STUCK IN COMBAT

forum_gpt · July 20

Hey guys,

So, I've been playing Elder Scrolls Online for a while now, and there's this super annoying bug where you get stuck in combat. Like, seriously, it's driving me crazy. Whether I'm doing PvP or just messing around in PvE, this stupid bug keeps ruining everything.

It feels like ZOS just ignores this problem. Bugs are one thing, but this one has been around forever and it's seriously ruining the game for everyone.

We need ZOS to fix this ASAP. It doesn’t matter if you’re a casual player or a hardcore gamer, this bug affects everyone. I love ESO, but this issue is making it hard to enjoy the game.

If you’ve had this problem too, share your stories and any tricks you’ve found to fix it. Maybe if we all speak up, ZOS will finally do something about it.

forum_propagandist · July 20

The combat bug is remarkably annoying. When in cyrodiil I have to just walk from keep to keep because I can never get out of combat to mount or keep recall stone. Presumably you're still "in combat" with players you were fighting previously but its very frustrating to fight for a few seconds and be unable to mount until the next time you die.

Amazing this bug actually occurs to me in pve too. If im on my mount and aggro some mobs but keep running I can expect to be in combat for the next 2 minutes and sometimes mobs in dungeons get stuck out of the map making using doors or the hardmode scroll later in the dungeon impossible.

Its truly astounding that zos hasnt done something to address this considering the game has been out for 10 years. Perhaps you should just get out of combat if you have dealt any damage or received any damage for 30 seconds or something.

ForumSavant · July 20

Yeah stuck in combat bug is one of the biggest issues with ESO PvP. If they managed to fix this or at least implement a work around, I'm sure a lot of the PvP community would be less aggressive about nothing ever being addressed.

There is no reason to be stuck in combat for upwards of 5 minutes. It ruins the entire cyro experience when you can't mount for over half the time you are on the map. Obviously you don't want to get out of combat instantly, people already que out of cyro at the sight of people they think will kill them, but something simple like making mounting a 5 second channel that stops when you take damage would fix it, even if the stuck in combat bug persists. That, or just make it so that not having taken or dealt damage in the last 20 or so seconds puts you out of combat.

As far as PvE, i know it was implemented to prevent people from swapping sets and over buffing with tons of combinations, but that was when you could get out of combat instantly, and using a timer based system would still be beneficial to both PvE and PvP enormously.

Combat bug is the most annoying part of open world and has ruined several fights for me, hope it gets fixed one day. If that was the entirety of the "PvP update" they have been holding out on for the last year, I'd be happy.

TheLoreMaster420 · July 21

ForumSavant wrote: »

[snip]

I agree with this and/or add a check to see if someone hasn't taken any damage in like 20-30 seconds to remove them from combat

[edited to remove quote]

TheLoreMaster420 · July 21

In the AMA thread on reddit a month ago Rich Lambert answered that a developer team dedicated their entire project to fixing this issue, what is the progress with this? Will this fix go live this year?

Sarannah · July 21

Yes, this is an annoying bug. Especially for those in PvP, as in PvP it seems DOTs often cause this. Has happened to me also.

But in PvE the only time I get the stuck in combat bug, is when another player pulls a mob train through my attack(s). Causing me to get in combat and stay there, because they couldn't be bothered to kill the mobs. Annoys the heck out of me! Otherwise in PvE I never get stuck in combat. Just kill everything you aggro.

For a fix: In PvP ZOS could make it so after 10 seconds of not getting attacked and not attacking anything, combat automatically drops. A fix for stuck in combat in PvE isn't needed, just kill what you aggro. Stuck in combat in PvE is a consequence of not killing everything and causing mob trains, so stuck in combat in PvE is a good thing in my opinion. And should not be changed.

LatentBuzzard · July 21

TheLoreMaster420 wrote: »

In the AMA thread on reddit a month ago Rich Lambert answered that a developer team dedicated their entire project to fixing this issue, what is the progress with this? Will this fix go live this year?

The team devoted their project in a game jam session to the issue, they didn't devote a project as part of their active development duties. Game jam sessions are basically just teams coming up with ideas to "what if" scenarios but that in no way means that the ideas will go any further. If ZOS were serious about fixing it, they'd assign the bug to be fixed as part of normal development duties rather than relying on a team maybe randomly picking it as part of an ideas session.

OsUfi · July 21

ForumSavant wrote: »

Dojohoda wrote: »

ForumSavant wrote: »

Dojohoda wrote: »

[snip]

[snip]

[snip]

forum_gpt wrote: »

[...]
If you’ve had this problem too, share your stories and any tricks you’ve found to fix it. Maybe if we all speak up, ZOS will finally do something about it.

[snip]

OP was asking players on a forum "If you’ve had this problem too, share your stories and any tricks you’ve found to fix it."

@Dojohoda offered a "trick to fix it".

On that front, in PvE I've found popping an invisibility potion often works. Sometimes in PvP too, though it doesn't work as often as in PvE. In Cyro if your campaigns not full, you can always try the portal to Sheos hammer quest in your alliance base. That can get you of combat, but if your campaigns full, you can have a wait to get back in.

[edited to remove quote]

redlink1979 · July 21

It's been here for so long, I kind see it as a feature now....

ZOS_Icy · July 21

Greetings,

We have recently removed some unnecessary back and forth from this thread. This is a reminder to keep the discussion civil and constructive. Please keep our Community Rules in mind moving forward.

Thank you for your understanding.

Old_Foggy · July 21

Whenever I get stuck like this I toggle between Primary and backup weapons and it fixes it.

ForumSavant · July 21

Old_Foggy wrote: »

Whenever I get stuck like this I toggle between Primary and backup weapons and it fixes it.

How does swapping weapons fix this at all?

CGPsaint · July 21

Stuck in combat has been a feature of ESO almost from the start, so if the thousands upon thousands of complaints haven't prompted ZoS to fix or change something by now, then it's not going to happen.

LikaShade · July 21

You cannot fast travel when enemies are nearby.

N00BxV1 · July 21

This (stuck in combat) happens in PVE as well...

It used to be really bad in every base game dungeon with doors like Wayrest Sewers etc. We'd have to wait for "stuck in combat" to end just to use the doors. Most of the dungeon doors seem to have gotten better, but it sometimes still happens. For example every single time in Blackheart Haven after the Wraith boss at that last door, someone will be "stuck in combat" for up to 30 seconds before they can use the door.

It also sometimes still happens in several base game dungeons when trying to use the Hard Mode Scrolls... And it can be stressful trying to use the Hard Mode Scroll in dungeons while grouped with randoms, because some people don't know or don't care and will pull the boss before you can activate Hard Mode (some bosses can be reset, but others can not without the whole group wiping)... If it's a base game dungeon then there is no reason not to do Hard Mode... Someone may need the pledge and/or achievements... It's easy, so just do it!

And there are at least a couple of DLC dungeons where it happens every time. Ruins of Mazzatun is a perfect example... When doing the floor puzzle that opens the cages, we will have to wait for "stuck in combat" to end just to use each symbol's switch, and using a switch causes more adds to spawn, and then it's more waiting (well after all the adds have died) to use the next switch... Also we kill every mob along the way, and when we get to the last boss we are not in combat, but after the boss dies we will be stuck in combat until we leave the dungeon.

Being "stuck in combat" in group dungeons is especially bad if you're the tank and trying to get to the next pack of mobs or boss before everyone else... Because being in combat reduces sprint speed (and recoveries), wearing heavy armor reduces sprint speed, and we usually don't have constant movement speed buffs... So I'm always looking for critters that I can hit with chains (if on DK) to get a few seconds of movement speed, and have also been using Essence of Speed potions, just so that I can keep up with the other players that always have higher movement speed. Sure, I could slot Rapid Maneuver, Race Against Time, etc. but that would require me dropping something else because bar space is limited.

Also the other day I was doing the Scribing tutorial quest on several of my alt characters. And while on the part in the Scholarium where you have to kill the 3 adds and retrieve the crystal from the crate, I noticed that some of my characters were getting "stuck in combat" for several seconds after the mobs had died (forcing me to wait before I could collect the crystal from the crate), but then some of my characters were out of combat instantly when the mobs died. I have no idea what was causing it because I was alone and there were only 3 adds and they were all dead.

"Stuck in combat" is absolutely the worst bug in the entire game... Nothing else has ever had me rage so frickin hard and for so many years... I wish they'd just remove the whole dang mechanic because it's just a hindrance and seems to serve no purpose other than to annoy the hell out of us. "You can not ___ while in combat."

EdjeSwift · July 21

N00BxV1 wrote: »

This (stuck in combat) happens in PVE as well...

It used to be really bad in every base game dungeon with doors like Wayrest Sewers etc. We'd have to wait for "stuck in combat" to end just to use the doors. Most of the dungeon doors seem to have gotten better, but it sometimes still happens. For example every single time in Blackheart Haven after the Wraith boss at that last door, someone will be "stuck in combat" for up to 30 seconds before they can use the door.
[cut for brevity]
And there are at least a couple of DLC dungeons where it happens every time. Ruins of Mazzatun is a perfect example... When doing the floor puzzle that opens the cages, we will have to wait for "stuck in combat" to end just to use each symbol's switch, and using a switch causes more adds to spawn, and then it's more waiting (well after all the adds have died) to use the next switch... Also we kill every mob along the way, and when we get to the last boss we are not in combat, but after the boss dies we will be stuck in combat until we leave the dungeon.

All three of these examples are explained by not clearing pulls. Wayrest is/was notorious for the first door because someone would aggro the crocodiles in the first room and you'd be in combat unless you killed them/they timed out. You can avoid this by waiting before engaging Slimecraw to see if anyone hit an ability that aggroed the crocs below.

Blackheart is common there because of the harpies/pirates that might be in a shadowed alcove you missed.

Mazz is the same because people like to skip pulls or avoid combat and may have slipped up and aggroed a crab somewhere. Mazz is the worst because speedrunners don't realize that by clearing enemies you save time because it makes that puzzle go miles faster by doing it rather than letting it time out.

Generally speaking, in PvE, if you're stuck in combat it's your own doing. Sure, sometimes, like Cradle of Shadows, you get an enemy spawned in the ceiling but usually if you clear everything you won't be in combat. Now the bad leashing in this game... that's something else.

N00BxV1 · July 21

ForumSavant wrote: »

Old_Foggy wrote: »

Whenever I get stuck like this I toggle between Primary and backup weapons and it fixes it.

How does swapping weapons fix this at all?

I've heard all kinds of theories like swapping weapon bars, dodge rolling, crouching, etc. will fix "stuck in combat." But none of these things actually work to remove you from combat. It's just a time-based thing... And I think when some people say it worked for them, it's because the state just happened to end whenever they did these actions.

There are plenty of times I've been "stuck in combat" and crouched, seen my character go into the "Hidden" state, but still be in stuck in combat. Normally you can not go into the "Hidden" state while in combat, but the "stuck in combat" bug sometimes allows it to happen anyway...

JustLovely · July 21

TheLoreMaster420 wrote: »

In the AMA thread on reddit a month ago Rich Lambert answered that a developer team dedicated their entire project to fixing this issue, what is the progress with this? Will this fix go live this year?

Consider the source.

N00BxV1 · July 21

EdjeSwift wrote: »

N00BxV1 wrote: »

This (stuck in combat) happens in PVE as well...

It used to be really bad in every base game dungeon with doors like Wayrest Sewers etc. We'd have to wait for "stuck in combat" to end just to use the doors. Most of the dungeon doors seem to have gotten better, but it sometimes still happens. For example every single time in Blackheart Haven after the Wraith boss at that last door, someone will be "stuck in combat" for up to 30 seconds before they can use the door.
[cut for brevity]
And there are at least a couple of DLC dungeons where it happens every time. Ruins of Mazzatun is a perfect example... When doing the floor puzzle that opens the cages, we will have to wait for "stuck in combat" to end just to use each symbol's switch, and using a switch causes more adds to spawn, and then it's more waiting (well after all the adds have died) to use the next switch... Also we kill every mob along the way, and when we get to the last boss we are not in combat, but after the boss dies we will be stuck in combat until we leave the dungeon.

All three of these examples are explained by not clearing pulls. Wayrest is/was notorious for the first door because someone would aggro the crocodiles in the first room and you'd be in combat unless you killed them/they timed out. You can avoid this by waiting before engaging Slimecraw to see if anyone hit an ability that aggroed the crocs below.

Blackheart is common there because of the harpies/pirates that might be in a shadowed alcove you missed.

Mazz is the same because people like to skip pulls or avoid combat and may have slipped up and aggroed a crab somewhere. Mazz is the worst because speedrunners don't realize that by clearing enemies you save time because it makes that puzzle go miles faster by doing it rather than letting it time out.

Generally speaking, in PvE, if you're stuck in combat it's your own doing. Sure, sometimes, like Cradle of Shadows, you get an enemy spawned in the ceiling but usually if you clear everything you won't be in combat. Now the bad leashing in this game... that's something else.

Nope... I get what you're saying, but it is not always the cause of the "stuck in combat" bug in dungeons... I have tested it with groups before by making sure to kill everything, but will still get stuck in combat regardless.

We have completely cleared dungeons, but still been stuck in combat... In Wayrest Sewers, we have made sure to kill all adds, alligators etc., but still been stuck in combat. In Blackheart Haven, we have made sure to kill all adds, every Harpy even the ones stuck in the air and in the rocks that can't be pulled, but still been stuck in combat. In Mazzatun, we killed every single add, all of the crabs etc., even the ones that "speed runners" like to skip, but still been stuck in combat...

Being "stuck in combat" is not always caused by aggro from adds. If it was then how do you explain it in Cyrodiil, or after dying and respawning in Battlegrounds... It also happens because of abilities, buffs and debuffs, etc. that persist (or bug out) and causing the in-combat state to drag on...

EdjeSwift · July 21

N00BxV1 wrote: »

Nope... I get what you're saying, but it is not always the cause of the "stuck in combat" bug in dungeons... I have tested it with groups before by making sure to kill everything, but will still get stuck in combat regardless.

We have completely cleared dungeons, but still been stuck in combat... In Wayrest Sewers, we have made sure to kill all adds, alligators etc., but still been stuck in combat. In Blackheart Haven, we have made sure to kill all adds, every Harpy even the ones stuck in the air and in the rocks that can't be pulled, but still been stuck in combat. In Mazzatun, we killed every single add, all of the crabs etc., even the ones that "speed runners" like to skip, but still been stuck in combat...

Being "stuck in combat" is not always caused by aggro from adds. If it was then how do you explain it in Cyrodiil, or after dying and respawning in Battlegrounds... It also happens because of abilities, buffs and debuffs, etc. that persist (or bug out) and causing the in-combat state to drag on...

I've run countless dungeons and I have the exact opposite experience, all my stuck in combats, outside of CoS are due to players. I'm on PC with addons and one of my most useful tools is my minimap which only appears when I'm not in combat so I have a clear visual indicator of when I'm in combat/not in combat so if we get to a point where we should be out of combat and aren't, I usually go back and clear the offending mob. I've never not cleared every pack and been stuck in combat. Mobs hide and unless you're consistently checking the menu for a red border or have the visual indicator like my minimap you may be in combat and not know it.

As for PvP, that's a known issue where we've theorized countless reasons why but it's generally accepted that the PvP stuck in combat bug is wholly independent of the "PvE bug".

blktauna · July 21

OsUfi wrote: »

ForumSavant wrote: »

Dojohoda wrote: »

ForumSavant wrote: »

Dojohoda wrote: »

[snip]

[snip]

[snip]

forum_gpt wrote: »

[...]
If you’ve had this problem too, share your stories and any tricks you’ve found to fix it. Maybe if we all speak up, ZOS will finally do something about it.

[snip]

OP was asking players on a forum "If you’ve had this problem too, share your stories and any tricks you’ve found to fix it."

@Dojohoda offered a "trick to fix it".

On that front, in PvE I've found popping an invisibility potion often works. Sometimes in PvP too, though it doesn't work as often as in PvE. In Cyro if your campaigns not full, you can always try the portal to Sheos hammer quest in your alliance base. That can get you of combat, but if your campaigns full, you can have a wait to get back in.

[edited to remove quote]

except when I'm stuck in combat I can't interact with doors or anything requiring the "E" so no porting from stone unless you mean deadport there.

OsUfi · July 21

blktauna wrote: »

OsUfi wrote: »

ForumSavant wrote: »

Dojohoda wrote: »

ForumSavant wrote: »

Dojohoda wrote: »

[snip]

[snip]

[snip]

forum_gpt wrote: »

[...]
If you’ve had this problem too, share your stories and any tricks you’ve found to fix it. Maybe if we all speak up, ZOS will finally do something about it.

[snip]

OP was asking players on a forum "If you’ve had this problem too, share your stories and any tricks you’ve found to fix it."

@Dojohoda offered a "trick to fix it".

On that front, in PvE I've found popping an invisibility potion often works. Sometimes in PvP too, though it doesn't work as often as in PvE. In Cyro if your campaigns not full, you can always try the portal to Sheos hammer quest in your alliance base. That can get you of combat, but if your campaigns full, you can have a wait to get back in.

[edited to remove quote]

except when I'm stuck in combat I can't interact with doors or anything requiring the "E" so no porting from stone unless you mean deadport there.

Slaughter fish 4 lyfe.

Well, death, but if it gets us out of combat...

ForumSavant · July 21

N00BxV1 wrote: »

ForumSavant wrote: »

Old_Foggy wrote: »

Whenever I get stuck like this I toggle between Primary and backup weapons and it fixes it.

How does swapping weapons fix this at all?

I've heard all kinds of theories like swapping weapon bars, dodge rolling, crouching, etc. will fix "stuck in combat." But none of these things actually work to remove you from combat. It's just a time-based thing... And I think when some people say it worked for them, it's because the state just happened to end whenever they did these actions.

There are plenty of times I've been "stuck in combat" and crouched, seen my character go into the "Hidden" state, but still be in stuck in combat. Normally you can not go into the "Hidden" state while in combat, but the "stuck in combat" bug sometimes allows it to happen anyway...

Yeah, the flashing red border is what I use to indicate whether or not I'm actually in combat, since being hidden doesn't matter. The only thing that generally fixes it is by killing everything you are in combat with. Obviously in PvE this is easier, even though it can be a pain with mobs resetting back and forth once they are pulled too far, but in PvP people can put an effect on you and then just sit on a keep and you have zero chance to do anything to them and can be kept in combat for what feels like eternity.

Realistically there is no actual fix for it. Killing everything is the only way to get out, but that doesn't fix the issue in instances where that isn't possible. Just need a work around, which has been proposed several times with plenty of different options.

Jaraal · July 21

OsUfi wrote: »

blktauna wrote: »

OsUfi wrote: »

ForumSavant wrote: »

Dojohoda wrote: »

ForumSavant wrote: »

Dojohoda wrote: »

[snip]

[snip]

[snip]

forum_gpt wrote: »

[...]
If you’ve had this problem too, share your stories and any tricks you’ve found to fix it. Maybe if we all speak up, ZOS will finally do something about it.

[snip]

OP was asking players on a forum "If you’ve had this problem too, share your stories and any tricks you’ve found to fix it."

@Dojohoda offered a "trick to fix it".

On that front, in PvE I've found popping an invisibility potion often works. Sometimes in PvP too, though it doesn't work as often as in PvE. In Cyro if your campaigns not full, you can always try the portal to Sheos hammer quest in your alliance base. That can get you of combat, but if your campaigns full, you can have a wait to get back in.

[edited to remove quote]

except when I'm stuck in combat I can't interact with doors or anything requiring the "E" so no porting from stone unless you mean deadport there.

Slaughter fish 4 lyfe.

Well, death, but if it gets us out of combat...

There are plenty of times where I've died in Cyrodiil and revived and I am still in combat.

When you are far from the action but still stuck in combat, check your character sheet and see if you have the 49,710 (integer stack overflow) day debuff bug. It's not always the case, but many times they are coincidental.

JustLovely wrote: »

TheLoreMaster420 wrote: »

In the AMA thread on reddit a month ago Rich Lambert answered that a developer team dedicated their entire project to fixing this issue, what is the progress with this? Will this fix go live this year?

Consider the source.

At least experience the actual changes before guessing and going off the deep end...

darvaria · July 21

This has been requested ... begged for .... FOR YEARS.

Just remove it from the game. Both PVP and PVE players. Seriously what purpose does it serve?

Synapsis123 · July 22

Just remove combat from the game. If you swap gear or skills in combat just remove all buffs the player has. You could also just only allow swapping gear or skills if you haven't taken damage, dealt damage, or healed anyone within the last 20 seconds.

VvwvenomwvV · July 22

I've been stuck in combat with my wife ever since we got married...

Synapsis123 · July 22

How about add some sort of long cast option that removes you from combat? If you can stand still and complete a 15 second channel then obviously you aren't really in combat.

Old_Foggy · July 22

ForumSavant wrote: »

Old_Foggy wrote: »

Whenever I get stuck like this I toggle between Primary and backup weapons and it fixes it.

How does swapping weapons fix this at all?

No idea, I read it somewhere once when I was stuck and it's worked for me every time I have had to do it.

BetweenMidgets · July 22

I wouldn't hold my breath for a stuck in combat fix.

It isn't very likely that any of the original architects of the server are around, and going through the code and finding out what is causing the problem... after THIS many years?

If they could have done it, I think they would have done it.

As it is, while I agree it is ridiculously annoying, I think it will likely be here until the game dies.

Lylith · July 22

redlink1979 wrote: »

It's been here for so long, I kind see it as a feature now....

yep.

not a day goes by that it's not a part of my game, even in pve.