Armor sets

Petoften · May 11

One of the main things for players to go after in the game are armor sets.

An inherent problem in that is that people can only use one set of equipment at any given time, typically two five piece sets and two other slots, with hundreds of set options.

The thing commonly said by players you can see in posts is '95% of sets are [useless].'

That's the thing, the game makes the problem worse in how the sets are designed. There's no way to have a large number of the sets be desirable to a player, but they make it worse.

For example, I have a nightblade who who could enjoy fighting things from behind, in traditional 'rogue' fashion. Some games accommodate that better, while ESO has limited support forit.

There is an armor set, "flanking strategist", which gives a bonus only doing that. That sounded great, my nightblade would like to use that.

But I did some checking with players and online, and everything said the set is poor, useful only for a beginning player as a stepping stone at most.

Over and over, things point to only a couple sets as 'the' sets to use outside trial gear, such as "Order's Wrath" and "Hundig's Rage",

They could do a lot better at having more sets be 'viable'. I do have one idea to help I might post, but it's not clear they're paying attention.

Gabriel_H · 12:04AM

As I've posted many times on this subject, the sets make perfect sense if you take into account the size of the game and how long it has been out.

If you play the game in chronological order, and taking a year between each Chapter i.e. as it was released, you'd find yourself using a lot of sets as you progress through. That doesn't mean there aren't some outliers, but by and large the principle holds.

What throws people off into the "95% of sets are useless", is because nowadays new players can just jump to the latest content and get the most up to date sets.

All that aside, given how many sets are in the game, you'll never achieve getting a large number "viable" at end-game. Most players follow trends. Content creator X will say set #1053 is the best set and that'll become the prevelent set.

YandereGirlfriend · 12:10AM

Gabriel_H wrote: »

As I've posted many times on this subject, the sets make perfect sense if you take into account the size of the game and how long it has been out.

If you play the game in chronological order, and taking a year between each Chapter i.e. as it was released, you'd find yourself using a lot of sets as you progress through. That doesn't mean there aren't some outliers, but by and large the principle holds.

What throws people off into the "95% of sets are useless", is because nowadays new players can just jump to the latest content and get the most up to date sets.

All that aside, given how many sets are in the game, you'll never achieve getting a large number "viable" at end-game. Most players follow trends. Content creator X will say set #1053 is the best set and that'll become the prevelent set.

But most niche sets lose to generic sets even at fulfilling their specific niche. That's such a huge fail.

Gabriel_H · 12:15AM

YandereGirlfriend wrote: »

Gabriel_H wrote: »

As I've posted many times on this subject, the sets make perfect sense if you take into account the size of the game and how long it has been out.

If you play the game in chronological order, and taking a year between each Chapter i.e. as it was released, you'd find yourself using a lot of sets as you progress through. That doesn't mean there aren't some outliers, but by and large the principle holds.

What throws people off into the "95% of sets are useless", is because nowadays new players can just jump to the latest content and get the most up to date sets.

All that aside, given how many sets are in the game, you'll never achieve getting a large number "viable" at end-game. Most players follow trends. Content creator X will say set #1053 is the best set and that'll become the prevelent set.

But most niche sets lose to generic sets even at fulfilling their specific niche. That's such a huge fail.

Depends what ZOS consider a niche set. I'll take the example the OP used: Flanking Strategist. Is that niche? It's a dps set for use in a dungeon/trial, that boosts damage when not attacking an enemy head-on. That positioning isn't niche, it's standard for a dps in most MMOs including ESO.

Edit: Typos

Tannus15 · 2:55AM

Spider Cultist Cowl

Bonuses
2 items: Adds 15-657 Critical Chance
3 items: Adds 25-1096 Maximum Magicka
4 items: Adds 3-129 Weapon and Spell Damage
5 items: Adds 13-600 Weapon and Spell Damage to your Destruction Staff abilities.

If you do everything you can to try and focus on destruction staff skills this set will still be worse than orders wrath.

Order's Wrath.

Bonuses
2 items: Adds 15-657 Critical Chance
3 items: Adds 3-129 Weapon and Spell Damage
4 items: Adds 15-657 Critical Chance
5 items: Adds 21-943 Critical Chance
5 items: Increases your Critical Damage and Critical Healing by 8%.

This is just a fact. It's baked into the numbers. There is no niche for Spider Cultist Cowl, it's just an objectively terrible set that no one should use ever.

If you use this set, I'm sorry, please stop using it.

The game has many, many many examples of sets like this that should never be used. they have no niche, they are just bad.

Taarente · 2:57AM

One thing ESO has taught me over the years is: don’t dismiss a set just because it’s old.

A lot of older sets are still excellent because they solve practical gameplay problems consistently. Newer sets are often more specialised or conditional rather than outright stronger.

The important thing is finding what works for you:

your playstyle,
your reaction speed,
your role,
your content,
and what feels comfortable and reliable in real fights.

A set that keeps you alive, keeps resources stable, or lets you stay effective under pressure is often far more valuable than chasing a few extra theoretical DPS points.

Some of the oldest sets in the game are still widely used because they simply work:

So experiment. Try combinations. Test things in actual gameplay rather than assuming “new = better."

ESO is one of the few MMOs where an old set you enjoy can still genuinely carry you through difficult content years later.

Gabriel_H · 3:00AM

Tannus15 wrote: »

Spider Cultist Cowl

Order's Wrath

Spider's cultist cowl: 2014
Order's Wrath: 2022

"If you play the game in chronological order, and taking a year between each Chapter i.e. as it was released, you'd find yourself using a lot of sets as you progress through. That doesn't mean there aren't some outliers, but by and large the principle holds."

Tannus15 · 4:28AM

Gabriel_H wrote: »

Tannus15 wrote: »

Spider Cultist Cowl

Order's Wrath

Spider's cultist cowl: 2014
Order's Wrath: 2022

"If you play the game in chronological order, and taking a year between each Chapter i.e. as it was released, you'd find yourself using a lot of sets as you progress through. That doesn't mean there aren't some outliers, but by and large the principle holds."

ok, let's play that game

Vandorallen's Resonance
2 items: Adds 34-1487 Offensive Penetration
3 items: Adds 15-657 Critical Chance
4 items: Adds 3-129 Weapon and Spell Damage
5 items: Dealing damage with a fully-charged Heavy Attack places an electric charge on yourself and below your enemy. After 1 second, both charges explode in a 4 meter blast, each dealing 914 Shock damage to enemies hit. This effect can occur once every 6 seconds and scales off the higher of your Weapon and Spell Damage.

Pillar of Nirn
2 items: Adds 15-657 Critical Chance
3 items: Adds 15-657 Critical Chance
4 items: Adds 3-129 Weapon and Spell Damage
5 items: When you deal damage, you create a fissure underneath the enemy after 1 second, dealing 803 Bleed damage to all enemies within 2.5 meters and causing them to bleed for an additional 2405 Bleed damage over 10 seconds. This effect can occur once every 10 seconds and scales off the higher of your Weapon and Spell Damage.

nirn is better in every way, and an older set.

Do you know how I know all the sets in the latest dungeons suck? No one uses them. No one farms them. Most people I know did the dungeons once or twice to see them and then left them alone because there is nothing from them they they want.

You know what my friends all have 100% in their sticker book? Pillar of nirn. It's not even BiS anymore, it's just a solid set that you can put on any build and it'll be fine.

set after useless set has been released in this game. Thankfully they have at least done an overhaul of the class sets on PTS making them worth using. You know who is using monolith of storms on live? no one. the answer is no one because the set is trash. You know what every sorc is using on PTS? monolith of storms. You know what people are doing in preparation for U50? They are farming IA.

The proof is in the pudding. People will do content if the sets have even a niche use. Peoople love options, they hate being stuck with the 2 or 3 viable options.
The current situation sucks and I really hope ZoS see people using class sets and realise the problem was always in the numbers.

Further more, we need a blue slottable CP added which gives you minor slayer. Trial sets wil still get it to you for "free" allowing you to have a more optimal build, but having it available there would allow possible non trial setups.

Gabriel_H · 4:29AM

Tannus15 wrote: »

ok, let's play that game

Seems a silly game to play given what I wrote.

"If you play the game in chronological order, and taking a year between each Chapter i.e. as it was released, you'd find yourself using a lot of sets as you progress through. That doesn't mean there aren't some outliers, but by and large the principle holds."

Petoften · 6:54AM

Thank you to the posters who replied adding their own examples about the problem. I see Zos hasn't replied, so there doesn't seem much point posting my suggestion how to improve this issue. I will if players want to get it though.

Renato90085 · 7:38AM

generally, every dungeon only 0-1 set is worth to run, other part is junk to Increase your farm time

Petoften · 8:33AM

@Gabriel_H Why shouldn't bad sets be updated to be useful? Why shouldn't Flankinng strategist be updated to give a bonus that makes it useful?

Blood_again · 9:02AM

Petoften wrote: »

Thank you to the posters who replied adding their own examples about the problem. I see Zos hasn't replied, so there doesn't seem much point posting my suggestion how to improve this issue. I will if players want to get it though.

It looks like you are trying to sell your idea as a cat in a bag.

Just to let you know, there is a feedback form in the game client and a support area of the forum that are open to suggestions. Wanna have some focused attention from the ZOS stuff? Try to use them.

As for the "selling" forum game, I guess it won't work even with most of the users of this forum. Not worth the play.
People here are full of ideas; they suggest theirs, and some of them are really good.

Petoften · 9:41AM

Blood_again wrote: »

It looks like you are trying to sell your idea as a cat in a bag.

It looks like you are making things up. I might try another suggestion option, but I'm not convinced they get much attention.

Eliahnus · 11:00AM

Tannus15 wrote: »

Gabriel_H wrote: »

set after useless set has been released in this game. Thankfully they have at least done an overhaul of the class sets on PTS making them worth using. You know who is using monolith of storms on live? no one. the answer is no one because the set is trash. You know what every sorc is using on PTS? monolith of storms. You know what people are doing in preparation for U50? They are farming IA.

I use Monolith of Storms on one of my sorcs. Why? Because it's a fun set to use. I don't care about meta.

frogthroat · 11:44AM

Skinny Cheeks had a great idea how to rebalance the sets.

https://youtu.be/kmKIsCyKu9g?si=RUhsBInJfG6UPqcg&t=106

moo_2021 · 12:45PM

Petoften wrote: »

@Gabriel_H Why shouldn't bad sets be updated to be useful? Why shouldn't Flankinng strategist be updated to give a bonus that makes it useful?

They have to add new sets with every updates. Most of them will end up unpopular unless they constantly rebalance all sets, yet new sets in same categories are expected to be more useful or why would players farm them?

What exactly would be achieved by making old unpopular sets better? It's not like a player would need a lot of sets at hand, or assemble builds from randomly picked up gears.