Medusa drop rate

Lady_Sleepless · September 2020

I ran it 3 times and got 1 inferno and all jewellery. The inferno was in an intermediate chest, remember to always look around for them!

scorpius2k1 · September 2020

Lady_Sleepless wrote: »

I ran it 3 times and got 1 inferno and all jewellery. The inferno was in an intermediate chest, remember to always look around for them!

Agreed, but you got extremely lucky with RNG for sure. Drop rates on this set are atrocious for most. Also adding to your comment, run with a group/guild that is willing to give you any pieces they loot to increase your chances. As a few others have said here, an "easier" alternative is farming 2 heavy pieces (chest & pants) + jewels which would give you 100% set uptime instead of worrying about the staff and also make effective use Maelstrom on back bar.

Using two sets on a necro and magsorc (inferno setup for necro, lightning setup for magsorc) personally I don't feel it's worth the time spent. It's really a convenience set which would allow you to get the 10% crit damage which can easily be attained by slotting and using a skill like trap beast or channeled acceleration instead and just use something else for gear like Mothers Sorrow. Freeing up that slot with Medusa set for another aoe/dot really doesn't matter all that much unless min/maxing is a factor OR you want to have a heal/shield slotted. If I had to go back and do it again, I would just avoid Medusa altogether, not worth the trouble for the small gain. Some may disagree, keep in mind this is my experience and opinion after using it for a week now.

With that said, if ZoS ever removes BOP which to me is an outdated and unnecessary MMO logic and instead makes everything BOE... WTS!

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ACamaroGuy · September 2020

scorpius2k1 wrote: »

Lady_Sleepless wrote: »

I ran it 3 times and got 1 inferno and all jewellery. The inferno was in an intermediate chest, remember to always look around for them!

Agreed, but you got extremely lucky with RNG for sure. Drop rates on this set are atrocious for most. Also adding to your comment, run with a group/guild that is willing to give you any pieces they loot to increase your chances. As a few others have said here, an "easier" alternative is farming 2 heavy pieces (chest & pants) + jewels which would give you 100% set uptime instead of worrying about the staff and also make effective use Maelstrom on back bar.

Using two sets on a necro and magsorc (inferno setup for necro, lightning setup for magsorc) personally I don't feel it's worth the time spent. It's really a convenience set which would allow you to get the 10% crit damage which can easily be attained by slotting and using a skill like trap beast or channeled acceleration instead and just use something else for gear like Mothers Sorrow. Freeing up that slot with Medusa set for another aoe/dot really doesn't matter all that much unless min/maxing is a factor OR you want to have a heal/shield slotted. If I had to go back and do it again, I would just avoid Medusa altogether, not worth the trouble for the small gain. Some may disagree, keep in mind this is my experience and opinion after using it for a week now.

With that said, if ZoS ever removes BOP which to me is an outdated and unnecessary MMO logic and instead makes everything BOE... WTS!
.

Does trap work for Magicka builds or is it just a stamina build bonus?

Tannus15 · September 2020

I've been farming with my guildies off and on.
Luckily i got mine early on, but here is someone else's list who is still hunting for that inferno:

vgabor · September 2020

err... why this big farming, why do you use medusa over sorrow?

ACamaroGuy · September 2020

vgabor wrote: »

err... why this big farming, why do you use medusa over sorrow?

With changing to Medusa over Mother's Sorrow...I lose approximately 9% crit chance. That's with all gold Sorrow vs 3 purple Medusa jewelry.
Use it with Siroria or Roaring Opportunist and Maw of the Infernal. Something different then the Alcast build that everyone hates yet uses.

Tannus15 · September 2020

for minor force, which is a very important buff.

you can drop trap / accelerate from your skills if you run medusa instead of sorrow
on a dummy, sorrow & trap is still better, but if you need more skills like a shield or a heal or more aoe then running medusa is a strong option.

2 pet Sorcs builds in particular are very skill slot poor and also spend a lot of their rotation on the front bar hitting the spammables, making the medusa inferno ideal.

LadyLethalla · September 2020

I soloed Arx maybe 8 times last week and ran once with a group and got only a single crappy traited armour piece in all except one run, in which I got an axe. Not a single jewel drop, let alone a stave. On the other hand, if I'd been farming Undaunted Infiltrator I eould have gotten almost everything I needed.

adilazimdegilx · September 2020

Medusa is much more better on body and jewellry than frontbar. Instead of farming for it, stick with mother sorrow until you get your desired front bar set (I'm guessing siroria or false god or something).

Tannus15 · September 2020

adilazimdegilx wrote: »

Medusa is much more better on body and jewellry than frontbar. Instead of farming for it, stick with mother sorrow until you get your desired front bar set (I'm guessing siroria or false god or something).

I tested both setups on mag sorc and it can go either way. it all depends on how much time you spend on the front / back bar.
also it has a lot to do with where all your dps comes from. again, mag sorc you're looking at frags and spammable, so it's a perfect fit.
mag dk, not so much.

medusa staff is theoretically the easiest item to fine since the dungeon has 4 chests and the boss. i've done a lot of vCR runs and still no perf siroria inferno staff.

ACamaroGuy · September 2020

Tannus15 wrote: »

adilazimdegilx wrote: »

Medusa is much more better on body and jewellry than frontbar. Instead of farming for it, stick with mother sorrow until you get your desired front bar set (I'm guessing siroria or false god or something).

I tested both setups on mag sorc and it can go either way. it all depends on how much time you spend on the front / back bar.
also it has a lot to do with where all your dps comes from. again, mag sorc you're looking at frags and spammable, so it's a perfect fit.
mag dk, not so much.

medusa staff is theoretically the easiest item to fine since the dungeon has 4 chests and the boss. i've done a lot of vCR runs and still no perf siroria inferno staff.

Is Medusa any good on a MagPlar?

Bashev · September 2020

Random is something terrible.

I was farming my infiltrator lighting staff and for my 40-50 runs, I gave 2 fire staffs medusa and 1 lighting staff medusa. 1 fire and 1 lighting medusa dropped but noone in my group needed them so i just kept them even that i dont need them as I dont PvE.

scorpius2k1 · September 2020

ACamaroGuy wrote: »

Does trap work for Magicka builds or is it just a stamina build bonus?

Yes, both Stam & Mag setups get the Minor Force crit damage bonus from it. Also, something I don't see much of -- Trapped beast is more of a "melee" skill since you have to place it where you stand, you can optionally use the other morph "Lightweight Beast Trap" which will allow you to throw the trap 28 meters making it a ranged skill which fits nicely with ranged mag toons. Both trapped and lightweight have the minor force crit bonus and super easy to use since you only have to use the skill on an enemy every 60 18s (trapped) or 10s (lightweight) to keep the buff up.

EDIT: Buff uptime on trap/lightweight is 18s/10s, but may be more beneficial to certain player types that want to use available stamina instead of magicka and do extra physical damage.

wwestjr · September 2020

Can you please explain front bar equipment set vs back bar equipment set? I'm confused or misinterpreting (both?).

Also, doesn't Medusa provide an added benefit for physical/spell resistance because it's heavy armor? I see this as huge benefit in dungeon and trial runs.

Donny_Vito · September 2020

Also, doesn't Medusa provide an added benefit for physical/spell resistance because it's heavy armor? I see this as huge benefit in dungeon and trial runs.

I wouldn't classify it as a huge benefit, but you'd most likely use the chest piece instead of your typical heavy helm so that will provide a minor bonus to your resistances.

SidraWillowsky · September 2020

wwestjr wrote: »

Can you please explain front bar equipment set vs back bar equipment set? I'm confused or misinterpreting (both?).

Also, doesn't Medusa provide an added benefit for physical/spell resistance because it's heavy armor? I see this as huge benefit in dungeon and trial runs.

An optimal DPS setup typically includes using a special weapon on your back bar (Maelstrom bow/Maelstrom inferno staff/Master's bow), which means that when you swap to your back bar, you lose two pieces of one of your sets, since the weapon takes up two weapon slots.

Ideally, for the set that gets "broken", you want to choose a set where the effects carry over to the back bar- for example, Advancing Yokeda and Siroria both do this. Once you gain stacks, the stacks and their corresponding effects persist for their duration (5 seconds for AY and 10 seconds for Siroria) regardless of whether you have all five pieces equipped. This means that when I have my Siroria stacks up, when I swap to my back bar the stacks and their effects still persist (though I cannot gain any new stacks on the back bar) for 10 seconds.

Compare that to sets with "flat" bonuses- Mother's Sorrow, Leviathan, Medusa, War Maiden, etc., etc. If you have a set like that as your front bar (aka front bar weapon) set, when you swap to your back bar, their effects drop off until you swap back. Depending on how efficient you are on your back bar, this can either be not a huge deal, or it can tank your DPS if you spend too much time on your back bar. I use a Mother's Sorrow staff on my front bar because I wear it with False Gods (also a flat effect set), and the FG bonus is, at least for me, more important to have constantly. When I swap to back bar, I lose the MS 4- and 5-piece bonuses, but I'm able to move off of the back bar quickly enough that it's still worth it to use it as a front-bar set.

I personally think that using Medusa as a front bar set defeats the purpose of the set, since the Minor Force uptime ends up being about the same as it is when I use Channeled Acceleration, so the set effect is canceled out by that, and you're better off just using Channeled and some other set. Others have made perfectly valid arguments for why the staff is OK, but my opinion is that it's silly to front-bar it, and my DPS is much higher when I use Medusa jewels + two body pieces than it is when I try to use the staff.

El_Borracho · September 2020

Got into a farming group. Got all the jewelry, but it took about 2 hours for the neck to drop. No destro staves, as in no staves by anyone in the group. Decided to try a Magblade build I saw where you wear all jewelry, 2 heavy Medusa body pieces, and 2 light monster set pieces instead:

https://liko.gg/content/4128/liko-magicka-nightblade-pve-build-(94k+)-stonethorn-elder-scrolls-online-eso

Made some tweaks to it in CP and have not transmuted the jewelry as that would put my health under 20K with food. While I haven't hit that 94K as advertised, it hits pretty hard and is fairly tanky with those adjustments. Haven't had any sustain issues either.

AshfieldLad · September 2020

I got an infused inferno on my 2nd run, the neck was my nemesis ! I did about 50 runs and ended up paying 100k for it on a pug run vet( I offered in advance)

Drdeath20 · September 2020

SidraWillowsky wrote: »

wwestjr wrote: »

Can you please explain front bar equipment set vs back bar equipment set? I'm confused or misinterpreting (both?).

Also, doesn't Medusa provide an added benefit for physical/spell resistance because it's heavy armor? I see this as huge benefit in dungeon and trial runs.

An optimal DPS setup typically includes using a special weapon on your back bar (Maelstrom bow/Maelstrom inferno staff/Master's bow), which means that when you swap to your back bar, you lose two pieces of one of your sets, since the weapon takes up two weapon slots.

Ideally, for the set that gets "broken", you want to choose a set where the effects carry over to the back bar- for example, Advancing Yokeda and Siroria both do this. Once you gain stacks, the stacks and their corresponding effects persist for their duration (5 seconds for AY and 10 seconds for Siroria) regardless of whether you have all five pieces equipped. This means that when I have my Siroria stacks up, when I swap to my back bar the stacks and their effects still persist (though I cannot gain any new stacks on the back bar) for 10 seconds.

Compare that to sets with "flat" bonuses- Mother's Sorrow, Leviathan, Medusa, War Maiden, etc., etc. If you have a set like that as your front bar (aka front bar weapon) set, when you swap to your back bar, their effects drop off until you swap back. Depending on how efficient you are on your back bar, this can either be not a huge deal, or it can tank your DPS if you spend too much time on your back bar. I use a Mother's Sorrow staff on my front bar because I wear it with False Gods (also a flat effect set), and the FG bonus is, at least for me, more important to have constantly. When I swap to back bar, I lose the MS 4- and 5-piece bonuses, but I'm able to move off of the back bar quickly enough that it's still worth it to use it as a front-bar set.

I personally think that using Medusa as a front bar set defeats the purpose of the set, since the Minor Force uptime ends up being about the same as it is when I use Channeled Acceleration, so the set effect is canceled out by that, and you're better off just using Channeled and some other set. Others have made perfectly valid arguments for why the staff is OK, but my opinion is that it's silly to front-bar it, and my DPS is much higher when I use Medusa jewels + two body pieces than it is when I try to use the staff.

You spend much more time on your front bar. Also on a test dummy dropping trap is easy as pie but on some of the tougher group content, that requires good burn, its not a good option.

Also being able to free up a skill slot is huge for certain situations.

HalfDragoness · September 2020

I started running Arx Corinium about a week before the update and I farmed the dungeon on vet for purple jewellery. I learnt all the chest locations which I check every time. (there are two more chest spawn locations in the tower beyond the final boss, just in case you weren't aware)
I probably did 20- 30 runs total and I got:
- 2 inferno staves, (within about 5 runs of each other) one from the final boss, one from a treasure chest
- 1 lightning staff from final boss
- 2 frost staves, one from a chest, one from another player who didn't want it.
- 6 necklaces for some reason
- 1 ring.

Rings ended u being the item I struggled to find. I managed to trade with other players for the rings though.

Aznarb · September 2020

vgabor wrote: »

err... why this big farming, why do you use medusa over sorrow?

That the true point, medusa is only good in very short fight, MS still bis.

gatekeeper13 · September 2020

scorpius2k1 wrote: »

Both trapped and lightweight have the minor force crit bonus and super easy to use since you only have to use the skill on an enemy every 60 seconds to keep the buff up.

That's not true. Minor force lasts 18 seconds for Barbed Trap and 10 secs for Lightweight Trap.

For mags it's better to use Channeled Acceleration which gives Minor Force for 36 secs.

Drdeath20 · September 2020

Medusa on a magblade is such a luxury. It can be such a benefit to be able to drop trap and front bar either lotus fan for minor vulnerability or use reaping mark for major beserk depending on dungeon and group.

Even with other setups you can passively make up for the loss in crit or magicka that you would lose from using medusa over mothers sorrow. Slotting another assassination ability adds another 438 crit or slotting inner light on front bar for 5% more max magicka which on a typical 30k mag damage dealer is around 1500 magicka.

While i agree the RNG blows isnt that the whole point of the game? Get a reason to play, invest time grinding for it, then once you get it enjoy the spoils until it gets old or it gets nerfed. Rinse and repeat.

Its a necessary evil if you want the game to last.

Drdeath20 · September 2020

Theres keeping 100% uptime on a test dummy vs keeping good uptime in content.
Trap in certain scenarios is often the latter. Using acceleration or channeled acceleration also comes at a cost.

In some group dungeons its hard for 4 players to provide certain buffs that you take for granted a trial. There is also the case that being able to add 1 more spammable use every rotation is a net gain, with all things considered.

El_Borracho · September 2020

@Drdeath20 Completely agree. Yes, Mother's Sorrow is a great set and still BiS, but with a Magblade that BiS gap is razor thin. I love not having to slot trap anymore and instead having the flexibility to use other skills instead.

Taleof2Cities · September 2020

As someone still farming a Winterborn Ice Staff (which has a lower drop rate than Medusa), I get a chuckle when I see players complaining about the drop rate in regular dungeons.

Xebov · September 2020

ACamaroGuy wrote: »

Does it actually hurt the game or cost them money to increase the drop rates?

There are 7 armor pieces for 3 sets (21 in total) that can drop from the Bosses.
There are 2 jewelry pieces and 13 weapons per set (45 in total) for the Endboss.
There are in total 66 possible drops for chests.

If % for every piece is equal you have a 2.22% chance for a specific piece at the Endboss and 1.51% from chests.
If they split into groups first and then rolled to a specific piece in a second roll than you have less than 1%.

Now heres your problem: How do you want to increase the droprates? If all items have equal chances than there is no way to improve it.

Oreyn_Bearclaw · September 2020

I was actually just looking through my hoarding pile last night for this set. Looks like I need one ring (just realized I didnt check for the unique version of the ring, Swampbinder does sound familiar) and maybe a staff.

Seems however that this set is better on the body and jewelry (makes your run a 5/2 setup). Assuming you pair with a trail set like FG or Siroria, I think they make the better front bar option. Although admittedly, those are probably harder weapons to farm.

scorpius2k1 · September 2020

gatekeeper13 wrote: »

scorpius2k1 wrote: »

Both trapped and lightweight have the minor force crit bonus and super easy to use since you only have to use the skill on an enemy every 60 seconds to keep the buff up.

That's not true. Minor force lasts 18 seconds for Barbed Trap and 10 secs for Lightweight Trap.

For mags it's better to use Channeled Acceleration which gives Minor Force for 36 secs.

Thanks for this clarification, you're absolutely right about both being less uptime than channeled. I should have read more closely. I was under the assumption quick reading the first part of the skill (60s) and not the second

With that said, if the concern is only about buff uptime then I agree, go channeled. Personally though, I still prefer using trap/lightweight over channeled since it takes stamina instead of magicka and does extra physical damage (even if mag, it's still extra damage), not to mention avoiding the Psijic Skill line grind. Every 18s or 10s really isn't bad at all imho to keep the buff up still have plenty of stamina available for cc/roll, etc. I also don't care for the cast time on channeled. Could also just run Medusa 3 jewels+2 gear to keep 100% uptime instead of worrying about any skill at all. All personal preference really.

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DMuehlhausen · September 2020

If you're farming gear never run alone