Is the new vMA 2H worth using?

OBJnoob · October 2023

I don't know how long ago the change happened but I noticed the new effect just last night.

I feel like it might be a good BB weapon for a PvP bowsorc using Crystal Weapon, Overload, and Bound Armaments.

Was wondering if any of you PC and/or PTS players had any insights into its effectiveness. I can't think of any other spec that it'd be good on TBH but a stamsorc can do a lot of instances of direct damage.

And I like the fact that it's a buff on the sorc rather than a debuff on the enemy. Should be pretty functional I would think?

Udrath · October 2023

Ran it on stamplar with draugrkin and dragons appetite/malacath. It added 3000 flat damage to 1 jabs channel and 1000 extra damage to all aoe direct attacks to like crescent sweep ticks, blade cloak, solar barrage, burning light. Was going go super heavy into stamina recovery with it and use esoteric greaves but never did

Idk stamsorc maybe try it with flurry maelstrom or something.

gariondavey · October 2023

Use it back bar with charged force pulse draugrkin front bar, shreds people.

gariondavey · October 2023

Udrath wrote: »

Ran it on stamplar with draugrkin and dragons appetite/malacath. It added 3000 flat damage to 1 jabs channel and 1000 extra damage to all aoe direct attacks to like crescent sweep ticks, blade cloak, solar barrage, burning light. Was going go super heavy into stamina recovery with it and use esoteric greaves but never did

Idk stamsorc maybe try it with flurry maelstrom or something.

Flurry would be the move if you refuse to use force pulse, but maelstrom doesn't buff the flurry itself, sadly, making that arena weapon pretty doo-doo.

OBJnoob · October 2023

Hmm all good ideas thank you. Keep'm coming!

OBJnoob · October 2023

gariondavey wrote: »

Use it back bar with charged force pulse draugrkin front bar, shreds people.

So I don't have draugrkin but I do have a charged ice staff of the fire. Do you think a similar setup would be good on a warden?

I don't use Destro on my stamsorc (though I probably should,) I've been locked into bow/bow or bow/resto for a while. He has DW and 2H leveled up already from years ago but don't think I ever leveled up Destro or shield.

El_Borracho · October 2023

Unless there is a new change forthcoming, this is the weapon, right?

(2 items) Adds 1190 Offensive Penetration, Activating Critical Charge stirs up a barbarous lust for battle within you for 18 seconds, increasing your damage done with direct damage attacks by 93, up to a maximum of 560. This effect scales off the higher of your Weapon or Spell Damage.

I've used it with some effectiveness on a Stamsorc with Way of Fire/Order's Wrath to pump up the crit damage on the Crit Rush. The long range (22m) makes it hit pretty hard. Follow up with Streak/Hurricane/Executioner or Reverse Slice.

I remember messing around with the VMA 2H with Hrothgar's as well (instead of Order's Wrath). Was it the best combo? Oh, no. But it was fun. And it did trap players long enough to get them down to execute range

OBJnoob · October 2023

Encouraging to hear you had some success @El_Borracho

My first attempt is going to be a little different than that. I don't plan on fighting with the 2H, and I'm gonna try stampede for the AoE. I'm aware nobody will stand in it for long, but you never know in battlegrounds or cyrodiil you could put it on a flag or something for crit surge heals. In tandem with hurricane of course.

Gonna do my damage with the bow. No matter how many toons I play bowsorc remains the most fun for me. Sadly not my best character, but you know.

I have Orders Wrath active on both bars, VMA 2H BB, and rallying cry FB. Gaze of Sithis +1 trainee. Using hardened ward, stacking max HP. Havent tried it out yet, had to go to bed last night.

Udrath · October 2023

I haven’t played stamsorc in a while but have the same gear on him for a long time as a flurry build. Night mothers gaze, and deadly. I use ball of lighting as snare removal and rune cage as my stun. Ran vMA 2h when it was a bleed. Combo was pretty much curse>stampede>rune cage>bar swap cancel>flurry spam maybe a rending>saved dawnbreaker in case they roll dodge. Used Ball of lightning defensively if I was in trouble.

I used rune cage because the delay, and the ruffian passives is extra 15% damage to flurry when they’re stunned. Was fun build if you like hit and run stamsorc. Rune caged gets dodged a lot so I used rooting stamina cost increase poisons.

gariondavey · October 2023

OBJnoob wrote: »

gariondavey wrote: »

Use it back bar with charged force pulse draugrkin front bar, shreds people.

So I don't have draugrkin but I do have a charged ice staff of the fire. Do you think a similar setup would be good on a warden?

I don't use Destro on my stamsorc (though I probably should,) I've been locked into bow/bow or bow/resto for a while. He has DW and 2H leveled up already from years ago but don't think I ever leveled up Destro or shield.

Number of instances of damage with force pulse (when charged) or things like double dot poisons have remarkable synergy with sets like draugrkin and dragon's appetite.
Way of fire is a very nice set, for sure.
But in terms of what matches best with maelstrom 2h, it is force pulse + draugrkin.

OBJnoob · October 2023

@gariondavey I don't really enjoy wearing what everyone else is wearing. I was really hoping to use the vMA instead of draugrkin, to be honest, to a similar effect but with a little more originality.

The vMA has the stipulation of direct damage so I'm pretty sure double dot poisons won't be effected and I'm not sure if burning/chilled procs will either.

Force pulse, on the other hand, should work and is a great idea. Who knows maybe I'll throw the same setup on my magsorc instead. I have always kinda imagined using charged with force pulse to be a bit of a waste though if you're also using Ele Sus. Don't get me wrong I understand about the interaction with draugrkin but otherwise it's all a bit duplicative isn't it? And sharpened or nirnhoned would be better?

Necrotech_Master · October 2023

i personally didnt really like the change, but i would agree with the combo with draugrkin would make crushing shock/force pulse hit like a truck lol

merpins · October 2023

Good on my stam warden. A pretty hefty DPS increase. Of course it doesn't take much to increase the damage tooltip of the lowest performing class in PVE.

It's good though. depending on your class or build, it's better than before.

gariondavey · October 2023

OBJnoob wrote: »

@gariondavey I don't really enjoy wearing what everyone else is wearing. I was really hoping to use the vMA instead of draugrkin, to be honest, to a similar effect but with a little more originality.

The vMA has the stipulation of direct damage so I'm pretty sure double dot poisons won't be effected and I'm not sure if burning/chilled procs will either.

Force pulse, on the other hand, should work and is a great idea. Who knows maybe I'll throw the same setup on my magsorc instead. I have always kinda imagined using charged with force pulse to be a bit of a waste though if you're also using Ele Sus. Don't get me wrong I understand about the interaction with draugrkin but otherwise it's all a bit duplicative isn't it? And sharpened or nirnhoned would be better?

Burning, no, chilled, yes, concussed, yes.
You could definitely use it without draugrkin. However, the best spammable to make use of it other than force pulse would be rapid strikes.
So front bar master dw, body dragon's appetite, back bar maelstrom 2h. Engine guardian or monster set of choice, mythic jewel of choice, 2 trainee or 1 trainee 1 druid.
Stampede into rending into rapid strikes. Can add on bound armaments.
Bars would be
Bound armaments, rapid strikes, quick cloak, rending slashes, streak, dawnbreaker
Stampede, dark deal, vigor, crit surge, hurricane, undo/negate/whatever.

Edit: as for the question about nirn or sharp with a destro staff using force pulse...charged is the way to go if using draugrkin + maelstrom 2h for sure.

SandandStars · October 2023

engine guardian is shameful.

could never bring myself to use it.

it is one of my many self-imposed pvp weaknesses.

alas

taugrim · November 2023

SandandStars wrote: »

engine guardian is shameful.

could never bring myself to use it.

it is one of my many self-imposed pvp weaknesses.

alas

Engine Guardian has made a big comeback recently in BGs. Pretty common. I notice on my Stamplar because targeting my actual target is a pain LOL.

I refuse to use Vampirism. Undeath is so broken in terms of cost / benefit.

SandandStars · November 2023

Totally sgree @taugrim , no vampirism/undeath for me either.

Couldn’t take any satisfaction beating an opponent who’s not running it. Crutches just make victories hollow.

taugrim · November 2023

Udrath wrote: »

Ran it on stamplar with draugrkin and dragons appetite/malacath. It added 3000 flat damage to 1 jabs channel and 1000 extra damage to all aoe direct attacks to like crescent sweep ticks, blade cloak, solar barrage, burning light.

So MC seems to only affect direct damage:

(2 items) Activating Critical Charge stirs up a barbarous lust for battle within you for 18 seconds, increasing your damage done with direct damage attacks by 342, up to a maximum of 560. This effect scales off the higher of your Weapon or Spell Damage.

How do you figure it's buffing Crescent Sweep ticks, Blade Cloak, and Solar Barrage?