To ZOS - A clear answer about active armor skills, please

Zord · October 2014

This topic has been discussed hundreds of times on the forums, but so far I've seen no clear answer from ZOS anywhere, so I'm asking again, hoping we'll get a proper answer.

- Do you think it's normal to be able to use an active armor skill while not wearing a single piece of that same armor ?

- Why can we do that with armor skills but not with weapon skills ? What's the game design logic here ?

- Why does this only work for active skills and not passive ones ?

- Don't you think it would make sense to have a requisite of at least 5 pieces of a certain type of armor to be able to use the active skill related to that armor ?

- Are you guys working on this ? What is so complicated about it that prevents you from fixing it in 1.5 (after all, one of the passives of each armor type already has such limitations).

And yes, some of these questions are just there to highlight the absurdity of how armor skills work.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to answer

Shinra · October 2014

Why would you need 5 of that armor to use a skill. Why prevent hybrid builds, why not, let's say the need of 3 pieces of that armor to use the specific active skill.

That would add to the viable builds one could use. (Decision if you would go 5 light 2 heavy to have additional crit or use 4 light and 3 heavy for that extra active ability.)

And since we are talking about logic here, it makes sence that you could use the active with max. 3 pieces of that armor, since even the passiva already have a good impact with that amount.

Tarkit · October 2014

While this would be good for those using heavy armour in PvP, this is totally unnecessary in PvE. Tanks need the dodge chance from medium, melee can get serious utility out of the Annulment skill. While your suggestion is in line with the logic of the game it's not a very good thing for the player.

Shinra · October 2014

I didn't even ask if it's a viable choice. It may be only for those who want to try things out, without ever getting viable, but a choice is still a choice, doesn't matter if it's bad or not.

And after all, a restriction of 3 pieces is for the single player still better than a restriction of 5 pieces, no?

And if you only want to "ban" the heavy armor active (or any of the others) from PvP, than say so. The heavy armor active in PvP is overused, and that's a fact. That would also be the only true reasoning why a 5 piece-restriction would be preferred, right?

But that's also the reason, why I think a restriction of 3 would be enough. Once you have to give up something really good, to get a good skill, those skills won't be overused anymore.
Example: if, in pvp, a mage would have to give up 3x mana reg. from light pieces as well as 10 % crit to get the Immoveable skill from heavy armor, he would probalby think twice about it.

And it would be still something to consider in PvE. A tank with light armor may consider three heavy pieces now, to get that one tanky skill. Same with a Tank which uses medium armor. On the other hand, a tank with heavy armor may consider three light pieces when battling against a mage.

ps. if you think a specific active would still be overused in PvP (or PvE) than that may be because that specific skill is OP after all, no?

david.haypreub18_ESO · October 2014

3 pieces or 5 pieces, whatever it is, there needs to be some restriction on using those active abilities, and it would be good to get an answer fro the devs, as it seems most players agree there needs to be some number of pieces required.

Aerrimus · October 2014

How about the duration for all of the active armor skills starts at 2 seconds and increases 1.5-2 seconds for each piece of that particular armor type worn?

guybrushtb16_ESO · October 2014

Shinra wrote: »

And if you only want to "ban" the heavy armor active (or any of the others) from PvP, than say so. The heavy armor active in PvP is overused, and that's a fact. That would also be the only true reasoning why a 5 piece-restriction would be preferred, right?

That may be, but taking immovable from stam builds would hurt medium armor harder than light armor, because magicka skills can be block casted, whereas stamina skills cannot.

That might be good for heavy armor but bad for the game.

Shinra · October 2014

Aerrimus wrote: »

How about the duration for all of the active armor skills starts at 2 seconds and increases 1.5-2 seconds for each piece of that particular armor type worn?

That would work too, I think. And adds flexibility if the numbers are right.

But as others said already, an answer from the devs would be nice.

Athas24 · October 2014

It makes sense to use it because you've trained in that armor. Weapon passives are specific to the weapon being used. A block ability off of a shield passive doesn't make much sense with a bow.. I mean blocking with a bow never made sense to me though...since it would be shattered or rendered useless after a few blows from a mace or axe... I can see arguing that maybe 1 or 2 pieces of armor should be equipped for game stability reasons but as it is I don't think it ruins the game by being able to use light, medium or heavy actives while using another set of armor. Instead of removing things they should add other abilities that counter it if it is a PVP related problem. When there are balance issues Nerfing or dropping an ability is rarely needed, instead the focus should be on how one might counter it or render it less effective in a pvp environment.

Cody · October 2014

PVE tanking be d****, if you want to use a HA armor skill, then you should have to actually wear the dang armor. I am a strong advocate for 5 pieces or more for an active armor ability. im tired of seeing people with magic adamantium sticks(:D) being able to tank so well, all because of immovable. They don't wear a SINGLE piece of HA, and I know they use immovable: I see them activate it.

heck this relates to why the tanking role itself is so..... odd. anyone in LA(or medium) could be as good as, or a better tank, than someone in HA all because of this ridiculous way armor skills work.

players should not get the best of all worlds.

Crescent · October 2014

No thank you. This game already screws up by dividing spell and weapon crit. Stats need to be MERGED, not SEPARATED.

I want spellswords and knight enchanters and shadowblades, all kinds of hybrid archetypes. What your design suggests is pigeonholing people into only a few stringent builds as all the options that mix skills from different categories by default are handicapped.

Marthenil · October 2014

Crescent wrote: »

No thank you. This game already screws up by dividing spell and weapon crit. Stats need to be MERGED, not SEPARATED.

I want spellswords and knight enchanters and shadowblades, all kinds of hybrid archetypes. What your design suggests is pigeonholing people into only a few stringent builds as all the options that mix skills from different categories by default are handicapped.

On that much I agree. But, at least with the current way it is, Heavy armor will always be under performing unless
a) They nerf immovable when not using HA
b) They change the overall armor type design.

I don't think the latter is going to happen.

Yusuf · October 2014

IMO Immovable should be only usable if you're wearing at least 2-3 pieces of Heavy Armror.
Otherwise i want my Impulse to be usable when i'm dualwielding, u know, fairness and such :P

Spangla · October 2014

They wont comment - This point is soooo obvious in conclusion to me, of course you cant be immovable in a dress dammit!

Wait lets nerf sneak attacks cause that makes way more sense

Zord · October 2014

Well, thanks everyone for your comments. As expected, no answer from ZOS.

Merlin13KAGL · October 2014

Zord wrote: »

Well, thanks everyone for your comments. As expected, no answer from ZOS.

It's what they (don't) do.

Cody · October 2014

Zord wrote: »

Well, thanks everyone for your comments. As expected, no answer from ZOS.

expecting an answer from ZOS is like expecting cyrodill to be lag free: its not happening

Gyudan · October 2014

guybrushtb16_ESO wrote: »

Shinra wrote: »

And if you only want to "ban" the heavy armor active (or any of the others) from PvP, than say so. The heavy armor active in PvP is overused, and that's a fact. That would also be the only true reasoning why a 5 piece-restriction would be preferred, right?

That may be, but taking immovable from stam builds would hurt medium armor harder than light armor, because magicka skills can be block casted, whereas stamina skills cannot.

That might be good for heavy armor but bad for the game.

I created a poll a few days ago. Block-casting seems normal to most players. No fix needed.

Cody · November 2014

Gyudan wrote: »

guybrushtb16_ESO wrote: »

Shinra wrote: »

And if you only want to "ban" the heavy armor active (or any of the others) from PvP, than say so. The heavy armor active in PvP is overused, and that's a fact. That would also be the only true reasoning why a 5 piece-restriction would be preferred, right?

That may be, but taking immovable from stam builds would hurt medium armor harder than light armor, because magicka skills can be block casted, whereas stamina skills cannot.

That might be good for heavy armor but bad for the game.

I created a poll a few days ago. Block-casting seems normal to most players. No fix needed.

block casting is a lame mechanic in my opinion:/