PLEASE do something about the IA Dragons

SilverBride · May 11

I was running the IA on my new Warden and was doing well up until Arc 2, Cycle 4 when surprise surprise the boss was a fire breathing Dragon. The worst of the three Dragons in my opinion. Of course I died because these Dragons are just too big for that platform. There is very little space to not get knocked off and when they get in the air and breath their fire down I can't see past it to find even a tiny safe spot.

Is it possible to expand the platform, even if just with a ring that extends over the side some? Or could the Dragons be sized down to a more appropriate size for the space? It is beyond frustrating to almost get to Tho'at 2 for the first time on my Warden just to be first knocked off then fried to a crisp.

I know these are easy for some but no amount of tips helps me because the problem is too big a boss on too small a space, and too difficult for the first few arcs.

Please help. @ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_JessicaFolsom @ZOS_Kevin

Sarthendria · May 11

God yeah those dragons suck to fight in IA. Id love for the ledges to be removed from the arena or for some safety measure to be in place especially when fighting dragons there. What ive found that works best against fighting dragons is to try and make sure you are behind the dragon at all times. The tail attack still does knockback but ive found it to not be as bad to deal with as the wings or the Fus-Ro-Dah. Using companions can help too, to get you to that position, although the companions will likely die fast to the other mechanics.
Hopefully ZOS will change the arenas for dragons but in the meantime, I hope the advice can be of some help.

Hapexamendios · May 11

My basic strategy with the dragons solo is to stand as close as possible to the center and rotate around it. If I need to dodge roll, I try to go through the center under dragon. Not foolproof, but it's what has worked the best for me. The worst for me is the lightning dragon. The large AOEs make the strategy more difficult.

SilverBride · May 11

I had a Companion and the Warden's Eternal Guardian and the Eye of the Infinite Watching with me but they can't stop me from being knocked off or fried.

I appreciate the tips and will give them a try, but I still think the main problem is that the Dragons are just too big for the space.

Buffy121 · May 11

I agree.

IncultaWolf · May 11

If you hold block, you won't be knocked off by the wing slap.

SilverBride · May 11

I've tried that and still got knocked off.

ESO_player123 · May 11

SilverBride wrote: »

I've tried that and still got knocked off.

You need to time it. Start blocking when it starts raising its wing. At least that is usually working for me.

SilverBride · May 11

I'll give that a try. Thanks.

LadyOuttaTime · May 11

block with fus ro dah
stay out of wing slap
fire dragon is the easiest. during it's flight phase, you just move to the edge. the other two dragons flight phase is a lot deadlier. Ice being the absolute worst.
I don't think the ice dragon is meant to be survived past arc 6, like really
and yes. they are WAY TOO BIG for that teeny platform. really? why are they in there?

lillybit · May 11

The thing that bugs me is if you fall off the platforms in any other stage you revive without losing a life, but on bosses where there's a much smaller platform and more chances of being knocked off you do

Ilumia · May 11

I always stay near the head, or probably the neck - sort off. It will try to turn to get to me anyway, and it's really difficult for the second person if I'm constantly thrashing about. But also - importantly - the dragon constantly turning, can make it harder for me to figure when to block or roll dodge the annoying attacks, and I have once been yeeted off the platform like a golfball while the dragon was doing a piruette trying to catch me.

In short I agree, a little more platform when facing dragons would be nice. While they are definitely not my least favorite IA bosses to go up against, they do seem in the top catogories of the IA boss difficulty tiers, because they have quite a few mechanics that give insta death, even in low arcs - mostly because they knock you off the platform.

Taarente · May 11

I have to admit when i see the dragons I think well it was a good run, though some are easier than they look. I've managed a few successes.

thatnewcatsmell · May 11

The thing is you really don't have to be near any dragon's wings at all except maybe when you have to dodge Yolna's half arena cleave after the flight phase, so just stay near the head and don't move too much (as a matter of fact not moving too much except for dodging attacks is a good idea in general). At that point the only thing that can knock you off the platform is the Fus Ro Da attack which is blockable and very clearly telegraphed.

Blood_again · May 11

You got plenty of tactic tips for IA dragons in Feb 2025

I still can't get your approach "do something with the content because of me" instead of learning.
OP, it is you who needs to do something with these dragons. You need to learn to fight them. So please, do something about them.

DenverRalphy · May 11

The dragons are not too big for the platform. Just stand between the dragon's head and the knuckle of either wing, and you're completely safe from wing/tail slaps. Step to the outside of the AoE when he goes into flight phase.

Which was explained to you many times in an older thread you created.

Thoriorz · May 11

Yea, just block, and the dragon won't knock you off the platform. (If you still get knocked off, it's probably bad timing—maybe a slow reaction?)
And when you're fighting him, don't stand next to him or behind him—if you face him head-on, he won't swing his wing, at most, he'll blow breath, but you can block that...

twisttop138 · May 11

DenverRalphy wrote: »

The dragons are not too big for the platform. Just stand between the dragon's head and the knuckle of either wing, and you're completely safe from wing/tail slaps. Step to the outside of the AoE when he goes into flight phase.

Which was explained to you many times in an older thread you created.

The Sunspire method. Always works.

For myself I dislike the ice dragon when he does his flying attack. Though if I actually built for IA and didn't run my trial dps through, I'd have an easier time.

BXR_Lonestar · May 11

SilverBride wrote: »

I was running the IA on my new Warden and was doing well up until Arc 2, Cycle 4 when surprise surprise the boss was a fire breathing Dragon. The worst of the three Dragons in my opinion. Of course I died because these Dragons are just too big for that platform. There is very little space to not get knocked off and when they get in the air and breath their fire down I can't see past it to find even a tiny safe spot.

Is it possible to expand the platform, even if just with a ring that extends over the side some? Or could the Dragons be sized down to a more appropriate size for the space? It is beyond frustrating to almost get to Tho'at 2 for the first time on my Warden just to be first knocked off then fried to a crisp.

Please help.

[I know these are easy for some but no amount of tips helps me because the problem is too big a boss on too small a space.]

It REALLY helps to run IA with a partner, but even then, you can still get knocked off. Had an ice dragon give us an early exit before Arc 4, but we were thankful because we were ready to be done before that.

tomfant · May 11

It's hilarious that they do their flight phase no matter what. In early arcs it is possible to nuke them during the first ground phase. So they go flying with zero HP, and die instant when touching the ground again. While the fight is technically won the player still needs to survive the mechs of the flight phase.

DenverRalphy · May 11

tomfant wrote: »

It's hilarious that they do their flight phase no matter what. In early arcs it is possible to nuke them during the first ground phase. So they go flying with zero HP, and die instant when touching the ground again. While the fight is technically won the player still needs to survive the mechs of the flight phase.

You can kill them before flight phase. Though perhaps your experience had a DoT bring them to zero while in the flight phase animation, but not quite zero when the phase started.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8ckQlW2eaY

SilverBride · May 11

Blood_again wrote: »

You got plenty of tactic tips for IA dragons in Feb 2025

I still can't get your approach "do something with the content because of me" instead of learning.
OP, it is you who needs to do something with these dragons. You need to learn to fight them. So please, do something about them.

DenverRalphy wrote: »

The dragons are not too big for the platform. Just stand between the dragon's head and the knuckle of either wing, and you're completely safe from wing/tail slaps. Step to the outside of the AoE when he goes into flight phase.

Which was explained to you many times in an older thread you created.

Yes I have complained about this before. I find it interesting that this thread from over a year ago was found and brought up here now as having already provided answers for this problem. But it hasn't.

I tried all the tips in that thread, yet nothing has helped. Seeing a Dragon during a run is still a death sentence.

Dragons are just way too big for this platform and no amount of "getting gud" is going to change that.

GeneralGrundmann · May 11

Interesting.

If you tried all the tips in that thread, and followed them properly, and you are still unable to beat the dragons, then nobody should be able to beat the dragons and they are a death sentence for all of us.

But it looks like some/a few/a minority/ a majority of players can beat the dragons.

Something doesn't sum up here...

BagOfBadgers · May 11

Never had a problem with them. It's getting all to common for people to ask that content that's reasonably difficult and needs skill, gets made easier because of a them issue (I'm considered disabled as I have the use of between 1 and 1 and half hands, depends on the day + other things that keep my life “interesting”).

Sorry if this comes off Elites, but I enjoy a challenge and I don't what to say it, but "if I can do do it so can you".

SilverBride · May 11

GeneralGrundmann wrote: »

Interesting.

If you tried all the tips in that thread, and followed them properly, and you are still unable to beat the dragons, then nobody should be able to beat the dragons and they are a death sentence for all of us.

But it looks like some/a few/a minority/ a majority of players can beat the dragons.

Something doesn't sum up here...

I'm far from the only player that has a problem with these Dragons. If others don't then that is really good for them but it does not change the fact that these Dragons are way too big for the platform.

SilverBride · May 11

BagOfBadgers wrote: »

Never had a problem with them. It's getting all to common for people to ask that content that's reasonably difficult and needs skill, gets made easier because of a them issue (I'm considered disabled as I have the use of between 1 and 1 and half hands, depends on the day + other things that keep my life “interesting”).

Sorry if this comes off Elites, but I enjoy a challenge and I don't what to say it, but "if I can do do it so can you".

I find it admirable that you are able to defeat these Dragons and that you enjoy the fights. But to clear things up, I am not asking that they change the mechanics of the fights in any way. I just want a bigger space to fight them in.

DenverRalphy · May 11

SilverBride wrote: »

BagOfBadgers wrote: »

Never had a problem with them. It's getting all to common for people to ask that content that's reasonably difficult and needs skill, gets made easier because of a them issue (I'm considered disabled as I have the use of between 1 and 1 and half hands, depends on the day + other things that keep my life “interesting”).

Sorry if this comes off Elites, but I enjoy a challenge and I don't what to say it, but "if I can do do it so can you".

I find it admirable that you are able to defeat these Dragons and that you enjoy the fights. But to clear things up, I am not asking that they change the mechanics of the fights in any way. I just want a bigger space to fight them in.

Asking for a bigger space to fight actually is asking for them to change the mechanics. The dragons have a very limited arsenal of skills, none of which do any appreciable amount of damage or can't be blocked/avoided. The tail or wingslap is pretty much the only reliable weapon in its arsenal. Expanding the platform would effectively turn the knockback into little more than a nuissance. You're essentially asking to nullify the mechanic.

SilverBride · May 11

DenverRalphy wrote: »

Asking for a bigger space to fight actually is asking for them to change the mechanics. The dragons have a very limited arsenal of skills, none of which do any appreciable amount of damage or can't be blocked/avoided. The tail or wingslap is pretty much the only reliable weapon in its arsenal. Expanding the platform would effectively turn the knockback into little more than a nuissance. You're essentially asking to nullify the mechanic.

Dragons are in huge outdoor areas in Elsweyr and have a much larger area to fight them in Sunspire. This doesn't diminish their skills or power there.

DenverRalphy · May 11

SilverBride wrote: »

DenverRalphy wrote: »

Asking for a bigger space to fight actually is asking for them to change the mechanics. The dragons have a very limited arsenal of skills, none of which do any appreciable amount of damage or can't be blocked/avoided. The tail or wingslap is pretty much the only reliable weapon in its arsenal. Expanding the platform would effectively turn the knockback into little more than a nuissance. You're essentially asking to nullify the mechanic.

Dragons are in huge outdoor areas in Elsweyr and have a much larger area to fight them in Sunspire. This doesn't diminish their skills or power there.

And in Sunspire those wingslaps can kill you instantly. The surest way to fail against the dragons in SS is to not follow the exact same mechanic. If you're so familiar with Sunspire, then I fail lto comprehend why you can't apply the same mechanics in IA.

SilverBride · May 11

DenverRalphy wrote: »

SilverBride wrote: »

DenverRalphy wrote: »

Asking for a bigger space to fight actually is asking for them to change the mechanics. The dragons have a very limited arsenal of skills, none of which do any appreciable amount of damage or can't be blocked/avoided. The tail or wingslap is pretty much the only reliable weapon in its arsenal. Expanding the platform would effectively turn the knockback into little more than a nuissance. You're essentially asking to nullify the mechanic.

Dragons are in huge outdoor areas in Elsweyr and have a much larger area to fight them in Sunspire. This doesn't diminish their skills or power there.

And in Sunspire those wingslaps can kill you instantly.

And in Sunspire we are there with 11 other players. Not on our own in a very small area that leaves very little room for the player to maneuver.

DenverRalphy · May 11

SilverBride wrote: »

DenverRalphy wrote: »

SilverBride wrote: »

DenverRalphy wrote: »

Asking for a bigger space to fight actually is asking for them to change the mechanics. The dragons have a very limited arsenal of skills, none of which do any appreciable amount of damage or can't be blocked/avoided. The tail or wingslap is pretty much the only reliable weapon in its arsenal. Expanding the platform would effectively turn the knockback into little more than a nuissance. You're essentially asking to nullify the mechanic.

Dragons are in huge outdoor areas in Elsweyr and have a much larger area to fight them in Sunspire. This doesn't diminish their skills or power there.

And in Sunspire those wingslaps can kill you instantly.

And in Sunspire we are there with 11 other players. Not on our own in a very small area that leaves very little room for the player to maneuver.

Since you used the fire dragon as your example in the OP..

During flight phase, you have the same amount of room to stand in at the edge of the arena in both Sunspire and IA. In sunpsire, the arena has the added molten lava pools tossed into the mix, IA you do not. In SS you have Atros to fight in the arena while the dragon is on the ground, in IA you do not.

Character combat placement in both SS and IA are exactly the same mechanic. If you're familiar with SS, follow the exact same mechanic in IA.