Originally posted by The Big Brzezinski:

Best bet is probably to replace the Ymir's flesh component of the Iron Sledge with draugr and wraith trophies.

This very thing was suggeste befor mistlands went live, and yet here we are.

While i agree this change has made the iron sledge obsolete (also something one would want to obtain before killing bonemass)
The 2 handed maces were never that good anyway past early game imo and the standard iron mace is a beast.

Best bet is probably to replace the Ymir's flesh component of the Iron Sledge with draugr and wraith trophies.

I have to agree with the proposal to remove the requirement (Ymir flesh) all together.

It is supposed to be a tier up from the Stagbreaker, which itself is not boss gated.

The rest of the sledge recipe is fine -just substitute Ymir flesh for something else that is accessible and not boss gated (maybe troll hide?).

It is seldom used as it is so I would think any changes would be with the intent to increase its use as opposed to this change which actually will, I believe, reduce its use even more.

It's a really odd change. The merchant used to sell everything at all times right? I thought that was a smart way of giving players future recipes to wonder about and look forward to.

But with this, there's no signal or explanation that a change takes place. Theres no in-universe justification -- like is the flesh stuck inside Bonemass's body?

It's also removes what I had always thought was a well-designed sequence break. Frostner and the Sledge are fantastic for swamps, with one coming at the risky cost of sequemce breaking into mountains first - a risk worthy of reward. This change just removes one more meaningful path of player agency.

Originally posted by Lil brekky:

It's a really odd change. The merchant used to sell everything at all times right? I thought that was a smart way of giving players future recipes to wonder about and look forward to.

But with this, there's no signal or explanation that a change takes place. Theres no in-universe justification -- like is the flesh stuck inside Bonemass's body?

It's also removes what I had always thought was a well-designed sequence break. Frostner and the Sledge are fantastic for swamps, with one coming at the risky cost of sequemce breaking into mountains first - a risk worthy of reward. This change just removes one more meaningful path of player agency.

True. I mean you get the fishing rod super early but don't get fish wrap until plains and fish and bread until mistlands. Makes little sense.

Boss progression shouldn't repress what is in the merchant's wares.

Wonder if they should remove the Ymir Flesh requirement from the Iron Sledge. The Iron Sledge is already decently annoying to craft requiring a Draugr Elite trophy which isn't necessarily a common drop. Dropping the Ymir Flesh requirement would allow you to craft the Sledge if you could/wanted to while continuing to lock the Frostner behind Bonemass.

I do think the potential to have crafted a Frostner to fight Bonemass with is probably the primary reason for the change. Bonemass is weak to blunt damage, susceptible to Spirit Damage, and is always Wet which in theory allows Cold damage to do more to him. The Frostner takes advantage of all three of those weaknesses. Assuming you can locate Silver Veins without using the Wishbone.

Originally posted by archaicwasteland:

Assuming you can locate Silver Veins without using the Wishbone.

And you most certainly can using a stagbreaker

Why does silver make iron sledge obsolete? Granted, at this point I wouldn't craft it, considering that Demolisher is available, but that's further ahead in the game and has very little to do with any of this.

they killed iron sledge, a weapon barely anyone uses anyway. bizarre decision.

Originally posted by Kalysm:

Originally posted by archaicwasteland:

Assuming you can locate Silver Veins without using the Wishbone.

And you most certainly can using a stagbreaker

True but you kinda need luck and a good mountain that even has silver nodes.

I used Iron Sledge in Mistlands vs ticks, seekers and in the mistland dungeons until I got the upgrade for that weapon. It can also be useful against bats, deathsquito's or during the hunt event against wolves - stagbreaker can also easily take care of the first 2.

Likewise I used Frostner through to the Mistlands.

Bonemass is still easy with an Iron Mace or using Frost Arrows. Pretty sure I solo'd him with frost arrows and used the crystal battle axe against the spawns. Just kited him around his spawn and used the hoe to flatten everything.