Racials

Ladiev

I'm of the opinion that now since the removal of soft caps that racials in their current form should be removed.

I can understand from a lore perspective that racials help define the races (high elves and breton being attoned to magic and khajiit being naturally sneaky), however I believe this distinction between the classes can still be achieved without having racials that have such a large combat impact (I'm looking at you Gift of Magnus)

Lore-wise, as I understand, high elves and breton have a higher affinity for magic - however this does not mean that they have a higher potential in what they can achieve. A good example is Shalidor, a very powerful nord mage. But rather, their (high elf and breton) natural kinship with magic alllows them to learn and understand magic faster.

I'm suggesting changing racials to something in this form

High Elf / Breton

• Experience gained towards magicka-based skills increased by 50%

Redguard / Nord / Orc

• Experience gained towards stamina-based skills increased by 50%

Wood Elf / Khajiit

• Reduces detection radius while stealthed by 20%%

Dark Elf / Imperial

• Experience gained towards magicka-based skills increased by 25%
• Experience gained towards stamina-based skills increased by 25%

Argonian

• Swim speed is increased by 50%

(NOTE these are just raw suggestions to give an idea of the general direction of racial I am suggesting)

And finally - what is your opinion on current racials?

AshTal

I think the Racials need to be reworked some are brilliant others are utter crap. But I would still like them if they could be balanced.

RainfeatherUK

A hallmark of Elderscrolls is meaningful choice. Not the opposite.

Any racial tuning should adjust/bring up (to par) any races that are currently lacking (such as Argonian) with the others.
It should not however, take away from the Lore / Value / Individuality of any of the Races, as they currently stand.

This is not Elder Clones Online. If I wanted a game where everyone is the same, bar a meaningless skin with no Lore or purpose in my decisions - then I know where the list of every other mmo is thanks.

Mumnoch

I like meaningful racial's as long as every race has 1 or 2 things they excel at. When you have 1 race that excel's at a lot and other races that don't excel at anything then you have a problem that must be addressed. Just IMO.

golfer.dub17_ESO

I dislike the current concept of racials, but I absolutely despise Nord racials, even though I like playing as a Nord, which makes me sad.

It's like someone at the office said "You know what, screw it. Nords are going to be relegated to tanking and not allowed to do anything else."

A hallmark of Elderscrolls is meaningful choice. Not the opposite.

So tie the racial passives to something like birth signs instead of race when creating a character? Still lore friendly, and that way people can still min-max meaningfully but not be forced to play a race they dislike.

Aeternus

I agree that all of the stat percent increase racial skills should be done away with, but I think all of the unique bonuses and talents for each race should be kept. For example, Imperials keep Red Diamond, Altmer and elemental talent, Breton spell cost reduction, etc.

timidobserver

I shuddered after reading the OP. I definitely don't want to turn racials into garbage that become useless once you've maxed out your character's skills.

Rosveen

Ladiev wrote: »

High Elf / Breton

• Experience gained towards magicka-based skills increased by 50%

Redguard / Nord / Orc

• Experience gained towards stamina-based skills increased by 50%

Dark Elf / Imperial

• Experience gained towards magicka-based skills increased by 25%
• Experience gained towards stamina-based skills increased by 25%

[/list]

These are utterly worthless.

Ladiev wrote: »

Argonian

• Swim speed is increased by 50%

This is flavor, which I like, but not useful for anything practical.

Ladiev wrote: »

Wood Elf / Khajiit

• Reduces detection radius while stealthed by 20%%

This actually affects your perfomance in certain aspects of the game.

I wouldn't mind a bit of balancing, streamlining the passives a bit. Instead of two stat boosts like Imperials, a uniform pattern of 1 stat boost, 1 flavor, 1... erm, something. Regen? I don't know where resistances would fit. Anyway, that would be nice, but let's not make racials completely meaningless at max level like some of your suggestions. Besides, each race already has one passive increasing XP gain with a specific skill line.

Rosveen

RainfeatherUK wrote: »

A hallmark of Elderscrolls is meaningful choice. Not the opposite.

Not really. Bethesda is pretty bad at letting you make decisions that actually affect gameplay, with Skyrim as the pinnacle of meaningless choices - if you have choices at all, which isn't a guarantee. Open skill system lets you max out absolutely everything if you want and become a demi-god. Although I have to admit, racials and birthsigns were probably the most significant aspects there (Morrowind's Altmer elemental weaknesses were quite crippling, for example).

eliisra

Mumnoch wrote: »

I like meaningful racial's as long as every race has 1 or 2 things they excel at. When you have 1 race that excel's at a lot and other races that don't excel at anything then you have a problem that must be addressed. Just IMO.

To be fair, only race excelling at everything is Imperial. It's the best tank, amazing for stamina dps and even great for a caster, thanks to the extra health(and more stam doesn't hurt if you PvP).

Most races are pigeonholed, either tanky bonuses, stamina dps or caster. Dunmer is the only one with actual hybrid attribute bonuses.

But I do agree that racials needs rebalancing badly. I feel that Argonian and Khajiit could use the most help.