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Would this save the subclassing system lore-wise?

BloodRedHurricane
BloodRedHurricane
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Soarora wrote: »
Optionally, that’d be great. Not everyone would want it that way, though, as they might consider their characters to actually be multiple classes.

That said, it would be awesome if it wasn’t just a cosmetic change but also damage types. Lightning DK whip if you’re a sorc, frost fatecarver if you’re a warden, etc. Wouldn’t be great for elementalists but that’s one build that I’m not sure is even that viable currently?

Would this save the subclassing system lore-wise?
Edited by ZOS_Hadeostry on 27 December 2025 22:09
  • SpaceElf
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    Soarora wrote: »
    Optionally, that’d be great. Not everyone would want it that way, though, as they might consider their characters to actually be multiple classes.

    That said, it would be awesome if it wasn’t just a cosmetic change but also damage types. Lightning DK whip if you’re a sorc, frost fatecarver if you’re a warden, etc. Wouldn’t be great for elementalists but that’s one build that I’m not sure is even that viable currently?

    Would this save the subclassing system lore-wise?

    Lore wise, it doesn't make sense for people to be stuck in one class, imo
  • Soarora
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    Jumpscared by my own comment LOL. There’s nothing fundamentally lore inaccurate about subclassing. The extra XP and skill point requirement echoes Morrowind and Oblivion leveling where you can do things outside of your class but it’ll level slower. The only lore problem with subclassing is personal character lore, if you want a specific skill for its buffs/debuffs/animation/what have you but it doesn’t match the kind of magic you think your character would have (which is what my problem is— all but like two of my characters are pure class in their lore but because of the content I do, me sticking with pure classing 24/7 can be considered letting the group down).
    Edited by Soarora on 18 December 2025 08:36
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  • Danikat
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    There isn't a lore problem with subclassing. It's never been the case that certain types of magic or other abilities are mutually exclusive and cannot be combined.

    Even the classifications for different types of magic are somewhat arbitrary and subject to change based on the definitions used. There's mentions in ESO of some people in the Mages Guild starting to shift to using the definitions we see in other TES games where, for example, all the elemental damage types are grouped together as destruction magic, all the healing spells are restoration magic etc. and terms like shadow magic or earthen magic are not formally recognised. Under that system a Templar uses a mix of destruction, restoration and conjuration magic and a Dragon Knight is a Battlemage but people would find it very strange if they insist they can only use fire magic, not frost or lightning.

    Neither of these is the one right (or wrong) way to classify skills, they're just different. (Same with other skills, like whether you group all one-handed weapons seperate from two-handed, or group all the bladed weapons, then all the blunt ones etc.)

    But it does mean using frost and lightning skilks together is no more of a lore problem than using restoration and alteration together, or any other combination.

    The problem is more to do with players personal themes for their characters clashing with currently popular builds, but that's always been the case, like wardens who want to tank but don't want to use Frost magic or sorcerers who don't want to summon daedra.

    Being able to customise how all our skills look would go a long way towards helping with this, especially since it's something we're very slowly starting to get with skill styles, but it's a player customisation problem, not a lore problem.
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  • Gabriel_H
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    Sub-classing is lore-ish friendly.

    There are fixed jobs/professions (classes) in TES lore but they are NPCs. Whereas the protagonist, being the chosen one, can go beyond a fixed profession.

    In TES games, the player is chosen by destiny, they can go against the wishes of whatever deity they encounter. In ESO, the player is just some lucky fool who gets roped into doing the dirty work of whichever being they happen to bump into.

    So, staying a pure class, or partly breaking from that class would fit in the overarching lore. We're basically NPCs whom the gods choose to mess with.
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  • ZOS_Hadeostry
    Greetings,

    We have closed this thread upon request of the original poster. If you want to continue this discussion, please make a new thread.
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