Summary
The release of theShadow of the ErdtreeDLC forElden Ringhas flooded the Lands Between, or more specifically the Land of Shadow, with a whole host of new bosses. These include completely original designs, as well as an evolution on previous archetypes, such as Demi-Human Swordsman Onze, who greatly elevates an enemy type that had previously peaked atbosses like Demi-Human Queen Gilika.
In the case of Onze, this takes the form of an aggressive boss that caps off one of the first dungeons that players will likely run into on their way through the newElden RingDLC. What makes this boss so memorable not only comes from the swordsmanship on display from the aptly named Onze, but also from the addition of magically empowered attacks that can close any gap between the player and the boss.
Demi-Human Swordsman Onze is a Credit to The Enemy Type
Onze’s Aggression is Elevated Right Out of the Gate
One of the first things that players will notice when stepping into the fight against Onze is the fact that the boss is aggressively ready to break any distance as quickly as possible. This usually starts with a jumping attack with his Star-Lined Sword, one ofElden Ring’s incredible looking new weaponsthat players can pick up from a later boss fight. What makes Onze special, however, is that while players can draw magical effects from his weapon, the boss-wielded version is much faster and can travel much farther with a single swing.
On a first encounter, Onze’s opening attack can even come off as almost a little cheap, as the boss can sometimes prime the strike as the player is walking throughElden Ring’s glimmering, golden fog gateto challenge him. That being said, as long as players can recognize the tell right away, it isn’t too difficult to dodge the first attack and then start an offensive of their own. Of course, once the pace of the fight has been set, Onze isn’t exactly willing to let up at any point, as he is quickly ready to follow up that first strike with a number of combos that all whip out at lightning speeds and keep the players on their toes from frame one.
Onze’s Speed is a Showcase for Dexterity Builds
At first glance, Onze’s damage might not immediately appear to measure up to some of the other bosses found throughout the Land of Shadow, at least not when measuring each individual hit. Instead, this boss succeeds best by stringing together long combos with enough individual hits stacked together to quickly drain even an endgame character down in seconds. This even comes complete with Onze’s own version of Malenia’s legendary Waterfowl Dance. Many players might quickly recognize this as the key to mostdexterity builds inElden Ringthat offer quick, powerful combos, rather than single, strong attacks at a time.
Considering how many high-speed weapons have been added with the launch ofShadow of the Erdtree, like the Beast Claw, it is clear that FromSoftware is working hard to showcase these faster builds. In that case, there are no better places to showcase the power of quicker weapons than by introducing a new boss that pushes this combat style with hyper-aggression. If a boss like Onze can absolutely destroy a player in seconds with a quick string of attacks, then it bodes well for players looking to gain that power for themselves. To that degree, Onze can be a strong showcase for the powerful builds made available inElden Ring’s DLC, especially when combined with the Demi-Human Swordsman ashes that come as a reward for finally winning the fast-paced fight.
Elden Ring
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ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
