Vet Maelstrom Arena

Kalebron

I know this has been a topic that most people claim L2P. I have all gold gear. I have crap reaction time evidently because that is the only thing I have noticed any different than someone else playing through it. I have made it to the final arena and I am stuck here for the past four months. I am not motivated to complete it because I get so frustrated due to easily dying as a 2 hit wonder. I just don't understand why having good resistance is not enough to negate damage and why this is so focused heavily on doing massive damage to mobs to complete it. I can complete much of the content without problems, but the last three stages are tough as nails. I am impressed at the people who have completed this so far. I used to think it was just lag that was causing me problems and to some extent it was. I have increased my internet speed since then. I have only just recently switched to using a staff and I do see improvements. This is just venting as I am extremely frustrated with trying to beat the last stage. Sigh.

hydrocynus

Sorry to hear dude - it took me a long time too.

Some stuff that helped me finally kill the last boss:
1) Put 100 points in elemental defender
2) Use Speed/Unstoppable/Stamina potions when up on the ring and when you get down again
3) If you have all points in Stam/Magika take 8/10 out and put into health
4) drop graphics settings - this actually made a very big difference to me. I play on 200+ping and putting graphics to medium really made a world of difference actually for all of the rounds.
5) Take note of which arenas have mobs susceptible to certain types of damage, eg final arena take more damage from lightning - could be worth using a lightning staff instead of a fire staff for that round. Also round 6 are fire resistant and take more damage from frost damage, etc etc.
6) not sure where you are getting stuck but where i got stuck was mostly the meteors on the upper ring. When i realised they always land where i stand at the point when the previous one impacts, i could control where they land and had much less problems. Speed potions really helped with this.

These things helped me - not sure of what class you play but for me, those things made it easier. I found it is not a DPS thing and more a sustain thing. I am not pro player - only finished it about 10 times and never in 1 sitting, and battled for a long time. first clear took me about 6 weeks from when they allowed us to save progress so just persevere and you will get it.

The 1 single thing though that helped me most, was the speed pots - when a friend told me that, and i tried it, that is when i really started making progress on that upper ring.

gamerguy757

@Kalebron Can you explain to me what EXACTLY IN THOSE LAST ARENAS THAT YOU ARE DYING TO? I've been on the leaderboards for months, so I can help you with the issues you are having. Explain what is killing you.

Fignutz821

we need more info to give advice, class, magic/stam?, what sets you're running! having gold gear is great, but if your using random crap you made gold obviously there's a problem

Kalebron

I'm a magicka nightblade. I am running Julianos, but also have twice-born star. Both are all gold. I do have a heavy chest and a medium leg for the Julianos set. I am currently on the last area. It is mostly crowd control or focusing on various enemies in order for CC. This is simply why I feel like it is more of an attention issue. I will say I have been working with a different setup using Multiple dots and aoe which seems to be promising. I get to the point of wanting toss my controller into the TV and then rage quit. I think I have the most trouble with ceremonial guards. I cannot seem to keep my distance without getting burned down quickly.

Schemering

If you made it that far you're able to finish it. It shows you are skilled enough for the content. It is not a matter of extremely high dps (12k or so is enough i think) its a matter of positioning and tactics per arena round; youve found your preferred tactics for the arenas you passed and you will find them for the ones ahead. One of the best advices ive read on this forum is take a break every now and then;)

Molec

Kalebron wrote: »

I know this has been a topic that most people claim L2P. I have all gold gear. I have crap reaction time evidently because that is the only thing I have noticed any different than someone else playing through it. I have made it to the final arena and I am stuck here for the past four months. I am not motivated to complete it because I get so frustrated due to easily dying as a 2 hit wonder. I just don't understand why having good resistance is not enough to negate damage and why this is so focused heavily on doing massive damage to mobs to complete it. I can complete much of the content without problems, but the last three stages are tough as nails. I am impressed at the people who have completed this so far. I used to think it was just lag that was causing me problems and to some extent it was. I have increased my internet speed since then. I have only just recently switched to using a staff and I do see improvements. This is just venting as I am extremely frustrated with trying to beat the last stage. Sigh.

The lag is a very real issue in vMA, sooo many rounds have been squandered to the lag gods Staying ranged in stage 9 for the enraged Daedroth phase is nice and helps build confidence, also the use of tri stat food and potions are always good for that extra stamina. Did you watch Andy S run his magblade in 40 minutes? https://youtube.com/watch?v=N4x8j_gNPGE

Aeaeren

I just started this and had to quit or I would HULK smash my Xbox. Right now I think it's lag and just BAD RNG for me. I am stuck in the Shock lake with the QUEEN doing her poison spit that is getting me. OH wait is this one of those like the blooms you have to run to the green circle?

boldscot

Aeaeren wrote: »

I just started this and had to quit or I would HULK smash my Xbox. Right now I think it's lag and just BAD RNG for me. I am stuck in the Shock lake with the QUEEN doing her poison spit that is getting me. OH wait is this one of those like the blooms you have to run to the green circle?

No, the Green circles provide a small heal I believe. Just make sure you kill the stranglers, they put a stupid slow effect on you.

Molec

Aeaeren wrote: »

I just started this and had to quit or I would HULK smash my Xbox. Right now I think it's lag and just BAD RNG for me. I am stuck in the Shock lake with the QUEEN doing her poison spit that is getting me. OH wait is this one of those like the blooms you have to run to the green circle?

"HULK smash my xbox" vMA can certainly affect your mood, its a serious PITA!

The green circle in stage 3 is a healing AOE. Anyone who enters it will be healed for a small portion of health per tick (including the player), just beware once the green circle has ended it will be replaced with a smaller red AOE circle that deals damage so be sure to avoid. Make sure you kill the poison throwing plants that spawn every 30 seconds as they will snare you horrendously and if you're near to the queen always be at her side rather than in front so she can't fear you (walk around her in a clockwise fashion). Ideally you want to keep her at a distance traveling from island to island and when her friends spawn you should AOE them out of existence. Try not to sprint if you're a magika user as you need the stamina for break free and don't be afraid to use the sigils until you're used to it.

Good luck!

jrgray93

It is the most brutally difficult thing I've experienced in any game in recent memory. I can complete it and I still think it's too hard. My problem with the difficulty is that it caters too much to hardcore min/max builds that the game's original philosophy was supposed to avoid. If they simply removed the timed enrage mechanics and cheap one-shots it would be more fun. You could play a more defensive character and still finish.

I'd really like the Flawless Conqueror title but it's going to be a pain to get on my Templar. I'll keep working on it though. It seems to be mostly sorcs who get it.

The thing I hate the most is the Argonian Behemoth boss in the Vault of Umbrage. If you're close to it when it enrages, seconds before starting the scream, it can sneak in an enraged light attack and one-shot you. It's completely asinine. Plus, as a Templar healer, I'm pretty much forced to spam Puncturing Sweep as DPS and to stay alive, so my DPS is bad if I'm not in melee range.

By some miracle of RNG I got the exact drop I wanted on my first time finishing VMA. It was a nirnhoned resto staff. I prefer nirnhoned on my healing bar because the extra spell power benefits both my healing and the DoT effects I have active at all times, rather than strictly healing. I will never be that lucky again.

Even so, I understand the frustration of so many players. The content is far too difficult to be plagued by the RNG issues. I'd personally like to see it switched out for some sort of currency system that allows players to purchase specific items of their choice. You could even retain the trait RNG at that point if you wanted. It would just make sure you get X item type at every opportunity.

Acharnor

Cheering for you. I have not even give it a serious try yet. I found normal to be more than enough challenge, for me!

razzle1184kicks

Good luck, you'll manage it

EsoRecon

NO NERFS PLS

Molec

jrgray93 wrote: »

By some miracle of RNG I got the exact drop I wanted on my first time finishing VMA. It was a nirnhoned resto staff. I prefer nirnhoned on my healing bar because the extra spell power benefits both my healing and the DoT effects I have active at all times, rather than strictly healing. I will never be that lucky again.

Now that's some awesome luck jrgray. Congrats!

jrgray93

EsoRecon wrote: »

NO NERFS PLS

INCLUDE REASONING PLS

Molec wrote: »

jrgray93 wrote: »

By some miracle of RNG I got the exact drop I wanted on my first time finishing VMA. It was a nirnhoned resto staff. I prefer nirnhoned on my healing bar because the extra spell power benefits both my healing and the DoT effects I have active at all times, rather than strictly healing. I will never be that lucky again.

Now that's some awesome luck jrgray. Congrats!

And it only cost me my soul!

Rainteal

Aeaeren wrote: »

I just started this and had to quit or I would HULK smash my Xbox. Right now I think it's lag and just BAD RNG for me. I am stuck in the Shock lake with the QUEEN doing her poison spit that is getting me. OH wait is this one of those like the blooms you have to run to the green circle?

The green circle is also a MASSIVE damage reduction for the enemies. I'm not sure if the enemy has to be in it or if just you have to be in it to reduce your damage, but either way, I just avoid that green circle like the plague!

To the OP, if you have gotten to round 9, you are skilled enough to beat this arena. You can do it!!

If I understand correctly, you are still having trouble on the trash waves? I find that round nine has trash waves that are most susceptible to good strategy and good use of sigils while you are leaning. Take a look at exactly what is killing you each time and devise a strategy using priority kill targets and sigils to get you through the round.

If you can let us know exactly what round and what stuff is killing you each time, I am sure we can help you figure out a strat to beat it.

ReaX

use meteor or sigils to kill crematorial guards. other than that you should be fine. and you need practice for the last boss.
agony vs lesser mobs if you don't want to fight 1x3. also helps with summoners during the last round
or just drop it, no reason to do vMA now, because you won't get the weapon you need

Aeaeren

boldscot wrote: »

Aeaeren wrote: »

I just started this and had to quit or I would HULK smash my Xbox. Right now I think it's lag and just BAD RNG for me. I am stuck in the Shock lake with the QUEEN doing her poison spit that is getting me. OH wait is this one of those like the blooms you have to run to the green circle?

No, the Green circles provide a small heal I believe. Just make sure you kill the stranglers, they put a stupid slow effect on you.

I learned that and I am now beyond paranoid to where I am always looking for them. I put streak on the bar to help just because of them.

razzle1184kicks

Are any of you guys who have completed stam templar?

Just curious

Aeaeren

Aeaeren wrote: »

boldscot wrote: »

Aeaeren wrote: »

I just started this and had to quit or I would HULK smash my Xbox. Right now I think it's lag and just BAD RNG for me. I am stuck in the Shock lake with the QUEEN doing her poison spit that is getting me. OH wait is this one of those like the blooms you have to run to the green circle?

No, the Green circles provide a small heal I believe. Just make sure you kill the stranglers, they put a stupid slow effect on you.

I learned that and I am now beyond paranoid to where I am always looking for them. I put streak on the bar to help just because of them.

Oh I don't want them to Nerf it, it makes you a better player for sure and it can be BEAT. I just need to find my rotation I am comfortable with that accomplishes the goal. I also noticed the freakin game can't keep up with me on the button smashing. I have 3 buffs I put up and I have to keep pausing between the 2nd and 3rd one or I won't apply the 3rd.

Kalebron

I don't want it nerfed. I want less lag and maybe a Valium (lol) and to have my resistances count. I appreciate the information given so far and will put some of them into action this evening. This is not a nerf thread request. I want to beat it like everyone else has so I can feel like I have accomplished something.

Ep1kMalware

jrgray93 wrote: »

It is the most brutally difficult thing I've experienced in any game in recent memory. I can complete it and I still think it's too hard. My problem with the difficulty is that it caters too much to hardcore min/max builds that the game's original philosophy was supposed to avoid. If they simply removed the timed enrage mechanics and cheap one-shots it would be more fun. You could play a more defensive character and still finish.

I'd really like the Flawless Conqueror title but it's going to be a pain to get on my Templar. I'll keep working on it though. It seems to be mostly sorcs who get it.

The thing I hate the most is the Argonian Behemoth boss in the Vault of Umbrage. If you're close to it when it enrages, seconds before starting the scream, it can sneak in an enraged light attack and one-shot you. It's completely asinine. Plus, as a Templar healer, I'm pretty much forced to spam Puncturing Sweep as DPS and to stay alive, so my DPS is bad if I'm not in melee range.

By some miracle of RNG I got the exact drop I wanted on my first time finishing VMA. It was a nirnhoned resto staff. I prefer nirnhoned on my healing bar because the extra spell power benefits both my healing and the DoT effects I have active at all times, rather than strictly healing. I will never be that lucky again.

Even so, I understand the frustration of so many players. The content is far too difficult to be plagued by the RNG issues. I'd personally like to see it switched out for some sort of currency system that allows players to purchase specific items of their choice. You could even retain the trait RNG at that point if you wanted. It would just make sure you get X item type at every opportunity.

you like the title but support it being worth less than it is now? Don't worry, dsa will be scaled soon and you may find 3 others willing to carry you to the end loots.

SublimeSparo

There's a couple of good ways of dealing with the crematorial guards.
I have tried two different strategies that have worked, the first i used was tag them with Elemental drain (this applies major breach meaning you do more damage and they die quicker), put refreshing path path/ twisting path down (nice dot/ heal and more importantly procs your shadow barrier passive increasing your resistances), apply cripple for another dot and major expedition then do 2 light attack weaved funnel healths/swallow soul to proc kena and then just face tank it and spam funnel/swallow.
The second method is similar but instead of Elemental drain, i tag the healer with reapers mark and quickly kill it, this gives major beserk 25% more damage for 6s. Immediately tag the crem guard with reapers mark (it also applis major breach) and repeat as above.
Also make sure to either use a quick sap essence or entropy or spell power pot to keep major sorcery up as it will increase the damage and healing of funnel/swallow.

Alternatively you can use veil of blades/ bolstering darkness.
Bolstering darkness and funnel/swallow makes you pretty much immortal.

Kalebron

So last night, I decided to take of the advice put forth in this post and I can honestly say things were much easier. Another thing I did was remove magicka harness as it seems completely useless now that it only lasts six seconds, and replaced it with reaper's mark. I did this very late just to test and was able to make it to the third part of the last stage unharmed or phased. I did not continue because I needed to sleep for work today, so I am excited about going home and finishing it. I feel like for the first time that I actually have a shot at completing.

Thanks for all the helpful advice guys/gals.

Ep1kMalware

for what it's worth, clearing vmsa the 2nd time will make you gigglefit. so easy compared to the first.

phaith

I think the guards need a 10% decrease in health that's it.

Ep1kMalware

phaith wrote: »

I think the guards need a 10% decrease in health that's it.

heh. for stam players guards aren't the issue, they die in like 2-3 sec. it's everything else all at once because you must be close is the issue. Real hard to eyeball the boss running in circles praying no fhost while healer/boss/lava/ghosts again, and sometimes clanfear all ha=make merry in your personal space.

Ep1kMalware

phaith wrote: »

I think the guards need a 10% decrease in health that's it.

kadar

Kalebron wrote: »

I'm a magicka nightblade. I am running Julianos, but also have twice-born star. Both are all gold. I do have a heavy chest and a medium leg for the Julianos set. I am currently on the last area. It is mostly crowd control or focusing on various enemies in order for CC. This is simply why I feel like it is more of an attention issue. I will say I have been working with a different setup using Multiple dots and aoe which seems to be promising. I get to the point of wanting toss my controller into the TV and then rage quit. I think I have the most trouble with ceremonial guards. I cannot seem to keep my distance without getting burned down quickly.

@Kalebron
I play a melee stam NB, so it may be different for me. But I find myself unable to create any reliable distance (even with maj expedition + sprint), so instead of avoidance I just burn the absolute hell out of the ceremonial guards. Like, I'll drop Ults, blow Spectral Explosion, pop potions, w/e it takes to drop those suckers. I find that if I don't pay them enough attention, it comes back to bite me and they kill me. You have a few seconds before they start their fire attack, so use them wisely and get them into execute range asap. This has worked pretty well for me so far.

Oreyn_Bearclaw

On the last stage, do yourself a favor and slot a stun. Prolonged Suffering is AMAZING in stage9. Most of the rounds consist of 3 relatively powerful adds, but almost never more than that. Stun one, and take out the other two. I like to stun either the NB or the Archer (first one I see), then take out the healer first, then the next one, then kill whatever you stunned.
You can also stun the Ogrims and the summoners, but not the Crem Gaurds. This buys you a lot of time, and cuts your incoming damage by a third.

The last trick to stage 9 is figuring out how to take care of the guards. You "should" always be able to stun them with the spectral explosion. You will get 3 gold ghosts for every guard, but I realize that sometimes you will miss one. Save your ultimate and drop a veil if the guard spawns and also put down refreshing path. If you are standing in both a Veil and Path while spamming funnel health, the guard should not be able to kill you.

If you make it to the last boss, here is a little walkthrough I posted earlier. Not saying its the fastest way, but it works for a clear:

Phase 1 Downstairs:
1. Burn boss at start of fight until he ports. Make sure to block or roll dodge the big skulls he throws at you.
2. Once he ports, a lot of things happen pretty quick. First priority is to get to him (crippling grasp helps with mobility) and interrupt him via a bash. You could also put crushing shock somewhere on your bar, but its a DPS loss because you cant really drop funnel health.
3. Once he is interupted, look for the healer add to spawn and STUN it with Prolonged Suffering, then you can ignore him for a while.
4. Stay DPSing the boss until the Crem Guard spawns. The trick to the on a NB is to stand your ground and DPS. Drop a veil and refreshing path, stand in it, and funnel health it to death fast. I try to put up my other dots like cripple and blockade as he is coming towards me, but once he gets to me, funnel weaving inside your veil will work. Popping a harness magic is also a pretty solid play.
5. Once the guard is dead, stay on boss until 70% health, were he will port to the center.
6. At this point, kill the healer who likely just became unstunned, move towards the glowing platform, and kill the clannfear to go upstairs.

Phase 2 Upstairs (Safe way):
1. DPS the first crystal like crazy, but save your ultimate. Make sure you are putting up all your dots, and try to take it out by the time the first wall appears. If you can, you probably have the DPS for the Fast Way. Make sure to get out of red circles, and block/roll dodge the skull attacks. The pattern is pretty predictable after you do it a few times.
2. When the wall spawns, circle the opposite direction to get behind it, even if the first crystal is still up. Dont chase the wall, sprinting is bad, you need your stam. Use crippling to stay mobile, and always be DPSing one of the crystals, doesn't really matter which. Stay behind wall until the explosion. Getting knocked off is a wipe more often than not.
3. Repeat until the second wall forms. Again, dont worry about which crystal, just stay DPSing something.
4. Once the second wall explodes, you should have your ultimate back. If you think you can finish off the crystals quickly, then do so. NBs have a great ranged execute. If you cant, then this is the time to drop down in the center on purpose. The third wall moves really fast, and things get very chaotic.
5. Dropping down voluntarily is much better because you will be prepared. Buff your self right before you jump, and drop your veil when you hit the ground. DPS the crem guard, and then kill the clanfear to port back up. This resets the wall timing on the upstairs, but NOT, the crystals. Finish them off as before.

Phase 2 Upstairs (Fast Way):
Basically the same as above, but instead you will meteor the first crystal to increase your DPS. This means you really need to one shot the top, because you might not have an ultimate if you get knocked down. Once you clear a few times, this becomes the preferred method.

Phase 3 Downstairs Again:
1. DONT PANIC - Lots of things are about to happen.
2. Good chance you will be out in the lava, so heal, shield, and make your way to the center. If the defense shield is on your way, grab it, otherwise go straight to the boss and bash interrupt him. He will channel immediately.
3. Once the channel is dealt with, you have 3 things to do. Grab gold ghosts, grab weapon sigil, Stun the summoner. Ghosts are always the priority. Missing a ghost is often a wipe. The weapon sigil is not needed, but you are basically in a burn phase so just grab it. Stunning the add one time should be enough that you just forget about it. By the time the stun wears off and he completes his summoning, the boss should be dead.
4. After you have taken care of those three things, burn the boss like there is no tomorrow. Keep crippling on him so you are mobile, you MUST beat him to those golden ghosts.
5. Shortly after the third ghost spawns, a crem guard will follow. There will always be three ghosts for each guard. Stun the guard and boss with the explosion, and burn the guard (you can just burn boss if he is really close, but that is risky). I would hold my ultimate until the guard is dead, just in case you miss a ghost. If you do, just pop a veil and kill it is usual. If you stun the guard, then you can meteor the boss to finish him off. He should be in execute at that point. Your Defense sigil is probably gone by that point, so dont forget to interrupt.
6. You can continue to repeat this process if needed, but the boss should be dead by then. If you have to repeat, you will need to kill the summoner you stunned earlier, and then stun the next one. Dont hesitate to grab the speed and healing sigil, but I wouldn't go out of my way for them.