The Ultimate Maelstrom Arena Guide (With Pictures)

Alcast

I finally managed to finish the Maelstrom Arena Guide on my website. The Guide explains everything from preparation, start till the end of the maelstrom arena.
Feedback is appreciated.

https://alcasthq.com/eso-maelstrom-guide/

FrancisCrawford

Great work as usual!

Some notes as I read through it:

• I hope that somewhere you explain the difference in consequences between rezzing with a soul gem and rezzing at a shrine. (In one case you go back to the beginning of the round, in the other case to the beginning of the whole level.)
• The stamina sentence under "ranged interrupt" leaves me a bit confused as to your meaning as written; it could use a grammar pass for clarity.
• A bit of English grammar you might want to check in general is the difference between commas and semicolons, although one can live without semicolons by using periods in their place. A comma usually should not be used to separate two INDEPENDENT clauses; violating this rule can cause a little confusion by leading readers to look for a dependency that isn't there. Examples could include the one in the previous point or the "combined ..." clause in the Maxus section".
• How long do sigils last?
• Do you have any numbers for what the sigils do?
• "port teleport" typo early in the Maxus section.
• GREAT point on the whirring blade mechanics. I didn't know that!
• It would help a lot to know which DoTs and other debuffs are or aren't purgeable.
• Great point on Seht's spiders powering other mobs. I didn't know that!
• Great point on stopping the blades in the boss fight. I didn't know that!
• The Queen's Advisor bullet point is missing a word.
• One problem with the slows in Arena 3; if they get too bad, you can't get to the sigils.

I'm stopping for now after the first three Arenas.

John_Falstaff

@FrancisCrawford , I'm not the author, but as far as I know, no difference between soul gem and the shrine. Neither round nor stage are reset - the stage only resets if you teleport out of the arena itself.

idk

FrancisCrawford wrote: »

I hope that somewhere you explain the difference in consequences between rezzing with a soul gem and rezzing at a shrine. (In one case you go back to the beginning of the round, in the other case to the beginning of the whole level.)

iirc, It does not matter which rez is used you always will start at the beginning of the round,.

It is only if you choose to leave the entire MA instance that the arena you are on is reset to the start of it. A neither rez will do that so the this suggestion is not needed.

Pretty much what John said also.

FrancisCrawford

idk wrote: »

FrancisCrawford wrote: »

I hope that somewhere you explain the difference in consequences between rezzing with a soul gem and rezzing at a shrine. (In one case you go back to the beginning of the round, in the other case to the beginning of the whole level.)

iirc, It does not matter which rez is used you always will start at the beginning of the round,.

It is only if you choose to leave the entire MA instance that the arena you are on is reset to the start of it. A neither rez will do that so the this suggestion is not needed.

Pretty much what John said also.

My error then. Sorry!

FrancisCrawford

A few more reactions:

• Isn't it the case that the Arena 4 boss only has two phases, while the Engine Guardian in Darkshade 2 has three phases?
• Arena 5: What happens if you interrupt a troll and leave him alive? I usually interrupt with Crushing Shock, which also stuns and hence may give me longer to kill him, but that's early in the pounding process.
• Arena 5, Round 4: Why kill the two giants evenly?
• Some of the "If X, you will die" comments might be better as "you will probably die". E.g., Matriarch Runa, Platform 1.
• Matriarch Runa, Platform 2: Strictly speaking, it is difficult to kill a mob you can't damage.
• Arena 6: I always forget to turn off fast casting. If it's off, perhaps there's actually a chance to hit a pillar with a hoarvar grenade, but I wouldn't know that from experience.
• Killing the last mob of a round slowly not only lets you build ultimate or deweb obelisks, it also -- as @Joy_Division observes -- lets you heavy attack for resources.

Alcast

Thanks guys, I added most stuff now to the guide.

@FrancisCrawford about the ulti and resource return on a last mob of the round. Where would I best put that so people can find it? Maybe in the Basics?
For Runa, what do you mean you can't do damage?

And about the sigils, good question by how much they actually increase stuff, I have to figure that out first. All I know is that its A LOT

FrancisCrawford

Alcast wrote: »

Thanks guys, I added most stuff now to the guide.

Awesome!

Alcast wrote: »

@FrancisCrawford about the ulti and resource return on a last mob of the round. Where would I best put that so people can find it? Maybe in the Basics?

I odn't know how much more work you want to put into this already great guide, but it could use a more basic "Basics" section, if you want to take the trouble. Information and advice could include:

• The arena is located at one end of Wrothgar, ENE (or whatever the reality is) of XXX wayshrine. After the first time in, you can port to a wayshrine in the arena.
• Whether you're in normal or vet mode depends on your setting when you walk or map in.
• (I think this is true) You can have two copies of the quest active -- normal and vet mode.
• Rewards are Maelstrom weapons, of which the destro staff and bow are recommended in many builds, plus some other sets that people usually use only in niche builds.
• Unlike some other content in the game, Maelstrom Arena's difficulty isn't overwhelmingly concentrated on the bosses. Other mobs are a substantial challenge too, or add to the difficulty of boss fights, and there are also significant mechanics.
• A typical arena has 5 rounds. The last has a boss. The rest except maybe the first have minibosses. The first is easiest. The arena is completely reset between rounds. But all of these "rules" have exceptions.
• One needs to worry about damage, defense AND sustain.
• Common differences vs. dungeon/trial DD builds are VWXYZ.
• Defensive tactics to consider using are ABCD.
• Sustain tricks to consider using are EFGH.

Alcast wrote: »

For Runa, what do you mean you can't do damage?

You wrote " it can take a bit longer to take out the frost mage because it will stand in the water where you can’t damage it."

That passage also illustrates another point: Some (not all) of your advice about movement or position is probably meant for melee players only without explicitly saying so.