Tips for NG+ cycles?

[Catpuppy]

I'm on my NG+3 now, and I'm starting to really feel the increased difficulty on bosses (Using the harder boss modifier), and using the architect to save the layout and just continuously attempt the boss with fresh characters feels like it's not working out too well, just dying tons and tons. For reference, I'm at level 466 and playing at 75% monster damage. I don't think I'm especially bad at the game, since I managed to beat both final bosses without taking any damage on my last cycle. Anyone have any good tips for making decent progress at this pont?

[Derpykat5]

I would recommend taking a short break. I don't know about you, but when I start getting caught in a failure loop I start to get frustrated and my skill level falls dramatically as a result. A short break from the game (like say, an hour or two) can help.

[Akamaru1987]

Go touch grass

[Ryukan]

Hmm, if you like to try rushing NG as high as possible, as fast as possible and with as little grinding as possible. I would suggest ditching all defense and going all INT as much as possible. HP and armor wont matter at all and you are going to get 1-2 shotted by pretty much everything soon enough. Str is nice and convenient, but INT gives more options, potential and dps. Or just keep grinding till your character get tanky/op enough.

[Juno]

I'm currently level 384 on NG+4.

I make sure to only buff the "new" alt boss for the run so I don't get burned out fighting the alt bosses over and over. Having only one "hard" boss per run really helps. I also recommend avoiding buffing enemy damage until you absolutely have to.

Here's my current 8 required Burdens for NG+4:
+1 Enemy Health
+1 Burden of Evolution
+1 10% larger map
+2 for buffed Citadel
+2 for buffed Plateau
+1 Burden of Enoch (alt boss)

[melano]

Maxlarger Maps (more chance to get relics and Life trees. War drums are key.

i am on NG 31+ and i can tell you crit runes equipment and war drums.

Best class for advancing is Ranger hands down. Skill Crit is easy to manage., but need to change the weapon for most bosses.

[NERV]

Why did you use this modifier? It is one of the worst/difficult modifiers in the game.

[Misfit]

Originally posted by NERV:

Why did you use this modifier? It is one of the worst/difficult modifiers in the game.

larger maps? thats the best one, more stuff and it doesnt get harder.

[NERV]

Originally posted by Misfit:

Originally posted by NERV:

Why did you use this modifier? It is one of the worst/difficult modifiers in the game.

larger maps? thats the best one, more stuff and it doesnt get harder.

I'm asking the topic author who enabled +75% damage.

[ZirzoR]

Originally posted by NERV:

Originally posted by Misfit:

larger maps? thats the best one, more stuff and it doesnt get harder.

I'm asking the topic author who enabled +75% damage.

I think he's using house rules to make enemies deal 25% less damage.

[Catpuppy]

Originally posted by ZirzoR:

Originally posted by NERV:

I'm asking the topic author who enabled +75% damage.

I think he's using house rules to make enemies deal 25% less damage.

Yes, House Rules with 25% less damage dealt by enemies. I've managed to make some progress now and I'm at NG +5, feeling good -- I think I was just lagging behind on damage at the start of that cycle on that particular boss. I had used the burden to buff the first boss and the first zone, so I think it pushed its difficulty higher than the bosses on the other zones quite considerably

[Dark]

NG. Struggle with bosses and clearing for first time. No real sources of passive life sustain, low numbers, limited build options while still making stat progress. Eventual success.

MVP: Extra jump/dash rune.


NG+ 1-7. New hard mode bosses introduce new challenges and walls of difficulties. Meanwhile previous versions of bosses start to become easier to trivial. Especially after doing some of the scar challenges. New gear options and numbers go bigger. Harder Area burdens also introduce new difficulties but make earlier zones more resource rewarding.

When getting especially frustrated, find a Pacifist trait, drop to 50% enemy damage and no contact damage, do a full clear to relax. Sweep bosses or turn off house rules before going back for bosses as per preference.

MVP: Relic that restores 6% health on weapon crit kill.

MVP2: Duelist. Hgih damage combo, spammable skill with invulnerably frames for locked castle bosses.
MVP3: Start to learn which spells and skills can be used to negate certain boss patterns.*



NG+ 8-12. Weird difficulty wavering. Sometimes clearing a cycle in 1-3 generations, other times taking 12-15 generations. Not sure how to adjust House rules to make it feel comfortable. Crit strats become viable, starting to respect resolve, wish I focused on specific slots for blue print upgrades rather than spreading out past +4. (e.g. Focus on drowned for helm and chest, Vit for cape and helm, Armor for Acc. Or whatever is more optimal/preference)

MVP: Spoon. Novel experience, fast range weapon while still being mobile. High damage on crit.


NG+13. doing full clears with relic builds and Face trading with hard mode bosses even at comparable level. Wondering If I should take more +damage/health burdens or house rules. Chonky enemies still punish you if you disrespect. Would still rather lower House rule difficulty then struggle when chest stop dropping new blue prints though.

Finally unlocked +9 drowned gear, but still only received +5 Kin blue prints. Now fishing for hoarder trait to do meme relic build runs. Int based damage noticeably fallen behind.


MVP: War Drum, Haste runes, Crit runes.

[Dark]

*Spell/Skills, Boss patterns and you.
Learning that certain skills and spells can negate certain annoying boss patterns can be a big help. Negate a boss pattern and pile on dps in the window to end fight that much sooner.

The lightning orb spell or damage aura on attack relic can let you completely ignore the heat seeking curse bullets (black bullets with face)

Wind wall, Battle Cry, Shield can help with the 'spam small blue or red fireballs in a circle' pattern.

Invul frames (combat roll, Cosmic sphere, Assassin stealth) can negate the 'platform around the vertical large bullets' attacks.

Stacking dash and jump runes makes air time evasion a lot easier. I find 4 runes of each of those to be enough, as they are fairly expensive and you start to lose track of how many jumps you have left when you go higher.

Posion/Fire dot is your friend for those annoying adds in the zone 6 boss. Specially if you otherwise have a slow weapon like the bow.


Even in NG+ 15, I just noticed that Ivy platform can do interesting things to the 'Boss jumps over you then does a slam attack' pattern. When the boss lands in mid air on the ivy and all those shock wave bullets suddenly are conveniently out of the way.

[<color=#CD3210>Lunatic]

Im lv237 i JUST 15mins ago was on a really good run as a knight with reapers scythe and lightning cloud on NG+1 was able to beat idun, jonah and the king back to back and hit NG+2.

I had 200k ish gold from that run. So i finally got all the gold increases maxed out, most of the weight limits and more str/armor.

[Kupo Nut]

When should I start getting +1 runes?
I'm on NG+1, soul upgrade is 3/4, all runes acquired.

[Mpita]

What I like to do for NG+ cycles is do full sweeps of the entire castle before fighting any Estuary.

The Blessings of Life and the pile of relics really do help.

It also means that if I fail? I now have a pile of gold/ore/aether to throw at upgrades. Maybe even some new blueprints and runes.