BIS Monster Set for Beginners in VMA (Magika builds)

Arciris · November 2017

I completed VMA for the first time yesterday. My estimation is that I spent about 12 hours on the last boss alone - over 2 days. So I'm making this thread while the newbie feeling is still fresh and before I eventually enter the phase "VMA is easy as pie, gitgud"

I did this with a 220+ ping, when you might be reacting to something that happened a "long" time ago. Anyway you'll be learning mechanics, trying to understand what the frack is going on around you and most likely running around like a headless chicken spamming shields and heals just to stay alive (if you're like me

)
After trying a few setups and even though the damage is lower than with another monster set, I found that the Infernal Guardian http://elderscrollsonline.wiki.fextralife.com/Infernal+Guardian+Set is absolutely BIS for learning VMA.
Why?
As I said, you will most likely be spamming Harness Magika/Healing or Hardened ward depending on class, build and fight (last 2 stages Harness is BIS even for sorc imo). Not only the set procs fairly often, providing some offense when you're going defensive but most of all it "shows" you where are some enemies located that you might have missed and eventually even kill them

Examples:
- that nasty troll trying to break your platforms - revealed but not killed, you'll need to take care of him (interrupt and such)
- those nasty spiders that cover your pillars in stage 6 - revealed and nuked by your Guardian (not all the time though)
- the nasty poison kind of mage in stage 7 - revealed but you'll need to add something for the kill
- helps destroy the stupid pillars in stage 8
- the sneaky summoners in stage 9 that want to bring a deadly Bone fire colossus to the fight as well as the stupid pillars upstairs, especially when you go up for the second time and there's only a pillar left and you're wondering where it is - no problem, Guardian will show you!

The utility of this set outweighs by far the (small) lower damage it provides and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have made it without it showing me what to kill asap.
Good luck to you that still want to complete VMA for the first time during the event

The_Protagonist · November 2017

:Facepalm: Now they will nerf Guardian

+1 Awesome, thanks for sharing what helped you.

Arciris · November 2017

The_Protagonist wrote: »

:Facepalm: Now they will nerf Guardian

+1 Awesome, thanks for sharing what helped you.

Oh my, I certainly hope not, this set is only good while learning the mechanics. There are better options for faster and high score runs!

And thanks, I only hope it can help someone who is struggling

edit: typos

GrigorijMalahevich · November 2017

For everyone who learns how to do vMA I would advise to run DPS and sustain set or two sustain sets.

DPS helps to skip most mechanics, but high sustain gives you a chance to miss all the mechanics and still continue with DPS.

I did all of my flawless runs on magicka characters with Lich s&b back bar. Super easy on 160cp - 400cp and while you are learning.

Vengeance of the Leech (or whatever it is called, 3jewellery set that restores 1500 magicka, health and stamina when you kill someone thing) is very good for learning vMA...

Infernal guardian is great for magicka classes.

Chudan set is great for stamina melee that want to do flawless run.

Waffennacht · November 2017

Infernal is great till it kills the shield caller

Arciris · November 2017

Waffennacht wrote: »

Infernal is great till it kills the shield caller

Thanks for pointing that out! We just need a little bit of awareness of our positioning. We can be close to the shield callers but we need to keep our distances from the boss. But yes, for taht particular fight, having another monster set is usually better

Waffennacht · November 2017

Arciris wrote: »

Waffennacht wrote: »

Infernal is great till it kills the shield caller

Thanks for pointing that out! We just need a little bit of awareness of our positioning. We can be close to the shield callers but we need to keep our distances from the boss. But yes, for taht particular fight, having another monster set is usually better

Lol, yeah, learned that the hard way. I think I used illambris instead for that particular fight. Literally though infernal is the bomb for everything else

pdebie64b16_ESO · November 2017

Waffennacht wrote: »

Infernal is great till it kills the shield caller

Or the hoarvers when they are not near a webbed obelisk.

Vuldovahkriid · December 2017

I've been using Infernal Guardian for my MagSorc since I got it, and really enjoy it. I also feel it's a very underrated monster set.

Vapirko · December 2017

Im pretty sure Skoria is the best for mag vMA. Its powerful for single target, does decent splash damage and won't really go off on unwanted targets. Infernal is prob fine on all stages except for the poison stage where you really don want to kill your shielder.