Elder Staves Online

krachall

ESO has a clear bend towards magicka and staves. I don't know the reason -- I heard it's because the lead combat developer plays a magicka character but I doubt ESO would allow something that petty to define their game -- but it's true. Look around any vet trial and you're going to see double the staff wielding DPS to melee dps. I get it...staves are easier and safer because you have those all-important shields and can play within the safety of range. But man this game loves its staves.

Does the overwhelming preference to staff wielders drive the drop rate? I've been paying a lot of attention to overland chests and with over a thousand looted weapons in the last few weeks, almost exactly 2/3 of them are staves. Assuming each staff is counted as its own weapon, there are 12 weapon types in the game and 4 staves. So in my small sample size, staves are dropping at DOUBLE the expected rate if linearly distributed.

In addition to the empirical data, I have run well over 100 Sanctum Ophidian trials looking for daggers of the TFS or VO. I've pulled exactly zero daggers, two swords, one maul, and one mace. But I decon several staves a week.

Do staves drop like candy because so many more players play them?

(and, if you feel the need to tell me I'm wrong about staff use because your trial group that speedmodes every vet trial in the game has 9 melee characters, to ahead...)

JamieAubrey

Is it 2016 again ? Its not as bad as it once was

Waffennacht

Yeah sure why not, I mean that's what you wanna hear right?

lagrue

ITT: OP wasn't here when One Tam rolled out and everybody cried the game was too Stamina oriented.

I would say the reason people like Staves more is the range. The only ranged Stamina you're going to get is the bow - and maybe it's just me, but I've personally never been able to make the bow a viable ranged weapon without also using a stealth build - and even then it doesn't do good DPS.

Range is always favorable imo - though I'm sure people have their own reasons.

I mean magic is also just plain cool.

Kali_Despoine

Stam staves drop all day every day.
Magic mauls and battle axes are the same.
Want a good weapon? Good luck.
Want a weapon you'll never use? Find them all the time

Fherrit

I think that Magicka does have some baked in advantages that make PvE content more survivable than Stam builds. I have several chars, 2 of each that are Stam and Mag all to level 50 with varying degrees of gearing and I can say without any hesitation, the Mag builds are all far more survivable than the Stam builds, where it's either run with 2H so I can use Rally/Wrecking Ball for a heal/sheild combo, or lurch around in PvP for several hours till Vigor is unlocked. And of course, always with the bow for the 1 or 2 obligatory required utility dps dots.

Granted, I can spam Bloodthirst for self heal, and it does do pretty good, while the Rally/WB combo works quite well too; but at the same time I have to be in the face of whatever I'm fighting and thats where the real frustration comes in when running dungeons. I have to dodge roll out of red circles or sprint away from the tank or any other number of mechanics, then gap close back in and resume a interrupted rotation from the beginning. Staff builds have none of these issues. (yes I'm aware that they too have to get out of red circles, but the moment they're clear they can resume and don't have to slot a gap closer or move any more).

I don't consider it game breaking mind you, but it is annoying to be constantly reminded how much easier this dungeon you just finished would've been on your Mag-<insert class> carrying a big stick.

Kartalin

Kali_Despoine wrote: »

Stam staves drop all day every day.
Magic mauls and battle axes are the same.
Want a good weapon? Good luck.
Want a weapon you'll never use? Find them all the time

True, but instead of nihilism we like to call that RNG around here

--

Totally shifting towards a stamina meta in pvp lately, stamina dps in pve has been on the upswing for a long time. OP just woke up from 3 years ago wondering why he had to wear a dress too I bet.

Vanthras79

I would like to see the team fix this. Usually though when the team fixes things its "two steps forward, two steps back..."

MerlinPendragon

Agreed - too much reliance on staves and mages, not enough on melee weapons and melee fighters. Not sure what the answer is, as any nerf/buff to a class or weapon set will be met with fierce opposition, but it would be nice to see this addressed in a meaningful manner in a future patch/release.

Sergykid

yeah, magicka > stamina, in all terms: survivability, utility, damage. All classes have their better half towards magicka (except maybe warden, which in PVP the stam is op)

Caleb_Kadesh

Kali_Despoine wrote: »

Stam staves drop all day every day.
Magic mauls and battle axes are the same.
Want a good weapon? Good luck.
Want a weapon you'll never use? Find them all the time

Am I missing something? What is a Stam stave or a Magic Maul?

Vanthras79

Caleb_Kadesh wrote: »

Kali_Despoine wrote: »

Stam staves drop all day every day.
Magic mauls and battle axes are the same.
Want a good weapon? Good luck.
Want a weapon you'll never use? Find them all the time

Am I missing something? What is a Stam stave or a Magic Maul?

A staff or maul that is part of a set that boost the stats of it's wearing. Example, a staff that has two stam buffs, or a maul that increases magicka and spell damage.

Elevenstorm

The issue with Stamina vs Magicka in PvE is not only the survivability, but DpS wise is Time on Target. Stamina (or any melee) has on average Less time on target. Other MMO's balance this by allowing melee to do more damage because of 1) greater danger of being next to bosses and 2) time on target differences. ZOS hasn't done this yet.

VaranisArano

I'm just amused when I pull absolutely useful items like the Inferno Staff of the Fire out of chests in Craglorn.

jssriot

Elevenstorm wrote: »

The issue with Stamina vs Magicka in PvE is not only the survivability, but DpS wise is Time on Target. Stamina (or any melee) has on average Less time on target. Other MMO's balance this by allowing melee to do more damage because of 1) greater danger of being next to bosses and 2) time on target differences. ZOS hasn't done this yet.

OMG the salt from mag dps'rs that would result if they did that could supply Fritos Lays for a year and it'd be great.

But seriously, consider how screwed you are if you're melee stam dps and doing either HOF or AS, ffs. I love that last boss in HOF where you're spending half the time just finding that tiny little choice spot on the ledge that lets you hit his hitbox. It's like they designed this trial to make trial groups go back to all magsorc dps or something.

Foxic

Half of the people in this thread are still playing homestead apparently. Stam dps has been the pve meta since morrowind...

krachall

Hehe...here's me in a mixed guild vet MoL.

Me: Any stam DPS running Sunderflame or NMG?
*crickets*
Me: I'm running Hundings+VO but can switch to NMG.
*crickets*
Me: Any other stam DPS?
*crickets*
Group leader: Just don't use a mag DPS's pad on the second boss, please.

red_emu

Let's get rid of weapons and magic all together. Fist fights only from now on

Zer0oo

Troll?

Facefister

Well, I, as a melee, also want to have two-hand weapons and bows on par with dual-wield. But we will never get this.

Ender1310

I agree with OP. Vanilla was such a stick and dress world that this feels..like stamina Heaven. But if I am being honest what did I beat VMA on the first time? Mag Pet sorc. What do I bring to all my trials runs? Magblade, Mag sorc. If I am being honest. I gave up on my stamblade. I see people having success with them but just not for me. Mained that character all they way through vanilla when I saw all the hogworts students running around with their wooden sticks and dresses. Make mine steel and leather please. I dunno OP. Good luck.

Kartalin

Edit: Lol, misread something, retracting statement.

Ask me about my sharpened burning spellweave bow drop.

ParaNostram

Clearly OP hasn't PvPed. Stamina wears the crow right now.

Facefister

ParaNostram wrote: »

Clearly OP hasn't PvPed. Stamina wears the crow right now.

I wish pve gets seperated from pvp so we can see proper bow and two-hand balancing in pve.

Twenty0zTsunami

Honestly OP I see your point but it's not something exclusive to ESO. There is almost always a slant in the favor of magic users being more powerful in mmo's/rpg's in general. Did you ever play skyrim purely as a stamina based character who uses weapons and not magic? a thief/assassin build? If you play on the most difficult setting it's damn near impossible without utilizing the environment to trip your opponent up, and tanky/healer companions.

As much as it disheartens me, as a fan of the "rogue" gameplay (dw, bow, stealth, med armor etc), it's easily explainable by simply pointing out that magic is a powerful force and it kind of makes sense that a guy that can literally hurl the force of elemental fire, lightning, frost (and restoration?) at his foes might outdamage the guy swinging daggers or swords.

Twenty0zTsunami

ParaNostram wrote: »

Clearly OP hasn't PvPed. Stamina wears the crow right now.

but isn't that based, not on the merits of stamina based builds alone, but more along the lines of creative people learning to cheat the combat system? (aka animation cancelling)

Twenty0zTsunami

TotallyNotVos wrote: »

Half of the people in this thread are still playing homestead apparently. Stam dps has been the pve meta since morrowind...

wow you're right it's almost as if pve sn't the primary focus of this game or something @___@

Luckylancer

Another cry baby topic. Dont try to fix whats working. People think all pve mag builds are ranged. Dk, templar and warden are melee classes with mag. Why you complain less and get better rotation?

idk

I really got confused reading the OP.

For awhile now many groups have had to essentially force some to use staves and use magicka sind stam is performing so well. Since the OP didn't provide any context to us I rant I can only assume it's related to a subset he runs with.

ssewallb14_ESO

I legit thought this was a 2014 necro before clicking.

Danksta

So the date say this thread is current but my brain tells me this is a necro'd thread. Magicka DPS superior to stam DPS????