Elden Ring - Stonedigger Troll - Review

Stonedigger Troll is one of the best fights I've done so far and I thought this recording would be shorter but that just tells me how much I loved the fight. This is exactly the type of boss encounters I enjoy. A design that doesn't force certain playstyles and instead is open for any build to have fun in. The arena this time is outstanding and works very well with the move set, the aesthetics are also very claustrophobic which is what I love when designed properly. Unfortunately the music is a repeat I believe so it doesn't out again this time. There's a lot of manipulation in this fight especially when I need to go underneath the troll for a light hit and then wrap around for a heavy strike. There are subtle reads so adjusting accordingly is crucial when it comes to avoiding damage. My biggest challenge was finding the right windows from the shockwaves to avoid jumping which has been a personal challenge so far in the game. I want to see how far I can go without jumping however dodging seems to do the trick just fine and I'm also testing to see how little I can use that aspect as well. There's one move that comes in about half way through the fight and it's a huge slam combo and this was my biggest road block along with finding the right window with the troll's legs maneuvering. I ended up staying behind the boss at the half health point and this causes the slam strikes to track away from me which usually cuts off the second phase of the slam combo. A solid strategy that was very satisfying after the final blow. I believe there's a visceral opening if you strike the troll's face enough but by the I saw that I didn't need it because it would interrupt the established method I created. I hope to see it again later in the game.