Solo Group Dungeon Tricks for Solo-Unfriendly Mechanics (Normal Mode, Companion Allowed)

benzenexz

This post is made to provides tips in dealing with those "Solo-Unfriendly" mechanics while soloing in normal mode.

Whenever I get myself a new dungeon DLC, I would solo them before grouping with others in vet, for exploring the layouts, environments, and stories, as well as learning enemies and mechanics.

I will list out each individual one and explain the methods. Please quote the boss/dungeon if you have other methods to add in the comments. If there are other fights/mechanics that I've missed or you might consider to be worth mentioning, feel free to comment as well.

• Direfrost Keep
  • Bypassing the gate between Guardian of the Flame and Drodda's Dreadlord
    Take the exit way to enter the boss' room: use ranged aoe to aggro the troll in the corner, then use any targeting leap or warp attacks to get to the other side of the gate. [Tab] select the troll can be also helpful. Same for the other gate.
    Warden: summon companion to the other side of the gate, then Nature's Grasp on your companion.
    This might take a few attempts and requires some delicate pointer adjustment.
• Blackheart Haven
  • Captain Blackheart
    Max out defense, add max health, drop Blood Altar to apply Minor Lifesteal, Use proc sets that leeches health: Leeching Plate, Bahraha's Curse, Crimson Twilight, Scourge Harvester, etc.
• Vault of Madness
  • Ulguna Soul-Reaver
    Use a damage companion with enough selfheal.
• Wayrest Sewer II
  • Malubeth the Scourger
    Use a melee damage companion with enough selfheal. Command your companion to attack the boss while the player crouch by the exit of the previous tunnel, so that the boss will not be able to use the shadow draining attack and that your companion will not run back to you bringing boss along.
• Fungal Grotto II
  • Gamyne Bandu
    Use a range damage companion with pure single target dmg skills and no ultimate skill.Command your companion at a shadow chainer as soon as possible, so that that chainer may be killed in time. Full quickened trait in blue quality should be enough.
    Apply taunt on the boss to prevent boss from attacking companion.
    The player might also want to drop or cast some aoe dot to help with the chain phase.
    This might take some practice and multiple attempts.
• Crypt of Heart II
  • Ruzozuzalpamaz
    Max out defense, add max health, drop Blood Altar to apply Minor Lifesteal, Use proc sets that leeches health: Leeching Plate, Bahraha's Curse, Crimson Twilight, Scourge Harvester, etc.
  • Nerien'eth
    Use a damage companion.
    Max out defense, add max health, drop Blood Altar to apply Minor Lifesteal, Use proc sets that leeches health: Leeching Plate, Bahraha's Curse, Crimson Twilight, Scourge Harvester, etc.
• Imperial City Prison
  • Bypassing the gates between Flesh Abomination and Lord Warden Dusk
    Nightblade: summon shadow image at one lever, pull the other lever then use shadow image to tp back to the first lever and pull.
    Warden: summon companion to the other side of the gate, then Nature's Grasp on your companion.
    Arcanist: summon portal in between the levers, pull one lever then quickly get to the other lever. Equip bow and get Hasty Retreat passive to get Major Expedition may help.
    Other classes or general solution: to be added.
    These might take some practice and multiple attempts.
• Cradle of Shadow
  • Dranos Velador
    Max out defense, add max health.
    Use a healer companion.
• Ruins of Mazzatun
  • Tree-Minder Nakesh
    Max out defense, add max health, drop Blood Altar to apply Minor Lifesteal, Use proc sets that leeches health: Leeching Plate, Bahraha's Curse, Crimson Twilight, Scourge Harvester, etc.
• Bloodroot Forge
  • Gherig Bullblood and his attendants
    Kill Attendant of Flame fast before it uses the chain cage. If uncapable:
    Max out defense, add max health, drop Blood Altar to apply Minor Lifesteal, Use proc sets that leeches health: Leeching Plate, Bahraha's Curse, Crimson Twilight, Scourge Harvester, etc. Use damage shield and strong self heal. Use a healer companion.
• Fang Lair
  • Ulfnor
    Use a range damage companion with pure single target dmg skills and no ultimate skill. Command your companion at the ghost chainer as soon as possible, so that that chainer may be killed in time. Full quickened trait in blue quality should be enough.
    Apply taunt on the boss to prevent boss from attacking companion.
    Dodge the knocking-down upper-cut of the boss to prevent getting chained in the final phase.
• Scalecaller Peak
  • Dolyemish Ironheart
    Use a range damage companion, command your companion at the orb as soon as possible.
    Completely avoid being stoned.
  • Zaan the Scalecaller
    Dmg it fast to prevent the flame tether attack. If uncapable:
    Max out defense, add max health, drop Blood Altar to apply Minor Lifesteal, Use proc sets that leeches health: Leeching Plate, Bahraha's Curse, Crimson Twilight, Scourge Harvester, etc. Use damage shield before the tether started. Use a healer companion.
• Moon Hunter Keep
  • Jailer Melitus
    Use a tank companion. Keep distance to the boss.
  • Mylenne Moon-Caller
    Max out defense, add max health.
    Use a healer companion.
    Apply taunt on the boss to prevent boss from attacking companion.
• Depth of Malatar
  • The Scavenging Maw
    Max out defense, add max health, drop Blood Altar to apply Minor Lifesteal, Use proc sets that leeches health: Leeching Plate, Bahraha's Curse, Crimson Twilight, Scourge Harvester, etc.
    Use a healer companion.
• Frostvault
  • Icestalker
    Use a tank companion.
    Keep distance to the boss to prevent it from tossing up and knocking down the player.
• Red Petal Bastion
  • Rogerain the Sly
    Use a range damage companion. Command your companion at Gate of Chaos as soon as possible, if there're daedra coming out from the gate, command your companion at them instead, while there are no any adds present, command your companion at the boss. Withdraw companion when it stands in ground aoe form the boss. Full quickened trait in blue quality should be enough.
    Apply taunt on the boss to prevent boss from attacking companion.
    Max out defense, add max health, drop Blood Altar to apply Minor Lifesteal, Use proc sets that leeches health: Leeching Plate, Bahraha's Curse, Crimson Twilight, Scourge Harvester, etc.
• Exiled Redoubt
  • Executioner Jerensi
    Max out defense, add max health. Use damage shield before the execution lands.

benzenexz

I've been seeing a lot of posts complaining about player rushing in normal dungeon group causing missing quest or confused of the story. Me myself also like to steadily eliminate all targets in a dungeon, as considering this to be THE proper way.
What's more, soloing a dungeon in normal mode should be able to grant player some basic knowledge of the place and some full picture of each fight, making vet mode more easily to be understood. For all these reasons and might be many more others, I'd like to create such a post.

So far the only dungeon that I haven't found out a general solution to solo is ICP.

The method of using Precognition have not been mentioned above, but it can also solve a lot of unbreakable stun.

The post is meant for normal mode, I'm not considering vet mode at all.

Please feel free to add your other solutions. I've used the term "solo-unfriendly" to describe a class of situation that mechanically not to be solved by solo player. However, feel free to ask question on fights that are less strict to that definition of situation.

frogthroat

You can use Precognition in Bloodroot Forge, Fang Lair, Scalecaller Peak and Exiled Redoubt. Works even in vet /vetHM.

benzenexz

frogthroat wrote: »

You can use Precognition in Bloodroot Forge, Fang Lair, Scalecaller Peak and Exiled Redoubt. Works even in vet /vetHM.

right I should be more precise in that it is only that specific morph of Undo ultimate that works.

Meiox

posting this here, you try really hard that ZOS remove these tricks /s

AlterBlika

These are actually great case-specific tips for soloing, although I'd say you should always use precognition. Works for vet plus you don't sacrifice too much damage.

SeaGtGruff

Thank you for the tips!

I solo Vaults of Madness without a companion; I just try to slap a DOT on Ulguna before she grabs me so she takes damage while she's got me incapacitated. Even a lowly soul trap will do a bit of damage to her, and although it will take a long time to wear her down, eventually you can kill her that way. It does take a lot of patience, but it works.

frogthroat

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

Thank you for the tips!

I solo Vaults of Madness without a companion; I just try to slap a DOT on Ulguna before she grabs me so she takes damage while she's got me incapacitated. Even a lowly soul trap will do a bit of damage to her, and although it will take a long time to wear her down, eventually you can kill her that way. It does take a lot of patience, but it works.

Yes, AOEs and DOTs every time she lets you go for a second.

In FG2 you can nuke the first boss before the sword mechanic.

Northwold

Please ZOS don't "fix" these now someone's written them down!!

Alaztor91

Never thought about using Nature's Grasp + Companion to bypass gates, that's really clever.

SirLeeMinion

While it feels good to post all these tricks, the result, year after year, is that they get "fixed."

Can you still teach through the door to the lever in Direfrost? Nope. Fixed.
Can you still pull Malubeth out of the first room to avoid the one-shot? Nope. Fixed.
Can you still hide behind the crates while directing your companion to fight Malubeth? Nope. Fixed.
Can you still get way out of the map into northern Malabal Tor by jumping near the Hectahame? Nope. Fixed.

If you care about helping others solo dungeons over the long term, tell them; don't post.

What's the first rule of fight club?

benzenexz

SirLeeMinion wrote: »

Can you still teach through the door to the lever in Direfrost?

Yes, this was doable many years ago and is still doable.

SirLeeMinion wrote: »

Can you still pull Malubeth out of the first room to avoid the one-shot?
Can you still hide behind the crates while directing your companion to fight Malubeth?

Yes, this was doable in the past, and is still doable

SirLeeMinion wrote: »

Can you still pull Malubeth out of the first room to avoid the one-shot?

Yes, this was doable in the past, and is still doable

Please no false information and no conspiracy here.

Northwold

benzenexz wrote: »

SirLeeMinion wrote: »

Can you still teach through the door to the lever in Direfrost?

Yes, this was doable many years ago and is still doable.

SirLeeMinion wrote: »

Can you still pull Malubeth out of the first room to avoid the one-shot?
Can you still hide behind the crates while directing your companion to fight Malubeth?

Yes, this was doable in the past, and is still doable

SirLeeMinion wrote: »

Can you still pull Malubeth out of the first room to avoid the one-shot?

Yes, this was doable in the past, and is still doable

Please no false information and no conspiracy here.

You can *reach through to the lever* in Direfrost?

Unfortunately ZOS do have a maddening habit of "fixing" things.

benzenexz

frogthroat wrote: »

In FG2 you can nuke the first boss before the sword mechanic.

It is true that this can work in many cases where the unfriendly mechanic doesn't occurs at the beginning. However it is not feasible by all players, hence making it less practical and more demanding to be realized easily and casually.

cyclonus11

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

Thank you for the tips!

I solo Vaults of Madness without a companion; I just try to slap a DOT on Ulguna before she grabs me so she takes damage while she's got me incapacitated. Even a lowly soul trap will do a bit of damage to her, and although it will take a long time to wear her down, eventually you can kill her that way. It does take a lot of patience, but it works.

I specifically used Hurricane, making sure it was freshly activated at all times, and that was enough to pop her bubbles.

SirLeeMinion

benzenexz wrote: »

...

Please no false information and no conspiracy here.

I'm not going to bother documenting them all, but here's the first one mentioned:

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Patch/5.3.0

Direfrost Keep
Fixed an issue where you could activate the lever before you should.

gl;hf

Elvenheart

It would be so nice if ZOS would remove mechanics that only one person can’t do in normal circumstances. I know, I know, people will say that four-man dungeons are not meant to be soloed anyway. I say if people want to try it for fun they should be able to at least try without mechanics that REQUIRE two or more people blocking the way. I think they’ve taken this into consideration for newer dungeons, I just wish they would go back and fix these older ones.

benzenexz

SirLeeMinion wrote: »

benzenexz wrote: »

...

Please no false information and no conspiracy here.

I'm not going to bother documenting them all, but here's the first one mentioned:

Please do bother documenting them all, as only so might your words sounds more reliable.
And please do note that don't post anything unrelated to the topic of solo dungeon.

still
I don't see it any related to the fact that I'm still teaching people to get through the gate then pull the lever. And as of the two other claims of yours, I'm still teaching people to get behind the room and send companion to kill the boss. The last time I soloed both dungeon was before the new DLC patch, and it was done exactly with the above mentioned methods.

Please do bother documenting them all, cuz I'm also curious in how that those are "fixed" (according to your claim) but still doable?

What's more, I'd like to suggest you urge your thoughts on not posting bypasses on PTS servers, so that there could be more weird stuffs for players to explore.

benzenexz

Elvenheart wrote: »

I say if people want to try it for fun they should be able to at least try without mechanics that REQUIRE two or more people blocking the way. I think they’ve taken this into consideration for newer dungeons, I just wish they would go back and fix these older ones.

Actually I don't think you've thought correctly.
The first boss Jerensi has an attack that must be blocked by all group members (possibly 4 members required). It can hit 20k in normal blocking with sword and shield or ice staff and max defense. Given this number, a common player with probably only 30% dmg reduction from defense and 30k health can easily get one shot.
Lep Seclusa is purely overwhelmed with dmg sources for each boss fight. Even though it doesn't contains any anti-solo mechanics (strictly speaking), I still wouldn't consider it to be friendly for solo player in general.

Northwold

benzenexz wrote: »

SirLeeMinion wrote: »

benzenexz wrote: »

...

Please no false information and no conspiracy here.

I'm not going to bother documenting them all, but here's the first one mentioned:

Please do bother documenting them all, as only so might your words sounds more reliable.
And please do note that don't post anything unrelated to the topic of solo dungeon.

still
I don't see it any related to the fact that I'm still teaching people to get through the gate then pull the lever. And as of the two other claims of yours, I'm still teaching people to get behind the room and send companion to kill the boss. The last time I soloed both dungeon was before the new DLC patch, and it was done exactly with the above mentioned methods.

Please do bother documenting them all, cuz I'm also curious in how that those are "fixed" (according to your claim) but still doable?

What's more, I'd like to suggest you urge your thoughts on not posting bypasses on PTS servers, so that there could be more weird stuffs for players to explore.

The poster has literally just told you one of several instances where a way to get around multiple person mechanics in dungeons has been rectified after being brought to their attention together with the associated patch note. This has happened more than once. Unfortunately it is not a conspiracy theory. In that example, it remains possible by other means to complete the dungeon. But those other means were figured out after the change.

It's (genuinely) great that people want to share this stuff and, indeed, I've shared mechanics you don't mention privately. But these things DO get nerfed (at least where the workarounds rely on making things do what they're not really intended to do). Perhaps not quite as aggressively as when people post furniture plan locations, but it's an unfortunate fact with ESO. I wish they wouldn't.

benzenexz

Northwold wrote: »

The poster has literally just told you one of several instances where a way to get around multiple person mechanics in dungeons has been rectified after being brought to their attention together with the associated patch note. This has happened more than once. Unfortunately it is not a conspiracy theory. In that example, it remains possible by other means to complete the dungeon. But those other means were figured out after the change.

It's (genuinely) great that people want to share this stuff and, indeed, I've shared mechanics you don't mention privately. But these things DO get nerfed (at least where the workarounds rely on making things do what they're not really intended to do). Perhaps not quite as aggressively as when people post furniture plan locations, but it's an unfortunate fact with ESO. I wish they wouldn't.

Should you trace back the thread would you read that he initially said that I was teaching people stuffs that are "fixed", to get through door then pull the lever, or to stay behind and send out companion. The reality is that my methods in the OP are still working, and I'm telling you that cuz I've recently done so. His "proof" of pulling the lever from the other side of the gate being fixed has nothing to do with my method of getting through door using targeted warp then pull the lever.
This method came up to me after I've gotten knocked back into the wall a few times in the game and that I've found that I can target onto the troll across the gate. Maybe there were other ways before or that someone else had found this way as well, but they are irrelevant to the fact that this way worked and is still working.
Besides, if a lever controlling a gate only exists on one side but is possible to be pulled on the other side, this appear to be some sort of construction failure and I would say it is absolutely reasonable to get properly reconstructed (as in someone else's term, "fixed"). I see no reason that this could justify that "the fix is only to prevent solo play".
As of the conspiracy, since the first 3 lines of his is considered by me to be False as being against what I just did in the last big patch, and the 4th line is irrelevant to the solo group dungeon topic, and his "proof" is irrelevant to his initial claim, I am simply just regarding his whole doing as attempting to mess around for unknown reason.

TBH I'm also feeling that the entire conspiracy on whether or not should share these methods is completely irrelevant to the purpose and contents of my post. If people want to debate in how to prevent devs from doing things unwanted by the people, please create your own post.

Northwold

Well that's now three people who've tried to point this out to you. Never mind.

RealLoveBVB

benzenexz wrote: »

[*] Imperial City Prison

• Bypassing the gates between Flesh Abomination and Lord Warden Dusk
  Warden: summon companion to the other side of the gate, then Nature's Grasp on your companion.
  Arcanist: summon portal in between the levers, pull one lever then quickly get to the other lever. Equip bow and get Hasty Retreat passive to get Major Expedition may help.
  Other classes or general solution: to be added.
  These might take some practice and multiple attempts.

Also works with nightblades shade and without companion:

https://youtu.be/_In0b2fgDy4?si=cDpyDgGlpBqWyDeS


Could also try other lever mechs with it, haven't tried it yet.

benzenexz

RealLoveBVB wrote: »

benzenexz wrote: »

[*] Imperial City Prison

• Bypassing the gates between Flesh Abomination and Lord Warden Dusk
  Warden: summon companion to the other side of the gate, then Nature's Grasp on your companion.
  Arcanist: summon portal in between the levers, pull one lever then quickly get to the other lever. Equip bow and get Hasty Retreat passive to get Major Expedition may help.
  Other classes or general solution: to be added.
  These might take some practice and multiple attempts.

Also works with nightblades shade and without companion:

Could also try other lever mechs with it, haven't tried it yet.

How could I forget the NB shadow teleport. Thanks for the complimentary.

frogthroat

benzenexz wrote: »

frogthroat wrote: »

In FG2 you can nuke the first boss before the sword mechanic.

It is true that this can work in many cases where the unfriendly mechanic doesn't occurs at the beginning. However it is not feasible by all players, hence making it less practical and more demanding to be realized easily and casually.

The spider boss will still require pretty insane reflexes so it's not for the most casual playthrough anyway.

benzenexz

frogthroat wrote: »

benzenexz wrote: »

frogthroat wrote: »

In FG2 you can nuke the first boss before the sword mechanic.

It is true that this can work in many cases where the unfriendly mechanic doesn't occurs at the beginning. However it is not feasible by all players, hence making it less practical and more demanding to be realized easily and casually.

The spider boss will still require pretty insane reflexes so it's not for the most casual playthrough anyway.

I'm.guessing that your "spider boss" is refering to the final boss in SC I. Those special spits from the boss have an indication from the boss, whenever you see it turning around at someone and leaning backward, you can tell that it is going to use one of its spit on that player. They are not blockable and do hard stun, but can still be dodged to evade completely. These mechanic is the same in normal or in vet or vet hm. I'd say it's kind of basic stuff, casual enough, and nothing too strict for solo other than more frequent dodging.

Speaking of quick reflexity, I would bring up Rilis in BC I, as its knocking-back pulse is almost instant with not much indication and often delayed in animation by the post-movement from its previous action.

daemondamian

benzenexz wrote: »

frogthroat wrote: »

You can use Precognition in Bloodroot Forge, Fang Lair, Scalecaller Peak and Exiled Redoubt. Works even in vet /vetHM.

right I should be more precise in that it is only that specific morph of Undo ultimate that works.

Not sure if we're talking vet Bloodforge or not but I just redid my 14 characters on the PTS for normal & none of them needed Precognition though I guess that would work. I just either have a HoT and or shield going on in case of getting disabled.

frogthroat

benzenexz wrote: »

frogthroat wrote: »

benzenexz wrote: »

frogthroat wrote: »

In FG2 you can nuke the first boss before the sword mechanic.

It is true that this can work in many cases where the unfriendly mechanic doesn't occurs at the beginning. However it is not feasible by all players, hence making it less practical and more demanding to be realized easily and casually.

The spider boss will still require pretty insane reflexes so it's not for the most casual playthrough anyway.

I'm.guessing that your "spider boss" is refering to the final boss in SC I.

No, still FG2. First you kill the sword dude, then skip to the spider boss that would be the last boss in FG1. In FG2 it sends one player to the cave to kill some spiders. If you solo and end up there, the fight resets. You need to avoid the sending to the cave. That is doable, but really, really difficult. But if you do it right, you need to do it only once because you break the mechanic and it won't happen again. Not sure if the cave mechanic happens in nFG2, never solo'd it in normal.

benzenexz

frogthroat wrote: »

benzenexz wrote: »

frogthroat wrote: »

benzenexz wrote: »

frogthroat wrote: »

In FG2 you can nuke the first boss before the sword mechanic.

It is true that this can work in many cases where the unfriendly mechanic doesn't occurs at the beginning. However it is not feasible by all players, hence making it less practical and more demanding to be realized easily and casually.

The spider boss will still require pretty insane reflexes so it's not for the most casual playthrough anyway.

I'm.guessing that your "spider boss" is refering to the final boss in SC I.

No, still FG2. First you kill the sword dude, then skip to the spider boss that would be the last boss in FG1. In FG2 it sends one player to the cave to kill some spiders. If you solo and end up there, the fight resets. You need to avoid the sending to the cave. That is doable, but really, really difficult. But if you do it right, you need to do it only once because you break the mechanic and it won't happen again. Not sure if the cave mechanic happens in nFG2, never solo'd it in normal.

According to my most recent experience, it does not reset. Probably because my companion would remain outside? What's more, if this reset be true, then I would assume that in any other player-made group if the 3 players outside died, the fight should also reset. I don't think this would happen for player group, then similarly nor should it happen while solo.

Djennku

SirLeeMinion wrote: »

While it feels good to post all these tricks, the result, year after year, is that they get "fixed."

Can you still teach through the door to the lever in Direfrost? Nope. Fixed.
Can you still pull Malubeth out of the first room to avoid the one-shot? Nope. Fixed.
Can you still hide behind the crates while directing your companion to fight Malubeth? Nope. Fixed.
Can you still get way out of the map into northern Malabal Tor by jumping near the Hectahame? Nope. Fixed.

If you care about helping others solo dungeons over the long term, tell them; don't post.

What's the first rule of fight club?

First rule is: Don't use exploits.

gc0018

Also, solo triggers some unknown bug. The boss may have abnormal speed / attack / mechanism. I always bring pets to avoid some weird situation though they are almost useless in battle.