Molag Bal vent

Skulbow · October 2014

This is a rant because at this moment I feel so frustrated with the game and my ability to get through it.
I have just spent nearly half an hour trying to kill Molag Bal. I have been killed 5/6 times now, no soul gems left and each time anyway Molag Bal is back to 100% health and I have to try again!!!! I feel so frustrated. I can get him sometimes to around 50% killed but I am fighting a losing battle. My spells and ultimates seem useless now. I am a sorcerer using a destruction staff and this just does not seem to cut it.
I just looked at a Youtube video of another sorcerer using a restro staff and he took quite a while but at least he kept healing himself..I don't have that option. I can't even leave that map now to repair my gear, get more soul gems and maybe try to get more skill points and try to get my resro staff levelled up.

Does this basically mean I either quit the game or start levelling another better character to defeat him to get to veteran levels? Presently I have no desire at all to go back and try again as I feel so frustrated.
I do realize my skills are probably lower than alot of other gamers because I am an older gamer and my reactions and keyboard skills are at best clumsy.

Nebthet78 · October 2014

What is your level, build, skills, and current attributes? What do you have for provisioning to level up your health or magicka/stamina when going in to battle?

Sharee · October 2014

Skulbow wrote: »

I can't even leave that map now to repair my gear, get more soul gems and maybe try to get more skill points and try to get my resro staff levelled up.

Can't you just open the map, select a wayshrine and port to it? Admittedly i did not try to do that in the molag bal encounter, but i seriously doubt the game would ever put you into a position where you are unable to return to the 'civilization' without beating a mob.

(alternatively, if the above does not work, you could try to queue for cyrodiil, port there, then use the wayshrine to get back to pve land)

Lionxoft · October 2014

Crit surge (Crits heal you for 60% of damage done) is an uber win ability for that encounter. It will heal you for thousands on each crit.

BTW. I'm heading in game to see if I can get some soul gems over to you.

Update: Your name is different here on the forums.

I tried though.

Blain · October 2014

I killed him at level 45 on my Destro sorceror, the main thing keeping me up was my crit surge, that combined with a philter of magicka really helped me keep my health high constantly.

My battle strategy was basically...

Crit surge>Light attack> Crystal shard>Light>light>light>Crystal>Crit surge if needed.

Rinse and repeat whilst moving around and keeping your magicka up with the potions.

This got me through it on the first try, hopefully it helps you too.

Sunrock · October 2014

If you spell wive IE cast a light attack between all your attacks you can more or less dubble your DPS.

This fight is fairly easy if you have a good build though. Using rune and inner light from mage guild will help you some too in addition to the other tips you got in this thread.

Moderator Note: Edited per our rules on Rude and Insulting Comments.

Circuitica · October 2014

You can defeat Molag Bal no matter your class or the weapon you use. You just have to create a well-functioning build.
My resto staff sorcerer defeated him quite quickly. I created a build just for him (took the familiars and AOE stuff away).

Syntse · October 2014

Molag is quite different fight from any fight encountered before it. People easily try to dps him down just to notice that they run out of resources and gets killed.

Idea is to keep yourself alive, keep your resources while still doing some damage. It will take bit more than usual to down him but he will go down.

Curragraigue · October 2014

Sorry to hear it OP. It does help if you can move because it really is the red attacks from Molag that do the damage which you can avoid by moving out of the red zones when they appear. I was able to avoid 90% of them by just moving (no need to roll) and anything you can't escape make sure to block.

You should be able to leave the area by either back tracking or just porting (paying some gold to go to another location you have been before using your map). I haven't tried it but it has worked for every other main story mission based on comments of other posters so it should work. No shame in changing your build and coming back stronger and wiser for the battle.

Having some way to heal yourself in the fight is a good idea. So potions, resto staff, critical surge or dark exchange (if you have the move morph). Like the Mannimarco fight an easy way to win is through a war of attrition. You just need to outlast him rather than trying to beat him quickly with DPS because he doesn't self heal during the fight. The video you have seen is how a lot of people have beaten him and Manni. Move and heal with light attacks from a distance, takes time but it is effective.

Starting with the best food you have to increase your health and magicka (for a destro sorcerer) is also a good idea if you haven't already. If you need some let me know your in game name and lvl (so I can make the right sort) and I'll send you some.

If you search in the PvE section there are other threads from people that had trouble with the fight and sought advice, so you are not alone.

Good luck.

dodgehopper_ESO · October 2014

I think the advice here is pretty good, regarding surges, and keeping away from the red circles. Fight conservatively. The Titans (when they spawn) should go down very quickly, because of the buff that the Amulet of Kings gives you. My biggest suggestion is to fight conversatively, and use the passive which heals you from Dark (ie the crits) as others have said, will help a lot. Bolt Escape might also be very helpful (if you have it) to get some quick distance from him if he gears too close to you (or even lightning form to maneuver out of circles). I don't think I have much more to offer than that. Previous suggestions were great, but I just wanted to throw my thoughts in for the overall strategy to fight Molag. Unless you're playing a Dragon Knight or Templar Tank, its not really a good idea to fight him up close (and even then its not optimal).

Stick and move, strafe sideways if you can, fire ranged attacks, and use quick getaway powers where possible. Good luck, Skulbow.

Sunrock · October 2014

AngryNord wrote: »

Lionxoft wrote: »

Sunrock wrote: »

[...]

[...]

[...]

Some one can't handle the truth that this fight does not need to be nerfed?

[Moderator Note: Removed moderated quote]

R1ckyDaMan · October 2014

To be fair all his attacks are really easy to see before they hit.

Curragraigue · October 2014

Sunrock wrote: »

Some one can't handle the truth that this fight does not need to be nerfed?

No one has suggested a nerf for the fight. The OP said he was finding it hard, not that it needed to be nerfed. There was no need to criticize him as a player for finding the fight hard, I think that was the issue that other posters had with your post.

Zahne · October 2014

The Molag Bal fight is an endurance fight, not a BOOM! DPS fight, I've fought him several times now and the best way is poke him, self heal, poke him, self heal and keep moving out of the red, you are not going to beat him in the first few seconds

Skulbow · October 2014

Thanks for the positive comments.... I have washed my car and visited family and got away from the game so I feel a little better.

I am a lot older than 37 years, nearly double but not 95.

That is no excuse for me though but be aware that younger people do work the keyboard a lot faster and react quicker. Most very good players you see are younger than 20.

I have a few questions... I do not understand this critical surge and IE surge. I do know about light attacks with the staff. I also understand that you do play this battle so differently and that is what I having trouble with, surviving long enough. I take a health food (263 extra for 35 mins) and sometimes I am able to get in a health potion but trying to dodge and fight and take potions is difficult.
So if someone can kindly explain about these surge attacks which double your health/dps or something.

By the way when I logged back in I was out of the map too. Thanks for the person offering more soul gems....that was a really kind gesture.

Curragraigue · October 2014

Critical surge is the morph of the skill surge in the storm calling skill tree

esohead.com/calculator/skills#mMzz9s8AIUM85qK7xLzuj8zc7zzgeXm8zf7zzNbo8zu7zzHfYE6zHfZd8zG7zzHQ3F8zI7zzJIoX6zJIkL8zN7zzJZcY8zA7zzKpUN8zL7zzK4EX

If you are going to use it you need to make sure your critical chance is up as high as possible with the inner light (mages guild morphed skill), armour set bonus traits, thief mundus stone, precise on weapon and potion (if possible). Then whenever you cause a critical strike on Molag Bal you will be healed a percentage of the damage you cause. So you heal as you hit him on an ongoing basis without having to do anything else.

You do need to keep recasting the spell though. Watch your hands if they are flickering with electricity it is still up, if not cast again.

Syntse · October 2014

@Skulbow now once you're out, pick up resto staff put skill point to healing skill and you can do it the long way. If you don't have points then have you visited cyrodiil? You get 2 free skill points when you do the tutorial quests there.

Another is to pick up for example entrophy from mage guild skill line for self heal.

kewl · October 2014

There is a popular build based off of the healing you reap from Critical Surge. It is fantastic for leveling. My current PvE build for VR14 but it is a good jump off point. Critical Surge increases weapon damage by (X) for 20 seconds. Critical strikes heal player for 50% of damage inflicted. So if you increase your critical strike stat, you increase your healing.
Resto staff is a great weapon to have for two reasons. Access to healing skills (Healing Springs and Mutagen are my favorite.) Second, the Cycle of Life Passive increases magicka returned from heavy attacks (and if it's still not fixed, a flat % damage increase based on health.) But heavy attacks from any staff will return magicka. So if you don't have Cycle of Life, no worries.
Save your stamina for rolls, CC breaks and running out of red circles.
Three stat potions are good to have on your quick bar.
Make sure you eat a two or three stat food.
Get on your factions buff server for PvP bonuses.
Repair all your gear.
Fully charge your weapon enchants.
Try to attain VR2 or 3 before the fight.

Sorc is a great class if you maximize its skill synergies. I'd like to look at your gear and discuss your build in detail, so hit me up in game, @Occanum.

Syntse · October 2014

kewl wrote: »

Try to attain VR2 or 3 before the fight.

Umm wow. If this would be requirement or need for this fight it would really mean it needs nerf, which it doesn't.

kewl · October 2014

Syntse wrote: »

kewl wrote: »

Try to attain VR2 or 3 before the fight.

Umm wow. If this would be requirement or need for this fight it would really mean it needs nerf, which it doesn't.

It is not. These are just suggestions that might make it easier for the OP. No need to be condescending.

R1ckyDaMan · October 2014

kewl wrote: »

Syntse wrote: »

kewl wrote: »

Try to attain VR2 or 3 before the fight.

Umm wow. If this would be requirement or need for this fight it would really mean it needs nerf, which it doesn't.

It is not. These are just suggestions that might make it easier for the OP. No need to be condescending.

I was under the impression you had to beat him to advance to vr ranks...

kewl · October 2014

R1ckyDaMan wrote: »

kewl wrote: »

Syntse wrote: »

kewl wrote: »

Try to attain VR2 or 3 before the fight.

Umm wow. If this would be requirement or need for this fight it would really mean it needs nerf, which it doesn't.

It is not. These are just suggestions that might make it easier for the OP. No need to be condescending.

I was under the impression you had to beat him to advance to vr ranks...

Nope. You can head off to Craglorn and grind out a few levels or PvP your way to the top. But you have to defeat him in order to being questing in other factions.

Example, my crafting char is at VR6 without completing 80% of the Coldharbor quests.

Sapphy24 · October 2014

I feel for you Skulbow but the best advice is to kite, kite and kite again, turning now and again to throw a spell then kite again. It can take a long time to finish, I think it took me around 20 minutes but I got there in the end.
I'm sure you will get there too (kite = run).
Try again, have plenty of 3 part potions and just take as you need them, but keep running as if your life depended on it.. as it does.
The best of luck for your next try. Hugs.

Curragraigue · October 2014

R1ckyDaMan wrote: »

kewl wrote: »

Syntse wrote: »

kewl wrote: »

Try to attain VR2 or 3 before the fight.

Umm wow. If this would be requirement or need for this fight it would really mean it needs nerf, which it doesn't.

It is not. These are just suggestions that might make it easier for the OP. No need to be condescending.

I was under the impression you had to beat him to advance to vr ranks...

You have to hit VR to be offered the quest to fight Molag. Once you hit VR you can go to Crag by picking up the quest in the second zone capital city so it is doable to get to VR2 or VR3 before the fight.

kewl · October 2014

Curragraigue wrote: »

Critical surge is the morph of the skill surge in the storm calling skill tree

esohead.com/calculator/skills#mMzz9s8AIUM85qK7xLzuj8zc7zzgeXm8zf7zzNbo8zu7zzHfYE6zHfZd8zG7zzHQ3F8zI7zzJIoX6zJIkL8zN7zzJZcY8zA7zzKpUN8zL7zzK4EX

If you are going to use it you need to make sure your critical chance is up as high as possible with the inner light (mages guild morphed skill), armour set bonus traits, thief mundus stone, precise on weapon and potion (if possible). Then whenever you cause a critical strike on Molag Bal you will be healed a percentage of the damage you cause. So you heal as you hit him on an ongoing basis without having to do anything else.

You do need to keep recasting the spell though. Watch your hands if they are flickering with electricity it is still up, if not cast again.

@Skulbow This is great advice.

boogie95 · October 2014

just hold block and light attack very easy

Ragefist · October 2014

I wonder what would OP do if he had to face the real thing after launch, not the puny nerfed encounter it is now.

My bow sorcerer died 14x on that encounter when I met him for 1st try. I kept pushing tho, didnt shed tears on forum. And you know what? It felt good to beat him.

Let us hope tears on forums wont make this game all dull and boring

drkeys143 · October 2014

Sapphy24 wrote: »

I feel for you Skulbow but the best advice is to kite, kite and kite again, turning now and again to throw a spell then kite again. It can take a long time to finish, I think it took me around 20 minutes but I got there in the end.
I'm sure you will get there too (kite = run).
Try again, have plenty of 3 part potions and just take as you need them, but keep running as if your life depended on it.. as it does.
The best of luck for your next try. Hugs.

Agree with this, and I feel your pain dude, I am an older gamer, I like to think competent but by no means expert

I know how it feels sometimes to have the frustration of dying to the same boss over and over, but the advice is good, don't get close up, range attack him and keep moving, it takes a while.

I take it you have sussed out that if you block the Titan attacks, they reflect back and kill them, so don't waste time trying to bring them down, just block.

Look on the bright side - if you are here then you must have defeated mannimarco, and that is harder than Molag (or I thought so anyway), so you will get there!!

Hang in there and don't let it frustrate you

Look forward to reading the post that says you have done it!!

sadene · October 2014

R1ckyDaMan wrote: »

To be fair all his attacks are really easy to see before they hit.

This. You need to move.

I first beat him with my really messed up templar (no crafted armor sets, no food to boost my stats, no "build" just random abilities)... what can I say, it was my first char and now I can see how hopeless I was

but still I did beat Molag Bal quite easily and it didn't take much time

so my advice is try to avoid his attacks. And perhaps consider leaving the map to repair your armor and do other usefulls stuff others already said... maybe you will have to do a part of the quest again but I think it will still take less time than trying to beat him with no armor, potions etc.

Sou1defiler · October 2014

I must admit using my sorcerer I found Molag Bal to be a complete pain so just to get it done I did what I did with my other characters, namely using a bow. I left the instance, spent a few points in the Bow skill and just kited and charged up heavy attacks with the bow. Heavy attacks hit him for a good bit of damage and crits were quite common. The bow chops down the Titans no problem and as long as you keep your eyes open for when Bal teleports before crashing down on your head and moving out of the aoe zone before he lands he should never hit you with his mace attack. Keep a safe distance, don't get cocky, nothing fancy and just keep charging your heavy attacks, and above all, don't panic. Panic will kill you.

Good luck to you.

And feel free to ignore the "Oh you're not as good as me? You must be a noob.." or the "whine some more" commenters
Everyone else does.

Kreetar · October 2014

now this is a frustration that I understand. however, I throw the phrase "well if I can do it, you can do it too!" around all the time in regards to Molag Bal's fight because I am, by all accounts, an awful little fighter. I've only progressed into his realm once in the game so far and beat him after a few tries, but not before making a desperate plea to this forum. I got him down using a bow and the Nightblade siphoning ability, "Funnel Health". truly it was easy when I got the right combination. don't get too frustrated. that oaf will go down eventually.