For those who have done it, how was the DLC with a Sorcerer?

[76561197970500986]

I also have the Xbox X version and my char there is a Int Sorcerer. I did beat the DLC on the PC but had some trouble with Gaius and Radahn mostly. My char is STR/DEX on PC.

[Despaired.]

Origineel geplaatst door boiling pie:

I entered the game with a high-int caster sorcerer and I am at the last boss now. I ditched casting almost entirely for bossfights, and fought them melee-style with Adula's moonblade instead. I found it much easier to learn the dodge timings than finding openings for casting. All bosses have special attacks to interrupt spell casting and it was annoying.

This is pretty much my approach for the entire DLC, adula moonblade is just so good against these bosses, especially the large ones where you can clip them multiple times and hits absurdly hard and also procs frostbite on top. But with Radahn I just use wing of astel and nebula his ass to death because even my strongest spell just isn't hitting hard enough for his massive healthpool in NG++ runs

[Despaired.]

Origineel geplaatst door Tr3m0r:

It does seem like overpowered weapons and builds that rely on them and summons are more punished. The last boss and messmer make summoning difficult and punishable. Weapons like dark moon and blasphemous blade aren't as effective as they were in the base. Which I am not complaining about nor am I saying they still aren't overpowered. It's just that they are not as guaranteed l2 press to win as they once were.

One thing I tried and didn't seem to get the effect was the impenetrable thorns. It's awfully slow and when it does it, it isn't doing anywhere near the damage I see on YouTube. Is it my arcane being too low? My stats are
60 vigor
40 mind
40 end
28 strength
59 dex
40 int
25 faith
55 arcane

Playing in NG+3

Darkmoon greatsword AOW actually received a damage nerf which is not mentioned in the patch notes, its still good but nowhere near where it was. On the otherhand Blasphemous blade AOW actually received a buff from the DLC because drake talisman boost taker flame damage by 15% so it's the strongest AOW in game still overall.

[boiling pie]

Origineel geplaatst door Despaired.:

Origineel geplaatst door boiling pie:

I entered the game with a high-int caster sorcerer and I am at the last boss now. I ditched casting almost entirely for bossfights, and fought them melee-style with Adula's moonblade instead. I found it much easier to learn the dodge timings than finding openings for casting. All bosses have special attacks to interrupt spell casting and it was annoying.

This is pretty much my approach for the entire DLC, adula moonblade is just so good against these bosses, especially the large ones where you can clip them multiple times and hits absurdly hard and also procs frostbite on top. But with Radahn I just use wing of astel and nebula his ass to death because even my strongest spell just isn't hitting hard enough for his massive healthpool in NG++ runs

I wish I could make more use of all the spells we have, but It always comes down to the same few.

(And we should keep silent about Wing of Astel weapon art or it gets nerfed.)

[Stormtrooper]

I play an astrologer and gave up at Messmer and Midra. These two (and many other bosses) don't even leave you enough time to cast a single spell. And I already use an amulet ehich reduces the casting time to the absolute minimum. Also, many bosses ignore your summons and focus almost exclusively on you. As a result, the boss fights were a huge pain in the ass. On the other hand, the rest of the of the game wasn't overly difficult as an astrologer.

[MidnightMist]

Again, I beat Messmer just circling him and charging Comet. He gives you plenty of time to cast a spell, I don't really understand why you guys are lying to the dude.

[Despaired.]

Origineel geplaatst door Stormtrooper:

I play an astrologer and gave up at Messmer and Midra. These two (and many other bosses) don't even leave you enough time to cast a single spell. And I already use an amulet ehich reduces the casting time to the absolute minimum. Also, many bosses ignore your summons and focus almost exclusively on you. As a result, the boss fights were a huge pain in the ass. On the other hand, the rest of the of the game wasn't overly difficult as an astrologer.

I would say Messmer and Midra both have very clear openings after their attacks which give you ample time to weave in a cast or two to punish them, personally I found cold sorceries quite good against DLC bosses, either glinstone icecrag or adula moonblade works wonders. But if you are not using summons its pretty much mandatory to learn the bosses' entire moveset as you will be dodging them just like a melee build will, gone are the days where we can just kite and spam spells. The only BS boss in the DLC would be the final boss but that affects literally all builds not just sorceries.

[The Icecream Snowman]

I'm nearly there, just got into Rauh Ruins.

I already did everything with my vaunted Spear-and-Greatshield build. Basically, many of the bosses who were really easy for one for kind of hard for the other.

• Bayle (like all dragons) was down in one attempt, falling victim to Spiral Shard.
  
• Renalla was a problem for my sorceress, as I'd expected.
  
• Messmer was a case of carefully managing agro so he didn't attack me much.
  
• NPC invaders are all deal within seconds, spammed down with Night Comet.
  
• Furnace golems also fall in record time to Spiral Shard.
  
• But Ghostlfame dragons caused quite a few headaches.
  
• Gaius took way too many goes.
  
• Fallingstar beasts dies to ... you guessed it, Spiral Shard.
  
• Red bears were tough.
  
• Deathright bird was a little harder for a sorceress.

Basically everything else was pretty easy for both, down in one go.

That brings us to Radahn. I had real trouble getting worn down. My tanking was fine, stamina wasn't the problem. Chip damage and the lack of reliable openings to heal kept getting me killed. The spear build doesn't deal rapid damage.

That is, until I switched into the Blood infused Heretic's Fork with Blood Tax. He was down in record time, with my mimic still over 50% HP.

[Halfalfasleep]

Having finished the DLC with a Dex/Int build, there are very few opportunities to actually cast anything besides melee sorceries, and the second you DO manage to cast something the bosses will be on you like amphetamine-snorting howler monkeys. The spells don't even have to connect, the boss will just smell that you casted something and turn 180-degrees mid-combo to ♥♥♥♥ your ♥♥♥♥.

[Halfalfasleep]

Origineel geplaatst door MidnightMist:

Again, I beat Messmer just circling him and charging Comet. He gives you plenty of time to cast a spell, I don't really understand why you guys are lying to the dude.

It might've been that I wasn't a pure sorcery build, but my casts couldn't hit him because he darted around too much and a lot of the time he was too far away. If you build specifically for sorcery it might be different.

[†øøts]

cometshard, ancient rancorall, arc.

comet is main dps, ancient for keeping high poise mobs away, arc for groups

prince of death staff (high magic/faith), radagon icon, graven mass

erdtree heal+blessing

divine fortification ;)

if no faith then just dodge and comet. renalla staff.

this will basically carry you through ng7 or lower. meaning the whole game. and your frends too.

important: if you’re getting killed then play solo to learn. casters must be just as good at dodging as melee bros if not more - you will get cut down in two hits on ng7 unless you got levels to spare and pump into str for physical res.

if you’re truly late game:

main dps is ancient rancor, skip radagon icon and get 60 dex, 60 focus, 40-60 end, 60 faith, 80 int, 60 vit any levels left goes to str for res. if you somehow manage 60 str on top of that pump the rest into health/mana

prince staff 25 and graven. the other three talismans is purely choice. personally i reserve a slot for host talisman for my drip; sexy clothes

pvp setup is different, recommend you find your own build/spell order

[5chneemensch]

Origineel geplaatst door †øøts:

cometshard, ancient rancorall, arc.

comet is main dps, ancient for keeping high poise mobs away, arc for groups

prince of death staff (high magic/faith), radagon icon, graven mass

erdtree heal+blessing

divine fortification ;)

if no faith then just dodge and comet. renalla staff.

this will basically carry you through ng7 or lower. meaning the whole game. and your frends too.

important: if you’re getting killed then play solo to learn. casters must be just as good at dodging as melee bros if not more - you will get cut down in two hits on ng7 unless you got levels to spare and pump into str for physical res.

if you’re truly late game:

main dps is ancient rancor, skip radagon icon and get 60 dex, 60 focus, 40-60 end, 60 faith, 80 int, 60 vit any levels left goes to str for res. if you somehow manage 60 str on top of that pump the rest into health/mana

prince staff 25 and graven. the other three talismans is purely choice. personally i reserve a slot for host talisman for my drip; sexy clothes

pvp setup is different, recommend you find your own build/spell order

You are overleveld AF. Builds assume a level of 150. Therefore any POD build is already invalid as it needs a minimum of 144 levels put into int and faith to be better than Carian Regal. Lastly, if you want to deal the best dmg, Night Comet with double staves of loss is the undefeated God.

[Climhazzard]

I'm pretty sure an uncharged comet is as fast as many a weapons' R1, so there are plenty of openings to use it. The night comet build can probably beat the DLC half asleep.

There are longer openings too, but they're more challenging to find for sure.

[FDru]

I cleared basically the whole DLC with just Rennala's Full Moon, Carian Phalanx/Greatblade Phalanx (depending on if I wanted stagger or no), and Comet.

Comet is fast-casting, spammable, chargeable for more damage, pierces multiple targets and is just all around the best sorcery spell IMO.

Some bosses were trouble due to their extremely aggressive attack pattern (like Messmer) but using an appropriate greatshield will take care of it. Fingerprint Shield is best (enchanted with flame for example will give 100% fire res and 95% physical, great for furnace golems and any boss that does fire) but something like Icon Shield (for the HP regen) or Erdtree Greatshield are nice too. Just adjust your armor to stay in medium equip load regardless of what you use.

I think it would be a rough time trying to get by without any good defense though.

[Grim Reaper]

Does an INT battlemage count? If so, I thought it was really great.

[Safarel]

Beat dlc 2 times on ng+ with different mage builds, common pew-pew and gravity, don't saw any troubles (well, final boss requires some build tuning), on both basis is night comet and dark moon, with some differences

Never uses thorns, tho