What should I do with these Maelstrom Staves?

Colecovision · November 2018

This is my 4th ES game as a sneaky khajiit and I main stamblade. So of course the bow won't drop. Yesterday, I picked up an off trait lightning staff and a nirned flame staff. I need to take a vma break and thought I'd give one of my mag alt crafters a chance in combat. I'm looking for suggestions on a couple sets to pair with one of the vma staves. My character choices are Breton sorc, Dark Elf sorc, Dark Elf warden or argonian templar. This is for pve solo/dps. I'm likely to be running dungeons as a duo with my wife who mains pet sorc.

I was thinking of using the flame staff on the dark elf. I don't know what else to mix with that, in particular the fact that I'll lose set bonuses when switching. Is mechanical acuity a nice set to pair with a vma staff? I have tons of BSW from farming sunder, but not the flame staff.

Suggestions?

Taleof2Cities · November 2018

You're on the right track, @Colecovision.

vMA staves aren't quite as popular as they used to be since: (a) the advent of a 5-5-2 setup with monster set, and (b) ZOS refuses to give vMA weapons a second trait bonus.

If you're just running around solo and doing dungeons with the wifey, there really isn't any need to run an end game setup ... so pretty much any decent damage set + sustain set will do fine.

Which makes your decision-making easy: Scrounge a couple of 5-piece sets in your bank, or, craft a couple of 5-piece sets.

Acuity is still a top tier DPS 5-piece, so you'd be set with that. If you want to emphasize fire, then sure, BSW, Silks of the Sun, or Elf Bane could be in the cards. Remember that Elf Bane is heavy armor ... so you'd be best wearing Elf Bane jewelry and weapons 5-piece for PvE.

Incidentally, yesterday I was doing the exact same thing as you. Trying to gear my Stam Sorc who just turned Level 50. I found a full set of Briarheart (with jewelry) in the bank, so now it's just finding (or crafting) another sustain set for PvP.

Final note - don't ever destroy vMA gear in case ZOS decides to give them a 2-piece bonus.

Oakmontowls_ESO · November 2018

With the addition of Spell strat MA staves are still very much meta. As for Acuity, from what I hear it is decent if you are using force pulse with a sorc but don't pair it with anything that increases crit chance like mother's sorrow.

Vildebill · November 2018

From what you have to work with I would go with the dark elf sorcerer. Use your BSW gear, the vMA staff back bar, craft acuity set with staff front bar and get yourself a monster set (maybe you have Skoria from you CoA runs), then you should be ready to go

If you're new to the class don't grind you ass off for gear in the beginning, what you have will do just fine while learning.

SoLooney · November 2018

Taleof2Cities wrote: »

You're on the right track, @Colecovision.

vMA staves aren't quite as popular as they used to be since: (a) the advent of a 5-5-2 setup with monster set, and (b) ZOS refuses to give vMA weapons a second trait bonus.

If you're just running around solo and doing dungeons with the wifey, there really isn't any need to run an end game setup ... so pretty much any decent damage set + sustain set will do fine.

Which makes your decision-making easy: Scrounge a couple of 5-piece sets in your bank, or, craft a couple of 5-piece sets.

Acuity is still a top tier DPS 5-piece, so you'd be set with that. If you want to emphasize fire, then sure, BSW, Silks of the Sun, or Elf Bane could be in the cards. Remember that Elf Bane is heavy armor ... so you'd be best wearing Elf Bane jewelry and weapons 5-piece for PvE.

Incidentally, yesterday I was doing the exact same thing as you. Trying to gear my Stam Sorc who just turned Level 50. I found a full set of Briarheart (with jewelry) in the bank, so now it's just finding (or crafting) another sustain set for PvP.

Final note - don't ever destroy vMA gear in case ZOS decides to give them a 2-piece bonus.

Why wouldnt maelstrom staves still be used in pve? They add more damage to your light and heavy attacks and will still outparse a 5 5 2 set up for both bars

Feanor · November 2018

Most people still run a vMA staff backbar, albeit lightning ones now because of the nerfed but still necessary off balance from Wall of Elements. While I agree the second bonus should never have been removed I think ZOS won’t do anything about it because of vBRP weapons now.

Oakmontowls_ESO · November 2018

Feanor wrote: »

Most people still run a vMA staff backbar, albeit lightning ones now because of the nerfed but still necessary off balance from Wall of Elements. While I agree the second bonus should never have been removed I think ZOS won’t do anything about it because of vBRP weapons now.

From what I hear BRP weapons are bad at least in pve. Also the healer and or the tank can run lightning wall which is more than enough to max out off balance.

WuffyCerulei · November 2018

Any magicka dps who has a vMA lightning/fire staff will use them on their backbar. They buff your light attacks, and those light attacks make up a big chunk of your dps.

ATomiX96 · November 2018

"MA Staves arent quite as popular" lolwut
25% of your dps comes from light attacks thanks to maelstrom staves.