Endless Archive and the Companion Patch Note

EdjeSwift

This one in particular:

"Companions now correctly receive the same Vision that you select for your character."

Keep in mind, this is specifically for Visions, not verses, furthermore, a lot of the visions aren't going to be the best out there for them so temper your expectations on this one, unless you're specifically changing around their skills to take advantage of it, you might not notice an increase in their combat ability.

EdjeSwift

Video incoming, but they may have overdone it.

jaws343

EdjeSwift wrote: »

Video incoming, but they may have overdone it.

Is it treating pets like it does in all other arena's and dungeons and trials? Because they cannot be killed in those areas and it should be that way in EA.

EdjeSwift

This is a little ridiculous Isobel is in medium armour in full soothing, for leveling purposes of the skill line, and she's eating all of the damage like it's nothing. With this, the eye beam is a non-factor because it will sit on them forever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3Drar4Xm54

Necrotech_Master

my guess is they fixed the companions so that the ramping dmg is not being applied to them

ice patches and eye beams both have ramping dmg, and both start out fairly low, no ramping = low actual dmg taken by the companion

plus if they reduced how much dmg they actually took too it is probably compounding on that

EdjeSwift

Worse than that, I'm literally letting Isobel solo Marauder Ulmor, the one with the two big AoEs and she's not even losing a lick of life.

Necrotech_Master

i wonder how they would fare against higher arcs now lol

woe

EdjeSwift wrote: »

This is a little ridiculous Isobel is in medium armour in full soothing, for leveling purposes of the skill line, and she's eating all of the damage like it's nothing. With this, the eye beam is a non-factor because it will sit on them forever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3Drar4Xm54

This is literally Arc 1

EdjeSwift

woe wrote: »

EdjeSwift wrote: »

This is a little ridiculous Isobel is in medium armour in full soothing, for leveling purposes of the skill line, and she's eating all of the damage like it's nothing. With this, the eye beam is a non-factor because it will sit on them forever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3Drar4Xm54

This is literally Arc 1

Your point? Even Arc 1 if I stand in that AoE I die in seconds.

Necrotech_Master

woe wrote: »

EdjeSwift wrote: »

This is a little ridiculous Isobel is in medium armour in full soothing, for leveling purposes of the skill line, and she's eating all of the damage like it's nothing. With this, the eye beam is a non-factor because it will sit on them forever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3Drar4Xm54

This is literally Arc 1

previous to this patch, a tank companion even in arc 1 would die in a matter of about 3 seconds at the start of the tho'at fight

jaws343

IDK, with companions counting as Duo, but the very important aspect of Duo being completely non-functional (resing partner and not losing threads), this seems like a decent thing for them that actually make them viable.

kojou

I took a Warden with a bear in today, and it didn't die, so I am happy.

I haven't tested with companions, because if you bring a companion you go to the Duo leader-board. I don't think a companion would replace having a player (even with them not dying), but having Isobel be able to tank a Marauder on her own sounds cool.

EdjeSwift

She's soloing Tho'at prime in Arc 2 now, eating everything up like it's nothing. I'm just killing the adds and watching the show.

Colecovision

EdjeSwift wrote: »

She's soloing Tho'at prime in Arc 2 now, eating everything up like it's nothing. I'm just killing the adds and watching the show.

Still not vet content. If she clears arc 4 for you, then you have news to share. I hope it happens.

Warhawke_80

If this is to attract a more casual audience I honestly think it's too late for that...

I mean am I wrong?

kojou

Colecovision wrote: »

EdjeSwift wrote: »

She's soloing Tho'at prime in Arc 2 now, eating everything up like it's nothing. I'm just killing the adds and watching the show.

Still not vet content. If she clears arc 4 for you, then you have news to share. I hope it happens.

There is a pretty decent ramp up in damage for Arc 3, and realistically, once you know the mechanics for Tho'at it becomes a really easy boss fight, so I wouldn't really be that impressed with a companion tanking that fight. I would be much more impressed if she doesn't get deleted by the flame Marauder in Arc 4+.

NoSoup

Agree with much of the above. Arcs 1 & 2 are so easy that companions should be able to withstand any damage coming their way. It's arc 4 and above that will matter the most.

LouisaB75

I hadn't seen about the companions being altered in the update but I just took Isobel in there for the daily. She is a tank with lots of taunts and a heal and at Tho'at generally dies within seconds. It is one blow and she is gone.

She survived the fight and it was sooooo much easier to complete the daily with her. Tho'at never even looked at me. No running all over the place. No dodging constant AOEs.

I was intending to do arc 1 only but now I am curious about whether she could get me past arc 2 Tho'at since I still can't solo that without another player.

For the record the visions I had were penetration increase 37% x 2, magicka recovery 30% and block reduction 6%. So nothing that really makes her less squishy. Kind of wishing I hadn't picked the block reduction though as I didn't even need to use it.

alternatelder

EdjeSwift wrote: »

Video incoming, but they may have overdone it.

Good. Izzy is in all purple gear and dies in 1 second on arc 1 Thot.

EdjeSwift

LouisaB75 wrote: »

I hadn't seen about the companions being altered in the update but I just took Isobel in there for the daily. She is a tank with lots of taunts and a heal and at Tho'at generally dies within seconds. It is one blow and she is gone.

She survived the fight and it was sooooo much easier to complete the daily with her. Tho'at never even looked at me. No running all over the place. No dodging constant AOEs.

I was intending to do arc 1 only but now I am curious about whether she could get me past arc 2 Tho'at since I still can't solo that without another player.

For the record the visions I had were penetration increase 37% x 2, magicka recovery 30% and block reduction 6%. So nothing that really makes her less squishy. Kind of wishing I hadn't picked the block reduction though as I didn't even need to use it.

She can solo Arc 2, just stay alive and kill the blobs. I didn't even have her tanky and she did fine.

Carcamongus

It never even occurred to me that visions should affect companions. I guess I took it for granted they were just stand-in-stupid buddies who at least get some damage away from the player for a few seconds till they die. I was so very impressed the other day when Mirri didn't die to the first Tho'at I even let her finish the boss. Well done, Mirri. I'll go easy on the torchbugs behind your back.

I'm now curious to see how she'll fare today. Maybe she'll live long enough to see Gothmau chop me into pieces with the artistry of a Benihana chef.

Saccopharynx

I'm excited for these changes to see what that means for the companions I have. I've been debating on tanking one of them just for Archive and this actually gives me more reason to do that.

TybaltKaine

I'd rather a companion be more useful as they are now as opposed to being a literal dead weight for most of the run. I don't have an issue with this change, as if I am running with a companion, I can't run with a real person who is going to be much better.

Just having a functioning ally mitigates the difficulty that some players encounter. Let's ease back on maybe calling it unintentional or too far and see if it gets more people doing the content.

Of course, that's probably naive since leaderboards are a thing and soon the complaints will be about companions making it too easy to climb the rankings, then comes the over tuned nerf and it all ends up back to square one with dead content.

kojou

TybaltKaine wrote: »

I'd rather a companion be more useful as they are now as opposed to being a literal dead weight for most of the run. I don't have an issue with this change, as if I am running with a companion, I can't run with a real person who is going to be much better.

Just having a functioning ally mitigates the difficulty that some players encounter. Let's ease back on maybe calling it unintentional or too far and see if it gets more people doing the content.

Of course, that's probably naive since leaderboards are a thing and soon the complaints will be about companions making it too easy to climb the rankings, then comes the over tuned nerf and it all ends up back to square one with dead content.

I sincerely doubt a companion will enable someone to make the Duo leader board that couldn't make it anyway. The companion can only get so much aggro before things will start coming at the player.

Necrotech_Master

TybaltKaine wrote: »

I'd rather a companion be more useful as they are now as opposed to being a literal dead weight for most of the run. I don't have an issue with this change, as if I am running with a companion, I can't run with a real person who is going to be much better.

Just having a functioning ally mitigates the difficulty that some players encounter. Let's ease back on maybe calling it unintentional or too far and see if it gets more people doing the content.

Of course, that's probably naive since leaderboards are a thing and soon the complaints will be about companions making it too easy to climb the rankings, then comes the over tuned nerf and it all ends up back to square one with dead content.

it really depends on how much the companions will be able to tank in arc 4+ as thats where stuff starts to hit real hard, especially the marauders

i too am also glad that they wont get nuked down every boss or marauder that shows up

TybaltKaine

I'm inclined to agree with you @kojou, but I also know the nature of these forums.

AlterBlika

finally companions aren't a sacrifice for pearlescent

LouisaB75

I also doubt a companion could get someone to the leader board but it will help immensely with those who just want arc 1 for the daily. I am very pleased with the update.

Isobel has only died once so far, oddly to Tremorscale in arc 2, but I am not sure how she died because I was faffing around with the loot goblin at the time and had my back to her.

Necrotech_Master

LouisaB75 wrote: »

I also doubt a companion could get someone to the leader board but it will help immensely with those who just want arc 1 for the daily. I am very pleased with the update.

Isobel has only died once so far, oddly to Tremorscale in arc 2, but I am not sure how she died because I was faffing around with the loot goblin at the time and had my back to her.

on PC NA at least, the minimum you need to get on the duo leaderboard for a weekly is usually arc 8 lol

which i dont know how useful a companion will be that deep

ssewallb14_ESO

Damn, wish I had this when I was still farming. 7 seconds of Major Vulnerability would've been a nice addition to an acuity nuke.

LouisaB75

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

on PC NA at least, the minimum you need to get on the duo leaderboard for a weekly is usually arc 8 lol

which i dont know how useful a companion will be that deep

On PC EU it says 9 on the weekly due and 12 on the other duo. I take so little notice of the leaderboards I actually don't know what the difference is between them. I just want to complete arc 4 for the achievements, get the daily done for the mount and probably farm 1 and 2 for the set items.