Finally beat Vet Maelstrom

Farscape76 · January 2018

I have been struggling with completing VMA for about a year now. Last night I finally beat it for the first time ever. My main a big ol' Nord stamdk with his 2 hander and bow and no proc sets or other trial gear just hundings and spriggans, and of course since I don't dual wield ... I was rewarded with a dagger and axe

firedrgn · January 2018

Congrats
Im still working on it ... sad face. My brain and fingers just too slow i think. I can kill stuff just can not foe the life of me keep the damage down. Just cant seem to avoid it.

Farscape76 · January 2018

Thanks @firedrgn I really appreciate it.

Stick with it... I am almost 42 so my reflexes definitely aren't what they once were.

I would find myself continually stuck on a level, but each level I got through I found I would be stuck on the next level for less time than the one before.

Watching Deltia's walkthrough helped me a lot... I found the way he broke down the mechanics to be helpful personally. I watched other videos for my class but ultimately I had to find a way that would work for me.

Beardimus · January 2018

^ I think you are spot on there mate. People go straight to copying meta or pro videos however how a pro clears vMA is very different to you first time. They are doing alot you dont see, and know the mechanics to prioritise things and time things.

Your build being roughly in the zone is ok, and the rest is it feeling right for you, your strategy. Build changes will help with score, but first pass is more about mechanics and knowing your skills etc.

Anyway huge congrats. It's a great feeling.
My advice, hit it again soon. It's so much faster and easier the 2nd time. Especially Voriak

Turelus · January 2018

Congrats!

It's an amazing feeling and relief the first time you do it and after that every extra time is easier.

Asardes · January 2018

I use a similar build, albeit with better gear. 5 Hunding's Rage, 5/4 Vicious Ophidian w Maelstrom Bow back bar 1 Velidreth.

2H is actually easier on DK for first clears, since you don't have a class execute, so you can use Reverse Slice instead. Weaved with heavy attacks it makes short work of add groups. Another valuable skill is Brawler, that gives great mitigation. Last but not least Rally, which is a burst heal and gives you major brutality if you decide to pick Molten Armaments. This way you have both Minor and Major brutality, as well as a buff to heavy attacks without using potions.

Farscape76 · January 2018

Asardes wrote: »

I use a similar build, albeit with better gear. 5 Hunding's Rage, 5/4 Vicious Ophidian w Maelstrom Bow back bar 1 Velidreth.

2H is actually easier on DK for first clears, since you don't have a class execute, so you can use Reverse Slice instead. Weaved with heavy attacks it makes short work of add groups. Another valuable skill is Brawler, that gives great mitigation. Last but not least Rally, which is a burst heal and gives you major brutality if you decide to pick Molten Armaments. This way you have both Minor and Major brutality, as well as a buff to heavy attacks without using potions.

Thanks,

It's almost like you were watching me go through it

... rally and molten armaments (for the heavy attack bonus) really helped me a lot.
I love reverse slice and found some rounds I needed brawler and others not so much.

At some point I will have to learn how to play well with others

and farm Vicious Ophidian

Farscape76 · January 2018

Thank you @Turelus I appreciate it.

yttoks · January 2018

Awesome. Congrats!

Farscape76 · January 2018

Thanks @Beardimus ... well said about how the pros and streamers have other things at work that we don't see in terms of their performance.

Asardes · January 2018

Farscape76 wrote: »

Asardes wrote: »

I use a similar build, albeit with better gear. 5 Hunding's Rage, 5/4 Vicious Ophidian w Maelstrom Bow back bar 1 Velidreth.

2H is actually easier on DK for first clears, since you don't have a class execute, so you can use Reverse Slice instead. Weaved with heavy attacks it makes short work of add groups. Another valuable skill is Brawler, that gives great mitigation. Last but not least Rally, which is a burst heal and gives you major brutality if you decide to pick Molten Armaments. This way you have both Minor and Major brutality, as well as a buff to heavy attacks without using potions.

Thanks,

It's almost like you were watching me go through it ... rally and molten armaments (for the heavy attack bonus) really helped me a lot.
I love reverse slice and found some rounds I needed brawler and others not so much.

At some point I will have to learn how to play well with others and farm Vicious Ophidian

The easiest way is to make a tank spec for your DK and learn how to tank. My DK can do both, since he has multiple gear setups for each role, and enough skill points to fill the required skills. I've done veteran dungeons and trials both as melee DD and Tank.

Farscape76 · January 2018

@yttoks Thank you

It was a huge moment for me having worked for it so long. I woke up my kids because I was hooting and hollering

yttoks · January 2018

Farscape76 wrote: »

@yttoks Thank you

It was a huge moment for me having worked for it so long. I woke up my kids because I was hooting and hollering

I don't live with any kids, so I didn't wake any up! It's it great feeling, that first clear. I still like to go in there with new builds. vMA will show you where the holes are!

MissBizz · January 2018

Congrats! it's a fantastic feeling and it only gets easier from here!

May the RNG be ever in your favour!

Farscape76 · January 2018

Thanks @MissBizz I will take all the RNG luck I can

The_Lex · January 2018

Congrats on your clear.

And props for your forum name. I used to watch that show.

Farscape76 · January 2018

Thank you very much @The_Patriarch

Farscape is my favorite show still, even after all these years. I have had the tag on Xbox forever so I was glad to get it here as well.

TheKingofSass · January 2018

Farscape76 wrote: »

@yttoks Thank you

It was a huge moment for me having worked for it so long. I woke up my kids because I was hooting and hollering

Congrats !!!
Hahaha I feel it will happen the same with me if I would ever succeed, I have tried the arena a few times and failed, my frustration almost woke up my 2yo kid.

Then again, I went ahead without properly setting up my build for it. Wish I could go farm for monster sets, but my kid is the reason I don’t dare to join a group. It happens that my toddle wakes up and cries in the night, so you can bet your arses I will drop the game to comfort her. Thus making me unreliable in group dungeons OTZ

Farscape76 · January 2018

TheKingofSass wrote: »

Farscape76 wrote: »

@yttoks Thank you

It was a huge moment for me having worked for it so long. I woke up my kids because I was hooting and hollering

Congrats !!!
Hahaha I feel it will happen the same with me if I would ever succeed, I have tried the arena a few times and failed, my frustration almost woke up my 2yo kid.

Then again, I went ahead without properly setting up my build for it. Wish I could go farm for monster sets, but my kid is the reason I don’t dare to join a group. It happens that my toddle wakes up and cries in the night, so you can bet your arses I will drop the game to comfort her. Thus making me unreliable in group dungeons OTZ

Sounds to me like you have your priorities straight

kylewwefan · January 2018

Congrats!

Farscape76 · January 2018

Thanks @kylewwefan

Sigtric · January 2018

Grats on your first clear!

I still remember the pain and agony spread across many weeks for mine, and then the adrenaline, joy, and actual physical shaking when it finally was done and that chest spawned.
Nothing in the game has affected me the same way, though getting the first clear on my mDK (I consider this Hard Mode in VMA) was close, and finally clearing vMoL was close too.

Farscape76 · January 2018

Thanks @Sigtric yeah the adrenaline of it all definitely had my hands shaking

Sigtric · January 2018

Farscape76 wrote: »

Thanks @Sigtric yeah the adrenaline of it all definitely had my hands shaking

It's a crazy experience, from a video game. I've never had a game affect like that! lol
Did it make it tough for you at all? Hands shaking/heart racing nearing the end of the fight to the point where you flubbed and died? Happened to me so many times I lost count. lol

kylewwefan · January 2018

After being stuck there for over a year myself, I took about a month off from that place when I finally beat it. Then went back. It took the better part of a week for me to do it again. I still get a little rush out of beating it.

Awesome job with a 2H. I’ve been trying but can’t seem to get enough damage on the crystals with it. I prefer 2H, but gotta go with what works for me. Haha

Farscape76 · January 2018

Sigtric wrote: »

Farscape76 wrote: »

Thanks @Sigtric yeah the adrenaline of it all definitely had my hands shaking

It's a crazy experience, from a video game. I've never had a game affect like that! lol
Did it make it tough for you at all? Hands shaking/heart racing nearing the end of the fight to the point where you flubbed and died? Happened to me so many times I lost count. lol

It absolutely did make it harder for me as well. In fact most times I died it was because I got excited and tried to trade punches with the level boss rather than wear them down and use the mechanics

Lukums1 · February 2018

Food for thought - watch my videos for round 7 showing you "safe" spots where spores don't spawn

hehe - congrats either way