The Problem With Chalice Dungeons

So Ludwig's still beating me pretty hard. I've nearly gotten him down to 50%, and I think using Fire Paper will make that a good possibility soon - I've been farming echoes and buying it at the Messenger store, so it's not too bad getting a supply.

I've decided to go through some of the Chalice Dungeons. So far I've only done Pthumeru ones (I think I need to re-run the first one to get 2nd tier Ritual Blood so I can do an Ailing Loran, or maybe Hintertomb one.)

Unfortunately, I can see why these dungeons are not terribly popular. Having procedurally generated content is always a double-edge sword (and I realize that the ones I've been running are actually fixed, but made out of the pieces that the procedurally-made ones would have.) On one hand, you can create content where no matter how many playthroughs, you'll still have to do some exploration.

But what you lose is clever level design - something that the Soulsborne series is known for. There's very little story to the various Pthumeru dungeons I've been through, and I've even beaten the same bosses multiple times.

I'm hoping that starting other varieties of chalice dungeons will give me new environments, but I suspect that each type will get pretty dull.

Still, I get that it's a kind of experiment, and I wonder if playing online with a friend would make the repetitive environments less of an issue, as you could instead just enjoy slaying your way through them with a friend.

Returning to Ludwig, I mostly like him as a boss, even though I haven't beaten him. There's one attack that doesn't feel fair, when he jumps up and then lands a couple seconds later, basically one-shotting you if he lands on you. But everything else, even his charge that does massive damage and gives you a really brief telegraph, feels pretty fair.

Of course, I'm given to understand that his phase two is a totally different fight (and I'm really hoping it starts at 50% and isn't like he heals back up to full after you go through his whole health bar.)

I think once I get through my first game I'll go back to the Witcher III, and I've only done a small bit of GTA V.

So I'm pretty covered on vidja games. I think I'll have plenty to tide me over until Legion launches at the end of August.