I have a bit of personal headcanon that Thops managed to create his spell in the opposite way of how Lusat and Azur. I like to think he looked at the Primeval Current and instead of letting it overwhelm him, he managed to accept what he saw for what it was and through "rejecting" the fate of a normal Glintstone grandmaster, he gained the wisdom to create Thops' Barrier.
Thops is such a friendly and humble character, it was so sad to find him dead after bringing him the key, I thought I missed some steps in his story and failed him
I think Miyazaki has his almost *'obligatory set of tropes'* that he just must see put in every soulsgame. And one of them is; 😎 A sorcerer we help to fulfill his dream and enable him to study or otherwide do what he always wanted. Which ultimately leads to their death in one way or the other. _Darksouls 1:_ Big Hat Logan. We free him and he loses his sense of self in the duke's archives. _Darksouls 2:_ Royal sorcerer Navlaan. Although he is already insane when we free him of his cell and it leads to his good persona helping us while his evil persona will invade us several times in different locations, practically suggesting we kill him not just as a phantom in the final encounter. _Darksouls 3:_ Orbeck of Vinheim. A sorcerer *who is ashamed of his past & always regretted that he never learned proper sorcery* only to have us bring him several scrolls which he eagerly deciphers for us, becoming a grandmaster himself in the process and which makes him *'seek out an esteemed library archive in which he dies for some mysterious reason'.*
So Thops was on his way to becoming something like an Anti-Mage. If we ever see a Seal like the Terra Magica that locks magic away, it will reference him in some way.
Sort of, the idea was if I recall that he had solved the equation of ALL magic (Faith is included as they both come from the same source to a degree I think?) which is why Thops spell can stop Elden beast. Mans had basically created true anti magic that can be put into any shield too or barriers for the masses. Man understood Faith and Int in a breakthrough and was slain for it probably :C (I have no idea of Law of regression or whatever can stop all spells either though.)
The really impressive fact about Thops barrier is not only does it become an ash of war, showing that spells can become Ashes of war for some reason. But it’s the only spell in the game that can literally deflect the elden beasts star attack. A spell from a sorcerer of no renown is strong enough to stop Gods strongest attack.
"Future generations will learn. They will know the foolishness of the sneering sorcerers who ridiculed this theory, little realizing that it was in fact a discovery worthy of a new conspectus of the academy." - Thops Barrier He may have died but in a way he actually did get a happy ending in the long-term as those in the future recognized his discovery and potential.
He basically discovered secret carian tech though, and one that was used as a main means of subjugating fellow mages who stepped out of line iirc. I'm willing to bet there was a certain stigma around that which led to him ultimately being in his situation when we meet him. Carian retaliation and thops barrier descriptions, but it's been a few months.
Thops is one of my fav characters. I like the random people and beings just trying to exist in this post apocalyptic war torn land. The "small guys" - not the demigods and movers and shakers. People like Big Boggart, Boc, Diallos, Jar Bairn, and Thops make the world feel much more "real".
Thops the bluntstone, was a sorcerer that was not highly regarded by members of the Academy do to his background and was heavily ostracized by his fellow members but in the end he never got the recognition he deserved but the spell he discovered would never be forgotten and it will continue to be used by future sorcerers until the age of star’s comes to an end.🐱
I think that Thops was able to look upon the Primeval Current to create his spell. As I learned within another comment, it shares the darker coloration of Comet Azure, while normal glintstone sorceries seem to all have lighter color. I personally think that it was actually his "lack of aptitude" that let him succeed however. Without the power found in ordinary sorcerers, perhaps he could look on the Primeval Current without suffering the madness others did, allowing him to create the spells he did. Maybe it was a task no other sorcerer could ever accomplish because they had too much of a connection to the power of the stars, and only a Bluntstone could hope to look on the Primeval Current without losing their mind. That's my thought at least. I wish we could show Thops's spells to someone in the academy, tell them of our friend so at least he would get the recognition he deserved, and see a new conspectus formed from his work.
Thops is the epitome of mastering the basics to utter perfection. All the other sorcerers mock him because he can't do higher level sorceries but in the end he ends up developing his own which completely negates the magic of THE FUCKING ELDEN BEAST. Honestly, everyone in the academy should be putting respect to the name of Thops the bluntstone
I think the reason he died is because his bluntstone nature caused his crystals to grow only slightly, meaning inside his body. His brain was likely crystallized.
This isn't my theory, but Thops's death isn't exactly explained. It could be caused by him glimpsing the primeval current, but it feels strange that he would see it, develop the sorcery, and then die. Lusat and Azur didn't necessarily die, their brains were instead replaced by glintstone. Due to his lack of magical prowess, Thops was ridiculed and even kicked out of the academy. What seems very plausible is that when he returns there, he starts developing the Thops's Barrier.This could be because he glimpses the primeval current, or by his high intelligence, even though he himself can cast only basic spells. Due to the effect the spell has, the other sorcerers might've realized that he was actually getting closer to discovering it, and if he had, that single spell could effectively neutralize any sorcerer. If this spell would get known by people, even people not good with sorceries would have a means to completely deflect any magical spell. This could spell a catastrophy for the Academy, as a unit of soldiers utilizing this could easily beat a group of sorcerers just because of this single spell. It would make sense that the sorcerers killed him after he discovered the spell, just so it never gets used against them.
I find it interesting that his barrier Incantations aswell, because in my line of thought, wouldn't have Thops only focused on getting it to work against sorcery. Still interesting that it even works against elden stars
I like the theory of Thops glimpsing into the Primeval Current and it being too much for him resulting in his death. He discovered a new sorcery but ultimately died in his pursuit.
Thops is a revolutionary with the discovery of his spell but was sadly exiled due to his research, and i think that when he witnessed the Primeval Current, he saw the true nature of magic and faith, and i guess like a coping mechanism he created a barrier so that he can never be ridiculed or get hurt again.
Смерть в Элден Ринг это не зло. Смерть тут скорее награда, или счастливый случай. Так как её очень тяжело получить. В случае с Топс'ом, его смерть может означать признание его заслуг. Его душу перенесли в исток-камень. Этот ритуал был запрещён Реннал'ой, но, после того как она сошла с ума, академия могла возобновить эту практику.
Azur and Lusat's spells talk about how while looking into the primeval current, how they witnessed something so incredible yet terrifying that they were forever altered. What they witnessed broke them, effectively. Thops is a bluntstone, however, his mind is not deeply connected to magic, but he has a passion for learning. Even if he did see the current, would it break him? No, Thops has the sense to blink. He wouldn't stare directly into a spotlight. Thus, was a founding principle of Thops Barrier, to shield your eyes from the bright light of the stars.
Considering how his barrier can deflect literal judgement from a god. He would of been the most famous spellbreaker known in the lands between had he lived and applied it himself, also turns out he can punch very hard.
My head cannon is that Thops is (somehow) a reincarnation Azur, look closely at the image of Thops's barrier, it has a similar colour with Comet Azur. He had already glimpsed into primival current in his past life, which led him to create Thops's barrier. He had potential to be a new conspectus because he was already one to begin with. Forgive me if I made any mistakes.
I hadn't actually realized that. Regular glintstone sorceries are a similar color, but lighter in color than Comet Azur, while Thops's Barrier has that same darker tone. If not a reincarnation, he definitely glimpsed the Primeval current
Because of Thops, The Bluntstone I came up with my own Class called the Blunt Knight or Blunt Soldier either name works. The idea is that since the bluntstone aren't really the best Mages they where then trained to fight with melee Weapons but still use what little magic that they can to fight these magic fighters are called the Blunt Soldier/Knight
his spell reminds me of D&D’s dispell magic and antimagic zones. A conspictus dedicated to warding away glintstone magic and the influence of the stars would be potent weapons against the academy itself
Could it be possible that Thops was kicked out of the academy due to his studies? I could see some viewing his barrier as heretical because, aren't the only skills similar, those associated with the order? Also, why is he located so far from Raya Lucaria, hiding in a church behind two enemies who attack you with faith-based attacks? Thops was a nice character, but I can't say I ever trusted much he said. While I believe he's truly dead from the bell bearing we get from him, part of me is still unsettled. The description of his barrier has a more sinister, vengeful tone than what Thops himself ever let on through his dialouge.
What makes me really trust him is the fact, that you really need to have a second glintstone key that he takes your offer. Should you offer him a glintstone key while not possessing a second one, he will politely but strict refuse your offer, saying that he will not take your own chance away to enter Raya Lucaria just because of his own wish. So I don't see any evil motives at him. And the description of his spell sounds for me more like something a follower of his work would say after his death, as Tophs himself.
Hm I don't think thops himself was evil. I think your right that the spell description was sinister but I think its because he was killed by his fellow academy members because of this part of the description of Thops's Barrier: "Future generations will learn. They will know the foolishness of the sneering sorcerers who ridiculed this theory". It seems for whatever reason they believed his theory to be well dumb or was impossible. It could be the in finding out Thops was actually making progress with his theory that they were, one worried that a "Bluntstone" like Thops would prove them wrong but also create a potential method where someone with low levels of skill could master a spell that would protect them from spells and give those individuals an advantage against glintstone mages. (The theory I believe seems to be a method to protect oneself from both spells and incantations as his barrier is said to be able to protect from both, the ash of war version of Thops Barrier says it can protect against incantations. I'm not sure if the spell itself does tho) Theres also something I remember hearing from a video that because Thops's Barrier could protect someone from both spells and incantations it also meant or implied that both incantations and the power of sorcery came from the same place or overall power source which would be a heretical belief among the glintstone mages who believe incantations and glintstone sorcery to be different entirely or something along those lines. Tho this I'm not sure where I heard it from or if its just some kind of theory/assumption I just heard on a video so it could be complete bull and should be taken with a grain of salt
You should do a video on the erdtree guardians, I've always found them to be interesting, especially their ability to bloom flowers, and how their halberds are "sharpened by hard wood of the erdtree" some people even say that their weapons are made out of wood.
My headcanon for Thops ia that he did view the Primeval Current however unlike the grandmasters he lack the knowledge to understand the terror of it. His barrier is literally the ignorance of horror of the stars.
I think it's interesting that the game itself corroborates what could just be written off as an unreliable narrators flavor text, that his magic was worthy of a new conspectus, by placing it right beside the other two legendary glintstone sorceries
I think Thops Barrier is imitating/is a minature representation of the energy field created by the Earth's that protects it from cosmic radiation, just like the barrier protects the Tarnished from spells, which are basically minature cosmic phenomenon, including attacks from the Elden Beast.
Today I gave him the glintstone key in my first play through.When I thought of giving him glintstone key I thought he'll teach me some more socceries but then he ended up dying 😢
I always assumed he was slapped to death like everyone else by a book wielding scholar. But he was just there reading, writing his own business and then one of them came with their book and just whooped him. Cuz if you notice that if you use the spell that you gained from him around them, they eventually get sick of trying to cast spells at you and start slapping you with their books. So it's my head canon that they got tired of him blocking their spells so they just started slapping him.
Really lovely work. Very glad I came across this channel :) Thops is one of my favourite NPCs, and a good if not sad example of fromsoft putting in a character for whom you really want success, but helping them get it ends in their demise. If you don't help, they are left in listless limbo. I thought about Thops a lot during and after my first run even though I didn't have a spellcaster, so it's nice seeing him get attention! Also love his voice actor.
In the DLC, it's my (granted unlikely) hope that we'll see Thops' Barrier expanded upon. For the spell itself, despite the power it has lore-wise and the implications it has, isn't very effective, mostly due to the heavy lag it has. But if a whole new branch of glintstone sorcery could be born from his glimpse into the current, the idea of a new family of sorcery with its own supporting staff based not around damage, but defense? At the very least, imagine a stronger Thops' Barrier that held the title of Primeval Sorcery, alongside Stars of Ruin, Founding Rain, and Comet Azur. Thops' Barrier itself is meagre, it is the implications it has that are world shattering, and I'd love to see those implications explored someday.
Thank you for bringing attention to Thops, when I first met him I didn't think much of him. Now I see that he is a true sorcerer and will be remembered as such
I would dearly love it if someone or a team of someone's could go through the game and lay out the lore in chronological order. (Or as much as possible) A big 8 hour "The Story of Elden Ring" thing. All of it. Starting with the crucible and ending with the tarnished waking inside the chapel. And covering every item description. A weighty task but it would be cool.
Thops can't be dead. Just like Sellen, his soul must be out and about elsewhere. Death can't happen without the rune of Death in the Lands Between and only 2 people ever possess it throughout the game. Maliketh and the PC.
My first playthrough when Thop's died I just told myself, "He's sleeping! Yeah, he was researching so hard he fell asleep at his desk." I'm not a fan of kick'em while their down and that's what Thop's story felt like. Even still he was a friendly face in a hostile world. The thing that is odd to me is that we take the spell from him, which I assume means we took a scroll or something with the spell written on it. The circumstances of him being in a dying state while writing out something that seems like it might be complex doesn't really jive. Based on the "we'll show them" attitude of the text in Thop's spell I think he wrote his findings out and tried to show the other sorcerers but was mocked and ridiculed so relentlessly that he didn't even get the chance to show them. Hundreds or maybe Thousands of years of being the Bluntstone, the butt of the joke, and he finally had something worthy of Master status but no one would take him seriously. I think he... removed himself.... The spell serves as both a lesson and his "resignation letter." And that's why he's just sleeping.
When I get paid this week I'll become a member, I've been talking and you're very responsive and pretty cool. You'll be my first UA-camr, good job. I enjoy square table gaming.
I love the channel and listen to the lore videos daily to get me through work. I've learned so much and im very grateful to have the Elden Lore series as a resource. No where on UA-cam seems to really cover one specific enemy that baffles me. The Mad Pumpkin Head boss has such little lore in game I can find, but they feel so out of place for such a specific reason. If you're looking for a new topic for a future video; I'd really enjoy listening to the backstop behind these strange pumpkin golems
His makeshift work area is outside the walls. He wasn’t welcome, but he needed to get back to his supplies to finish his work. His completed spell makes you think he wasn’t killed by magic, because he could have shielded himself with that spell. But he has no wounds and died seated in his chair to suggest there wasn’t a struggle at all. The way someone dies of poison.
During my first playthrough after i came across him i couldnt find another glintstone key other than the one being guarded by the dragon, plus i also forgot about his side quest, so i inadvertently saved his life by forgetting to help him.
I would have liked it if they made a personal staff for Thops, which while having a lower intelligence requirement, would have slightly higher scaling, and maybe a special interaction with his spell,for example, if the staff is used to cast Thops' barrier, the incoming magic would be reflected back, rather than diverted. As an aside, starlight is taught by him and nowhere else, perhaps this has some meaning?
I believe because his barrier can reflect sorcery and incantations he saw that they are one and the same and that's the truth he saw in the current so he was probably a mixed build of faith and intelligence which makes him feel like a bluntstone
Master Thops of the Bluntstone Conspectus. Bluntstone is an ironic name: It means he has no talent with glintstone sorcery, but his magnum opus literally blunts the effects of glintstone attacks.
Its such a shame he wasnt able to make his own conspectus and make his own crown which would probs have been unique in the fact that it wouldnt harm the user boosting you only not at the detremaint of somthing else very unlike the other crowns i dont know how he created the spell as i cant see thops involed with the primevil current he says "i wpuldnt belive the illustrious sellen would ever do such things" so he obviously isnt interested in that kind of magic i do belive his barrier could be his sheer will to be taken seriously hes not good at hurting people but his spell can reject even the most powerful spells maybe instead of looking into the glintstone he relised how hard and protective glintstone is maybe he fired a spell at glintstone in anger and noticed it bounced of then he relised wait what if... i think its cute if its that simple, simple science like in real life it suits him and wish you could have taken him to roundtable hold and got a mission to grab his research for him at that table in acdemy and when your elden lord he could take up his rightful place as a conspectus master
We get the Erudition gesture from Thops, which should be mentioned. It aids us in several of the magical towers of the world. Giving us the tool to open ways that would otherwise be shut to us (Or in need of finding different ways inside). He is also the only one to teach you the Starlight spell. May be just illumination, but I honestly think it one of the most useful spells in the game, as you don't need to lugg a torch around, and it is much brighter than the lantern.
Wow this was really cool to think about. I thought it a sad storyline with no real positive resolution. You put it into great perspective for me. I also love the theory that he wasn't actually killed but that he attained greatness in his death. Gives his place here so much more meaning and the next time I see his corpse I will not feel pity!
Did he really die? Or is he communing with the stars similar to Ranni? could he be still alive with a projected conscience? Two Fingers, Mohg, and Goldmask are also able to do something similar. The jellyfish spirit also seems able to move towards the stars Did he tapped into the primeval current successfully unlike the rest of the masters and sellen? Was he uncorrupted by Astel, the void? That would make me rethink the relationship of The Greater Will, Melina, the Nox, and the Age of Stars, the debilitating and dangerous Scarlet Rot and even the shattering, what if the greater will destroyed its source of power because it knew it would feed the void otherwise?
Who... Oh .. yeah... that guy. Well, he was enjoyably squishy. I will give him that much. Was the greatest kindness I could bestow upon him in his dilapidated roofless church.
Thops might have given his life - to create the barrier spell. Sorcerers fuse their souls into a glintstone to live longer lives. If Thops did not have access to pure or refine glintstone. He might have used his own... to create the spell.
Probably at least a barrier that could absorb sorcery and incantation energy and then release that energy as an attack. And considering how Elden Ring sorcery has an astrology theme to it, the explosion could look like a small supernova.
When we find him he is still not wearing a mask either…no one else in Raya Lucaria is maskless except Rennela and her “children” I believe. Possibly indicating he did not accept a conspectus.
another great video, i love your content and will always be exited for your uploads, just one question... what happened to your voice at 9:18 ? anyways i hope you have a wonderfull day.
Thops was a real one. Unfortunately, he the sin of being a half-decent person in a FromSoft game and was thusly punished for it by the true Greater Will.
I have a bit of personal headcanon that Thops managed to create his spell in the opposite way of how Lusat and Azur. I like to think he looked at the Primeval Current and instead of letting it overwhelm him, he managed to accept what he saw for what it was and through "rejecting" the fate of a normal Glintstone grandmaster, he gained the wisdom to create Thops' Barrier.
I really like this interpretation
Wow I really like this take. Going to add that to my headcanon now!
Considering that the spell can ward off fucking Elden Stars, meaning it can ward off attacks from a literal God, I buy this headcanon.
Thops is such a friendly and humble character, it was so sad to find him dead after bringing him the key, I thought I missed some steps in his story and failed him
You lead him to his death
I think Miyazaki has his almost *'obligatory set of tropes'* that he just must see put in every soulsgame.
And one of them is; 😎
A sorcerer we help to fulfill his dream and enable him to study or otherwide do what he always wanted.
Which ultimately leads to their death in one way or the other.
_Darksouls 1:_
Big Hat Logan. We free him and he loses his sense of self in the duke's archives.
_Darksouls 2:_
Royal sorcerer Navlaan. Although he is already insane when we free him of his cell and it leads to his good persona helping us while his evil persona will invade us several times in different locations, practically suggesting we kill him not just as a phantom in the final encounter.
_Darksouls 3:_
Orbeck of Vinheim. A sorcerer *who is ashamed of his past & always regretted that he never learned proper sorcery* only to have us bring him several scrolls which he eagerly deciphers for us, becoming a grandmaster himself in the process and which makes him *'seek out an esteemed library archive in which he dies for some mysterious reason'.*
He’s the definition of someone who needs help to realize his genius. Everyone else went mad or turned into giant mask moon thingys
So Thops was on his way to becoming something like an Anti-Mage. If we ever see a Seal like the Terra Magica that locks magic away, it will reference him in some way.
Old games had Tranquil Walk of Peace which stopped spells around the user. Something like that in the DLC would be cool.
Sort of, the idea was if I recall that he had solved the equation of ALL magic (Faith is included as they both come from the same source to a degree I think?) which is why Thops spell can stop Elden beast. Mans had basically created true anti magic that can be put into any shield too or barriers for the masses.
Man understood Faith and Int in a breakthrough and was slain for it probably :C
(I have no idea of Law of regression or whatever can stop all spells either though.)
Its said in his spell that his work will settle the basis for the future of glintstone magic so yeah he is a comfirmed genius in the future
@@JuanAntonioGarciaHerediait's great to see even if he's dead, his work was not in vain..
One of the nicest NPCs in the game. I was so sad that he died. Rest in power Thops. A powerful sorcerer indeed
If not in spellpower, then in true intelegence
The really impressive fact about Thops barrier is not only does it become an ash of war, showing that spells can become Ashes of war for some reason.
But it’s the only spell in the game that can literally deflect the elden beasts star attack.
A spell from a sorcerer of no renown is strong enough to stop Gods strongest attack.
And destined Death... It can deflect those flying slash from Maliketh
@@gerogero2011wait it can do that?!?! My man made a spell capable of stoping strikes from literal death?!?!?!
@@jerichoilisio2798 yes... The flying slash from maliketh, u can deflect those.
Finally, my boy Thops getting the recognition he deserves
We also think he's long overdue
thops was a genius. he died not knowing he created the strongest defensive spell that could literally deflect the attacks from gods
"Future generations will learn. They will know the foolishness of the sneering sorcerers who ridiculed this theory, little realizing that it was in fact a discovery worthy of a new conspectus of the academy." - Thops Barrier
He may have died but in a way he actually did get a happy ending in the long-term as those in the future recognized his discovery and potential.
Thops deserved his own class of sorcery widely recognized by the academy.
In the text for the spell it even says it was worthy of a whole new conspectus aka way of study.
He basically discovered secret carian tech though, and one that was used as a main means of subjugating fellow mages who stepped out of line iirc. I'm willing to bet there was a certain stigma around that which led to him ultimately being in his situation when we meet him.
Carian retaliation and thops barrier descriptions, but it's been a few months.
Thops is one of my fav characters. I like the random people and beings just trying to exist in this post apocalyptic war torn land. The "small guys" - not the demigods and movers and shakers.
People like Big Boggart, Boc, Diallos, Jar Bairn, and Thops make the world feel much more "real".
That's exactly why our Elden lore series focuses on these characters!
Thops the bluntstone, was a sorcerer that was not highly regarded by members of the Academy do to his background and was heavily ostracized by his fellow members but in the end he never got the recognition he deserved but the spell he discovered would never be forgotten and it will continue to be used by future sorcerers until the age of star’s comes to an end.🐱
Reportedly, Thops' Barrier is the only way to deflect the Elden Beast's Elden Stars projectiles.
I think that Thops was able to look upon the Primeval Current to create his spell. As I learned within another comment, it shares the darker coloration of Comet Azure, while normal glintstone sorceries seem to all have lighter color. I personally think that it was actually his "lack of aptitude" that let him succeed however. Without the power found in ordinary sorcerers, perhaps he could look on the Primeval Current without suffering the madness others did, allowing him to create the spells he did. Maybe it was a task no other sorcerer could ever accomplish because they had too much of a connection to the power of the stars, and only a Bluntstone could hope to look on the Primeval Current without losing their mind. That's my thought at least. I wish we could show Thops's spells to someone in the academy, tell them of our friend so at least he would get the recognition he deserved, and see a new conspectus formed from his work.
Thops is the epitome of mastering the basics to utter perfection. All the other sorcerers mock him because he can't do higher level sorceries but in the end he ends up developing his own which completely negates the magic of THE FUCKING ELDEN BEAST. Honestly, everyone in the academy should be putting respect to the name of Thops the bluntstone
Probably one of the kindest npcs in Elden Ring. 👍
Wish you could see him become a great glintstone sorcerer.
i would pay good runes to see the look the scholar's faces as Thop's barrier effortlessly deflects all their fancy comets.
I think the reason he died is because his bluntstone nature caused his crystals to grow only slightly, meaning inside his body. His brain was likely crystallized.
This isn't my theory, but Thops's death isn't exactly explained. It could be caused by him glimpsing the primeval current, but it feels strange that he would see it, develop the sorcery, and then die. Lusat and Azur didn't necessarily die, their brains were instead replaced by glintstone.
Due to his lack of magical prowess, Thops was ridiculed and even kicked out of the academy. What seems very plausible is that when he returns there, he starts developing the Thops's Barrier.This could be because he glimpses the primeval current, or by his high intelligence, even though he himself can cast only basic spells. Due to the effect the spell has, the other sorcerers might've realized that he was actually getting closer to discovering it, and if he had, that single spell could effectively neutralize any sorcerer. If this spell would get known by people, even people not good with sorceries would have a means to completely deflect any magical spell. This could spell a catastrophy for the Academy, as a unit of soldiers utilizing this could easily beat a group of sorcerers just because of this single spell.
It would make sense that the sorcerers killed him after he discovered the spell, just so it never gets used against them.
Real reason Thops died: all souls game npcs are legally obligated to drop dead at the end of their quests. Thus spoke Michael Zaki.
Ah, poor Thops..... if only i could say his death made a difference! But alas, i could never figure out how to properly use his barrier.... 😢
I find it interesting that his barrier Incantations aswell, because in my line of thought, wouldn't have Thops only focused on getting it to work against sorcery. Still interesting that it even works against elden stars
I always hate when NPCs ask for money but when he only asked for 10 runes I found it completely reasonable and happily obliged.
My reaction was along the lines of 'why did he have to die, too?'
I like the theory of Thops glimpsing into the Primeval Current and it being too much for him resulting in his death. He discovered a new sorcery but ultimately died in his pursuit.
Thops is a revolutionary with the discovery of his spell but was sadly exiled due to his research, and i think that when he witnessed the Primeval Current, he saw the true nature of magic and faith, and i guess like a coping mechanism he created a barrier so that he can never be ridiculed or get hurt again.
Смерть в Элден Ринг это не зло. Смерть тут скорее награда, или счастливый случай. Так как её очень тяжело получить.
В случае с Топс'ом, его смерть может означать признание его заслуг. Его душу перенесли в исток-камень. Этот ритуал был запрещён Реннал'ой, но, после того как она сошла с ума, академия могла возобновить эту практику.
From his voice, I could've sworn he was going to "Aye, Shwmae" and sell me some boss armor.
Azur and Lusat's spells talk about how while looking into the primeval current, how they witnessed something so incredible yet terrifying that they were forever altered. What they witnessed broke them, effectively.
Thops is a bluntstone, however, his mind is not deeply connected to magic, but he has a passion for learning.
Even if he did see the current, would it break him? No, Thops has the sense to blink. He wouldn't stare directly into a spotlight. Thus, was a founding principle of Thops Barrier, to shield your eyes from the bright light of the stars.
Considering how his barrier can deflect literal judgement from a god. He would of been the most famous spellbreaker known in the lands between had he lived and applied it himself, also turns out he can punch very hard.
Would’ve been so cool if he had a few other spells he could teach us that he only knows.
My head cannon is that Thops is (somehow) a reincarnation Azur, look closely at the image of Thops's barrier, it has a similar colour with Comet Azur. He had already glimpsed into primival current in his past life, which led him to create Thops's barrier. He had potential to be a new conspectus because he was already one to begin with. Forgive me if I made any mistakes.
I hadn't actually realized that. Regular glintstone sorceries are a similar color, but lighter in color than Comet Azur, while Thops's Barrier has that same darker tone. If not a reincarnation, he definitely glimpsed the Primeval current
I still mourn this guy :( doubted, yet clearly was so passionate about his education in magic. Punished & ended for getting back the wrong way.
One of my favorite characters in Elden Ring.
Because of Thops, The Bluntstone I came up with my own Class called the Blunt Knight or Blunt Soldier either name
works. The idea is that since the bluntstone aren't really the best Mages they where then trained to fight with melee Weapons but still use what little magic that they can to fight these magic fighters are called the Blunt Soldier/Knight
his spell reminds me of D&D’s dispell magic and antimagic zones. A conspictus dedicated to warding away glintstone magic and the influence of the stars would be potent weapons against the academy itself
Could it be possible that Thops was kicked out of the academy due to his studies? I could see some viewing his barrier as heretical because, aren't the only skills similar, those associated with the order? Also, why is he located so far from Raya Lucaria, hiding in a church behind two enemies who attack you with faith-based attacks? Thops was a nice character, but I can't say I ever trusted much he said. While I believe he's truly dead from the bell bearing we get from him, part of me is still unsettled. The description of his barrier has a more sinister, vengeful tone than what Thops himself ever let on through his dialouge.
What makes me really trust him is the fact, that you really need to have a second glintstone key that he takes your offer. Should you offer him a glintstone key while not possessing a second one, he will politely but strict refuse your offer, saying that he will not take your own chance away to enter Raya Lucaria just because of his own wish.
So I don't see any evil motives at him. And the description of his spell sounds for me more like something a follower of his work would say after his death, as Tophs himself.
Hm I don't think thops himself was evil. I think your right that the spell description was sinister but I think its because he was killed by his fellow academy members because of this part of the description of Thops's Barrier: "Future generations will learn. They will know the foolishness of
the sneering sorcerers who ridiculed this theory". It seems for whatever reason they believed his theory to be well dumb or was impossible. It could be the in finding out Thops was actually making progress with his theory that they were, one worried that a "Bluntstone" like Thops would prove them wrong but also create a potential method where someone with low levels of skill could master a spell that would protect them from spells and give those individuals an advantage against glintstone mages.
(The theory I believe seems to be a method to protect oneself from both spells and incantations as his barrier is said to be able to protect from both, the ash of war version of Thops Barrier says it can protect against incantations. I'm not sure if the spell itself does tho)
Theres also something I remember hearing from a video that because Thops's Barrier could protect someone from both spells and incantations it also meant or implied that both incantations and the power of sorcery came from the same place or overall power source which would be a heretical belief among the glintstone mages who believe incantations and glintstone sorcery to be different entirely or something along those lines. Tho this I'm not sure where I heard it from or if its just some kind of theory/assumption I just heard on a video so it could be complete bull and should be taken with a grain of salt
Which ennemies are guarding thops?
Great take on Thops. You gave this once pitiful character and powerful story. Great job again.
You should do a video on the erdtree guardians, I've always found them to be interesting, especially their ability to bloom flowers, and how their halberds are "sharpened by hard wood of the erdtree" some people even say that their weapons are made out of wood.
My headcanon for Thops ia that he did view the Primeval Current however unlike the grandmasters he lack the knowledge to understand the terror of it. His barrier is literally the ignorance of horror of the stars.
I think it's interesting that the game itself corroborates what could just be written off as an unreliable narrators flavor text, that his magic was worthy of a new conspectus, by placing it right beside the other two legendary glintstone sorceries
RIP Thop. You can use his barrier against the final boss at some point I think
Now I really want to use his spell more. Dude was brave and a better academic than most Glintsone Sorcerers
I think Thops Barrier is imitating/is a minature representation of the energy field created by the Earth's that protects it from cosmic radiation, just like the barrier protects the Tarnished from spells, which are basically minature cosmic phenomenon, including attacks from the Elden Beast.
I love how this guy has the same voice actor as Domhnall from dark souls 1
Upgraded to two swords, alright! Great vid.
Felt right, I've got 2, why not power stance them?
@@square-table-gaming Exactly!
Today I gave him the glintstone key in my first play through.When I thought of giving him glintstone key I thought he'll teach me some more socceries but then he ended up dying 😢
I always assumed he was slapped to death like everyone else by a book wielding scholar. But he was just there reading, writing his own business and then one of them came with their book and just whooped him. Cuz if you notice that if you use the spell that you gained from him around them, they eventually get sick of trying to cast spells at you and start slapping you with their books. So it's my head canon that they got tired of him blocking their spells so they just started slapping him.
I Remember in my first playthrough i needed glintstone arc and accidently killed sellen so when i saw him i help him get into raya lucaria
Possible he was assassinated but also possible that in ds3 fashion bro completed his life's work and didn't have the energy to carry on afterwards
Really lovely work. Very glad I came across this channel :) Thops is one of my favourite NPCs, and a good if not sad example of fromsoft putting in a character for whom you really want success, but helping them get it ends in their demise. If you don't help, they are left in listless limbo. I thought about Thops a lot during and after my first run even though I didn't have a spellcaster, so it's nice seeing him get attention! Also love his voice actor.
Nice detail, the spell wears the seal of the academy when cast. 9:38
In the DLC, it's my (granted unlikely) hope that we'll see Thops' Barrier expanded upon. For the spell itself, despite the power it has lore-wise and the implications it has, isn't very effective, mostly due to the heavy lag it has. But if a whole new branch of glintstone sorcery could be born from his glimpse into the current, the idea of a new family of sorcery with its own supporting staff based not around damage, but defense?
At the very least, imagine a stronger Thops' Barrier that held the title of Primeval Sorcery, alongside Stars of Ruin, Founding Rain, and Comet Azur.
Thops' Barrier itself is meagre, it is the implications it has that are world shattering, and I'd love to see those implications explored someday.
Thank you for bringing attention to Thops, when I first met him I didn't think much of him. Now I see that he is a true sorcerer and will be remembered as such
I would dearly love it if someone or a team of someone's could go through the game and lay out the lore in chronological order. (Or as much as possible) A big 8 hour "The Story of Elden Ring" thing. All of it. Starting with the crucible and ending with the tarnished waking inside the chapel. And covering every item description. A weighty task but it would be cool.
Dude, Camelworks or EpicNste could do this, but they're focused on Bethesda games
Always a treat to see a new lore video STG!
Thops can't be dead. Just like Sellen, his soul must be out and about elsewhere. Death can't happen without the rune of Death in the Lands Between and only 2 people ever possess it throughout the game. Maliketh and the PC.
My first playthrough when Thop's died I just told myself, "He's sleeping! Yeah, he was researching so hard he fell asleep at his desk." I'm not a fan of kick'em while their down and that's what Thop's story felt like. Even still he was a friendly face in a hostile world.
The thing that is odd to me is that we take the spell from him, which I assume means we took a scroll or something with the spell written on it. The circumstances of him being in a dying state while writing out something that seems like it might be complex doesn't really jive. Based on the "we'll show them" attitude of the text in Thop's spell I think he wrote his findings out and tried to show the other sorcerers but was mocked and ridiculed so relentlessly that he didn't even get the chance to show them. Hundreds or maybe Thousands of years of being the Bluntstone, the butt of the joke, and he finally had something worthy of Master status but no one would take him seriously. I think he... removed himself.... The spell serves as both a lesson and his "resignation letter."
And that's why he's just sleeping.
Thops is a really nice character with a sad but fulfilling ending, thanks for making a video on him
When I get paid this week I'll become a member, I've been talking and you're very responsive and pretty cool. You'll be my first UA-camr, good job. I enjoy square table gaming.
Thanks man, appreciate it! We like to keep the convos going with our audience
I love the channel and listen to the lore videos daily to get me through work. I've learned so much and im very grateful to have the Elden Lore series as a resource. No where on UA-cam seems to really cover one specific enemy that baffles me. The Mad Pumpkin Head boss has such little lore in game I can find, but they feel so out of place for such a specific reason. If you're looking for a new topic for a future video; I'd really enjoy listening to the backstop behind these strange pumpkin golems
Let us dig around and see what we can find
the barrier can also block the rune of death and radagon beams
Fantastic vid. It made me feel better, 'cause I completed his quest in my second run and his death surprised me in a badvway, thank you.
*Bad way. Sorry
Thanks Zach!
That's what I'm here for!
So the sorcerers of the a academy killed Thops because he was following the graven witch Sellen, enemy of Carai . What a sad story 😥
It sure was refreshing hearing Domnal of Zena speak once again...
?
@@square-table-gaming Domnal of Zena was a merchant in Dark Souls 1 who had the same voice actor as sorcerer Thops
Actor also voices the Crestfallen Warrior. So I call him Crestfallen Mage.
His makeshift work area is outside the walls. He wasn’t welcome, but he needed to get back to his supplies to finish his work. His completed spell makes you think he wasn’t killed by magic, because he could have shielded himself with that spell. But he has no wounds and died seated in his chair to suggest there wasn’t a struggle at all. The way someone dies of poison.
During my first playthrough after i came across him i couldnt find another glintstone key other than the one being guarded by the dragon, plus i also forgot about his side quest, so i inadvertently saved his life by forgetting to help him.
I would have liked it if they made a personal staff for Thops, which while having a lower intelligence requirement, would have slightly higher scaling, and maybe a special interaction with his spell,for example, if the staff is used to cast Thops' barrier, the incoming magic would be reflected back, rather than diverted.
As an aside, starlight is taught by him and nowhere else, perhaps this has some meaning?
I believe because his barrier can reflect sorcery and incantations he saw that they are one and the same and that's the truth he saw in the current so he was probably a mixed build of faith and intelligence which makes him feel like a bluntstone
Use his spell to clown on spell spammers as it takes much less fp than most major spells.
I hate that when I encounter a friendly character in Souls games...I immediately don't trust them. ☹️😔
Had no idea the homie had such a backstory. Thank you for taking the time.
If you haven't already, check out our Elden Lore playlist. We try to bring light to characters like Thops that other people might gloss over.
Elden Ring - Prepare to Cry Edition :_;
Master Thops of the Bluntstone Conspectus.
Bluntstone is an ironic name: It means he has no talent with glintstone sorcery, but his magnum opus literally blunts the effects of glintstone attacks.
Great lore video! I'm happy that Thops finally got some love
Its such a shame he wasnt able to make his own conspectus and make his own crown which would probs have been unique in the fact that it wouldnt harm the user boosting you only not at the detremaint of somthing else very unlike the other crowns i dont know how he created the spell as i cant see thops involed with the primevil current he says "i wpuldnt belive the illustrious sellen would ever do such things" so he obviously isnt interested in that kind of magic i do belive his barrier could be his sheer will to be taken seriously hes not good at hurting people but his spell can reject even the most powerful spells maybe instead of looking into the glintstone he relised how hard and protective glintstone is maybe he fired a spell at glintstone in anger and noticed it bounced of then he relised wait what if... i think its cute if its that simple, simple science like in real life it suits him and wish you could have taken him to roundtable hold and got a mission to grab his research for him at that table in acdemy and when your elden lord he could take up his rightful place as a conspectus master
Holy Shit
Thops is The Furtive Pigmy
We get the Erudition gesture from Thops, which should be mentioned. It aids us in several of the magical towers of the world. Giving us the tool to open ways that would otherwise be shut to us (Or in need of finding different ways inside).
He is also the only one to teach you the Starlight spell. May be just illumination, but I honestly think it one of the most useful spells in the game, as you don't need to lugg a torch around, and it is much brighter than the lantern.
Wow this was really cool to think about. I thought it a sad storyline with no real positive resolution. You put it into great perspective for me. I also love the theory that he wasn't actually killed but that he attained greatness in his death. Gives his place here so much more meaning and the next time I see his corpse I will not feel pity!
Finally someone shows love to Thops great videos brother. 💯
“Master Thops” made me shed a thug tear
Did he really die? Or is he communing with the stars similar to Ranni? could he be still alive with a projected conscience?
Two Fingers, Mohg, and Goldmask are also able to do something similar. The jellyfish spirit also seems able to move towards the stars
Did he tapped into the primeval current successfully unlike the rest of the masters and sellen? Was he uncorrupted by Astel, the void?
That would make me rethink the relationship of The Greater Will, Melina, the Nox, and the Age of Stars, the debilitating and dangerous Scarlet Rot and even the shattering, what if the greater will destroyed its source of power because it knew it would feed the void otherwise?
Who... Oh .. yeah... that guy.
Well, he was enjoyably squishy. I will give him that much. Was the greatest kindness I could bestow upon him in his dilapidated roofless church.
Missing out on a solid spell by killing this Chad of a mage
Thops needs to be a me fr fr Character
Thops might have given his life - to create the barrier spell.
Sorcerers fuse their souls into a glintstone to live longer lives.
If Thops did not have access to pure or refine glintstone. He might have used his own... to create the spell.
I'm wondering what sort of sorceries could be created under Tophs conspectus.
Probably at least a barrier that could absorb sorcery and incantation energy and then release that energy as an attack. And considering how Elden Ring sorcery has an astrology theme to it, the explosion could look like a small supernova.
Poor Thops 😭
When we find him he is still not wearing a mask either…no one else in Raya Lucaria is maskless except Rennela and her “children” I believe.
Possibly indicating he did not accept a conspectus.
Maybe he had put all his points into arcane instead of int
Well done, yet another banger!
Thops triumphed over those calling him a bluntstone. Do wish it hadn't cost him his life though...
True, but Death is a reward in the lands between.
Awesome another amazing lore video 😊😊
Subbed! Thanks for the great video
That's what we're here for!
Soup
another great video, i love your content and will always be exited for your uploads, just one question... what happened to your voice at 9:18 ?
anyways i hope you have a wonderfull day.
Slight editing issue. Had to re-record a line where I mispronounced "Raya Lucaria"
well now i know, it sounds realy good by the way, maby try doing your intros like that, and thank you for replying.
Thops is such a good boi X3
Why does Elden Ring kill all my good bois?
Thops is my favorite character in elden ring
Solid choice
Thops was a real one. Unfortunately, he the sin of being a half-decent person in a FromSoft game and was thusly punished for it by the true Greater Will.
its a shame he only ever finished his work after the academy fell to ruin
Why does everything I love dies? 😭