The easiest veteran Maelstrom/solo content Build in the Harrowstorm Patch [Updated]

xWarbrain · March 2020

Vercingetorix wrote: »

This looks great for sorcerers, but I wonder how it would translate well into other classes. Necromancer seems like it might work, but I wonder what would be used in its setup?
- Harness
- Deaden Pain (3% dmg reduction + Major Protection (30%) from dying mobs left and right)
- Spirit Guardian (An extra 10% reduction is nice)
- Blockade of Storms
- ???
For the last slot I'm kinda at a loss. Blastbones' corpses could result in higher uptime on Deaden Pain as well as provide burst, so it sounds like a viable option. Unnerving Graveyard may also work since it provides AoE Breach for higher damage. Thoughts?

On Magcro I used Necropotence, Mother's Sorrow front/VMA Inferno back bar, and Iceheart. The OP's Torug's suggestion is a great idea to replace Mother's Sorrow and Iceheart. And Infernal just makes it even better with the shield proc.

Front bar was Stalking Blastbones, Skele Mage, Deaden Pain, Inner Light, Mystic Syphon, Destro Ult

Back bar was Spirit Mender, Unnerving Boneyard, Unstable Wall, Beckoning Armor, Renewing Undeath, Frozen Colossus

I swapped Stalking Out for Crushing Shock on 5 & 8. On 7 I had to let the Skele Mage die so it wouldn't kill the shield guy, and I think I used Troll King or Bloodspawn for the same reason.

You can swap out Deaden Pain or Inner Light for Dampen if you need a shield. I usually need a shield on Mag, but not on this for vMA, and that was without the Torug's/Glyph...wish I thought of that!

Hemaka · March 2020

OP, how important to the whole build performance is Crushing shock? I prefer using Force pulse for other pve/pvp modes, and would prefer not having to respec it while giving this build a go.

Asardes · March 2020

I don't use Crushing Shock much in vMA since most of the mobs that channel heavy attacks like "take aim" take a very long time to do so. In almost all cases it's actually easier to kill them outright than try to interrupt them.

Hemaka · March 2020

Asardes wrote: »

I don't use Crushing Shock much in vMA since most of the mobs that channel heavy attacks like "take aim" take a very long time to do so. In almost all cases it's actually easier to kill them outright than try to interrupt them.

Yeah, I'd propably replace it with daedric curse like in the build I'm currently using.

ericshug · March 2020

Is worth to get all to golden quality ,if I aim to get vMA weapon and staff.

Asardes · March 2020

If you're gonna use the gear from this build later yes, if it's just to learn, no. Maybe the front bar staff, but the rest can stay purple or even blue. Also I don't recommend using hakeijo glyphs for a learning build. Just put magicka on the big pieces, and the small ones, 2 health 2 stamina. Not much overall difference.

ericshug · March 2020

I am try to get vMA weapon and staff.not try to learn,because lack of resources to build.

FrancisCrawford · March 2020

ericshug wrote: »

Is worth to get all to golden quality ,if I aim to get vMA weapon and staff.

Golding weapons makes a significant difference.

Golding other gear does not.

thissocalledflower · March 2020

Just giving away all my secrets. Been using torugs and seducer since forever and made a new player (level 10 training gear) the other day some torugs and julianos. Torugs is the true unsung hero of the craftable armors. and so easy to make. If i could only make three trait items and had no gold to spend and no access to guilds i would make torugs and inate axiom... torugs and anything is always a stong choice

Asardes · March 2020

ericshug wrote: »

I am try to get vMA weapon and staff.not try to learn,because lack of resources to build.

The Maelstrom Staff doesn't automatically increase your DPS, you have to be very good at weaving light attacks for it to make a difference. From the item description: "Your light and heavy attacks deal an additional 1341 to enemies in your Wall of Elements." During a rotation you should do about 1 light attack every second. So even with multipliers, and if your weaving is nigh perfect, the staff will add maybe 3-3.5k DPS, considering various multipliers and critical hits.

If you have trouble clearing with a standard DD build, it means your DPS is very low, and most likely culprit is not the gear, but the rotation, and weaving light attacks is an important part of it. Just check on a dummy how much DPS you do, and if you have access to Combat Metrics addon also the light attack ration in that rotation. If those are low practice until you can do at least 30K on the 6m dummy, and 40-45k on the 21m one. If you have trouble doing 30k to a static enemy who can't fight back, you'll have serious trouble clearing vMA, where the fight is dynamic, even more so if you're gimping that further with a "tanky" build. And as I explained, if it's that low to begin with, having the staff won't help you much.

Grianasteri · March 2020

Id never thought about an Infernal Guardian + Shield Glyph interaction. Very good to know that the glyph procs the set. I may play around with this. Thank you.

Tolino · March 2020

thissocalledflower wrote: »

Just giving away all my secrets. Been using torugs and seducer since forever and made a new player (level 10 training gear) the other day some torugs and julianos. Torugs is the true unsung hero of the craftable armors. and so easy to make. If i could only make three trait items and had no gold to spend and no access to guilds i would make torugs and inate axiom... torugs and anything is always a stong choice

So true! Torug's pact is one of the most underrated sets!
I've been playing 5xTorug's and 5x Mother's sorrow for a long time on my Magsorc and its great!

vMSA => shild enchant on backbar
Sustain issue => absorb Magicka enchant
Dmg => shock + flame enchant

I also use a Froststaff on the backbar for vMSA. The snar/immobilize + minor maim is great. (I don't use heavy attacks = no Off-balance needed)

OlumoGarbag · March 2020

Asardes wrote: »

I don't use Crushing Shock much in vMA since most of the mobs that channel heavy attacks like "take aim" take a very long time to do so. In almost all cases it's actually easier to kill them outright than try to interrupt them.

Kind of true but this build is for beginners, that dont know yet how to outplay every mechanic. In the fire stage the interrupt is worth gold. For the last boss and the trolls its also very nice to have. I like it overall and nearly never needed it for dps.

ericshug · March 2020

HI, can you give me a set farming xp for magick sorc,thank you.

OlumoGarbag · March 2020

ericshug wrote: »

HI, can you give me a set farming xp for magick sorc,thank you.

Just join any guild on your server and get it crafted.

I never expected this build to become BiS but if the light attack changes go live this will be an op allrounder

thunder23 · April 2020

What CP level are you guys assuming? 810? I'm at like 470 and cant kill the giant mechanical spider guy on level 4 (I think).

OlumoGarbag · April 2020

thunder23 wrote: »

What CP level are you guys assuming? 810? I'm at like 470 and cant kill the giant mechanical spider guy on level 4 (I think).

The spider isnt about dps its only about mechanics. If you run this build cp 300ish are more then enough to finish maelstrom, but it will be a bumpy ride. Cp470 should be nice and smoth tho.

Talyndor · April 2020

I have now cleared VMA about 10X. It gets easier each time. I use a 2-Bar set-up that is kind of a mix of this and Alcast's.

Armor is Necro and Plague Doctor.
Monster set is Grothgarr, except I use Iceheart for Flywheel, and I also will swap to Zaan for last bosses in Arenas 5 (Ice) and 7 (Umbrage), then back to Grothgarr for final boss. Lightning staffs for both bars.

Front bar is Hardened ward (I substitute crushing shock for stages 4 and 8), liquid lightning, crit surge, then the two pets
Back bar is Hardened ward, elemental drain, unstable wall of storms, and the two pets.

I cannot emphasize this enough: gear does not matter at all if you do not understand and learn the mechanics of these arenas! You can NOT bulldoze your way thru VMA. You cannot gear yourself up with the "ideal" gear set-up and spell bars and expect to just fly thru VMA. You MUST understand and learn the mechanics, no matter what gear set-up you choose!

Norbert · January 2021

Your build shows around 40% crit chance.
Where does this value come from?

LalMirchi · January 2021

Awesome, thanks. I will try this guide

OlumoGarbag · January 2021

Norbert wrote: »

Your build shows around 40% crit chance.
Where does this value come from?

The build isn't up to date anymore. Also sorc has min and major prophecy which give alot of crit.

The up to date guide is here:
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/550953/easiest-veteran-vateshraan-solo-content-build-for-every-stam-and-mag-class/p1

Norbert · January 2021

Wow.
Thanks!
I did it last WE with my magsorc.
Never thought using heavy attacks and shield glyphs were the key.
Now my magplar is in the queue

Thanks for the update and the link!!!!

OlumoGarbag · January 2021

Norbert wrote: »

Wow.
Thanks!
I did it last WE with my magsorc.
Never tought using heavy attacks and shield glyphs were the key.
Now my magplar is in the queue
Thanks for the update and the link!!!!

glad you enjoy it. Shield glyph is so very much underrated. And it can even be used on a tank or super low cp account

rrimöykk · January 2021

Didn't read, too long.

Easy mode for all arenas:

1 piece monster set with crit bonus
VO (stamina) or False God (magica)
Any dmg set
Pale Order ring

Enjoy.

Asardes · January 2021

rrimöykk wrote: »

Didn't read, too long.

Easy mode for all arenas:

1 piece monster set with crit bonus
VO (stamina) or False God (magica)
Any dmg set
Pale Order ring

Enjoy.

For stamina I use a piece Kra'agh since the extra penetration helps me reach around ~17.3k which is close to the 18K cap - some stage bosses in vMA and probably most mobs and bosses in Vatershran Hollows have that much. Magicka has 4.9k extra penetration from Light Armor: Concentration so Spell Critical is probably better. I've made 2 alternative builds that work really well for my Stamina DKs on EU and NA respectively:

EU: TFS+VO+1p Kra'gh+Ring of the Pale Order - Warrior and Shadow mundi are about the same damage wise, though Warrior gives more reliable healing and upfront damage to trash
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Special:EsoBuildData?id=52104

NA: NMA+VO+TFS+VO+1p Kra'gh+Ring of the Pale Order - Lover Mundus pushes almost to the penetration cap, also this setup is easier to get since VO jewels and armor are common drops in veteran Craglorn trials (normal drops are more weighed towards the specific sets from that trial). Also as DK I get a bit more damage from Standard of Might since Lover also increses Spell Penetration. The cost reduction from VO also is higher than the cost penalty from NMA
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Special:EsoBuildData?id=308736

Erissime · June 2021

Alright I didn't find any newer thread involving this arena, and I know my question has nothing to do with this one ( mainly) - but how is one supposed to finish that arena when NO skill triggers on time? The amount of lag that place has makes it impossible to finish. And no it is not on my end - skills trigger JUST fine in any other content ( including heavy trials, with high graphics and everything, yet in Malestrom, when every milisecond IS important, skills respond (whenever they do that is) ages after the button was clicked ( hence lag) - and while I have downgraded my graphics as low as possible ( yeah game looks horrible due to it - so I may increase performance in there) - still skill response is horrible. Why so and what has been wrong with this place of late ? And no this is not a complain of impossibility of defeating mobs and bosses, last boss in vet, I know all the necessary mechanics, almost got it several times, yet due to this I am now having issues passing the previous rounds in that final arena ( when before I would pass them just fine). And every time is the same, SOME skill never triggered , although I am even looking at my fingers ( yeah I have this time after I die) to make sure it was on the right button - nop, it never happened. Please fix the flow of this thing ?

Asardes · June 2021

Since Ring of the Pale Order came out in the mean time, this tread is completely obsolete.