How hard is this game?

[zirconis54]

So the closest games I've played have been blasphemous and hollow knight. For the people who've played Salt and Sanctuary and one of those two, how hard is this game comparatively? How much should I psychologically prepare myself?

I'm about to start my first play-through and I'm unsure what's waiting for me. Any advice on how to manage the difficulty?

[William Wave]

Difficulty depends on personal skills and particular equipment. For example, using a gretsword and heavy armor with midroll is one of the easiest builds, while playing a spellsword or a hunter is a different story. Think what gear fits your playstyle the most and build your character basing on it. Of course certain opponents counter certain builds, which is compensable with your own skills like reaction and positioning.

[zirconis54]

Originally posted by William Wave:

Difficulty depends on personal skills and particular equipment. For example, using a gretsword and heavy armor with midroll is one of the easiest builds, while playing a spellsword or a hunter is a different story. Think what gear fits your playstyle the most and build your character basing on it. Of course certain opponents counter certain builds, which is compensable with your own skills like reaction and positioning.

What's a good all rounder playstyles/build that isn't just OP against everything?
If that exists of course.

[William Wave]

Good is personal for every particular player, so deciding what is good for you in particular is up to you. The all-rounder build, however, looks like this: big crushing weapon plus shield in one loadout, one-handed slashing and elemental weapon plus pistol in the other loadout, heavy armor, midroll, any buff.

[gungadin22000]

S&S is easier for me than HK (less reflex-based) and harder than Blasphemous (bosses hit harder, parries harder, player character less mobile). It has way more build options than either game, and some are easier than others.

For easier gameplay, go 2hander + shield or alternatively magic build.

[zirconis54]

Originally posted by William Wave:

Good is personal for every particular player, so deciding what is good for you in particular is up to you. The all-rounder build, however, looks like this: big crushing weapon plus shield in one loadout, one-handed slashing and elemental weapon plus pistol in the other loadout, heavy armor, midroll, any buff.

Originally posted by gungadin22000:

S&S is easier for me than HK (less reflex-based) and harder than Blasphemous (bosses hit harder, parries harder, player character less mobile). It has way more build options than either game, and some are easier than others.

For easier gameplay, go 2hander + shield or alternatively magic build.

I chose whip... Why'd I choose whip. I've been at it for IDK 5 hours more or less. Why is it so hard? The hardest thing though has been finding my darned way.

First I couldn't find the queen of smiles so I was consistently dying to poison slimes in the Bandits road (or whatever it's called. The forest area) I finally found the entrance at the top of the scaffolding thing after 2 hours or such. Then I didn't know where to go for half an hour till I found another obscure and hard to find path in the forest area.

[Mike Litoris]

i've "finished" S&S faster than HK...
HK get bonus content like Pantheon,
S&S get build base replayabilty

True story for difficulty advice with S&S :
At end of the game, Final boss kill me endless time till i RQ
After some month without playing, i first try it
...

[zirconis54]

Originally posted by Mike Litoris:

i've "finished" S&S faster than HK...
HK get bonus content like Pantheon,
S&S get build base replayabilty

True story for difficulty advice with S&S :
At end of the game, Final boss kill me endless time till i RQ
After some month without playing, i first try it
...

I've gotten to finishing it as well. Not an easy game for sure. I'm on NG plus now. Pro tip, don't use daggers. I regret starting my new game plus run with a dagger build.

[srossiter81]

As others have say, this game's difficulty is based on your character build, weapons, and gear, as well as knowledge of the game and how the game systems work.

Some builds just wreck this game. In general, very beginner friendly builds will be a cleric with access to heal and holy damage, wielding a giant hammer or great sword. Any strength fighter with great swords, hammers, or spears will also do really well.

Heavy armor isn't a must, but there are certain shields that greatest reduce elemental damages that turn certain fire and lighting based bosses into push overs.

Dex builds, mage builds, and spell swords are harder. The final boss is a really tough against magic builds.

Bows, crossbows, and whips are brutal.

One of the things that makes this game great is playing thur again with a new build and seeing how certain areas and bosses offer a completely different set of challenges based on what you are doing.

[TheStylemage]

Difficulty is mostly pretty fair (just remember not all weapons are created equally, take a second look and you probably can guess), except for some endgame stuff where they ran out of ideas or just got lazy and just one-shot you.