Tokei-ihto said:
Well, there are still the Chalice Dungeons which not only get increasingly harder the further you advance, but they feature alternate bosses that are a lot tougher than their main-story counterparts. Especially the "Defiled Chalice", where your health is reduced to 50 percent and the bosses basically one-shot you, is a real pain in the ass. Getting the "Yharnam, Pthumerian Queen*" trophy might be the hardest challenge of the whole Souls series.
*Yharnam herself is a nightmare on a conceptual level. The stuff she does throughout the fight is deeply sickening and will probably haunt me for days.
I haven't fought her yet. I really wish BB would go to the PC so I can really know all the stuff damnit.
also speaking of Pthumerians doesn't Yharnam sorta resemble the Doll, they both have white hair and white skin and they're both rougly the same height. Gehrman was in love with a Pthumerian and made a doll in her image maybe?? just a thought after I google Yharnams image
This is kinda spoilery, so for those who haven't finished the game yet, perhaps stop reading here:
From my understanding, yes, the Doll is made in the image of Gehrman's dead wife. However, I don't think that she and Yharnam are the same person. It seems that both women separately gave birth - or were at least supposed to - to an Elder God (a huge part of the plot/backstory is basically about these ancient God-like being trying to propagate). When you enter the abandoned workshop in Yharnam, you can collect one of the four available umbilical cords in the game. Since the workshop is identical to the one you return to in the Hunter's Dream, it's likely that this was the place Gehrman originally used to reside, and the cord "belonged" to Gerhman's deceased wife. Later in the game, right before you enter the fog that leads to the fight with Mergo's Wet Nurse, you will see Yharnam standing in her bloodied dress before the entrance to the arena. Her appearance together with the Wet Nurse's form give a good indication to what might have happened lore-wise. After you've defeated the Wet Nurse you receive another umbilical cord, presumedly Mergo's.
Yharnam herself makes an appearance in the Great Pthumeru Ihyll Chalice Dungeon as the final boss of the third layer. In a way she can be seen as an alternate final boss*. However, in order to get to her you have to play at least five different dungeons, collecting all the necessary ingredients and materials to be able to perform the ritual.
- Pthumeru Chalice Dungeon (the only chalice you obtain during the actual story)
- Central Pthumeru Chalice Dungeon
- Lower Pthumeru Chalice Dungeon
- Ailing Loran Chalice Dungeon
- Defiled Chalice Dungeon (the one which reduces your health to 50 percent, making the three bosses in particular - Keeper of the Old Lords, Watch Dog of the Old Lords, Amygdala (version 2.0) - a fucking nightmare)
In all likelihood you'll also have to play the Great Isz Chalice Dungeon to get your hands on 2 additional Red Jelly (the other 2 you can pick up in the Lecture building, first floor) that are needed for accessing the Great Pthumeru Ihyll Chalice Dunegon. Perhaps there are more in the main game, but if so, I missed them.
*The actual end boss is, of course, Moon Presence, who you can fight if you consume at least three of the umbilical cords before the final confrontation with Gehrman. Once you've accomplished to kill off Moon Presence (surprisingly not too hard, s/he is kind of a pushover), you'll become an Elder One yourself which, if you think about it, is actually the worst, most nihilistic and Lovecraftian of the three possible endings of the game.
