Guide – Gamer Peak

Lower Hintertomb Bosses: An Unskilled Guide

Both visits to Hintertomb are largely optional if you’re heading to the Trophy, but there’s useful stuff here, and compare to what’s to come things are a little easier. It’s good practice.

Lower Pthumerian Bosses: An Unskilled Guide

So you’ve manage Upper and Central Pthumeru and maybe dipped into Hintertomb. You might be feeling confident, like these dungeons might be manageable. This is going well so far!

I’m sorry. You’re about to be beaten up. A lot. It’s about to go from unfair to unashamedly mean really fast. I’ll help as best I can but if you make it to the other side… you are going to be a different person.

Dr. Facilier – Greatest Disney BBEG?

We have another magic villain. It’s very common in D&D for the villain to be of the arcane persuasion. Archmages and liches make good baddies because they can throw out spells your party haven’t seen before. Magic makes a villain larger than life, sometimes literally. Human villains that simply wield weapons can be extraordinary Big Bad Evil Guys, but fixing them up with magical attacks is a sure-fire way to ensure they are impressive enough.

Unfortunately for Dr. Facilier, his magicks make him more of a tickster than a destroyer, which is fun, but might not improve the final showdown.

The One Reborn: An Unskilled Guide

I’m usually so far behind the wave of excitement about a game. I still haven’t got around to Elden Ring, and shan’t be going near it until I’ve finished my backlog and the game is on offer. But with Demon’s Souls, I ended up jumping on that when it first emerged. I can’t remember why, but for once I was the “I was doing X before it was cool” guy.

It’s well known that playing any FromSoftware game gives you a confidence/ability boost for the next game. But for the One Reborn, I was more prepared thanks to a specific boss from Demon’s Souls.

Rom, the Vacuous Spider: An Unskilled Guide

Who named you, Rom?

“Vacuous” checks out – sightless eyes, listless movements, living in an empty void.

“Spider” on the other hand, does not – having many legs does not make your a spider. Did you pick spider? Because it sounds cool?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.