EA: I hate the Watcher portal - Filer's Wing

Marronsuisse

Yeah I hate the Watcher one. I'm stuck at 3/5. And everyone I've run with also hates it and is stuck at 3/5.

I feel like if I could just play it several times back to back I could actually practice and get better at it, but I don't have time to do the Archive more than once a week, and just the daily, so... I just don't have much of a chance to practice.

I'm also stuck on the duel one. But the others were a good mix of challenging but doable and fun, even solo.

spartaxoxo

Marronsuisse wrote: »

Yeah I hate the Watcher one. I'm stuck at 3/5. And everyone I've run with also hates it and is stuck at 3/5.

I feel like if I could just play it several times back to back I could actually practice and get better at it, but I don't have time to do the Archive more than once a week, and just the daily, so... I just don't have much of a chance to practice.

I'm also stuck on the duel one. But the others were a good mix of challenging but doable and fun, even solo.

For the duel one, if you're having trouble with it.

Save your ult for the crystals. You can start tossing dots/ranged attacks on the crystal but linger next to the boss a second or two after she activates it the first time. Chances are good she's going to start channeling her attack right afterwards. Once she's been bashed, you can ult down and finish the the crystal off.

tsaescishoeshiner

Nilandia wrote: »

tsaescishoeshiner wrote: »

I think the 4 skill (stun in front of you) needs to be changed. Since the zombies can 1-shot you from farther away than expected, standing in front of them is not viable.

Skill 4, the stun, is a cone with a 15 meter reach. That's more than enough to hit any hushed (they're not actually zombies) well before you're within their reach.

Lol tell that to the zombie who showed up right in front of me around a corner and somehow wasn't stunned. If their melee attack is 7m like for players, that's only 8m of wiggle room, which IMO is little for a cone-aimed skill that ends your entire attempt.

I'll keep trying it because it would be useful, but 8m isn't often enough to quickly turn around, aim, and confirm whether the stun happened. Maybe it could be a rectangle or have a bigger stun window. Or be a targeted stun instead of AoE.

It could also be that it's just hard to learn for me because there's risk involved. Maybe the zombies should do heavy attacks instead of instant. Just some thoughts.

Hapexamendios

I got tge third one done on this one. 2 more to go.

Toxic_Hemlock

I'm not what you would call coordinated, and I got 2 of them done, and died 4 times on the 3rd. Now I just exit when it comes up, as EA takes far too long as it is.

Edit to add: the only one I was able to complete 5/5 in all the runs I tried was the goat/sweet roll one as it was just the right difficulty for this old dude.

Sakiri

My partner and I for EA have this problem where all we get is filer's wing because it's the only one not upgraded fully yet... and last night we started skipping the gates because we didn't want to deal with this nonsense. the tentacles are easily dealt with enough if you wait for it to lash, you can pass safely after, but those mobs that hit fast and hard and you gotta kite them around..... they kill me every time.

Let us use potions or something, already.

Gray_howling_parrot

SilverBride wrote: »

I am stuck at 3/5 and I would pay a LOT for a carry.

It's the last one of the unknown portal objectives I need and I've looked up tips to try to get these last 2 but I just plain can't do it no matter what I try, solo or duo.

If you're on PC-NA ill run you through it for free! I quite enjoy it and have soloed it several times so id be happy to help

Paralyse

You know it's bad when you find yourself thinking "Man, I really wish this more like Vet Frostvault Skeevers..."

I run EA every single night with my friend and we have done this for the last 2 weeks. Have unlocked every single upgrade except this one, because we are stuck at 3.

The failure to include a self-heal is a massive oversight since the stuns and slows are largely ineffective against the super-fast-moving NPC's (in particular, the duration of abilities #4 and #5 is too short in relation to their cooldowns.)

I've died repeatedly to tentacles appearing out of nowhere, tornadoes literally passing through solid walls, chasing NPC's that straight up ignore the stun / slow abilities, and several times when I can be right on top of a tomeshell and hitting 1 to kill it only to have it not work at all or require multiple casts.

Since it's pretty much the only optional room we get now (except for Destozuno) we now just immediately die to avoid wasting any further time trying to clear this very overtuned nonsense. It's the Marauder Gothmau of optional rooms.

SilverBride

Cooperharley wrote: »

SilverBride wrote: »

I am stuck at 3/5 and I would pay a LOT for a carry.

It's the last one of the unknown portal objectives I need and I've looked up tips to try to get these last 2 but I just plain can't do it no matter what I try, solo or duo.

If you're on PC-NA ill run you through it for free! I quite enjoy it and have soloed it several times so id be happy to help

Thank you for the offer but I finally got it after a few days of nonstop grinding.

MoonPile

Paralyse wrote: »

Since it's pretty much the only optional room we get now (except for Destozuno) we now just immediately die to avoid wasting any further time trying to clear this very overtuned nonsense.

You can also just turn around and run back out the portal. It gives you a few seconds to run and loot a couple of urns before you're *zooped* out and ported to the right place.

MoonPile

wookiefriseur wrote: »

It's my favourite bonus wing. Some pro tips if you're struggling:

1. use healing potions, don't just assume they don't work

They don't work.

A while before I posted this, someone elsewhere said they were able to use healing potions. I tried, didn't work. I asked how, but they never answered. So I didn't bother to post it in the OP here.

I've tried tri-pots, regular potions, etc., none work. If they did, this might be less annoying.

Out of all the rest of that list, the only one I've not done is 1, PVP shield. The rest is not in question, it just doesn't add up to fun, or anything besides frustrating, for many of us.

Dagoth_Rac

MoonPile wrote: »

wookiefriseur wrote: »

It's my favourite bonus wing. Some pro tips if you're struggling:

1. use healing potions, don't just assume they don't work

They don't work.

A while before I posted this, someone elsewhere said they were able to use healing potions. I tried, didn't work. I asked how, but they never answered. So I didn't bother to post it in the OP here.

I've tried tri-pots, regular potions, etc., none work. If they did, this might be less annoying.

Out of all the rest of that list, the only one I've not done is 1, PVP shield. The rest is not in question, it just doesn't add up to fun, or anything besides frustrating, for many of us.

Racial passives seem to still work in watcher form. So potions do not work, but Argonian heal on pressing potion button seems to work. Orcs get a heal when they do damage and that seems to heal watcher if your ink slick damages a mob. Other races are out of luck.

Jaraal

Dagoth_Rac wrote: »

MoonPile wrote: »

wookiefriseur wrote: »

It's my favourite bonus wing. Some pro tips if you're struggling:

1. use healing potions, don't just assume they don't work

They don't work.

A while before I posted this, someone elsewhere said they were able to use healing potions. I tried, didn't work. I asked how, but they never answered. So I didn't bother to post it in the OP here.

I've tried tri-pots, regular potions, etc., none work. If they did, this might be less annoying.

Out of all the rest of that list, the only one I've not done is 1, PVP shield. The rest is not in question, it just doesn't add up to fun, or anything besides frustrating, for many of us.

Racial passives seem to still work in watcher form. So potions do not work, but Argonian heal on pressing potion button seems to work. Orcs get a heal when they do damage and that seems to heal watcher if your ink slick damages a mob. Other races are out of luck.

Does Pale Order or other heal on damage dealt/taken sets work? What about the CP that returns health on damage done?

Necrotech_Master

Jaraal wrote: »

Dagoth_Rac wrote: »

MoonPile wrote: »

wookiefriseur wrote: »

It's my favourite bonus wing. Some pro tips if you're struggling:

1. use healing potions, don't just assume they don't work

They don't work.

A while before I posted this, someone elsewhere said they were able to use healing potions. I tried, didn't work. I asked how, but they never answered. So I didn't bother to post it in the OP here.

I've tried tri-pots, regular potions, etc., none work. If they did, this might be less annoying.

Out of all the rest of that list, the only one I've not done is 1, PVP shield. The rest is not in question, it just doesn't add up to fun, or anything besides frustrating, for many of us.

Racial passives seem to still work in watcher form. So potions do not work, but Argonian heal on pressing potion button seems to work. Orcs get a heal when they do damage and that seems to heal watcher if your ink slick damages a mob. Other races are out of luck.

Does Pale Order or other heal on damage dealt/taken sets work? What about the CP that returns health on damage done?

your gear is disabled while transformed (which was why there was a bug when U40 launched that caused your gear to stop working after one of these events)

i dont know about CP though, havent tested that

can 100% confirm racial passives work though, i will say though on higher difficulties your health is so low you usually get 1 or 2 shotted anyway so they arent a huge amount of help

Vulkunne

I have learned to absolutely HATE this event.

Drops mic.

MreeBiPolar

Two main problems with this minigame are:

1) You cannot rearrange the skills, and they are sorted in the worst way possible -- damage, detect, haste, stun, damage.

2) The whole setup, skillset and premise essentially require 360 degree vision -- and the best you can get is a chase cam and either having no idea how far the zombies are behind you, or not seeing where you are going. Now, the stun skill is almost useless because the zombies only ever get in front of you if you turn to them, but you can't see where they are to turn at the right moment.

EdjeSwift

MreeBiPolar wrote: »

Two main problems with this minigame are:

1) You cannot rearrange the skills, and they are sorted in the worst way possible -- damage, detect, haste, stun, damage.

2) The whole setup, skillset and premise essentially require 360 degree vision -- and the best you can get is a chase cam and either having no idea how far the zombies are behind you, or not seeing where you are going. Now, the stun skill is almost useless because the zombies only ever get in front of you if you turn to them, but you can't see where they are to turn at the right moment.

Your first point is a personal choice for the first part, and I must correct you on the second, the 5th skill isn't just a damage, it's a slow.

Onto your second, they give you all the skills necessary to complete the task without 360 vision if you use your skills effectively. Your 1 is your tomeshell killer, that's all it should be used for, it is a melee attack to kill a critter, it is not useful against anything else. The second is self-explanatory, spam it on cooldown to find books. The speed up is useful for escaping approaching zombies from your six or to get to the next book faster. The stun is useful for when a zombie gets in front of you, otherwise, keep moving. If a zombie is on your six, then the fifth skill is important, drop it on cooldown and gain distance as they are slowed by it.

This activity isn't a fighting activity, it's a kiting/dodging activity, you do your best to find an optimal route for the run and you go at it, being careful not to get hit by anything and using your skills to help avoid taking hit.

RomanRex

I used to hate it. Just remember to go slow and not rush. Very seldom do I die there these days

Rishikesa108

I don't think it's correct that the drop of valuable items (leads, Style Pages, furnishing plans, etc...) is ONLY behind the resolution of these mini-game-puzzles. These little games are not adequate to be the sliding door to obtain the unique rewards that we can only find in IA, with very very punitive drop rates.
However, it is only in the chests at the end of these mini-games that the aforementioned rewards are found.
They can also be found by killing marauders (rarely), or random-scamps that rarely come out at bosses, or in the final chest after each Tho'at.
But, contrary to what ZOS states, these valuable rewards are NOT found in the Muniment-chests of cycle bosses.
This is the big limitation of IA, and it's the reason why many players have abandoned it.

Metafae

This path works for me consistently, the only thing that can thwart me is bad RNG, eg. A zombie right in the way at the start.

AuroranGoldenEagle

I'm loving all of the suggestions!

I've recently decided to finish off No Book Left Unread and this will help with this minigame (and my sanity).

I think the biggest thing for me to remember with this one is that there is no time limit here.

Metafae

Also, don't be fooled by the tentacles.

They perform a swing action, and it looks like it's safe once they stop, but they're still dangerous, until the moment they go limp and retreat back underground, that's when you can cross safely.

MidniteOwl1913

Personally I think freezing the mini-games on the highest level of difficulty is a mistake. It's a grind, this one part at least could be made less grindy.

katanagirl1

Metafae wrote: »

This path works for me consistently, the only thing that can thwart me is bad RNG, eg. A zombie right in the way at the start.

The lack of a minimap on console makes it impossible for me to tell which way I need to go. I think I’m stuck at 3/5. Those zombies can overtake me and do damage before I even see them.

Necrotech_Master

katanagirl1 wrote: »

Metafae wrote: »

This path works for me consistently, the only thing that can thwart me is bad RNG, eg. A zombie right in the way at the start.

The lack of a minimap on console makes it impossible for me to tell which way I need to go. I think I’m stuck at 3/5. Those zombies can overtake me and do damage before I even see them.

to deal with the hushed guys chasing, usually just use number 3 skill on cooldown, as it keeps you equal or faster than them, and if you are doing it solo, just hit the number 5 skill on cooldown (since your solo they should always be following you)

if you see one in front of you, the number 4 skill to stun and then drop number 5 skill on top of it and it should almost kill it before stun wears off

at level 3 you should still have enough hp to take a few hits and be ok, level 5 you only have like 4500 hp so 3 hits is basically the max you can take from the hushed

if you are an orc or imperial, you can heal by dealing dmg through the racial passives, and argonian racial passives still work to use a potion to get a heal

oldbobdude

HalfDragoness wrote: »

It would really help to know how many tomeshells you're looking for in total and what your progress is.

The only way I completed this was doing it in a dup, and one of us ended up just being bait while the other got all the books.

Not sure if you’re pc or console. If pc, there is an addon (archive helper) that keeps score on how many collected and how many needed.

MidniteOwl1913

katanagirl1 wrote: »

Metafae wrote: »

This path works for me consistently, the only thing that can thwart me is bad RNG, eg. A zombie right in the way at the start.

The lack of a minimap on console makes it impossible for me to tell which way I need to go. I think I’m stuck at 3/5. Those zombies can overtake me and do damage before I even see them.

You mean they have a picture in picture map available? Really!?! Wow, that would make this sooo much easier. Damn! Add-on really do make it a completely different game...

Metafae

MidniteOwl1913 wrote: »

katanagirl1 wrote: »

Metafae wrote: »

This path works for me consistently, the only thing that can thwart me is bad RNG, eg. A zombie right in the way at the start.

The lack of a minimap on console makes it impossible for me to tell which way I need to go. I think I’m stuck at 3/5. Those zombies can overtake me and do damage before I even see them.

You mean they have a picture in picture map available? Really!?! Wow, that would make this sooo much easier. Damn! Add-on really do make it a completely different game...

Hear that devs, it's time to add the mini-map to the base game for our console siblings who could really use it.

Ilumia

After completing all the levels of random portals I really wish it was randomized to level and not just type. I am better at some than others, but I mostly enjoy a break from combat, so I do hate the duel one, and if it wasn't always level 5 I'd be releived and not get that "oh no" feeling when entering a portal I dislike.
I'm fine with the filers wing, but still only get it about half the time, which is such a disappointment. I don't do infinite archive very often, and not getting 10 seconds to familiarize myself with the skills always annoys me.

katanagirl1

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

katanagirl1 wrote: »

Metafae wrote: »

This path works for me consistently, the only thing that can thwart me is bad RNG, eg. A zombie right in the way at the start.

The lack of a minimap on console makes it impossible for me to tell which way I need to go. I think I’m stuck at 3/5. Those zombies can overtake me and do damage before I even see them.

to deal with the hushed guys chasing, usually just use number 3 skill on cooldown, as it keeps you equal or faster than them, and if you are doing it solo, just hit the number 5 skill on cooldown (since your solo they should always be following you)

if you see one in front of you, the number 4 skill to stun and then drop number 5 skill on top of it and it should almost kill it before stun wears off

at level 3 you should still have enough hp to take a few hits and be ok, level 5 you only have like 4500 hp so 3 hits is basically the max you can take from the hushed

if you are an orc or imperial, you can heal by dealing dmg through the racial passives, and argonian racial passives still work to use a potion to get a heal

Well I mention the map because I keep going in circles not knowing where I am and I’m going slow so those zombies do catch up with me. The number 5 skill seems to have a really long cooldown but I keep hitting it. You have to wait for those tentacles and maybe that’s where they get me. I just think it’s got to be easier with a map.