EA: I hate the Watcher portal - Filer's Wing

MoonPile · November 2023

I know what the skills are, I know what to do. No need to explain.

(And they are explained plenty of other places now. Only answer I haven't seen: how many tomeshells do you have to get per level, solo/duo? Solo, I managed to get 4 on 4/5 before dying, but apparently that's not enough? Duos get more; I assume double.)

I just suck at being a watcher and have zero motivation left for it. It was cute at first, but has been a horrible nuisance since 2/5. Since this is the only one I haven't finished, it keeps spawning over and over and over, replacing chances of more doable ones for Leads. I've failed dozens of times. I would like the boss Watcher to demote me. It's a miracle I made it to 4/5.

When I've gone with other players who are way better than me and get far in EA, I've NEVER heard "oh I love this one!" No, it's "this is my nemesis", "I hate this", "yeah, nah", or even just run back out the portal instantly to skip it. In forums and chat too: everyone* hates this one and/or ghost lights. (In fact, now I just skip it as well: I realized I don't need the Visions buff. I have all the others and only do EA for plans and leads now, so only do Arc 1-2 anyway.)

But it's still annoying that it replaces other portals by spawning so often. And that the whole Unknown portal system feels like a bait-and-switch: at first you get a variety of doable ones, therefore frequent rewards. But when you complete them, they're stuck at the highest difficulty account-wide (+ any you can't finish respawn constantly). More time, fewer rewards. It's the most disappointing part of EA for me: I really thought these were fun at first, and now... the vibes are bad.

...
*Surely not everyone. There's probably a few people out there that love this with every fiber of their being. Perhaps they can make a business out of Filer's Wing carries

Elvenheart · November 2023

I totally agree with all of this and I’m stuck at 4/5 too, and it’s the only one left for me and I just told a friend I’d pay for a carry too (something I’ve never done before)!

Edit to add: I reread this post and it’s really like I could have written it myself - just tonight I said I was going to try and find out how many tomeshells one needs to kill to finish the last level because that would at least help us know how many are left to get through it.

valenwood_vegan · November 2023

Lol, yeah... this was by far the worst / most frustrating one for me. I was stuck in the same situation where it was on the highest difficulty and I'd finished all the other types of portals so it was coming up every time.

I honestly can't give any good advice - I just happened to get one where all four tomes spawned close to each other after about 20 increasingly frustrating attempts. (EDIT to add: My experience was that you need to kill 4 of them solo - the issue might be that sometimes they kind of "run away" at the last second and don't get killed).

Now when it comes up, I just port right back out LOL. I can reliably complete all the others 100% of the time, but the watcher one... no thanks! Got the achiev and never again!

IZZEFlameLash · November 2023

Side contents are the worst save for the sweet roll one. That one, I enjoyed because it was just a kiting game and the concept is ridiculous and fun. Duel one? Eh it is okay. Spirit one, bleh but reasonable. But Tomeshell and puzzle one? I won't bother. Especially as a solo. I could use the time doing those to progress into next cycle. In duo, they are tedious and boring, but at least it goes fast.

Basically anything beyond level 2 anything in the archive is duo content and if you solo, it takes far longer.

SilverBride · November 2023

I am stuck at 3/5 and I would pay a LOT for a carry.

It's the last one of the unknown portal objectives I need and I've looked up tips to try to get these last 2 but I just plain can't do it no matter what I try, solo or duo.

alternatelder · November 2023

Why are there even zombies in there to kill you in 2 hits? I started just avoiding the unknown portals.

SilverBride · November 2023

valenwood_vegan wrote: »

My experience was that you need to kill 4 of them solo

Is that for the 4th or the 5th or both? Is it the same amount when in a duo?

valenwood_vegan · November 2023

SilverBride wrote: »

valenwood_vegan wrote: »

My experience was that you need to kill 4 of them solo

Is that for the 4th or the 5th or both? Is it the same amount when in a duo?

For the 5th level, I am sure I only had to kill 4 tomes. I *think* the main difference between the 4th and 5th levels had more to do with the number of zombies that spawn to chase you around... and I think you have reduced health in the 5th as compared to the 4th too. I can't remember for sure how many tomes you have to kill at the 4th level though.

I wish I could give a more certain answer, but it's been a while now (I ran the archive a ton the first week and got all the achievements, and mostly went back to other stuff in the game that I enjoy more since then - so memory of those earlier difficulty levels... not too fresh lol).

As for duo, I've only soloed the thing so someone else can hopefully offer some insight there!

MidniteOwl1913 · November 2023

I think that it's odd that even the mini-games associated with the supposed feature for everyone are bleeding hard. Or maybe it's just supposed to be off-putting...

At first, I thought the mini-games were fun side activities meant to help with the grind of the arcs, but then they too got grindy.

Honestly, EA is just a huge disappointment for me from one end to the other.

ESO_player123 · November 2023

Hate this one too. And I'm stuck at 3/5. I'm that clumsy. All others are ok. I still have one last level in the theater of war and one last one with the souls(?). Those at least look doable.

SilverBride · November 2023

valenwood_vegan wrote: »

SilverBride wrote: »

valenwood_vegan wrote: »

My experience was that you need to kill 4 of them solo

Is that for the 4th or the 5th or both? Is it the same amount when in a duo?

For the 5th level, I am sure I only had to kill 4 tomes.

I went back in and tried a few more this evening and actually completed one, so now I am 4/5. It was 4 tomes for level 4.

These unknown portal games were a lot of fun at first but become so difficult that it saps all the fun out of them.

Araneae6537 · November 2023

It would reeeally help if there was some way to recover health. I’ve advanced a few levels in the Filer’s Wing (finally!) and need to find the thread where people helpfully explained the abilities and their uses. I neglected to bookmark it.

LukosCreyden · November 2023

Yep. Not finished the watcher one. Think I am on 4/5? I just leave when it shows up because I don't want to waste time in there.

LouisaB75 · November 2023

Araneae6537 wrote: »

It would reeeally help if there was some way to recover health. I’ve advanced a few levels in the Filer’s Wing (finally!) and need to find the thread where people helpfully explained the abilities and their uses. I neglected to bookmark it.

I started that thread and it was moved to players helping players where it has somewhat died.

Am on my phone at the moment so can't easily get the link but hopefully you can track it down in that section.

TheDarkRuler · November 2023

LouisaB75 wrote: »

Araneae6537 wrote: »

It would reeeally help if there was some way to recover health. I’ve advanced a few levels in the Filer’s Wing (finally!) and need to find the thread where people helpfully explained the abilities and their uses. I neglected to bookmark it.

I started that thread and it was moved to players helping players where it has somewhat died.

Am on my phone at the moment so can't easily get the link but hopefully you can track it down in that section.

I dont have a thread but i think i can explain it.

1.) Capture a book (warning: You must be next to it when the ability ends!)
2.) Highlights books in your area. If there are none, this skill has almost zero cooldown.
3.) Speed-buff
4.) Stun an enemy that is looking at you. You must stand still to make this work.
5.) Deals dot to enemies

Hope that helps

SeaGtGruff · November 2023

Araneae6537 wrote: »

It would reeeally help if there was some way to recover health. I’ve advanced a few levels in the Filer’s Wing (finally!) and need to find the thread where people helpfully explained the abilities and their uses. I neglected to bookmark it.

I think you just need to avoid getting hit long enough for your health to regenerate. I don't think it will regenerate if you move; I think you need to stay still for a little bit. The trouble is, you have to move to keep away from the threats, so you're lucky if you can stay still long enough to recover some health.

James-Wayne · November 2023

I love the tomeshell one actually and find it super easy to do, you just need to understand when to use abilities and what pathways to take it when...

personally I hate that battle you need to do with the crystal and the spawning tentacles, the direct hits from the spam ability hit HARD and you need to be in two places at the same time, near her to interrupt and near the crystal. Hate that one!

Araneae6537 · November 2023

TheDarkRuler wrote: »

LouisaB75 wrote: »

Araneae6537 wrote: »

It would reeeally help if there was some way to recover health. I’ve advanced a few levels in the Filer’s Wing (finally!) and need to find the thread where people helpfully explained the abilities and their uses. I neglected to bookmark it.

I started that thread and it was moved to players helping players where it has somewhat died.

Am on my phone at the moment so can't easily get the link but hopefully you can track it down in that section.

I dont have a thread but i think i can explain it.

1.) Capture a book (warning: You must be next to it when the ability ends!)
2.) Highlights books in your area. If there are none, this skill has almost zero cooldown.
3.) Speed-buff
4.) Stun an enemy that is looking at you. You must stand still to make this work.
5.) Deals dot to enemies

Hope that helps

Thank you!

LouisaB75 wrote: »

Araneae6537 wrote: »

It would reeeally help if there was some way to recover health. I’ve advanced a few levels in the Filer’s Wing (finally!) and need to find the thread where people helpfully explained the abilities and their uses. I neglected to bookmark it.

I started that thread and it was moved to players helping players where it has somewhat died.

Am on my phone at the moment so can't easily get the link but hopefully you can track it down in that section.

Found it — thank you! I think threads like that should go to the topic they’re about — dungeons/trials/arenas in this case — otherwise it’s not help to someone looking for the topic unless you get lucky with a search.

robpr · November 2023

Araneae6537 wrote: »

TheDarkRuler wrote: »

LouisaB75 wrote: »

Araneae6537 wrote: »

It would reeeally help if there was some way to recover health. I’ve advanced a few levels in the Filer’s Wing (finally!) and need to find the thread where people helpfully explained the abilities and their uses. I neglected to bookmark it.

I started that thread and it was moved to players helping players where it has somewhat died.

Am on my phone at the moment so can't easily get the link but hopefully you can track it down in that section.

I dont have a thread but i think i can explain it.

1.) Capture a book (warning: You must be next to it when the ability ends!)
2.) Highlights books in your area. If there are none, this skill has almost zero cooldown.
3.) Speed-buff
4.) Stun an enemy that is looking at you. You must stand still to make this work.
5.) Deals dot to enemies

Hope that helps

Thank you!

LouisaB75 wrote: »

Araneae6537 wrote: »

It would reeeally help if there was some way to recover health. I’ve advanced a few levels in the Filer’s Wing (finally!) and need to find the thread where people helpfully explained the abilities and their uses. I neglected to bookmark it.

I started that thread and it was moved to players helping players where it has somewhat died.

Am on my phone at the moment so can't easily get the link but hopefully you can track it down in that section.

Found it — thank you! I think threads like that should go to the topic they’re about — dungeons/trials/arenas in this case — otherwise it’s not help to someone looking for the topic unless you get lucky with a search.

You can combine 4 and 5 with 1. If Hushed are about half health, stun them with 4, splash them with 5 and then 1 will slap and kill them.

dcrush · November 2023

The goat is fun, the duel is ok, the ghost lights are meh, the run puzzle is frustrating and this one is just plain annoying and not fun. In my opinion.

Kisakee · November 2023

You regain health when killing a tome and the zombies will only run after one player most times so the other one can roam freely. Also you can rivive your duo partner with a synergy.

Araneae6537 · November 2023

dcrush wrote: »

The goat is fun, the duel is ok, the ghost lights are meh, the run puzzle is frustrating and this one is just plain annoying and not fun. In my opinion.

The run puzzle is the easiest and least stressful, in my opinion. I preview what the switches do to determine the order and then the route can be run with just CP speed boosts.

The tomeshells I am disliking less, with practice, and having reviewed what skills should be used for what, am ready to try again.

Necrotech_Master · November 2023

at the highest difficulty i think there is 4 tomeshells solo, and 8 i you are in a 2 person group

a 2 person group definitely makes things easier though because you can rez each other with a synergy so if you accidentally round a corner into a tentacle your partner can get you back up or complete the event depending on what may be better at the time

the most annoying one for me is the switch puzzle, not really annoying because its difficult just annoying taking the time to figure out the pattern, hit all the buttons, and run it (though in 2 person group it definitely is easier for sure)

Nilandia · November 2023

Araneae6537 wrote: »

It would reeeally help if there was some way to recover health. I’ve advanced a few levels in the Filer’s Wing (finally!) and need to find the thread where people helpfully explained the abilities and their uses. I neglected to bookmark it.

Ability 1: Tentacle Torment
- Burst Out tentacles, dealing in a 5 meter radius around you dealing X Magic Damage.

Ability 2: All Seeing
- Find all Tomeshells in a 50 meter radius. They are visible for up to 15 seconds

Ability 3: Speedy Tentacles
- Wiggle your tentacles faster causing you to go 50% faster
- Lasts 3 seconds

Ability 4: Paraylzing Blast [sic]
- Stare at your enemies so hard that it stuns them from a 15 meter radius in front of you for 10 seconds
- Conal AOE

Ability 5: Ink Spray
- Create an ink cloud that lays in a 5 meter radius for 20 seconds and deals X Magic Damage and snares enemies that enter it by 50%

Theignson · November 2023

This is the worst one for sure. The interface is clunky, it's buggy, there are desyncs, skills don't work well.

One piece of advice I got and I finally got through it: just keep running the whole time, never stop. If you see an enemy chasing you, hit your speed buff.

Also: watch out for those fixed tentacles, they killed me many times and their area of effect is unpredictable. Just don't go past them.

SilverBride · November 2023

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

at the highest difficulty i think there is 4 tomeshells solo, and 8 i you are in a 2 person group

I'm not sure that there are more in a duo because none of the others seem to do that.

SilverBride · November 2023

Nilandia wrote: »

Ability 1: Tentacle Torment
- Burst Out tentacles, dealing in a 5 meter radius around you dealing X Magic Damage.

Does this also damage the booknados and the tentacles?

EdjeSwift · November 2023

SilverBride wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

at the highest difficulty i think there is 4 tomeshells solo, and 8 i you are in a 2 person group

I'm not sure that there are more in a duo because none of the others seem to do that.

They all change duo v solo except for Ghost lights.

2 Butchers with the goats
Double the Tomeshells
You can't trigger all 6 and sprint in a duo
Aramril spawns double the tenctacles

boi_anachronism_ · November 2023

I loath this one. I needed a friend to finish the final stage..

SilverBride · November 2023

EdjeSwift wrote: »

Double the Tomeshells

Has this been verified?

EdjeSwift · November 2023

SilverBride wrote: »

EdjeSwift wrote: »

Double the Tomeshells

Has this been verified?

Yes, solo I deal with 4, duo it's 8.

@Necrotech_Master had an 8 arc run where we had this mini-game pop up at least 40% of the time and it's 8 at 5/5