Encase not always working? Unreliable spell

Tahnor

50% of the times that I use Restraining Prison (Encase) the spell is not working.

It is not a matter of distance to the target - I can fire the spell 5 times from exactly the same position and it only works the fifth time...

And it is not a matter of aiming - the crosshair does lock on target.

Is it supposed to work like this? If yes, why doesn't it say so ("50% chance to miss" or something like that)? I don't have this problem with any other spell.

The spell feels very unreliable, since I never know if it will work or not.

Solutions?

Pixelex

Yes I noticed that, too. But for me it works most of the times.

But since I'm level 30 it fails very often.. so I think the enemys perhaps can resist this spell or something? I have no combat feedback.. so I don't know. If this is a bug, it has to be fixed. .__.'

jbrenston

From what I can tell, when the spell is activated a purple mist appears at you feet. If the mob is in the mist then they will be trapped. Or if a mob is near a mob that is in the mist it will be trapped. I'm not 100% sure but thats what it seems like. I normally have to get up close to the mob, cast it, and then move away.

Pixelex

No its really random. There are some enemys in the same range which are not effected by encase. And I mean normal enemys, no bosses.

disexistencenub19_ESO

Make sure they aren't flying/floating creatures, as roots will not work on them. I've done that a few times, and then realized that the mobs were just immune to it.

Pixelex

Uhm yes I know. But they where all on the ground. For example skeletons or wolves.

Just for some minutes two wolves.. both same range. One affected, the other one runs to me. I don't understand this. -.-

Tahnor

Today the spell is working perfectly. Has it been fixed?

Khazaad

Tahnor wrote: »

50% of the times that I use Restraining Prison (Encase) the spell is not working.

It is not a matter of distance to the target - I can fire the spell 5 times from exactly the same position and it only works the fifth time...

And it is not a matter of aiming - the crosshair does lock on target.

Is it supposed to work like this? If yes, why doesn't it say so ("50% chance to miss" or something like that)? I don't have this problem with any other spell.

The spell feels very unreliable, since I never know if it will work or not.

Solutions?

As described, the targets must be infront of you; the spell works fine.

Pixelex

Tahnor wrote: »

Today the spell is working perfectly. Has it been fixed?

Sometimes I think that, too, but no. Today it failed very often for me again.

Khazaad wrote: »

As described, the targets must be infront of you; the spell works fine.

The enemys are always in front of me, almost at the same position. And some are affected, some not.

I know how the spell works, but for me the spell fails in 3 of 5 trys. Most times in enemy groups. For example 4 enemys. 3 enemys are affected, and 1 not. So I sometimes think enemys can resist this or something. I don't know.

Khazaad

Pixelex wrote: »

Tahnor wrote: »

Today the spell is working perfectly. Has it been fixed?

Sometimes I think that, too, but no. Today it failed very often for me again.

Khazaad wrote: »

As described, the targets must be infront of you; the spell works fine.

The enemys are always in front of me, almost at the same position. And some are affected, some not.

I know how the spell works, but for me the spell fails in 3 of 5 trys. Most times in enemy groups. For example 4 enemys. 3 enemys are affected, and 1 not. So I sometimes think enemys can resist this or something. I don't know.

I see what you're saying. personally, my experience is only with 3-4 mobs, (I'm lvl 29 w/ Shattering) I can regularly get 3 when they're in the "reasonable vicinity".

Have you tried experimenting with letting a group get close enough to hit you, not moving, and key press? Are you mashing the button, or hitting it once? Are all redguards born ugly? I dunno, just a few things I'd ask.

Pixelex

Khazaad wrote: »

Have you tried experimenting with letting a group get close enough to hit you, not moving, and key press? Are you mashing the button, or hitting it once? Are all redguards born ugly? I dunno, just a few things I'd ask.

It is absolutely random Khazaad. The enemys can be far away or almost stand next to me. But they are always at least "visual" in encase range.

Sometimes this is very interesting. There are 3 enemys. Two enemys are standing more far away from me than the third. The third one is closer to me, he is perfectly in front of me.
Now I cast encase (well I use shattering prison) and only the two, which are more far away from me are affected. The one who is closer to me and stands directly in front of me is not affected. xD

Khazaad

Make a video with FRAPS. Fer posterity. @Pixelex‌

Falmer

Honestly, I think it has more to do with elevation. The spell (for me) seems to work fine on flat surfaces. However, if you are outside and the target is down an incline from you, then it tends to miss a lot.

It seems like the targeting cone isn't based on your camera angle, but directly in front of your character on a horizontal plane. Thus, if you are fighting on a hill, then don't rely on this spell.

This is just my experience with it.

Pixelex

Falmer wrote: »

Honestly, I think it has more to do with elevation. The spell (for me) seems to work fine on flat surfaces. However, if you are outside and the target is down an incline from you, then it tends to miss a lot.

It seems like the targeting cone isn't based on your camera angle, but directly in front of your character on a horizontal plane. Thus, if you are fighting on a hill, then don't rely on this spell.

This is just my experience with it.

Hmm.. could be, but I think I got this problem on flat grounds, too.

I will try this again in the evening. Perhaps I make screens or a video.

Moloyo

jbrenston wrote: »

From what I can tell, when the spell is activated a purple mist appears at you feet. If the mob is in the mist then they will be trapped. Or if a mob is near a mob that is in the mist it will be trapped. I'm not 100% sure but thats what it seems like. I normally have to get up close to the mob, cast it, and then move away.

Thats the way it shold work... but it doesn't. I cast in in front of a group of three the one in the middle is no affected

Pixelex

Moloyo wrote: »

Thats the way it shold work... but it doesn't. I cast in in front of a group of three the one in the middle is no affected

Yes, Encase is still not working! Some mobs aren't affected somehow..

jambam817_ESO

I agree with the OP, I've got my Orc Sorcerer to VR6, and I have noticed this over and over (Encase is a skill I always include on my AOE bar).
Sometimes it works fine, Sometimes the mobs in front partially get rooted while some slip through (in packs less than the AOE limit, like 3-4 mob pulls, 1 may not get rooted while the others do.)
Because of the high magika cost, its a bummer to have to cast it again to make sure everyone gets hit. I do though, as resource management isn't a huge deal on my Sorc.
As I'm at work i don't have too much time to theory craft, but could it be an height axis issue, as in mobs at a certain Height difference don't get caught by the spell?
Perhaps a bug where the AOE limit is not being calculated correctly?
Or simply Mob Spell resistance and "blocking" or "resisting"
Or perhaps one more cause. I've noticed sometimes that if the mobs are not engaged in combat or "agro'd" on me, sometimes they won't get rooted with the first cast, and after casting it a second time once i have their attention it works.

Just some thoughts to ponder