Vet Maelstrom Arena Needs a Hard Mode

KingYogi415 · December 2016

reapthetempestrwb17_ESO wrote: »

Starvation mode - no food or potions
Aquilarios mode - you leave your armor with Repairius at the start before entering the arena, and get it back when you finish
Apprentice mode - no CP
The Ultimate Challenge - no ultimate abilities

These are perfect!

Hard mode challenge could be on rotation to keep things fresh.

DocFrost72 · December 2016

OutLaw_Nynx wrote: »

I was more suggesting no CP at all.

"Azura's star, Maelstrom Edition".

Say goodbye to sustain, healing, defense, and offense sacrificing nothing.

Edit to explain why no CP is so hard.

17.5%-20% more damage from all sources.
15-20% regen nerf.
Abilities cost as much as 16% more.
Well over a 25% reduction in damage dealt.
Loss of some 4000-5000 raw stats across your health, magicka, and stam.

Wrecking_Blow_Spam · December 2016

KingYogi415 wrote: »

Vet Maelstrom is amazing end-game content. The time, persistence and dedication it takes to be able to beat it is astronomical compered any other single player content I have ever seen.

The first 10-20 are a rush of what weapon am I going to get, has all this hard work paid off?

After 40 runs you start to remember the definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

People can put in hundreds of hours to get a single weapon, and still not be deemed "good enough" by the RNG gods.

I have quit running VMA and am using that time to play other games.

Clearly mastering this content was not enough to be reward by ZOS. They need to Add a mode, no matter how difficult that actually rewards players for their work.

I am suggesting a hard mode that gives a player a choice of the weapon they have earned.

One of these or a combination should work fine:

1. A ten percent across the board buff.

2. Going flawless.

3. An un-killable shade that follows your whole arena and does 2k dps to you.

4. Add 1-3 extra adds to every single stage.

5. Casting the same skill more then once in a row, causes 3k damage to you

Interested in hearing your hard mode ideas.

Cheers!

Off track but I see people use that quote often and it's very misinformed. People quote Einstein but if you look into it there's nothing linking him to it.

And google definition of insanity, you'll find that description isn't fitting...

On topic... do it with no cp.
Do it in 1st person mode.

mr_wazzabi · December 2016

Nerdman9 wrote: »

Only make HM affect last boss, like trials. HM doubles his health and makes all his skull attacks a one shot even if you try to block, so you have to dodge roll them, or even just add some new mechanics. Maybe instead of just needing to kill 1 clan fear over a pad. Make it all 3 to be able to go up. Something to stop you from being able to just burn through the stage without having to even see a daedroth or worry about killing the summoner dudes that go to center. Like you said,first 20 times were fun, then it just becomes a routine.

HM could reward you with 2 weapons, like hm trials gives 2 gold jewellery. Or a weapon and a token that you would need 50 of to get the weapon of your choice in the trait you want. Just spitballing here.

No to unblockable skull. There are some vma builds that block

andreasranasen · December 2016

Lol...

Elara_Northwind · December 2016

I think it would be really fun if they had a hardmode in maelstrom, like a scroll you could read, like in the dungeons or something to add a level of difficulty, perhaps even at the beginning of each round, because rounds 1-6 are ridiculously easy once you have done them over and over... I have not got flawless just yet, but I am really close, with only 1-3 deaths each time now, and when I do finally complete that I am pretty sure I will have no reason to go back there, so an extra challenge would be a great reason to do it all over again

DannyLV702 · December 2016

I do not understand how anyone is against this idea. No one would be forced to do hard mode.

notimetocare · December 2016

Meld777 wrote: »

KingYogi415 wrote: »

People can put in hundreds of hours to get a single weapon, and still not be deemed "good enough" by the RNG gods.

If you wanna play a great game with a fair loot system, play Black Desert. If you prefer Tamriel over fair competition, deal with the consequences.

Vaoh wrote: »

Try vMA with 0CP.

It's possible, but it's not easy.

Good luck

I actually ran it with 0 CP for fun once. It sounds tough, but it really isn't. If you know all the spawns, it's not harder. It just takes slightly longer. You gotta endure the toilet mode on round 2 boss, deal with the adds on round 3, round 4 burst worked even without CP, etc. I don't see it as a valid "hard mode" for people like us (somewhere in the area of 500 vMA runs). But hey, if it would finally provide me with a Sharpened Inferno, sure.

lol...fair loot system... Black Desert

Meld777 · December 2016

Vaoh wrote: »

If you want vMA with 0CP to feel easy, pick up a copy of Armored Core: FA and beat every mission. I guarantee you will never truly struggle in video games ever again. I had to get that out there lol

I don't know. I did a no CP run for fun when I was still ~150 runs in (now: 450), and it was a pretty easy flawless, first try. I'd say, for an average gamer, 100 runs is the threshold where you remember all recurrences, spawns, have seen all RNG-related 1-shots, so you don't even place yourself in a situation where they could occur, etc.

SadieJoan wrote: »

rounds 1-6 are ridiculously easy once you have done them over and over...

For the first run, and maybe 2 to 3 runs more, arena 9 seems to be the hardest one. The next 10 - 30 runs, arena 7 will seem like the hardest when going for the first flawless, until you master the RNG in there. After that, and that also goes for people with 1000+ runs, arena 5 will always be the hardest (even if 99 out of 100 runs are flawless), because this is where you are most vulnerable to performance issues. Lag spike while the boss fears you and your character is running through the water while being shot at by adds? GG. I actually don't remember dying in any other arena in my last 100+ runs.

Banetek · December 2016

a large epeen that floats over head with a mouth on it the size of a football that does nothing but shout out that you are a someone who has completed hard mode maelstrom arena

Armitas · December 2016

It needs a hardcore mode. If you die, your toon is dead, forever.

Onigar · December 2016

The hardest content in a game will after after being conquered by many players not be enough to keep their interest.

Just adding a hard mode to VMA is not enough IMO.

There needs to be a hard mode sure but add it so a player can choose how hard they want it (maybe 100 levels).

The highest setting on this should be not possible to beat otherwise you defeat the point of adding a scalable hardness.

However to recognise achievement of say the top 40 hardness levels you can create new titles,

for example,

...Bronze(1-10)
...Silver(1-10)
...Gold(1-10)
...Immortal(1-10)

... = VMA specific prefix

The reward of items for achieving these top 40 levels should be reducing in the RNG element to the point where in "...Immortal(1-10)" you are able to choose the item and trait. Even maybe at some level you allow 2 items as rewards.

In this way you can build interest in more players aiming to achieve this great challenge and then after they have done it there is still somewhere to go.

kyle.wilson · December 2016

If you want to play a game with unnecessary RNG difficulty there is the Demon Souls game series. As for VMA, I don't like it due to the wipes cause solely by unlucky rng. And, any content that doesn't change over time will eventually become repetitive.
Most of the people that you see on the leaderboards, have run it so many times that they have memorized every spawn and phase. It does allow them to efficiently complete it in as little as 28min. Yet, eventually they complain about it being too easy. You are a victim of the grind mentality.

luen79rwb17_ESO · December 2016

I like the idea of hard mode vMSA but there's definately gotta be better rewards.

danno8 · December 2016

I would say leave health bars and damage alone, but make all enemy actions 50% faster.

So 50% faster attack speed, 50% faster movement speed, 50% faster projectile speed etc.... See how easy it is then.

Jimmy · December 2016

This is one of the better ideas I've heard for Vet MA. I'm so sick and disgusted with people crying for a token system for MA. But adding a hard mode to give better chances of a weapon you want, or even rewarding a flawless run with a choice of weapon is MUCH MUCH better than that token system.

Volla · December 2016

Many people didn't even clear the vet mode, personal i think its way to hard. and rewards only benefits the most no lifers, i should be like all instances now that the weapons drop in blue, maybe more rare but still a chance to get one.

Banana · December 2016

They just need to fix the RNG

Lord_Eomer · December 2016

Lol, majority of players are not able to do it and you are asking for a hard mode..

Pallio · December 2016

All we need is a token system, trade any 100 vma weapons into whatever you want.

Done

Aletheion · December 2016

All it probably needs to make it harder is spawn the portals in random places and change up which creatures come out when. The reason it becomes easy is it's the ESO equivalent of memorizing the ghosts movement patterns in Pac Man.

The reason it's hard for people new at it is because they don't have it memorized yet. Remove that element and it will be hard again for people who know it so well they can do it with their eyes closed.

I would personally like if it was a little easier as far as incoming damage and such, but more random. A less one-shotting me and less dead creature at the portal would make it more enjoyable to me.

-Aletheion

Doctordarkspawn · December 2016

KingYogi415 wrote: »

People need to read the first sentance.

40 runs after I knew how do VMA and not a single sharpened weapon.

It's not great for the game when devs think a 300 hour hamster wheel for one weapon is right.

A hard mode with a 100% to get your weapon is the best way they can fix this trash.

Im all ready level 55 in ark (pvp server) from one weekend of play. Being rewarded for my play time is what any gamer wants.

No, the best way that can fix this trash is to have a token system with set drops, and have normal give a small portion of tokens.

Not to punish everyone further because you were unlucky.

code65536 · December 2016

KingYogi415 wrote: »

OutLaw_Nynx wrote: »

Make a new character, use no champion points, make said character a hybrid build.

Seems hard enough.

This is kinda a kick to the face for me. I struggle with this place and you make it seem like it's nothing but I'm guessing you've spent a lot of time there. I found only frustration and disappointment

Your suggestion would be a hard mode that caps CP around 400.

I approve!

That's not very hard.

I've done about 6 runs of vMA on my alt account. Less than 400 CP. Best run so far was 3-death, and I'm not one of those hardcore runners. (I do an average of just 2 runs a week and have only maybe 80 runs between all my characters/accounts)

Volla · December 2016

code65536 wrote: »

KingYogi415 wrote: »

OutLaw_Nynx wrote: »

Make a new character, use no champion points, make said character a hybrid build.

Seems hard enough.

This is kinda a kick to the face for me. I struggle with this place and you make it seem like it's nothing but I'm guessing you've spent a lot of time there. I found only frustration and disappointment

Your suggestion would be a hard mode that caps CP around 400.

I approve!

That's not very hard. :P I've done about 6 runs of vMA on my alt account. Less than 400 CP. Best run so far was 3-death.

I don't care if YOU don't think its hard when majority if people can not do it. YOU alone cannot decide what easy or hard for other people. All i'm saying is the drop and the potential for getting same items that used in PvP should be obtainable by everyone. Yea it can be some great item in the end but only for PVE aimed people. the PvP aspect should be left alone in this case. NO PvP related weapons or armour, that even close to attract any PvP people to farm this. It is boring as hell also.

Yea for all mean, make one harder one but do not involve any PvP related items in the end, if they not obtainable by ALL. - that makes PvP unbalanced.

leothedino · December 2016

OutLaw_Nynx wrote: »

Make a new character, use no champion points, make said character a hybrid build.

Seems hard enough.

This is kinda a kick to the face for me. I struggle with this place and you make it seem like it's nothing but I'm guessing you've spent a lot of time there. I found only frustration and disappointment

This, so much this. Thank you for posting.

Also, it's basically old content now. Why not just make a harder version/revamp for future content, that's then fresh, new and the rewards aren't ugly?

code65536 · December 2016

Volla wrote: »

code65536 wrote: »

KingYogi415 wrote: »

OutLaw_Nynx wrote: »

Make a new character, use no champion points, make said character a hybrid build.

Seems hard enough.

This is kinda a kick to the face for me. I struggle with this place and you make it seem like it's nothing but I'm guessing you've spent a lot of time there. I found only frustration and disappointment

Your suggestion would be a hard mode that caps CP around 400.

I approve!

That's not very hard. :P I've done about 6 runs of vMA on my alt account. Less than 400 CP. Best run so far was 3-death.

I don't care if YOU don't think its hard when majority of people can not do it. YOU alone cannot decide what easy or hard for other people. All i'm saying is the drop and the potential for getting same items that used in PvP should be obtainable by everyone. Yea it can be some great item in the end but only for PVE aimed people. the PvP aspect should be left alone in this case. NO PvP related weapons or armour, that even close to attract any PvP people to farm this. It is boring as hell also.

My point was that CP doesn't make a lot of difference. I've seen people get first clears (not first clears on an alt account, but first clears on any account) with around 200 CP. It's going to be hard for everyone doing it the first time, whether you're 561 or 300.

As for the PvP thing, the only vMA weapon that's good in PvP is the 2-hander. All the rest are either only good in PvE or not good for anything. And it doesn't really matter which of the three types of 2-handers you get (unlike for the destro staves, where the staff type makes all the difference in the world).

Araxyte · December 2016

Agreed, I think there should be a hard-mode.

My idea would be to make a 10th stage which has 6 rounds + boss round with extremely difficult mechanics, for example you have to do every round in a limited amount of time or you get one-shot or maybe all the environmental dangers from every other stage put into one.

The less times you die in this last stage the higher the chance of being able to pick either a certain weapon you want or a certain trait you want on a weapon (but not both)

As for the people complaining about the difficulty level of maelstrom as it is... everyone of us that have completed vMA have wiped countless times, we learn from each death, we improve from each death, the arena becomes clockwork. It takes a while but if try enough times you will not only succeed, you will come out a better player overall.

I have a friend who is new to ESO at 160cp trying to do it, he must of died over 200 times but he's made it to stage 8 and is dedicated enough to do it, he does not complain. I also have a friend with less than 1mb download speed who has made it to stage 9 after countless deaths but is also determined enough to do it and does not complain. And then there's the people with fine internet and 500cp who wipe maybe 50 times and give up... it doesn't work like that, you will fail if you give up.

Volla · December 2016

code65536 wrote: »

Volla wrote: »

code65536 wrote: »

KingYogi415 wrote: »

OutLaw_Nynx wrote: »

Make a new character, use no champion points, make said character a hybrid build.

Seems hard enough.

This is kinda a kick to the face for me. I struggle with this place and you make it seem like it's nothing but I'm guessing you've spent a lot of time there. I found only frustration and disappointment

Your suggestion would be a hard mode that caps CP around 400.

I approve!

That's not very hard. :P I've done about 6 runs of vMA on my alt account. Less than 400 CP. Best run so far was 3-death.

I don't care if YOU don't think its hard when majority of people can not do it. YOU alone cannot decide what easy or hard for other people. All i'm saying is the drop and the potential for getting same items that used in PvP should be obtainable by everyone. Yea it can be some great item in the end but only for PVE aimed people. the PvP aspect should be left alone in this case. NO PvP related weapons or armour, that even close to attract any PvP people to farm this. It is boring as hell also.

My point was that CP doesn't make a lot of difference. I've seen people get first clears (not first clears on an alt account, but first clears on any account) with around 200 CP. It's going to be hard for everyone doing it the first time, whether you're 561 or 300.

As for the PvP thing, the only vMA weapon that's good in PvP is the 2-hander. All the rest are either only good in PvE or not good for anything. And it doesn't really matter which of the three types of 2-handers you get (unlike for the destro staves, where the staff type makes all the difference in the world).

Well you said it, Personal i don't like PVE at all, but the PvP aspect of this game have been set aside way to long and are being suffering from this type of items that are totally unobtainable. What happen with Master Weapons drop in PVP?

Knootewoot · December 2016

I rather have easy Veteran mode so I also get a shot at maelstrom arena weapons.

To be honest I never tried VMA. I might try this week for 1st time. But I hear a lot about one-shot kills which I already find frustrating in Veteran dungeons when a boss does that to me.

Namarkas · December 2016

I really don't get all the negativity here. As I understood it the hard mode OP suggested would be optional. Nobody would force anybody to do it if you dont want to.
That being said, as much as it would benefit me and I like the idea, I think that there are more pressing matters at hand than adding improved drop chances/achievements for a a small portion of the playerbase. I'd rather see them fix lags, broken abilities and what else there is