If you only follow the main quest, you're going to get stuck at some point unless you follow online guides to get overpowered early. This forces the player to e

If you only follow the main quest, you're going to get stuck at some point unless you follow online guides to get overpowered early. This forces the player to explore the map, fight some manageable bosses and come back. Only then the player will find how massive the map really is. I'm 70 hours into the game, and am still finding new areas in Limgrave (the area where you start the game). And like all FromSoftware games, the side quests are very interesting, and lets you discover more of both the map and the lore. This game is really a masterpiece. Also, being a mage (astrologer) is definitely not easier than the other classes, unless you find powerful spells and staffs early in the game by chance or through guides. Any class could be made easy using this method.