As for rewards.

V5 mobs drop around ~5g. (lol).

V6 mobs in the next VR area drop 1g. As much as the V1 mobs and level 5-10 mobs in the starter area. (eg Auridon, Khenarthi Roost)


Given the amount of damage we take from those V6 mobs, and the amount on repairs we need, makes any type of questing or exploration on those areas completely pointless.

The only purpose is try to find a grp, do the world bosses, dolmens and public dungeons.
Grab the skyshards and do the main line quest.

Thats it.

Anything else is just pointless. And yes I love this game, but is annoying as hell when comes to VR content.

FYI the "VR" content wasn't like that initially. They were same as level 50 mobs (eg Coldharbour) flat out on all zones.


But before release some "people" complained about the difficulty. What ZoS did?

Buffed the mobs with 3000-5000 HP, bosses all way to 8000+. Gave them 95% spell & weapon penetration. Unlimited Stamina & Magicka. Healing for gazillion points and spaming heavy and special attacks.


The players on the other hand, are not far away in power than they were on level 49-50 when they faced Molag Bal. Add the "nerfed" penetration against their armour hence no melee build is working.

Simnun (the giant end of Rift main line) VR5, the other night took 44,000 HP damage by me, to go down (I have screenshot), plus the amount of damage the Kings and retinue were doing which is of unknown number.

He hits for 800-900, while we are restricted to 2400hp if we do not go spending on gold glyphs and gold armour (and still it will go to 3000?)


The little boss dude that pops then you activate the pedestal has 9000 HP.

Can someone from ZoS explain how with 1800 STA, 1600 MA, 2500 HP, 2000 Magic resistance & AC, by doing 160 light attack with blue 2H Greatsword, we can do 44,000 damage, on a mob that hits AOE Cone for 800-900, before we die?

And these are V5 mobs. I feel sorry for the guy who will try to finish that quest while V10.

I find there's mainly 3 issues with the "standard" Veteran Content (1st/2nd Vet Alliances):

• Trash mobs - A bit of difficulty is nice, I really like the fights that happen in VR content when you get a proper challenge and have to think about what abilities to use for the fight and stay on edge to block/dodge/pot at the right times. The problem is that this stops being fun when it happens every time you take a step in any direction i.e. all of the trash mobs (random bandits, spiders, whatever) pose a challenge every time. This means a simple quest puts you through fight after fight like this, and you'll tweak and adapt your fights but after you've killed the first trash.. it's just the same fight, again and again and again, so it's not really difficult anymore.. it's just time consuming and slightly boring. If the bosses were even more difficult than they are (i.e. barely or not even soloable) I wouldn't mind, but I do mind having to fight 20 packs to complete a single quest. Side note: this is why I can't even be bothered to do VR on anything other than my NB. I have to use Shadow Cloak to pass by the trash or I'd have quit a long time ago.
• Rewards - You get little to no rewards for actually doing the difficult content. Everything is green trash and the quests give 500 gold? It just doesn't make it worth going through this. You'll make 50x the gold farming crap in Coldharbour or group AOE farming, that means that the reward for doing something that doesn't require any attention whatsoever is larger by far, than actually completing "difficult" content. So why would you do it? For completion, maybe, but having reached my 2nd vet alliance I won't do it anymore. It isn't fun, at all, it just takes time which I don't have a lot of considering I also have to work and do stuff outside of ESO. So now I'm only doing PvP and the occasional AOE farming, for materials and cash. I still love ESO in a way, the beauty of it and the storylines, but it isn't worth doing at the moment. I will stay subscribed as PvP is still giving me a fun challenge, and I really, REALLY, hope that they will sort this out and really just an increased reward and/or lowered trash "difficulty" would make it worth progressing further down the VR line. (VR7 atm)
• Empty Zones - This is the killer, if the areas were populated (I play mostly on weekday evenings or weekends, which should be pretty much prime-time) you could find a group and decrease the time/difficulty in dealing with all the trash by a lot. This would also make it fun, but as long as the two points above are true (especially the lack of rewards) I don't believe that this will ever change.

I have high hopes for the game, and I really hope that they will release info on what they will be doing (or even thinking about doing) for Veteran Ranks, as that would show that they mean serious business and that they understand the frustration that many of the players feel here. I will stay subbed, because I'm hoping that this is sorted rather quickly, but I can say for sure that many of my friends playing will not have that patience and I'd hate to see them leave over this, as I'd have even less help on hand for the last 5 zones.

Alphashado wrote: »

anothername wrote: »

Alphashado wrote: »

I really hope they find a way to right the ship. ESO has such potential. It could easily be the AAA MMO that we all hoped it would be. But most of us understand that VR zones are making a gigantic number of people unhappy and dissapointed. You will not find many complaints about 1-50. I would even go so far as to say that 1-50 is magnificent. But VR content in ESO is arguably making more subscribers unhappy than anything any MMO has ever managed to do in the past. The sheer number of unhappy people is staggering. All you have to do is look at the amount of inactive accounts.

That number speaks louder than any forum thread or poll.

There is no need for me to list all the issues again. They been brought up countless times in countless threads. ZOS must be aware of the magnatude of the situation. They aren't blind. They have teams of personnel who's sole purpose is to monitor incoming revenue.

The question is: What are they going to do about it? Is it too late to make drastic changes to soo many fundamental aspects of the game? How can they win back everyone that has left, prevent more from leaving, while not dissapointing those that like it the way it is?

I would love to be a fly on the wall for those meetings.

I'm quite confident that the difference between those that approve how it is now vs. those that don't are that those that do have choosen skill builds that are working as intended. Also ZOS apparently is looking into that problem, but when, how, what comes out of it? No clue.

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

As mentioned in the most recent Road Ahead article from Matt, the Veteran system is something we're looking at improving, but please understand that it will take some time.

http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/111519/pts-patch-notes-v1-2-2#latest

I believe you couldn't be more mistaken. The issues with VR content are much broader than L2P. Which is what you are suggesting. Here is a list. In case you have missed it. Many people find one or more of these issues un enjoyable.

1. Difficulty.
2. Class balance.
3. Lack of effective builds.
4. Feels grindy.
5. Forced questing.
6. Re hashed content.
7. Being forced to kill your own faction.
8. Slow xp gains.
9. Terrible green rewards.
10. No incentive.

L2P may apply to a few people that ask for advice. But "working as intended" is the problem here.

Reread, we're on the same page

The only problem with "working as intended" in regards to veteran combat is, as far as I can tell, because its an exclusive magic & maybe bow user club... at the moment at least.

There are a lot of legit VR issues... but you don't HAVE to be a light armor Sorc or DK to get by.

I'm a VR8 heavy armor sword and board / 2H templar and I'm doing fine soloing (except harvesters).

I'm a tanky build so I kill slower than rune spamming jackasses, but not by much. I'm also not as affected by tight hallways and small rooms.

Played with a med armor VR7 Temp last night in pub dungeon said he was doing ok as well. Dunno his build.

Ohioastro wrote: »

The incessant complaints about light armor and magic builds are getting really repetitive and obnoxious. Even if true (and I think they're grossly overblown), at least the ESO system lets any character adopt them if you are so moved. It also takes surprisingly little effort in the VR ranks to retool your character. So...try another style. You learn something in game, it may help you, and it beats writing a couple thousand complaint messages on discussion boards.

So by your own words, thousands of people are wrong and you are right.

Got it.

So I gave up... took me long enough, but I am now stuck on a quest with no way to do it, as elites I have to take down are TOO DAMN OP. So it's done, I've finally snapped..

HOW in the right mind do devs think we can solo Storm Atronachs?
Player vs Storm Atronach
HP: 1 500 vs 12 000
light attack: 115 vs 400
spells: 200 vs 700
Even as a DK pyromancer (though not running the OP build, abusing animation canceling exploit or having resto staff in other bar) I couldn't take that colossus down. Even with Standard, which is now nerfed to the point of wasting ultimate points with it.. I just couldn't get his HP lower than 3000. After that and my ulti points wasted, I couldn't even get him under 8k..

It's just downright ridiculous how OP VR mobs are.
I have 1500 friggin HP and EVEN THROUGH BLOCK (which thanks to passive soaks up 10% more dmg than usual) I take average 350 dmg per hit. Light attacks (which mobs spam) take about 210 dmg (blocked) and over 400 ublocked. Literally every fight that takes more than 5 seconds means player's death. It's just plain absurd, especially since we are almost always dealing with PACKS of 3 mobs, OR elites that are generally even more OP.
You can't outrun them, because they'll kill you before you create some distance. You can't block them, because it provides almost no damage reduction.
You can't dodge them, because you're just wasting resources (which enemies DO NOT use, you can't outlast them) since they'll just gut you the microsecond you become targetable again..

Seriously. I quit. Since my money was already taken 3 days ago, I will be feeding horses and setting up research, but screw the game. I just can't take it anymore. Seriously, in games that have high combat difficulty, you at least have a friggin CHANCE to AVOID getting hit. Here you just soak it up like a sponge.. This game's solo content ends after getting to VR1, from then, it's just "get some mofo to join you or suffer endless pain"!

Shame on you..

Sharee wrote: »

Granted my main is only vet 4 atm, but so far, the vet1 through vet4 zones had plenty of players in them, certainly enough to do dolmens etc.

I have a VR3 DK and play in AD (EST zone), and I have to disagree. In Shadowfen, while I wouldn't say it's dead, but when holler in zone chat asking for help for certain Dolmens or World Bosses sometimes take anywhere from 15 min to 30 min. That is a huge difference compare to 1-50 zone populations.

amber_picchiottino_ESO wrote: »

I think people know about how crummy vet levels are overall and that there's no incentive to do them, so they re-rolled. I was just on my level 6 AD toon and there were quite a few people running about. Albeit, not as many as the first month, but that's expected. I do think the tone of the community has taken a more singular approach, so you're seeing more and more people turn off chat completely, as there isn't a whole lot of purpose that serves.

Definitely this. I'm guilty of this myself. There's no real incentive. I got my main to VR1 then decided to play on with a different character. If I'm going to go through the whole story again, might as well keep it fresh and play with a new build. You get all the joys of playing through the content without the struggles commonly heard about from VR

I am VR4 in Malabor Tor and aside from having to carefully execute my moves when taking on 3 character mobs or more I am doing fine, although it is much more challenging than 1-50 areas, but isn't that the reality of VR? I am a medium armor bow weilding sorc with 2 pets.. BTW Bombard (morphed spray shot) is my best friend.. spam it then finish off with critical surge light attacks while my pets hold aggro.. Its a good PvE setup if you want to try.

Montanabum wrote: »

I am VR4 in Malabor Tor and aside from having to carefully execute my moves when taking on 3 character mobs or more I am doing fine, although it is much more challenging than 1-50 areas, but isn't that the reality of VR? I am a medium armor bow weilding sorc with 2 pets.. BTW Bombard (morphed spray shot) is my best friend.. spam it then finish off with critical surge light attacks while my pets hold aggro.. Its a good PvE setup if you want to try.

sure, VR content should be challenging, but also should be rewarding at the same time. Right now, you get crappy green loot, no stats increase, and crappy exp for the amount you need to level up 1 VR.

xanikk999 wrote: »

Veteran zones are dead

To be fair, the whole game is dying. The Vet zones is just where the bullet hole is.

jonpaul wrote: »

It is unfortunate that zones are sparsely populated at higher veteran levels. Me and the wife are V8 and it is nearly useless for us to ask in zone for help with bosses or dolmens. After she logged last night I hopped on my lvl 16 toon and was in grahtwood where it was very well populated with lower level people calling out for bosses/dolmens and rambling through the cities. Either they are new subs or people who have given up on vet levels and are re-rolling. It gave me the smallest glimmer of hope that maybe there is a whole new base of people working their way up the ranks. Maybe, maybe not... we are enjoying the game and are hoping that many others are as well.

I am surprised people are rerolling in this game, the VR zones just leave a bad after taste, why would u do it again… and again?

Sihnfahl wrote: »

ArRashid wrote: »

If the whole concept of VR difficulty wasn't so absurd, people wouldn't run off to rather grind it in group in Craglorn or PvP.

Well, VR difficulty ... is a hard thing to quantify.

I went sword and board from V1 to V10 (mixing in 2H in V9 just to test) and aside from the time they fouled up the damage and health of mobs in Vet areas, the difficulty was ... pretty much what I had expected a 'vet' area to be like. Still managed to solo most content.

I think where things break down is that Vet areas are tuned to active and passive skills that actually work. It sure doesn't help when various skill lines aren't working properly, or at all. So rather than play with a broken class in an area that requires a more or less working class and spec, folks would go the route of Crag farming.

If that was pre bash nerf, the whole game was easy with bash. It's nothing like that now. Sword and board post bash nerf, with the mobs still harder than they were when they messed up their stats, that's a whole other board game!

Weberda wrote: »

I am surprised people are rerolling in this game, the VR zones just leave a bad after taste, why would u do it again… and again?

I too am rerolling an alt in the lower levels and the population is reminiscent of the early launch days. Players are falling over each other doing the same quest. In the zone chat I see a lot of "new player" questions so it appears there is a considerable amount of new blood out there.

[/quote]

I love that you ask why people are re-rolling, only to contradict yourself in the next paragraph.

Demira wrote: »

ESO needs to make Craglorn V10-V12 access only! that will fix the problem!

This would have been the obvious thing to do I think but at Craglorns inception. Definitely not now. There is no bringing back those players to fill the vet zones now that they are gone.

Craglorn itself is pretty empty now. I have noticed the beginner zones to have more people but I doubt it is new blood. Most are roaming around in vet motif gear so that tells me most likely alts. As you get to the mid level zones though it starts to dwindle as far as population goes.

I think it may be time to say stick a fork in it.