Is it forbidden to grind plunder skulls while doing nothing?

Swordancer

I like to stand with tanky build in the middle of WB area. The boss that can't push me away but people like to kill it is easy target. Im just standing out there, doing proc set damage, watching netflix and Im coming back evey half an hour to collect drops. Boss with proper build won't be able to kill my character and I will slowly drain his healthbar if there is no one around. Now during event there is always somone around, mostly few people before boss is dead.

I mean these violet plunder skulls are poor but sometimes I just like to read whispers after few hours from newbie people who have no idea whats going on. xD

I just wonder if I can do it without any repercussions from ZoS.

Taleof2Cities

No, @Swordancer, boss camping is tacky but it’s not against the TOS.

Swordancer

Great, so my NB got a job for sunday chill.

Starlight_Whisper

The first year we just sat in a big ass group in audrion dungeon mel something farming that one boss that responds like every 3 mins.

VaranisArano

I think its worth considering that ZOS implemented a damage mechanic at dolmens to prevent this type of AFK grinding there.

Now, they obviously haven't put something like that on World Bosses since those are much less frequently botted. On the other hand, if its not something they want people doing at dolmens, I have a hard time believing they'd approve of it at world bosses either.

So while I can't say it's against the letter of the law (and that may be all you care about), I personally think AFK grinding is against the spirit of what ZOS wants for that type of fight.

virtus753

Only ZOS can say for sure what repercussions you might face, if any. There’s a lot of leeway in the ToS for them to consider almost anything a violation, and they (almost) never say publicly what punitive actions they take (or don’t take). Even if players here say “you’re fine” or “they’ll ban you” or anything in between, no one here can speak for ZOS except a poster with the Z icon.

Danikat

VaranisArano wrote: »

I think its worth considering that ZOS implemented a damage mechanic at dolmens to prevent this type of AFK grinding there.

Now, they obviously haven't put something like that on World Bosses since those are much less frequently botted. On the other hand, if its not something they want people doing at dolmens, I have a hard time believing they'd approve of it at world bosses either.

So while I can't say it's against the letter of the law (and that may be all you care about), I personally think AFK grinding is against the spirit of what ZOS wants for that type of fight.

I don't know if it works in the same way but you absolutely can miss out on world boss loot if you don't do enough damage. Same with delve bosses too.

I found this out the hard way as I use events to level up characters and if they're especially low level or tanky I have to make sure there aren't too many people around or I don't get any loot. Which is tricky because I can't solo them on those characters either, so I need bosses with just the right level of activity. (I'm always able to find a suitable boss, it just takes a few attempts sometimes.)

virtus753

Danikat wrote: »

VaranisArano wrote: »

I think its worth considering that ZOS implemented a damage mechanic at dolmens to prevent this type of AFK grinding there.

Now, they obviously haven't put something like that on World Bosses since those are much less frequently botted. On the other hand, if its not something they want people doing at dolmens, I have a hard time believing they'd approve of it at world bosses either.

So while I can't say it's against the letter of the law (and that may be all you care about), I personally think AFK grinding is against the spirit of what ZOS wants for that type of fight.

I don't know if it works in the same way but you absolutely can miss out on world boss loot if you don't do enough damage. Same with delve bosses too.

I found this out the hard way as I use events to level up characters and if they're especially low level or tanky I have to make sure there aren't too many people around or I don't get any loot. Which is tricky because I can't solo them on those characters either, so I need bosses with just the right level of activity. (I'm always able to find a suitable boss, it just takes a few attempts sometimes.)

There is a damage mechanic at dolmens that will kill you if you stand still for too long. This was to prevent the botters who afked while having the attack button held down to gain the xp from dolmens.

It isn’t the same mechanic where only a limited number of players get loot.

Swordancer

virtus753 wrote: »

Danikat wrote: »

VaranisArano wrote: »

I think its worth considering that ZOS implemented a damage mechanic at dolmens to prevent this type of AFK grinding there.

Now, they obviously haven't put something like that on World Bosses since those are much less frequently botted. On the other hand, if its not something they want people doing at dolmens, I have a hard time believing they'd approve of it at world bosses either.

So while I can't say it's against the letter of the law (and that may be all you care about), I personally think AFK grinding is against the spirit of what ZOS wants for that type of fight.

I don't know if it works in the same way but you absolutely can miss out on world boss loot if you don't do enough damage. Same with delve bosses too.

I found this out the hard way as I use events to level up characters and if they're especially low level or tanky I have to make sure there aren't too many people around or I don't get any loot. Which is tricky because I can't solo them on those characters either, so I need bosses with just the right level of activity. (I'm always able to find a suitable boss, it just takes a few attempts sometimes.)

There is a damage mechanic at dolmens that will kill you if you stand still for too long. This was to prevent the botters who afked while having the attack button held down to gain the xp from dolmens.

It isn’t the same mechanic where only a limited number of players get loot.

I need to check this out xD

virtus753

Swordancer wrote: »

virtus753 wrote: »

Danikat wrote: »

VaranisArano wrote: »

I think its worth considering that ZOS implemented a damage mechanic at dolmens to prevent this type of AFK grinding there.

Now, they obviously haven't put something like that on World Bosses since those are much less frequently botted. On the other hand, if its not something they want people doing at dolmens, I have a hard time believing they'd approve of it at world bosses either.

So while I can't say it's against the letter of the law (and that may be all you care about), I personally think AFK grinding is against the spirit of what ZOS wants for that type of fight.

I don't know if it works in the same way but you absolutely can miss out on world boss loot if you don't do enough damage. Same with delve bosses too.

I found this out the hard way as I use events to level up characters and if they're especially low level or tanky I have to make sure there aren't too many people around or I don't get any loot. Which is tricky because I can't solo them on those characters either, so I need bosses with just the right level of activity. (I'm always able to find a suitable boss, it just takes a few attempts sometimes.)

There is a damage mechanic at dolmens that will kill you if you stand still for too long. This was to prevent the botters who afked while having the attack button held down to gain the xp from dolmens.

It isn’t the same mechanic where only a limited number of players get loot.

I need to check this out xD

It’s pretty easy to die to. Just chill out at an active dolmen, don’t move, and watch it do its thing!

Swordancer

virtus753 wrote: »

Swordancer wrote: »

virtus753 wrote: »

Danikat wrote: »

VaranisArano wrote: »

I think its worth considering that ZOS implemented a damage mechanic at dolmens to prevent this type of AFK grinding there.

Now, they obviously haven't put something like that on World Bosses since those are much less frequently botted. On the other hand, if its not something they want people doing at dolmens, I have a hard time believing they'd approve of it at world bosses either.

So while I can't say it's against the letter of the law (and that may be all you care about), I personally think AFK grinding is against the spirit of what ZOS wants for that type of fight.

I don't know if it works in the same way but you absolutely can miss out on world boss loot if you don't do enough damage. Same with delve bosses too.

I found this out the hard way as I use events to level up characters and if they're especially low level or tanky I have to make sure there aren't too many people around or I don't get any loot. Which is tricky because I can't solo them on those characters either, so I need bosses with just the right level of activity. (I'm always able to find a suitable boss, it just takes a few attempts sometimes.)

There is a damage mechanic at dolmens that will kill you if you stand still for too long. This was to prevent the botters who afked while having the attack button held down to gain the xp from dolmens.

It isn’t the same mechanic where only a limited number of players get loot.

I need to check this out xD

It’s pretty easy to die to. Just chill out at an active dolmen, don’t move, and watch it do its thing!

Three turns without moving and with proc sets it probably doesn't work. I didn't try with the mouse button pressed because it makes no sense with proc sets doiing damge to all mobs around.

grkkll

So every time a boss dies you have to loot to get the skull, still as boring aF as you have to actively interact with the game. Oh and what do you do with the trash from the skulls?

Swordancer

grkkll wrote: »

So every time a boss dies you have to loot to get the skull, still as boring aF as you have to actively interact with the game. Oh and what do you do with the trash from the skulls?

Not every time but few at once and yes skulls are trash but I can at least read some funny whispers at the end. A nice escape from the toxic comments in Cyrodiil and here.

ssewallb14_ESO

I recall Gina or Jessica a while back saying something akin to "any action without player input" being a problem. ZoS is known for being uncommunicative around grey area stuff. It'd say it's a bit risky.

Swordancer

ssewallb14_ESO wrote: »

I recall Gina or Jessica a while back saying something akin to "any action without player input" being a problem. ZoS is known for being uncommunicative around grey area stuff. It'd say it's a bit risky.

Thank god I don't have to do any action at all.

doomette

If I came across an über tanky character not moving and slowly widdling away at a WB with proc damage, I think I’d grab some popcorn and watch the show. Especially if I was procrastinating something else I didn’t want to do 😉

Ackwalan

As long as there is no automated script running your character, to pick up loot or keep from getting the inactivity timer, you should be fine.

Guyle

You do you man, as long as it isn't against the TOS you are fine. Who cares if it isn't with the "spirit of the game" ZOS intended. If we all followed through with ZOS's intended spirit of the game, we would need to buy crowns to enable a fair RNG system, have to regrind gear every week, our bag space would be limited to 40, and maw of the infernal daedroths would prevent targetting of bosses.

ShawnLaRock

I don’t know how much you can really say you are “grinding” - considering that I can have 2-6 Plunder Skulls in the time it takes you to get a measly 1, standing in place, waiting for a boss re-spawn.

Lacklustre effort; lacklustre gain.

S.

Edit: context

SteveCampsOut

Let's ask @ZOS_GinaBruno!

SeaGtGruff

VaranisArano wrote: »

I think its worth considering that ZOS implemented a damage mechanic at dolmens to prevent this type of AFK grinding there.

If you mean that static buildup/discharge thing, that got me once at the SW dolmen in Stormhaven, and I wasn't even at the dolmen per se. I'd started to solo the dolmen-- my first time with that character-- and it wasn't going well, because he doesn't have any decent healing skills. So I ran away from the dolme and parked him on a semi-sunken boat (IIRC) that's not too far from the dolmen, but was far enough that the Daedra who were chasing him turned around, went back to the dolmen, and left him alone. Then I had to get up to do something-- I forget what; bio break, or start working on getting dinner ready, etc.-- and when I came back after about 5 or 10 minutes AFK my character is lying dead in the boat, and the death recap said he'd died from static dischargar and to remember to keep moving.

rpa

I think the dolmen anticamp mechanic is broken, some stationary Alikr camp bots apprear to not being targeted by it. Myself get targeted in few seconds while soloing a dolmen when I'd like to stay in my aoe.

My guess the range so large because is it is intended to zap anyone who is in a group and afk close enough to get credit of doings of rest of the group.

Drdeath20

Yes

SeaGtGruff

rpa wrote: »

I think the dolmen anticamp mechanic is broken, some stationary Alikr camp bots apprear to not being targeted by it. Myself get targeted in few seconds while soloing a dolmen when I'd like to stay in my aoe.

My guess the range so large because is it is intended to zap anyone who is in a group and afk close enough to get credit of doings of rest of the group.

Yes, I get zapped after just a few seconds of the dolmen starting when I'm soloing one, which seems just... rude.

And yeah, I figured the range is large on purpose, but I'd never seen that mechanism before-- either I hadn't done a dolmen in a while (because there was a time when I stopped doing them), or they'd just added that mechanism-- so it caught me offguard.

Starlight_Whisper

virtus753 wrote: »

Swordancer wrote: »

virtus753 wrote: »

Danikat wrote: »

VaranisArano wrote: »

I think its worth considering that ZOS implemented a damage mechanic at dolmens to prevent this type of AFK grinding there.

Now, they obviously haven't put something like that on World Bosses since those are much less frequently botted. On the other hand, if its not something they want people doing at dolmens, I have a hard time believing they'd approve of it at world bosses either.

So while I can't say it's against the letter of the law (and that may be all you care about), I personally think AFK grinding is against the spirit of what ZOS wants for that type of fight.

I don't know if it works in the same way but you absolutely can miss out on world boss loot if you don't do enough damage. Same with delve bosses too.

I found this out the hard way as I use events to level up characters and if they're especially low level or tanky I have to make sure there aren't too many people around or I don't get any loot. Which is tricky because I can't solo them on those characters either, so I need bosses with just the right level of activity. (I'm always able to find a suitable boss, it just takes a few attempts sometimes.)

There is a damage mechanic at dolmens that will kill you if you stand still for too long. This was to prevent the botters who afked while having the attack button held down to gain the xp from dolmens.

It isn’t the same mechanic where only a limited number of players get loot.

I need to check this out xD

It’s pretty easy to die to. Just chill out at an active dolmen, don’t move, and watch it do its thing!

Not of there's a healer and they kill it fast enough to not worry about stacks

Bucky_13

ssewallb14_ESO wrote: »

I recall Gina or Jessica a while back saying something akin to "any action without player input" being a problem. ZoS is known for being uncommunicative around grey area stuff. It'd say it's a bit risky.

A good thing they didn't make proc sets overpowered since that would encourage players to these kinds of things... :-)

Swordancer

Bucky_13 wrote: »

ssewallb14_ESO wrote: »

I recall Gina or Jessica a while back saying something akin to "any action without player input" being a problem. ZoS is known for being uncommunicative around grey area stuff. It'd say it's a bit risky.

A good thing they didn't make proc sets overpowered since that would encourage players to these kinds of things... :-)

This is the problem of all procs sets at the same time. To reduce that problem it is required to nerf all of such sets or change thier mechanics. Nerfing one single set just makes the game more confusing and encurage people discover more twisted builds that Im using to kill most of the WB without even moving.

Anyway I am standing in Hordrek's Hounting Grounds on PC/EU right now and having fun watching it. xD

Iselin

There are a lot of things that aren't forbidden but are very cheesy

grannas211

ZOS loves it when the sets do the damage for you. They applaud your efforts.

idk

If your character is doing damage, fighting, while you are not actively controlling it then it is against the ToS. We are not allowed to use third party means to control our character. Doing so means the character is nothing more than a bot.

If this is what is happening it would be an offense that is worthy of being banned permanently.

Ingenon

Swordancer wrote: »

This is the problem of all procs sets at the same time. To reduce that problem it is required to nerf all of such sets or change thier mechanics. Nerfing one single set just makes the game more confusing and encurage people discover more twisted builds that Im using to kill most of the WB without even moving.

Anyway I am standing in Hordrek's Hounting Grounds on PC/EU right now and having fun watching it. xD

Glad to hear you are having fun wearing proc sets and standing next to wb, slowly killing them from the procs. ZOS made the proc sets capable of doing this. Does not sound to me like you are the root cause, if there is a problem here.