Questions about geysers

SeaGtGruff · July 2020

I tried to solo some geysers back when Summerset came out, but failed miserably, so I put them aside until I could improve.

I've now cleared 3 geysers a day for the last week on that same character, and I have a couple of questions.

First, has the overall difficulty of geysers been changed since Summerset's initial release? I'm most likely wearing different gear than I was before-- some Impenetrable sets that I bought with Tel Var in the Imperial City Sewer-- so that might be part of why they seem so much easier to clear now than they used to be, and my character might also be affected by any balancing changes (i.e., buffs and nerfs) which have been instituted during the past two years, but I was wondering if the overall difficulty in the geysers themselves has been tweaked?

My second question is possibly related to the first. I've noticed that if I'm soloing a geyser-- which is a bit uncommon, given the number of players in Summerset for the event, but not unheard of-- there are only a few waves of enemies who spawn before the final boss, perhaps 3 or 4 waves. Also, if I'm not mistaken only one wave-- that is, one monstrosity plus attendant enemies-- appears at a time. But if I'm doing a geyser with other players, it seems like there are over twice as many waves before the final boss, and frequently two waves of enemies will spawn simultaneously. Is this because the geysers are scaled based on the number of players?

VaranisArano · July 2020

Geysers do scale significantly with the amount of players, including the final boss. Solo players will more often get minibosses, while large groups get the world boss types. As for the waves, solo players will often get one of the spawns at a time, while larger groups get two to three of the spawn points.

Varana · July 2020

a) I don't think so. Impenetrable won't help you at all, PvE mobs don't crit, but better gear, better knowledge of the game, and all that stuff will benefit you a lot.

b) Yes, geysers are scaled depending on the number of players. IIRC, you also don't get one of the named bosses if you're solo but a generic boss monstrosity.

SeaGtGruff · July 2020

Thank you! Do you remember if it's always been like that, or have there been some changes since Summerset's release?

Edit: I was posting at the same time as @Varana and didn't see that reply until after. So it sounds like geysers have always operated in this manner since Summerset's initial release, as far as anyone who's been doing them all along can remember?

Naftal · July 2020

I've been getting named bosses while soloing geysirs. I'm pretty sure that the only thing changing with the number of players is the number of spawns. One group spawned for every two players per spawn.

SeaGtGruff · July 2020

I was thinking the same thing-- that I've occasionally gotten a named boss when soloing a geyser. But I'm not 100% sure, as in some cases another player will come along just before the final boss appears. But I thought I got a named boss at least once or twice when I soloed the geyser from beginning to end, although it does seem like it's usually just a greater monstrosity.

Edit: Also, with regard to the Impenetrable gear, PvE enemies might not do critical damage, but if I'm not mistaken Impenetrable gear takes a reduced amount of "wear and tear" damage, which is great because you can go for much longer periods of time before you need to repair it. But I was really referring more to the fact that it's probably better gear in terms of the PvP-centric set bonuses than the overland dropped gear I was wearing two years ago.

Varana · July 2020

Yeah, that's why I wrote IIRC, I wasn't sure. I'm pretty sure the chances of a named boss is significantly lower, at least (from my experience).
Geysers have been designed to scale from very early on - I'd say since release, but it was kinda hard to find geyers to solo when Summerset had just come out.

SeaGtGruff · July 2020

All I know is, back then I got my butt whipped so badly that I gave up on geysers; I think I even still had my original incomplete daily "Stop Summerset from sinking" geysers quest sitting in my journal when this event began, and I had to complete that old job before I could receive any new geyser jobs!

whitecrow · July 2020

Geysers don't care how many people there are. I always get named bosses when I solo. I feel like I used to usually get the Greater Yaghra Monstrosity back when Summerset was still new, so maybe that changed. If so, I wish they'd change it back.

AOECAPS · July 2020

Have solod geysers a lot have always gotten named bosses never had the greater yaghra

theskymoves · July 2020

whitecrow wrote: »

Geysers don't care how many people there are. I always get named bosses when I solo. I feel like I used to usually get the Greater Yaghra Monstrosity back when Summerset was still new, so maybe that changed. If so, I wish they'd change it back.

This. I've soloed geysers off-and-on since Summerset's release, and quite often get named final bosses. I've always assumed that's if it's not RNG, it's due to some mysterious and intangible metric, like how quickly you burn through the early waves. *shrug*

Nairinhe · July 2020

AFAIK boss spawns if you kill stuff fast enough (i.e. not struggling with the geyser)

Nestor · July 2020

They may have changed it to give the named bosses now all the time, but I bet the boss stats are reduced when your Solo.

Soloing Geysers is not that hard. Its when you have 3 or 4 going at it that it is harder, as the scaling is a little over eager as it were. At least the last time I was in Summerset when it was quiet.

KMarble · July 2020

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

I tried to solo some geysers back when Summerset came out, but failed miserably, so I put them aside until I could improve.

I've now cleared 3 geysers a day for the last week on that same character, and I have a couple of questions.

First, has the overall difficulty of geysers been changed since Summerset's initial release? I'm most likely wearing different gear than I was before-- some Impenetrable sets that I bought with Tel Var in the Imperial City Sewer-- so that might be part of why they seem so much easier to clear now than they used to be, and my character might also be affected by any balancing changes (i.e., buffs and nerfs) which have been instituted during the past two years, but I was wondering if the overall difficulty in the geysers themselves has been tweaked?

My second question is possibly related to the first. I've noticed that if I'm soloing a geyser-- which is a bit uncommon, given the number of players in Summerset for the event, but not unheard of-- there are only a few waves of enemies who spawn before the final boss, perhaps 3 or 4 waves. Also, if I'm not mistaken only one wave-- that is, one monstrosity plus attendant enemies-- appears at a time. But if I'm doing a geyser with other players, it seems like there are over twice as many waves before the final boss, and frequently two waves of enemies will spawn simultaneously. Is this because the geysers are scaled based on the number of players?

Another thing to remember is that Summerset was released 2 years ago. Your proficiency in the game improved. You "got gud(er)"

Magdalina · July 2020

VaranisArano wrote: »

Geysers do scale significantly with the amount of players, including the final boss. Solo players will more often get minibosses, while large groups get the world boss types. As for the waves, solo players will often get one of the spawns at a time, while larger groups get two to three of the spawn points.

It's a bit weird, the amount of waves/mobs in the wave will scale but the boss itself, not so much. I've done most of them solo a few months ago when I got around to doing Summerset and I got every single of the achievements bosses before I actually realized it can do a non-achievement one lol, and I think the first time I saw it spawn a non-fancy boss was with several people there too.

Seems weird to scale the amount of mobs only so maybe it's bugged or there's some other logic in place. The fancy bosses don't seem to scale much or at all either, I didn't pay close attention but I know I have gotten one-shot a few times when soloing them and being uncareful, didn't seem any different when doing it with several people (except the boss obviously died faster).

whitecrow · July 2020

Nestor wrote: »

They may have changed it to give the named bosses now all the time.

I saw a Greater Yaghra a few days ago, but there were several players there.

LightningWitch · July 2020

VaranisArano wrote: »

Geysers do scale significantly with the amount of players, including the final boss. Solo players will more often get minibosses, while large groups get the world boss types. As for the waves, solo players will often get one of the spawns at a time, while larger groups get two to three of the spawn points.

Since when do minibosses come with 4M+ health?

I've only tried to solo a few times, but every boss I met was 2M+ health and to hell with that dreugh. I hate that thing!

Lixiviant · July 2020

I think it is interesting that some of the geysers spawn at the same time. So much for the ole "Alik'r Desert" rotation.

VaranisArano · July 2020

LightningWitch wrote: »

VaranisArano wrote: »

Geysers do scale significantly with the amount of players, including the final boss. Solo players will more often get minibosses, while large groups get the world boss types. As for the waves, solo players will often get one of the spawns at a time, while larger groups get two to three of the spawn points.

Since when do minibosses come with 4M+ health?

I've only tried to solo a few times, but every boss I met was 2M+ health and to hell with that dreugh. I hate that thing!

It sounds like you got actual bosses. There are also Greater Yaghra that will spawn as the final boss that have the same stats as most minibosses. Solo players have always been able to get both types, even from Summerset's launch. I recall people asking how to solo Ruella for the challenge.