Solo Boss fights are real tests of strategy and key skill.

Kingcroft · April 2014

I started the tread about Doshia, and after playing awhile I have come across more solo boss fights. Most are very challenging and I rarely beat the guy on the first go. Each time I learn how to kill some other kind of opponent. While I do like public dungeons where at times it can feel like a stomp fest depending on how many players are with you, these occasional solo boss test keep you from getting in a rut.

So far, it is the spell casters with a powerful ranged attack that have proven the most difficult (I am a bow wielding nightblade.) I am currently stuck on the mage/priest in the temple of the Tribunal in Dashaan (Mournhold). I have beat him up to an inch of his life but he is been able to beat me to the killing blow each time; the dog.

Xezzu · April 2014

I too like the strictly 'solo content' of the game as well. It gives me obstacles that I have to meet a certain skill-base to achieve and keeps me trying to improve my personal ability as a player as well simply understanding the game. My wife and I had this conversation the other evening when she got stuck on a boss.

With that said, I'm not sure by making it so that no one can ever help you is a good thing. I mean, let's face it, we all have different skill levels and levels of patience. Some of us just aren't willing to put a huge amount of effort into trying to kill a boss like that for a game. Many of us do and find it rewarding, especially if it's a particularly tough boss and we FINALLY get it down after wracking our brains to do it. It's a good feeling!

I do think, though.. that an alternative to the strictly solo approach may be to offer some sort of reward for doing it solo, but leaving the option to have help intact. I'm not sure what it would be, but something worthy of incentive to actually try it. This way for the players that aren't attracted to the idea of beating their head against a wall, or would just prefer experience the game with their friends entirely, still have that option.

Ragnar_Lodbrok · April 2014

I love the idea of difficulty. I played FFXI for a very long time because of how difficult progression was. When you got past a CoP boss after dying 10-20 times you felt like you accomplished something major and heroic. Please Zenimax don't stray from this. It actually helps build community.

Lord_Hev · April 2014

Yep. Which is why there should be an optional solo-instance for "public" dungeons.

Ragnar_Lodbrok · April 2014

Lord_Hev wrote: »

Yep. Which is why there should be an optional solo-instance for "public" dungeons.

No. Public dungeons are fine as they are, maybe make them tougher.

DFDelta · April 2014

Now... if only more people were thinking like that instead of going "waaaah, I tried he boss 5 times with the same tactic and lost every time, make it easier".

I like the challenges of the solo dungeons and I wish there were more of those in MMORPGs. They are a good benchmark for showing how good you've become and in which styles of combat you still need to improve yourself.

MercyKilling · April 2014

Lord_Hev wrote: »

Yep. Which is why there should be an optional solo-instance for "public" dungeons.

But the opposite is true as well, and hurts nobody at all.
Group options for solo content. There are people that due to physical handicap literally cannot pass these missions, therefore are locked out of the entirety of that content.
It would be the same as a restaurant refusing to cater to someone because they were handicapped.

Dimethios · April 2014

MercyKilling wrote: »

But the opposite is true as well, and hurts nobody at all.
Group options for solo content. There are people that due to physical handicap literally cannot pass these missions, therefore are locked out of the entirety of that content.
It would be the same as a restaurant refusing to cater to someone because they were handicapped.

Thank you. I have a comment and also a request/question. I had a stroke back in 2010, and a couple mini strokes since then. I can sorta type with my left hand, but it's kinda like a puppet. Imagine a puppet on a string typing on a keyboard. I can do pretty good, with the WASD and hitting 1-4 (slowly) but, beyond that it gets nearly impossible for me. I used to be a great FPS player, but now, it's a joke. Using an console controller is all but useless, and too frustrating to me for 90% of games. Luckily I love MMO's more and can usually play fine with a good Canadian buddy of mine. (Ya hey der!) However when boss fights come up solo or not, my response time is just not quick enough to cut the mustard. I don't blame the game mechanics for this however, but allowing a team up would be cool. I would even be willing to take an XP cut.

Onto my question, does anyone know of a simple ui mod that can do combos for me, it would be nice to be able to hit one key to do a 3 or 4 move combo. If not, if someone could make one for this disabled ex-chef I'd be beyond grateful.

Khazaad · April 2014

Xezzu wrote: »

I too like the strictly 'solo content' of the game as well..

Likewise, but for me it's refreshing for a different reason. It helps me avoid the one thing that always seems to get on my nerves and take away from my experience...

You people.

Khazaad · April 2014

Khazaad wrote: »

Xezzu wrote: »

I too like the strictly 'solo content' of the game as well..

Likewise, but for me it's refreshing for a different reason. It helps me avoid the one thing that always seems to get on my nerves and take away from my experience...

You people.

At least you have a sense of humor.

lupusrex · April 2014

I totally agree. Group dungeons currently have this feel as well, since most people you're liable to group with are new to them. There have been several bosses that my groups have wiped at until we discussed what we had observed and formed a working strategy. I like this feeling of cooperative progress, and it's always a little sad once everything has been worked out to the last detail.

Srugzal · April 2014

I'm in the process of leveling three characters, each in a different alliance. The presence of common questlines (the guilds, as well as the main story quest line) means that, assuming I keep them together, I get to play these particular solo bosses three times. The builds are very different, but the winning strategy with each boss is always the same. Some have lots of wipes before I get how to implement a winning strategy, other's don't. This reveals weaknesses in them that I spend the next little while trying to correct, meanwhile working up to the next boss.

The fact is, there are tiers of boss difficulty, and once you've gotten through these common "gateway" quests and made the changes those encounters indicated, lesser bosses are simply routine, assuming you're paying attention and can execute properly.

I remember the first time I tackled Vivec's Antlers in EP during the Beta, I wiped so many times that I had to go away and try later. This time, I was so much better prepared that I spent an hour farming Dreugs and gained a whole level doing it. The difference is not only that I'm better at it, but that the preceding boss fights have prepared me for the challenges to come, and have taught me how to use those maddeningly simple 5 number keys and the mouse.

Melian · April 2014

MercyKilling wrote: »

Lord_Hev wrote: »

Yep. Which is why there should be an optional solo-instance for "public" dungeons.

But the opposite is true as well, and hurts nobody at all.
Group options for solo content. There are people that due to physical handicap literally cannot pass these missions, therefore are locked out of the entirety of that content.
It would be the same as a restaurant refusing to cater to someone because they were handicapped.

No, it wouldn't, because this is a game, not a restaurant. Can't we have content that challenges the average person?

thilog · April 2014

The fact is, if you don't have an unlimited supply of gold to continually reset your skills, the vast majority of players, esp the newer players, get annihilated, by solo missions.

I'm 46 now, my fingers aren't as fast, my temper is far worse and my eyesight with glasses isn't that great. When I played UO or EQ back in the day, it was fine to want everything harder, faster with more sugar on top, but as you get older and slower, you want challenge.. but without the frustration of being slaughtered outright.

I agree that the solo missions should allow for a friend to help, I also think this friend could also be someone who's completed the quest, I do think there should be a penalty.. to xp, loot etc for getting help, but I think it is absolutely necessary. At the very least, it allows those of us who can't, to continue with the stories without wanting to buy a ticket to the usa to smash some devs head in for pissing him off... as I said.. my temper isn't as it used to be.

It would also be conducive for the rest of my family if I'm in a good mood, enjoying my game.. instead of ripping out lumps of hair and screaming like a 9 yr old who has lost his lollypop.

There's challenges and theres dying alot.. the temple quest as mentioned above for example.

contains a series of mini problems for the player to solve, this is the kind of problem I like to solve

but running in and trying to bash something to death before it bashes me to death.. isn't really that interesting anymore.

Oh and lastly, lastly.. this is an mmo.. why the hell are there solo missions...fgs!

Khazaad · April 2014

thilog wrote: »

Oh and lastly, lastly.. this is an mmo.. why the hell are there solo missions...fgs!

Because you're not as fun to be around as you think you are. Even your parents avoid you.

Tiyamel · April 2014

I too love the harder solo bosses, the multiple deaths before you figure out just how to beat him down help you react faster in many other instances, i was also an FFXI player who loved the hardcore approach to levelling and bosses, Abyssea killed that game for me, and the sense of achievement when you FINALLY win is worth it lol

Lord_Hev · April 2014

MercyKilling wrote: »

Lord_Hev wrote: »

Yep. Which is why there should be an optional solo-instance for "public" dungeons.

But the opposite is true as well, and hurts nobody at all.
Group options for solo content. There are people that due to physical handicap literally cannot pass these missions, therefore are locked out of the entirety of that content.
It would be the same as a restaurant refusing to cater to someone because they were handicapped.

Having the option to play solo impacts no-one else. Because it is optional, and for the individual to decide. I do not want to explore a long lost dungeon that was not only completely unknown, but sealed by a Daedric Prince for the past 2,000 years. To just suddenly find a town-meeting going on in the entrance, and having to re-log after being unable to defeat a boss, let alone even get him to spawn for my current quest objective because there was 30 people zerging him.

PBpsy · April 2014

I agree there should be more areas where you could chose to go solo.I have managed to do some public dungeons without encountering anyone and it was a lot more fun then going with a wave of erratic players.Especially when I am a backstabbing sneaky NB. Also now I see more and more groups of players that just camp a public dungeon boss which ruins the idea completely.

I see no reason not to have the option to play with a group everywhere either though.

Thete · April 2014

Kingcroft wrote: »

So far, it is the spell casters with a powerful ranged attack that have proven the most difficult (I am a bow wielding nightblade.) I am currently stuck on the mage/priest in the temple of the Tribunal in Dashaan (Mournhold).

He was tough. It didn't help that all through Dashaan, I was several levels lower than the quests/mobs (think I'm almost caught up on next zone though). I am also spending a lot of points on crafting, so wasn't really as awesome in combat as I could be. What I did in the end was to don my healing gear and restoration staff and slowly killed him with that.

Shimond · April 2014

Melian wrote: »

No, it wouldn't, because this is a game, not a restaurant. Can't we have content that challenges the average person?

Yea this is the first time I've ever seen the "can't progress because I have a handicap" argument. I'm sorry but not all games are designed to allow you to go forward if you don't have the minimum physical skills. There are accessibility options with your operating system that can help but ultimately games have certain amounts of hand-eye coordination they require.

It'd be like complaining about being unable to progress in a console game because you can only use half the controller. It isn't the developer's responsibility to make sure the game can be beat by pressing one button.

ScippyBips · April 2014

Can I raise a practical question at this point? Are we going to play Stonehenge tonight? Jk, Jk. My actual practical question is, what are the strategies for beating these solo bosses? I am brand new to ESO (lvl 9) and have been having a bit of trouble defeating them (took me a bajillion tries to kill that "puppy", and I gave up on Doshia, left that old hag to float around aimlessly in her sad cave) . Is there a general rule of thumb for how high your LVL should be compared to the boss, and are there any hints I should see in the environment where the battle is taking place? Until I discovered this thread I figured these bosses were the equivalent to WoW's "Elite" mobs and I should just be enlisting the aid of any innocent bystander to help me defeat them, disband, and go our separate ways, never to see each other again. Now I understand why no one responded to my LFG hails in-game. Oops

Any help here would be hot! Thanks!

Forztr · April 2014

Dimethios wrote: »

Thank you. I have a comment and also a request/question. I had a stroke back in 2010, and a couple mini strokes since then. I can sorta type with my left hand, but it's kinda like a puppet. Imagine a puppet on a string typing on a keyboard. I can do pretty good, with the WASD and hitting 1-4 (slowly) but, beyond that it gets nearly impossible for me. I used to be a great FPS player, but now, it's a joke. Using an console controller is all but useless, and too frustrating to me for 90% of games. Luckily I love MMO's more and can usually play fine with a good Canadian buddy of mine. (Ya hey der!) However when boss fights come up solo or not, my response time is just not quick enough to cut the mustard. I don't blame the game mechanics for this however, but allowing a team up would be cool. I would even be willing to take an XP cut.

Onto my question, does anyone know of a simple ui mod that can do combos for me, it would be nice to be able to hit one key to do a 3 or 4 move combo. If not, if someone could make one for this disabled ex-chef I'd be beyond grateful.

If your mouse hand is fine then get an MMO mouse such as the Razer Naga which has 12 thumb buttons. You could then activate abilities with your right thumb leaving your left hand to just do WASD. The Naga also allows you to record macros if you need to.

Taeko · April 2014

ScippyBips wrote: »

Can I raise a practical question at this point? Are we going to play Stonehenge tonight? Jk, Jk. My actual practical question is, what are the strategies for beating these solo bosses? I am brand new to ESO (lvl 9) and have been having a bit of trouble defeating them (took me a bajillion tries to kill that "puppy", and I gave up on Doshia, left that old hag to float around aimlessly in her sad cave) . Is there a general rule of thumb for how high your LVL should be compared to the boss, and are there any hints I should see in the environment where the battle is taking place? Until I discovered this thread I figured these bosses were the equivalent to WoW's "Elite" mobs and I should just be enlisting the aid of any innocent bystander to help me defeat them, disband, and go our separate ways, never to see each other again. Now I understand why no one responded to my LFG hails in-game. Oops Any help here would be hot! Thanks!

For the "puppy" make use of the platform-run onto it, jump off of it, use knock backs to make the puppy fall off. This gives u time to heal if u need to and it's a great way to deal ranged damage from a safe distance. Make sure u r not in the red attack zones when they appear-use dodge, knock backs, etc.

Thete · April 2014

Taeko wrote: »

For the "puppy" make use of the platform-run onto it, jump off of it, use knock backs to make the puppy fall off. This gives u time to heal if u need to and it's a great way to deal ranged damage from a safe distance. Make sure u r not in the red attack zones when they appear-use dodge, knock backs, etc.

That is doing it the hard way. With any minor daedra or undead, use silver bolts to keep it on its arse while you calmly decapitate it.

ScippyBips · April 2014

Thete wrote: »

Taeko wrote: »

For the "puppy" make use of the platform-run onto it, jump off of it, use knock backs to make the puppy fall off. This gives u time to heal if u need to and it's a great way to deal ranged damage from a safe distance. Make sure u r not in the red attack zones when they appear-use dodge, knock backs, etc.

That is doing it the hard way. With any minor daedra or undead, use silver bolts to keep it on its arse while you calmly decapitate it.

Thanks! What are silver bolts?