Alternative for vicious serpent (vMA)

Mattoxx96

I want to do vMA on my stam NB, I am 690CP khajit running 5pc spriggan and 2pc selene (don't have access to DLC to get velidreth) 90% off the top players run VO, I don't do trials so I cant get my hands on that set, I have tried to run santum ophidia but the drops rates are horrible and there is never many groups to run the trial on PS4 anyway.

Is 3pc Vengeance leech the best alternative, i do have the set I have tried it and the sustain is fairly decent, but now i just have 2 random 1Hs on my front bar.

pelle412

What about Hundings Rage?

Mattoxx96

Yeah should of mentioned that I don't do crafting either, only sets I can have are ones I can buy from guild traders, dungeon grinds or alliance boxes.

Ragnarock41

Well.beggars can't be choosers.

I do vMA with hundings+spriggans.
since I don't have time for trials I made this setup.
Works well. will carry you thru vMA as long as you know how to play.

VaranisArano

Mattoxx96 wrote: »

Yeah should of mentioned that I don't do crafting either, only sets I can have are ones I can buy from guild traders, dungeon grinds or alliance boxes.

You can buy hundings rage from guild traders, crafters do make it to sell.

getemshauna

Nothing is even close to the VO on stam character in vMA, just go on trial and try to get it. Ask your party members if they get some VO pieces. Trait is meaningless, since you can transmute it.

LiquidPony

On a Khajiit?

There's no real alternative.

You can work out something else on a Redguard, particularly as a Vampire ... but on a Khajiit vMA is a real pain in the junk without Vicious Ophidian.

Vengeance Leech and Essence Thief are both possibilities but they both suck compared to Vicious Ophidian.

You can certainly complete vMA with other gear (I was using TBS + Agility on my first clears), but it ain't much fun.

IMO ... just suck it up and run some Trials.

Kanar

No VO is not required for vMA. Just get the sustain from something else, like jewelry glyphs or food (DCT). NB already has access to major expedition right? Or Dodge roll with your bow.

Your damage may be slightly less but it's not a big deal. Hundings + briarheart, bone pirate, marksman, eh whatever set you want. I used hundings + pariah to get flawless conqueror.

SmellyUnlimited

Why are so many people afraid to run trials?

No, there is nothing even remotely close to VO. 5%dmg in dungeons, % decrease to stam use, and stam recovery + major expedition on kill?

Can still do VMA without it, but you won’t be as efficient and you’ll have significantly greater sustain problems. Not to mention the speed buff makes it so you can get to portals AS the enemy spawns to drop a trap/hail and practically kill them outright.

And no groups on PS4!? Lol. I play on PS4, I can’t even stay in mournhold more than a minute without someone asking for trials folks. Or better yet, ask around about trials guilds. Not having DLC’s to even Cradle of Shadows is like playing a demo of the game. So little content that I’d have died of boredom years ago.

SmellyUnlimited

And btw, you can get VO from any of the Craglorn trials - Hel Ra, Aetherian Archive, or Sanctum Ophidia. Running vet trials, I have to deconstruct whatever VO I get because everyone gets so much of it. You could probably get a full set of gold VO jewelry in a single trial, two max.

NolaArch

I farm it without trouble on my stamblade with Hunding’s and Spriggan’s. It never seems to matter much if I have Veli or Selene’s. You should be a-okay with those.

Of course, trial gear is better, but you don’t *neeed* it to do vMA. It’s just that much nicer to have.

*I do feel it’s fair to mention my main is vampire Redguard, so sustain just isn’t really a problem. You could swap some enchants/food around to help you out.

Mattoxx96

So many sarcastic comments. Lol

And no there isn't trials going every minute. Yes I do see trials happening, but no way near that often.

WrathOfInnos

If you're looking for a damage + regen alternative then Bone Pirate might work well. Another set that works well on stamina warden in vMA is the hunt leader set. It gives on average 243 stamina per second if you are using a pet (I have not tested this, but nightblade shade should work), and it also heals you 486 per second.

Mazbt

Start researching traits and get into crafting. Pair spriggan with hundings. Spriggan/hundings/selenes is a respectable set up. Use 2 regen glyphs if you are having sustain issues.

Mattoxx96

Mazbt wrote: »

Start researching traits and get into crafting. Pair spriggan with hundings. Spriggan/hundings/selenes is a respectable set up. Use 2 regen glyphs if you are having sustain issues.

Too time consuming

LiquidPony

Mattoxx96 wrote: »

Mazbt wrote: »

Start researching traits and get into crafting. Pair spriggan with hundings. Spriggan/hundings/selenes is a respectable set up. Use 2 regen glyphs if you are having sustain issues.

Too time consuming

Buy research scrolls. Have someone else craft it for you. Buy it from a guild trader. Or run Briarheart with Spriggan's instead; Briarheart has a decent little heal on it, too.

If you just need something to run with your 3-piece Vengeance Leech, use Leki's Focus daggers or craft some Shacklebreaker DW weapons, both of which have a 2-piece weapon damage bonus.

It doesn't take that long to get up to 6 traits in the 5 pieces you need, anyway. And if you think crafting research is "too time consuming" you're gonna have a hard time in Maelstrom.

Peargatory

WrathOfInnos wrote: »

If you're looking for a damage + regen alternative then Bone Pirate might work well. Another set that works well on stamina warden in vMA is the hunt leader set. It gives on average 243 stamina per second if you are using a pet (I have not tested this, but nightblade shade should work), and it also heals you 486 per second.

Agree, i run 5x bone pirate 5x nmg, krag, and a vma bow on a stam nb and find it great for vma, while yes there are better alternatives, it works fine, and before you get a vma bow just run a nmg bow.
An alternate set up i am interested in trying to help for beginners on stam builds is 5 seventh legion, there are unique rings that have robust trait, weapons are regularly found at guild traders, and 5 bone pirate with whatever helm set eg veli or krags. And for speed boosts just run essence of speed that gives major brutality and stam.
So there are other options, but VO is extremely strong there.

Mattoxx96

Well as of today, I took people advice telling me to just run trials. Managed to get a few pieces, hopefully won't take me long. Thanks for all the feedback

SmellyUnlimited

I actually found Briarheart + VO one of my favorite VMA sets for my Stamblade. Every crit heals when it procs, big weapon damage boost, and you just can’t beat that “cling” sound when you do hit something with the proc.
It’s a pretty well-rounded combo: heals, stam reduc, stam return, weapon dmg buff, minor slayer. But then again, so many sets can be good in there, just depends on playstyle.

GrigorijMalahevich

Yoi can always respec to magblaxe khajiit and use seducer with some other set... probably it will be easier than trying to do vma on a khajiit without VO.

I did vma on my bosmer stamblade running julianos and aether...

Bobby_V_Rockit

The alternative for Vicious Serpent is failure!

Mister_DMC

I've run it many times in many different setups, there really is no substitute for VO. It's the best set in the game, hands down.

Mattoxx96

Yeah I've taken people's advice and decided to just run trials

Koensol

SmellyUnlimited wrote: »

I actually found Briarheart + VO one of my favorite VMA sets for my Stamblade. Every crit heals when it procs, big weapon damage boost, and you just can’t beat that “cling” sound when you do hit something with the proc.
It’s a pretty well-rounded combo: heals, stam reduc, stam return, weapon dmg buff, minor slayer. But then again, so many sets can be good in there, just depends on playstyle.

I'd have to agree with this post. Briarheart is amazing on nightblades, especially if you want to run 2h in vma for the rally heal, since you can just proc it on one bar and let it transfer over. VO would be the no brainer 2nd set for vma.

But since you won't use VO, I'd use briarheart + spriggans/NMG. Just watch out that you don't go over 12k pen, since mobs in vma don't have more resistances than that. Just use dubious camoran throne drink for sustain and if you still have problems then, use orzorga's trifle pocket for even more regen.

Vapirko

Hundings and spriggan but join a trials guild and run norm. Blue VO jewlery is fine. There’s nothing even close to the damage and sustain and speed offered by VO.

SoLooney

lol if its your first time in vma, u better have vo or youre gonna hate your life so much

not hard to get vo, run pug trials and beg for any vo drops, even dropping money for it

or else if all fails, mag sorc vma

Lightspeedflashb14_ESO

Have you considered using Hawks eye? It is not that expensive, has cost reduction for all your Stam ablitys and damage increase for hail and injection and any other bow skill you might use. And it comes with a sweet unique helmet.

SodanTok

Lightspeedflashb14_ESO wrote: »

Have you considered using Hawks eye? It is not that expensive, has cost reduction for all your Stam ablitys and damage increase for hail and injection and any other bow skill you might use. And it comes with a sweet unique helmet.

It is common mistake, but hawk eye does not have cost reduction of stamina abilities. Marksman has that. Hawk eye has cost reduction of bow abilities (including ultimate)

As for thread, there is simply nothing. If you dont have VO, you build regen till you have enough sustain (jewelry, serpent mundus, dubious ..).
I myself feel pretty fine without ever using heavy attacks (bow build :P) in VMA with 1600 (without major endurance) regen and Netch (~300 regen) and that is literally just dubious and 129 regen from stormfist.

Firstmep

Roll a stamplar.
But in all seriousness, my stamplar manages vma just fine without Vo, i have it, just dont need it. I run war machine with Cresent Sweep and ballista backbar for fast boss burns.

Lightspeedflashb14_ESO

SodanTok wrote: »

Lightspeedflashb14_ESO wrote: »

Have you considered using Hawks eye? It is not that expensive, has cost reduction for all your Stam ablitys and damage increase for hail and injection and any other bow skill you might use. And it comes with a sweet unique helmet.

It is common mistake, but hawk eye does not have cost reduction of stamina abilities. Marksman has that. Hawk eye has cost reduction of bow abilities (including ultimate)

As for thread, there is simply nothing. If you dont have VO, you build regen till you have enough sustain (jewelry, serpent mundus, dubious ..).
I myself feel pretty fine without ever using heavy attacks (bow build :P) in VMA with 1600 (without major endurance) regen and Netch (~300 regen) and that is literally just dubious and 129 regen from stormfist.

Hey thanks for the correction, I was wrong and am dumb.