Gameplay Updates and Q&A with Eric Wrobel

eventide03b14a_ESO

Frawr wrote: »

eventide03b14a_ESO wrote: »

@ZOS_GinaBruno @Wrobel Overload can be reflected, so Meteor IS NOT the only ultimate that be reflected. Can we get that changed to follow the new "no ultimate reflect" policy?

I assume trolling?

making overload light attacks unreflectable would be far worse than meteor because you can do far more damage with it to a single target. it is simply unbalanced in that respect.

Everything needs a counter.

Ground-based ults can be moved out of
Conal ults can be dodged completely (bug on dawnbreaker?)

These give strong ults but with an ability to avoid them if you are quick.

Meteor is now being changed to have no real counter. It is an ult which regens ult when it (is guaranteed to) land. This means that 1 v 1 will be a race to who launches meteor first and raid vs raid will be a meteor spam fest.

surely this is obvious?!

Overload is very very strong and making it unreflectable takes away a counter that should be there to balance the skill. 99% of sorcs can cast more overloads than DKs can cast wings and everyone else can cast defensive posture.

It should continue to be reflectable as should meteor.

I'm being dead serious. Who exactly are you to be calling someone a troll? I have said all along making meteor non reflect is a bad idea but if their "logic" is that ults shouldn't be reflected then they should stick by that or they should rethink meteor. Calling me a troll doesn't help the conversation and it's rude.

eventide03b14a_ESO

bowmanz607 wrote: »

eventide03b14a_ESO wrote: »

lordrichter wrote: »

timidobserver wrote: »

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

• Breath of Life: We understand that many of you are frustrated with this change, but we found the ability was a little too powerful as a single ability (both as a single target and AoE healing ability). We’ve been watching a lot of livestreams, and Templars appear to still be very useful using this ability in conjunction with others. This includes using Focused Healing which now grants you the Major Mending buff, or Healing Ritual which has a decreased cast time. We don’t currently have any plans to change Breath of Life beyond what’s already been done.

Thanks for the honesty in admitting out who caused the nerf. At least the Templar community can see straight from ZOS who is getting them nerfed. They can clearly understand whose feedback is more important(the massive detailed threads posted by regular players or the word of a few streamers.) Basically, you've said here that streamers are the reason for this knee-jerk nerf being given a higher priority than properly fixing focused charge which has been bugged for years.

I would honestly be okay with the nerf if the changes you gave us were good enough to balance out the nerf.

I think they mean they have been watching PTS live streams to see how the changes have impacted Templars.

I don't think that's what they meant at all.

that is exactly what they meant. The statement was based off of some of the feedback they saw on live streams on the pts. The overall changes to BOL before they were on pts did not come from watching streams. Mereley the confirmation that the ability is still usefull on the pts came from streams. There is a comment some where to this effect also.

They have been watching live streamers. People that get paid to play this game and do it professionally, not everyday folk. When they say live streams that's what they mean.

Frawr

eventide03b14a_ESO wrote: »

I'm being dead serious. Who exactly are you to be calling someone a troll? I have said all along making meteor non reflect is a bad idea but if their "logic" is that ults shouldn't be reflected then they should stick by that or they should rethink meteor. Calling me a troll doesn't help the conversation and it's rude.

I referred to the act of trolling not to your being one.

the only thing achieved by making ultimates match is making the conditional formatting match on their spreadsheet at the expense of gameplay.

if that is their goal then no doubt they will achieve it.

As an experienced player, i fail to see why you would encourage this approach, except if 'tongue in cheek'.

Joy_Division

My main critique of this patch is that I'm not inspired by very many of these balance changes to actually slot different skills or play a different way. Is there anything in these patch notes that might get stamina sorcerers or heavy armor players interested in trying something new? I don't even play these archetypes and that's what I see. The new toys seem to have gone only to magicka DKs (although I still am not convinced they can stand their ground) or, as usual, sorcerers who like toggles (while the healing twilight is fun to troll templars with, I'd rather have the old unstable familiar).

Granted, you have given us a legit new trial (finally, thank you) and some interesting gear (finally, thank you) and rather drastic anti-zerg measures (still think it would be easier to just remove AoE caps). This means that we are basically playing in a new environment but with our old builds. Won't speak for anyone else, but I was kind of hoping to try skills and abilities and combination I have not used before and I am disappointed in that respect.

ZoS claims to be watching streams ... OK, if you watching them, what are you exactly watching for? That templars are still "useful" despite the blanket nerf to their iconic skill? To me that mindset is a problem. I mean, you only watching these streams to see if expert players can live with a nerf and have not driven people from playing a class. You're watching Hodor, LoM, and these other expect guilds try to clear the new trail? How often do you see anyone use Blood Altar? Do you even care that every sorcerer DPS is still reliant on using two swords, toggles, and Overload spamming? Do you see any actual variety in play-style and builds from Live to what's going on in PTS?

There are many skills and abilities out there that I never see anyone using. I PuG dailies everyday and play on the pop-lock lag-infested Azura's NA server so my perspective is rather broad. Of all the skills that are counterproductive, weak, or just bad, this is the one I would like to hear Eric comment on:

******

Elusive Mist Form - Since the release of consoles, there is nothing elusive about it. Why is it that a cloud of mist can be stunned/snared by generic gap closers and do you think it is fair that a skill named elusive mist restricts you to a speed that, with the changes to major expedition, is now slower than a player's regular sprint?

*****

I have been told the targeting "feature" is here to stay because of consoles and if that is so, then I am not sure this skill will ever be useful. But let's at least try.

Suggestion: You are a cloud. A cloud that can't be healed and regenerates no magicka. Clouds of mist cannot be snared, stunned, rooted, or impended by generic abilities. A pocket fan, maybe. But, sorry, the critical rush skill, which is not supposed to snare anyone by the way (which is why it gets increased damage) should not stop a cloud of mist. Mist Form is immune to *all* effects that root, stun, snare, or impede movement in any way. This condition is granted to the base skill.
Additionally:

• The Elusive morph is such that you are not automatically slower than someone who presses the sprint key. Whether Elusive Mist gains specific and separate speed bonus outside of major expedition (preferred) or allow players to sprint while under the effect matters not as long as the name and the intent of the ability work in actual gameplay.
• The Poison morph is woefully underpowered. If this morph is intended for offensive use, it needs to have higher damage and a strong CC component (as is common in vampire folklore).

eventide03b14a_ESO

Frawr wrote: »

eventide03b14a_ESO wrote: »

I'm being dead serious. Who exactly are you to be calling someone a troll? I have said all along making meteor non reflect is a bad idea but if their "logic" is that ults shouldn't be reflected then they should stick by that or they should rethink meteor. Calling me a troll doesn't help the conversation and it's rude.

I referred to the act of trolling not to your being one.

the only thing achieved by making ultimates match is making the conditional formatting match on their spreadsheet at the expense of gameplay.

if that is their goal then no doubt they will achieve it.

As an experienced player, i fail to see why you would encourage this approach, except if 'tongue in cheek'.

Three scenerios: 1 I get my overload without the risk of having it reflected. 2 they make meteor stop reflecting 3 They give us the real reason why they decided to remove the reflect. The fact that I have to actually spell it out for you has completely ruined any chances of that happening now. Not sure if that was your goal all along, but who's the troll now? Good job, let's turn on each other instead.

dimensional

100000% agree with this as a fellow heavy armor stam DK

EnOeZ wrote: »

Hello @Wrobel, @ZOS_GinaBruno !


My question in short:

"Since the appearance of dedicated competitive PVP Guilds, guild leaders request everyone to wear light (and since 1.6 possibly medium) and use magicka (and since 1.6 possibly stamina) and even demand people to change or leave the guild if using Heavy Armor + Stamina. This is how bad Heavy Armor + Stamina has been and still is in PVP. Do you have plans @Wrobel for this setup ? What is your position on Heavy Armor Stamina PVP, especially for DK and do you consider the setup "good enough" to be competitive in Cyrodiil and at a lesser extent for Veteran Maelstrom Arena leaderboards ?"


Analysis and wishful proposals from a (sad) Heavy Armor Stam PVP DK:

I am fond of competitive PVP games, including MMOs in which I have made several "frontline fighters" in heavy armor in WOW, Warhammer Online and others. However I fail to enjoy my character at the same extent to let's say my Blackguard (Warhammer) or my Warrior (Wow) since I seem not to have the tools to support my playstyle (apart from scales), or they are magicka only (inhale, flame lash, burning embers...), or they are inefficient PVP wise (Brawl), or they are stamina but leave me with a magicka pool I don't know what to do with (which is a loss of opportunity contrary to magicka users who always take advantage of their stamina pool) and/or the buffs I need are split in so many abilities that I need more slots (compared to some NB abilities for example that activates so many buffs and debuffs with the push of one single button (...)). In short, I feel the Heavy Armor PVP Stamina DK design is lackluster, clunky, at best highly inefficient for the fronline "stand your ground" playstyle.

1/ Heavy armor provides less overall protection than light or medium since active protections (dodges, bolt escape, damage shields...) are far superior in this game to passive protection. Additionally the passive protection is cut in half due to armor penetration or completely negated in the case of corrosive armor.

2/ Fighting in the frontline requires to be able to somehow be able so lessen/mitigate/deal with lots of CCs (soft and hard), what heavy armor is incapable of due to having less resources available (constitution passive is much too low). No reduction to dodgeroll means blocking is required, cutting stamina regeneration, a resource we already desperately lack of, especially as stam heavy armor DK. Did I mention that Assault passive "Continuous Attack" benefits only to regen stackers and is therefore utterly detrimental to PVP Tanks who usually go cost reduction ?

3/ The current PTS patch notes seem to offer absolutely no recomfort to my despair/niche play, and the previous threads I wrote got no official feedback. Considering the few players sharing my setup (others have already been pushed out of this setup but I have personally not the time to reroll nor the envy to play in dress for RP purposes), I think it's time to make another contribution:

Let's make an easy and elegant skill redistribution of DK abilities among the trees !

Ardent Flame:

• Fiery Grip -> Earthen Heart
• Inferno -> Draconic Power

Draconic Power:

• Talons -> Earthen Heart
• Inhale -> Earthen Heart

Hearthen Heart:

• Stone Fist -> Ardent Flame
• Obsidian Shield -> Draconic Power
• Ash Cloud -> Ardent Flame

-- Arguments --

_ Hearthen Heart is a tree design around stamina returns and weapon buffs

Fiery Grip and Talons are often the only magicka abilities in Stamina setups. They would use better the stamina return from Helping Hands and the weapon buff from Mountain blessing. Inhale is an iconic ability of the DK to "stand his ground", a situation where block is necessary meaning noStamina Regen. Placing Inhale in Hearthen Heart allows stamina return from Helping Hands and longer tanking. It seems so elegant this way.

_ Draconic Power is a tree taking advantage of lasting effects

... (which Talons and Inhale are not) with Burning Heat 12% additional healing received which is useless for Talons and Inhale, abilities that currently do not benefit from the passives of the tree (!). On a sidenote "Elder Dragon" passive should be modified to percentage of health/2s (1,5/3%) while a Draconic Ability is active since close to no one uses health regen in PVP and End Game (if not for Engine Guardian). Inferno (keeping its slow effect) and Obsidian Shield are lasting abilities that would take advantage of those two passives, benefiting from additional healing even if Obsidian Shield expires or better a redesign of the ability keeping major mending but reducing the next 7 hits by 5/10% of health (2,5/5% in Cyrodiil). I will add that Obsidian is currently counter productive with Heavy Armor "Constitution Passive" currently since it prevents being hit, this change would allow the (too) small resources from Constitution to proc. Inferno could be redesign to taunt and apply a debuff like minor fracture (less armor), minor breach (less spell resistance), minor protection (8% less damage from target) or minor maim (less damage dealt) fitting it's new tanking tree perfectly and providing diversity to tanks setup. I would love the Inferno ability to be PBAOE again (like at launch).

_ Ardent Flame is the DPS tree, the place of flame/fire damage

That's the reason why Stone Fist and Ash Cloud belong to that tree taking especially advantage of all the passives: Stone Fist would slow additionally after the stun and could proc kindling, Ash Cloud would take advantage of Wold in flame (additional damage), warmth meaning at casting and for 2 seconds, target is rooted (70%+30% slow) or almost if computation is multiplicative (some inconsistency/obscurity in the way combat elements in general are calculated in TESO sadly)

-- Conclusion --

I do believe those changes would make a more coherent and more elegant Dragon Knight design, more enjoyable to play too, with now exciting and logical combos.

• For stamina DKs, those changes would make us feel more like DKs and less like "weapon abilities" users, with better coherency.
• For magicka DKs, those changes would allow two new damage dealing options, especially an instant and range one: Stone Fist and a range CC: Ash Cloud with a two seconds range root
• For tanks, the addition of a much needed stamina return on Inhale would be so welcome, especially in PVP tanking, since you know we cannot avoid combat... and modifying Obsidian to still receive hits to proc not only "Constitution" from Heavy Armor but also all those sets bonuses that require you to get hit (Blood Spawn, Sourge Harvester, Warrior's Fury, etc.) would be coherent
• For the other classes and balance, no direct buff just displacement of 7 skills in our already existing trees.
• For the developers, easy elegant and beautiful changes.

The former distribution has been made at a time when no class ability was stamina, stamina regen was on while blocking, heavy armor was not taken into consideration for PVP (so obvious, cf forums and reddit). I thank you @Wrobel in advance to consider this proposal which addresses several incoherences (stamina vs magicka, regen vs cost reduction in "Continuous attack" and other demultiplication effects like GDB, potions... "cannibalism" of fossilize over stone fist, etc.) and imbalances brought up with time (block change, class stamina abilities, Inferno and Ash Cloud evasion nerf...), in hope to bring pleasure to a gimped archetype design and enjoyment in competitive play.


With love

--
Writing on the dwindling state of Stamina Heavy Armor PVP Stam DK balance since 2015
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/246221/dk-abilities-redistribution/p1
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/209592/heavy-attack-mechanics-and-bonuses-are-unfair-to-melee-weapon-characters/p1
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/148711/1-6-pts-heavy-armor-feedback/p1

Helluin

1) I remember that during one ESO Live in last November or December, you or Brian Wheeler (sorry, I don't recall it) spoke about improving ranged skills and single target skills to prevent the blob - AoE spam balls meta, something that you considered negative as approach (no fun, strategy and less skillfull) and performance wise.

Why didn't you add those changements in this patch as you were thinking?
Is this changement something we will see in a future major or incremental patch or have you changed your minds about it?

Even being a member of a PvP guild that uses effectively that tactic, I agreed with you because I consider this meta boring and quite unskilled.

2)

Soulac wrote: »

Could I get a reliable defense ability as nightblade?

I have a really similar question.

Shadow Cloak is a way to get an use of the NB passive skill Master Assasin, the Bosmer and Khajiit passive skill Stealthy, the stun from Concealed Weapon/Surprise Attack.
Will these skills be compensated in some ways since Magelight nullifies invisibility?
Shadow Cloak is also the main and iconic defensive tool of NB, like damage shields, healing, etc. for other classes.
How will this be compensated or replaced?
Is this changement also because of Thieves Guild PvE mechanics?

On a further note, will Clouding Swarm of Vampire being reworked accordingly?
Devouring Swarm infact becomes the only viable option for vampires in PvP.


But for the changements about Shadow Cloak and morphs, that I consider fine, the changement to Magelight is really too much and should be tuned down for invisibility especially.
Magelight is already a core skill and it got an huge buff in both morphs, making it not a trade off, like it is for example a set like Shield Breaker or other skills.
Magelight and morphs are already slotted on live server without this huge buff, do you realize that stealthers will be the first ones using Magelight because Major Empower and we will have then complaints about bows?

When creating a character, Nightblade has this description:

Nightblades are adventurers and opportunists with a gift for getting in and out of trouble. Relying variously on stealth, blades and speed, they thrive on conflict and misfortune trusting to their luck and cunning to survive.

Will you edit this description since NB is the only class in TESO which gets a new counter that completely negates the use of a core class distinctive skill?

PvP wise, this changement to Magelight infact alters completely the description of this class and it's an unicum in game.

Shadow Cloak spammed, mainly by magicka builds, was surely an issue that required an action but this changement doesn't limit it, it nullifies a skill.
Probably some players "abused" of it but we can say something similar about every other core class skill.
Many other NB players like me uses and used this skill for skirmishing, as a defensive and repositioning skill.

Consider it just a ganking tool it's a mistake done by players upset for a kill in PvP (it's a game, you should take it more slowly; I got ganked myself, I wasn't happy but I didn't come to rant in forum; I considered it a challenge, I slotted one of the many counters and I started to search for the ganker often leading me to succeed in open combat).
Gank and sneak attacks are something that every class can do, some even better than NB.

imdoink

Can you please leave molten armaments as a heavy attack execute. Or put it on the other morph. Stamina dks need a execute without using the two handers.

Tankqull

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

[*] Meteor: This was the only Ultimate that you were previously able to reflect, so this change was simply bringing it in line with all other Ultimates.

driosketch wrote: »

This doesn't sound right, but I don't know enough about the sorc ult Overload to dispute it.

so in the next step overload will become unreflectable and undodgeable aswell... great, unretireing my sorc she is now a better healer than my templar, has far better survivabilty and mobility and the hardest hitting ulti here i come.

stick to your words ZOS!
@ZOS_GinaBruno

timidobserver

[–]ZOS_Finnigan 2 points 2 months ago
We do plan to offer VR16 rewards for completing the weekly Trial/Arena in Thieve's Guild. We won't be increasing their level but if it is the weekly Trial, you should get gear of your level.

@ZOS_GinaBruno
Above is a quote from Mike Finnegan from the Reddit AMA.

My question: I have seen confirmation that the newly introduced sets do drop for the weekly, but this quote implies anything you get for a trial weekly will be V16. So, when Dragonstar Arena is the weekly, will Master's weapons drop as V16?

marvel_bound

Are we getting jewelry crafting

James-Wayne

Helluin wrote: »

PvP wise, this changement to Magelight infact alters completely the description of this class and it's an unicum in game.

Shadow Cloak spammed, mainly by magicka builds, was surely an issue that required an action but this changement doesn't limit it, it nullifies a skill.
Probably some players "abused" of it but we can say something similar about every other core class skill.
Many other NB players like me uses and used this skill for skirmishing, as a defensive and repositioning skill.

It doesn't nullifie it, Magelight needs to be slotted to start with, second it needs to be cast and has a timer plus it also just got a reduced radius and higher cost. You can still shadow cloak everywhere you just need to be more aware of who is running Magelight now because just like how NBs can pop up anywhere at a moments notice now so can magelight be suddenly activated at a moments notice.

I love this change for PvP, it evens the battlefield for all players, Stamina or Magicka. Your a NB with shadow cloak so you need to start being more sneakier and smarter that is all.

Targuris

igneous weapon morph should add heavy attack damage. This would encourage the use of things other than 2h for stam DK. It is a poor morph I think either an exact copy of molten armaments but with a group buff of major brutality. You could scrap the group buff entirely and make the morphs major brut or sorc. This would greatly increase the DKs build variety.

Targuris

A stam morph of chains would be fantastic as well. I think it would be really good for build variety as well. It makes sense as well because you are hurling a chain at the enemy. I would also like some updated passives for the DK. They are some of the worst as a whole compared to every other class. 5% health regen? seriously???

Tankqull

olsborg wrote: »

Couple of questions for Eric here:

1. Is it intended when a NB is marked or otherwise revealed and kept from stealthing that they cant even use the cloak spell to even gain the minor protection effectively making the skill slot on your bar redundant for the duration of mark or reveal(detection potion or radiant magelight etc) ?
2. Are sorceror pets not affected by battlespirit in cyrodiil defencively? The twilight matriarch specially, has only 10k or so hp and dies in a split second if focused, you cant refresh hardened ward on it either if it still has a small shield left from last time.
3. Cant you make it so sorc pets only need 1 slot on your bar to keep effective? Like a 5-15 sec grace period so if you switch back to the bar where it is slotted it wont desummon?

Thank you

if they change point 2. and 3. templars will be entirely obsolete...

MikeB

Still no changes to Wrecking Blow!? Sure, nerf BoL and NB's to uselessness for no logical reason but leave WB OP. #ZOSLogic

Helluin

James-Wayne wrote: »

Helluin wrote: »

PvP wise, this changement to Magelight infact alters completely the description of this class and it's an unicum in game.

Shadow Cloak spammed, mainly by magicka builds, was surely an issue that required an action but this changement doesn't limit it, it nullifies a skill.
Probably some players "abused" of it but we can say something similar about every other core class skill.
Many other NB players like me uses and used this skill for skirmishing, as a defensive and repositioning skill.

It doesn't nullifie it, Magelight needs to be slotted to start with, second it needs to be cast and has a timer plus it also just got a reduced radius and higher cost. You can still shadow cloak everywhere you just need to be more aware of who is running Magelight now because just like how NBs can pop up anywhere at a moments notice now so can magelight be suddenly activated at a moments notice.

I love this change for PvP, it evens the battlefield for all players, Stamina or Magicka. Your a NB with shadow cloak so you need to start being more sneakier and smarter that is all.

Obviously the assumption was Magelight slotted and used, like majority will do in PvP.
I agree with you about Shadow Cloak able to be used when not in fight or in ranged or if you play as a ganker, but when in melee and with many opponents around (so really probably not just one opponent using Magelight every 5 sec but other ones, maybe involved in fight with other players), the skill is greyed out so basically it doesn't exist, you have 4 skill. That's why I said it nullifies it and also all the passive and skills related.
There is a big difference between a counter and something able to keep a skill locked and what related to it.
Magelight working just against sneak, Flare working against sneak and invisibility and an increased cost of magicka upon each use of Cloak or, instead of those, a gear set to prevent sneak/invisibility would have been a better solution imho (Shield Breaker is a trade off with a specific ability/bonus; it's able to bypass damage shields but not preventing a player to use a damage shield).
Because of these reasons I think that 5 seconds being unable to use Cloak is a lot, that the current mechanic and the low cost of Magelight are an issue.
Xeniph for example suggested to treat this like a CC.
We have to wait for the next PTS patch to check the new radius and how much the cost will be increased (atm is really low) but I hope other things will be done to balance it between feedbacks and what devs want to achieve.

@Xeniph and I wrote some feedbacks after we run several tests, you can find those here and in the following posts, if you are interested.
We can continue to share feedbacks and opinions there, so we avoid to go OT here.

TheBull

Did you forget to upgrade the Alliance War vendor containers?
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/2683067#Comment_2683067

Essiaga

Enodoc wrote: »

Questions for @Wrobel, taken from this thread (which seems to be being avoided like the plague):

Wrobel has said before that they are investigating making ranged abilities more effective at damaging large groups of players. And I have three direct questions that I hope he would answer:

...
• What is the rationale behind the 6 people damage falloff cap?
• What is the rationale behind the 60 people hard cap?

These ...

Essiaga

Dear Wrobel,
When will the game be balanced to get rid of Battle Spirit in PVP? Does this not spell out a few obvious areas where balance is needed? Case in point, shields are decreased by 50% but shields simply are not used in the LARGE majority of PVE situations as it cuts into the DPS. If its done to protect Sorcs Tank I like to point out that their shields are no smaller than that of the Templar or DK (and their self heals/dps etc are still comparable, and growing with changes to pets in TG. In PVP all shields not based on Magicka are rendered useless, as health is not a viable stat to stack in ESO. This has hurt the "stand your ground" classes (DK and Templar) removing some or all of their damage mitigation.

This causes Balance issues in PVP and more complaints from the community as you might have notice the DK/Templar out cry over the past year or so. Damage mitigation still has a huge place in PVP (Shield Stacking Sorcs)but is hard to come by on some classes, such as the Templar (which must use ultimate or go vamp). BOL is both to much (deserving of a nerf) and not enough (needs other mitigation to off set it) when it comes to the Templar's survival.

Will ZOS balance ESO to get rid of Battle Spirit and balancing mitigation?

Essiaga

Targuris wrote: »

add heavy attack damage to igneous weapons morph. This would make it more appealing. I don't see why you constantly make almost useless morphs for noone to use. A huge example of this is crystal blast... make it a stam move for stam sorcs. It could be a storm hammer or something. You need to give stamina better options, because stamina is getting very boring.

Crystal Blast as a stam ability would be OP as every hit would activate Blood Magick healing them for 4-8% of max health. It would have to be a channel or have a long cast time or the Passive would have to be reworked. I'm not at all apposed to more stam morphs though.

Bare in mind that the other classes with stam morphs attacks are still using WB and Crit Charge, etc. with the exception of many NB. This one ability will probably be just another tool that doesn't benefit as much as 2-handed skill line. The Sorc also is unique in that they don't have any true melee abilities. Mines and Lightning Form seem to be the closest and Steak is the opposite of a gap closer (which 3 classes lack stam morphs for).

I think a Rune like the one on the new piece of gear would have been interesting Daedric Mines stam morph. Imagination wasted on sets rather then the actual Classes.

Essiaga

WalkingLegacy wrote: »

Wrobel,

I love heavy armor. I love the way it looks. I want to wear it just because I personally think it looks awesome. Problem is you don't make it viable to wear as dps.

Is the team looking at how to make the passives more revolving around to the type of role we want to do? IE tank, heal, dps?

Speaking of roles...

Has anyone looked at making it more cut and dry on what role we are? So when we pick our skills and morphs they're more helpful to that role? We have 2 morphs but three roles and sometimes we have to admit that it's either for healing or dps only.

And in regards to the above, the more we spec passives into that role, the more effective we are at that role?

Every Skill has a base and 2 morphs. That's 3 options. Also some skills just don't work for all roles (which I'm sure you're know and I'm just pointing out).

But if they had the base skill be a viable option then there would be 3 options rather then 2 or in many cases 1 viable morph. I think the base option should be more for tanks no matter wait.

itscompton

Bashev wrote: »

EnOeZ wrote: »

Hello @Wrobel, @ZOS_GinaBruno !


My question in short:

"Since the appearance of competitive PVP dedicated Guilds, guild leaders request rightfully everyone to wear light (and since 1.6 possibly medium) and use magicka (and since 1.6 possibly stamina) and even demand people to change or leave if using Heavy Armor + Stamina. This is how bad Heavy Armor + Stamina has been and still is in PVP. Do you have plans @Wrobel for this setup ? What is your position on Heavy Armor Stamina PVP, especially for DK and do you consider the setup "good enough" to be competitive in Cyrodiil but also at a lesser extent in Veteran Maelstrom Arena leaderboards ?"


(Sad) Heavy Armor Stam PVP DK here.

I am fond of competitive PVP games, including MMOs in which I have made several "frontline fighters" in heavy armor in WOW, Warhammer Online and others. However I fail to enjoy my character at the same extent to let's say my Blackguard (Warhammer) or my Warrior (Wow) since I seem not to have the tools to support my playstyle (apart from scales), or they are magicka only (inhale, flame lash, burning embers...), or they are inefficient PVP wise (Brawl), or they are stamina but leave me with a magicka pool I don't know what to do with (contrary to magicka users who always take advantage of their stamina pool) and/or the buffs I need are split in so many abilities that I need more slots (like some NB abilities for example that activates so many buffs and debuffs with the push of one single button (...)). In short, I feel the Heavy Armor PVP Stamina DK design is lackluster, clunky, at best highly inefficient for the fronline "stand your ground" playstyle.

1/ Heavy armor provides less protection than light or medium since active protections (dodges, bolt escape, damage shields...) are far superior in this game to passive protection. Additionally the passive protection is cut in half due to armor penetration or completely negated in the case of corrosive armor.

2/ Fighting in the frontline requires to be able to somehow be able so lessen/mitigate/deal with lots of CCs (soft and hard), what heavy armor is incapable of due to having less resources available (constitution passive is much too low). No reduction to dodgeroll means blocking is required, cutting stamina regeneration, a resource we already desperately lack of, especially as stam heavy armor DK. Did I mention that Assault passive "Continuous Attack" benefits only to regen stackers and are therefore utterly detrimental to PVP Tanks who usually go cost reduction ?

3/ The current PTS patch notes seem to offer absolutely no recomfort to my despair/niche play, and the previous threads I wrote got no official feedback. Considering the few players sharing my setup (others have already been pushed out of this setup but I have personally not the time to reroll nor the envy to play in dress for RP purposes), I think it's time to make another contribution:

Let's make an easy and elegant skill redistribution of DK abilities among the trees !

Ardent Flame:

• Fiery Grip -> Earthen Heart
• Inferno -> Draconic Power

Draconic Power:

• Talons -> Earthen Heart
• Inhale -> Earthen Heart

Hearthen Heart:

• Stone Fist -> Ardent Flame
• Obsidian Shield -> Draconic Power
• Ash Cloud -> Ardent Flame

-- Arguments --

_ Hearthen Heart is a tree design around stamina returns and weapon buffs

Fiery Grip and Talons [/i]are often the only magicka abilities in Stamina setups. They would use better the stamina return from Helping Hands and the weapon buff from Mountain blessing. Inhale is an iconic ability of the DK to "stand his ground", a situation where block is necessary meaning noStamina Regen. Placing Inhale in Hearthen Heart allows stamina return from Helping Hands and longer tanking. It seems so elegant this way.

_ Draconic Power is a tree taking advantage of lasting effects

... (which Talons and Inhale are not) with Burning Heat 12% additional healing received which is useless for Talons and Inhale, abilities that currently do not benefit from the passives of the tree (!). On a sidenote "Elder Dragon" passive should be modified to percentage of health/2s (1,5/3%) while a Draconic Ability is active since close to no one uses health regen in PVP and End Game (if not for Engine Guardian). Inferno (keeping its slow effect) and Obsidian Shield are lasting abilities that would take advantage of those two passives, benefiting from additional healing even if Obsidian Shield expires or better a redesign of the ability keeping major mending but reducing the next 7 hits by 5/10% of health (2,5/5% in Cyrodiil). I will add that Obsidian is currently counter productive with Heavy Armor "Constitution Passive" currently since it prevents being hit, this change would allow the (too) small resources from Constitution to proc. Inferno could be redesign to taunt and apply a debuff like minor fracture (less armor), minor breach (less spell resistance), minor protection (8% less damage from target) or minor maim (less damage dealt) fitting it's new tanking tree perfectly and providing diversity to tanks setup. I would love the Inferno ability to be PBAOE again (like at launch).

_ Ardent Flame is the DPS tree, the place of flame/fire damage

That's the reason why Stone Fist and Ash Cloud belong to that tree taking especially advantage of all the passives: Stone Fist would slow additionally after the stun and could proc kindling, Ash Cloud would take advantage of Wold in flame (additional damage), warmth meaning at casting and for 2 seconds, target is rooted (70%+30% slow) or almost if computation is multiplicative (some inconsistency/obscurity in the way combat elements in general are calculated in TESO sadly)

-- Conclusion --

I do believe those changes would make a more coherent and more elegant Dragon Knight design, more enjoyable to play too, with now exciting and logical combos.

• For stamina DKs, those changes would make us feel more like DKs and less like "weapon abilities" users, with better coherency.
• For magicka DKs, those changes would allow two new damage dealing options, especially an instant and range one: Stone Fist and a range CC: Ash Cloud with a two seconds range root
• For tanks, the addition of much a needed stamina return on Inhale would be so welcome, especially in PVP tanking, since you know we cannot avoid combat... and modifying Obsidian to still receive hits to proc not only "Constitution" from Heavy Armor but also all those sets bonuses that require you to get hit (Blood Spawn, Sourge Harvester, Warrior's Fury, etc.) would be coherent
• For the other classes and balance, no direct buff just displacement of 7 skills in our already existing trees.
• For the developers, easy elegant and beautiful changes.

The former distribution has been made at a time when no class ability was stamina, stamina regen was on while blocking, heavy armor was not taken into consideration for PVP (so obvious, cf forums and reddit). I thank you @Wrobel in advance to consider this proposal which addresses several incoherences (stamina vs magicka, regen vs cost reduction in "Continuous attack" and other demultiplication effects like GDB, potions...) and imbalances brought up with time (block change, class stamina abilities, Inferno and Ash Cloud evasion nerf...), in hope to bring pleasure to a gimped archetype design and enjoyment in competitive play.


With love

--
Writing on the dwindling state of Stamina Heavy Armor PVP Stam DK balance since 2015
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/246221/dk-abilities-redistribution/p1
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/209592/heavy-attack-mechanics-and-bonuses-are-unfair-to-melee-weapon-characters/p1
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/148711/1-6-pts-heavy-armor-feedback/p1

Really nice constructive post. But I am afraid that it is too late for it. The decisions were done, and we can wait and see how it will be. The next big changes will be probably with the next DLC. This is how ZoS works.

Unless you're a NB, then you QQ and get the new magelight nerfed in less than a week

PURPLE245

WHERE IS THE STAM SORC ATTTTTTT!!!!!!@fengrush

Buddhokage

As a player who has recently returned to the game, I feel like there are some fundamental things that ZeniMAX isn't paying attention to. One of the things that I turn to as a resource for playing my class or leveling professions, etc., is YouTube videos and streamers. There seems to be a really angry backlash about a common set of things such as excessive CC, loss of being able to play your character, builds being ignored (Stam Sorc) and even some classes being viable by simply spamming a single ability over and over and over again.

These are all serious gameplay problems (among several others) that need to be addressed. Reality or not, if the public perception of ESO is that it is fundamentally broken, new or returning players such as myself likely won't even bother with putting time into the game (which is fundamentally sound).There's too many other options on the market, with even more on the way. You need to be open to further dialogue with the community, including those that are most critical of you. Even if you don't agree with them, they are likely very passionate about the game and could be leveraged as a great resource for understanding and improvement.

boundsy88

when are the stam sorc nerfs coming? @FENGRUSH

Blitz4

I have one request. Make weekly patches instead of quarterly patches. The pro's for players far outweigh any cons.

film

@Wrobel @ZOS_GinaBruno

When it comes to class balance I am curious as to why Stamina Sorc's are the only class that do not have a class skill that attacks (Magicka templar have Puncturing Sweep, Stamina Templar Biting Jabs Javelin, Magicka DK Whip, Embers Stamina DK Unstable Flame Magicka NB Concealed Weapon Stamina NB Surprise Attack Magicka Sorc Crystal Frags) ?

IC update you gave them buffs and solidified them as class but that's really it. I think it is pertinent to this update to buff Stamina Sorc's but I wouldn't even call it a buff. Give them something to look forward to as a class. Give them a skill to call their own. At the very least I hope @Wrobel and the rest of the ZOS crew addresses the Stamina Sorc issue of being ignored for a while now and talks about his/their vision for that class.

At the very least give them something.

Please.

Thanks.

Erondil

Targuris wrote: »

A stam morph of chains would be fantastic as well. I think it would be really good for build variety as well. It makes sense as well because you are hurling a chain at the enemy. I would also like some updated passives for the DK. They are some of the worst as a whole compared to every other class. 5% health regen? seriously???

Every class has some terrible and some awesome passives. Dk is not an exception.

AOECAPS

film wrote: »

@Wrobel @ZOS_GinaBruno

When it comes to class balance I am curious as to why Stamina Sorc's are the only class that do not have a class skill that attacks (Magicka templar have Puncturing Sweep, Stamina Templar Biting Jabs Javelin, Magicka DK Whip, Embers Stamina DK Unstable Flame Magicka NB Concealed Weapon Stamina NB Surprise Attack Magicka Sorc Crystal Frags) ?

IC update you gave them buffs and solidified them as class but that's really it. I think it is pertinent to this update to buff Stamina Sorc's but I wouldn't even call it a buff. Give them something to look forward to as a class. Give them a skill to call their own. At the very least I hope @Wrobel and the rest of the ZOS crew addresses the Stamina Sorc issue of being ignored for a while now and talks about his/their vision for that class.

At the very least give them something.

Please.

Thanks.

Stam sorc is treated the same as Templars