Some basic game balance principles that ZoS needs to learn:

KenaPKK

Reward risky behavior. For example, melee damage should be inherently higher than ranged damage because getting into melee range of an enemy is inherently more dangerous. Put buffs such as Major Sorcery on melee range skills, for example.

Increase Counterplay and Decision Making in combat. Don't decrease it. Give people opportunities to make meaningful decisions as fights progress, and give us tools to use in response to allies' and enemies' actions. For example, let detection potions reveal hidden units for a period of time, but give the hidden unit some warning that he's revealed, or a way to avoid damage while attempting to escape.

These are basic and off the top of my head. Anyone have any to add?

Mojmir

how about increasing dmg and defense for higher ground in melee? increased dmg from flanking? too much?

ScruffyWhiskers

I can imagine the programming leads/engineers will object to anything that requires more state checks/processing or increases client/server traffic....so elevation checks and additional flank checks (there are apparently some for stealth attacks but not blocking) would be frowned upon. At least that's my guess.

KenaPKK

OH, also, building offensive stats should give damage and building defensive stats should give durability with limited crossover. If a character can build offensive stats and get both damage and durability (cough, sorc shields), they become good at everything, which is no fun to play against. They simply have no decision making in their builds, so they all build one thing and excel at everything.