Warden skill styles

The_Isatope8

While the idea of classes getting skill styles is interesting, the class that would benefit the most from skill styles by far is Warden, specifically their Animal Companions skill line. It is well known that Wardens' visual design is heavily influenced by Morrowind, as that is the expansion it came out with, but that aesthetic doesn't translate very well if the character isn't a dark elf or if the player isn't in Morrowind. Because of this, players have been asking for Warden skill styles (Sorcerer pet skill styles are also wanted by the playerbase, but that is a topic for a different post). Tamriel is a big place so we're not asking for an archives worth of styles, just 2 or 3 styles per skill that represents different provinces in Tamriel and their unique creatures. The base style for the skills will be kept as a selectable style, but can be swapped out at any time for one of the other styles.

There are several visual effects and models already in game that can be adjusted and made into skill styles. New animations and sound effects would need to be implemented to make the skill styles look distinct while maintaining the same basic functionality. I have included changes to animations that are not obvious in the developer comment of some of the skill styles presented below.

Since skill styles are part of the Gold Road DLC expansion, it is possible that skill styles for warden would be automatically unlocked once the dlc is purchased, not requiring any achievement to unlock them. It would be preferable if the skill styles were added to the base game, but I understand that this would be a potential draw for customers and will likely only be available with the expansion.

The skill styles presented in this post are meant to give the warden a more druidic theme with creatures found throughout Tamriel, not just Morrowind. Some of the creatures are exclusive to certain regions and associated more with specific cultures, therefore the default style that will be equipped upon unlocking a new skill will be determined by the race of the character. The races that the style will be equipped for as default will be listed alongside the creatures. The creatures set as default for the different races are in reference to their geographical proximity to the typical environments inhabited by the creatures. The skill styles can be swapped out at any time so as not to hinder character customization.

Some of the skills' names will need to be changed to be more vague so that any of the selectable styles will make sense in accordance to the name. Several skill descriptions also include the name of the creature, so the tooltips will update based on the creature chosen. Wherever [creature] appears it is just the placeholder for the name associated with the skill style that will be chosen by the player.

Without further a do, here are the styles:

• Dive
  Command a/ an [creature] to dive bomb an enemy, dealing 2090 Magic Damage. If you are more than 7 meters away from the target, you set them Off Balance for 7 seconds.
  • Cliffracer (Dark Elf)
  • Eagle (Nord, Ork, Breton, Redguard, Imperial, Khajiit, Argonian)
  • Gryphon (High Elf, Wood Elf)
  Developer Comment:
  The only thing that needs to be stated is that the Magicka morph, 'Screaming Cliff Racer', will need to be changed to 'Screeching Dive' so that the name will not conflict with the style.
• Scorch
  Stir a group of [creature] that attack after 3 seconds, dealing 2509 Magic Damage to enemies in front of you. After the [creature] complete their attack, they burrow underground for 6 seconds and then resurface again, dealing 3486 Magic Damage to enemies in front of you.
  • Shalk (dark elf)
  • Ice Wraiths (nord, Ork)
  • haj mota's (Argonian, Khajiit)
  • DuneRippers (Breton, Redguard, High-elf)
  Developer Comment:
  Before I get into the choice of creatures, I would like to say that the Poison damage dealt by the 'Subterranean assault' morph should be bleed damage to better fit wardens theme. That is all.
  
  The creatures seem to make sense for the most part, but ice wraiths stick out a little. The morph that deals magic damage is understandable since the ability is a magical summoning, but bleed damage doesn't make sense for an Ice Wraith at first. My rebuttal: being cut with ice really hurts. A lot. You'd be shocked how painful it is being cut by ice.
• Swarm
  Unleash a swarm of [creature] to relentlessly attack an enemy, dealing 4631 Magic Damage over 20 seconds. The [creature] rip through the enemy's flesh, afflicting them with Minor Vulnerability for the duration, increasing their damage taken by 5%.
  • Fetcherflies (Dark elf, Khajiit)
  • Fleshflies (Nord, Ork, Imperial, Argonian, Breton, High elf, Wood elf, Redguard)
  Developer Comment:
  There aren't a lot of burrowing Nurgle-esque insects in Elder scrolls, so the Fleshfly style would come with a small animation change to differentiate it from the base Fetcherflys by having a green-brown hue instead of the blue-white hue of the fetcherflies.
• Nature Spitit (formerly Betty Netch)
  Call a nature spirit to your side, which grants you Major Brutality and Sorcery, increasing your Weapon and Spell Damage by 20% for 22 seconds. Every 5 seconds, the spirit removes 1 negative effect from you. If no negative effects are removed you instead increase your damage done by 5% for 5 seconds.
  • Netch (Dark Elf)
  • Wasp (Redguard, Argonian, Wood Elf, Jhajiit)
  • Owl (Nord, Ork, Breton, High Elf, Imperial)
  Developer Comment:
  Since new styles are added the name of the skill and its' morphs had to be changed because the ability having the animal name in it would create a strange disjunction between the name and its' visuals if the style were changed to any creature other than a netch. The rest of the name changes are as follows:

  • Aethereal Spirit (Formerly Blue Betty)
  • Invigorating Spirit (Formerly Bull Netch)
• Feral Guardian
  Rouse a [creature] to fight by your side. The [creature] swipes at an enemy, dealing 580 Magic Damage, and sometimes swipes all enemies in front of it, dealing 2323 Magic Damage and stunning them for 2 seconds. Once summoned you can activate Guardian's Wrath for 75 Ultimate, causing the [creature] to maul an enemy for 3253 Magic Damage. Deals 100% more damage to enemies below 25% Health.
  • Bear (Nord, Ork, Breton,)
  • Kagouti (Dark Elf, Argonian)
  • Lion (Redguard, Khajiit, Imperial, High Elf)

This list of suggested styles is merely an idea and may require refinement with how it can be implemented. feedback and constructive criticism is always welcome as it helps me refine the concept further.

KromedeTheCorrupt

I feel like people would’ve been happier for skill styles to have a color wheel that we can freely adjust and the skill styling actually been more about changing or modifying the animations rather than just a re skin of them. I understand that’s a load of work but if you’re going to add something to the game why not go all out.

Taril

Honestly, my biggest gripe with Warden's "Animal Companion" aesthetics is that besides the Bear and Netch... You're not actually using an actual animal you're simply making a weird projection of them.

It's like "But why bother making the projection into an animal?" and "Why do the Skalks "Burrow underground" when all you do is manifest their projections... Twice?"

Personally, I'd prefer if slotting the abilities on either bar would cause you to gain an actual animal companion that follows you around which is used for the ability (But I suppose this would take a lot of work, and likely would cause similar complaints to Sorc's flappy birb in regards to the Cliff Racer)

That said in regards to the actual suggestions:

Given the nature of how the Scorch ability actually works, where there is no "Burrowing underground" you simply shoot out a line of Shalks from your character twice. There's no need to limit the options to burrowing creatures (Simply reword the "Burrowing underground" part into some sort of reference to "They do a second attack")

Thus anything that can simply rush forward would be viable for alternatives. Such as Mammoths, Bears, Boars, (Bog) Dogs, Saber-cats, Senches, Chaurus, Durzog, Indrik, Wamasu, Horker etc.

Similarly, "Swarm" can be any animal capable of swarming including various avians (Crows, Eagles etc), insects (Such as crawlers, spiders)... Heck, get a bunch of Mudcrabs or Skeevers clinging to enemies if you really want.

Nature's Spirit also has flexibility with more magical creatures like Wisps, Nereid, Spriggan etc.

Dive Bomb also has a few other potential, like Harpy, Bats, Rays. (Technically, you could also have grounded animals that simply charge the enemy too, with a smidge of rewording)

Feral Guardian has similar pool of potential creatures as Scorch. Anything that's kind of burly enough to do the swipe attack that knocks enemies down could work. Also can have things like Gargolyes or Minotaur.

AcadianPaladin

The warden is rather a confused feeling mess, mixing incongruous ingredients (Morrowind critters and ice) when many of us just want a forest druid type character. Change options to the skills would be great.

I'd like to see the shalks turned into throrny vines and the cliff racer turned into a hawk.

I think OP's ideas are on track except that I don't want it related to race in any way. My character is a wood elf and independent of that, she just wants the warden skills to resemble forest skills. The bear and the insect swarm are about the only ones that currently do so in the animal companion line.

The_Isatope8

@AcadianPaladin, I think there's a bit of miscommunication here. The skill styles aren't tied to race, the skills just need a default that will be equipped when a skill is unlocked for the sake of simplicity e.g.

A Redguard might start off with an eagle and duneripper, but you can change the style at any time to suit your character. Its just so that the skill won't break without a style being equipped, that's why there needs to be a default.

heaven13

I'd love to see a wolf instead of a bear/lion/kagouti. I've wanted a wolf for my warden wyress for a LONG time; she currently uses a pet but having it as her actual combat companion would be amazing.

A wisp in place of the netch is also a great idea for small, but a spriggan is also pretty neat (though may feel clunky due to size).

There's a lot of potential for these, but I'd definitely love to have options. Please. And not tied to race or alliance. Let a player choose.

Alaztor91

I really hope they do something like this. I don't expect ZOS to release another nature themed class so it would be nice if Skill Styling could allow you to customize some of the Animal Companion skills so that you aren't stuck with almost the whole skill line being Morrowind critters.

Ajaxandriel

OK I just checked my Wardens and there seems to be color options for some skills now, but have we got any clue of where to get them?

Maitsukas

Ajaxandriel wrote: »

OK I just checked my Wardens and there seems to be color options for some skills now, but have we got any clue of where to get them?

These will likely be Crown Store purchases, just like the other Class Skill Styles you see listed in there.

OtarTheMad

Maitsukas wrote: »

Ajaxandriel wrote: »

OK I just checked my Wardens and there seems to be color options for some skills now, but have we got any clue of where to get them?

These will likely be Crown Store purchases, just like the other Class Skill Styles you see listed in there.

So ZOS just releases them with U44 and simply just does not mention how in the world to unlock these? Necro has some cool red colors I'd love to use. They better be earned in-game somehow.

People have been in an uproar over Arcanist green and this is the chance to get away from it and just silence... I hope I missed something.

disky

I think a lot of people have been asking for this for years. You're right, the styles mechanic is a perfect opportunity to make it happen, and ZOS really should take advantage of it. I've always been disappointed that the only companion customization that was ever made available was the grey bear skin. Maybe they'll get rid of that feature and make it a skill style instead.

disky

heaven13 wrote: »

I'd love to see a wolf instead of a bear/lion/kagouti. I've wanted a wolf for my warden wyress for a LONG time; she currently uses a pet but having it as her actual combat companion would be amazing.

Yeah, it always really bugged me that the non-combat wolf pet just stood around while you're fighting when it could be helping you out.