Subterranean Shunning Grounds... what the hell?

[Nonomori]

This area is just awful, it's a complete rats nest of pipes and tunnels and holes into other pipes and tunnels, and it all looks the GOD. DАMN. SAME! How the hell are you supposed to navigate this place? And the problem isn't just the geography of the place.
It's just that the sons of b- of the developers decided to throw at you all of the most annoying, stupid and overpowered enemies in that place and behind every corner of that maze that the game has to offer lol. I guess I could use rainbow stones but that doesn't solve the other problem with this area, every enemy hits like a truck and tanks multiple hits, and tends to swarm you in tight corridors. This area is like Blight Town with way more confusing navigation but scaled up to Archdragon Peak's difficulty, and it's just awful.

[Cooperal]

I found it was easier to navigate the pipes if you had some methodology behind your navigational decisions. What worked for me was a strategy that is widely applicable across so many other games.

Commit to purely hugging left (or right if you prefer) and ignore all drops, ramps or any other elevation changes until you inevitably arrive back at your starting point on that 'floor'. The strategy helps to mentally map out the outer perimeter, where you can then take the inside turns in the order that they were missed on the first lap, scanning them using the same method. Then and only after then, you should also tackle each of the elevation changes in order and start mapping out the next level by applying the same method from scratch.

I know that it may be tricky for some but using the overworld map structures as reference can also help. Stand at a crossroad or key location. Face toward the most accessible entrance/exit from your current location, check the direction you are looking and precisely which part of Leyndell you are standing beneath on the map so you know which way you need to push if you ever need to return there. Knowing which side one or more of the entrances come in from is important because trying to push from ANY direction could just lead to more mental entanglement.

Although I didn't need it, rainbow stones can also be used as markers. You can memorize them by the random colour emanating from them, or you can drop multiple to form a helpful shape or symbol that has meaning to you.
Additionally you could even drop messages on the floor. I suppose nobody ever said you had to write them for the attention of strangers. There is a 20 message limit I believe, but you can remotely delete unneeded ones for recycling whenever you feel it necessary.

[jasonbarron]

Subterranean Shunning Ground is good

It's meant to be an optional challenge dungeon with a LOT of cool stuff hidden within. If you take the time to fully explore it you will be richly rewarded for your time and effort. Also, complaining about optional dungeons and or bosses is absurd and can't be taken seriously.

[Majere]

For me the biggest problem is that the risk/reward there is completely out of whack. It's far harder in terms of mob hitting power than Deeproot Depths, for example, and yet the Omens are worth far less Runes than the flame pillar mobs there and the best smithing stone in the entire place is a single +8. Getting hold of Mohg's shackle is literally harder than defeating Mogh without the thing. Sure, it's technically optional but given that it's required for both the Flame of Frenzy and Seedbed Curse endings it's not really. There're also a couple of important items right at the end (lord of blood's exultation and erdtree favour +1) which a lot of builds need.

Add to that the fact that there's nothing new to see there except the Nomads and it ends with the most irritating platforming section ever in a souls, and yeah, not a fan.

[balmora pete]

It sucks. The omens in there have like 6k or 8k health, it's stupid. Then they have the kick and punch moves (like all omens) that have 999999 poise so you have to eat the damage

And then there's the two giant crayfish. All that work, and what do you get? STRIP OF WHITE FLESH, CRAB EGGS

[CB]

awesome place to invade.

ever since someone bloodhound step raced me over the pipes section i practice it

[paladin181]

You guys don't like fighting Omens? Man they are a challenge, but only their punch and their kick is uninterruptable. Jumping attack with virtually any weapon breaks their poise for everything but the unarmed attacks. I love killing Omens!

[Lylliana of Mirrah]

Początkowo opublikowane przez mega mungis:

It sucks. The omens in there have like 6k or 8k health, it's stupid. Then they have the kick and punch moves (like all omens) that have 999999 poise so you have to eat the damage

And then there's the two giant crayfish. All that work, and what do you get? STRIP OF WHITE FLESH, CRAB EGGS

jump attack is their weakness somehow.

[Armameteus]

Not that I'm excusing the design of the area (I got pretty pissed off at it too, I won't lie), but in my (painful) completion of the area, I learned a few useful things:

1. Almost all the Omens can be avoided entirely. Their aggro range is actually incredibly limited; they'll aggro much slower than you expect and lose aggro much quicker than you expect. They basically just seem like they want to be left alone.

2. Most of the Imps on the pipes, if poked with a throwing knife or spell, will almost always fall off into the pit below and either die or just lose aggro, letting you scale the pipes in relative peace.

3. The inside of the pipes, while quite labyrinthine, can be navigated fairly easily if you just use a methodology (like following one wall to the end of the path) and using Rainbow Stones to mark places you've been. It's still confusing, but it gets the job done faster because you're not needlessly backtracking through areas you've been before.

4. Most enemies can be skipped entirely. There's no items of value in the pits where powerful enemies are placed (the crayfish pit or the pit with the heavily-horned Omen) and they don't drop anything worthwhile. Just book it through there as fast as possible and don't look back.

5. If you have enough Faith, bring an area-heal spell for the Revenants. Gets them outta the way painlessly.

Other than that, it's a pretty standard dungeon, all things considered. It's just a very large area compared to other dungeons and will take much a longer time to get through than you think. Recommend you pace yourself and don't do it all at once; just work your way to the next Grace/shortcut and then leave to do something else for a bit. It'll be a lot less painful than trying to tackle it all at once.

[Drybonz]

People that have played old-school Eye of the Beholder, Phantasy Star 1, etc... first person maze games are laughing at you.

[Archdeacon Monseigneur]

every game gotta have a sewer level. nobody likes the sewer level.

[Xengre]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Juub:

Yeah, quite a ♥♥♥♥ area. Probably should come back here later. Even at level 130-140, those fat ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ still hit hard and tank hits like nothing. It's especially punishing for magic builds who have no way to stagger them. You need bleed or heavy weapons to kill them quickly and stop them from attacking.

Really? I thought it was very easy at RL1 with +0 weapons. I found Mountain of Giants to bump up harder than this place.

I do think the design of the place is poor, though. I was not a fan.

[balmora pete]

Początkowo opublikowane przez DarkSpirit Leliana:

Początkowo opublikowane przez mega mungis:

It sucks. The omens in there have like 6k or 8k health, it's stupid. Then they have the kick and punch moves (like all omens) that have 999999 poise so you have to eat the damage

And then there's the two giant crayfish. All that work, and what do you get? STRIP OF WHITE FLESH, CRAB EGGS

jump attack is their weakness somehow.

I'm sick of having to do jump attacks against everything. I just wanna do my normal attacks :(

[Tiny serpent Shnissuvihr]

I love the sewers, It's my home town.

[Alexis Machine]

Początkowo opublikowane przez mega mungis:

Początkowo opublikowane przez DarkSpirit Leliana:

jump attack is their weakness somehow.

I'm sick of having to do jump attacks against everything. I just wanna do my normal attacks :(

Then try Greatstars, cold version; it wrecks them, assuming you are not underleveled. The first three hits will proc frostbite, preventing them from counterattacking and hopefully allowing you to follow with a couple of additional hits, which, in turn, will trigger bleeding... another hit or two and you'll break their poise, stun-locking them. A good crit as a finisher and it sould be done. The fact that you recover some hp with each strike is an added bonus

[balmora pete]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Alexis Machine:

Początkowo opublikowane przez mega mungis:

I'm sick of having to do jump attacks against everything. I just wanna do my normal attacks :(

Then try Greatstars, cold version; it wrecks them, assuming you are not underleveled. The first three hits will proc frostbite, preventing them from counterattacking and hopefully allowing you to follow with a couple of additional hits, which, in turn, will trigger bleeding... another hit or two and you'll break their poise, stun-locking them. A good crit as a finisher and it sould be done. The fact that you recover some hp with each strike is an added bonus

Ah, Great Stars is a wonderful weapon, I have used it already. I mostly use Starscourge Greatswords and they're great at stun-locking but lack the frostbite + bleed.

Did you know it works with Golden Land and Prelate's Charge pretty well? Each individual hit will trigger the bleed buildup and self-heal. Combine with Bloodflame Blade for mega bleed action!