Elden Ring - Grafted Scion - Review

Grafted Scion is exactly how I like to see aggressive bosses executed with satisfying attack window discoveries and i-frames. At first I tried the parry approach however the windows just were not there for my comfort but luckily good old fashion manipulation tactics was waiting to be found. This boss doesn't really remind me of anything else in the SoulsBlood series other than may be a more mobile version of the Prison Horde from Demon's Souls so it's a fairly unique concept.

My strategy consisted of watching out for three specific attacks. The scream attack, the lunge attack and a distinct combo attack which had my favorite i-frames to utilize. The boss goes into a second phase that buffs it's weapons but not much else is significantly different however from what I saw in practice runs there were these two major attacks after the boss poses in a weird position that doesn't initiate the attack until you get close enough. The two attacks I saw could be approach the same way where you basically run past the Grafted Scion and ride the attack out from behind.

Sorry that those attacks are not present in the video but I already spend enough time getting the right strategy and standards finished for these reviews. I wish they occurred more often because it makes the fight more interesting. I've noticed this being a reoccurring issue with boss fights and it's very odd that sometimes a boss will perform nothing but basic attacks. You would think that a game with so many tools would present tougher attacks more often like the previous From Software games. Perhaps it'll get some adjustments in future updates.

Overall I fairly enjoyed the boss. In my opinion it was a very forgettable first boss encounter that doesn't stand out to me and the previous SoulsBlood games have always nailed that aspect so it's quite a shame that they picked the Grafted Scion when so many more bosses would have made a bigger impression. I think the Erdtree Avatar would have been a proper fit but perhaps that's nostalgia talking.