Maelstrom.. I gave up!

Izaki

samdegreat wrote: »

This will probably sound bad but I'm a high elf sorceror and need help with the last arena.

Using 5 Julianos/2molag kena (all divines/infused) legendary (gold) enchantments and most legendary (gold) gear
3 willpower jewellery (3 spell power enchants)

Bar 1 - frags/crushing shock/bolt escape/curse/hardened ward ... ULT- overload
Bar 2 - entropy/mines or rune prison/bolt escape/hardened ward/healing ward ... ULT- meteor

Bar 3 (overload bar) - entropy/thundering presence (where u turn into electric guy lol)/bolt escape/daedric mines/hardened ward

I have no problem with the other arenas now but I can't do the last one, any tips with arena or my build?

Feel free to criticise but any advice/support is much appreciated

If you are still at it I can give some advice ! @samdegreat

As a sorc, I found that healing ward would never get me through a boss fight. It costs too much magicka and if you're putting it up means you aren't killing things fast enough. i Power Surge is enough to get you heals to be at full health at all times. So here's what I used my first time beating the final boss :

Bar 1: Inferno Staff:
- Crystal Frags
- Crushing Shock/Force Pulse
- Hardened Ward
- Inner Light
- Rune Prison
- Overload

Bar 2: Lightning Staff:
- Elemental Blockade
- Liquid Lightning
- Harness Magicka
- Inner Light
- Power Surge
- Overload

Bar 3: Overload:
- Boundless Storm
- Mage's Wrath
- Hardened Ward
- Inner Light
- Bound Aegis => (activate this as soon as you go into Overload mode, it will increase your DPS considerably)

I really like the double destruction staff set-up, if you're short on magicka you can do a fully charged heavy attack and you're good to go. You can go with Dual Wield also, but you'd have to bar swap more to apply your DoTs, its up to you. The damage difference is quite a lot, but when you need to do a big burn, you'll be using Overload anyway.

Tri-Stat potions and food are a must for the Final Boss fight.

So number 1 priority : keep your Power Surge and you DoTs up AT ALL TIMES. All daedra are vulnerable to shock and as a sorc you also get 5% more damage in that element. This is why we are using a Lightning Staff on the back bar. So put up your Liquid Lightning and Elemental Blockade and face-tank everything. The Surge heals from DoTs and your shields should keep you alive all the time. Try to get as many enemies in your DoTs as possible, even during the Final Round. Face-tank the Crematirial Guard and the Boss, stay as close as possible to them to keep them crowded up, that way you will always get heals.Usually the Boss goes up top (to the crystal stage) at the same time as I finish off the Crematorial Guard. Then I take care of the healer.

If the boss does his AoE thing beneath his feet, its your chance to kill the adds or to re-apply your buffs.

When an annoying add spawns (AKA the summoner) use Rune Cage on him and place the DoTs on him. They'll take care of him while you can keep your full attention on the gold ghosts and other dangerous things. For the final round, just keep that summoner in your Rune Cage and DPS the boss ONLY. When the daedroth spawns you should have enough ghosts to stun him and kill him straight away with Overload.

I don't use Overload too much in the Final Boss fight, in fact I only use it during the execute phase (AKA 30%) where I weave light attacks with Mages Wrath and when I'm up top burning the crystals.

You don't actually need Bolt Escape, you can do just fine without it, when you need mobility use Boundless Storm.

Hope this helped and ask me anything if you need to ! Good luck !

PS : now I'm doing the arena without Overload at all (with Meteor and Negate/Atro instead), but in the beginning double bar it, you need instant access to it at all times.

GreenhaloX

Decided I was bold enough to venture into VMA yesterday after breezing through a round of normal, and I was moaning and groaning a bit on the 1st final round boss. The built and rearranged skills that recently got me through normal quite easily is not keeping up with the final round too well. VMA.. different ballgame. Not quite bad enough yet to throw up another ranting post, though. Maybe next stage.. Lol!

Aeaeren

GreenhaloX

GreenhaloX wrote: »

mb10 wrote: »

Well then dont do it if you cant. Its for skilled players.

Many people on here moan about easy end game content including dungeons but the one difficult thing in the game, people want nerfed.

Every single game has content that is difficult especially MMOs and it should be a reward for players who spend time to master their class.

Btw you might need to check a guide before you do maelstrom too youre just going into the next round blind with no idea what to expect. Then you expect it to be easy/a breeze. Confusing...

Granted this is my first MMORPG experience, I'm slowly coming around and seemingly have to agree with you. I'm so used to playing single-player games that you can figure out the in-game mechanics much easier than within ESO. Yes, yes, have to study up and look at more guides, clips and advices from all you good folks.

However, telling people don't do it because you're unskilled, is not cool at all, man. People have different learning style and ability and may be faster or slower to learn than others, but it is better to be more positive and encourage those that are seemingly lacking versus seemingly belittling them. Makes for a better world when there are more positive people and things. You may be the bomb at something where others are still striving to become, but humility and humbleness are good virtues. You maybe better at something than someone else, but believe me, I'm sure that someone else is better than you at other things as well. “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”
― Ernest Hemingway

So I am struggle with Seht's Flywheel but like the last round I am not giving up. I make that slow walk back from the wayshrine and replay what killed me and what I missed. During this time I start tweaking my bar to help me accomplish the goal. One thing I was lacking is Mage's guild isn't maxed out, so this week I got it to 10 and got metor and the passives, currently working on leveling it to morph and then back to lay the boom on the Knockoff.

GreenhaloX wrote: »

Decided I was bold enough to venture into VMA yesterday after breezing through a round of normal, and I was moaning and groaning a bit on the 1st final round boss. The built and rearranged skills that recently got me through normal quite easily is not keeping up with the final round too well. VMA.. different ballgame. Not quite bad enough yet to throw up another ranting post, though. Maybe next stage.. Lol!

It's hard period. I am still stuck on Round 4. Too many adds are piling up during the final stage but I can now consistently reach the boss each time so it's just a matter of figuring it out.

CasNation

GreenhaloX wrote: »

Decided I was bold enough to venture into VMA yesterday after breezing through a round of normal, and I was moaning and groaning a bit on the 1st final round boss. The built and rearranged skills that recently got me through normal quite easily is not keeping up with the final round too well. VMA.. different ballgame. Not quite bad enough yet to throw up another ranting post, though. Maybe next stage.. Lol!

And this is why people say vMA caters to ranged builds. The stage 1 boss is really easy IF you can stay moving at all time at full speed while not getting by either the boss or the florin death balls...okay, so maybe all those qualifiers don't make it count for easy anymore :P but you can see that this would be easier for a ranged build.

Try to favor your bow bar a bit and weave poison injection with light attacks to take down the adds. When they die, move to the boss and try to damage them as much as possible.

kylewwefan

Congratulations!

GreenhaloX

Aeaeren wrote: »

It's hard period. I am still stuck on Round 4. Too many adds are piling up during the final stage but I can now consistently reach the boss each time so it's just a matter of figuring it out.

Yes.. it's definitely night and day in comparison from VMA to normal. My issues on normal prior was not knowing the mechanics. After knowing how to deal with those, I literally breezed through another round of normal and not using any sigils or even my ultimate. I was cutting down the adds and bosses like butter. With the VMA, they are dealing way more damages and causing me to constantly popping my defensive skills which is limiting my offensive in dishing out damages. Yeah, 7k to 8k and upwards per strike from the adds.. wow! I have to figure out a better tactic or better built to sustain those incoming damages.

CasNation wrote: »

GreenhaloX wrote: »

Decided I was bold enough to venture into VMA yesterday after breezing through a round of normal, and I was moaning and groaning a bit on the 1st final round boss. The built and rearranged skills that recently got me through normal quite easily is not keeping up with the final round too well. VMA.. different ballgame. Not quite bad enough yet to throw up another ranting post, though. Maybe next stage.. Lol!

And this is why people say vMA caters to ranged builds. The stage 1 boss is really easy IF you can stay moving at all time at full speed while not getting by either the boss or the florin death balls...okay, so maybe all those qualifiers don't make it count for easy anymore :P but you can see that this would be easier for a ranged build.

Try to favor your bow bar a bit and weave poison injection with light attacks to take down the adds. When they die, move to the boss and try to damage them as much as possible.

I think I will have to try this. In normal Maelstrom, this boss only spawn one or two of his cronies, so it's easier to deal with. With VMA, right away he spawns three, but it is manageable, but then each time you kill one of two, he spawns three more. I had 6 to 8 pommeling me. With 7k and upwards incoming damages from those 6-8 (after many respawning), I had no choice, but to call it a day and rethink my tactic. Ok, thanks for this suggestion. I will try the bow. Even though, it doesn't dish out as much dps as my wrecking blow, using the bow may well allow me to better shoot and move and possibly have a longer life expectancy. Lol!

GreenhaloX

kylewwefan wrote: »

Congratulations!

Thank you.. I appreciate it. Now, I'm just sweating bullets in VMA. Ha ha! *sigh*

kylewwefan

Don't forget to use potions and repair your gear and charge your weapons. In vet mode, I'm using my Ultimates as soon as they ready, and sigils just because they're there. I burn through the first 5 rounds pretty good then it gets hard for me. It's a good place to think about all the skills your using and develop a workable rotation. The wrecking blow light attack weave isn't working so great for me here. Hehe

The DOT build rotations start to shine a bit when things get hairy. Caltrops, endless hail, rearming trap, rapid strikes etc. I find it's easier to mostly kill enemies then move on to the next letting the Damage over time (DoT) finish them off. It feels more tedious keeping all these dots up but they seem to be more efficient resource wise, and fairly effective in the long run.

Waseem

just saw a guildie taking powered maelstrom dagger and charged resto staff from vMA weekly.
very glad of quitting vMA for good.

bryanhaas

GreenhaloX wrote: »

Aeaeren wrote: »

It's hard period. I am still stuck on Round 4. Too many adds are piling up during the final stage but I can now consistently reach the boss each time so it's just a matter of figuring it out.

Yes.. it's definitely night and day in comparison from VMA to normal. My issues on normal prior was not knowing the mechanics. After knowing how to deal with those, I literally breezed through another round of normal and not using any sigils or even my ultimate. I was cutting down the adds and bosses like butter. With the VMA, they are dealing way more damages and causing me to constantly popping my defensive skills which is limiting my offensive in dishing out damages. Yeah, 7k to 8k and upwards per strike from the adds.. wow! I have to figure out a better tactic or better built to sustain those incoming damages.

CasNation wrote: »

GreenhaloX wrote: »

Decided I was bold enough to venture into VMA yesterday after breezing through a round of normal, and I was moaning and groaning a bit on the 1st final round boss. The built and rearranged skills that recently got me through normal quite easily is not keeping up with the final round too well. VMA.. different ballgame. Not quite bad enough yet to throw up another ranting post, though. Maybe next stage.. Lol!

And this is why people say vMA caters to ranged builds. The stage 1 boss is really easy IF you can stay moving at all time at full speed while not getting by either the boss or the florin death balls...okay, so maybe all those qualifiers don't make it count for easy anymore :P but you can see that this would be easier for a ranged build.

Try to favor your bow bar a bit and weave poison injection with light attacks to take down the adds. When they die, move to the boss and try to damage them as much as possible.

I think I will have to try this. In normal Maelstrom, this boss only spawn one or two of his cronies, so it's easier to deal with. With VMA, right away he spawns three, but it is manageable, but then each time you kill one of two, he spawns three more. I had 6 to 8 pommeling me. With 7k and upwards incoming damages from those 6-8 (after many respawning), I had no choice, but to call it a day and rethink my tactic. Ok, thanks for this suggestion. I will try the bow. Even though, it doesn't dish out as much dps as my wrecking blow, using the bow may well allow me to better shoot and move and possibly have a longer life expectancy. Lol!

I find speed pots to be very helpful, perhaps speed + weapon damage + stam restore (not sure if that is possible). Or speed + gradual health restore or speed + increase healing received. If any of those can have weapon damage added that would probably help as well.

bryanhaas

GreenhaloX wrote: »

Haaa! I did it!! I finally beat normal Maelstrom. After a minor disturbance in the force a couple days ago with an issue I had with a post/thread being locked or deleted, I contemplated taking a long break or maybe just going cold turkey away from this. But then, it kept on bugging me because I normally never leave something unfinished. So, I decided to cut short my evening out yesterday and had to make one final stand. I figured this recent try would be my flip of the coin. If I still have trouble, then yeah, I would just have to pack it up and call it a day. After another 14 CP points later and reconfigured my CPs a bit and grabbed the crit rush and rally (thank you, @CasNation for the critiques and tips for improvements), and understanding what needs to be done to mitigate the mechanics of the stages, I actually rolled right through the remaining stages 7-9.

So, I was excited and decided to do the whole thing one more time, for safe keeping. I went through the whole thing in one sitting and actually only died once. It was in the 7th stage, after beating the argonian behemoth boss, I was killed by the volatile explosion while digging into the chest at the end of the round. I was like, what the heck?! I must've been hit by the poison spore of something during the fight with the boss and not realize it. You all are right. Once you understand the mechanics and know how to get around it, it was a breeze to go the whole thing. Now, after a break, I think I may be ready to venture into VMA and experience the moans and groans that many are talking about. Lol!

Thank you, all, for your inputs, the tips, encouragements and your side of the story. You are good people. I appreciated a lot! Thank you, @Ep1kMalware, @CasNation, @bryanhaas, @DRXHarbinger, for the extra attention you gave to this thread which fueled my resolve to go back and finish it. For those of you who are still contemplating to go back in, be like me.. take heeds of the other good people's tips and recommendations, and just go and tackle it!

Let us know your progress as you well progress. Thanks for the mention btw.

bryanhaas

CasNation wrote: »

@GreenhaloX

Congrats! Glad some of my help came in handy. Just be forwarned that VMA is a whole different creature entirely...stuck on Stage 3 right now myself. I understand the mechanics, but my red/green colorblindness makes it nearly impossible to tell when anything is happening. Anyways, best of luck on vMA, and have fun reveling in your glorious triumph!

They really need a colorblind mode. ZOS why do you hate the colorblind so much

Destiny even has a colorblind mode (just deleted it from my console finally, horrible game).

bryanhaas

Aeaeren wrote: »

GreenhaloX

GreenhaloX wrote: »

mb10 wrote: »

Well then dont do it if you cant. Its for skilled players.

Many people on here moan about easy end game content including dungeons but the one difficult thing in the game, people want nerfed.

Every single game has content that is difficult especially MMOs and it should be a reward for players who spend time to master their class.

Btw you might need to check a guide before you do maelstrom too youre just going into the next round blind with no idea what to expect. Then you expect it to be easy/a breeze. Confusing...

Granted this is my first MMORPG experience, I'm slowly coming around and seemingly have to agree with you. I'm so used to playing single-player games that you can figure out the in-game mechanics much easier than within ESO. Yes, yes, have to study up and look at more guides, clips and advices from all you good folks.

However, telling people don't do it because you're unskilled, is not cool at all, man. People have different learning style and ability and may be faster or slower to learn than others, but it is better to be more positive and encourage those that are seemingly lacking versus seemingly belittling them. Makes for a better world when there are more positive people and things. You may be the bomb at something where others are still striving to become, but humility and humbleness are good virtues. You maybe better at something than someone else, but believe me, I'm sure that someone else is better than you at other things as well. “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”
― Ernest Hemingway

So I am struggle with Seht's Flywheel but like the last round I am not giving up. I make that slow walk back from the wayshrine and replay what killed me and what I missed. During this time I start tweaking my bar to help me accomplish the goal. One thing I was lacking is Mage's guild isn't maxed out, so this week I got it to 10 and got metor and the passives, currently working on leveling it to morph and then back to lay the boom on the Knockoff.

GreenhaloX wrote: »

Decided I was bold enough to venture into VMA yesterday after breezing through a round of normal, and I was moaning and groaning a bit on the 1st final round boss. The built and rearranged skills that recently got me through normal quite easily is not keeping up with the final round too well. VMA.. different ballgame. Not quite bad enough yet to throw up another ranting post, though. Maybe next stage.. Lol!

It's hard period. I am still stuck on Round 4. Too many adds are piling up during the final stage but I can now consistently reach the boss each time so it's just a matter of figuring it out.

I found the only good way on my sorc to do it is to burn the boss very fast then it is pretty easy any other way near impossible.

Pallio

vMA made me delete the game and set my PC on fire. But, I have a new PC now, reloaded and am going to try again soon.

CasNation

bryanhaas wrote: »

CasNation wrote: »

@GreenhaloX

Congrats! Glad some of my help came in handy. Just be forwarned that VMA is a whole different creature entirely...stuck on Stage 3 right now myself. I understand the mechanics, but my red/green colorblindness makes it nearly impossible to tell when anything is happening. Anyways, best of luck on vMA, and have fun reveling in your glorious triumph!

They really need a colorblind mode. ZOS why do you hate the colorblind so much

Destiny even has a colorblind mode (just deleted it from my console finally, horrible game).

They had a thread about it awhile ago that was nice to see. It's on the list, but unfortunately probably isn't a priority.

And good job. Destiny is indeed a pretty bad game. I lost my ESO buddy to Destiny for a time before he came to his senses and came back.

Helgi_Skotina

I gave up too. Stage 3 is already too much for me. Just once i reached the bossfight.

Aspi90

stam sorc, 5x briarheart, blood craze, crit surge and rapid strikes with 2x skoria and 5x night mothers gaze on DW bar.
I completed vMA "accidentally" for the second time today. I just wanted to test this set up and decided to do it in vMA and I did so much damage and had so much healing, that I just tried the next stages as well.
It was easier than my first completion with my mag templar.

GreenhaloX

Aspi90 wrote: »

stam sorc, 5x briarheart, blood craze, crit surge and rapid strikes with 2x skoria and 5x night mothers gaze on DW bar.
I completed vMA "accidentally" for the second time today. I just wanted to test this set up and decided to do it in vMA and I did so much damage and had so much healing, that I just tried the next stages as well.
It was easier than my first completion with my mag templar.

Accidentally.. nice. Ha ha. Yes, quite a few posts are mentioning a stam sorc is easier or better for use in vMA. I believe there's a post that says someone burned through the final stage 9 boss of vMA within a min. Now, that's really impressive, if that is the truth.

I'm actually fine with regular Maelstrom now and no problems anymore since knowing and understanding the mechanics, but I'm still pursuing a build to increase my stam meter into the mid-30k and higher, if able to, for vMA. I ran into the crafting pit for Eternal hunt in Hew's Bane which seems to give good stam, and seems the perk will drop a glyph of a sort, each time you roll/dodge, that will explode with about 5k poison damage if any enemy hits it. That will come in handy!

Pallio wrote: »

vMA made me delete the game and set my PC on fire. But, I have a new PC now, reloaded and am going to try again soon.

Oh wow.. I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry. Those are some expensive damages., but if it gave you some relief, it could had been worth it. Ha ha.