Would You Accept nMSA Dropping Maelstrom Weapons? (read before rage posting)

Smitch_59

Yes

When I want to feel inadequate, I just visit this forum. Reading all the comments about how easy nMA is makes me realize just how much I suck at this game.

kylewwefan

Yes

Smitch_59 wrote: »

When I want to feel inadequate, I just visit this forum. Reading all the comments about how easy nMA is makes me realize just how much I suck at this game.

Run through normal about 10 times. After the 3rd run you start remembering where things spawn, where sigils are and use them, combos to do more damage, kill stuff quick before it has a chance to bother you, etc.

then mechanics start to click. You know what to do. You get really good at maelstrom arena. You get out in the overland and dungeons and feel like a one man wrecking machine.

It actually does make you a better player I think. Then you move to vet.....don't let the guys running Vet Maelstrom naked fool ya. They are very very good at it.

FleetwoodSmack

Yes

Being that it's gone on long enough to sadly accept that any token system that they're going to implement isn't going to happen- this would be the better alternative. It's not about the difficulty. It's about the incessant grind of sometimes months and months and months and months and months to even get the drop you want. It's time to open up the farm gates.

Turelus

Yes

I'm actually amazed this thread is still going...

I also love that it goes in waves of people with reasons for it, then people who just say L2P.

Takuto

I'd like to see all the bad trait maelstrom weapons moved to normal and the BIS traits left on vMA.

This packaged with a modest difficulty increase on nMA would be a positive change.

I've completed vMA on multiple character, but hated every minute of it. I despise vMA, it is by far the most miserable content in the game. Some people like it, which is something I don't really understand. I suspect many more don't like it, even if they could finish it if they were willing to suffer through it.

Consider this:
Currently a new player's path to completing vMA and getting a usable maelstrom weapon looks like this:

1. Curb-stomp nMA while having no idea what is going on and ignoring mechanics.
2. Start vMA, die on round 4-7, die many more times, spend the next few days or weeks figuring out the mechanics that nMA didn't help them learn.
3. Complete VMA, don't get a useful item.
4. Run vMA hundreds of times to get a sharpened <whatever>, wasting enormous amounts of time.

My opinion is this process should look more like:

1. Complete nMA with minor difficulty.
2. Complete nMA ~3-6 more times learning the mechanics and 'farming' items
3. Start vMA, die seldom because you know the mechanics.
4. Complete vMA, get a GOOD item.
5. Complete vMA a small number of additional times more times to get the item you want.

IamDestiny

The real question is why is BiS gear dropping from a singleplayer content area in an MMO. This is by far the most stupidest thing i have ever seen. Might as well play Dark Souls. It is just a boring grind.

BNOC

No

IndyWendieGo wrote: »

It's time to open up the farm gates.

You guys man

The arena was designed around 300CP. The farm gates opened about 3 months after it came out - It's now been out for 19 months.

I want Master Angler to just be 1 fish in each area because it's 3 years on and I've still not gotten it, I've not actually invested much time into it though and I've not learned which bait is used for each body of water so I struggle to do well.

I want the trial skins unlockable on Normal, so everyone can have it, regardless of skill and effort? It's not fair.

I want gold jewellery to drop in normal because it's too hard on vet and weekly rewards as well for doing it on normal.

I want, I want, I want.

HellFlame wrote: »

The real question is why is BiS gear dropping from a singleplayer content area in an MMO. This is by far the most stupidest thing i have ever seen. Might as well play Dark Souls. It is just a boring grind.

At last check, more people on console at least have completed the endgame solo content, than any endgame group content.
Which means, more people have had A MSA weapon than A trial drop.

Just remove some traits and let people work on completing it on Vet, considering the mechanics found there are essentially the same mechanics YOU are responsible for avoiding in trials and other group play, not your group.

Bobby_V_Rockit

Yes

nDSA drops masters weapons?!

revonine

Yes

As a PvP-er primarily yes. Or better yet make them available from the weekly vendor for absurd amounts of AP/gold. On PS4 at least, shareplay is a thing so you can't really be sure how many people done this legit anyway.

tommalmm

No

No. Definitely not. To be honest, what's the point? If a player can't complete vMA, he most likely won't benefit from the weapons anyway. Some people just think vMA weapons are some magic way to exceptional DPS. The thing is, if you're doing 25k without vMA, you won't suddenly get 40k. It's more of a "cherry on a cake" thing and, as such, shoudln't really be easily available.

Say, vMA staff can add like 2.0-2.5k DPS (1.3k light/heavy increase plus spell damage increase, with proper CP, buffs and all), but only if you weave properly, keep up your buffs, etc. Most people that can't get their DPS past 20-25k struggle with proper rotation, don't keep their DoTs 100% of time, don't buff themselves properly, miss way too many weaves, etc. In their case the increase that comes with vMA staff can be as low as 0.5-0.7k (so it's nothing, really, I have bigger discrepancies between parses due to RNG and my performance!).

It's easier to benefit from the vMA bow, but it still won't get an average DPS to top tier only because of the bow (not to mention daggers, which require some very specific approach to make them useful at all).

On my petsorc (I'm CP capped on PC/EU) I can pull nearly 35k (if lucky, more often it's a little bit over 34k) in an easy to get gear (necro + julianos), ~37k when I switch to moondancer. Will a vMA staff with a proper trait help me? Sure it will. I hope to get to ~39k and with some practice (and luck ), finally break 40k on Morrowind without some cheesy builds (that work only on a skeleton). Is it really that important? No, definitely not. 30-35k is plenty, and absolutely enough to complete any content in the game - I quite often just use some easy, "press button to DPS" heavy attack build that does ~32k if I just want to have an easy walk). It's more a mental thing, I used to see these numbers on Homestead and I'm missing it .

Now, please note that this comes from a guy that has completed vMA maybe a dozen times, struggled for four hours at the last boss on the first playthrough, still can't get perfect run and didn't get his fav drop yet (I've got frost staff though, which is kinda useless to me anyway ). So no, I'm not one of the elite guys running it naked no death and still getting competitive score. TBH I totally hate vMA, it's PITA for me as it probably is for any of the guys that can't complete it at all. It has to be. First completion was so freaking rewarding... even though I had to split it into two days to complete (mostly to remain sane).

What I would actually like to see is better chances of getting useful traits on vMA weapons. Mmaybe not guaranteed, as there is no fun in it but grinding tens or even hudreds of hours to get the right weapon and trait is not so much of a fun either. The weapons are very good, but the increase is't THAT noticeable to justify so much wasted time (for many it will be like 6% - you can very easily get trial sets on normal, that give you +5% + resources + damage...).

FlyLionel

No

HellFlame wrote: »

The real question is why is BiS gear dropping from a singleplayer content area in an MMO. This is by far the most stupidest thing i have ever seen. Might as well play Dark Souls. It is just a boring grind.

A first for everything, never heard that one before.

Fyaal

Other

Other. A token system is the only way to break this crazy grind.

hugh440

Yes

They need to fix it somehow. I've gotten close to flawless conqueror having died one time in a run and only that one time. I despise the place with all my being and never want to go back...

SoLooney

No

No way should nMA drop weapons. Those who voted yes are mostly people who cant clear or dont want to put in the effort.
For most builds, it is best in slot, it should be awarded to those who took the time to get their builds and ability to clear it. Not to mention the bs rng to get their weapons in the desired traits.

Yea, learning the arena and clearing it for the first time, very painful and frustrating experience. I cried and swore a couple million times for my first complete.

After that, you clear it faster and with less deaths, soon you get vma on farming.

Theres a million guides out there, alcast puts out beginner friendly builds and shows himself clearing it using only 300 cp in basic crafted gear like seducers.

People like Gilliam beat the arena using only a broom and bucket.

Theres a french player beating each round using only weapons and in his undergarments.

If you dont take the time to beat vma, you dont deserve the weapons

Turelus

Yes

SoLooney wrote: »

People like Gilliam beat the arena using only a broom and bucket.

People seem to ignore the bow and other sets which were used as well... It's not like they did it on a run with just a broom and bucket.

Also this thread getting bumped at least once a week still amuses me, mostly because no one reads any of the previous comments makes a post which has already been made as if they're declaring /thread then never come back.

Tempted to ask for a lock just so I stop getting notifications.

SoLooney

No

Turelus wrote: »

SoLooney wrote: »

People like Gilliam beat the arena using only a broom and bucket.

People seem to ignore the bow and other sets which were used as well... It's not like they did it on a run with just a broom and bucket.

Also this thread getting bumped at least once a week still amuses me, mostly because no one reads any of the previous comments makes a post which has already been made as if they're declaring /thread then never come back.

Tempted to ask for a lock just so I stop getting notifications.

That may be true but the point is, people are using weak weapons and not wearing any gear and still beat vma.

Players like that show that you dont need the best gear or max cp.

and i read all the comments, very amusing.
The only thing needed is a token system. everything else can stay the same

tommalmm

No

Turelus wrote: »

Also this thread getting bumped at least once a week still amuses me, mostly because no one reads any of the previous comments makes a post which has already been made as if they're declaring /thread then never come back.

Tempted to ask for a lock just so I stop getting notifications.

What would you expect? It's a poll. Vote, state your mind, forget... or not, if you prefer. I mean, it's kind of expected, happens in all poll threads on pretty much every forum I've seen. BTW. You can manage your subscribtions/notifications, without closing the thread.

Edit: quote mark misalaced

Turelus

Yes

tommalmm wrote: »

Turelus wrote: »

Also this thread getting bumped at least once a week still amuses me, mostly because no one reads any of the previous comments makes a post which has already been made as if they're declaring /thread then never come back.

Tempted to ask for a lock just so I stop getting notifications.

What would you expect? It's a poll. Vote, state your mind, forget... or not, if you prefer. I mean, it's kind of expected, happens in all poll threads on pretty much every forum I've seen. BTW. You can manage your subscribtions/notifications, without closing the thread.

Edit: quote mark misalaced

You can't just removed yourself from notifications about a single thread you created though right? If you can I have missed that and need to learn to forums.

tommalmm

No

Sorry

Turelus wrote: »

You can't just removed yourself from notifications about a single thread you created though right? If you can I have missed that and need to learn to forums.

Sorry, my bad. Seems like you can disable it only globally, unlike in pretty much every other forum software. Seems you can enable notifications only for bookmarked discussions, though... Then you can simply unbookmark it to stop receiving notifications (bookmarks are available in thread list view/subforum view). I'd go this way if I wanted to have more control over notifications.

Ranger209

ssewallb14_ESO wrote: »

Partial RNG Token system in addition to the current system. Something like 1-2 tokens from normal. 3-5 from vet. 100 tokens for specific item, RNG trait, 200-250 tokens for specific item/trait.

I like this idea, but would like to see 10 for vMA and 1 for nMA. It is a light at the end of the tunnel idea. After 10 vet runs you could pick any item you want with a range trait or hold on until you hit 20-25 runs and get the exact item you want. So this makes it a grind on vet yet allows at certain intervals of 20-25 runs the ability to get the exact item you want if range has been unkind.

Doing normal someone would have to run it 100 times to get anything at all. My feeling is that after somewhere in the 20 to 50 range they are going to know it well enough that they will start doing vet and succeeding at it with the reps they have put in on normal. Yes they could seriously grind normal out 250 times and get the weapon of their choice, but I don't really see anyone doing that without at some point feeling good enough about it to jump into vet and get 10X the coins per run.

Casul

No

I have yet to complete VMA (or even pass round 1 for that matter xD). And honestly although the weapons are mega helpful to builds I believe that I should earn them. Normal was SIGNIFICANTLY easier then veteran. I think they should implement something so that if they do give them in normal they should be sub par gear. Such as bad trait. Then once you get through vet you have a better chance at the BiS. Kinda like when you farm a dungeon for gear to use. Then go back and replace the gear with BiS traits.

WhoSlappedThePie

No I wouldn't accept that; it drops at Veteran level for a reason as it is the hardest solo content and therefore you're rewarded with the hardest weapons. Am I right in thinking you've created this post as you cannot finish veteran Maelstrom Arena?

Turelus

Yes

WhoSlappedThePie wrote: »

No I wouldn't accept that; it drops at Veteran level for a reason as it is the hardest solo content and therefore you're rewarded with the hardest weapons. Am I right in thinking you've created this post as you cannot finish veteran Maelstrom Arena?

No, you are not right.

If you read more than the title of the thread (hell even taken the time to vote) you might have understood the wider discussion I was aiming for and the reasoning behind it including rebuttals to reasons like yours.

Any way going to ask for a lock on this as the discussion I was looking for didn't happen (once again git gud was all we got) and I'm tired of bumps every week in a dead debate.

ZOS_Mika

We are closing this thread because we feel the discussion has run its course.