Is Maelstrom Arena Really Not For Everyone?

Ch4mpTW · October 2016

I've been noticing that there really are far and few people with Stormproof and Flawless Conqueror titles, as well as without Maelstrom weapons. The content has been out for months now, and even had a few tweaks and a 100% drop-rate added for a Maelstrom weapon to be in the last chest. And yet... There are still few people with Maelstrom clears. Let alone people who even want to be bothered with it. In fact, I know plenty of people on PS4-NA who have their buddies complete it or in a sense pay others to clear it for them. I've even been offered to do clears for people and get paid, but refused. I also noticed that on a lot of forum polls asking about people's involvement with the content, they often state how it's a waste of time. Or, how they want nothing to do with it in the slightest. Why is this?

And ZOS, are you aware of the incredibly low percentage of players with VMA clears? Let alone those who want to partake in attempting it, and or completing it? If so, that should tell you something about the content. Whether it be: Difficulty, mechanics, loot tables, and overall RNG.

phaseadept · October 2016

Well. . .

1. If you're a magika build there's better gear and weapons

2. If you don't own the DLC. . .

3. Just because one is not wearing the storm proof title doesn't mean one has not completed it (I haven't, probably won't)

Mashille · October 2016

Well, I only tried VMA for the first time a month ago. So it's not like everyone has been failing it since its release.

Banana · October 2016

It's the learning curve I found the most painful. There will be rage and then you get all that way to find a turd in the final chest. If your only interested in a few particular weapons in certain traits, which most people are. Good luck.

Integral1900 · October 2016

Oh it's definitely not for everyone, I've only completed it once on normal but by the time I did my normally laid back if somewhat anxiety prone demeanour had been transformed into a ball of rage and frustration, so much so that I went storming outside and kicked a 10 kilo garden gnome through a hedge. Came to the conclusion that it's most likely not for me

Qyrk · October 2016

Is Maelstrom Arena Really Not For Everyone?

If you want to be a realist, the answer is Yes

ArchMikem · October 2016

I like to believe I count as Someone, and I haven't completed, nor do I ever plan to complete, Maelstrom Arena, and I know I'm not the only one, which means in conclusion, no, the Arena definitely isn't for everyone.

sigsergv · October 2016

There are should be content “not for everyone”. vMA fits perfectly.

Drummerx04 · October 2016

You really don't see many people running around with Stormproof or Flawless Conquerer?

I feel like I can't walk through wayrest without running into some dude with stormproof or flawless that I don't recognize. Same with the vet trial clear titles and even the maw skin.

I'm sure that the number of people with said accomplishments are a minority of the playerbase, but they are most definitely not rare on PC NA.

anitajoneb17_ESO · October 2016

Where did anyone ever mention it was for "everyone" ?
In my opinion it's a part of the content dedicated to highly skilled players. I'm not one of them, but that's OK though.
I also believe that, with the ongoing "power creep", more and more people will be bale to clear it (it won't be "nerfed" but it will automatically get easier). So yeah someday it's going to be "for everyone".

More problematic is the fact that, among those who have seriously tried and/or completed it, extremely few declare it to be fun or well designed. Other content like VDSA back in the days, or vMOL, which are extremely hard, were also considered as extremely fun. Not VMA...

Perwulf · October 2016

The very first on the list is the root of all problems so VMA is not for you if

You have 250+ because no matter how you memorized patterns because they are 1.5 sec ahead of you, e.g. inability to dodge AoE, timed blocks, & dodge rolls.
A casual gamer.
A stamina Templar.

Unless..
You're build utilizes in healing, survivability, & damage TLDR Magicka build. Stamina on the other hand is hard mode so it's recommended to have the top tier gears and tons of CP e.g. 531CP then disregard all of the above. However If the requirements are met and you're still struggling then sadly it's an L2P issue.

Francescolg · October 2016

@TE
They made content for about 10-30% of the player base. This applies to all content, which came after level 12.
IMO, if there would be a better alternative in the market, this game wouldn't hold it's player base.

Now, they'll make even a special daily quest npc because so many (random) players aren't able to complete the newest 4 veteran dungeons because they made them too hard.. This and that they won't tell you the completition rate, is a proof of their lack of understanding, that veteran dungeons should be made easier, more error forgiving to be playable..

Darkonflare15 · October 2016

anitajoneb17_ESO wrote: »

Where did anyone ever mention it was for "everyone" ?
In my opinion it's a part of the content dedicated to highly skilled players. I'm not one of them, but that's OK though.
I also believe that, with the ongoing "power creep", more and more people will be bale to clear it (it won't be "nerfed" but it will automatically get easier). So yeah someday it's going to be "for everyone".

More problematic is the fact that, among those who have seriously tried and/or completed it, extremely few declare it to be fun or well designed. Other content like VDSA back in the days, or vMOL, which are extremely hard, were also considered as extremely fun. Not VMA...

Depends on the definition of fun. The only fun aspects of vDsa or vMoL is maybe the aspect of playing with others but this aspect could be not fun for somebody who think it is a pain having to get enough players to do the content let along actually complete the content.

STEVIL · October 2016

Ch4mpTW wrote: »

I've been noticing that there really are far and few people with Stormproof and Flawless Conqueror titles, as well as without Maelstrom weapons. The content has been out for months now, and even had a few tweaks and a 100% drop-rate added for a Maelstrom weapon to be in the last chest. And yet... There are still few people with Maelstrom clears. Let alone people who even want to be bothered with it. In fact, I know plenty of people on PS4-NA who have their buddies complete it or in a sense pay others to clear it for them. I've even been offered to do clears for people and get paid, but refused. I also noticed that on a lot of forum polls asking about people's involvement with the content, they often state how it's a waste of time. Or, how they want nothing to do with it in the slightest. Why is this?

And ZOS, are you aware of the incredibly low percentage of players with VMA clears? Let alone those who want to partake in attempting it, and or completing it? If so, that should tell you something about the content. Whether it be: Difficulty, mechanics, loot tables, and overall RNG.

i played some maelstrom arena.. will likely play some more later... but frankly... after getting thru the ice trolls frozen things then not further...

i went and read some of the guides - usually they all tened to agree it was in essense a puzzle - what i call rubiks content.

That is to say the key is to learn the specific mechanics and positions etc for each level, have gear chosen to meet the content and so on... its making sure you have the keys to fit each set of locks and you turn the locks in the right order.

Specifically, its not about "how good you are" as much as "do you have the pattern".

i believe one said early something like "after you do it once or twice you wont be able to imagiune how you used to lose to it" or something like that.

Thats not for me... not what i like.

I like solving puzzles just fine and loved those quests, but dieing to solve a puzzle... not so much.

and i really dont care one bit whether or not i get a special weapon or not.

i would be far more interested in it if it provided more storyline, more incentives than a chance at a uber-weapon. I was really thrilled to get the smuggler, the remains silent provider and playing thru with characters and plot in the Tg and Db than to go from one rubiks arena to another hoping for a BFG-ESO-MK-12.

But its fine that it is there for those who enjoy that stuff.

Mojmir · October 2016

Doctordarkspawn · October 2016

Mojmir wrote: »

I'm going to start posting this. This is brilliant.

Runs · October 2016

I had such a hard time in normal mode within the first month or so of it's release last year that when I finally beat it on normal, I never tried vet. Flash forward to a few weeks ago, I decided to give the vet version a try. First stage cleared with no issues, no death. Second stage I died on the 3 final bosses, when they were each under 10%. Figured "I got this"...

I want to say 10 deaths later, but it was probably only 5, I got frustrated and left. I was barely touching the bosses health at all on these other attempts... Crafted some new gear, got the champion points in order and practiced on some trash mobs and my DPS was looking a decent amount better. So I went back... Could not beat round 1, tried till I got frustrated again and left.

After reading this thread, I figured I would go back in and try again. I made it back to the final round(still on second stage) and I'm consistently almost killing the bosses like I did my first try on vet. This time, I'm not getting frustrated at least. Just seeing thread after thread how bad the RNG is on the weapons makes my motivation to beat it take a nose dive. I will eventually beat it but I can't ever see myself farming the weapons.

The biggest grind in an MMO should never be solo content.

Was writing this in between tries, and just cleared the second stage

Onto the Drome of Toxic Shock

helediron · October 2016

I won't bother to visit it until there is a token system to get the rewards predictably. Don't nerf it.

Doctordarkspawn · October 2016

This game has two issues.

Maelstrom arena is basicly the only solo content ever made for this game besides questing and since they didn't know how to do with it, they do, what they've been doing with many other group content things to date. They drew from the design of Trials, in all the wrong way. Shadows of the hist is a great example of them doing it again, they draw from trials not in the way of mechanical difficulty, but in structure and pacing. and it's bad.

The second issue it had was the Maelstrom weapons as a whole. They should never have been implimented.

Maelstrom, needs reworked, badly.But the hardcore crowds want to jump down the throat of anyone trying to ask for it, will ensure it'll never happen. It remains one of the few reasons I will never roll stamina DPS.

Enough with this pandering to the 10% that do this sort of content. And I'm not talking about trials.

AlienSlof · October 2016

I completed it on normal for the dye and title. Haven't touched it on vet and currently no desire to, not because I'm a crap player or anything, but because of bugs and the horrid RNG at the end - after all that effort to get something I can't use or sell, it simply doesn't appeal.

Wollust · October 2016

I don't understand how people can still complain about maelstrom. It's so incredibly easy nowadays compared to launch one year ago.

Hamrb · October 2016

Are you here for real conversation. Cuz it seems like you're searching for forum stars. Here's one more post for ya boss man. Maybe, don't post next time your fingers get itchy

Doctordarkspawn · October 2016

Wollust wrote: »

I don't understand how people can still complain about maelstrom. It's so incredibly easy nowadays compared to launch one year ago.

Because it's still shite.

DannyLV702 · October 2016

Bruh.....you need a break from these vma threads lol

Alucardo · October 2016

I would never replace my current build with vMA weapons, so why even bother? Besides, I like to make odd crap work. I ran Ashen grip for the longest time just because I thought the fire breathing effect looked cool af on classes that weren't DKs.

DRXHarbinger · October 2016

Vma is boring now though. Storm proof is really common and flawless get the assumption you're sorc.

Did it yesterday in 52mins, 1 stupid death ( minder on round 7 stood in spit so I was screwed) on my stamblade for a decisive resto...... got to the point now where a lot of people have been there done it and cba anymore. We need better titles now. Only one that's hard to get is...Dro m'artha destroyer.

The rest are cheese to obtain. Deadlands adept used to be something worth sporting until massive nerfs and v1 scaling and 4 sorc with Kena came about.

Wollust · October 2016

DRXHarbinger wrote: »

Vma is boring now though. Storm proof is really common and flawless get the assumption you're sorc.

Did it yesterday in 52mins, 1 stupid death ( minder on round 7 stood in spit so I was screwed) on my stamblade for a decisive resto...... got to the point now where a lot of people have been there done it and cba anymore. We need better titles now. Only one that's hard to get is...Dro m'artha destroyer.

The rest are cheese to obtain. Deadlands adept used to be something worth sporting until massive nerfs and v1 scaling and 4 sorc with Kena came about.

I guess you are a grand overlord then?

Ch4mpTW · October 2016

Hm... I'm curious then. If ZOS nerfed the content further, and managed to include a token system or vendor of sorts — would those of you not interested in clearing it go for clears then?

KingYogi415 · October 2016

I think zos just plans to let's the power creep.

At 620+ cp cap, I bet half the end game player base could clear!

DRXHarbinger · October 2016

Wollust wrote: »

DRXHarbinger wrote: »

Vma is boring now though. Storm proof is really common and flawless get the assumption you're sorc.

Did it yesterday in 52mins, 1 stupid death ( minder on round 7 stood in spit so I was screwed) on my stamblade for a decisive resto...... got to the point now where a lot of people have been there done it and cba anymore. We need better titles now. Only one that's hard to get is...Dro m'artha destroyer.

The rest are cheese to obtain. Deadlands adept used to be something worth sporting until massive nerfs and v1 scaling and 4 sorc with Kena came about.

I guess you are a grand overlord then?

Grand overlord is just a time sink. All that says to me is....I have no life.

Something that is difficult to achieve via HARD content or not by looking at a guide such as fore master thief is what's needed. Like the Horvar pet that was very very hard to get. One mistake and it was back to the start. Trial titles just require them to be sweated out and bad players can still be carried through.

Tandor · October 2016

What are Stormproof and Flawless Conqueror?

Does that answer the question?