What are your Iron Maiden tactics?

[Lexor]

I hate these things with verve. They are so annoying to fight for me with their grabbing loops, drive by attacks and spin to win attacks. They are the most disliked enemy for me by far.

So what's your best tactic to get them down fast and reliable by melee? Is there an effective weapon type in particular?

[Ponyeater]

I allow them to grab my half-naked female character and let them abuse her to my heart's content.

When they do the grab, roll forwards through it and attack. Their inner body is their weakpoint, you will deal extra damage.

[HonestGhost]

I've been using greatswords, so my strategy has been to just get in an attack (a running heavy attack if possible) and then back off. If the opportunity presents itself I go for a charged heavy attack but I don't remember them ever getting stunned so maybe two light attacks are better.

[Lexor]

Originally posted by Ponyeater:

When they do the grab, roll forwards through it and attack. Their inner body is their weakpoint, you will deal extra damage.

Nice, thanks! I will try that.

[Lyote]

Crossbow right hand, Greatshield left hand if in an open space but cant use horse.

Greatbow if I can get a vantage on it.

Horse hit and run if in the wild.

Greatshield plus Treespear with medium weight armor so I can counter every hit and then roll the grab if I absolutely must melee the damn thing.

[Lexor]

Originally posted by HonestGhost:

I've been using greatswords, so my strategy has been to just get in an attack (a running heavy attack if possible) and then back off. If the opportunity presents itself I go for a charged heavy attack but I don't remember them ever getting stunned so maybe two light attacks are better.

Me to (Morne Sword, the sword made of swords). More than 600 damage and it feels like a fruit knife against the maidens. I'll try the "inner body attack", mentioned by Ponyeater. :-)

[SmallGespenst]

as long as they're open they take much more damage, so provoking the grab is a pretty effective way to get damage in

[warmy bear]

run away/in circles until their chests open. theiir design unnerves me

[Lexor]

Originally posted by Lyote:

Crossbow right hand, Greatshield left hand if in an open space but cant use horse.

Greatbow if I can get a vantage on it.

Horse hit and run if in the wild.

Greatshield plus Treespear with medium weight armor so I can counter every hit and then roll the grab if I absolutely must melee the damn thing.

In the open field, I just avoid them. It's more about dungeon encounters. The spear sounds valid. Thanks!

[Lucifer_]

stay far away to bait the ranged attack or the charge. For both just dodge into it to avoid then attack. Back off if they start spinning. And never fight more than one at once.

[SmallGespenst]

Originally posted by Lexor:

Originally posted by HonestGhost:

I've been using greatswords, so my strategy has been to just get in an attack (a running heavy attack if possible) and then back off. If the opportunity presents itself I go for a charged heavy attack but I don't remember them ever getting stunned so maybe two light attacks are better.

Me to (Morne Sword, the sword made of swords). More than 600 damage and it feels like a fruit knife against the maidens. I'll try the "inner body attack", mentioned by Ponyeater. :-)

when they're closed you do pathetic damage, that's just how they work~

[Ponyeater]

Oh yeah, one more thing. You will likely not ever stagger these enemies. They have a very very high treshhold. So don't even try it, they will facetank your heavy attacks and then give you the deathhug.

[Phishfood]

I wait for them to stop attacking them run forward, I wait for the doors to open and if they do I roll and attack the soft fleshy bits and repeat. The only other time I attack is when it's not facing me.

[Lexor]

Thanks you all for the input. Nothing works for me unfortunately. My ultra great sword is to slow to poke them in to their belly AND avoid their grab afterwards. The additional damage by hitting their inner body is not worth it.
So killing them is just a damage race for me with some lucky dodging of being hugged twice in a row.

I'm also not willing to change my gear just for them. So I will just avoid them entirely when ever possible and mark them as heavily annoying enemy design for me.

[Ponyeater]

Originally posted by Lexor:

Thanks you all for the input. Nothing works for me unfortunately. My ultra great sword is to slow to poke them in to their belly AND avoid their grab afterwards. The additional damage by hitting their inner body is not worth it.
So killing them is just a damage race for me with some lucky dodging of being hugged twice in a row.

I'm also not willing to change my gear just for them. So I will just avoid them entirely when ever possible and mark them as heavily annoying enemy design for me.

No no no. You first dodge the grab and then immediately attack.
You will do a roll attack that is much faster without the usual wind-up and hit the weak point.

[Lexor]

Originally posted by Ponyeater:

No no no. You first dodge the grab and then immediately attack.
You will do a roll attack that is much faster without the usual wind-up and hit the weak point.

I encountered some more and managed to keep calm. So I could evade their nasty grabs and hit some crits. It's obviously better to dodge first and attack after that. :-)
I still don't like these metal boxes of crap but I can deal with them now.