the seal tell you you don't have enough runes -> even though you do. There are HUGE parts of this game that are a joke with Torrent, but become seriously challenging without it. And "not using" things, when there is an option that will not allow you to "cheat" once?

Imagine you knowing of a rare item you NEED Torrent for. But you are doing a "maidenless run" with a maiden. How big is the chance you will ignore items that you can only reach with Torrent? Knowing most players? They will start making exceptions. Only streamers can't because they have an audience.

[Arbadacarba]

Just dont level or use Torrent ?

Honestly wish i had the skill ceiling some have, i watch LobosJr sometimes and am happy to see the first few fights are about at my level, but then he just keeps getting better and better and better until he can lvl 1 no hit most everything QQ

[Silverborn]

SriRacha eredeti hozzászólása:

Just dont level or use Torrent ?

Honestly wish i had the skill ceiling some have, i watch LobosJr sometimes and am happy to see the first few fights are about at my level, but then he just keeps getting better and better and better until he can lvl 1 no hit most everything QQ

:praisesun:

It is completely possible to be able to talk to Melina, without her being your maiden. The fix seems so easy I don't understand why the game gives you the option between accepting her help, or refusing it. And then playing 80% of the game only to realize you DID need her.

Now do you have the discipline not to level, and not to use Torrent when you get stuck for hours in the endgame zones?

[Kyutaru]

Silverborn eredeti hozzászólása:

SriRacha eredeti hozzászólása:

Just dont level or use Torrent ?

Honestly wish i had the skill ceiling some have, i watch LobosJr sometimes and am happy to see the first few fights are about at my level, but then he just keeps getting better and better and better until he can lvl 1 no hit most everything QQ

:praisesun:

It is completely possible to be able to talk to Melina, without her being your maiden. The fix seems so easy I don't understand why the game gives you the option between accepting her help, or refusing it. And then playing 80% of the game only to realize you DID need her.

Now do you have the discipline not to level, and not to use Torrent when you get stuck for hours in the endgame zones?

Question: Why do you think you're required to talk to Melina? Let's go from there.

[p00se2]

Silverborn eredeti hozzászólása:

Now do you have the discipline

do YOU ?

[Silverborn]

Kyutaru eredeti hozzászólása:

Silverborn eredeti hozzászólása:

It is completely possible to be able to talk to Melina, without her being your maiden. The fix seems so easy I don't understand why the game gives you the option between accepting her help, or refusing it. And then playing 80% of the game only to realize you DID need her.

Now do you have the discipline not to level, and not to use Torrent when you get stuck for hours in the endgame zones?

Question: Why do you think you're required to talk to Melina? Let's go from there.

You need Melina to advance into the capital. But if you do a 'maidenless run' you can talk to her at EVERY bonfire. If you have the option to refuse her offer to become your maiden you are basically saying -> I don't need to be an overpowered tarnished to become the Elden Lord. Once you hit the capital, she'll reappear near a bonfire and tell you you have enough runes to progress into the capital. The "two fingers" are pleased with your progress. (blabla).

The seals unlock, you can continue.

The requirement normally is "just" having enough Great Runes. This requirement is the same if you went maidenless, but the seals don't open even when you have enough.

Which seems more like a bug -> than a feature. And why allow players to spend 60+ hours into a game only to figure out they can't progress anymore? I mean, figuring out a build + starting character is SO much fun if you know you have to grind gear for certain builds because you always lack stats. And your damage will stay relatively high since you can still upgrade your weapons.

If you do NEED Melina, then remove the option to refuse her.

It just seems like this entire game was designed so a maidenless run is possible, yet it is impossible and a waste of time to try it right now.

[p00se2]

how about

you turn "maidenless run"

into a "im not gonna level and not gonna use torrent run" instead

you can still add plenty of parameters to increase the "challenge"

Silverborn eredeti hozzászólása:

If you do NEED Melina, then remove the option to refuse her.

no dont !
i appreciate the confusion it creates

[Limo]

Could always enter capital through nokron

[Kyutaru]

Silverborn eredeti hozzászólása:

The requirement normally is "just" having enough Great Runes. This requirement is the same if you went maidenless, but the seals don't open even when you have enough.

What about that teleport that drops you in the capital? I completed the eternal city and volcano lairs a few days ago and just finished the mountaintop and somewhere in all of that I was teleported to the capital around the fortified manor.