Update 34 Combat Preview

ZOS_Gilliam

Greetings! It’s about that time of year where the latest Chapter is coming up soon. The Combat Team would like to talk about some of the changes coming in Update 34 and provide some insight on where we’re coming from. We’d like to say now that since this is the big Chapter of the year, we’re continuing with last year’s approach where we slow down on the large-scale combat changes since there’s already a lot of new systems and features to take in. That being said, we still have quite a few smaller adjustments coming, focusing on the usual bug fixing and hitting outliers that are problematic for the game.

First, let’s quickly talk about the impact of previous updates’ combat changes, with the hybridization of almost everything in the game regarding character combat stats and scaling of abilities and sets. Overall, we’ve seen a pretty healthy shift to ability usage in the game where there are less binary options in morph engagement, weapon choices, armor weight focus, and so on. Since much of this work with abilities is still relatively fresh and such a drastic change to accessibility of character building is bound to take time to adjust to, we know there will still likely be some shifting as the meta starts to re-solidify around the new state of the game. Moving forward, we’re dedicated to addressing any fallout that happens as a result of this, ensuring that our original goal of enabling player choice and customization is still being met.

With that in mind, our focus in this upcoming update is improving morph options to be closer in power to each other. One of the immediate fallouts from the hybrid pass of abilities in the last update (Update 33) was highlighting areas where previously binary morph options would now reveal more realistic power deltas, where choices were actually being made based on additional effects rather than which stat the morph utilized. This update’s pass is exclusively focusing on class abilities for the time, and throughout the rest of the year we’ll be sweeping through other skill lines with the same intention. Keep in mind that most of these adjustments will not be heavy-handed and will instead focus on tweaking values of effects with our set bonus efficiency calculator and standardization as guidelines.

We’ve also tried to focus on bringing up lesser utilized morphs’ power, rather than bringing down the clear winners, so expect to see more buffs than nerfs. Here are some of the juicier examples of this pass:

• Teleport Strike
  • Ambush: Increasing the duration of Empower granted from this morph to 10 seconds, up from 3. This morph will also grant Minor Berserk for its duration.
• Overload
  • Energy Overload: This morph will restore up to 1200 Magicka and Stamina, rather than up to 1192 Magicka.
• Rite of Passage
  • Practiced Incantation: This morph will allow you to move at a reduced rate while channeling it, rather than being unable to move at all.
• Sleet Storm
  • Northern Storm: This morph will grant 300 Weapon and Spell Damage for up to 30 seconds after casting, rather than up to 15% Max Magicka for 30 seconds.
• Restoring Tether and Shocking Siphon
  • Mortal Coil and Mystic Siphon: These morphs will increase your Health, Magicka, and Stamina Recovery by up to 150 while active, rather than restoring up to 1260 Stamina or Magicka over their durations.

This is by no means all-encompassing, and every class saw adjustments to morph power, so keep an eye out for the full patch notes when the PTS drops!

In addition, expect to see a small pass on some of the Champion Point’s Warfare constellations. We’re adjusting some of the values on the more passive nodes in the system that are really pushing some of the more unique options out of the way, while giving some love to some of the lesser utilized ones as well. Furthermore, we’re adding two additional slotted stars to the sub constellation; one focused on helping builds gain access to contextual Offensive Penetration (we hear you, Medium Armor builds, you are valid and loved) and the reintroduction of the Exploiter star from the previous iteration of Champion Points (let there be lightning staves!).

As mentioned earlier, these aren’t extensive to the list of changes coming as many bug fixes and specific item set or abilities are receiving targeted adjustments as usual. Our hopes are that these changes are less turbulent than previous year’s Chapters regarding combat and how you interact with it, so you can take some time to enjoy the rest of the wonderful world that Tamriel has to offer.

Thank you for reading and we hope to see you in Tamriel when Update 34 launches this June!

dinokstrunz

Being able to move wouldn't make me want to use Rite of Passage, Ambush and Northern Storm changes are solid though

TPishek

"we hear you, Medium Armor builds, you are valid and loved"
Making me give up a slotable star for the penetration doesn't make me feel loved at all.

robpr

Mortal Coil and Mystic Siphon: These morphs will increase your Health, Magicka, and Stamina Recovery by up to 150 while active, rather than restoring up to 1260 Stamina or Magicka over their durations.

While this is fine for Mystic Siphon, Mortal Coil not restoring stamina sound bad for necro tanks. Also, both gonna do the same thing? That's boring.

Oakiyo

We’ve also tried to focus on bringing up lesser utilized morphs’ power, rather than bringing down the clear winners, so expect to see more buffs than nerfs.

This is the more important thing

propertyOfUndefined

That all sounds pretty good to me. I do feel like self heals are a bit overtuned right now in PVP and hope that can be addressed somehow. I love the focus on hybridization and fully understand that the “meta” is still in the process of adjusting, but having most encounters play out as wars of attrition with every class using heals that cost both magicka and stamina can feel extremely exhausting.

Hoping this is something being considered…

mav983

Please nerf Templar. The class is OP. Constant jabs and bubbles. And yes, I have a Templar I play.

Ratzkifal

less binary options in morph engagement

But there are still only two morph options... It's still binary. What are you talking about??
I guess what you mean is that, ideally, both morph options are now equally valid and there isn't a straight answer to which is the better one. The options are still binary though, you only get one or the other.

The part about medium armor lacking penetration - isn't that the whole reason you hybridized armor passives? Stamina sustain is already easy so slotting a piece of light armor for that extra pen and crit chance doesn't hurt. Not to mention you've added so many other forms of pen in item sets and status effects (Sundered).
Is pen really still an issue for stami- I mean medium armor builds? And if it is, why is a slottable CP the solution here?

I still feel you've gone about the whole hybrid thing the wrong way. Instead of erasing differences between stamina and magicka you should have carved out a third path in the middle with unique advantages and disadvantages over going fully stamina or fully magicka. This is not the way.

sonwon.1_ESO

@ZOS_Gilliam

When will the unbalance between light attack and heavy attack builds be addressed?

Currently light attack builds can cast three skills plus three light attacks in about the same time as one heavy attack. Heavy attacks should be allowed to cast two skills during a heavy attack to balance the damage output between the two play styles.

Heavy attack build imbalance is the main reason I left the game.
~

acastanza_ESO

Now that Hurricane is universally the "meta" morph of Lightning Form, Boundless Storm should get buffed to give both Major and Minor Expedition and the duration increased to 6 seconds.

xaraan

I'll hold feedback until I can see the full list, but I hope there is some vampirism changes on there. Doesn't seem like vamp is the thing to play to be a vamp anymore, and it's back to being run for just the one damage red passive in pvp by every meta build.

Vaoh

This honestly sounds like a step in the right direction! Hearing about this I would ask for two things....

Northern Storm:
No longer grants Major Protection, and no longer grants up to 15% Max Magicka for 30 seconds. This morph will grant 1500 Weapon and Spell Damage, and 2628 Weapon and Spell Critical, to your Frost Damage dealt for up to 30 seconds after casting.
Same general damage for regular warden dps, but far stronger for “Ice Mage” type builds. The values are maybe a bit much but you get what I’m pushing for lol.

Also bring back the Scorched Earth morph of Volley 😬Nows the time

Photosniper89

All of this sounds great, but it's all for not when you can't move in PVP, bar swap, cast a skill without clicking it 16 times, or are stuck in combat (PRO TIP: Open the crown store if you're combat bugged and it will take you out of combat... dead serious).

jaws343

The Energy Overload change is very interesting. It kind of pushes it to be a far better option of a morph. The resource restore for both pool makes up for the slightly less damage and range. 28M is still pretty decent, and the damage increase of Power Overload isn't so much that it will be too bad. I can see myself switching to Energy Overload on my mag sorc in PVP instead of even Meteor, for the increase in sustain, especially in a build that utilizes dodge roll and vigor.

redlink1979

TPishek wrote: »

"we hear you, Medium Armor builds, you are valid and loved"
Making me give up a slotable star for the penetration doesn't make me feel loved at all.

^^

Ishtarknows

sonwon.1_ESO wrote: »

@ZOS_Gilliam

When will the unbalance between light attack and heavy attack builds be addressed?

Currently light attack builds can cast three skills plus three light attacks in about the same time as one heavy attack. Heavy attacks should be allowed to cast two skills during a heavy attack to balance the damage output between the two play styles.

Heavy attack build imbalance is the main reason I left the game.
~

How's that going to work? You need to keep the button pressed for the duration of the HA which disallows skill casting.
If you're asking for a press once and it'll HA for you while you can get on with casting skills then lol no, that's not gonna happen

Mayrael

Lotus fan and ambush still not very useful as gapclosers because of cast time...

I hope that's not the only buffs other classes will receive because DKs and Templars are out of control right now.

Psiion

Greetings,

After removing a couple non-constructive posts, we'd like to remind everyone to keep the Forum's Community Rules in mind when participating on the forums. Disagreements and debates are natural in an environment such as a game forum, however, discussion should stay respectful and on topic.

You are welcome to review the Community Rules here.

sonwon.1_ESO

Ishtarknows wrote: »

sonwon.1_ESO wrote: »

@ZOS_Gilliam

When will the unbalance between light attack and heavy attack builds be addressed?

Currently light attack builds can cast three skills plus three light attacks in about the same time as one heavy attack. Heavy attacks should be allowed to cast two skills during a heavy attack to balance the damage output between the two play styles.

Heavy attack build imbalance is the main reason I left the game.
~

How's that going to work? You need to keep the button pressed for the duration of the HA which disallows skill casting.
If you're asking for a press once and it'll HA for you while you can get on with casting skills then lol no, that's not gonna happen

"You need to keep the button pressed for the duration of the HA which disallows skill casting." This restriction could be removed during heavy attacks allowing for one skill cast every one second. This would balance the heavy attack and light attack builds.

Extinct_Solo_Player

sonwon.1_ESO wrote: »

@ZOS_Gilliam

When will the unbalance between light attack and heavy attack builds be addressed?

Currently light attack builds can cast three skills plus three light attacks in about the same time as one heavy attack. Heavy attacks should be allowed to cast two skills during a heavy attack to balance the damage output between the two play styles.

Heavy attack build imbalance is the main reason I left the game.
~

Sarannah

So far I don't mind the sta/mag changes made to item sets, or the damage changes to skills. But could you please not balance survivability(including healing/selfhealing) and tanking skills around PvP!!! As a tank I feel weaker and weaker with practically every update, practically every skill change, and with most other changes made. For example: Heavy armor isn't even the meta for tanking anymore. Tanks need some serious buffs.

Would be cool if with the skillchanges, and skillupdates, you could keep one-bar builds in mind as well. Some skills having multiple functions and effects, makes them ideal for the lesser skilled players. Like me.

Keep up the good work!!

Falcon_of_light

Sooooo, no dk and plars nerfs, this broken **** will be broken, little buff of necros, huge buff for sorcs... And for nightblades - buff of slovest, buggiest, [Snip] gapcloser in the game what never ever used by good players, plus tank meta is not going to be nerfed... Thx, nb is worst and hated by devs class in the game...

[Edited for profanity bypass]

acastanza_ESO

Sarannah wrote: »

<snip>
Would be cool if with the skillchanges, and skillupdates, you could keep one-bar builds in mind as well.

Well, good news! If the new one-bar specific Oakensoul Ring mythic item is anything to go on, they definitively seem to remember that these builds exist!

Shagreth

I really REALLY hope we can see a slight vampirism rework, it's NOT only the performance that is suffering, guys, but the overall fantasy as well, there's little need to feed and thus feel like a vampire. I understand that you have to strike a balance since this is an mmorpg, but some kind of penalty during daytime (exteriors only) for vampires would be nice, like, remove the health regen penalty completely (increasing our survivability slightly -- spell increase cost is enough, overkill even considering how bad vampire spells are) and add the health regen penalty during daytime, change how feeding works too, there should be incentives to go and feed more often. Ideally there should also be some kind of blood spending system in combat, but that and the feeding would require a complete rework, and I just can't see that happening ever.

Werewolves could also use some love IMO, making the ultimate into a toggle would solve a few issues, also, add the need to eat one corpse every X amount of time or you get some small debuff, mostly for the fantasy.

Anyway, I'm sure others have better ideas, but the experience of Vampirism is severely lacking, has been since launch and now I'd argue it's even worse in some departments.

maxjapank

Can you revert Biting Jabs to give crit again? Thanks.

SillyGT

Please nerf hard hitting proc sets such as caluurion legacy. This makes the game so unenjoyable and more frustrating than it needs to be.

Firey_Hellhound

Awesome stuff, I will certainly look forwards to seeing and experiencing some of these changes, any thoughts on reworking the two variants of the Wardens Bear Ultimate, I feel they are too similar and I think one is definately 'better' than the other, perhaps consider making the Wild Guardian a Polar Guardian (polar bear) with a frost damage attack instead of Physical damage? Thanks.

Sarannah

Falcon_of_light wrote: »

Sarannah wrote: »

So far I don't mind the sta/mag changes made to item sets, or the damage changes to skills. But could you please not balance survivability(including healing/selfhealing) and tanking skills around PvP!!! As a tank I feel weaker and weaker with practically every update, practically every skill change, and with most other changes made. For example: Heavy armor isn't even the meta for tanking anymore. Tanks need some serious buffs.

Would be cool if with the skillchanges, and skillupdates, you could keep one-bar builds in mind as well. Some skills having multiple functions and effects, makes them ideal for the lesser skilled players. Like me.

Keep up the good work!!

[snip]

I think you misread my post... as it was written from the point of a PvE tank. And I am asking for tanks to not be balanced around PvP. Meaning tanks only receive nerfs, instead of buffs.

[edited to remove quote]

TitanEidolon

robpr wrote: »

Mortal Coil and Mystic Siphon: These morphs will increase your Health, Magicka, and Stamina Recovery by up to 150 while active, rather than restoring up to 1260 Stamina or Magicka over their durations.

While this is fine for Mystic Siphon, Mortal Coil not restoring stamina sound bad for necro tanks. Also, both gonna do the same thing? That's boring.

Yeah, this is going to wreck necro tank sustain... to the point that I don't even know how to address stamina sustain on the class if this is removed.

ESO_Nightingale

Vaoh wrote: »

This honestly sounds like a step in the right direction! Hearing about this I would ask for two things....

Northern Storm:
No longer grants Major Protection, and no longer grants up to 15% Max Magicka for 30 seconds. This morph will grant 1500 Weapon and Spell Damage, and 2628 Weapon and Spell Critical, to your Frost Damage dealt for up to 30 seconds after casting.
Same general damage for regular warden dps, but far stronger for “Ice Mage” type builds. The values are maybe a bit much but you get what I’m pushing for lol.

Also bring back the Scorched Earth morph of Volley 😬Nows the time

Yeah, the change to northern storm really isn't enough in my opinion. Northern is in a pretty bad spot at the moment. It needs more than just weapon and spell damage while active imo.

MashmalloMan

TPishek wrote: »

"we hear you, Medium Armor builds, you are valid and loved"
Making me give up a slotable star for the penetration doesn't make me feel loved at all.

• Medium gets free Damage and Crit Damage. Light gets free Pen and Crit Chance.
• Both Damage and Crit Chance have no cap. Both Pen and Crit Damage have a cap.
• Light armor spends 1 slottable on getting Crit Damage they miss from Medium, Medium armor spends 1 slottable on Penetration they miss from Light.

Imo, that is the definition of balanced, equal opportunity for equal "pay". If you're giving up a slottable for Pen, they're "giving up" a slottable for Crit Damage.

Also, if they stick with the amount other early access players have seen, the Penetration you can get is much higher in comparison than the Crit Damage you can get. The condition was shown to be based on status effects applied though, we'll see how it truely looks Monday.