Here ya go, guys! Below is the Ask Us Anything segment from our latest ESO Live. Apologies for the delay.

@Kevlarto_ESO: Can you confirm that ESO+ players will not have to spend crowns for DLC?
Yes, we can confirm that! If you’re an ESO Plus member, you will have access to all DLC without the need to spend additional crowns.

@Emid: Have you considered making a proper in-guild mail system? There's no way to mail all guild members when needed.
Yes, it’s something we’ve discussed internally that we’d definitely like to add to the game. While there’s no immediate plans for it, we would like to get it in at some point.

@Arkemir: Will there be differences between the PC/Mac version and the console versions in regards to DLC release dates or features that are only available on one platform?
Generally speaking, we will release major updates on PC first, and console players will get the update shortly afterwards, after we pass first-party certification which takes some time (we don’t want to hold the update for PC players while we wait for that). That said, all platforms will have access to the same features and content that’s included with an update.

@Soulac: Are Concealed Weapon (NB) and Whip (DK) supposed to completely ignore Dodge?
No, they are not. Thanks for the report! We’ll make sure this is fixed in our next content update.

@Alcast: Caltrops does not stack in PvE, but every other skill does. Is it supposed to work like that?
This is working as intended because the ability takes up such a large area and is very powerful in general. We’re not against changing this, but currently happy with how it’s working.

@Curragraigue: Will we be able to disable the guild voice chat channel based on ranks in the console version of the game like PC players are able to do with text chat?
Yes, you can set whether individual ranks can join the officer channel or the general guild channels.

@Curragraigue: Durok's Bane set is a PvP vendor heavy set so I assume it’s intended to be used in PvP. Why does it have the sturdy trait, which is completely useless for PvP?
In our next major content update, we’ll be awarding players with random traits on these item sets so they can get exactly what they want. Additionally, we’ll be revising item traits in the future to add more exciting bonuses, such as Ultimate generation.

@Gidorick: I would like to be able to buy Crown Store items from special tabs from in-game merchants. I would like to visit the blacksmith to buy a set of armor costumes, or visit the stable to buy mounts. It would add a bit of immersion, and things like mounts could be visually advertised at the stables. Has there been any discussion along these lines?
We have discussed adding the option to buy Crown Store items outside of the Crown Store itself, though we want to be careful that we’re not being pushy with our crown items. We also want to make sure it’s not confusing or misleading which items cost gold, and which ones cost crowns, and you end up buying something you didn’t intend to purchase! For the time being, Crown Store items will be kept in the Crown Store UI.

@Wicked_Wolf: Would you consider adding costumes that are based on the outfits from the ESO cinematic trailer? (Nord, Breton, Altmer characters).
We love the costumes from our cinematic trailers too, and think this is a great idea! It’s so great, that we’re already working on it!

@Tanis-Stormbinder: Why do melee weapons provide more spell damage than staffs?
Melee weapons have a higher damage stat than ranged weapons because it’s harder to close in on a target and stay in range while attacking. All weapons provide both spell damage and weapon damage. This allows players the capability to make a high risk/high reward build like the magicka-based Nightblade wielding a 2h sword. They deal high damage in melee range, but their light armor makes them vulnerable to attack. Well-timed defensive abilities, like Shadow Cloak, are key to survival.

@Saft: Are you happy with current time to kill in PVP?
Health bars currently ping-pong faster than we’d like, and we’re looking into potential solutions to this.

@Shadeofkin: I've been messing around leveling up my alts and I noticed that some of the NPCs I've fought still have Sparks or use Ash Cloud, and I miss attacks. Is this intentional, or is it simply a matter of not yet updating NPCs to use the same set of skills that players have access to?
They haven’t been updated, but we think it’s cool for NPCs to have some classic abilities (and it’s a cool bit of trivia for players who have been around for a long time!)

@Apokh: Could you do a feature about tanking and taunting in ESO? Or give us a longer answer about the different intentions and decisions around it to help us understand some of the mysteries like “Can you over-taunt a boss?”, “Does taunt make sense as the first attack?”, or “Why do some bosses ignore taunt?”
Abilities such as Puncture and Inner Fire can be used to taunt a boss, forcing them to attack you for 15 seconds. If the boss is taunted 3 times within 12 seconds, they will go immune to all future taunts. Note that the last taunt applied will continue to be effective. This is to prevent 2 players from standing on opposite ends of a room taking turns taunting a boss so it never gets in range to attack anyone. Currently this immunity timer is too punitive and something we’re looking at revising in the future.

Some bosses have attacks that ignore taunt and are specifically designed to hit a random target. This was done to keep players on their toes, and since everyone has access to block and roll dodge, they should have some basic tools to deal with these mechanics. Using abilities such as Annulment from the Light armor skill line can be useful against bosses that shoot fireballs at random group mates.

@Randolphbenoit: Before Coldharbor and becoming a Soul Shriven, where does Cadwell originally (in Tamriel) come from? Would like see more back story to him!
Cadwell, or as he prefers to be addressed, "Sir Cadwell" (though he is not, nor has he ever been, a knight) was once an Imperial citizen from the town of Chorrol in Cyrodiil. Like the player, he was executed by agents of Molag Bal and became a Soul Shriven slave in Coldharbour, but this happened untold ages ago. Exactly how this happened may never be known because Cadwell was cheerfully, endearingly mad long before his execution. He is almost certainly the oldest of the non-feral Soul Shriven, and he has attained almost legendary status among them. Over the years he's discovered all nooks, crannys, hidden paths, and secret ways through the access tunnels that honeycomb the cliffs of Molag Bal's realm. The Daedra gave up trying to keep him in chains long ago. His madness makes him essentially useless, his cheerful disposition makes him annoying, and his knowledge of Coldharbour makes him impossible to hold captive.

@Tandor: Is any attempt being made to fix the launcher problem that results in many players continually receiving Error 209 "Patch Manifest" messages for a few days after each update? The solutions mentioned in the Knowledge Base fail to resolve the issue for which the universally accepted workaround is to close and re-open the launcher so that the "Play" button appears instead of "Repair" or "Update", but it would be good to know that it was acknowledged and being worked on.
Yes, we are aware that many of you receive Error 209 after an update, and that the Knowledge Base article does not always address the issue. We’re working on it!

@HeroOfNone: I understand the gameplay reason, but is there a lore reason you're not arrested for your crimes when you enter Cyrodiil?
General Nesh-Tan of the Ebonheart Pact says, “The Province of Cyrodiil is in the grip of all-out war; Imperial jurisprudence there has collapsed. Civil law enforcement cannot be the Pact military’s concern until civil order returns. I can’t speak for the other two alliances, but I’d wager they see it the same way.”

@HeroOfNone: Will non-ESO Plus players be able to play DLC content on the PTS during its testing cycle, or do they have to pay/subscribe for the DLC upfront?
All PC players, including those who are not ESO Plus members, have access to the PTS and will continue to have access when we begin testing future updates.

Will console players have access to a PTS?
We have one public test server environment that we use to test out new gameplay systems and content before introducing them to the live game. Because the console and PC versions of ESOTU feature the same content, we do not have plans to setup separate PTS environments for each of the console versions, and will continue to only have one PTS on PC.

@HeroOfNone: Are new forums going to be made for guild advertising for PS4 and Xbox, and when will it be available? A lot of folks are looking for console guilds already.
Yep! We’re actually in the process of getting these setup now, and hope to have them available before console launch.