VMA round 2

anathemasit

Just started doing VMA as a Stam NB and I am getting wrecked in round 2. Two hits by the blades and it is insta-death. I am running around 20K health. Watching videos isn't helping much as I see folks getting hit 3-5 times by the blades and their health barely goes down. I know the easy answer is don't get hit by the blades and I am working towards that, but what else can i do? I can barely make it 10 seconds before I die.

VaranisArano

So what worked for my stam sorc may not be the best advice for a stamblade, but its worth offering.

I got wrecked by those blades my first time (and my second, and my third) too. So I started sticking to the very edges of the arena and hitting Vigor proactively. Keeping Vigor up so that those heals over time are kicking really helped the most. There were times I would hit the lever to stop the blades, especially if I needed some breathing room on the centurion bosses, but overall, using Vigor before I got hit helped keep me from getting wrecked the way I was when I first started.

Also, I doubt this is the ideal strategy, but I just kite around the very edge of the platform and very rarely try to go towards the middle, so I'm not dealing with too many blades at a time.

erlewine

just keep vigor up the whole time. take haste (regen) and healing sigil every round if you want to make it even easier.
You can use the Vengeance Leech set if you want to make it even easier-er

anathemasit

Thanks for the advice. I'll give this a try tonight. After 3 hours of not making it past round one and wanting to punch the monitor, I walked away to cool off. The most frustrating and rewarding challenge I've had in a while.

magictucktuck

that ones hard at first, the biggest thing is learn blade movements to avoid as much as possible. and keep vigor up, i remember struggling there but eventually its just natural to keep moving in semi circle and always have vigor up

EDIT also using a 2h set up at first to have rally and vigor is what i used at first when i was learning. but now i use briar heart to make up for heals and still get good dmg and VO for sustain. but u can do a regular hundings and agility just fine with a 2h setup

Asardes

Learn the patterns and run between them. Also Deadly Cloak helps mitigate some of the damage from both blades and the centurions at the end. Hit the ranged mobs with HA into poison injection and handle the melee ones with priority. Be sure to have Vigor ticking most of the time and use Killer's Blade on the trash for free heals. You certainly don't need more than about 16K health there, but be sure to invest in stamina recovery since some of the mechanics are rather draining, especially when you don't know the spawns perfectly. I'd say 1.3-1.5K would be ideal. Also be sure to have some [Essence of Weapon Power] on you for the tougher arenas, where you need to deal maximum DPS, especially Rink of Frozen Blood (5), Vault of Umbrage (7) and Theater of Despair (9), especially the final 2 rounds. The first 4 arenas are much easier than those ones, basically a warm-up of sorts so I suggest practicing more your rotation and survival skills before progressing further. Try to do the Craglorn trials and get 5 pieces of Vicious Ophidian since it helps a lot with sustain. Combo that with a crafted set like Hunding or NMG and a monster set like Kra'gh or Velidreth.

kylewwefan

What I learned for round 2 on a StamBlade. For bad players like me. Vigor on both bars. Use Vigor a lot. Massive Stam recovery is really good. Stam Recovery jewelry and dubious.

Don’t move til last boss. Stay right where the ad spawns and range attack everything else. Almost all of round 2 should be done on Bow bar. Heavy bow attack and poison inject kills most.

Stand in the middle of your endless/ caltrops for the ad that spawns where you stand and any that come close to you. Don’t forget Vigor. Potions.

For bosses, I run to them on first spawn and stop at the third boss they come to you after that. Keep popping Vigor. Keep up Endless/ caltrops swap bars and surprise/ light or heavy/ blood craze till execute. Don’t forget to Vigor. Use Killers Blade at below 25%.

Sigils. Pick em up as you go. Use Vigor.