Mage Skill: Bound Armor (forced armor skin) Discussion

Sedlina · April 2014

I never thought that I would end up posting a suggestion in this forum. Well life is funny like that, isn't it? Anyway you aren't here to read about me rambling. So let us get to the point.

For players who don't know the Mage Skill: Bound Armor. It's a permanent buff that raises your armor, but in turn reduces your max mana by 10 %.

Now with all the possible customization in the game I have a serious problem with this skill. It forces a custom full body armor on your character. Maybe it won't bother players during their leveling phase. However for the eventual endgame content this is a lackluster. You farm dungeons, or pvp, or crafting - or you buy yourself awesome looking gear from a sneaky (or skilled) crafter.

Yet if you use Bound Armor you will never see it. You are literally forced to run around with the same full body armor day in and day out - Unless you refuse to use the skill of course. That is indeed an option. Not really a desirable choice in my opinion, but for each their own right?

I suggest for this skill to make the forced armor skin an optional choice. (Removing it will probably be no valid choice, since there will be people who like the style of the preset armor this buff provides)

Here is a visual reference. Keep in mind that this is a low lvl character in random gear. Now imagine you have an ultra awesome deadric armor equipment (or any other style you like) But in the end you will always look like this silver fish with Bound Armor

Now up to you guys.

#What's your opinion on Bound Armor?
#Do you like the forced armor skin?
#Would you rather see your own character with your own collected equipment instead? (And if so would you rather refrain from using the skill just to preserve your unique style?)

cheers

Laura · April 2014

1.) I like this skill and I like how it looks. Its really only good for tanking situations, if you are dpsing there are better skills to put there

2.) It should be forced. This is an elder scrolls game after all - you are essentially putting on a suit of conjured armor. I would be extremely upset if it DIDN'T do this. If it didn't do that then it should have been called "hardened skin" or something silly. That is the flavor of the ability.

3.) no

Bape · April 2014

What the point having an armor skill if it doesn't add anything by appearance? I love how it looks it adds a nice twist to the whole deadric class.

Brynnza · April 2014

I think its an interesting case, I understand the need to stand out in an MMO and how this would hamper your ability to do so, but it is also something that is according to the lore of the game and a bold move in terms of design.

With a little thought I would say in order to find a medium the bound armour should be a particle effect or a near transparent design over the players actual armour.

Fontaine · April 2014

I like the Bound Armor skin.

Well, to be precise, I don't like it aesthetically but I didn't like the way Bound Sword looked in Skyrim either. But that's what it looked like, so that's what it looked like. It suits the lore.

I think it should absolutely be forced, or really, what's the point? Yes, I may not like the way it looks, but that's an issue of personal preference. There are likely many who do.

Kyubi_3002b16_ESO · April 2014

Conjurated weapon and armor always use the daedric style

kifyiib14a_ESO · April 2014

Brynnza wrote: »

I think its an interesting case, I understand the need to stand out in an MMO and how this would hamper your ability to do so, but it is also something that is according to the lore of the game and a bold move in terms of design.

With a little thought I would say in order to find a medium the bound armour should be a particle effect or a near transparent design over the players actual armour.

Or maybe it has a style based on your race, like other armors. So if you're a wood elf it would be a wood elf style of daedric armor. Then it'd be at least a little different for people while still holding to the idea of conjured armor? Personally I like the way it looks. It's pretty sleek and inoffensive.

elorei · April 2014

The skill itself summons a suit of daedric armor for you to wear, has worked like this in tamriel for as far back as I can remember. It is not a buff or whatever you want to call it, you are actually summoning and donning a set of daedric armor. The look fits the lore.

dorianchaotic · April 2014

I think it would be neat if bound armor gave you appearance options at ever 10+ levels.

Seer · April 2014

I think making the bound armor semi transparent solves the problem. It will emphasize that the armor you are wearing is magical (semi-transparent) and you can see your own armor through too. Just a suggestion. I personally dont have any issues with bound armor. I actually like the idea that they thought about sorc tanks ... lol. Pretty impressive.

Nox_Aeterna · April 2014

1: Never cared much about it in any TES game actually.

2: Yes , i think it should be forced , mostly because , first , this is a MMO , other players must be able to see what skills you got active , second , it is something that happens exactly like this in the single player ES.

3: Yes , i would not use the skill.

calamity · April 2014

I think the best option, if you have armor you prefer aesthetically but like the bound armor for fighting is the same as anyone else who has gear they like for stats and different gear they like the look of--change when you aren't fighting.

Solomon_Cato · April 2014

calamity wrote: »

I think the best option, if you have armor you prefer aesthetically but like the bound armor for fighting is the same as anyone else who has gear they like for stats and different gear they like the look of--change when you aren't fighting.

+1

Pyatra · April 2014

Best solution and simplest would be to have the morphs alter it slightly?

JvMil · April 2014

Or you could have a ghostly armor effect over you armor, like you know how the bound swords in skyrim look? But then for armor.
That way you can see your own armor underneath the conjured ghostly armor.

Sedlina · April 2014

Brynnza wrote: »

I think its an interesting case, I understand the need to stand out in an MMO and how this would hamper your ability to do so, but it is also something that is according to the lore of the game and a bold move in terms of design.

With a little thought I would say in order to find a medium the bound armour should be a particle effect or a near transparent design over the players actual armour.

A fair tradeoff in my opinion. The skill increases your armor rating. It doesn't replace your equipment. You still get the armor from your regular gear as well as it's stats.

On the PvP aspect. I agree that people should be able to see what skills you use. However Bound Armor has another aspect to it. You can consider it to be a good or bad one. Put yourself in the following scenario. There are 3 mages in front of you. All three with Bound Armor active. There is no telling who is using light, medium or heavy armor. All 3 look like they wear the same silver fish heavy deadric armor. Is this a good thing? For your enemies it definitely is one. You won't know who is more vulnerable to certain attack types, or who has highly increased crit ratings and so on and so for.

For my personal opinion I will use Bound Armor only during the leveling phase. The morph to push your heavy attacks had a nice touch to it as permanent buff. But due the restricted style I will drop it once I reached max lvl and respec my skills.
Don't get me wrong with the next statement. I understand the perspective, and I respect the opinion, of single player elder scrolls players. However ESO is also an MMO. For me it's undesirable to be forced into a skin with any other player who uses this buff. That was ok with MMO-games 12 years ago due the lack of software performance. Nowadays it's something I'm not willing to use on my own character.
As much as I would prefer to avoid the phrase. To spell it bluntly. To me the forced armor skin looks dull.

Teloran · April 2014

The issue is that the only reason that the minimalistic UI can work is that all significant buffs are clearly and overtly visible. They won't give the option to turn it off, anf if they changed it, it would just become something instead.

To be perfectly honest, lightning form is a better defensive skill anyway since it also softcaps you on spell resist.

SexyVette07 · April 2014

Lightning form > bound armor.

Septimus_Magna · April 2014

I would recommend lightning form if spell resist is a problem, the downside is the high cost and short duration. You could use it when a boss targets you for example.

Bound armor is pretty useful during normal fights when 3 mobs are attacking you, especially when wearing light armor and your armor rating is low. The upside is you don't have to cast it during a fight but it does decrease your magicka by 10%.

tuonis01b16_ESO · April 2014

I hate the forced skin.

I am lvl 25 tank, so I will perma use this skill.
Whatever I loot, from lvl 25 to 50 vet lvl, I will have the SAME *** skin. And this sucks.

I love changing my skin when I loot new stuff, or craft some. But now i'm stuck. I can't imagine a mmorpg where my skin will NEVER change.

Zordrage · April 2014

tuonis01b16_ESO wrote: »

I hate the forced skin.

I am lvl 25 tank, so I will perma use this skill.
Whatever I loot, from lvl 25 to 50 vet lvl, I will have the SAME *** skin. And this sucks.

I love changing my skin when I loot new stuff, or craft some. But now i'm stuck. I can't imagine a mmorpg where my skin will NEVER change.

this seriously it makes all the motifs pointles in the game lol..........

krez23 · April 2014

Bound items in previous es games were based after the daedric look as well. Not sure why this is surprising. Unless the Op is new to the series.

Zordrage · April 2014

krez23 wrote: »

Bound items in previous es games were based after the daedric look as well. Not sure why this is surprising. Unless the Op is new to the series.

yeah but there it looked good

here its all white/purple and looks lame.....