Maelstrom Arena - Ice Level is Poorly Designed (Tanking Perspective)

magictucktuck

Destruent wrote: »

magictucktuck wrote: »

Actually arena 5 is like the only one that is not a dps race. Every mob spawn and broken platform is at a health percentage you can do it at your own pace. Except the last 10 sec u wanna kill him before the final platform.. Take the power sigial then if u need

That's wrong. The last platform is HP (5...10%) or time based, whatever comes first. But nontheless it is doable with a tank build. I got to stage 8 with a templar tank doing 5k...7k DPS when i unleash my amazing burst

You must have missed the last half of the post

Ep1kMalware

bertenburnyb16_ESO wrote: »

Leon119 wrote: »

Well this is your fault bringing a group role in a solo instance. Tanks are great and useful because they can keep agro of the rest of their group letting the other members do their job. However you are in maelstrom, a solo instance.... who are u tanking for ?.....

You can also solo play tank,have everyone bashing on you, and just deal with it while u slower(well slower than MAXDPSSUPERLEET@EPEEN) take down the threat, just not in ma because of crap mechanics
Also, this means people who play other roles then dps in group content are [snip], since they will have to totally respec their char, get new gear and all just to be able to do this
Lastly, not everybody likes to play dps

then they should stay the hell out of vmsa then. 8-10k dps isn't even acceptable for most veteran content and it'll still get you through vmsa. l2p

GrumpyDuckling

Ep1kMalware wrote: »

GrumpyDuckling wrote: »

I was really excited to play Maelstrom Arena for the first time, today.

The first 4 levels were a ton of fun and I was having a blast - until I got to level 5, the ice map, where this game's ugly obsession with damage racing (a.k.a. do as much damage as possible, as fast as possible, or you lose) spat in the face of my tank build - which had been performing respectably in the first four levels - and turned Maelstrom Arena from a fun challenge into a damage race that my tank just couldn't win.

I have seen this ugly damage racing mechanic before in the City of Ash, dungeon. Either you melt the final boss as fast as possible, or you lose. There is no other way around it. It's an annoying game mechanic that forces you to play a certain way but I kept quiet because my tank could help out in that dungeon by drawing aggro and buffing my teammates - whose quick-dealing damage was the only way to complete the content.

But now, here I am in Maelstrom Arena, alone, on the ice level, and the game appears to be forcing me to play one way. I either respec to make my tank into a damage dealer capable of doing enough damage to kill the boss before the ice platforms disappear, or I don't get to enjoy the rest of the content. Would it be so hard to create a mechanic for that level that allows a tank-type player to reform ice platforms to prolong the fight? In it's current state, the ice level looks like a poorly designed level that forces us all to make similar builds and play the same way.

well, that round is NOT, a dps race. secondly, why you taking a non combat build into a solo combat arena and complaining about it?

Just because the build doesn't have a ton of damage doesn't make it a "non combat build." Defense is part of combat. Obviously the build does damage, just not enough to overcome the damage race mechanic that has been implemented - a mechanic which encourages the player population to make the same builds in which probably 90% of them use some form of the same 7 damage sets (Kena, Hunding's, Night Mother's, Julianos, Clever Alchemist, Willpower, Agility).

To be clear, the "complaining," as you put it, isn't about the arena as a whole, it's about the damage race mechanic which appears in particular spots in the arena and forces players to play the same way.

Averya_Teira

GrumpyDuckling wrote: »

Kammakazi wrote: »

Maelstrom Arena has always been a damage race.

Your best defense is your best offense.

Has ZOS ever given a reason why it's a damage race? It doesn't make sense to me why they do that in a game where they themselves promote roles such as tank and healer.

Because Tanking (and healing, but it's obvious you don't do msa as a healer...) is a group role and MSA is a solo dungeon?

Leon119

My apologies if i come of as rude in all my posts but ZOS wont change it at all and they made the mechanics like this to force you to be able to deal said high damage. People keep saying this game has a play as you want approach. And it does. However its not play as you want and be as effective as some1 who maximized their character's potential.
Your build is not going to be as effective at some things as other builds and vice versa. And if u get what u ask like tanking challenges where tanky builds excel then every dps and healer will be doing the exact same whinning as you.
Like it or no damage races are going to stay so either adapt to it or keep complaining to someone who said they wont change it.

Ep1kMalware

GrumpyDuckling wrote: »

Ep1kMalware wrote: »

GrumpyDuckling wrote: »

I was really excited to play Maelstrom Arena for the first time, today.

The first 4 levels were a ton of fun and I was having a blast - until I got to level 5, the ice map, where this game's ugly obsession with damage racing (a.k.a. do as much damage as possible, as fast as possible, or you lose) spat in the face of my tank build - which had been performing respectably in the first four levels - and turned Maelstrom Arena from a fun challenge into a damage race that my tank just couldn't win.

I have seen this ugly damage racing mechanic before in the City of Ash, dungeon. Either you melt the final boss as fast as possible, or you lose. There is no other way around it. It's an annoying game mechanic that forces you to play a certain way but I kept quiet because my tank could help out in that dungeon by drawing aggro and buffing my teammates - whose quick-dealing damage was the only way to complete the content.

But now, here I am in Maelstrom Arena, alone, on the ice level, and the game appears to be forcing me to play one way. I either respec to make my tank into a damage dealer capable of doing enough damage to kill the boss before the ice platforms disappear, or I don't get to enjoy the rest of the content. Would it be so hard to create a mechanic for that level that allows a tank-type player to reform ice platforms to prolong the fight? In it's current state, the ice level looks like a poorly designed level that forces us all to make similar builds and play the same way.

well, that round is NOT, a dps race. secondly, why you taking a non combat build into a solo combat arena and complaining about it?

Just because the build doesn't have a ton of damage doesn't make it a "non combat build." Defense is part of combat. Obviously the build does damage, just not enough to overcome the damage race mechanic that has been implemented - a mechanic which encourages the player population to make the same builds in which probably 90% of them use some form of the same 7 damage sets (Kena, Hunding's, Night Mother's, Julianos, Clever Alchemist, Willpower, Agility).

To be clear, the "complaining," as you put it, isn't about the arena as a whole, it's about the damage race mechanic which appears in particular spots in the arena and forces players to play the same way.

by how killing things? yeah how generic. Dude it's on normal maelstrom. Stop making excuses for the guy, he's doing it all wrong. Making excuses for him wilk only help instikk the mindset that he's fine and doesnt need improvement.

I got my first clear in heavy armour/whitestrakes / engine guardian with almost no issues at all. Clearly, his build isn't centered around combat. blocking amd crowd control abilities HELP in combat, but that is not combat.

l2p?

Ep1kMalware

Averya_Teira wrote: »

GrumpyDuckling wrote: »

Kammakazi wrote: »

Maelstrom Arena has always been a damage race.

Your best defense is your best offense.

Has ZOS ever given a reason why it's a damage race? It doesn't make sense to me why they do that in a game where they themselves promote roles such as tank and healer.

Because Tanking (and healing, but it's obvious you don't do msa as a healer...) is a group role and MSA is a solo dungeon?

I don't know how people keep missing the point on this one. vmsa is about how well you can do all 3. it's not about dps/healing/tanking. it's about surviving. There are a million different ways to do it.

This guy is right, it's a solo arena. That means the task of surviving is entirely up to you and not on the group you don't have. like it or not, you got ro l2fp this stupid easy game to get through vmsa. You cam't put everythinf into survivability and forget about damage and heals, and you cant put everything into damage while ignoring survivability.

GrumpyDuckling

Ep1kMalware wrote: »

GrumpyDuckling wrote: »

Ep1kMalware wrote: »

GrumpyDuckling wrote: »

I was really excited to play Maelstrom Arena for the first time, today.

The first 4 levels were a ton of fun and I was having a blast - until I got to level 5, the ice map, where this game's ugly obsession with damage racing (a.k.a. do as much damage as possible, as fast as possible, or you lose) spat in the face of my tank build - which had been performing respectably in the first four levels - and turned Maelstrom Arena from a fun challenge into a damage race that my tank just couldn't win.

I have seen this ugly damage racing mechanic before in the City of Ash, dungeon. Either you melt the final boss as fast as possible, or you lose. There is no other way around it. It's an annoying game mechanic that forces you to play a certain way but I kept quiet because my tank could help out in that dungeon by drawing aggro and buffing my teammates - whose quick-dealing damage was the only way to complete the content.

But now, here I am in Maelstrom Arena, alone, on the ice level, and the game appears to be forcing me to play one way. I either respec to make my tank into a damage dealer capable of doing enough damage to kill the boss before the ice platforms disappear, or I don't get to enjoy the rest of the content. Would it be so hard to create a mechanic for that level that allows a tank-type player to reform ice platforms to prolong the fight? In it's current state, the ice level looks like a poorly designed level that forces us all to make similar builds and play the same way.

well, that round is NOT, a dps race. secondly, why you taking a non combat build into a solo combat arena and complaining about it?

Just because the build doesn't have a ton of damage doesn't make it a "non combat build." Defense is part of combat. Obviously the build does damage, just not enough to overcome the damage race mechanic that has been implemented - a mechanic which encourages the player population to make the same builds in which probably 90% of them use some form of the same 7 damage sets (Kena, Hunding's, Night Mother's, Julianos, Clever Alchemist, Willpower, Agility).

To be clear, the "complaining," as you put it, isn't about the arena as a whole, it's about the damage race mechanic which appears in particular spots in the arena and forces players to play the same way.

by how killing things? yeah how generic. Dude it's on normal maelstrom. Stop making excuses for the guy, he's doing it all wrong. Making excuses for him wilk only help instikk the mindset that he's fine and doesnt need improvement.

I got my first clear in heavy armour/whitestrakes / engine guardian with almost no issues at all. Clearly, his build isn't centered around combat. blocking amd crowd control abilities HELP in combat, but that is not combat.

l2p?

Right there in the bold - you're making my point. You said, "...he's doing it wrong."

Don't you see that this is what this discussion is about? ZOS makes the game mechanic a damage race so that it can only be approached in one way, and if that way is not followed then the player is "wrong."

The damage race mechanic hurts diversity and has most players wearing the same 7 weapon/armor/jewelry sets.

Thanks for making my point

OrphanHelgen

I believe dps is everything. Dps and speed. Tank helps taking the dmg so damage dealers actually can do their dmg. Healers supports with sustain, heals and buffs so DDs can go more glass cannon, more dmg and less self sustain. This is just a part of the game tho, and is mostly in trials. Pvp, maelstrom and even the two new dungeons, are not designed for glass cannons without sustain. The two new dungeons you have to do mechanics, its not dps race. Good designed actually and I like it, allthough I also like to burn down valkyn in 20 sec