Gamer Peak

Captain Hook– Greatest Disney BBEG?

Is Peter Pan one of the only Disney movies where the villain is actually less powerful than the protagonist? Peter may have the body of a child but the ability to fly immediately makes him a serious threat. If he ever picked up a bow, the pirates would be done for. In D&D, flying+range = a really dangerous low-level enounter.

But I digress, this is not a blogpost about how unfair the antagonist has it in Peter Pan. No, this is a much more important and academic question on whether Captain Hook would make a great Big Bad Evil Guy for your table top game. Though his threat level is a part of that discussion, so we’ll see.

Shadows of Yharnam: An Unskilled Guide

I was into my guides on the Chalice Dungeons, heading toward the DLC bosses, when I checked my notes and realised… I have missed some bosses in the middle! It happened when I took a break from writing; I came back and was writing drafts but not publishing, so it looks like I’ve somehow jumped from Vicar Amelia to Amygdala. So let’s fill in the gap.

I remember the DLC fight in Dark Souls that made me roll my eyes because it was “just three random dudes”. Yet when Bloodborne introduced me to a trio of evil NPCs I was on board. Perhaps it’s because their walk through the fog was a more impressive entrance, or because they were more in-keeping with the theme of the game area. It’s probably because this fight was less annoying.

Bill Sykes – Greatest Disney BBEG?

Sometimes, it’s clear from the outset that we’re not going to see a new 1st place Big Bad Evil Guy. What we have here, might be a contender for the Top 10. Bill Sykes is not here to take on Jafar, but he could handle a Hopper.

Hintertomb Bosses: An Unskilled Guide

I left Central Pthumeru quite optimistic. The third boss of both Chalice Dungeons have proved dicey but doable. My skill-less, chaotic, hack-and-hope play style had delivered me through the hard times.

But I’m a realist. I tempered my expectations for Hintertomb. Which meant I was pleasantly surprised when I not only made it passed another three bosses, but I did so on my first try for each of them.

I didn’t do it well, or with any amount of finesse, but I made it through…

Oh and if you’re doing this purely for the platinum trophy, skip! I didn’t realise this at the time, so this one was just for funsies.

Shan Yu – Greatest Disney BBEG?

This, I must remind myself once again, is not a popularity contest. I am searching for the best Disney Big Bad Evil Guy. The meanie that would be the most suited for your Table Top Role Playing Game.

So, as I approach Shan Yu, I must remember to be impartial. I’m fairly certain he will score well, but I shall put my very fond feelings for this bad guy aside.

Central Pthumerian Bosses: An Unskilled Guide

So you made it through the top layer of Pthumeru. Nice one. You’re doing good. This dungeon is on par with what you just went through. It’s tough, but doable. I can’t say the same for the next one. But we’ll get there.

Monsters, Inc. – Greatest Disney BBEG?

Following on from Meet the Robinsons, my book tells me that the next entry is ‘Mickey and Friends’. That’s multiple movies and technically there’s some villains in there, but they are just goofy versions (pun intended, hyuk) of villains in other works.

Next is Moana. There’s no Big Bad Evil Guy there. Monsters galore, and a great adventure, but no one’s stepping up to be the main bad guy in this adventure.

Which means I get to talk about Monsters Inc. This is an interesting one, because there’s definitely a bad guy in this, but they’re not fully filling the role of ‘villain of the story’. This is not an adventure tale or heroes’ journey. The villain(s) in this case aren’t nice people… monsters… but they only really fill the villain role because of actions taking by the protagonists.

It also strains the ‘Henchmen’ aspect of our little discussion here. The main protagonist is only loosely henching for the BBEG/mastermind, and has their own objectives and motives.

Spoilers ahead.

Pthumerian Labyrinth Bosses: An Unskilled Guide

You’re either here because, like me, you’ve beaten the game once and now want to go back around and try the optional challenges. Or you’ve discovered the Chalice Dungeons a few hours in and want to know if it’s worth it. You might be here because you like seeing how badly these games go for people with no skill. You meanie.

As with the rest of this guide, I’m here to explain how I, an unskilled gamer, made it through the Chalice Dungeons. Specifically, I completed all the Dungeons that lead to that PlayStation Trophy. That means that the ‘git gudders’ will say that there’s so many other hard bosses I didn’t beat, but I did what is required to claim glory.

Below is how I tumbled and panicked through the three bosses of the first Dungeon. If I can do it, so can you.

Meet the Robinsons– Greatest Disney BBEG?

This is the first time that discussing Disney’s Big Bad Evil Guys has required me to do actual research. By that I mean I had to actually sit down, watch the movie and see its villain for the first time. I had a notepad nearby, so it counts as research.

I had zero memory of this movie. I do not remember its release, I did not recognize any of the characters. I only noted its existence because it’s next on the list in my copy of Disney Who’s Who, and no proverbial bells were rung.

Before viewing, I googled “Does Meet the Robinsons have a villain?” just to make sure it was worth my time. Google’s A.I. confidently interjected to state that yes, there is a villain. However, as if often the case, the A.I. got the details wrong. It insisted that ‘Bowler Hat Guy’ was the main antagonist, which (itty bitty spoilers going forward) is very very wrong.

Moon Presence: An Unskilled Guide

If you’re here, you have come a looong way. You’ve also decided that ‘just finishing’ the game was not enough. You haven’t just chosen to take on Gehrman rather than accept his deal. Now you want a little extra.

Compared to the guide to Gehrman I wrote two weeks prior, this is going to be a short one. I would never be so bold as to do what so many do around FromSoft bosses and declare Moon Presence to be ‘easy’. However, compared to Gehrman, compared to so many other bosses that came before him, you are likely more than prepared for Moon Presence.

If you are having trouble, there’s likely a simple strategy change you can make.