How do VMA weapons work?

MissBizz · January 2017

So, as I rejoiced in this thread here for finally beating VMA, it hit me that I don't actually understand how these weapons work... at all. So anyone with an ELI5 for me... I'd really appreciate.

I understand sharpened is king, unfortunately my first time around (and probably many after this) was not a sharpened weapon... rather an infused lightning staff.

Questions:

Does the enchantment only work while the VMA weapon is my active weapon? Like, can I use it to lay down wall of elements and swap to my other bar and have the enchantment work? Or I have to be on the lightning staff bar the whole time?

I'm assuming the enchantment procs like other enchanments, therefore isn't always up - how long does it last for?

Are there any cases where I actually can use a non-sharpened destruction staff? I'm asking because right now on that character I beat VMA on, I'm currently using 2 random sharpened staffs. Not part of a set or anything, so I'm wondering if a VMA (non-sharpened) staff would ever be better than my random non-set (fire/lightning) staffs.

What about the stamina weapons? Sharpened still the only useful one?

Lukums1 · January 2017

Unfortunately Sharpen is king... you're talking about staffs here, and sharpen is an absolute must.

For stam, dual wielding you can get by with infused/crit. But not when it comes down to staffs sad to say.

I was under the impression (i'm a console) so I haven't tested.

But I get solid times, using wall on my flame sharpem vma staff and swap with heavy attacks and I'm under the impression the effect continues.

As long as you hit walls when you're on your vma staff.

MissBizz · January 2017

Thanks for your insight @Lukums1 ! It is definitely helpful. Yeah I was wondering about stam as well because I have a stam character cooking up (currently like level 45 or 48) so I figured that could be cool to use a VMA weapon on

Lukums1 · January 2017

@MissBizz You're quite welcome.

Yeah Stam is a prime example of my example above:

By empowering with dual wields you can switch to back bar and use whatever which carries this effect 100% I know for a fact.

DRXHarbinger · January 2017

Vma staff back bar does carry over to a staff on front bar.

On lit staff only.

Inferno and ice has remarkably never worked until the next update. Currently it's only heavy attacks that work.

So atm the best way is vma back bar and a staff on front that is like Moondancer 4th perk with gems that gives spell damage and a power glyph.

Fruity_Ninja · January 2017

MissBizz wrote: »

Questions:
Are there any cases where I actually can use a non-sharpened destruction staff? I'm asking because right now on that character I beat VMA on, I'm currently using 2 random sharpened staffs. Not part of a set or anything, so I'm wondering if a VMA (non-sharpened) staff would ever be better than my random non-set (fire/lightning) staffs.

What about the stamina weapons? Sharpened still the only useful one?

I tried using the 1st staff I got from VMA (nirnhoned) in lieu of my non-set random sharpened staff. Doesn't work well, sharpened really does make a big difference. Especially if you are going to keep running VMA.

I'd recommend sticking with your sharpened staff, and just keep doing VMA. It gets so much quicker, easier, and more enjoyable. I got a sharpened inferno staff on like my 5-6th run as well, so just keep going and it'll eventually happen for you too.

Erasure · January 2017

MissBizz wrote: »

So, as I rejoiced in this thread here for finally beating VMA, it hit me that I don't actually understand how these weapons work... at all. So anyone with an ELI5 for me... I'd really appreciate.

I understand sharpened is king, unfortunately my first time around (and probably many after this) was not a sharpened weapon... rather an infused lightning staff.

Questions:

Does the enchantment only work while the VMA weapon is my active weapon? Like, can I use it to lay down wall of elements and swap to my other bar and have the enchantment work? Or I have to be on the lightning staff bar the whole time?

I'm assuming the enchantment procs like other enchanments, therefore isn't always up - how long does it last for?

Are there any cases where I actually can use a non-sharpened destruction staff? I'm asking because right now on that character I beat VMA on, I'm currently using 2 random sharpened staffs. Not part of a set or anything, so I'm wondering if a VMA (non-sharpened) staff would ever be better than my random non-set (fire/lightning) staffs.

What about the stamina weapons? Sharpened still the only useful one?

So, how they work is they edit the skill when you cast it. DW grants dots additional internal weapon power, Staff grants the WoE field a target range where lights and heavies get boosted damage while things inside it are struck, etc. Since the DW proc grants its effect on a timer, you can boost things on your backbar with it if you're quick. Since Destruction, Restoration, Bow, and 2H modify skills to have/that have lingering effects, you can cast those skills from either bar and swap away from them while keeping the effects.

Sharpened is irreplaceable. Practice vMA if you enjoy it, but don't farm for weapons until Homestead, the RNG for staves and DW will be improved compared to current Live drop logic.

Technically there are Trial situations where one or both DW weapons could be Precise, if your team is fully penetrating the boss's armor. You'd still want to hang onto some Sharpened for trash pulls, though, as it's hard to get some of the more fiddly armor debuffs onto multiple targets.

rosendoichinoveb17_ESO · January 2017

So to summarize it, we need to slot a MSA staff on back bar, cast wall of elements, and swap to front bar for max damage?

Oompuh · January 2017

1) When you hit wall on your back bar, it will increase the light attacks on your front bar.
2) Maelstrom Weapons Enchantments are 100% proc, if you have a WoE down, your light attacks will always deal more damage.
3) The problem is that you want your wall to be fire. so your bar back kind of needs to be a fire staff. Thats for all classes. Front bar weapon changes by class.
4) Sharpened OP

Erasure · January 2017

One thing that does need mentioning is, the Wall of Elements Bonus Damage field is smaller than the damage field / animation of the skill. Targets need to be relatively centered to take more from your weapon attacks.

rosendoichinoveb17_ESO · January 2017

Oompuh wrote: »

1) When you hit wall on your back bar, it will increase the light attacks on your front bar.
2) Maelstrom Weapons Enchantments are 100% proc, if you have a WoE down, your light attacks will always deal more damage.
3) The problem is that you want your wall to be fire. so your bar back kind of needs to be a fire staff. Thats for all classes. Front bar weapon changes by class.
4) Sharpened OP

Thanks, so I guess I I need is Infallible Aether sharpened fire staff. Hope it would not be too much of a grind

MissBizz · January 2017

Oompuh wrote: »

1) When you hit wall on your back bar, it will increase the light attacks on your front bar.
2) Maelstrom Weapons Enchantments are 100% proc, if you have a WoE down, your light attacks will always deal more damage.
3) The problem is that you want your wall to be fire. so your bar back kind of needs to be a fire staff. Thats for all classes. Front bar weapon changes by class.
4) Sharpened OP

Kinda exactly what I thought.

Darn.

Thanks though!

Tyrion87 · January 2017

What about a situation where I have vMA lighting staff on front bar and a random inferno staff on back bar?

I mean when I cast wall of elements from my back bar with random inferno staff equipped, and then swap to my front bar with vMA lighting staff, does the maelstrom enchantment also proc and do my light/heavy attacks from the front bar also deal more dmg?

jarrandub17_ESO · January 2017

Supposedly Lighting on back bar for wall of elements will be better dps than flame in next patch for Templars at least.

Lashiing · January 2017

ma ench only procs/works if you use it on the bar with the ma wep
essentially it modifies the skill as you cast it (diff animation,etc)