Maelstrom Staff stealth nerf and huge buff to Heavy Attacks in the week 4 PTS for U35 Lost Depths

Maelstrom Staff change explained and Heavy Attacks are buffed in the week 4 PTS of U35 Lost Depths DLC in ESO (Elder Scrolls Online). This PTS has quite its up and downs.
Article: alcasthq.com/m...
Patch Notes: forums.eldersc...
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[@ralphroder3136]

ZOS combat team are like storm troopers. Reliably missing the mark over and over and over.

[@onlyquestions9914]

Bahahaha 😆, well done

[@ViciousVioletteLV]

Lmao!

[@LishiePoo]

As a mag character... I really don't want to HAVE to use a 2hander just to do decent damage. Its so fucked up. All the weapons should be balanced so people can pick and chose what works more.

[@UncleDaniel]

10000000% true

[@swervess23]

Been saying this for a min, it makes no sense.

[@nigelcaudill451]

Back in the day duel wielding swords provided more spell power than any staff lol

[@CanadianBaconPwnage]

This entire patch cycle has been "Monkey Paws: the Movie". The devs are responding to feedback and doing things we asked for (sort of), but then they throw things in that are even worse than what was in Week 1. This dev team is either completely incompetent, or is as cunningly chaotic as a D'jinn, there's no in between.

[@dagehaHD]

this whole update has been a shambles tbh. I seriously think they need to just scrap 90% it and go back to the drawing board.

[@cheutho]

Put out the dungeons... undo everything else.

[@harvspecial5037]

“Play like you want” until it’s nerfed then buffed then nerfed again then changed then buffed then nerfed.

[@kylebarclay9352]

I'm honestly okay with heavy attacks being powerful and competitive. As long as a more dynamic builds involving a solid rotation stays relevant and outperforms heavy builds, I'm fine with ppl hitting 80k+ with a few button presses. I saw one parse with a 147k execute crit. It's unreal. Let skillful players be rewarded by their skill. Let casual players enjoy chuncks of the game that are usually inaccessable to them. Who cares if they smack'n.

[@nycempirestate4689]

Alcast mentions in the video that light attack builds will still be doing more than heavy attack builds. I’m not a big fan of the changes overall, but there is one problem I was hoping ZOS would fix at some point. The problem being the gate keepy nature of endgame content. What I’m hoping to see is 5-10k damage gap. For example, a heavy attack build does a 110k damage, but if you optimize with a light attack build you could do 120k damage. Honestly, there shouldn’t be a damage gap at all in favor of build diversity. Some people just genuinely like to do heavy attacks, and those people shouldn’t be gate kept from high end content. However, I think that a damage gap needs to exist for those who think that pressing buttons faster is the overall determining factor of skill.

[@nazarethrift1019]

@@nycempirestate4689 “he believes”that is. Light attack is loosing a lot and restro staff heavy attacks currently out dpsing light attacks by a large margin. We will all have to see what next week brings. At this point I hope they push this update back a bit so they can get the balance a bit closer before going live with it.

[@ZDavidH]

I think so

[@darlenehoover6577]

😎👍

[@carlos424]

It’s really not just pressing buttons faster. Every skill has a one second cool down. It’s more about timing, and maintaining damage over time effects, maintaining buffs, etc. In my opinion it’s totally ludicrous for someone holding heavy attacks to do nearly the same damage as someone who has practiced their timing for hours and hours. And by the way, those same people who practice for hours and hours will also be able to do heavy attack builds. Add in their timing and practice, and they will be right back to 140k dps, and people will still be upset. You can’t nerf experience and practice time.

[@chasedollaz7843]

never thought I wouldn't like this game but...

[@nopenottoday8490]

ZOS DOESNT KNOW WHAT THE FUCK THEYRE DOING

[@darlenehoover6577]

Not even bothering to change my gear. I've had the same gear for two years now and when they drop a dlc, patch or just something to mess things up, I rework my cp points and go on in the game business as usual.

[@philandthecurl3843]

How to erase the skillgap and destroy any depth in combat in one update, every pts week it gets crazier, worse and forces ppl to quit

[@tangent-valley2379]

Okay, Boomer. XD

[@philandthecurl3843]

@@tangent-valley2379 u enjoy holding R2 and thats all?

[@ZDavidH]

I dont think that at all, yes, this changes show that ZOS is lost as f, but newbies hitting more or less 80k dps with ha is not that bad, skilled players can do much more dps, let the newbies rock as they want, veterans will ve more wanted as newbies, but yeah, it is gonna be boring for news only pressing ha

[@BadMomsBenji]

@@ZDavidH well then we gonna have noobs with 80k dmg who don't know mechs and just die a lot bc yeah they have the dmg but nothing behind it...

[@philandthecurl3843]

@@ZDavidH it‘s like you are giving aim bot to noobs so they feel better killing ppl that actually have good aim, whats this trash, just practice and get good and invest time, now they just disrespect ppl that actually tried improving for years 😂 and a rota like that is just boring and sweaty + content loses its variety

[@sninz5674]

I got my perfected inferno staff last week after so many runs... ironic

[@EJSimonsen]

Thx for your options insights. I agree.

[@josephzola8412]

thanks for all the great content!

[@Zeorymer300]

Honestly at this point I’d like to see more power creep so we can fill pugs with less people who can barely break 12k DPS

[@gibran6190]

Are you a fellow tank main? What don’t like taking 10 minutes to kill trash? Lmao 🤣

[@scrubz708]

It is sad this game doesn't get the attention it needs from it's devs. Game used to be really fun but the rotation of classes due to its low ability pool made it really dull really fast.

[@Nethezbet]

man, they REALLY hate light weaving lol

[@DTA1987]

since news of the update i left to FFXIV, farmed for perfected Maelstrom for months. this was years ago before transmute etc. sad news to hear all this

[@molkien7851]

How do you like FF14?

[@DTA1987]

@@molkien7851 pretty good so far... little different which is refreshing

[@zenwilds2911]

At this point the only thing I'm grinding is furniture. Everything else changes too much. But honestly... I'm totally okay having huge DPS with my resto staff heavy attacks. As a warden healer, I 100% support these changes.

[@yutinggamma]

I hate these ninja nerfs, unless I missed it in the patch notes, they should've added the maelstrom staff changes to it specifically.... will this staff even still be the go-to for dps anymore?! This dumbing down of the game is way out of hand. Increasing new player's dps is fine, but allow for a skill gap difference as well ZOS smh.

[@swampsect]

I farmed the damn staff for nothing?

[@Alcasthq]

The staff might still be good, they might change it again next week. Also it is currently buggy on the PTS so no way to know how much of a hit it took.

[@swampsect]

@@Alcasthq let's hope

[@ShonkyAdonis]

Even if they end up nerfing it they'll probably over buff it next patch in response to community feedback.

[@swampsect]

@@ShonkyAdonis And there I was thinking that Blizzard was bad with balance.

[@MetalDragon5745]

They should just buff HA's by 25 percent on destroy staffs drop the empower requirement . That would be a simple solution that would raise the floor something they say there trying to do.

[@tinasmith1391]

Welcome to the circus! Enjoy the ride! lol

[@christophermccormick5505]

KZbin says the game you're talking about is WarHammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Lol

[@josiahbrennan7379]

Just when Ambush started to become semi-decent for PvP and PvE they go and make it horrible with this change, lol. So tired of this nonsense. Every single change this cycle has been tailored around Oakensoul and that is just wrong.

[@nigelcaudill451]

Does medium attacks get the "heavy" empower buff? I tried medium weaving back around release and wasn't impressed, but if it were worthwhile to use them I would love it. More timing to work in means higher skill cap 👍

[@P4NxC4K3]

To think there is only another week of testing is ridiculous

[@kindnuguz]

I would rather them hold off on updates and get it right. Even delay more weeks until it feels like a "compromise" and we all feel somewhat ok with it. side note: I've been thinking how much all of us over the years have adapted to so many changes. Think of this.. Mundus stones are worthless, it's pick one or the other, not much to choose from, traits on armor, divines only just to boost the tiny Mundus stone buff.. I can remember using Infused on armor and I was doing 64k with Crystal Frags and my mundus stone fell off 🤣 Humans adapt so quickly and come to terms what is "normal" and this game has only got worse over the "2-3" years and so many have adapted to it. But like my self and I'm sure many others , thousands of hours and tens of thousands of dollars isn't something we can give up easily.

[@nexypvp9351]

Oaken nerf needs to come out

[@thefilmdirector1]

why should we compromise? They should just fuck off.

[@wysiwygcanada]

This is their plan for fixing lag!...by reducing player population as people quit.

[@murderycatdoll1380]

I can't Facepalm as much as i feel the need to, because i would get a concusion...

[@miketerzis7468]

How a they still not fired

[@CaptfIamingo]

So.. solar barrage is gone for templar? Man.. these stupid changes make me not play the game even more.. haven't touched it for weeks

[@carlos424]

Don’t worry, you will kill with a heavy attack templar build. There is youtube personality (who will remain unnamed) that should be quite happy with these changes.

[@UncleDaniel]

@@carlos424 its f deltia right??

[@CaptfIamingo]

But really.. HA builds.. the game is slower than WOW if this really becomes te Meta

[@Aggrovious]

ZOS needs to just go with plan B. Drop 8 more classes and skills lines. Then, fire their combat team and fix Overlands and other known bugs before releasing another overland. They can make their money with crown crates geez

[@lucky1time811]

If ZOS were tasked with designing a car, you would end up with a bicycle on square wheels. What kind of degrees does their team consist of? Underwater basket weaving maybe? 😂

[@skylineproductions82]

I've been playing eso for 8 years and still don't understand why the sets buffs & stats are constantly being manipulated (?) I assume that it can't be due to a lack of intelligence, there's a PR behind keeping the game going . What is completely ignored is the end gamer, who is surprised, humiliated and disappointed month after month. Changes in skills or race buffs as well as strong interventions that could destroy expensive golden builds should be forbidden. some nerfs in the last few years have been cruel and inhuman. The development team is sadistic towards its fans and players in this regard.

[@laurenlootgoblin7711]

wtf is zos doing. light attack weaving wasnt even that hard, theyre acting like its rocket science

[@ShonkyAdonis]

I think LA weaving is genuinely the easiest muscle memory I've ever had to develop and I play from Australia with 250 ping on a good day. I don't get why there's any drama around it.

[@laurenlootgoblin7711]

@@ShonkyAdonis exactly!

[@phoenixgarcia4958]

First zos spit in my face with pvp changes. No empower in pvp Is a slap in the face as a heavy attack sorcerer of 7 years. It use to be a rite of passage in the game...to get maelstrom staff. But now you Nerf it into the ground. I spend a year plus mastering maelstrom just to get a staff. Now it's a joke how easy it is to get one. Plus I spend more time to get flawless Conqueror. Heavy attack build used to be a play style you had to earn. I spend 2 years farming to get a undaunted staff. Now your calling it a beginner PLAYSTYLE who is running this shit show. Smh.

[@BBRocker75]

The question have a long long long tail. The main problem were monsters and legendary sets. Back in those days many active players (non active anymore) warned about that. Why Beth introduce monsters sets first and legendary armor/weapons later but not improve the basics sets? Now TESO is full with junk sets and every year the meta stagnant around 5 tier sets with the same config. But the worst thing: u can be discriminated from vet dungeons and trials groups if you don't have the right meta sets. Many people big mouth: "TESO IS GREAT you can play like u want". Bul$hit! The only persons today how play like they want are SOLO PLAYERS. Group players (Vets and noobs) are like sheeps: running behind the same 5 meta sets to get the infamous 90k plus DPS.

[@raphael2407]

back and forth and back and forth and back again... man oh man alive....

[@jandro8370]

Wow. So Maelstrom staff officially useless for parsing. Guess I gotta change my mag builds to maelstrom sword too along with my stam for pve.

[@GoldenEagle0007]

1 button meta

[@Sinwori]

This is a complete waste of working recources. Permanent changes, reverted, changed again…

[@mattshaw4016]

They should make a mythic or set in the next dlc if you stand there and not do anything you become invulnerable... It will help when you have to take a shit while gaming

[@martinhill9561]

Bruh I’ve only had that staff a couple weeks….

[@UncleDaniel]

What a clown show. Every 3 months they have to scare players. At this point cancel this update, maybe never update the game again. Just focus on things outside of combat

[@redleg1360]

Sunderflame DK’s coming back to PVE?

[@Glantir]

So maybe we return to Medium Attack Meta... like in 2014/15??

[@Alcasthq]

I think they will adjust it again unless they ran out of time

[@Rex-The-Wolf]

The only way i can see empower being used? Mage's guild chaining, just use entropy or shooting star and poof y can just spam heavies with spammables in between 🤣

[@Orodreth888]

Good, i was heavy attack DPSing anyway. :D

[@The261ride]

Man, I keep wanting to come back, but these notes get worse and worse

[@Lovealways89]

Slowing killing the game one unnecessary nerf patch at a time.

[@benstephens187]

Interesting...

[@AstralSaiyan]

ZOS seem pretty bad at balancing shit. Especially with the Oakensoul since PvPers were the main compainers of that. I dont understand why ZOS cant just nerf things for PvP and not PvE.

[@IMRavnos]

Forgive me if I am wrong, however, with many weapons, Penetration is far more beneficial than added dmg to light and heavy attacks..? Right? Seems this is less a nerf and more of a way to increase the items dmg for low to mid tier players and be far less OP for meta slave top tier end gamers who were uber stacking attributes…. So yeah, for folks with 40k+ MAG/STA this may be a nerf, but for folks in the 20k-35k range, this could possibly be better? As you said, needs testing.

[@BadMomsBenji]

Bro... even a shithole can pull above 40k. My little cousin who is 10 did 25k after a week and 57k after a month and ge is 10 years old ! most players are around the 70-90k mark 😂 So it's a nerf for ppl who have a brain...yeah (Btw. if 40k+ is end game 4 you then u have never done something else than v crags bc dlc trials take about 70-90k dps ^^)

[@UncleDaniel]

Tanks remove 12k armor alone. This ignoring all other ways to remove armor. Mages alone can reach around 7,5k pen. This ignoring sets like alkosh that remove armor. Pen is only good for stams on trials but in their case 1 or 2 light armor pieces is enough because you cant buff pen but you can buff dmg.

[@Melchizedek777]

Wait you’re telling me oakensoul is getting more buffs? Or losing all buffs and replacing it with empower? Haha 😂

[@ForestX77]

Oh yea heavy attacks buffed…. To literally only be useable in PvE.

[@tangent-valley2379]

EXCELLENT!!!

[@SephiaSkiesChannel]

update looks fine to me. I am using Oakensoul Ring so I can now heavy attack in PvE no problem :D

[@nazarethrift1019]

15000 damage out of 100000 is just so op, lol. . “But if you count all the enchantments and procs it adds up to an obscene amount” You mean all that stuff that procs off heavy attacks also? You truly do rely on the shock factor to drive clicks, which I am starting to feel is very misleading for anyone using you as a reference for basing an opinion.

[@UncleDaniel]

Because average player does 115k right? Also lower speed combat means enchants take longer to proc. This ignoring other issues Alcast is awesome stop being cynical af its not healthy.

[@nazarethrift1019]

@@UncleDaniel do you know what the cooldown is for your enchantments? just a hint they do not proc every sec. heavy attack builds can cause them to proc on cool down. the difference between heavy attack and light attacks is your spamable. light attack gives more cast of it. Alcast is a wonderful asset for the community but that doesn't mean he is always correct.

[@ordinarysuperstar3721]

They should have juiced up Oakensoul more. Everything else is ok.

[@beepbeem]

What about hiring some actual game developers instead, who can define a vision instead of messing things up every patch? Big egos at ZOS seem to power creep internally. Bye ESO. Some other game will come.

[@RlBBZ]

ZOS is now balancing the game to cater to their 45-80 year old base. If they keep this up, they will end up destroying the only thing that makes this game stand out from other MMOs, which is the fast past, free flowing, and diverse combat. Nobody wants to sit there and use their spam-able 20 times consecutively and refresh two dots… that’s boring as hell. Nobody wants to hold RT/left click the whole fight. You wanna make grandma happy ZOS? release more housing and pets.

[@Aggrovious]

Abit of bias here because the grandma's I know would love to be able to have diversity in their builds. These are the wow players we are talking about essentially. They are complaining just as much as the tik tok 20 year old who hasn't learned how to control their emotions still.

[@chrisdarkness2334]

I'm out from the game.

[@carlos424]

Lol. Total sht show. Let’s just say it. It’s what everyone wants. If you truly want accessibility and an even playing field, you have to take all actual damage skills out of the game. Put everyone at the same level. The guy that plays an hour a week, will be the same as the guy that plays 6 hours a day. The only way to do damage will be with weapons, either light or heavy attacks. Don’t worry, though, you can choose a staff or melee weapon. Lol. Total clown show.

[@Beanz321]

Bruh

[@baseddlite7306]

Zos is a joke

[@teranyan]

I mean if people weren't crybabies about every single PTS patch they wouldn't change it over and over. Oh no muh dps it's 100k instead of 130k now, what a disaster ;_;

[@baseddlite7306]

People aren't being crybabies these are paying customers they got a right to call out shit devs lol

[@UncleDaniel]

Oh no my dps is 30k instead of 70k!!!

[@baseddlite7306]

@@UncleDaniel yes it's an issue losing over half of your dps good luck clearing any content with your shit dps 🤡

[@brofas]

prime example of pepega toxic casual not understanding the changes and are only commenting on dps numbers as if thats what everyone is complaining about

[@andrewboswell4722]

Tone down all the ads on your website Alcast, your site has really gone to shit.

[@UncleDaniel]

Its what happens when you stay afk for almost 2 years. Man needs money

[@skylineproductions82]

I've been playing eso for 8 years and still don't understand why the sets buffs & stats are constantly being manipulated (?) I assume that it can't be due to a lack of intelligence, there's a PR behind keeping the game going . What is completely ignored is the end gamer, who is surprised, humiliated and disappointed month after month. Changes in skills or race buffs as well as strong interventions that could destroy expensive golden builds should be forbidden. some nerfs in the last few years have been cruel and inhuman. The development team is sadistic towards its fans and players in this regard