Help w/ VMA CP and Skills

grim_tactics · March 2017

Ok, so I've looked at a lot of good strats and guides and I've gotten to a point where I'm overly confused.

Running a Mag Sorc with 300cp and I'm really looking at where these need to be spent - even if it's only for VMA.

I'm also confused on the best bar set up. I usually run:

Main: Inferno Staff Sharpened
Inner Light, Force Pulse, Bound Ageis, C-frags, Hardened Ward and Meteor Ult

Back bar: Lightning staff sharpened
Inner light, Power Surge, Bound Aegis, Elemental Blockade, Liquid Lightning and Overload Ult

Third bar: Inner light, Dark conversion, Bound Aegis, Boundless Storm, Mages Fury

Not sure if Bi-stat food or tri-stat is better.

Using bi-stat I'm at 42k mag and 16.5k health and 10k Stam

I'm just so use to running pure DPS vet dungeons without issue but I'm trying to figure out how to sustain better in VMA and I think I need to switch my bars up cause the input lag on console can make Overload glitch out where it won't turn off or just doesn't read inputs well enough for toggling to be reliable in sketchy situations.

Any help with distributing 300 cp points and thoughts on maximizing my bar set up and such.

I know I'm not set up to be as efficient as I could be.

Thanks in advance.

GrigorijMalahevich · March 2017

Use elementail drain for boss fights to sustain better. With 42k magicka you can use empowered ward or harness magicka. If that is not enough change one jewelerry item glyph to cost reduction.

On xbox I used to hate overload for the same reasons...

grim_tactics · March 2017

I'm just curious though for CP distribution.

With 300 cp I'm curious if there are ones I just need to dump into and ignore others or what.

WarpigFunk · March 2017

What sets are you running? Also you don't need to double bar inner light.

My stats are basically the same for vMA, and my first clear was around your cp.

My setup was:

5pc BSW, 2pc ilambris, 3pc Willpower, random lightning and inferno staffs sharp.

My setup has largely not changed except I've since replaced willpower with aether, and I backbar a maelstrom destro now. But my stats are the same.

My bars were:

front bar
crushing shock (can be force pulse, but the ranged interrupt makes stage 9 easier)
harness magicka/ hardened ward (depending on stage)
crystal frags
bound aegis
inner light
shooting star

back bar
ele blockade
liquid lightning
ele drain / curse (depending on the fight)
bound aegis
power surge
Destro Ulti

Use spell power or spell crit potions when they're up and you're approaching 50% magicka, or even sooner.

CP setup would've been something like:

80 Elemental Expert / 20 Elfborn
100 Magician
50 Hardy / 50 Elemental Defender
another option would be to stack one of either Hardy or Defender and put the rest of your points into bastion. 50 points in bastion makes your wards super sturdy.

Hardy and Defender can be swapped around depending on stage - but not necessary.
you would want more hardy on stage 1,2, 5, 7
you would want more elemental on stage 3, 4, 6, 8, and 9.
(iirc)

A helpful passive would be the undaunted passive giving ultimate for daedra kills.

Don't get discouraged. Just keep plugging away - succeeding at vMA is like 90% just being determined and not giving up. Even when you've gone broke and died 600 times learning it.

Lukums1 · March 2017

Hello.

Bar 1. Force Pulse, crystal, harden, bound agies, inner light - meteor
Bar . Power Surge, Liquid Lightning, Wall of elements, bound agies, Thundering Presence - Destro Ulti

CP allocation.

Depending on max cp.

75% of your points in blue into elemental expert rest into therm
75% of your points into green tree magicka REGEN rest into cost reduction
75% into elemental defender red tree rest split evenly between hardy and thick skin.

This is the best way.

I get better results with llambris, julianos, 3 IA and vma sharpen staff or just use any trash gold staff perfectly fine.

Do not run elemental drain, and avoid going into bar 3 at all costs.

You can easily run 5000 health 487 regen food with 30-33k magicka and clear easily under an hour.

CP is going to be your biggest issue however I'd watch my vMA guides on my twitch page/signature it will help a ton.

Luke