that thing has a 10sec charge time, the whole archer glows orange and even if you cant manage to interrupt him you can just dodge the attack as soon as you glow.

nobody should be hit by that -.-

The game is so easy as is, and you want to take out one of the few mechanics that you actually need to pay attention to? Shaking my head.

Agree with the post above the above post.

BTW, none of you guys have actually addressed my original point: is this seemingly "new" mechanic for Taking Aim really working as intended or is it bugged or what? Has anyone ever seen it mentioned in the official Patch Notes?

Shunravi wrote: »

Dodge roll.

When, though? I've tried dodge rolling when I notice the warning glow (if that's what it is), and often I get hit anyway.

Also, as I mentioned above, frequent dodge rolling is not really going to be a viable option for a magicka build.

Are you sure that's new? I've seen that for a while, I think. It does hit like a truck. I think the warning cone is actually from a different archer ability (equivalent of Arrow Spray), while the "taking aim" one is more like Snipe/Focused Aim/Poison Arrow.

Can you interrupt with something like crushing shock (if you use destro staff)?

AlnilamE wrote: »

Are you sure that's new? I've seen that for a while, I think. It does hit like a truck. I think the warning cone is actually from a different archer ability (equivalent of Arrow Spray), while the "taking aim" one is more like Snipe/Focused Aim/Poison Arrow.

Can you interrupt with something like crushing shock (if you use destro staff)?

Yes, you can interrupt it, if you take the time to focus on the archer(s). But in most of the situations where you would need to do this, you already have your hands full with other mobs who are constantly trying to CC you or oneshot you with a Power Bash or something.

To be clear, I'm not saying the damage from this attack should be "nerfed". Taking Aim has always been a pain, but in the past it was manageable if you paid attention to the warning signs. Now it's kind of a crapshoot whether you can dodge it or not in the heat of battle. Something about the way NPCs target you with this ability has CHANGED, and I'm hoping to get a @ZOS response as to whether the 360 degree "turret" targeting is really the way this is supposed to working.

Emma_Eunjung wrote: »

Brandalf wrote: »

Taking aim has never had a cone; that's a different archer ability. Taking aim is working the same now as it always has ; however the audio tell(NPC yelling "Taking aim") has not been happening lately. The ability is one of the hardest hitting and also easiest to avoid enemy attacks in the game. Even as a magicka build I can't fathom how you're having issues with it.

In the past you could move to avoid the attack when you got the warning, because the archer would shoot in the direction of your original position. Now it seems like it doesn't matter where you go or how fast you move, the archer keeps twisting to stay on target.

If it always worked this way, I probably wouldn't mention it. The reason I'm mentioning it now is because I'm trying to determine if the 360 "turret" effect is really working as intended.

That's never, ever been how taking aim works. You're mistaking it and it's tells for a different archer ability. Taking aim has always been a targeted, long channeled ability. Never has it been a cone or other non-targeted type ability.

Giles.floydub17_ESO wrote: »

The point we are missing is he is trying to solo that archer and 7 more mobs in craglorn. He clearly doesn't have the build to solos craglorn groups.

He? Is @Emma_Eunjung a he? From the name I just assumed the opposite...

Anyway, I don't think this is a problem of not having the build to solo Craglorn groups, as it sounds like she (he?) was doing fine with them before. I think it's just a matter of the warning not working the same way as it did before, so there's a need to adjust.

You can roll it, they do a verbal queue so you know it is coming. I go out there and farm on my sorc a lot, roll it or streak though them; in your case drop a shard on them. It will pretty much 1 shot you if you are in light, but isn't hard to interrupt or avoid. Sometimes 2 of them do it at once and won't align for an easy streak or shard but you still have roll or shield.

I have the feeling that the programmers at ZOS has a limited in depth understanding of their own functions and how, even in coding, all actions have consequences that trickle throughout the system. Consequences you as a programmer need to have the insight to plan for.

Emma_Eunjung wrote: »

Anyone who has rambled through the mean streets of Craglorn has probably run into an archer with the overpowered attack called "Taking Aim". This ability can hit you for 20K+ out of nowhere and ruin your day in an instant. In the past, however, there was a twofold silver lining: 1) the NPC archer would helpfully announce his intention to use this horrible attack by shouting "taking aim!" and 2) the player could avoid the attack by stepping out of the conical target area.

Something has changed. I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but something HAS changed. It does not appear to be possible to avoid the attack now by simply moving out of its path. On multiple occasions in the past couple(?) weeks, I've observed NPC archers (e.g. Scaled Court Perforators) twisting ALL the way around, I'm talking 180 degrees, in order to stay targeted on the player until the moment the arrow is released. That's nuts! It even happens when I Bolt Escape right through the NPC to try to avoid being hit... he just flips around and plugs me anyway.

Not everyone will agree, but I think this is really problematic for PvE balance. By making this attack unavoidable, you're basically giving a "boss mechanic" to some random trash mob. These guys simply do not carry good enough loot to justify dealing with that, LOL!

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon? Is there a "best practice" for avoiding it?

alright first the two things i have bolded are LTP issues.

Taking aim has around a 10s cast time and is EXTREMELY obvious on the animation... they even shout out that they are casting it so you just need to be mindful of your surroundings when fighting archers. it takes them so long to cast you can walk up to them while blocking and interupt them if you dont have a ranged option... its not that hard to single out a mob doing such a obvious animation. in short... LTP

The attack is Dodgeable and if you are a DK REFLECTABLE. you can also use any intterupt ability and bash to prevent them from casting it.

finally, yes it was ALWAYS a target ability that if you did not dodge would hit you no matter where you are as long as you were in range, and its a bow attack therefore it has VERY long range (npcs follow slightly differant rules thanks to even the most minor lag that is part of online gaming). so simply running from this is generally not enough if you don't notice them casting it. not that you cant get out of their range tho, it is limited and they cannot move while casting it.

so.... ya... in craglorn all archers have this ability and will use it pretty soon after engaging in combat...

hopefully reading the key points i have outlined you will have no problems countering this ability as it is literally one of the easiest NPC moves to counter.

Emma_Eunjung wrote: »

Mantic0r3 wrote: »

that thing has a 10sec charge time, the whole archer glows orange and even if you cant manage to interrupt him you can just dodge the attack as soon as you glow.

nobody should be hit by that -.-

The length of the "warning" actually does more harm than good, though, because it makes it hard to gauge when a roll dodge might be effective.

Like I said above, if it was JUST HIM, yeah this wouldn't be difficult to deal with. The problem is that these archers always seem to have lots of friends, all of whom are trying to kill you at the same time

the charge animation and the firing animation are very differant... charge just has the bow in the air like they are freaking praying... when that is done they stop and just draw the bow like any other normal attack, after which they let loose a massive orange bolt... you can dodge when the bolt is in the air or sucessfully while they are actively drawing it back to let it loose after the charge...

in those situations.... just single the mob out and test this stuff, you will find that everything in ESO can be made easy if you just watch the mechanics.. once you know them its pretty damm easy to just instintively dodge that bolt while still fighting other mobs..

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

Hypertionb14_ESO wrote: »

Emma_Eunjung wrote: »

Anyone who has rambled through the mean streets of Craglorn has probably run into an archer with the overpowered attack called "Taking Aim". This ability can hit you for 20K+ out of nowhere and ruin your day in an instant. In the past, however, there was a twofold silver lining: 1) the NPC archer would helpfully announce his intention to use this horrible attack by shouting "taking aim!" and 2) the player could avoid the attack by stepping out of the conical target area.

Something has changed. I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but something HAS changed. It does not appear to be possible to avoid the attack now by simply moving out of its path. On multiple occasions in the past couple(?) weeks, I've observed NPC archers (e.g. Scaled Court Perforators) twisting ALL the way around, I'm talking 180 degrees, in order to stay targeted on the player until the moment the arrow is released. That's nuts! It even happens when I Bolt Escape right through the NPC to try to avoid being hit... he just flips around and plugs me anyway.

Not everyone will agree, but I think this is really problematic for PvE balance. By making this attack unavoidable, you're basically giving a "boss mechanic" to some random trash mob. These guys simply do not carry good enough loot to justify dealing with that, LOL!

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon? Is there a "best practice" for avoiding it?

alright first the two things i have bolded are LTP issues.

Taking aim has around a 10s cast time and is EXTREMELY obvious on the animation... they even shout out that they are casting it so you just need to be mindful of your surroundings when fighting archers. it takes them so long to cast you can walk up to them while blocking and interupt them if you dont have a ranged option... its not that hard to single out a mob doing such a obvious animation. in short...

The attack is Dodgeable and if you are a DK REFLECTABLE. you can also use any intterupt ability and bash to prevent them from casting it.

finally, yes it was ALWAYS a target ability that if you did not dodge would hit you no matter where you are as long as you were in range, and its a bow attack therefore it has VERY long range (npcs follow slightly differant rules thanks to even the most minor lag that is part of online gaming). so simply running from this is generally not enough if you don't notice them casting it. not that you cant get out of their range tho, it is limited and they cannot move while casting it.

so.... ya... in craglorn all archers have this ability and will use it pretty soon after engaging in combat...

hopefully reading the key points i have outlined you will have no problems countering this ability as it is literally one of the easiest NPC moves to counter.

Emma_Eunjung wrote: »

Mantic0r3 wrote: »

that thing has a 10sec charge time, the whole archer glows orange and even if you cant manage to interrupt him you can just dodge the attack as soon as you glow.

nobody should be hit by that -.-

The length of the "warning" actually does more harm than good, though, because it makes it hard to gauge when a roll dodge might be effective.

Like I said above, if it was JUST HIM, yeah this wouldn't be difficult to deal with. The problem is that these archers always seem to have lots of friends, all of whom are trying to kill you at the same time

the charge animation and the firing animation are very differant... charge just has the bow in the air like they are freaking praying... when that is done they stop and just draw the bow like any other normal attack, after which they let loose a massive orange bolt... you can dodge when the bolt is in the air or sucessfully while they are actively drawing it back to let it loose after the charge...

in those situations.... just single the mob out and test this stuff, you will find that everything in ESO can be made easy if you just watch the mechanics.. once you know them its pretty damm easy to just instintively dodge that bolt while still fighting other mobs..

You pretty much didn't read any of the comments in the thread before posting this, did you? I used to be able to avoid this attack simply by moving out of the way... now I can't. That's my main point, and that has nothing to do with me, really, or how I play the game.

As I said in other comments, I don't have a problem dealing with the mobs in Craglorn or elsewhere. My complaint is that the archers' targeting behavior seems different, and it's really annoying not knowing whether the old tactics don't work anymore because they're obsolete, or because the mobs are bugged.

As Shunravi pointed out above, perhaps Taking Aim was bugged BEFORE, and now they "fixed" it by making sure you couldn't avoid it.

[Moderator Note: Edited quote to match moderated version]