Upcoming Werewolf Changes

ZOS_GinaBruno

Our team has been paying attention to the feedback you’re sharing about the werewolf skill line, and we’re ready to tell you about some of the changes we’re considering to improve the gameplay experience for all you followers of Hircine out there. We’re interested in seeing what you think!

First off, we’re planning to reduce the cost of transforming into a werewolf. The current costs feel too high, and we want you to be able to transform more frequently. We’ve also fixed a bug that prevented you from using the CC Break ability in werewolf form.

We want to make a few changes to damage scaling and the Savage Strength passive that will give you a little more burst potential and allow your gear upgrades to affect damage output in a more meaningful way. Savage Strength will offer a flat increase to power instead of stacking multiple times. The bonus is a bit lower to balance the change out, but overall you’ll have more ability to deal burst damage. We want light and heavy attacks to additionally scale off of weapon power (instead of just maximum stamina), and for Pounce and its morphs to scale off of weapon power instead of spell power.

Finally, we’ll be adding some all-new werewolf abilities to give you more combat options. Here’s what we’ve come up with (we’ll have more about the morphs in the future and would love to know what you’d like to see):

• Hircine’s Bounty: This is a self-heal ability that gives you more survivability.
• Piercing Howl: An ability that damages and knocks an enemy down.
• Infectious Claws: A swipe attack that deals disease damage to multiple foes.

There you have it! Tell us what you think about the changes, which will be coming online in a future game update. Happy hunting!

Halorin

This sounds really encouraging, and I hope to see it sooner rather than later. It's somewhat surprising and saddening to me that the CC problem has been counted as a bug, because it implies that either the team wasn't aware of its existence, or has left it so little a priority that it's been allowed to stay that way for so long.

I have a question, though. Have the developers considered making the transformation mechanic similar to the Sorcerer class' Overload? Where you have to meet a certain threshold of ultimate to activate, and the amount of ultimate you have lowers as you use it?

I think that would allow for a lot more control and strategy to turning into a werewolf.

MorHawk

A stamina-based self-heal? I can see that one being popular.

Makkir

I am baffled this only has two comments. Maybe there's only 2 werewolves left in Tamriel.

kieso

make werewolves un CC'able! that'd be awesome!

Kypho

Thats all? you made Temps and DKs fotm and thats all to WW?

Samadhi

I like these updates, thank you for taking the time to post.

I just may cure my vampirism and go back to playing Werewolf again, since I already leveled it to 10 before giving up on it.

To be honest though, you had me at

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

... We’ve also fixed a bug that prevented you from using the CC Break ability in werewolf form.
...

Everything else is just beautiful, well designed, icing on the cake.

Asia_Skyly

One of the big drawbacks I don't see resolved here is the fact that you are affected by the Werewolf trait while in your race form, but you are not granted any of the benefits. You can be dealth with using silver shards and you are impacted by poison, but you do not get a great stamina regeneration on your native race form. I understand how this is logical, to a point, and how it makes it different from vampirism, but this gives vampirism a huge advantage. Finally, you have to resolve the issue of losing your ultimate when you lose your transformation, that was a huge drawback. It is possible that the lower cost will make for it, but personally I would have liked an answer to the two issues I listed here.

lathbury

Awesome this needs to be an announcement as a lot of players have been asking for some of these fixes. Can we get a time frame? I'm sure the howl is an idea I suggested I hope my comments were the inspiration that would be cool.

LunaRae

Really wish we would see some human-passives so there is some incentive to being a werewolf even if you don't run transformation on your bar all the time. I'd say the top 2 reasons to be a vampire are A. bat swarm B. just for the passives the skill line offers. I'd really like to see you guys try and work in a few passives into the WW skill line. Lets make it happen

ShadowHvo

Looks awesome! I'll throw this to all of my Werewolf friends, and hell.. even a vampire I'm happy to see the werewolves recieve a well-deserved buff.

TehMagnus

This looks really nice!

As I had stated in other posts, IMO, WW need more single target shredding power.

As vamps go in the fight with their ulti dealing AOE damage, Werewolves should be used to single out targets like healers or sorcs and take them down I believe this was the aim of piercing howl and it's a very nice addition since it will give time for the wolf to dps the target.

Some more improvements would be nice like additional passives that give more damage vs Light Armor, a bit less vs medium armor and why not penalties vs Heavy Armor.

In any case it's a nice step to bring back the WW in PVP, hope we will see more buffs coming if these changes (which are in the right direction) aren't enough!

Armitas

Asia_Skyly wrote: »

One of the big drawbacks I don't see resolved here is the fact that you are affected by the Werewolf trait while in your race form, but you are not granted any of the benefits. You can be dealth with using silver shards and you are impacted by poison, but you do not get a great stamina regeneration on your native race form. I understand how this is logical, to a point, and how it makes it different from vampirism, but this gives vampirism a huge advantage. Finally, you have to resolve the issue of losing your ultimate when you lose your transformation, that was a huge drawback. It is possible that the lower cost will make for it, but personally I would have liked an answer to the two issues I listed here.

I would also like to emphasize this issue. I had planned to go werewolf on release but with no non morph benefits, or having to slot a werewolf ultimate I found the whole line inferior to vampire.

The line really needs some humanoid passives.

j4k3s7a

I've been going back and forth between werewolf and vamp a long time now. Now I'm definitely going werewolf.

When can we see this on PTS and release? Can we expect this for 1.4?

Attorneyatlawl

Halorin wrote: »

This sounds really encouraging, and I hope to see it sooner rather than later. It's somewhat surprising and saddening to me that the CC problem has been counted as a bug, because it implies that either the team wasn't aware of its existence, or has left it so little a priority that it's been allowed to stay that way for so long.

Yep, I reported it last year (literally) and have feedbacked it several times since .

I like the changes outlined, but I also would say the transform animation needs to be MUCH shorter than its current incarnation, because stunning yourself for 2.5 seconds is not a good idea in PVP .

Maverick827

I think the line definitely needs out-of-form perks. In Skyrim you had benefits while out of form, so you should in this game, too.

dodgehopper_ESO

I know this is slightly out of the field of fixing Werewolves (Which needs doing) but I would love to see the possibility of playing as a Werebear, Werebat, Werecrocodile or Wereboar or the like. I was so saddened in Skyrim when I saw all the Werebears and I couldn't play one. I don't normally mod things like that, but I hunted out a good Werebear mod for that game, just so I could play as one. It was purely a skin, but it made me happy.

As for the changes to the Werewolf system, I think those changes sound like a great start. The feeding system could probably use a little love as well. I'm going to use Skyrim as an example, but I can remember running a full circle of Skyrim with my werewolf, wiping out bandit camp after bandit camp (and any animals or bandits who were stupid enough to get in my way). When all was said and done, I set my character there in wolf mode, got up, made a sandwich, ate it, and came back and I was still in wolf mode. It would be neat if there were a way to keep wolf mode going for longer, much like overload for mages can be almost kept up in perpetuity. (I really love Overload... you feel like such a mage using that power).

I am excited about these changes though, and look forward to dusting off my wolf to try them out!

MorHawk

j4k3s7a wrote: »

I've been going back and forth between werewolf and vamp a long time now. Now I'm definitely going werewolf.
When can we see this on PTS and release? Can we expect this for 1.4?

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

we’re ready to tell you about some of the changes we’re considering ...
Tell us what you think about the changes, which will be coming online in a future game update. Happy hunting!

Bolded the appropriate parts. They've not even finalized the details yet (morphs, for example). I wouldn't hold your breath.

Wodwo

I love the fact that ZOS gives us all of these updates, its really cool and interesting that we the community get to have a voice in the process of development, and I know for a fact it is something A LOT of other companies simply don't do (*cough* DICE Stockholm *cough*). However, Jess Folsom asked for our feedback so here it is. We need time frames for updates. You keep giving us all of this great info and then nothing to say how far along in the process you are. Even if it was just Winter 2014 or Spring 2015 it would give this community something to work towards and help give us peace of mind that we keep on subscribing for an end goal. It would quell many of the fears expressed on these forums as well. I know that in the development process it can be hard to predict these things, but I know you can do better than in Matt Firor's latest "Road Ahead" article where he stated things would be coming; soon, not so soon and really not that soon at all. Please ZOS, for the sake of the community, throw us a bone and tell us when we can expect this stuff. Thanks for reading.

Nevril

I quote those who are asking some (even small) humanoid form effects (with their own drawbacks, obviously)

I'd like to see also a "Taunt" morph of one of the skills.

As far as the changes listed, in theory they seem nice.

Winnower

I confess that I was hoping to see Werewolf *form* become a toggle - maybe make it like a pet skill and reduce your *magicka*, and have the ultimate become a different ability.

If this were the case it would resolve all the issues about being vulnerable in human form with no benefits to actually being a werewolf.

And people could roleplay and enjoy roaming around as weres. At the same time, you could make the justice system be hostile to werewolves in werewolf form in most cities, which would enhance immersion and give reason to not running around in were form.

Samadhi

Regarding input on Morphs for the new skills.

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

...
Finally, we’ll be adding some all-new werewolf abilities to give you more combat options. Here’s what we’ve come up with (we’ll have more about the morphs in the future and would love to know what you’d like to see):

• Hircine’s Bounty: This is a self-heal ability that gives you more survivability.
• Piercing Howl: An ability that damages and knocks an enemy down.
• Infectious Claws: A swipe attack that deals disease damage to multiple foes.

There you have it! Tell us what you think about the changes, which will be coming online in a future game update. Happy hunting!

Hircine's Bounty
I love that Werewolf finally has a much needed self heal.
I would like to see Morph options as follows
Morph 1: Adds temporary damage reduction (not armour or spell resistance! Straight reduction like Nords get!) buff for 5 seconds after casting. Duration remains constant, but damage reduction effect scales per level.
Morph 2: Adds 5 seconds to Werewolf timer with activation.

Piercing Howl
As this skill is a single-target CC effect, I see good opportunity to turn the morphs into synergistic effects that can help different playstyles.
Morph 1: Pouncing on an enemy affected by Howl heals for 25% of damage inflicted.
Morph 2: Weapon Damage and Critical rating are increased while attacking an enemy that is affected by Howl.
Alternatively: perhaps a morph should increase Stamina Regeneration.

Infectious Claws
I love the idea behind this skill even as its base morph. It was hard to think of how morphs may improve it.
Morph 1: also adds a damage over time effect to all targets
Morph 2: also immobilizes all affected targets for 1.5 seconds

These are just quick draft ideas I had; I may come back and offer something better, but these felt like they fit without being too overpowered.

TheBull

Now please! Sounds amazing.

1.4 please, if not please give us an eta.

demonlkojipub19_ESO

Yea Werewolf form should still become toggleable so Werewolves can be werewolves whenever they want and take advantage of those werewolf form only traits, while the ultimate become something cooler and useable while transformed.

Base ultimate: Fear all enemies within 10m range for 5 seconds, while increasing health and stamina by 30% and damage by 20%. 20s duration

Pack leader: Also increase your parties health and stamina by 15% and damage by 10%. Or, Summon a pack of werewolves to fight with you.

Werewolf berserker: damage increase now 50% and crit chance increased by 25%.

Meanwhile they can make use of other ultimates while transformed as well.

Preyfar

I'd also like the ability to stay in were-form far, FAR longer. The time spent in the form should be greatly increased. Or even let me stay in werewolf form by making the transformation a toggle (given it removes my access to other abilities).

(And if in werewolf form in a city, NPCs and guards should react to you and attack).

Xnemesis

I want a passive that increases all poison damage dealt by 15/25% in all forms.

Lykanus

Finally some News- great!
About the Ultimate after turning back i'd like to see a fix - OR make it like Overload, so the Ultimate gets used and isnt lost while you gain Ultimate as a Werewolf. The "lost" Ultimatepoints dont feel good as you lose your hard fair gained ultimate for nothing when turning back.

And a Human passive ability would be good to see, maybe one which also helps with the survivability as a human and while in wolf.

Fellwitch

Sounds great! Is there any chance of getting an improved passive that also increases healing received in all forms by 4/6/8% by chance?

I think the passives on the vampire are extremely powerful compared to the ultimate generation on werewolf. It is still pretty lackluster.

I also do not see a clear reason why anyone would not choose to play either a werewolf or vampire now (maybe give a passive to fighters guild only if not a vamp or werewolf?)

Lastly, is there any chance for the berserker model to be made black?

Thanks!!

Preyfar

Fellwitch wrote: »

I think the passives on the vampire are extremely powerful compared to the ultimate generation on werewolf. It is still pretty lackluster.

I think a passive that would make more sense would be a slightly increased run speed. Like "Hircine's Flight" which gives you a minor increase to run speed (2/4/6?) given wolves being generally swift. Or even an increase to stamina or stamina regen.

Thejollygreenone

I love it. Thanks for the update team, this really is sparking up my interest to play again. But with that said, I think there's still a few major things that need to be touched upon.

Here are my thoughts(via wall o text)

Firstly, the transform animation is a death sentence in PvP, and even in some PvE situations, unless of course you transform before combat and waste some time on your duration and that sweet sweet aoe fear which wont be in range to hit anything.

The transform animation acts like a 2+ second stun as it is, and is one of the biggest problems with the ability. If you try to use an action during that animation, you lose all ultimate but dont gain ww form, what's worse, sometimes you'll bug out and have limited movement speed until you relog.

My suggestion, make the ww truly not able to move/attack/use abilities during this time, but make the ww invulnerable to damage and cc during this time. There will be plenty of time for the enemy to do that after you've transformed. Or you could just make the animation instant ( x < .5seconds )

The second major issue that needs to be addressed is not being able to keep the ultimate you gain while in ww form after the form expires. This would go a long way to alleviate the high cost to low benefit issue, and it would be a more pleasing alternative to the player base, as no one wants to see their ultimate disappear after building up a bunch incidentally.

Lastly, on a personal note, you can't sneak while in ww form. This really disturbs me, since as a stamina based player sneaking is the only thing I'm competent at in PvP. I'd like to be able to slip out from stealth alone, kill a player in ww form, then be able to still slip back into stealth after the player is dead and others are approaching like I would normally.

Because of this drawback, ww needs more staying power (durability/damage which is indeed being addressed in this thread), or the ability to crouch and stealth.

Thanks for reading!

Cyrdemaceb17_ESO

Am I missing something? I like the changes but all I see is less ultimate cost NOT more time being a WW.
Added the long Devour timer (20 sec as stated), WW is still subpar to vampire in PvP. 40 sec of fun.