Trying to Solo some Craglorn Bosses is hilarious (Skyreach Hold Mantikora)

ArchMikem · May 2018

This Mini Boss in Skyreach Hold actually had me laughing at myself. Thought I'd share my experience with it as both for a laugh, and for a topic of discussion concerning Craglorn and it's, "difficulty".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9pU-O1olRQ&

The first 20 seconds pretty much repeat itself three times as I attempt different approaches. They all ended the same way. Back handed to Oblivion like I owed my pimp his money. It was so hilariously overpowered that I didn't even get angry about it, not to mention the Quest not requiring you to defeat the Mantikora also helps. As far as I see with this boss, you need some kind of Tank for fights like this, or at least a larger Health pool. My Sorc even has 17k Physical Resist and it's basic backhand to the face still one shots.

Vapirko · May 2018

ArchMikem wrote: »

This Mini Boss in Skyreach Hold actually had me laughing at myself. Thought I'd share my experience with it as both for a laugh, and for a topic of discussion concerning Craglorn and it's, "difficulty".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9pU-O1olRQ&

The first 20 seconds pretty much repeat itself three times as I attempt different approaches. They all ended the same way. Back handed to Oblivion like I owed my pimp his money. It was so hilariously overpowered that I didn't even get angry about it, not to mention the Quest not requiring you to defeat the Mantikora also helps. But really, what exactly did ZOS have in mind when they made the zone "Solo friendly"? As far as I see with this boss, you need some kind of Tank for fights like this. My Sorc even has 17k Physical Resist and it's basic backhand to the face still one shots.

Shields? Dodge roll?

Marabornwingrion · May 2018

Roll dodge?

Also, not all delves in Craglorn are meant to be soloed. The ones with "+" next to their icons are meant for group of people.

ArchMikem · May 2018

Vapirko wrote: »

Shields? Dodge roll?

Shields, on a StamSorc.

Astrid_V wrote: »

Roll dodge?

Oh yeah! Sure! Dodge Rolling. Why have I never thought to do that?

Zewoh · May 2018

Skyreach hold and many other craglorn delves are meant to be completed as a group almost like a mini dungeon, they intended the boss to be taunted by a tank and such made its main attack dmg relevant to a tanks resists/life. Seeing as you are not a oyou would die if you did not avoid all dmg 17k resists is nothing when the boss is meant for a tank with 30k+ resists and 30k+ life, while a lotothe delves have been made solo friendly there are still group events and group devles there which as the name implies should be done with a group. They made the main quest there more solo friendly, dont expect them to make everything solo friendly this is an MMO after all

Nestor · May 2018

ArchMikem wrote: »

But really, what exactly did ZOS have in mind when they made the zone "Solo friendly"?

ZOS never intended for Craglorn to be Solo Friendly as a Zone. It is the Main Quest for the Zone that is Solo Friendly. And, they even removed 2 of the quests in Lower Craglorn from the Main Quest sequence as those two quests are still group focused. They did make some of the Overland mob groupings easier to deal with as a Solo character, but this does not mean the Dungeons were made to be this way.

All the Instanced Dungeons are still for groups. Only the ones that say Delves are Soloable. Skyreach is not a Delve, its a Dungeon.

logarifmik · May 2018

Well, I'd like to see more such bosses and not only in Craglorn, but guess it'll never happen.

Kiralyn2000 · May 2018

ArchMikem wrote: »

But really, what exactly did ZOS have in mind when they made the zone "Solo friendly"?

Well, for one, they reduced the overland mob groups so that you don't need a group just to walk outside town. That made it a lot more 'solo friendly'.

But yeah - as others have mentioned, some of the stuff there is still group content. Delves that have a + in their icon, the event areas that pop up the "group area" warning when you enter them, etc...

Trinity_Is_My_Name · May 2018

I have soloed this boss quite a few times.

Violynne · May 2018

That's what my wife does to me when I change the toilet paper and it's not in the right direction.

ssewallb14_ESO · May 2018

You have to kite him. IIRC he has a perma-enrage mechanic that makes him untankable.

Colecovision · May 2018

try the active skill in the medium armor line if you need some speed. You need to dodge and run the whole time. The only answer for one shots is not to get hit.

The good part is you don’t have to be perfect for too long since he is low health for a one shot mini boss.

I’ve never been in there with a tank, but I imagine it becomes a very short, trivial battle with one. Give it another try solo knowing that running over to him won’t work.

Trinity_Is_My_Name · May 2018

I have soloed this boss quite a few times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXM6l0TLFfo

MLGProPlayer · May 2018

I never had any issues with this one. Pretty sure I beat it on my first attempt.

The only really difficult boss to solo in Craglorn is Shada.

FakeFox · May 2018

Oh, come on. He has 270k HP, Ballista and he is dead before even reaching you.

ArchMikem · May 2018

Edited the OP title, just in case it wasnt coming across the first time that this post was meant to be a laugh foremost.

Im sure there are plenty of people who did this boss just fine. I just think its hilarious that its basic attack wrecks you in one hit if you're not tanky or maxing your dodge chance. And as a further note the final boss, the 1.6mil Exarch was just fine compared.

I believe the moral of the story is, I'd rather be overwhelmed by bee stings, than get slapped across the face once.

ArchMikem · May 2018

Trinity_Is_My_Name wrote: »

I have soloed this boss quite a few times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXM6l0TLFfo

Lol. Magsorc, ranged, has Ward, pet can draw aggro.

Stamsorc, melee, no ward, no pets.

LukosCreyden · May 2018

https://youtu.be/TlWtCP9l2DE

Done just now, just for you @ArchMikem

Stam sorc. One OP boss ded.

Mettaricana · May 2018

I solo him all the time i hurricane, caltrops volley and posion arrow then dodge roll his big hits rinse and repeat like 2-3 times hes down

PapaWeeb · May 2018

Block the big hits and surge/vigor will have you at full health before he attacks again. Or just roll them. The poor thing's got less than 300k health, I'm sure you can figure something out

ArchMikem · May 2018

LukosCreyden wrote: »

https://youtu.be/TlWtCP9l2DE

Done just now, just for you ArchMikem

Stam sorc. One OP boss ded.

I feel so special.

Though if you noticed at :21, his punch got you to 10%. Only reason it didn't one shot you is due to that 20k health pool you have.

Ragged_Claw · May 2018

Aw mate, I share your pain on this one, I stumbled upon it when Craglorn got changed to be solo friendly, I was quite drunk and walked up to it all like, 'yeah come on then bring it!' and yeah, my experience was exactly the same as yours. I did the walk of shame muttering that this is NOT a solo boss. You made me lol, so thank you, that's an awesome from me. An attempt was made

ArchMikem · May 2018

I just noticed the audio isn't in sync with the video.

Kind of a bummer.

Vapirko · May 2018

ArchMikem wrote: »

Vapirko wrote: »

Shields? Dodge roll?

Shields, on a StamSorc.

Astrid_V wrote: »

Roll dodge?

Oh yeah! Sure! Dodge Rolling. Why have I never thought to do that?

I didn’t watch your video, was just providing two suggestions one for mag and one for stam, but nice quote cut and sarcastic comeback even though it doesn’t apply. Maybe you should just l2p? Stam Sorc is one of the best solo PvE classes, if it can survive vMA with ease surely you can survive this craglorn boss. But as others have suggested maybe it’s not meant to be done with one.

Edit: after watching your video I don’t even see you try to dodge roll when the arm raises. Why are you also not using poison injection? How’s your CP allocation? Did you try blocking?

Vapirko · May 2018

LukosCreyden wrote: »

https://youtu.be/TlWtCP9l2DE

Done just now, just for you @ArchMikem

Stam sorc. One OP boss ded.

^^

LukosCreyden · May 2018

@ArchMikem well, that is down to you for not having a good build for solo play. I have 19.9k health for a reason. Either take back-up into the group delves, or make your build more solo orientated.

Craglorn difficulty is fine as-is. It doesn't need to be changed.

Dragonnord · May 2018

With all due respect; why you never block or roll dodge? You just let him hit you.

You see you have 17k health, you see he hits for 19k health and you stll don't block nor roll dodge

Why you don't even adjust your health beased on that 17k-19k difference?

Also, 19k is not much of a big hit. There are bosses that hit for more than 25k, 30k, 40k, 50k. Those are one-shots.

You just need to adjust.

Ilithyania · May 2018

done all of Craglorn solo with my magNB. except Shadas Tear last boss.

its all pretty easy if you heavy attack to get resourses and always have a dmg shield ready

Asardes · May 2018

Did most of the Craglorn delves solo over 5 characters, both magicka and stamina and this boss didn't feel that challenging. All characters had between 17-18K HP and the last one did not even have Vigor unlocked by that point. The only challenging end bosses are one that chains you periodically and calls hundreds of ghosts, and the siren that does a lot of poison AoEs and hard hitting adds, don't remember exactly in what delves they are. I struggled a bit to solo those, but this Manticora is quite easy. The strategy on is simply to roll dodge the heavy attack and keep her in DoTs since she doesn't have that much HP, just like one of the other videos posted. Also be sure to open with ultimate so you get into execute range fast, in this case Ballista so you minimize the chances she gets to one-hit you.

Dapper Dinosaur · May 2018

I don't see any problem with the boss mechanics. What I see ample problems with is significant user cockiness and stupidity. If he punches you immediately when he reaches you, why are you letting him reach you? He only has 280k health or so, even on my garbage 20k dps I could kill that without AoEs in a couple minutes.

Zinaroth · May 2018

I think it's hilarious that three times you just tried to fire off a simple DPS rotation without any reflection on how you might approach the fight differently.

He attacks slow, you can easily dodge all his attacks, or even block in between.
Also he moves slow, so dodging an attack and then using the bow you already have equipped to deal damage from a far would also be a good option.

I am glad that there's monsters like this one shotting people who run a cookie cutter DPS build and play it like they're in a trial group, when running solo.

Change it up, adapt, or keep dying.