I think I might be terribad - can't complete a level 4 quest

Koefoed

So just started playing this today. Created a warrior and ended up in a big city with a bunch of quests to do. So far so good.

One of the quests involved protecting the king from an assassin, killed a bunch of his minions, so far so good.

Then I need to kill the assissin (Vavin or something like that) and this is where things to wrong. I must have tried at least 10 times but he seriously kicked my butt every single time. I have tried everything from standing still to running like a mad man, the latter bringing a bit more success.

So now to the question, the quest is level 4, so am I. So am I missing something obvious regarding combat or am I just terribad?

EölMPK

I guess it is a group quest, try to call for someone to help ya

Nestor

Koefoed wrote: »

Then I need to kill the assissin (Vavin or something like that) and this is where things to wrong. I must have tried at least 10 times but he seriously kicked my butt every single time. I have tried everything from standing still to running like a mad man, the latter bringing a bit more success.

So am I missing something obvious regarding combat or am I just terribad?

First, your missing the Starter Islands, that is where the L3's go to become L6's and then can handle the quests on the main first zone. There is a quest marker on the docks to show you how to get there.

As for the battle, here is a trick, and this applies to any battle where you have NPC help. The NPCs will not die, and will taunt the Boss to keep them occupied. You don't have to try and keep the NPC alive. All you have to do is run around the edges and get hits in. If the boss turns to you, then kite the boss back in front of the NPC so they take the fight on again, then heal up or wait until your healed and go at it again.

Every once in a while the NPC will get "tired" and then the boss will focus on you but you can block and run around until the NPC perks up again.

If you are still having issues in the game tonight, at about 6PM Mountain time I will be on, send me a PM in game to @Nestor and I can help you out with this.

Rezzy64

This quest is one of the first most significantly irritating quests I have ever done when I first started playing this game, so I know your pain OP.
The first time I did this quest, I skipped it, went and level 2-3 times and came back and made that Assassin look down right silly. The second time I did this quest, I did with a friend who had just started playing last week and we took it down together in only a few seconds and the whole ordeal seemed kind of ridiculous to be concerned over with the help of another person.

I suggest either skipping it for a couple of levels or you can hop on to Zone chat and ask for help, or you can wait in front of the fighting area until someone stumbles into the same quest as you and they will be more than happy to help you out.

Don't worry OP, you can beat it, do it... FOR THE COVENANT!

Darlgon

First off... you are being cursed with what the Beta testers dumped on you. Originally, you landed on a starter island (Stros M'Kai, I think, in your case) and worked your way and leveled up to that big city. They whined about having to redo starter islands over and over, so ZoS made them optional, by landing you in the first big city.

Head down to the docks, Look for a quest arrow from "a boatswain?" or something like that. They want to know if you want to help those who rescued you from the sea. They will teleport you back to the starter island, where you can level with mobs more your level.

Vyle_Byte

Grunge wrote: »

I guess it is a group quest, try to call for someone to help ya

Um, no its definitely not a group quest lol!

Hey, @Koefoed, what i would suggest doing is going to the starter island, its the best place to level up a little bit before starting the main questing. Go to the docks, talk to the guy on the ship, it will take you to Stros M'kia, there are quests and skyshards there. It is designed to help you get started. Then come back and kick that guys ass!

Aett_Thorn

Also, keep an eye out for special attacks. You want to make sure that you block (hold down right mouse button) any attacks where the enemy has a yellow streak effect coming from them. You want to Bash (hold down right mouse button and tap the left mouse button) any attack where they get a red streak effect coming from them. These are usually their biggest hitters, and mitigating them can really prove useful.

Lynx7386

The biggest thing in this game is to learn the combat and counter mechanics, that alone makes bosses much easier to solo.

When the enemy gets yellow glow or sparks around him, he's using a heavy attack. Heavy attacks like this do a massive amount of damage. They can be countered by blocking, which will reduce the damage you take and stun the enemy for a second. During the stun, you can use your own heavy attack to knock the enemy down.

When the enemy gets red glow or sparks around him, he's casting a spell. Spells can be interrupted by bashing, which is done by holding the right mouse button to block and simultaneously tapping the left mouse button. Again, interrupting a spell cast will stun the target, and a following heavy attack from you will knock him down.

Anytime you see a red circle on the ground, it's an area effect spell that can be moved out of, most quickly by double tapping a movement key to roll dodge.

EölMPK

Vyle_Byte wrote: »

Grunge wrote: »

I guess it is a group quest, try to call for someone to help ya

Um, no its definitely not a group quest lol!

Well, it works lol
I did that, and it seems that @Rezzy64‌ did too After all, its a lvl 4 quest and he is already lvl 4

Sharee

Starter islands are a good idea. There is a NPC right in front of the first building you exited when you arrived in the city. She will send you the right way.

In addition to that, here are some general tips:

If the enemy starts doing a heavy attack against you(yellow sparklies appear around him), you should hold block by holding down the right mouse button. If you block this attack, the enemy becomes momentarily stunned and off-balanced (white halo around his head). At this moment, hit him with a heavy attack yourself, this will do good damage and knock him down to the ground.

If the enemy starts casting a spell (red sparklies appear around him), you should bash him by pressing both mouse buttons at once. Bashing a casting enemy has the same effect as the block above - he will be momentarily stunned, and susceptible to a knockdown by your heavy attack.

If the game shows you a red circle/cone on the ground, try not to stand in it, that's where big damage will hit in a second. Often you can stand just out of the red area and still be in melee range of the enemy to continue hitting him(for example when a troll is pounding the ground).

[edit] lol@lynx, we wrote the exact same thing, even in the same order, heh

Tandor

Bear in mind also that by doing the starter island you will get several more skill points from both levelling and the half a dozen or so skyshards there. Applying those skill points will greatly help you when fighting the more difficult mobs on the mainland.

Plus, as soon as you're standing in a red area, double-tap a movement key and get the heck out of the red!

Tomg999

Also try weaving. Hit a light attack immediately followed by one of your attacking skill buttons. Then bash maybe. Then repeat. You can do a lot of quick damage that way.

Rosveen

And this is why we should start on the starter islands, Zenimax. There's a reason everyone still calls them "starter islands" a year later.

Some quests in the main cities are doable, others are rather difficult for a brand new player. You encountered one of those. I remember my first day in Daggerfall, I got my butt kicked within minutes of landing in the city: the werewolf quest. My level 3 got mauled to death. So fun!

Rev Rielle

Rosveen wrote: »

And this is why we should start on the starter islands, Zenimax. There's a reason everyone still calls them "starter islands" a year later.

Some quests in the main cities are doable, others are rather difficult for a brand new player. You encountered one of those. I remember my first day in Daggerfall, I got my butt kicked within minutes of landing in the city: the werewolf quest. My level 3 got mauled to death. So fun!

Yes, I think it's the only game in history where you don't start at the beginning, instead having an option to go 'backwards' to the starter zones, rather than starting in the traditional first zone and having the option to go forward.

An unfortunate insight into how development here seems to work. And one that has repeated itself in various forms in other updates/changes to the game since.

Nestor

Rev Rielle wrote: »

Yes, I think it's the only game in history where you don't start at the beginning, instead having an option to go 'backwards' to the starter zones, rather than starting in the traditional first zone and having the option to go forward.

TBH, if you have a higher level crafter to make gear for the L3/L4, the first zone is perfectly doable with a full set of armor and weapons, especially improved to Green or better. Heck, I have even done it with a set of White. Its just that most people fresh out of Coldharbor have like one armor piece and one weapon, a bow, that may or may not match their choice for a first weapon.

I have started two mules who are parked in Glenumbra (well they have since ported to a guild mate in Wayrest) who have never been to the starter islands, but completed all the Daggerfall quests.

Rosveen

A helpful tip: completing all crafting writ certifications is an easy and free level boosts fresh out of Coldharbor (brings you up to level 5).

UrQuan

Yes, on my first day of ESO this quest kicked my butt too (I would have been either level 3 or 4). I got frustrated and decided to go do something else and come back to it. Luckily for me, the "something else" I decided to do was go off to Stros M'Kai (the first of the 2 Daggerfall Covenant starter islands).

As others in this thread have mentioned you should really go and do the starter islands before starting to do quests and other stuff in your faction's first main zone. Not only do they give you valuable levels, skill points, and gear to use, but they are actually better designed for teaching you how the game works IMO.

Darlgon wrote: »

First off... you are being cursed with what the Beta testers dumped on you. Originally, you landed on a starter island (Stros M'Kai, I think, in your case) and worked your way and leveled up to that big city. They whined about having to redo starter islands over and over, so ZoS made them optional, by landing you in the first big city.

I could be wrong, but I don't think this change was something that was done to please the beta testers. I thought it was some influential people who had just a demo at one of the tech shows who complained about starting on the starter islands, and whose opinion was (unfortunately) listened to by ZOS. Again, though, I'm fuzzy on the details and could be wrong.

Darlgon

UrQuan wrote: »

I could be wrong, but I don't think this change was something that was done to please the beta testers. I thought it was some influential people who had just a demo at one of the tech shows who complained about starting on the starter islands, and whose opinion was (unfortunately) listened to by ZOS. Again, though, I'm fuzzy on the details and could be wrong.

If the Beta forums were still around, and available, you would see 30 plus pages of how wrong you are. A LOT of the people who were in Alpha and Beta basically were bored with redoing the same quests over and over. The new Beta testers were saying they needed to stay. The quest giver standing outside where you land in Davons or other areas, waiting to send you back to the islands, is the compromise. Funny thing was.. as soon as they did it, people were complaining about "How hard the landscape mobs for the starting areas were.. " missing that quest to go backwards entirely.

BTW, expect MANY more threads, probably identical to this, starting March 18th.

Rosveen

Darlgon wrote: »

UrQuan wrote: »

I could be wrong, but I don't think this change was something that was done to please the beta testers. I thought it was some influential people who had just a demo at one of the tech shows who complained about starting on the starter islands, and whose opinion was (unfortunately) listened to by ZOS. Again, though, I'm fuzzy on the details and could be wrong.

If the Beta forums were still around, and available, you would see 30 plus pages of how wrong you are. A LOT of the people who were in Alpha and Beta basically were bored with redoing the same quests over and over. The new Beta testers were saying they needed to stay. The quest giver standing outside where you land in Davons or other areas, waiting to send you back to the islands, is the compromise. Funny thing was.. as soon as they did it, people were complaining about "How hard the landscape mobs for the starting areas were.. " missing that quest to go backwards entirely.

BTW, expect MANY more threads, probably identical to this, starting March 18th.

Yes, but ZOS missed the obvious solution: drop us on the island and let us immediately take a boat to the mainland if we want. Instead they broke story continuity and possibly confused new players.

Darlgon

Rosveen wrote: »

Yes, but ZOS missed the obvious solution: drop us on the island and let us immediately take a boat to the mainland if we want. Instead they broke story continuity and possibly confused new players.

Welcome to the solution a lot of us championed when we saw how they broke it. Suitably ignored, as they moved to other issues.

Koefoed

Thanks for all the tips! Starter Island it is.

I actually had the quest to go to the starter island but thought it was taking me further into the story, higher level zone, so since I got my butt kicked I decided it was probably not a good idea to move on.

Question regarding the starter island, is it the same for the other factions. The first character I started just to see if the game worked ended up on a boat, so same thing if I choose that faction. First thing, go back to the starter island?

Sharee

Koefoed wrote: »

Question regarding the starter island, is it the same for the other factions. The first character I started just to see if the game worked ended up on a boat, so same thing if I choose that faction. First thing, go back to the starter island?

Each faction has it's own 'starter island', so to say. They differ slightly in that DC has two starter islands that the story leads you through (stros m'kai and bethnik), EP has one island (bleakrock isle) and one mainland peninsula (bal foyen iirc) as their starting areas, while AD only has one starting island (khenarti's roost) that is bigger to compensate.

All factions work the same regarding them: you are dropped in the first 'real' zone and have to go back to the starter areas if you want to experience them. The NPC that sends you there is usually the first one you see after leaving the coldharbor intro/tutorial.

TheShadowScout

All fractions have their starter island - Bleakrock Isle & Bal Foyen for EP, Stros M'kai & Bethnik for DC, Khenarthis Roost for AD.

Those usually will take you to level 7, 8 or so, give you six skyshards to find, and drop enough gear to have something decent - and are very good for picking up resources to start your crafting career (even if you don't continue crafting, the ability to just make yourself white gear for each slot until you find some green stuff is great for beginner characters). Don't forget to explore them a bit too, there often are treasure chests to be found to better your equipment or sell for funds.

And after doing those islands, the quests in the mainland should go a lot easier... both because your level and gear will be better, and because you had more time learning to handle your character. (remember, learn to block at the yellow sparkles, bash at the red sparkles, and roll out of the red ground danger zone, these three are often half the fight...)

Woolenthreads

UrQuan wrote: »

Yes, on my first day of ESO this quest kicked my butt too (I would have been either level 3 or 4). I got frustrated and decided to go do something else and come back to it. Luckily for me, the "something else" I decided to do was go off to Stros M'Kai (the first of the 2 Daggerfall Covenant starter islands).

Possibly a solution for this is not to have Starter Quest Character stand "50m" away and instead put him/her just outside the entrance of the "Regain Consciousness" Room. If they were to then set a progressive tag on the quests in the city requiring that the character have accepted the quest as well, then the New Players might be more inclined to follow it up. But maybe not

AngryNord

Rezzy64 wrote: »

I suggest either skipping it for a couple of levels or you can hop on to Zone chat and ask for help

..and get driven away from the game for good by "lulz learn2play stoopid n00b that quest is über-easy"-type comments, and similar abuse from the in-game intelligentsia

Rev Rielle

Nestor wrote: »

Rev Rielle wrote: »

Yes, I think it's the only game in history where you don't start at the beginning, instead having an option to go 'backwards' to the starter zones, rather than starting in the traditional first zone and having the option to go forward.

TBH, if you have a higher level crafter to make gear for the L3/L4, the first zone is perfectly doable with a full set of armor and weapons, especially improved to Green or better. Heck, I have even done it with a set of White. Its just that most people fresh out of Coldharbor have like one armor piece and one weapon, a bow, that may or may not match their choice for a first weapon.

I have started two mules who are parked in Glenumbra (well they have since ported to a guild mate in Wayrest) who have never been to the starter islands, but completed all the Daggerfall quests.

Yes, true.

However, critiquing the value of the progression there should ideally be looked at from the perspective of the new player; that's most important I feel. And when done so it's my opinion the changes have made things more convoluted, not improved them. Making things in the beginning as clear and simple to new players to the game should be of paramount importance.

Unfortunately though development decided to base the changes on the few relatively seasoned player/beta-tester's complaints that 'it's not TES-esque enough' in relation to the linearity of questing. Which of course the change actually did absolutely nothing to address other than complicate things for newer players, not to mention put a schism in the fluidity of the story from cold-harbour to your starting zone.

As a result of this we have had various threads from newer players since being confused and sometimes flustered about not being able to complete the content their character was sent to in the beginning.

Enodoc

Rosveen wrote: »

Yes, but ZOS missed the obvious solution: drop us on the island and let us immediately take a boat to the mainland if we want. Instead they broke story continuity and possibly confused new players.

Even if they didn't do this (but they definitely should), they could help the situation by making the starter quest to the islands Level 3, and the quests in the city beginning at Level 4. As they stand at the moment, I think the starter island quest is Level 4, and the first city quest is Level 3. That's definitely backwards, particularly if you consider how the alliance story is supposed to advance.

But making it so that you start on the starter island, not in the city, has three benefits:
1. People know they exist.
2. The story progresses in the right order.
3. They can restore Gambon's original recorded dialogue for the Prophet, instead of that other guy they got when they changed it to the city.