2 Bars Swapping putting me off game

Adam_Chattaway · May 21

I've played mmos since GW1/WoW, And as much as I love the World and Quests of ESO, the combat truly ruins the game for me. I can't manage 2 bars, it feels horrible, I hate having to keep swapping weapon to constantly non stop re apply 10 second buffs etc, it feels like most time in combat is just bar swapping and re applying... the most awful combat I've ever had in an MMO, It's literally such a high skill ceiling it's just made for the few people who have IQ 1000 and can manage it as the only game they play 18 hours a day. I've got and used the Oak Ring, but it's not competitive at alll in PVP and in PVE it limits your dmg too much, I play arcanist and feel like you're forced to use specific abilities for the crux builder and spender so limits my 1 bar more. Why was the game ever made to be like this?

Pevey · May 21

Very early in the life of the game, buff skills lasted much longer. The durations were shortened drastically in a single pass some time around 2019, I think. Especially for sources of major expedition. If memory serves, it was around the same time shield durations were drastically shortened. I mostly played warden at the time, and it was a real pain because so many of the skills were buff skills. ZOS seems to have some recognition that this is a pain point, since over time more and more skills have gotten the “while slotted on either bar” treatment, so you don’t have to actively cast them just to get buffs. There are still some though that are really annoying.

Pixiepumpkin · May 21

Adam_Chattaway wrote: »

I've played mmos since GW1/WoW, And as much as I love the World and Quests of ESO, the combat truly ruins the game for me. I can't manage 2 bars, it feels horrible, I hate having to keep swapping weapon to constantly non stop re apply 10 second buffs etc, it feels like most time in combat is just bar swapping and re applying... the most awful combat I've ever had in an MMO, It's literally such a high skill ceiling it's just made for the few people who have IQ 1000 and can manage it as the only game they play 18 hours a day. I've got and used the Oak Ring, but it's not competitive at alll in PVP and in PVE it limits your dmg too much, I play arcanist and feel like you're forced to use specific abilities for the crux builder and spender so limits my 1 bar more. Why was the game ever made to be like this?

It appears that the game was designed with bar swapping so that one game could be made to work on multiple gaming platforms, meaning PC, XBOX and Playstation. Because consoles are limited in buttons due to the controllers, the spells used would be minimal. Bar swapping allows for more skills to be employed (double the amount) while retaining the limited button count of controllers.
The mechanic of swapping "Weapons" was most likely designed to give credibility to why bar swapping would exist. It makes it more understandable.

This allows the game to be sold across multiple platforms, generating more revenue, which is in my estimation, why the design was put forth in the first place. You can see that philosophy throughout the game of recycling and making things already made used over and over. Sub classing that is coming does this. The character models do this (there is really only 1 race in ESO, with 10 different heads.

Now, I agree with you on the swapping bars too often to buff over and over. I hate the mechanic. Buffing is not fun like actually using a skill that does something like a pull, teleport, or even some cool AOE DPS.

It's also hard on older hands or folks with arthritis. It's also hard on folks with high ping as the swapping is not reliable.

Frankly, the way I would have done it is to make weapons feel more like weapons and be unique to themselves without any buffing. New World does an amazing job with this. Their bar swap mechanic feels more natural as its not necessary to swap unless you want to change weapon type for a different playstyle. Sadly, the rest of the game is bleh imo.

This is my guess as to why bar swapping was designed and implemented.

RandomKodiak · May 21

Not sure what your set up is but you can play Arc with 4 buttons and an ult. I have issues with hand shake and carpal tunnel so I play as simple as possible builds. I put my bar swap on mouse button 4 (the back page on my mouse) so I can just tap it with my thumb. As far as rotation Keep wall and whichever version of Inspiration you prefer up from back bar, on Front bar flail, flail, beam 2x, reup back bar, drop ulti as needed. 5 buttons, depending on gear 60-80k damage on the trial dummy and even better because of AoE in actual content. Hope this helps.

Nissowolf · May 21

sorry, but this game is litteraly much easier than wow, or FF. Like a lot. And saying "there's a lot of skill needed to use 12 skills" isn't really speaking in your favor.
Oak Ring is litteraly what gives the opportunity to players sharing your mind or your set of skills to have a dps equivalent to a player using 2 bars, and it was a BiS item when it came out.

The arcanist is litteraly the easiest class, you can use 3 skills only and solo a public dungeon at level 4.

If you find this hard, i sincerely don't know what to tell you. Maybe just stop playing videogames involving more than 4 apm, but i'm told it's kind of insulting. I get it, you find it hard. But it's not gonna be easier than that in any other MMO. Wow requires to use at least 20 skills, same for FFXIV.
So, yeah, it's kind of a "you're not good at it" and not a "the game is badly designed" because everything is made by developpers to be an easy no-brainer, especially if you use arcanist 1 bar oak ring.

Gabriel_H · May 21

It is technically possible to write an addon that would give a 1 to 10 key press for skills and display a skillbar on the UI, and auto swap to the backbar when pressing 6 to 10 (and either staying on that bar until 1 to 5 are pressed or immediately swapping back after the skill cast).

There would however need to clarification from @ZOS as to whether this would violate policy as it is a technically a macro - one key press to perform 2+ actions.

Adam_Chattaway · May 21

Pixiepumpkin wrote: »

Adam_Chattaway wrote: »

I've played mmos since GW1/WoW, And as much as I love the World and Quests of ESO, the combat truly ruins the game for me. I can't manage 2 bars, it feels horrible, I hate having to keep swapping weapon to constantly non stop re apply 10 second buffs etc, it feels like most time in combat is just bar swapping and re applying... the most awful combat I've ever had in an MMO, It's literally such a high skill ceiling it's just made for the few people who have IQ 1000 and can manage it as the only game they play 18 hours a day. I've got and used the Oak Ring, but it's not competitive at alll in PVP and in PVE it limits your dmg too much, I play arcanist and feel like you're forced to use specific abilities for the crux builder and spender so limits my 1 bar more. Why was the game ever made to be like this?

It appears that the game was designed with bar swapping so that one game could be made to work on multiple gaming platforms, meaning PC, XBOX and Playstation. Because consoles are limited in buttons due to the controllers, the spells used would be minimal. Bar swapping allows for more skills to be employed (double the amount) while retaining the limited button count of controllers.
The mechanic of swapping "Weapons" was most likely designed to give credibility to why bar swapping would exist. It makes it more understandable.

This allows the game to be sold across multiple platforms, generating more revenue, which is in my estimation, why the design was put forth in the first place. You can see that philosophy throughout the game of recycling and making things already made used over and over. Sub classing that is coming does this. The character models do this (there is really only 1 race in ESO, with 10 different heads.

Now, I agree with you on the swapping bars too often to buff over and over. I hate the mechanic. Buffing is not fun like actually using a skill that does something like a pull, teleport, or even some cool AOE DPS.

It's also hard on older hands or folks with arthritis. It's also hard on folks with high ping as the swapping is not reliable.

Frankly, the way I would have done it is to make weapons feel more like weapons and be unique to themselves without any buffing. New World does an amazing job with this. Their bar swap mechanic feels more natural as its not necessary to swap unless you want to change weapon type for a different playstyle. Sadly, the rest of the game is bleh imo.

This is my guess as to why bar swapping was designed and implemented.

FFXIV works perfectly well with controller on PC and console, with the triggers switching hotbars and the d pad also working for the 16 hotbar slots. the problem with ESO is not just the ability to swap bars, if this was Solely for the purpose or a different playstyle, lets say melee to bow or 2h to sword and shield, but its forcing you to bar swap just for stacking dots or buffs, not because of a style change, so that's why it feels super bad to me. In a nut shell this game has far too many buffs and dots and is all about reapply reapply reapply. my affliction warlock in wow was not this bad...

Adam_Chattaway · May 21

Nissowolf wrote: »

sorry, but this game is litteraly much easier than wow, or FF. Like a lot. And saying "there's a lot of skill needed to use 12 skills" isn't really speaking in your favor.
Oak Ring is litteraly what gives the opportunity to players sharing your mind or your set of skills to have a dps equivalent to a player using 2 bars, and it was a BiS item when it came out.

The arcanist is litteraly the easiest class, you can use 3 skills only and solo a public dungeon at level 4.

If you find this hard, i sincerely don't know what to tell you. Maybe just stop playing videogames involving more than 4 apm, but i'm told it's kind of insulting. I get it, you find it hard. But it's not gonna be easier than that in any other MMO. Wow requires to use at least 20 skills, same for FFXIV.
So, yeah, it's kind of a "you're not good at it" and not a "the game is badly designed" because everything is made by developpers to be an easy no-brainer, especially if you use arcanist 1 bar oak ring.

Let me stop you there, No it's not, In ESO I can't parse over 45k dmg as arcanist, in WOW im topping raid meters on damage after a month. #1 reason i see on redit and youtube quit ESO? the combat, Never had an issue in wow, wow doesn't force you to spam reapply 10 second buffs in a highly mobile, competitive, 10000 gear sets system, ESO Skill ceiling is the difference between 20k dps and 130k dps, THINK ABOUT THAT 25K > 130K from SKILL, that's WRONG.

Gabriel_H · May 21

Adam_Chattaway wrote: »

THINK ABOUT THAT 25K > 130K from SKILL, that's WRONG.

Strongly disgree.

Urzigurumash · May 21

Between Subclassing and Scribing I think there's a few ways to really minimize this, getting essential buffs passively and from using skills you'd use anyhow. In PvP Oakensoul forces you into 1 role - dd, tank, or heal - where you can pull off 2 roles with 2 bars. But, lots of people have had luck with Mighty Chudan Monster Set, like lots, which gives Resolve passively. Take Arc's passive Brutality and NB's passive Savagery, that's the 3 basic essential buffs passively. Slot skills with passive effects, like Flare in the Support Line, and use Scribing to get buffs with some of your basic attacks. (I cant recommend Vault or Smash yet tho sadly)

Conversely however these things also reward stacking tons of various 4 second long effects and such pushing you further from the meta. But if you're new that doesnt really matter at all.

Adam_Chattaway · May 21

Gabriel_H wrote: »

Adam_Chattaway wrote: »

THINK ABOUT THAT 25K > 130K from SKILL, that's WRONG.

Strongly disgree.

facts don't care about your feelings. you aint hitting 130k on 1 bar without buff stacking and dot stacking and this required HIGH skill and years of practice. Oh and what about weaving? Animation cancelling?

Adam_Chattaway · May 21

Urzigurumash wrote: »

Between Subclassing and Scribing I think there's a few ways to really minimize this, getting essential buffs passively and from using skills you'd use anyhow. In PvP Oakensoul forces you into 1 role - dd, tank, or heal - where you can pull off 2 roles with 2 bars. But, lots of people have had luck with Mighty Chudan Monster Set, like lots, which gives Resolve passively. Take Arc's passive Brutality and NB's passive Savagery, that's the 3 basic essential buffs passively. Slot skills with passive effects, like Flare in the Support Line, and use Scribing to get buffs with some of your basic attacks. (I cant recommend Vault or Smash yet tho sadly)

Conversely however these things also reward stacking tons of various 4 second long effects and such pushing you further from the meta. But if you're new that doesnt really matter at all.

Thats the problem with ESO though isnt it which no other MMO suffers from, ESO is all about buffs buffs buffs, No ot her mmo i've played is completely build around buffs and set bonuses like this. hell in FFXIV theres 1 set and no speccing lol, your class is set skills, set spec, set gear.

barney2525 · May 21

I don't use 2 bar. Hate swapping.

I don't care about being the top dmg dealer. I just want to be able to contribute and survive. I payattention to one bar build recommendations and I just have fun.

Every game has a few things that the individual is not going to like. Doesn't make the game bad. Just makes it more of a challenge to adapt to. Sometimes a game has negative aspects that completely turn me off. That's when I look for a different game.

Edit: and I have never gotten an Oaken ring either, but still only use a 1 bar build.

kurbbie_s · May 21

Pixiepumpkin wrote: »

Adam_Chattaway wrote: »

I've played mmos since GW1/WoW, And as much as I love the World and Quests of ESO, the combat truly ruins the game for me. I can't manage 2 bars, it feels horrible, I hate having to keep swapping weapon to constantly non stop re apply 10 second buffs etc, it feels like most time in combat is just bar swapping and re applying... the most awful combat I've ever had in an MMO, It's literally such a high skill ceiling it's just made for the few people who have IQ 1000 and can manage it as the only game they play 18 hours a day. I've got and used the Oak Ring, but it's not competitive at alll in PVP and in PVE it limits your dmg too much, I play arcanist and feel like you're forced to use specific abilities for the crux builder and spender so limits my 1 bar more. Why was the game ever made to be like this?

It appears that the game was designed with bar swapping so that one game could be made to work on multiple gaming platforms, meaning PC, XBOX and Playstation. Because consoles are limited in buttons due to the controllers, the spells used would be minimal. Bar swapping allows for more skills to be employed (double the amount) while retaining the limited button count of controllers.
The mechanic of swapping "Weapons" was most likely designed to give credibility to why bar swapping would exist. It makes it more understandable.

This allows the game to be sold across multiple platforms, generating more revenue, which is in my estimation, why the design was put forth in the first place. You can see that philosophy throughout the game of recycling and making things already made used over and over. Sub classing that is coming does this. The character models do this (there is really only 1 race in ESO, with 10 different heads.

Now, I agree with you on the swapping bars too often to buff over and over. I hate the mechanic. Buffing is not fun like actually using a skill that does something like a pull, teleport, or even some cool AOE DPS.

It's also hard on older hands or folks with arthritis. It's also hard on folks with high ping as the swapping is not reliable.

Frankly, the way I would have done it is to make weapons feel more like weapons and be unique to themselves without any buffing. New World does an amazing job with this. Their bar swap mechanic feels more natural as its not necessary to swap unless you want to change weapon type for a different playstyle. Sadly, the rest of the game is bleh imo.

This is my guess as to why bar swapping was designed and implemented.

"console this, console that" GW2 has bar swapping. Nothing to do with console.

Izanagi.Xiiib16_ESO · May 21

Adam_Chattaway wrote: »

I've played mmos since GW1/WoW, And as much as I love the World and Quests of ESO, the combat truly ruins the game for me. I can't manage 2 bars, it feels horrible, I hate having to keep swapping weapon to constantly non stop re apply 10 second buffs etc, it feels like most time in combat is just bar swapping and re applying... the most awful combat I've ever had in an MMO, It's literally such a high skill ceiling it's just made for the few people who have IQ 1000 and can manage it as the only game they play 18 hours a day. I've got and used the Oak Ring, but it's not competitive at alll in PVP and in PVE it limits your dmg too much, I play arcanist and feel like you're forced to use specific abilities for the crux builder and spender so limits my 1 bar more. Why was the game ever made to be like this?

You can play without Oaken and achieve much better results without bar swapping or simply barswapping once at the start of the fight to activate some buffs
Also there are buffs which last a lot longer than 10s for arcanist which you could just swap back once every 30s to apply.

In general though
Combat in almost all games will always have a skill-gap between players who don't want to participate and those who do.
It would be like telling a wow player not to sync up their cooldowns for an incoming burst window because its 'too high skilled' to achieve.
You can do most of the content in the game by just heavy attacking and not even casting any skills so I think ESO is low skilled enough.
If you want to participate in harder content learning game mechanics is part of the journey.

Orbital78 · May 21

Arcanist doesn't even really feel like two bars to me, I mostly just use the second bar for scholarship and wall. Wall is a big source of spell power/weapon damage.

Some of the buff times, especially with scribing feel pretty horrible to me. Oakensoul is totally viable for all veteran content, just not all hardmodes, especially 12 man content. I did the two newest hardmodes of the two newest DLC dungeons with Jimmy's community dungeon night. The group was 3 experienced players and me on my sorcerer (oakensoul). I am looking forward to giving two bars a shot with subclassing and the new mythic. Though that will change up my playstyle quite a bit without the large resource gains.

One of my guilds has a Arcanist that uses one bar/oakensoul, they do significantly less damage in the logs. You don't even have to fully weave with velothi-ur amulet, just swap to inspired scholarship and wall on cooldown. Use a backbar dot when you can for even better results. If you have ping issues, there isn't much to fix that.

twisttop138 · May 21

Adam_Chattaway wrote: »

Nissowolf wrote: »

sorry, but this game is litteraly much easier than wow, or FF. Like a lot. And saying "there's a lot of skill needed to use 12 skills" isn't really speaking in your favor.
Oak Ring is litteraly what gives the opportunity to players sharing your mind or your set of skills to have a dps equivalent to a player using 2 bars, and it was a BiS item when it came out.

The arcanist is litteraly the easiest class, you can use 3 skills only and solo a public dungeon at level 4.

If you find this hard, i sincerely don't know what to tell you. Maybe just stop playing videogames involving more than 4 apm, but i'm told it's kind of insulting. I get it, you find it hard. But it's not gonna be easier than that in any other MMO. Wow requires to use at least 20 skills, same for FFXIV.
So, yeah, it's kind of a "you're not good at it" and not a "the game is badly designed" because everything is made by developpers to be an easy no-brainer, especially if you use arcanist 1 bar oak ring.

Let me stop you there, No it's not, In ESO I can't parse over 45k dmg as arcanist, in WOW im topping raid meters on damage after a month. #1 reason i see on redit and youtube quit ESO? the combat, Never had an issue in wow, wow doesn't force you to spam reapply 10 second buffs in a highly mobile, competitive, 10000 gear sets system, ESO Skill ceiling is the difference between 20k dps and 130k dps, THINK ABOUT THAT 25K > 130K from SKILL, that's WRONG.

That's just a reps thing man. If you want to get better, and get more dps, you can. Sounds like this may not be the game for you. I've played other MMOs, it's not better or worse just different. If you're topping DPS in other games then you know you have to put in the time to get the gear and learn the rotation. Just getting yourself some deadly strikes weapons and jewelry and orders wrath body (a pvp or guild trader set and a craftable) will help you a lot. My wife is a 1 bar arc with banner bearer, she has hand problems, and she crushes it. Will it take her into trifectas? Hard mode trials? No. It won't. Fulminating rune, inspired scholarship, flail, beam, oh and a flex spot for barbed trap or banner with class mastery or whatever. If you really dislike the game though, that's totally ok. If you like it and want to do harder content you gotta put in the work. Sounds like you know that.

tauriel01 · May 21

Adam_Chattaway wrote: »

Gabriel_H wrote: »

Adam_Chattaway wrote: »

THINK ABOUT THAT 25K > 130K from SKILL, that's WRONG.

Strongly disgree.

facts don't care about your feelings. you aint hitting 130k on 1 bar without buff stacking and dot stacking and this required HIGH skill and years of practice. Oh and what about weaving? Animation cancelling?

Animation cancelling isn't a thing in ESO. Weaving isn't nearly as hard as you think it is. 1sec is a long time in a rotation. And arcs weave least of all the toons. And seriously, if you can't hit over 45k with an arc just flail flail flail beam... I don't know what to tell you. I think you jumped into this game expecting to be top of the heap like you are in your other games, realized it's different, and now because it's different it sucks. I guess ESO isn't made for you?

onyxorb · May 21

I've never been able to parse in my life, or do animation canceling, and I frankly gave up on even trying.
Most of my builds are just thematic, and honestly for the content I play they work just fine.

Whenever I need to do group content, and don't want to drag down the other team members, I use my 1 bar sorc.
The one bar heavy attack sorc build is one of the easiest builds out there right now.
You pretty much get by with using 1 or 2 skills and just pressing and holding the mouse button to attack.
It's not exciting, but it does decent enough damage, and I've been able to complete most vet content in the game with it, including trials like Lucent Citadel.

I've got plenty of perfected gear without touching 130k dps numbers. I could be wrong, but I think those kind of numbers are mostly for those who want to do competive end game stuff. If that's your goal, then the new update might interest you.
I'm guessing that with subclassing, and all the changes with passives, and new mythics, it will be possible to build a fairly competive high end toon with very minimal bar swapping.

Ragnarok0130 · May 21

Adam_Chattaway wrote: »

Nissowolf wrote: »

sorry, but this game is litteraly much easier than wow, or FF. Like a lot. And saying "there's a lot of skill needed to use 12 skills" isn't really speaking in your favor.
Oak Ring is litteraly what gives the opportunity to players sharing your mind or your set of skills to have a dps equivalent to a player using 2 bars, and it was a BiS item when it came out.

The arcanist is litteraly the easiest class, you can use 3 skills only and solo a public dungeon at level 4.

If you find this hard, i sincerely don't know what to tell you. Maybe just stop playing videogames involving more than 4 apm, but i'm told it's kind of insulting. I get it, you find it hard. But it's not gonna be easier than that in any other MMO. Wow requires to use at least 20 skills, same for FFXIV.
So, yeah, it's kind of a "you're not good at it" and not a "the game is badly designed" because everything is made by developpers to be an easy no-brainer, especially if you use arcanist 1 bar oak ring.

Let me stop you there, No it's not, In ESO I can't parse over 45k dmg as arcanist, in WOW im topping raid meters on damage after a month. #1 reason i see on redit and youtube quit ESO? the combat, Never had an issue in wow, wow doesn't force you to spam reapply 10 second buffs in a highly mobile, competitive, 10000 gear sets system, ESO Skill ceiling is the difference between 20k dps and 130k dps, THINK ABOUT THAT 25K > 130K from SKILL, that's WRONG.

If you can’t parse over 45K then maybe your build needs to be tweaked or you need some practice getting the rotation down. Since you are a seasoned MMO player I don’t believe that skill is the issue here and it’s likely that you just need to perfect your rotation or build. If you’re set on using Arcanist there are some solid one bar builds our there you can experiment with. If you’re on PC send me an in game friend request and you can use the trial dummy in my house to practice.

I’m a healer main and parsed with an Arc Stam DD last week for the first time and hit 58K with a very sloppy rotation and bad timing. The sets I was using was Perfected Ansuuls (Sanity’s Edge trial set), Deadly Strike (PVP set you can buy on guild traders) I back barred the Crushing wall destro staff, and Anthelmir’s monster set. I need to practice more obviously but I’m optimistic I can get those numbers up. You also might want to check out Sorc as there are some very good one bar and even oaken builds for Sorc. On my oaken Sorc build I did 83K which is good for a healer who impersonates a DD once in a while.

Iselin · May 21

Do you have the class script unlocked? Just put that on the banner script for a passive crux every 3 seconds.

Also in update 46 the beam has been reclassified to direct damage, which means that the beam will heal you for 7% of the damage done with the beam if you slot the Reaving Blows champion node.

Class script + that, and you'll be practically unkillable while spamming just 2 buttons: flail > beam.

Orbital78 · May 21

I am guessing your build needs tweaks, the game doesn't explain things well at all for newer players. It doesn't help the fact that build videos are outdated rather quickly in some cases in months. Arcanist beam is having another big change going to direct damage, so I think Thaumaturge will swap to Master at Arms CP. CP could be another big issue along with balancing your pen and crit.

Skinny's tutorial/cheat sheet I bookmark:
https://www.skinnycheeks.gg/crit-damage-and-penetration

whitecrow · May 21

I like it because I can use different weapons depending on whether I want to be in close combat or at a distance.

SeaGtGruff · May 21

Bar swapping is totally optional. If you've been made to feel that bar swapping is required, then IMHO you've allowed other players to dictate to you how you "must" play the game, in which case IMHO you are playing the game for their benefit and at their direction instead of playing it for your own enjoyment. Never forget that you are playing the game for yourself. I mean, think about it-- do you believe that those other players who are telling you what to do would be willing to forego playing the game the way they want to and take their instructions from you? I seriously doubt that they would be willing to do that.

Gabriel_H · May 21

Adam_Chattaway wrote: »

Gabriel_H wrote: »

Adam_Chattaway wrote: »

THINK ABOUT THAT 25K > 130K from SKILL, that's WRONG.

Strongly disgree.

facts don't care about your feelings. you aint hitting 130k on 1 bar without buff stacking and dot stacking and this required HIGH skill and years of practice. Oh and what about weaving? Animation cancelling?

Yes, it requires skill - that's the point. Some games are not designed to be easy - fact.

wolfie1.0. · May 21

I'm glad eso's combat is an active style. I tried playing ff14 and it's combat system is boring.

Sylosi · May 21

Swapping weapons isn't really the problem with ESO, after all you swap weapons in plenty of games (shooters, some ARPG, other MMOs like New World, GW2, etc). However the endless buffing in ESO (and therefore the amount of swapping that can sometimes entail) is indeed boring AF.

I also wouldn't call ESO combat particularly skilled, it has some degree of APM, but at the same time requires relatively little accuracy or aim, is pretty one dimensional / braindead and despite that degree of APM isn't particularly fast, twitchy or punishing.

Tandor · May 21

whitecrow wrote: »

I like it because I can use different weapons depending on whether I want to be in close combat or at a distance.

Same here, although there are only one or two of my characters that I make that distinction with.

I can't help wondering whether the OP is over-thinking a "first bar for damage, second bar for buffs" approach. I don't know what content he's doing, but it sounds like he has assumed the purpose of the second bar is enable him to run 10 skills in every fight whereas the game is really centred on having 5 skills on a single bar but with some limited flexibility offered with the second bar.

Renato90085 · May 21

game 90% pve meta is 1 bar sorc and arcanist so you not really must swap bar...

kevkj · May 21

Hey can you link any of those gold parses from WoW? I've never been able to speak with such an elite god gamer before.

Elvenheart · May 21

Adam_Chattaway wrote: »

Urzigurumash wrote: »

Between Subclassing and Scribing I think there's a few ways to really minimize this, getting essential buffs passively and from using skills you'd use anyhow. In PvP Oakensoul forces you into 1 role - dd, tank, or heal - where you can pull off 2 roles with 2 bars. But, lots of people have had luck with Mighty Chudan Monster Set, like lots, which gives Resolve passively. Take Arc's passive Brutality and NB's passive Savagery, that's the 3 basic essential buffs passively. Slot skills with passive effects, like Flare in the Support Line, and use Scribing to get buffs with some of your basic attacks. (I cant recommend Vault or Smash yet tho sadly)

Conversely however these things also reward stacking tons of various 4 second long effects and such pushing you further from the meta. But if you're new that doesnt really matter at all.

Thats the problem with ESO though isnt it which no other MMO suffers from, ESO is all about buffs buffs buffs, No ot her mmo i've played is completely build around buffs and set bonuses like this. hell in FFXIV theres 1 set and no speccing lol, your class is set skills, set spec, set gear.

That’s the beauty with ESO though isn’t it which no other MMO features, ESO is about building around buffs and set bonuses. In other MMOs there sometimes is only one set, no speccing, just class skills and set gear. How boring! 🥱