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What Exactly is Wrong with Werewolves?
What's up, everyone? The purpose of this thread is to share my ideas on why the werewolf skill line needs improvement. It is also a thread where I encourage all others who are or want to be a werewolf to share their input and ideas on the matter. This post is outrageously long, I know, but I feel it's all necessary information to improve the game. I tried using bullets to organize my thoughts and make it easier to read, but I understand it can still be difficult. If being a werewolf in this game interests you, I suggest you read this whole thing (or try to, at least
).
First, a little about myself:
I'm a level 38 nightblade and my werewolf skill line is at level 10. My max stamina is level 23 right now, and I have been a wolf for a little over a month. I spend a good majority of my time in Cyrodiil.
The Problems:
To put it very bluntly, the werewolf skill tree sucks.
- The ultimate cost is too damn high. With the 925 (base cost is 1000) ultimate I use to transform into a wolf and maybe get 1 kill in PvP if I'm lucky, I could alternatively knock at least 3 people on their asses with the soul magic ultimate ability.
- The ultimate bar randomly resets itself. This is a pretty well-known glitch at this point, but it is definitely one of the most obnoxious ones in the game if you are a die-hard werewolf.
- I have honestly noticed very little change in the amount of damage I do in wolf form compared to my human form. In fact, I almost have an easier time killing sh*t in human form because I have access to abilities.
- Werewolf actives are a joke. Pounce can only be used when you're around 5-15 meters away, it seems, nothing more, nothing less. And, it often seems that my character refuses to use pounce even after I mash the hotkey over and over (this is a glitch for me, obviously). Roar is not as useless, but there are no other actives available for close range. It forces me to have to spam click the default attack, which is no fun by any stretch of the imagination, and it does not look interesting at all.
- I have noticed a pretty common glitch when using the pounce ability where your character will get stuck in a position that kinda looks like Terio doing the arm drop from the "Ooh Kill Em" Vine video (if you haven't seen it, look it up). When this glitch affects you, your character will still be able to move, but you cannot attack, block, or use abilities (including devour) in any way until you run to a place where you are out of combat. This is just about as annoying as the ultimate reset glitch, because it essentially runs your werewolf timer down until you have to turn back into a human. It could even get your character killed while you're affected because you can't defend yourself.
- Another experience-breaking glitch that I have heard about is the pack-leader morph of the werewolf transformation ability. Evidently, if you have your transformation ultimate morphed to that, you immediately turn back into human form once you activate it, regardless of if you immediately use devour or not. I have not experienced this because my transformation is morphed to berserk werewolf, but, nonetheless, the glitch needs to be fixed.
- Lycanthropy is a hindrance in PvP rather than a benefit. You need to grind on monsters for 10-15 minutes before you can even transform. Obviously, monster grinding in Cyrodiil is dangerous and usually frustrating because other players can give you a swift kick in the ass at any point. Then, you can enjoy your nice, long run all the way back to the grind spot. I have literally never gotten a kill in beast form while in PvP yet, and I have managed to turn into one many times while in Cyrodiil. This isn't just because I suck. If you have played as a werewolf in PvP, you will know what I mean when I say that poison arrow and fighters' guild abilities suck massive c*ck. However, I don't think that the poison weakness and fighters' guild abilities should be nerfed, as they do give a nice balance to the power that you are supposed to have. But here comes the real issue... you don't have any significant power as a werewolf in it's current state.
- Maybe this is just me, but I feel like both the werewolf and vampire skill trees are too easy to level up. I play for an average of 1-2 hours each day and, I managed to max out the skill tree with strictly casual play and a little bit of competitive PvP in about a week. This seems a little crazy given the amount of time it takes to level other skill trees.
- Where is the all-fours sprinting animation from Skyrim?
My Suggestions:
These are purely my opinions. I'm sure there are plenty of people who disagree on them, and if that's the case, please drop a comment telling me, the community, and Zenimax why! But try to do so maturely and politely.
- Active ability suggestions:
- Maul: This would be an ability that is similar to uppercut for the 2H weapons skill tree. Your werewolf would do a short, 1.5-second or so wind up, and hit your opponent straight in the jaw, dealing high damage depending on max stamina, knocking them back 4 meters, and stunning them for a short amount of time. This could make up for the lack of close-range DPS abilities that werewolves have. It's morphs could be called Shred and Thrash. Shred would add the option to press the ability hotkey again to pounce on your opponent while they are on the ground, preventing them from getting up. It would also add an additional, unavoidable 5 strikes to them, dealing extra damage over 2 seconds while you are on top of them. A 1.5 second AoE disorientation to all enemies within 3 meters of your opponent would also occur. To make this ability fair and not OP, it would cost high amounts of stamina (more than the base cost of maul) and decrease your armor bonus while shred is active. Also, getting damaged from any source while the ability is active will result in your character being automatically knocked down. The thrash morph would simply cut out the 1.5 second wind up, so it may be used immediately, and it would slightly reduce the stamina cost of the ability.
- Dig: This would allow the player to dig/ burrow into the ground while in combat (like a dog digs holes). The main purpose of this would be to allow the player to take no damage for a short time and regenerate a small amount of health while underground, in exchange for a cost of 100-200 stamina per second. The player would be granted double health regeneration and would be allowed to stay underground until their stamina bar runs out. Keep in mind, however, that the werewolf timer would continue to run even while underground. Players would be allowed to cancel the ability and enter the surface at any point by pressing the ability hotkey again. The morphs could be called Tunnel and Pitfall. Tunnel would simply allow players to move while underground at a speed equivalent to walking, and emerging from the ground would cause a 1.5 second disorientation to all targets within a range of 3 meters. Moving, however, would consume a bit more stamina per second than being still. This could allow for some interesting tactical play, similar to a nightblade's shadow cloak ability, where you could move a bit and emerge from the ground behind your opponent, catching them off-guard. Pitfall could be an ability that allows you to pull a single enemy from the surface, directly above you (or at least within 2 meters of you, maybe) into the ground. You would not be able to move, however, like with the tunnel ability; you must remain stationary. Once an enemy is directly above you, a "Press 'X'" option will appear on your screen called "drag under". Pressing it will cause your werewolf to shoot his/her arm up into the surface (like a zombie, for example) and pull an enemy down by his/her ankle. While your opponent is underground, they would be unable to attack, block, or move. They will take constant damage, while your wolf heals itself, until you emerge from the ground with them. Of course, activating the "drag under" 'X' option will cost extra stamina per second while the enemy is underground.
- Bite: This would be an ability that would allow your werewolf to bite a target, causing minor damage and restoring a small amount of your werewolf timer, at the cost of a high amount of stamina. It would have no countdown between uses like devour does. However, the high stamina cost should make up for that. It also would restore less to the timer compared to devour because it may be used while your opponent is still alive. It's morphs could be called Feral Snap and Hircine's Redemption. Feral Snap would allow you to bite your opponent again, immediately, with no extra cost by pressing the ability hotkey once more. The second bite would deal the same damage and restore the same amount of time as the first one. Hircine's redemption would add the ability to restore a small bit of health with each use. You can also gain the option of leaping 6 meters backward shortly after biting your opponent by pressing the ability hotkey again. This would cost additional stamina.
- Other Suggestions:
- Ultimate cost should be reduced to a base of at least 600. That way, at Werewolf Transformation rank IV, it would only cost 525 ultimate. I think this is completely fair.
- Allow us to change the fur color of our werewolf by visiting a ritual shrine and paying money. Or, possibly use it as a sign of rank/prestige. For example, as I get more kills in werewolf form, I would continue to unlock fur colors to purchase at the ritual shrine. That way, there could be more individuality amongst werewolves. I like the idea of having a blonde (golden) furred werewolf after getting some ludicrous amount of kills, like 5000 or something. As of right now, I believe the only colors available are white and the default grey. The only way to become white is by morphing the transformation ultimate to pack-leader. And, I'm sure as hell not doing that in it's current state.
- The werewolf skill tree should require more kills while in wolf form to advance among the ranks. Or, they could increase the level cap of the werewolf/ vampire trees to level 50, like most of the other skill lines. That way, it would be more of a challenge to unlock abilities and become the best werewolf there is. This should help in eliminating the argument of werewolves being "overpowered". If Zenimax were to add the improvements that I have suggested (I know it's a stretch that they will, but it's possible) this could be their way of balancing the skill tree; they could make it so you have to work hard and be determined towards becoming a badass.
- The overall time that you are allowed to be in werewolf form should be increased. As of right now, you can really only be one for 30 seconds - 1 minute at a time. This should be increase to, at a minimum, 1 and a half - 2 minutes at a time without using devour.
- Decrease the cooldown of devour.
- I know this will be very controversial, but decrease the spawn rate of werewolves (and bloodfiends). Or, turn the quest into a questline. Make a series of difficult quests/ trials you have to go through to become a werewolf (or vampire) that may drive away those who are not dedicated enough to complete them and receive its ultimate reward. Make it a real challenge and prestigious honor to become a werewolf like Hircine intended it to be. After all, the quest is called Hircine's Gift.
- Most importantly, make it worth becoming a werewolf, with a few disadvantages that may turn off specific people. Don't make it a skill tree that has no benefits whatsoever and is an overall hindrance to game-play.
If you made it through reading this far, I thank you for your time. Please, take some more time to post comments sharing your thoughts or suggestions on the matter that could improve Lycanthropy or Vampirism. Or, please give me some constructive criticism on why my ideas are wrong . I look forward to reading any comments.
Edited by Zromguy_ESO on 13 May 2014 02:00