Maintenance for the week of April 6:
• PC/Mac: No maintenance – April 6

Make Unstable Wall of Elements Useful

jrgray93
jrgray93
✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭
I rarely ever see anyone using Unstable Wall of Elements. They almost all use Blockade. Unstable just seems to muddy your rotation for little or no gain. You're better off with size / duration.

The fix is very, very simple. Make the explosion portion proc immediately if you recast early. Voila. The morph is now competitive. Maybe even boost the explosion damage slightly as well. DK Burning Embers does this with its heal, so why not this spell, too?
EP: Slania Isara : Harambe Was an Inside Job
  • Apherius
    Apherius
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    jrgray93 wrote: »
    I rarely ever see anyone using Unstable Wall of Elements. They almost all use Blockade. Unstable just seems to muddy your rotation for little or no gain. You're better off with size / duration.

    The fix is very, very simple. Make the explosion portion proc immediately if you recast early. Voila. The morph is now competitive. Maybe even boost the explosion damage slightly as well. DK Burning Embers does this with its heal, so why not this spell, too?

    Currently, The blockade last 2 more seconds.
    the damage your blockade deal during these 2 seconds are better than the explosion. and the size is also increased !

    I won't propose anything, I lost enough time with the "Crystal blast is useless " thread ... i gave many ideas and finally they nerfed crystal frag and added the stun to crystal blast in order to make both choice interresting [ Crystal blast stay a potatoe skill that don't have ANY utility] .. they failed and now we are stuck with a skill that i would instantly replace with an useful skill if i didn't had a third bar called " Overload ". In PVE i don't play with crystal frag since morrowind.

    I went far ... Well, I mean that even if we lose all the time of the world giving ideas to zenimax, they will just put the increased size on a morph and the increased duration on an other. Here is my opinion.
    Edited by Apherius on March 7, 2018 8:52PM
  • Banana
    Banana
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Carefull. They may just nerf the good one to make this one more attractive.
  • Sixty5
    Sixty5
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    Unstable wall is arguably better in burst situations like VMA if you are going for super fast clears.

    I'd like to see it changed a tad more so it works more like Warden Shalks, but I doubt that is going to happen
    Lord and Savior of the Association of Serious S***posters.

    I play a character called "Gives Me Wood Elf" because I am a mature and sensible person.
    Stam Sorc main in Battlegrounds
  • Apherius
    Apherius
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    Sixty5 wrote: »
    Unstable wall is arguably better in burst situations like VMA if you are going for super fast clears.

    I'd like to see it changed a tad more so it works more like Warden Shalks, but I doubt that is going to happen

    No, even for super fast clears it's useless, as i said the damage your blockade deal during the 2 secondes ( increased duration ) are better that the damage from the unstable wall explosion. Mobs die in less than 6 sec anyway ... and you need to burst the boss so ...
    Edited by Apherius on March 7, 2018 10:11PM
  • Reverb
    Reverb
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Banana wrote: »
    Carefull. They may just nerf the good one to make this one more attractive.

    Sadly, that's the most likely outcome.

    Unstable wall used to be great in pvp back in the days of the purge bug. >:)
    Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. ~Friedrich Nietzsche
  • Lynx7386
    Lynx7386
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    My suggestion: keep it at 6 seconds, remove the explosion and add "each second an enemy remains in the area, damage is increased by 50%"

    I.e. the zaan treatment.
    PS4 / NA
    M'asad - Khajiit Nightblade - Healer
    Pakhet - Khajiit Dragonknight - Tank
    Raksha - Khajiit Sorcerer - Stamina DPS
    Bastet - Khajiit Templar - Healer
    Leonin - Khajiit Warden - Tank
  • SaintSubwayy
    SaintSubwayy
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    the Duration from Blockade (8s) fits much much better into rotations, cause many groundaoes last atleast also 8s, or even longer.

    The 6s from Unstable Wall is just to short you you have to recast it more often, resulting in Higher Magickacost, and a rotation which is to complicated.

    Increase blockade duration to 12s enemies affected by the Blockade are effected with the Burning statuseffect on the Initial Cast

    Increase unstable wall to 8s, and buff the explosion dmg, (maybe tie the explosiondmg to burning statuseffect like; If the target is effected by Burning, the Damage of the Explosion is Increased by X%)
    PC EU
    vAA HM / vHRC HM / vSO HM / vMoL HM / vHoF HM / vAS HM / vCR HM / vSS HM / vKA HM

    Flawless Conqueror / Immortal Redeemer / Dawnbringer / Griphon Heart / Master Angler / Spirit Slayer

  • WrathOfInnos
    WrathOfInnos
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Unstable wall works well in some rotations. Warden has 12s winters revenge and 3s deep fissure, so a 6s wall makes more sense than 8s. Petless Sorc uses haunting curse, which is 12s and times well with 6s unstable wall.

    It's mostly due to Sorc's scamp, NB's cripple, and Templar's Blazing spear (all 8s duration) that blockade is used more.

    As for the explosion going off if recast early, this used to be the case. I think it is currently bugged with lightning wall (still works with inferno last I checked), but AFAIK is intended to explode if refreshed.
  • Jarryzzt
    Jarryzzt
    ✭✭✭✭
    The problem isn't just the difference between the explosion vs. the last 2 seconds' worth of "ticks" of Blockade.

    Most human beings are not computers and do not have computer-like reflexes. Moreover, most human beings do not play MMOs at perfect latency 100% of the time. Bar switching is also not instantaneous for most people, where the skill is backbar-ed. So consider what actually happens when you use Unstable most of the time for most people:

    1. You recast too quickly, losing the explosion damage.
    2. You recast too slowly and lose at least 1 second, possibly 2 seconds, between the explosion and the start of the new Unstable.

    In case (1) you are getting the same DOT as Blockade (I think?) but with a smaller area of effect - so either less effective DPS vs. a crowd or more of a chance a boss moves out of the AOE prematurely.

    In case (2) you get even less effective DPS over a block of time, say, 1 minute, because whereas Blockade can just be refreshed infinitely before ending, here you will likely lose 5-10 seconds of damage or more if you wait for the explosions each time - and the explosion itself is worth less than the two ticks.

    Basically, Unstable makes sense in quick burst fights. If you know you are downing your target in under 8 seconds, let's say. Then you basically want all your damage front-loaded and even if you give up a little it does not matter as much. Someone mentioned vMA, though I would argue Blockade is just as optimal against most opponents (who either die at under 5 seconds or take a lot longer than 10 seconds to burn down). I would think, instead, either PVP or burning overland content or some such. I would certainly not want Unstable in any (vet) dungeon situation, nor a trial.


    Incidentally, I myself first ran into this problem with Daedric Prey. If you wait to get the ending explosion each time, you - on average - lose at least 1 second of uptime for increased pet damage (which may be nothing, depending on the timing of Familiar pulses, but still annoying). It's sort of - do I sacrifice the average 1k-2k DPS from the explosion for guaranteed 100% pet buff uptime (yes, IMO, especially if Atro is out) kind of a dilemma.
  • Lynx7386
    Lynx7386
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    I repeat: Give it ramp-up damage, 50% is probably too much so maybe 20% or so each second it deals damage.

    Using 1000 damage per second as a base number (just for theorycrafting):

    Elemental blockade would deal 1000 damage on cast and then each second for 8 seconds, totaling 9000 damage over 8 seconds, equating to 1125 DPS over a large area.

    Unstable wall would deal 1000 on cast and then each second deal 1200, 1440, 1728, 2074, 2488, 2985 over a 6 second duration, equating to 12,915 total damage or 2,153 DPS. A little less than double the damage over time, but ramping up for greater burst and requiring a shift in rotation to account for the 6 second duration not matching up with other abilities.

    Only problem with this is that it pretty much guarantees every meta build would swap to unstable wall overnight.
    PS4 / NA
    M'asad - Khajiit Nightblade - Healer
    Pakhet - Khajiit Dragonknight - Tank
    Raksha - Khajiit Sorcerer - Stamina DPS
    Bastet - Khajiit Templar - Healer
    Leonin - Khajiit Warden - Tank
  • vyndral13preub18_ESO
    vyndral13preub18_ESO
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    Banana wrote: »
    Carefull. They may just nerf the good one to make this one more attractive.

    We see you have traveled this path before...
  • Drdeath20
    Drdeath20
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Keep it up and Elemental blockade will get nerfed down to make it less appealing.

    This never goes the other way
  • ForsakenSin
    ForsakenSin
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    i would think about using Unstable Wall of Elements IF it immobilize enemies within Unstable Wall of Elements for 2.5 seconds. and affected enemies remain slowed for 3 seconds after the effect ends.?

    So this would be interested in using for PVP and PVE
    Edited by ForsakenSin on March 8, 2018 2:04AM
    "By many i am seen as hero...as a savior of the Tamriel i will not stop until every Daedra every evil there is in Tamriel is vanquish by my hands..
    However i do this for my own purpose to gain trust of mortals to worship me and to eliminate my competition i will not bend my knee to lead your army to serve you Molag Bal , i will simply just take it from you.."--- Forsaken Sin( Magica Sorc)



    Arise From Darkness Forsaken SIn
    "You have been a loyal High Elf Magica Sorc
    Conjure of Darkness, Master of Magic
    Killer of Molag Bal and Savior of Ebonheart Pact
    Until Dark Brotherhood killed you...
    but now..NOW its time to Arise From Darkness once again..."

  • NewBlacksmurf
    NewBlacksmurf
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    I’d rather the explosion knock back (light)
    Freeze (ice) and slow (bounce targets up fire)
    -PC (PTS)/Xbox One: NewBlacksmurf
    ~<{[50]}>~ looks better than *501
  • Narvuntien
    Narvuntien
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    I think you could make it a more PVP orientated skill. Make its shorter duration a feature. I would make the explosion a lot more damaging. So that if you CC someone inside the wall it really hurts.
  • Runefang
    Runefang
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    Agreed! How else will we keep out the murders and rapists?
  • SugaComa
    SugaComa
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Unstable is useful it's sets off balance when using lightning staffs
  • WrathOfInnos
    WrathOfInnos
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    SugaComa wrote: »
    Unstable is useful it's sets off balance when using lightning staffs

    Blockade also does this.

    quote="NewBlacksmurf;c-4923789"]I’d rather the explosion knock back (light)
    Freeze (ice) and slow (bounce targets up fire)[/quote]

    Please no more knockbacks, they are a pain in PVE for tanks that are trying to keep enemies grouped, and for any DPS that gets enemies thrown out of their AoEs. Not to mention the free CC immunity.
    Edited by WrathOfInnos on March 8, 2018 6:44AM
  • Berenhir
    Berenhir
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Doesn't it explode anymore on recast? Used to be like that for ages.
    PC EU - Ebonheart Pact - Gray Host - Death Recap -#zergfarming -
  • Seraphayel
    Seraphayel
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Berenhir wrote: »
    Doesn't it explode anymore on recast? Used to be like that for ages.

    Well it does but I am not sure if it's just the animation or if it deals the explosion damage as well.
    PS5
    EU
    Aldmeri Dominion
    - Khajiit Arcanist -
  • getemshauna
    getemshauna
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Unstable wall provides more damage than elemental blockade by around 1000-1,5k dps on single target (and is fully viable, better choice for vma or burst fights). The problem is, this morph is harder to sustain and makes you weaker in trash packs.
    Edited by getemshauna on March 8, 2018 8:13AM
    Founder of Call of the Undaunted
    Youtube Channel
  • Septimus_Magna
    Septimus_Magna
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    It should explode on activation and at the end of the duration. So if you activate early you loose dps but it you time it right its worth using (dmg wise).
    PC - EU (AD)
    Septimus Mezar - Altmer Sorcerer
    Septimus Rulanir - Orsimer Templar
    Septimus Desmoru - Khajiit Necromancer
    Septimus Iroh - Dunmer Dragon Knight
    Septimus Thragar - Dunmer Nightblade
    Septimus Jah'zar - Khajiit Nightblade
    Septimus Nerox - Redguard Warden
    Septimus Ozurk - Orsimer Sorcerer
  • Silver_Strider
    Silver_Strider
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭
    Idk, maybe on top of your suggestion, make it have 100% chance to proc Burn, Chilled or Concussion on the explosion.
    Argonian forever
  • Dracane
    Dracane
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    I think the most reasonable change, would be to increase unstable walls duration to 8s. So both morphs last the same, unstable wall deals more direct damage thanks to the explosion and blockade of elements has the benefit of greater area penetration. That would make them both equally usefull, without messing around much.
    Auri-El is my lord,
    Trinimac is my shield,
    Magnus is my mind.

    My debut album on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Gleandra/videos
  • SaintSubwayy
    SaintSubwayy
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    i would think about using Unstable Wall of Elements IF it immobilize enemies within Unstable Wall of Elements for 2.5 seconds. and affected enemies remain slowed for 3 seconds after the effect ends.?

    So this would be interested in using for PVP and PVE

    completly useless in PVE, snares and roots arent that strong in PVE as you might think.
    Actually there's no reason to have snares or roots on PVE fights. Since you should never die, due to shields, and healers and the adds die rather fast now cause they removed the aoe cap.
    Edited by SaintSubwayy on March 8, 2018 1:09PM
    PC EU
    vAA HM / vHRC HM / vSO HM / vMoL HM / vHoF HM / vAS HM / vCR HM / vSS HM / vKA HM

    Flawless Conqueror / Immortal Redeemer / Dawnbringer / Griphon Heart / Master Angler / Spirit Slayer

  • Avran_Sylt
    Avran_Sylt
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    How about giving it an Increase to Crit Damage? (the ability itself)

    Could do something like: "This ability Crits for 75% more damage."
  • Lightspeedflashb14_ESO
    Lightspeedflashb14_ESO
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    Dracane wrote: »
    I think the most reasonable change, would be to increase unstable walls duration to 8s. So both morphs last the same, unstable wall deals more direct damage thanks to the explosion and blockade of elements has the benefit of greater area penetration. That would make them both equally usefull, without messing around much.

    This is the most sane idea in the thread. Best i Have seen.
  • Arobain
    Arobain
    ✭✭✭✭
    The explosion DOES happen if you recast early lol
  • jrgray93
    jrgray93
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    @Arobain

    No it doesn't. I just tested it. Frost didn't show the animation at all, fire showed the animation but didn't do the damage. Didn't test lightning but IIRC it didn't work either last I tried it.
    EP: Slania Isara : Harambe Was an Inside Job
Sign In or Register to comment.