Boss Invasions: different opinions have already been expressed about this. However, it’s worth describing the framework, the specific design of the game, which could support it. One thing is CERTAIN the next few patches, by From Soft, will NOT make the online experience more varied. In Demon’s Souls, boss room invasions occurred 1) in a late-game area, the Old Monk boss fight 2) after players saw a visible on-screen warning message saying an online players name (for example: “MeatCleaver666”) has invaded. Additionally, 3) In Dark Souls 2, boss room invasions occurred after the Looking Glass Knight completed a specific summoning animation (he would pause and then raise up his mirror) and 4) these Mirror Squires arrived in a manner foreshadowed by other hostile NPCs the Looking Glass Knight summoned (he would pause and place his mirror forward). These are the four main criteria and please notice I didn’t use the words “fair,” “balanced,” etc.

At best, these four conditions (that is to say the framework for boss room pvp invasions) could possibly be implemented in an upcoming DLC. Let me be clear, I believe it’s HIGHLY unlikely From Soft will decide to support boss room invasions, in the main game, in the next few patches. Nevertheless, since we are throeycrafting, here, let’s go ahead and ask “What could Mound Maker boss room invasions look like, in the main game, if they were fully developer supported?” First, boss room player invasions should not occur in the starting area (the Watchdog Vordt or the Dancer which players can access early). Secondly, such Mound Maker invasions would make more sense if they were foreshadowed. The NPC Holy Knight Hodrick could invade when players fight the Cursed Greatwood. This actually makes sense because A) this boss battle already has random enemies that appear and B) when the player continues fighting and the boss reaches the second phase of this fight, the boss falls and kills the Mound Maker NPC. So, there is half of the framework, right there. Additionally, once boss room invasions become possible (High Lord Wolnir, Old Demon King, and the bosses beyond) there needs to be a warning message just before the Mound Maker passes through the boss fog (see condition 2). There needs to be a summoning animation (see condition 3) which alerts the host and friendly phantoms that the boss room has now been unlocked for pvp invasions.

Again, I have just described the criteria and I didn’t say anything about “leveling the playing field” or “all of the times I invaded and couldn’t beat 1 v 3s etc. etc.”

Soul Wagering: More interesting than boss room invasions is the option for an invader to simply remain in the host’s world, even if the host escapes and enters the boss fog. This is a feature I was going to detail and request, but it (as a glitch) is basically already in the game (I will add)