I bungled. I confused the Greenspill Crystal Tear with the Greenburst Crystal tear. The Greenspill Crystal tear gives you an increase to max stamina, not stamina recovery speed. To get that tear you'll need to defeat the tree man in Caelid which is probably too tough for right at the start of the game. If you're following my challenge then I'd recommend you get the strength-knot tear instead. Sorry!
The funny thing about that margit video is I made it in a couple hours to prove a comment wrong but I went in not knowing those dodges. I literally just booted up a new character and just spent an hour trying different dodges. A little experimentation goes a long way.
This video convinced me, I am starting a rl1 playthrough today. You popped out nowhere and your content is great and insightful please don't stop making videos
Blows my mind that his videos haven't exploded. I know they will at some point in the future, he's just gotta get that lucky break that gets him the initial views, because the content itself is some of the best I've seen in a long damn time.
I've only done the base game at RL 1 and it was a challenge. Early game can be quite easy as you can get the bloodhound fang upgraded to level 5 before fighting Margit and Godrick. With the various talisman, flask and equipment set up you can use a variety of weapons, so it's not too restricted as the other fromsoft games.
Just beat Margit at Lv1 I never realised how diverse his moveset was and how awesome that boss arena is visually. It took me ages to beat but it was good fun gonna try godrick next, good vid inspired this playthrough
Im already a One Bro, and I can confirm that its one of the best things I've done with this series! Learning the bosses by actually trying to understand their moveset, trying to optimize the damage when at RL1, etc, its super fun and I felt amazing while doing it. It also lets you understand better why Elden Ring is sometimes so praised when it comes to the bosses and how fair it is compared to other games, tbh. And, like Loopine said, I literally just entered the bosses and started trying things, you don't need to be a pro to do this bosses RL1 and even RL1 no-hit with no summons, they are much easier and fun when you actually try to understand them!
Never thought I would attempt a rune level 1 play through, but all of your videos have really convinced me to give it a go. Tah mate, looking forward to the next video.
Hi Gred. I'm watching this on Christmas Morning while running around Belurat to bully the Horned Warriors, and I want you to know that your videos are so cozy and lovely. Thank you for making them, and thank you for keeping me company while my family is busy or out of town. It makes such a huge difference to feel like somebody is with me, even if it's just prerecorded. You're such a wholesome person. ^w^ Love your channel, and I can't wait to see what you make next.
I was on an Elden Ring kick from March to August, I beat the game about 30 times (did a lot of speed running) and I decided I would do a level 1 run. Beat the game and couldn’t pick the game up again because I simply never could feel that level of pride again, maybe it’s time I go back for another run. Great video! :)
Unironically, this is why I usually only use fist weapons just raw, sometimes unupgraded, because I just love the way the fights progress and turns it into a more personal and prolonged fight. Fighting Slave Knight Gael with unupgraded caestus and Nameless king is just absolute cinema!
Lovely video, may have convinced me. Will be a while till I give it a go, too many games in my backlog, but could be nice to revisit the game in a while like this
My first playthrough of Elden Ring, I didn't level up my Vigor. I had a lot of friends question this decision. Bosses they had no trouble with took me, no joke, HUNDREDS of attempts, and the entire playthrough took me well over 400 hours. By the endgame, I was having to no-hit-run some of the hardest bosses in the game (Maliketh alone took me 600 attempts to master), and I would have to cap myself at a certain number of boss fights per day to keep myself from burning out. Hilariously, though, I loved it. It was probably my favorite first playthrough of any Soulsborne game, and I had played pretty much the entire series up until that point. Going back now, I can typically first-try Maliketh and Radahn, even after not having picked up the game in months, because the dances the bosses demanded of me are etched into my bones. I haven't done a Level 1 Run of any Souls game yet, but I imagine it's a similar feeling - fighting within that extraordinarily tight margin of error, knowing fully well that any slight slip-up is an instant reset. I'm working myself up to doing an SL1 playthrough of the series right now, and the fact that you've echoed my experience here really excites me for that.
Glad that you pointed this out. I was about to mention it. Takes some of the idea of stress from the RL1 idea. One of my characters is a everything but vigor character, swords only playthrough and boy that playthrough is so so so different!! Used so many weapons I've never touched before, employed interesting hybrids for off handing and it's just a blast. Made it all the way to mountain top of the giants now with base stat vigor. It's a Glass Cannon playthrough and such a thrill. Definitely would give it a shot if RL1 is too scary still 😂
@VoidBringer_98 I started my RL1 playthrough last week, and it's honestly a very similar experience. I'm using an Uchigatana / Wakizashi power stance, Radagon's Soreseal, Turtle Talisman, and Viridian Amber Medallion for extra stamina. I'm currently on Valiant Gargoyles, and so far, the biggest challenges have been no-summon Starscourge Radahn (no surprise there), Dragonbarrow Godskin Apostle, and the Gargoyles themselves. I'd honestly say that it's a really good time, similar but slightly more demanding than a Low Vigor Build. The biggest struggle I've found is the low stamina, which has been VERY challenging to deal with 😭
@@SoralaxPlays I imagine it is since the margins of error for both of these playthroughs are very similar in both early and mid game. The Every Stat except vigor challenge differs in when approaching end game. Reaching Mountain top of the Giants, by that point instead of HP I have a mountain of Endurance and a decent amount of MP. Level up weapons and get strong ashes. Haven't really pumped a single point into damage based stats since beating Shade Godfrey. Had enough stamina to block 1 full on attack from Fire Giant. It's a good backup since basically everything 1 shots you. I just beat the God Skin Duo the other day. I had to use Bernhal to help though. That fight was annoying and I kept dying before ever reaching the boss fog doors because of the Banished knights I gotta jet past before getting there 😂😅
I actually started my RL1 playthrough just a few days ago, after finishing the DLC no scadu (well, and no food/spell/AoW buffs, but that was more something that just happened due to sticking to a build rather than an actual restriction). As much as I imagine collecting scadu fragments would be annoying on a repeat playthrough due to how long it'd be to collect them and how I thought it was a bad system, I realized that something cool about it is that you can scale your difficulty the way you want while still opening up build options. Well, there's also some fun to be found with more limited options, but not as many times. I'd feel like doing that no scadu run again, but probably not an RL1 twice. I've done a SL1 of Dark Souls 3 before. It was very fun. I'm not fond of one shots, at least, not when I need to run back to the boss or do a boring phase 1 before the dangerous part. Using the lloyd's shield ring or tears of denial (though, that required 2 or 3 rings to be able to cast it) depending on the boss, you can make it so no boss can one shot you (though, on plenty of bosses, I preferred some specific moves one-shotting to having to recast tears of denial mid-fight). That made it so Soul of Cinder was the hardest boss of the base game by far. I hope the Elden Ring RL1 will be just as much to my taste and there will be options for me to avoid most one shots. Then again, the respawn is closer.
Another Glintstone classic 💯 I started my RL1 after lurking on r/onebros for a few weeks and I'm at godskin duo. Your 'Mind Over' series is a huge inspiration for me, keep it up
I’m sure you’ve already saw my comment on the mind over maketh video. It doesn’t bear repeating here so instead, I’ll just say this. Before doing a rune level one run I did nothing but you summons and never played the game properly. I didn’t even know how to fight the bosses or recognize their patterns then out of nowhere I just decided to do RL one run. Because why not. I never thought I would beat Margit. I never thought I would beat godrick. I never thought I would make it to Altus. Get past DTS get past Morgott. Fire Giant. God, skin duo. Maliketh, Gideon, hoarah loux. RadaBeast. Yet I never gave up and I persevered. now I feel like I can play the game any way I want. People can say this game is very restrictive at RL1 but I feel the game opens up way more play styles after beating RL1. Ur a whole new kind of beast. Ur no longer a tarnished, ur THE tarnished. Before RL1 I feared what this game could do to me, now I fear what I can do to it.
After a couple of years of putting it of i finally went and beat elden ring, i had a similar experience to your first playthrough. And i think this could work for me. Thanks for a very inspiring awesome video!
A lot of people didn't like the Scadutree fragment system around the release of the DLC but I really think it is a better way of scaling late game difficulty than runes because runes are lost on death. The scadutree fragment system is better for tuning difficulty because you don't lose them on death, and so you don't have to spend them. You can hold onto them and use them when you encounter a challenge which seems to warrant their use. I, personally, find the DLC too easy after about blessing level 8-10, and so I typically don't level beyond that point. I think people underestimate how much you are meant to tune Elden Ring to your own liking. If you don't like something about it, you're almost always given the option to do something about it. A lot of people do this without thinking when they choose not to summon. I, for one, think the game gives you far too many flasks, and so while I've never done a RL1 run, I usually substantially limit how many flasks I can upgrade. I also think that being able to fast-travel anywhere tends to trivialise the importance of graces, and so I like to do runs where I can only travel from graces (although I wish someone would really make a mod for this).
If there were only Scadutree Fragments and no Runes I would've probably never played through all of Fromsofts Souls Games as Elden Ring was my proper introduction. I enjoy the Progression and I hate If I have no agency over how my character becomes stronger hence why I don't like Sekiro.
My only irk with Scadutree fragments is that I typically like to enjoy my first run blind and don't worry too much about missing areas. Guides for stuff I missed are for run #2. I am also not a pro-level player. With scadutree fragments, suddenly a region missed that has a secret way of accessing it might be my only hope of beating a boss.
My challenge to Gred: don't use The Claw, it's bad for your hands, unless you like arthritic pain. Try an alternative button mapping or use a controller with paddles, your tendrils will thank you and it's way more comfy. I know it sounds impossible but it only takes a couple of days to get rid of the Circle/B to dodge impulse even after years of conditioning. My suggested changes to the default button mapping: L1/LB light attack, L2/LT heavy attack, R1/RB block, R2/RT dodge/run, Circle/B skill. This way you have both thumbs on the stick for running and dodging; my controller has paddles so I have Triangle/Y mapped to the right paddle so I can pick things up with both thumbs on the stick. The only downside I see is that left-hand/2H/right-hand switching is reversed (because FS button mapping is a cruel joke), which actually trips me up way more than R2/RT to dodge. Alternatively you could just use L2/LT for dodge/run but I like that blocking and running can be done with one hand.
Your desire at 12:46 is very much possible at least in my estimations. Your first playthrough doesnt have to feel like that. For me, 25 vigor with the right defense tends to allow me to survive 1 hit. On my 1st playthrough, For limgrave and Luirna I was 10 vigor while for the rest 25. It was one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. As a challenge runner like you I basically recommend everyone to try it. You'll have your "first experience" only once. It is the most special one. None of the repeat playthroughs are that magical. So why waste it I say. Your script was fantastic. I agreed with basically everything. Keep up the great work
I guess the issue is that to know you need to play like that there needs to be some kind of base knowledge there. For a lot of people Elden Ring is their first Souls game so they might not be expecting a particular experience. It’s an interesting problem and I don’t know what the solution is, really.
@@GredGlintstone I guess the problem resides in the freedom of approach that rests at the core of elden ring, an experience that actively tries to expand your options without any guidance regarding what style would suit your tastes better for maximum enjoyment. A bit like the addition of posture breaking. While in Sekiro, it is how everyone plays like, Elden Ring doesn't particularly care if you posture break the boss. At least other than the intrinsic dopamine hit of seeing the boss on their knees. It comes with the territory. If Elden Ring is someone's first experience in souls genre without any guidance, there is low likelihood that usual challenge runner values like aggression, posture breaks or variety of punish windows won't be understood let alone implemented in a blind run. I hope these people replay the game as you've shown and give the experience another go with a different mindset. I'll make a reaction vid to your 'this is a good video' soon. Excited to hear your thoughts when I release it.
I did it man! I did pick up a couple extra heals and there were a few attacks i couldn't learn to reliably parry so dodged a bit but after 20-30 goes I put him down. Can't wait for next installment. Happy holidays!
I would like to add, it can be intimidating looking at videos online for RL1 and most are "No Hit / No Damage" fights. You don't have to be flawless there is plenty of margin for error with some boss attacks right through the game and the DLC including Malenia and PCR with the right tools. I almost always succeed and get hit in the process. Excellent vid, and your journey mirrored my own in many ways. I would strongly recommend RL1. I call it "Elden Ring The Puzzle Game".
uhm i prefer your long form take downs of joebruh anderson, but I guess I'll watch this. After watching, starting a lvl one playthrough ahhahaha I keep editing this but great vid dude. between this and the critique vid you clearly have a talent for this. Am excited for more!
Good timing because I just beat the DLC and I want to play again already, but I will try RL1 before NG+1. You really convinced me on this. I also had a blast learning DLC Radahn and getting my ass kicked over and over, and now I wanna kick HIS ass as a deformed RL1 goblin!
I started my first ER playthrough a couple weeks ago, and the first thing I did was make a wretch w/ the stonesword key (bc I remembered it has a use in the opening), used it in the starting area and discovered the ulcerated tree spirit, and fought it for 5 hours until I beat it. Nothing but the club, and one flask for the rare occasion that I survive a hit. The journey of maximizing my damage by discovering every opportunity where I could avoid an attack without having to dodge was more entertaining than even Sekiro in a sense, because ER has a jank and sincerity about it which really demands that you believe in the tools that you're using. At least, it feels that way. I'm not doing anything like a RL1 run at the moment, but I've still been taking a reserved approach that allows me to have fun leveraging as many defensive options as I can. I'm playing the game like it's Sekiro kinda, and I'm keeping my HP low because I may as well, and it saves levels and flasks for other stuff. I got really attached to the Misericorde early on, and I've been coasting with it because I especially love that I can attack a lot and recover quickly enough to stop two-handing whenever I wanna parry. If something annoys me, my compromise with spirit ashes has been to dump all of my resources into the jellyfish. I've found that you really have to play Elden Ring *for yourself* to really get it, as opposed to for the sake of beating it. For me, I adore the discovery aspect of mastering something, and that's my actual goal when I play. I'm sort of fascinated by how natural it is to restrain myself for that vision, since being cheap is just incongruous with what I want to get out of the game. Only exception by now has been Carion Retaliation, because having the best parry in the game on a medium shield is hard to resist, but I allow it because a medium shield lets me use guard counters more, too. TL;DR I'm having a blast finding my own fun already, it's definitely how this game should be played. I'm hella grateful that you started making vids, and inspired me to give ER a fair shake. I'll surely do a RL1 run at some point, after I'm satisfied with my 400 hour first playthrough.
Definitely save it for the second. As much as I love RL1 you do have to sprint past a good deal of the content inbetween the bosses and you should give yourself the freedom to explore. Enjoy it! There can only be one first playthrough.
There are so many weapons in the DLC that absolutely break the game at RL1, so I would recommend making a beeline for Radahn and then Mohg (i.e. do Varre's questline) so you can enter it ASAP and grab those, plus the Deflecting Hardtear. Trust me on this.
One other thing you can do to warm up for an RL1 is do an RL41 run. After Godrick, level every stat up 5 - this simulates having Godrick’s Great Rune active without having to farm for Rune Arcs. It is definitely easier than a normal RL1 run, but it makes for a good warm-up.
"i am male- "Me at lvl 1, no hit with only a zweihander i forgot to upgrade beforehand and a dream: "I am idiot, blade of joe. And i have never known mental health."
Very well said! I completed my first ever level 1 run about 3 or so years ago on DS3. Once Elden Ring came out i knew this one would be my next target. I am near the end of the base game and after that its time for the DLC!
Instead of starting a new play through and stay SL1/BL4/RL1 to learn all of the bosses I like going into NG+ first and using un-upgraded weapons for all bosses that I feel like I didn't really learn. In comparison it makes mistakes less punishing, especially if your machine is slow enough to where load times between deaths become very tedious. This way you also get to keep your stuff from the last play through, so getting one shot during exploration isn't a frustration you have to deal with. It's definitely not as hard as beating the games at level 1, but it still forces you to learn most moves of every boss, since the boss fights last forever and drain you of your healing if you don't learn every attack. On some fights I restrict my healing items too. Playing the game this way reminds me a bit of Lies of P, because in that game bosses have so much health that you also really won't ever beat one feeling like you've just hit traded your way through it. Alternatively, beating the game in NG+7 definitely has the same effect. That's what I did with DS3 first and it made a summon-less level one run really be a lot easier than I expected, taking only a little under 8 hours
Funny thing is I started my first level 1 run for Elden Ring a few weeks ago. Currently stuck on Morgott. He's such a pushover in a normal playthrough (despite having such a fast and complicated moveset) that I never took the time to actually learn him until now.
16:40 I would recommend, instead of having an uncomfortable grip, to take a page out of 4th gen Armored Core games and set L2 to your sprint button (and by extension rolls and such). It's a bit of a learning curve for rolling, but makes running while moving the camera, and generally playing unlocked, way easier. I ended up putting item use on L3, crouch on Circle, and Weapon Art/Ash of War on Square, since that way using items was also way more accessible.
I beat Morgott at lvl 1 on my first run. Not because I was trying to. I assumed you were supposed to beat him normally this way. I missed the site of grace that summoned Melina.
Spectacular video which single handedly convinced me to try this. I’m just a little worried that my damage might plateau once I hit the late game and it’ll take too long to beat
I just got done watching Greds 2 hour video essay. Wish I knew you existed earlier. Vit-gouge in BB was interesting, but I never did a level-1 run. I think It's possible to weild "the great sword" with all the equipment, runes and such without leveling up in elden ring. Have fun.
It is! There are actually a ton of weapons you can use at RL1. I go through some options in part 2 but with all the stat boosting there’s not too much you can’t wield. Really versatile.
I’m down to Melania, Messmer, Bayle, and Consort Radahn on my RL1 all Remembrances run (yes, I know Bayle is not technically a Remembrance boss). 140 hours of gameplay to get there, working on Messmer now. Anyway, I didn’t think I’d get more than a couple of Remembrances (I am *not* a good player, I’m old and slow, LOL) and I highly recommend everyone who enjoys Elden Ring give RL1 a shot. It is remarkably fun and interesting and you will learn so much more about all the bosses than you ever thought you would, heh.
Bro every time I watch one of your videos I feel like we're the same person 😅 At least in terms of our approach to fromsoft games (and our enjoyment of Brando Sando's Elden Ring videos).
I’ve done RL1 twice, one with and one without the DLC. My second run i rushed to the DLC and got the Milady and ran with it throughout nearly the entire game. Beat basically all bosses under 100 times per boss until pre patch Consort Radahn which took damn near 600+ Overall a very fun challenge
I think I was going to go for a RL1 run at some point in the near future. This summer I played Dark Souls 3 again but I realized I didn't put any point into carrying capacity unntil the end of the DLC. I was so focused on damage output, having enough FP etc that I was still wearing the Mirrah set from Undead Settlement. That kinda unlocked my mind to the fact that I can play with suboptimal loadout and increase the challenge as long as I like it thematically. Then I beat the Elden Ring DLC but didn't upgrade my scadu blessing beyond 13 because of how I was using the tools at my disposal. So I think I was progressively going to reduce the margin of error over time, but now I'm definitely going to just dive deep right away!
level 1 runs are a good way to recapture some of that first playthrough magic. at least a little bit. it's also a good way to learn more about the game and how much (or how little) levels and stats actually matter
Good luck! If you use a good poke weapon like a spear or a halberd you can poke her when she’s casting spells to interrupt them. She’s got terrible poise.
Started my RL1 yesterday and it's been surprisingly easier than I thought, I'm at Maliketh after 8 hours (doing mostly remembrances with a few side bosses and no summons). I did a no upgrade run (and no buffs) before this which I think was really helpful as it forced me to learn the bosses a lot because of how long the fights were but they weren't too frustrating cos I could take some hits without having to start over. Personally I think this is a very optimal way to prepare for a rl1 run for people who aren't that great at these games, like me, I'm good but nothing special. So far though, I have enjoyed the no upgrade run much more. I think it's because of the fact that you have to learn the bosses a lot but it was also more forgiving. I got my favourite part of these games, learning the bosses, but without the frustration I feel getting one shot all the time. I know it's not the same level of near perfection that a rl1 run demands but it's the perfect middle ground for me and I think maybe others who might want the feeling of really learning and overcoming a boss without as much frustration. Just my thoughts after going through an rl1 for the first time as an average player inspired by Gred
I don't like lvl1 runs in any Souls, but I've done low level runs and they truly test your skills as if you're unlocking a harder mode in a roguelike. Funnily enough, I had a lot of fun with those limitations, and outside learning the bosses from top to bottom, I learned to use many many tools during exploration in order to survive; that became the most flexible experience I had in aany Fromsoft game, it's not even close.
Funny thing about self-management in Elden Ring. During my first playthrough, I ended up doing that... by accident (partly). How? Simple. The game gave me so much cool shit that I ended up having to share my available resources between all of them, and that prevented me from overleveling myself and my gear. Wanted to use multiple weapons, but only had so many smithing stones; sharing is caring, as they say. I also wanted to use several weapons because there were so many cool ashes of war, but only so many available slots. Also, using multiple weapons and AoWs at the same time meant allocating levels to things besides Vigor, including Endurance, Mind, Strength, and Dexterity in order to make it all viable. It is absolutely possible to self-manage without sacrificing a sense of progression, and honestly, it's by using a playstyle that I think the developers were MOST catering to when they designed Elden Ring. A playstyle defined by exploration, curiosity, and experimentation. Also, I didn't really use Spirit Summons on my first run because I find it pretty easy to remind myself that, first and foremost, I'm playing to have fun. Unless they themselves are fun, I have little issue ignoring overpowered mechanics, so I can't really relate on that front to those who do.
Love to hear someone explain in detail the appeal of RL1. It was such a good time! I never did do the DLC RL1 though, what are your thoughts on that? (if you're willing to spoil your next episodes)
Would you consider making a video on What Remains of Edith Finch? Or the Stanley Parable even thought it’s been done to death. I think these despite being incredibly simple mechanically have really interesting themes and ideas.
I very briefly talk about What Remains of Edith Finch in my Silent Hill video in reference to the unreliable narrator. No plans to talk about Stanley Parable but you never know! Definitely plans to speak about some games that aren't Elden Ring, trust me. Just need to finish this guide and then I'll be a bit more free for other projects.
Here's my main problem with Lvl1 runs and why I've never done any: I like poising through hits and launching things with my big boy weapons, and that means I need Vigor, Endurance, and at least a little bit of Strength. Seemingly contrary to most in these games, I like taking hits and dealing low damage; I like good, long fights, not just victories. Granted, at this point in time, I've played too much of these games to not know every enemy's move set better than the palm of my hand, but I still like my brawls using fist or colossal weapons, and being at Level 1 would hamper that playstyle.
@@GredGlintstone Fist weapons especially, in Elden Ring. My problem is regarding playstyle, not weapon viability. I can't have a medium-to-heavy [stylish] armor setup with high mobility without asinine levels of Endurance, and I can't face-tank the world without good amounts of Vigor. I have the most fun with long fights where I do little damage and can take a lot of hits, and level 1 runs inherently inhibit that playstyle.
@@chaoticstarfish3401 Yeah, you definitely won't be facetanking at RL1. That being said people do all-hit runs so who knows! But it's not everybody's kind of challenge for sure. Play however you like :)
I've recently done my first level 1 run.... while also adding the restriction of only using equipment that increases attributes.... and restricting myself to playing the game in order (Limgrave/Weeping Peninsula > Liurnia > Caelid > then anywhere else). This meant I could only use the Grafted Blade Greatsword for the entire run, which meant I couldn't properly use it until after Godrick, since you can't gain enough strength with just Limgrave/Weeping Peninsula until you also get Godrick's Great Rune. This also meant I could only use the Commoner's Garb as a chest piece, no leg or arm pieces, and only Imp Head (Fanged) as a head piece for most of the game. This also meant I had a 3 minute time limit on each boss, since the Flask is needed to increase Strength by 10. It was very fun. Margit was one of the hardest to beat because I never used a greatsword since Dark Souls 1, but also one of the best bosses to fight, since it forced me to really understand both his and the greatsword's movesets. PC Radahn was... definitely the hardest boss to beat, especially since I only ever beat him once before (pre-nerf).
Lol I started a RL1 run as my first challenge run ever and I love it. It's honestly more fun than what I thought it would be. I've been using the claymore with the cold infusion my favorite weapon
Also I need to stress this, looking up guides on bosses DOES NOT remove the challenge cuz you still need to do the execution. Seeing someone dodge a boss move does not mean you know how to dodge, it just means gives u the idea of how to dodge it
Holy shit I gave this a good college try and I got godrick at level 1 on my first try. But I did swap the club out for a sword I found on a soldier, I wanted to only use random drops, and not the club you get for free, and square off kinda carries
How much of learning the various systems and putting together builds comes from reading item descriptions and experimenting vs. asking the internet for e.g. a ready-made parry build that fits into your stats? Watching your footage makes me feel like we're playing two different games sometimes, I haven't seen half the things you use after 3 casual playthroughs. 🙂
I’d say about half/half? There are a bunch of tools that are commonly known in the community but I’m a big nerd and I like spending time in the wiki looking at items and theory crafting what set-ups would work for certain bosses. The “meta” pick for RL1 is the star fists which I don’t love using so I try to offer other alternatives. In part 2, I offer a bunch of recommendations. Some are commonly known but many are (I feel) very underrated. Once you learn the systems it becomes a lot easier to strategize but it’s definitely a big learning curve.
I would do the same thing in ghost of tsushima. Normally in the game once u max out health and regeneration ability, u steamroll through ur enemies and it didn’t matter if u used ur abilities or not. But instead u could play without raising ur stats, it makes u play the game with every item and ability in mind u would have to prioritize armor over damage or u could just get one tapped.
My story is a bit similar, though i did my first run without mimic or op builds (i did break down and use Minic on Malenia). My first run was 275 brutal hours and I think I was level 175 at the end It felt so good to beat the game i decided to up the stakes and completed Rl1 run Deathless run Speed run under 2 hrs, which is far off the leaderboard but as a console player I lack the tools to retry sections over and over and over quickly Id highly recommend all three!
In Dark Souls 1 you can use a shield to block in SL1. In Dark Souls 3 you can survive most, if not all attacks In SL1. In Elden Ring RL1 is a no hit run. So, it is not the same compared to old From Software games. It is more similar to Sekiro without prayer breads to up your posture and health, but at least in Sekiro you can revive.
I actually just got ER last week and ended up bouncing off of it really hard. I'm apparently like Sanderson where I go in with a build idea and do my best to stick to it, and I used the build I've used for my first playthrough of every souls game - big man with big shield and big weapon and bad knees, rolling is too hard on the knees (fatroll builds basically.) But it didn't really work in ER... even after learning about cheesing the dragon for an extra 100k souls and radagon's soreseal for a ton of extra stats, I'd run into bosses (usually just "enemy felled" types, not even "real" bosses!) that I'd basically be forced to shed some weight and use dodge rolls against because it was simply not possible to block and guard counter them. It was an issue in DS3 as well, with their bosses being so spam-happy compared to DS1 and DS2, but it's reached a new level in ER. I'm told that it gets better for blocking builds later, but with Manor Greatshield, being level 50 and with the soreseal and it's still not enough for some seemingly level-appropriate bosses (like the bell bearing hunter in Church of Vows), it makes me wonder if it's even worth it - if I can't play an open world, "do whatever you like" game the way I want to, what's the point? SL1 would, at least, force me to play somewhat like everyone else does... abusing the overpowered dodge rolls introduced to the series DNA with DS3. So that might be how I take a crack at my first full run of ER, sometime in the future. But your video has me thinking that maybe I ought to go back and actually do the full DS2 SL1 run I had started on but got distracted from, even if it's about Elden Ring :P
Sorry you had such a rough time with it! It's definitely not for everyone and the direction has moved from the original games since Bloodborne but greatshields are definitely still a thing in Elden Ring. It's actually one of the strongest builds in the game! You definitely don't want soreseal. That makes you take more damage which you don't want to do if you're planning on tanking. The Starscourge Heirloom will give you the same amount of strength with no downsides and you can grab that without killing anything. With greatshields in Elden Ring what you want to be doing is guard counters. The curved sword talisman in Stormveil will help you with that. I can't really give you any more tips than that because I don't know your build but I hope that helps!
@@GredGlintstone i'm on Morgott now! Been working a lot this week and doing holiday stuff but I'm having a lot of fun with my RL1 naked club only run when I have free time.
4:26 even with a unupgraded weapon, fights don’t usually go past 10 minutes. th-cam.com/video/z2s17TOPSs4/w-d-xo.html 👆 that’s my messmer kill with a +0 zwei. It’s 8 minutes. It might still sound scary & like a waste of time, but at +0 you enter a flow state where you just “become one” with the boss. You just learn the boss at +0. Also, thank you for explaining how important weapon upgrades are! edit: I didn’t realise that 10 seconds later you talked about +0 runs. Radabeast is an exception where fights go for a long time.
elden ring was so tough at level 1. it was incredibly rewarding but im not sure if id say its better at rl1 lol. my ds3 sl1 run only took 9 hours but my elden ring one took 61. bayle killed me the most of any boss, even though i dont think he is as hard as malenia or consort under normal circumstances. its just that with ritual shield talisman, i could make mistakes and survive against every boss so it wasnt too bad but bayle one shot me with almost every move regardless of how high i got my damage resistance so i had to basically hitless the fight. i did the run before consort got nerfed and radahn was super hard but i could tank the triple slash so i just would eat it and heal bc the triple slash punish window is always long enough to heal. so yea it was super great and im considering doing another run but its very difficult
I wonder if I should play bl1 in bloodborne... Although I never actually finished the game, for some reason I just like starting over near the end to try out new stuff (I didn't realise that NG+ is for normal people and is where you try out lategame weapons) Still played 300+ hours since 2015 though
How OP you can get in ER even on level 1 makes me feel like not leveling is the casual mode, the no upgrade no statuses etc are the real hard mode, and the normal leveling is for grandmas who just don't have the reaction time or mind capacity call it however you want.
The draw of Elden Ring is definitely not "overcoming tremendous odds" for me.Theres a million action and arcade games that do that better and really have nothing else going on. I play soulslikes for exploration, character builds, finding secrets, experimenting, the vibes and artwork, and the action packed gameplay. But are they really that great as action games? Maybe Sekiro Nioh and Wo Long, but most of these games are slow and limited in terms of action game mechanics. Hot take, I know :) I do play pistol start, no saving runs in the old Doom games, but those are all about the action for me. An Elden Ring run I would consider would be a hacked save with a max upgraded two handed sword, max stamina, max strength and both the player and enemies receiving a 25-50% speed boost :)
Speed through everything you said, its not a hot take what you said about games like Sekiro or arcade games. Arcade like games have more going on under the hood as it takes tremendous skill to 1 cc a brutal shump, as far as something like Sekiro goes, putting limitations on the player is a win, not a burden.
I bungled.
I confused the Greenspill Crystal Tear with the Greenburst Crystal tear. The Greenspill Crystal tear gives you an increase to max stamina, not stamina recovery speed. To get that tear you'll need to defeat the tree man in Caelid which is probably too tough for right at the start of the game. If you're following my challenge then I'd recommend you get the strength-knot tear instead.
Sorry!
I'm not forgiving you, I want a divorce 💔
Hold on I need to wait until my food gets here before I watch this
I ate without TH-cam the other day and it was incredibly painful
Hold on need to steal this guy's food before it gets there
Reported. You’re not supposed to DOX me like that
The funny thing about that margit video is I made it in a couple hours to prove a comment wrong but I went in not knowing those dodges. I literally just booted up a new character and just spent an hour trying different dodges. A little experimentation goes a long way.
This video convinced me, I am starting a rl1 playthrough today. You popped out nowhere and your content is great and insightful please don't stop making videos
Have fun!
Bruh this channel really came out of nowhere and started gracing my TH-cam feed with peak
Blows my mind that his videos haven't exploded. I know they will at some point in the future, he's just gotta get that lucky break that gets him the initial views, because the content itself is some of the best I've seen in a long damn time.
preach
The “low stakes” thing is really important for keeping your sanity, which is why the ds2 sl1 is so agonizing even if the bosses are much more simple
I have never even considered doing an RL1 run, but this actually kinda made me want to.
I've only done the base game at RL 1 and it was a challenge. Early game can be quite easy as you can get the bloodhound fang upgraded to level 5 before fighting Margit and Godrick. With the various talisman, flask and equipment set up you can use a variety of weapons, so it's not too restricted as the other fromsoft games.
Just beat Margit at Lv1 I never realised how diverse his moveset was and how awesome that boss arena is visually. It took me ages to beat but it was good fun gonna try godrick next, good vid inspired this playthrough
Nice work! Good luck with Godrick!
Im already a One Bro, and I can confirm that its one of the best things I've done with this series! Learning the bosses by actually trying to understand their moveset, trying to optimize the damage when at RL1, etc, its super fun and I felt amazing while doing it. It also lets you understand better why Elden Ring is sometimes so praised when it comes to the bosses and how fair it is compared to other games, tbh.
And, like Loopine said, I literally just entered the bosses and started trying things, you don't need to be a pro to do this bosses RL1 and even RL1 no-hit with no summons, they are much easier and fun when you actually try to understand them!
Never thought I would attempt a rune level 1 play through, but all of your videos have really convinced me to give it a go. Tah mate, looking forward to the next video.
Good luck!
Thanks Gred just beat Margit RL1, parry only. Took several hours, but the learning process was incredibly satisfying.
Hi Gred. I'm watching this on Christmas Morning while running around Belurat to bully the Horned Warriors, and I want you to know that your videos are so cozy and lovely. Thank you for making them, and thank you for keeping me company while my family is busy or out of town. It makes such a huge difference to feel like somebody is with me, even if it's just prerecorded. You're such a wholesome person. ^w^
Love your channel, and I can't wait to see what you make next.
Thanks so much! Hope you had a great Christmas.
@GredGlintstone Thank. >w
I was on an Elden Ring kick from March to August, I beat the game about 30 times (did a lot of speed running) and I decided I would do a level 1 run. Beat the game and couldn’t pick the game up again because I simply never could feel that level of pride again, maybe it’s time I go back for another run. Great video! :)
Unironically, this is why I usually only use fist weapons just raw, sometimes unupgraded, because I just love the way the fights progress and turns it into a more personal and prolonged fight.
Fighting Slave Knight Gael with unupgraded caestus and Nameless king is just absolute cinema!
I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for the next part man, you rule!
It's coming!
Lovely video, may have convinced me. Will be a while till I give it a go, too many games in my backlog, but could be nice to revisit the game in a while like this
My first playthrough of Elden Ring, I didn't level up my Vigor. I had a lot of friends question this decision. Bosses they had no trouble with took me, no joke, HUNDREDS of attempts, and the entire playthrough took me well over 400 hours. By the endgame, I was having to no-hit-run some of the hardest bosses in the game (Maliketh alone took me 600 attempts to master), and I would have to cap myself at a certain number of boss fights per day to keep myself from burning out.
Hilariously, though, I loved it. It was probably my favorite first playthrough of any Soulsborne game, and I had played pretty much the entire series up until that point. Going back now, I can typically first-try Maliketh and Radahn, even after not having picked up the game in months, because the dances the bosses demanded of me are etched into my bones. I haven't done a Level 1 Run of any Souls game yet, but I imagine it's a similar feeling - fighting within that extraordinarily tight margin of error, knowing fully well that any slight slip-up is an instant reset. I'm working myself up to doing an SL1 playthrough of the series right now, and the fact that you've echoed my experience here really excites me for that.
Same. I think i like the challenge of having to no hit bosses even more than Rl1 since you have more stuff to use with a similar level of challenge
Thats a beautiful experience. I also played it low vigor my blind playthrough. One of my favourite gaming experiences in a long time
Glad that you pointed this out. I was about to mention it. Takes some of the idea of stress from the RL1 idea. One of my characters is a everything but vigor character, swords only playthrough and boy that playthrough is so so so different!!
Used so many weapons I've never touched before, employed interesting hybrids for off handing and it's just a blast.
Made it all the way to mountain top of the giants now with base stat vigor. It's a Glass Cannon playthrough and such a thrill. Definitely would give it a shot if RL1 is too scary still 😂
@VoidBringer_98 I started my RL1 playthrough last week, and it's honestly a very similar experience. I'm using an Uchigatana / Wakizashi power stance, Radagon's Soreseal, Turtle Talisman, and Viridian Amber Medallion for extra stamina.
I'm currently on Valiant Gargoyles, and so far, the biggest challenges have been no-summon Starscourge Radahn (no surprise there), Dragonbarrow Godskin Apostle, and the Gargoyles themselves.
I'd honestly say that it's a really good time, similar but slightly more demanding than a Low Vigor Build. The biggest struggle I've found is the low stamina, which has been VERY challenging to deal with 😭
@@SoralaxPlays I imagine it is since the margins of error for both of these playthroughs are very similar in both early and mid game. The Every Stat except vigor challenge differs in when approaching end game. Reaching Mountain top of the Giants, by that point instead of HP I have a mountain of Endurance and a decent amount of MP. Level up weapons and get strong ashes. Haven't really pumped a single point into damage based stats since beating Shade Godfrey. Had enough stamina to block 1 full on attack from Fire Giant. It's a good backup since basically everything 1 shots you.
I just beat the God Skin Duo the other day. I had to use Bernhal to help though. That fight was annoying and I kept dying before ever reaching the boss fog doors because of the Banished knights I gotta jet past before getting there 😂😅
I actually started my RL1 playthrough just a few days ago, after finishing the DLC no scadu (well, and no food/spell/AoW buffs, but that was more something that just happened due to sticking to a build rather than an actual restriction).
As much as I imagine collecting scadu fragments would be annoying on a repeat playthrough due to how long it'd be to collect them and how I thought it was a bad system, I realized that something cool about it is that you can scale your difficulty the way you want while still opening up build options.
Well, there's also some fun to be found with more limited options, but not as many times. I'd feel like doing that no scadu run again, but probably not an RL1 twice.
I've done a SL1 of Dark Souls 3 before. It was very fun.
I'm not fond of one shots, at least, not when I need to run back to the boss or do a boring phase 1 before the dangerous part. Using the lloyd's shield ring or tears of denial (though, that required 2 or 3 rings to be able to cast it) depending on the boss, you can make it so no boss can one shot you (though, on plenty of bosses, I preferred some specific moves one-shotting to having to recast tears of denial mid-fight).
That made it so Soul of Cinder was the hardest boss of the base game by far.
I hope the Elden Ring RL1 will be just as much to my taste and there will be options for me to avoid most one shots. Then again, the respawn is closer.
this came at the absolute perfect time haha, i was finally wanting to dip my toes into a challenge run, RL1 looks SO dope
Another Glintstone classic 💯 I started my RL1 after lurking on r/onebros for a few weeks and I'm at godskin duo. Your 'Mind Over' series is a huge inspiration for me, keep it up
Thanks!
I’m sure you’ve already saw my comment on the mind over maketh video. It doesn’t bear repeating here so instead, I’ll just say this. Before doing a rune level one run I did nothing but you summons and never played the game properly. I didn’t even know how to fight the bosses or recognize their patterns then out of nowhere I just decided to do RL one run. Because why not. I never thought I would beat Margit. I never thought I would beat godrick. I never thought I would make it to Altus. Get past DTS get past Morgott. Fire Giant. God, skin duo. Maliketh, Gideon, hoarah loux. RadaBeast. Yet I never gave up and I persevered. now I feel like I can play the game any way I want. People can say this game is very restrictive at RL1 but I feel the game opens up way more play styles after beating RL1. Ur a whole new kind of beast. Ur no longer a tarnished, ur THE tarnished.
Before RL1 I feared what this game could do to me, now I fear what I can do to it.
Thanks for sharing bro. I started to apply these learning tricks to my everyday life
After a couple of years of putting it of i finally went and beat elden ring, i had a similar experience to your first playthrough. And i think this could work for me.
Thanks for a very inspiring awesome video!
That waterfowl dance made me NERVOUS
Me 2
A lot of people didn't like the Scadutree fragment system around the release of the DLC but I really think it is a better way of scaling late game difficulty than runes because runes are lost on death. The scadutree fragment system is better for tuning difficulty because you don't lose them on death, and so you don't have to spend them. You can hold onto them and use them when you encounter a challenge which seems to warrant their use. I, personally, find the DLC too easy after about blessing level 8-10, and so I typically don't level beyond that point.
I think people underestimate how much you are meant to tune Elden Ring to your own liking. If you don't like something about it, you're almost always given the option to do something about it. A lot of people do this without thinking when they choose not to summon. I, for one, think the game gives you far too many flasks, and so while I've never done a RL1 run, I usually substantially limit how many flasks I can upgrade. I also think that being able to fast-travel anywhere tends to trivialise the importance of graces, and so I like to do runs where I can only travel from graces (although I wish someone would really make a mod for this).
If there were only Scadutree Fragments and no Runes I would've probably never played through all of Fromsofts Souls Games as Elden Ring was my proper introduction. I enjoy the Progression and I hate If I have no agency over how my character becomes stronger hence why I don't like Sekiro.
My only irk with Scadutree fragments is that I typically like to enjoy my first run blind and don't worry too much about missing areas. Guides for stuff I missed are for run #2. I am also not a pro-level player.
With scadutree fragments, suddenly a region missed that has a secret way of accessing it might be my only hope of beating a boss.
@@Mori-ey8wjlike when a game forces limitations on the player, Most From Software games have so many ways to completely destroy the difficulty.
This video was awesome.
Gonna give RL1 a try
Good luck!
My challenge to Gred: don't use The Claw, it's bad for your hands, unless you like arthritic pain. Try an alternative button mapping or use a controller with paddles, your tendrils will thank you and it's way more comfy. I know it sounds impossible but it only takes a couple of days to get rid of the Circle/B to dodge impulse even after years of conditioning.
My suggested changes to the default button mapping: L1/LB light attack, L2/LT heavy attack, R1/RB block, R2/RT dodge/run, Circle/B skill. This way you have both thumbs on the stick for running and dodging; my controller has paddles so I have Triangle/Y mapped to the right paddle so I can pick things up with both thumbs on the stick. The only downside I see is that left-hand/2H/right-hand switching is reversed (because FS button mapping is a cruel joke), which actually trips me up way more than R2/RT to dodge. Alternatively you could just use L2/LT for dodge/run but I like that blocking and running can be done with one hand.
Intro was funky af, definitely going to watch the rest
Don’t have Elden Ring but looking forward to applying this to my next Cruelty Squad playthrough! Thanks Gred!
You've convinced me. I'm going through with a few different builds just now, but I'm definitely going to create a Lvl1 build.
Your desire at 12:46 is very much possible at least in my estimations. Your first playthrough doesnt have to feel like that. For me, 25 vigor with the right defense tends to allow me to survive 1 hit. On my 1st playthrough, For limgrave and Luirna I was 10 vigor while for the rest 25.
It was one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. As a challenge runner like you I basically recommend everyone to try it.
You'll have your "first experience" only once. It is the most special one. None of the repeat playthroughs are that magical. So why waste it I say.
Your script was fantastic. I agreed with basically everything. Keep up the great work
I guess the issue is that to know you need to play like that there needs to be some kind of base knowledge there.
For a lot of people Elden Ring is their first Souls game so they might not be expecting a particular experience.
It’s an interesting problem and I don’t know what the solution is, really.
@@GredGlintstone I guess the problem resides in the freedom of approach that rests at the core of elden ring, an experience that actively tries to expand your options without any guidance regarding what style would suit your tastes better for maximum enjoyment.
A bit like the addition of posture breaking. While in Sekiro, it is how everyone plays like, Elden Ring doesn't particularly care if you posture break the boss. At least other than the intrinsic dopamine hit of seeing the boss on their knees.
It comes with the territory. If Elden Ring is someone's first experience in souls genre without any guidance, there is low likelihood that usual challenge runner values like aggression, posture breaks or variety of punish windows won't be understood let alone implemented in a blind run.
I hope these people replay the game as you've shown and give the experience another go with a different mindset. I'll make a reaction vid to your 'this is a good video' soon. Excited to hear your thoughts when I release it.
just managed to beat margit rl1. i'm hooked! can't wait for part 2
Congrats dude! Huge achievement. Part 2 is on its way but it’s a big one so it’s still in the oven.
I used to love doing sl1 runs on dark souls 3 so when I buy er I’ll probably try it
Challenge accepted. Just finishing up a naked dex playthrough so this seems like an appropriate step up in difficulty 😅
I did it man! I did pick up a couple extra heals and there were a few attacks i couldn't learn to reliably parry so dodged a bit but after 20-30 goes I put him down. Can't wait for next installment. Happy holidays!
Congrats! Really happy to hear it. 20-30 attempts is really good! You're gunna do just fine on this challenge.
Can’t wait to enjoy more of some really goddamn good souls content
Also just started a SL1 run of ds1
Watching this right after completing my first RL1 seems very appropriate
I would like to add, it can be intimidating looking at videos online for RL1 and most are "No Hit / No Damage" fights. You don't have to be flawless there is plenty of margin for error with some boss attacks right through the game and the DLC including Malenia and PCR with the right tools. I almost always succeed and get hit in the process.
Excellent vid, and your journey mirrored my own in many ways. I would strongly recommend RL1. I call it "Elden Ring The Puzzle Game".
Another good video, hope you get more subscribers
I had considered for a little bit. With how many times I’ve beaten the game, may as well give it a try.
You’ve convinced me, gonna try it
uhm i prefer your long form take downs of joebruh anderson, but I guess I'll watch this.
After watching, starting a lvl one playthrough ahhahaha
I keep editing this but great vid dude. between this and the critique vid you clearly have a talent for this. Am excited for more!
The Gred has spoken!
I just started al lv one run! Partly inspired by the subreddit and partly by your videos.
Good timing because I just beat the DLC and I want to play again already, but I will try RL1 before NG+1. You really convinced me on this. I also had a blast learning DLC Radahn and getting my ass kicked over and over, and now I wanna kick HIS ass as a deformed RL1 goblin!
Nice one! Good luck!
I started my first ER playthrough a couple weeks ago, and the first thing I did was make a wretch w/ the stonesword key (bc I remembered it has a use in the opening), used it in the starting area and discovered the ulcerated tree spirit, and fought it for 5 hours until I beat it. Nothing but the club, and one flask for the rare occasion that I survive a hit. The journey of maximizing my damage by discovering every opportunity where I could avoid an attack without having to dodge was more entertaining than even Sekiro in a sense, because ER has a jank and sincerity about it which really demands that you believe in the tools that you're using. At least, it feels that way.
I'm not doing anything like a RL1 run at the moment, but I've still been taking a reserved approach that allows me to have fun leveraging as many defensive options as I can. I'm playing the game like it's Sekiro kinda, and I'm keeping my HP low because I may as well, and it saves levels and flasks for other stuff. I got really attached to the Misericorde early on, and I've been coasting with it because I especially love that I can attack a lot and recover quickly enough to stop two-handing whenever I wanna parry. If something annoys me, my compromise with spirit ashes has been to dump all of my resources into the jellyfish.
I've found that you really have to play Elden Ring *for yourself* to really get it, as opposed to for the sake of beating it. For me, I adore the discovery aspect of mastering something, and that's my actual goal when I play. I'm sort of fascinated by how natural it is to restrain myself for that vision, since being cheap is just incongruous with what I want to get out of the game. Only exception by now has been Carion Retaliation, because having the best parry in the game on a medium shield is hard to resist, but I allow it because a medium shield lets me use guard counters more, too.
TL;DR I'm having a blast finding my own fun already, it's definitely how this game should be played. I'm hella grateful that you started making vids, and inspired me to give ER a fair shake. I'll surely do a RL1 run at some point, after I'm satisfied with my 400 hour first playthrough.
Definitely save it for the second. As much as I love RL1 you do have to sprint past a good deal of the content inbetween the bosses and you should give yourself the freedom to explore.
Enjoy it! There can only be one first playthrough.
There are so many weapons in the DLC that absolutely break the game at RL1, so I would recommend making a beeline for Radahn and then Mohg (i.e. do Varre's questline) so you can enter it ASAP and grab those, plus the Deflecting Hardtear. Trust me on this.
That's exactly what I do ;)
One other thing you can do to warm up for an RL1 is do an RL41 run. After Godrick, level every stat up 5 - this simulates having Godrick’s Great Rune active without having to farm for Rune Arcs. It is definitely easier than a normal RL1 run, but it makes for a good warm-up.
"i am male-
"Me at lvl 1, no hit with only a zweihander i forgot to upgrade beforehand and a dream: "I am idiot, blade of joe. And i have never known mental health."
man. i've been putting off playing at rl1 for a WHILE, but now i just have to do it.
Very well said! I completed my first ever level 1 run about 3 or so years ago on DS3. Once Elden Ring came out i knew this one would be my next target. I am near the end of the base game and after that its time for the DLC!
I have a week off of work, you know i might just give it a go
You got this.
Playing RL1 literally today 🤝
Instead of starting a new play through and stay SL1/BL4/RL1 to learn all of the bosses I like going into NG+ first and using un-upgraded weapons for all bosses that I feel like I didn't really learn. In comparison it makes mistakes less punishing, especially if your machine is slow enough to where load times between deaths become very tedious. This way you also get to keep your stuff from the last play through, so getting one shot during exploration isn't a frustration you have to deal with. It's definitely not as hard as beating the games at level 1, but it still forces you to learn most moves of every boss, since the boss fights last forever and drain you of your healing if you don't learn every attack. On some fights I restrict my healing items too.
Playing the game this way reminds me a bit of Lies of P, because in that game bosses have so much health that you also really won't ever beat one feeling like you've just hit traded your way through it. Alternatively, beating the game in NG+7 definitely has the same effect. That's what I did with DS3 first and it made a summon-less level one run really be a lot easier than I expected, taking only a little under 8 hours
crazy coincidence i started doing my rune level 1 today
Good luck with it, dude!
Funny thing is I started my first level 1 run for Elden Ring a few weeks ago. Currently stuck on Morgott. He's such a pushover in a normal playthrough (despite having such a fast and complicated moveset) that I never took the time to actually learn him until now.
He is indeed a toughie! Using the shackle from Patches can definitely help.
16:40 I would recommend, instead of having an uncomfortable grip, to take a page out of 4th gen Armored Core games and set L2 to your sprint button (and by extension rolls and such). It's a bit of a learning curve for rolling, but makes running while moving the camera, and generally playing unlocked, way easier. I ended up putting item use on L3, crouch on Circle, and Weapon Art/Ash of War on Square, since that way using items was also way more accessible.
I beat Morgott at lvl 1 on my first run.
Not because I was trying to. I assumed you were supposed to beat him normally this way. I missed the site of grace that summoned Melina.
Spectacular video which single handedly convinced me to try this. I’m just a little worried that my damage might plateau once I hit the late game and it’ll take too long to beat
Definitely not. You can be real strong in the late game too with the right setup.
I really love your videos, it sounds like you really love this game 😁
I just got done watching Greds 2 hour video essay.
Wish I knew you existed earlier.
Vit-gouge in BB was interesting, but I never did a level-1 run.
I think It's possible to weild "the great sword" with all the equipment, runes and such without leveling up in elden ring.
Have fun.
It is! There are actually a ton of weapons you can use at RL1. I go through some options in part 2 but with all the stat boosting there’s not too much you can’t wield. Really versatile.
I started a rl1 run because of this video. Thank you gred.
P.s. you sound like indeimaus
I’m down to Melania, Messmer, Bayle, and Consort Radahn on my RL1 all Remembrances run (yes, I know Bayle is not technically a Remembrance boss). 140 hours of gameplay to get there, working on Messmer now. Anyway, I didn’t think I’d get more than a couple of Remembrances (I am *not* a good player, I’m old and slow, LOL) and I highly recommend everyone who enjoys Elden Ring give RL1 a shot. It is remarkably fun and interesting and you will learn so much more about all the bosses than you ever thought you would, heh.
Bro every time I watch one of your videos I feel like we're the same person 😅 At least in terms of our approach to fromsoft games (and our enjoyment of Brando Sando's Elden Ring videos).
I’ve done RL1 twice, one with and one without the DLC.
My second run i rushed to the DLC and got the Milady and ran with it throughout nearly the entire game.
Beat basically all bosses under 100 times per boss until pre patch Consort Radahn which took damn near 600+
Overall a very fun challenge
I think I was going to go for a RL1 run at some point in the near future. This summer I played Dark Souls 3 again but I realized I didn't put any point into carrying capacity unntil the end of the DLC. I was so focused on damage output, having enough FP etc that I was still wearing the Mirrah set from Undead Settlement. That kinda unlocked my mind to the fact that I can play with suboptimal loadout and increase the challenge as long as I like it thematically. Then I beat the Elden Ring DLC but didn't upgrade my scadu blessing beyond 13 because of how I was using the tools at my disposal. So I think I was progressively going to reduce the margin of error over time, but now I'm definitely going to just dive deep right away!
level 1 runs are a good way to recapture some of that first playthrough magic. at least a little bit. it's also a good way to learn more about the game and how much (or how little) levels and stats actually matter
Ok I have picked up my abandoned RL1 character that was stuck on Rennala, wish me luck
Good luck! If you use a good poke weapon like a spear or a halberd you can poke her when she’s casting spells to interrupt them. She’s got terrible poise.
@ Banished Knight Halberd/flaming strike always has my back
Started my RL1 yesterday and it's been surprisingly easier than I thought, I'm at Maliketh after 8 hours (doing mostly remembrances with a few side bosses and no summons). I did a no upgrade run (and no buffs) before this which I think was really helpful as it forced me to learn the bosses a lot because of how long the fights were but they weren't too frustrating cos I could take some hits without having to start over. Personally I think this is a very optimal way to prepare for a rl1 run for people who aren't that great at these games, like me, I'm good but nothing special.
So far though, I have enjoyed the no upgrade run much more. I think it's because of the fact that you have to learn the bosses a lot but it was also more forgiving. I got my favourite part of these games, learning the bosses, but without the frustration I feel getting one shot all the time. I know it's not the same level of near perfection that a rl1 run demands but it's the perfect middle ground for me and I think maybe others who might want the feeling of really learning and overcoming a boss without as much frustration. Just my thoughts after going through an rl1 for the first time as an average player inspired by Gred
I don't like lvl1 runs in any Souls, but I've done low level runs and they truly test your skills as if you're unlocking a harder mode in a roguelike.
Funnily enough, I had a lot of fun with those limitations, and outside learning the bosses from top to bottom, I learned to use many many tools during exploration in order to survive; that became the most flexible experience I had in aany Fromsoft game, it's not even close.
Funny thing about self-management in Elden Ring. During my first playthrough, I ended up doing that... by accident (partly). How? Simple. The game gave me so much cool shit that I ended up having to share my available resources between all of them, and that prevented me from overleveling myself and my gear.
Wanted to use multiple weapons, but only had so many smithing stones; sharing is caring, as they say. I also wanted to use several weapons because there were so many cool ashes of war, but only so many available slots. Also, using multiple weapons and AoWs at the same time meant allocating levels to things besides Vigor, including Endurance, Mind, Strength, and Dexterity in order to make it all viable.
It is absolutely possible to self-manage without sacrificing a sense of progression, and honestly, it's by using a playstyle that I think the developers were MOST catering to when they designed Elden Ring. A playstyle defined by exploration, curiosity, and experimentation.
Also, I didn't really use Spirit Summons on my first run because I find it pretty easy to remind myself that, first and foremost, I'm playing to have fun. Unless they themselves are fun, I have little issue ignoring overpowered mechanics, so I can't really relate on that front to those who do.
fuck it, im inspired
This is gonna be quite helpful as a person who doesn´t know how to use more from buffs than talismans , the flask and Golden Wow xD.
Hope you dig it!
Now I'm imagining Golden Vow playing the Owen Wilson "Wow" sounds every time it's used
Love to hear someone explain in detail the appeal of RL1. It was such a good time!
I never did do the DLC RL1 though, what are your thoughts on that? (if you're willing to spoil your next episodes)
Now it's Time for LvL 1 PvP 😏
I named my RL1 Wretch “Gloom & Doom” and made him look as ugly as unmasked Noob Saibot from MK1
Would you consider making a video on What Remains of Edith Finch? Or the Stanley Parable even thought it’s been done to death. I think these despite being incredibly simple mechanically have really interesting themes and ideas.
I very briefly talk about What Remains of Edith Finch in my Silent Hill video in reference to the unreliable narrator. No plans to talk about Stanley Parable but you never know!
Definitely plans to speak about some games that aren't Elden Ring, trust me. Just need to finish this guide and then I'll be a bit more free for other projects.
I accept.
Here's my main problem with Lvl1 runs and why I've never done any: I like poising through hits and launching things with my big boy weapons, and that means I need Vigor, Endurance, and at least a little bit of Strength. Seemingly contrary to most in these games, I like taking hits and dealing low damage; I like good, long fights, not just victories. Granted, at this point in time, I've played too much of these games to not know every enemy's move set better than the palm of my hand, but I still like my brawls using fist or colossal weapons, and being at Level 1 would hamper that playstyle.
Both fists and colossal weapons are amazing at RL1!
@@GredGlintstone Fist weapons especially, in Elden Ring. My problem is regarding playstyle, not weapon viability. I can't have a medium-to-heavy [stylish] armor setup with high mobility without asinine levels of Endurance, and I can't face-tank the world without good amounts of Vigor.
I have the most fun with long fights where I do little damage and can take a lot of hits, and level 1 runs inherently inhibit that playstyle.
@@chaoticstarfish3401 Yeah, you definitely won't be facetanking at RL1. That being said people do all-hit runs so who knows!
But it's not everybody's kind of challenge for sure. Play however you like :)
I've actually started my own level 1 tun recently.
I've recently done my first level 1 run.... while also adding the restriction of only using equipment that increases attributes.... and restricting myself to playing the game in order (Limgrave/Weeping Peninsula > Liurnia > Caelid > then anywhere else).
This meant I could only use the Grafted Blade Greatsword for the entire run, which meant I couldn't properly use it until after Godrick, since you can't gain enough strength with just Limgrave/Weeping Peninsula until you also get Godrick's Great Rune. This also meant I could only use the Commoner's Garb as a chest piece, no leg or arm pieces, and only Imp Head (Fanged) as a head piece for most of the game. This also meant I had a 3 minute time limit on each boss, since the Flask is needed to increase Strength by 10.
It was very fun.
Margit was one of the hardest to beat because I never used a greatsword since Dark Souls 1, but also one of the best bosses to fight, since it forced me to really understand both his and the greatsword's movesets. PC Radahn was... definitely the hardest boss to beat, especially since I only ever beat him once before (pre-nerf).
Challenge accepted sir o7
Just killed Godrick this morning and it felt incredible
Congrats, matey. Glad to hear it.
Lol I started a RL1 run as my first challenge run ever and I love it. It's honestly more fun than what I thought it would be. I've been using the claymore with the cold infusion my favorite weapon
I'm on godskin duo and I think that I'm gonna summon Bernal cuz its honestly the first boss that is making me mad
cheese with sleep pots and a bleed weapon. works like a charm
Didn't know how to get the sleep pots so I summoned the npc and got them first try. Now I'm on maliketh and I love fighting him @@glisteninggames2981
Also I need to stress this, looking up guides on bosses DOES NOT remove the challenge cuz you still need to do the execution. Seeing someone dodge a boss move does not mean you know how to dodge, it just means gives u the idea of how to dodge it
i enjoyed my rl1 run, eventually gave up on it after the dlc came out but maybe i need to finally take that save into the shadowlands…
Holy shit I gave this a good college try and I got godrick at level 1 on my first try. But I did swap the club out for a sword I found on a soldier, I wanted to only use random drops, and not the club you get for free, and square off kinda carries
Congrats! Square off is indeed amazing. Broadsword is a great early pick. You can grab in from one of the Limgrave merchants.
How much of learning the various systems and putting together builds comes from reading item descriptions and experimenting vs. asking the internet for e.g. a ready-made parry build that fits into your stats? Watching your footage makes me feel like we're playing two different games sometimes, I haven't seen half the things you use after 3 casual playthroughs. 🙂
I’d say about half/half? There are a bunch of tools that are commonly known in the community but I’m a big nerd and I like spending time in the wiki looking at items and theory crafting what set-ups would work for certain bosses.
The “meta” pick for RL1 is the star fists which I don’t love using so I try to offer other alternatives.
In part 2, I offer a bunch of recommendations. Some are commonly known but many are (I feel) very underrated.
Once you learn the systems it becomes a lot easier to strategize but it’s definitely a big learning curve.
I would do the same thing in ghost of tsushima.
Normally in the game once u max out health and regeneration ability, u steamroll through ur enemies and it didn’t matter if u used ur abilities or not.
But instead u could play without raising ur stats, it makes u play the game with every item and ability in mind u would have to prioritize armor over damage or u could just get one tapped.
My story is a bit similar, though i did my first run without mimic or op builds (i did break down and use Minic on Malenia). My first run was 275 brutal hours and I think I was level 175 at the end
It felt so good to beat the game i decided to up the stakes and completed
Rl1 run
Deathless run
Speed run under 2 hrs, which is far off the leaderboard but as a console player I lack the tools to retry sections over and over and over quickly
Id highly recommend all three!
In Dark Souls 1 you can use a shield to block in SL1. In Dark Souls 3 you can survive most, if not all attacks In SL1. In Elden Ring RL1 is a no hit run. So, it is not the same compared to old From Software games. It is more similar to Sekiro without prayer breads to up your posture and health, but at least in Sekiro you can revive.
Havent done rl1 elden ring but i HAVE done sl1 ds1 and ds3 and im excited to give it a go but definifely expect it to be much harder.
I actually just got ER last week and ended up bouncing off of it really hard. I'm apparently like Sanderson where I go in with a build idea and do my best to stick to it, and I used the build I've used for my first playthrough of every souls game - big man with big shield and big weapon and bad knees, rolling is too hard on the knees (fatroll builds basically.) But it didn't really work in ER... even after learning about cheesing the dragon for an extra 100k souls and radagon's soreseal for a ton of extra stats, I'd run into bosses (usually just "enemy felled" types, not even "real" bosses!) that I'd basically be forced to shed some weight and use dodge rolls against because it was simply not possible to block and guard counter them. It was an issue in DS3 as well, with their bosses being so spam-happy compared to DS1 and DS2, but it's reached a new level in ER. I'm told that it gets better for blocking builds later, but with Manor Greatshield, being level 50 and with the soreseal and it's still not enough for some seemingly level-appropriate bosses (like the bell bearing hunter in Church of Vows), it makes me wonder if it's even worth it - if I can't play an open world, "do whatever you like" game the way I want to, what's the point?
SL1 would, at least, force me to play somewhat like everyone else does... abusing the overpowered dodge rolls introduced to the series DNA with DS3. So that might be how I take a crack at my first full run of ER, sometime in the future. But your video has me thinking that maybe I ought to go back and actually do the full DS2 SL1 run I had started on but got distracted from, even if it's about Elden Ring :P
Sorry you had such a rough time with it! It's definitely not for everyone and the direction has moved from the original games since Bloodborne but greatshields are definitely still a thing in Elden Ring. It's actually one of the strongest builds in the game!
You definitely don't want soreseal. That makes you take more damage which you don't want to do if you're planning on tanking. The Starscourge Heirloom will give you the same amount of strength with no downsides and you can grab that without killing anything.
With greatshields in Elden Ring what you want to be doing is guard counters. The curved sword talisman in Stormveil will help you with that. I can't really give you any more tips than that because I don't know your build but I hope that helps!
Just curious what's your favorite bosses?
Godfrey, Mogh, Rykard and Morgott are my favs. Not sure about the DLC. Need to play it again.
@@GredGlintstone mine is mohg radagon messmer Godfrey and bayle
Love your videos Gred Glintstone! Challenge accepted!
Good luck!
@@GredGlintstone i'm on Morgott now! Been working a lot this week and doing holiday stuff but I'm having a lot of fun with my RL1 naked club only run when I have free time.
I would rather literally do anything else with my limited time
the intro....
4:26 even with a unupgraded weapon, fights don’t usually go past 10 minutes.
th-cam.com/video/z2s17TOPSs4/w-d-xo.html
👆 that’s my messmer kill with a +0 zwei. It’s 8 minutes. It might still sound scary & like a waste of time, but at +0 you enter a flow state where you just “become one” with the boss. You just learn the boss at +0. Also, thank you for explaining how important weapon upgrades are!
edit: I didn’t realise that 10 seconds later you talked about +0 runs. Radabeast is an exception where fights go for a long time.
elden ring was so tough at level 1. it was incredibly rewarding but im not sure if id say its better at rl1 lol. my ds3 sl1 run only took 9 hours but my elden ring one took 61. bayle killed me the most of any boss, even though i dont think he is as hard as malenia or consort under normal circumstances. its just that with ritual shield talisman, i could make mistakes and survive against every boss so it wasnt too bad but bayle one shot me with almost every move regardless of how high i got my damage resistance so i had to basically hitless the fight. i did the run before consort got nerfed and radahn was super hard but i could tank the triple slash so i just would eat it and heal bc the triple slash punish window is always long enough to heal. so yea it was super great and im considering doing another run but its very difficult
I wonder if I should play bl1 in bloodborne... Although I never actually finished the game, for some reason I just like starting over near the end to try out new stuff (I didn't realise that NG+ is for normal people and is where you try out lategame weapons)
Still played 300+ hours since 2015 though
How OP you can get in ER even on level 1 makes me feel like not leveling is the casual mode, the no upgrade no statuses etc are the real hard mode, and the normal leveling is for grandmas who just don't have the reaction time or mind capacity call it however you want.
The draw of Elden Ring is definitely not "overcoming tremendous odds" for me.Theres a million action and arcade games that do that better and really have nothing else going on. I play soulslikes for exploration, character builds, finding secrets, experimenting, the vibes and artwork, and the action packed gameplay. But are they really that great as action games? Maybe Sekiro Nioh and Wo Long, but most of these games are slow and limited in terms of action game mechanics. Hot take, I know :)
I do play pistol start, no saving runs in the old Doom games, but those are all about the action for me.
An Elden Ring run I would consider would be a hacked save with a max upgraded two handed sword, max stamina, max strength and both the player and enemies receiving a 25-50% speed boost :)
Speed through everything you said, its not a hot take what you said about games like Sekiro or arcade games. Arcade like games have more going on under the hood as it takes tremendous skill to 1 cc a brutal shump, as far as something like Sekiro goes, putting limitations on the player is a win, not a burden.