More weapon variety, some suggestions

Lynx7386

We've had the same selection of weapon types and skill lines since early beta testing. A few abilities have changed, a few motifs have been added, but we're still stuck with the same stuff.

What's worse is that, despite complaints during beta and even after launch, we've been stuck with the same animations regardless of weapon type. Every 1 handed weapon swings the same, every two handed weapon swings the same. I dont need to tell anyone who's played the game how ridiculous it looks when you use flurry and your character starts trying to stab the target to death with the head of his maces, or how unrealistic it is when you do a baseball-bat swing with wrecking blow and any but the heaviest greatswords.

I think the animations, and the selection of weapons, is long past due for an overhaul. This kind of lazy copy-paste animation work should never have made it past launch, much less still be around two years into the game with multiple expansions released. I'll split this up into a few sections with suggestions below.


Animations

It is clear that the animation set for each weapon tree is based largely, or exclusively, on a particular weapon type available to that tree. Dual wield is most definitely based on the idea that you're going to be using daggers: you stab with flurry, and fling out daggers and knives with hidden blade or whirlwind. These animations simply do not work for maces, axes, or in many cases even swords.
The current animations for this line are fine for daggers.
Swords should have more slicing, arcing attack animations.
Axes should have more hacking-style attack animations.
Maces should have heavy, brutal, pummeling attack animations.

Really, ZOS, this is common sense. I'm starting to think that the animators took their inspiration from starwarskid.

Similar issues plague the 2h line. Cleave's animations is fine for the most part, but wrecking blow only really fits maces (or, possibly, some heavy axes). Swords, even greatswords, require animations that convey more finesse and slicing motion, rather than pummeling. This is doubly true for the reverse slice morph of executioner, which leaves an impact dust cloud like you're smashing your weapon into the ground. Who in their right mind would do such a thing with a bladed weapon? It only fits mauls, though it does fit them very well.

These animation issues need to be resolved.

Additional weapon types within each skill line

From before beta testing was even opened up, polearms/spears have been a requested skill line for this game. Back during beta, and shortly after launch, I was involved in several interviews with Zenimax staff, and was assured that this was something they knew we wanted and it was on the table. Two years later, this still hasnt changed.

I'd like to see polearms finally become an option, as a part of the two-handed skill line. Where the dual wield line has benefits for axes (bleed), maces (armor penetration), swords (damage), and daggers (critical chance), the two handed line is missing out on a weapon that modifies critical chance, on an equivalent to daggers. Polearms and spears, being primarily long-reach stabbing and chopping weapons, make a great deal of sense in this regard.

Obviously the main holdup here seems to be that polearms/spears would look absolutely terrible with the two-handed skill line's current animations (not that this held ZOS back from abusing animation ridiculousness in the dual wield line). If the previously suggested improvements to weapon animations are taken care of first, however, polearms as a two handed option get a little closer to being realized. Obviously attack animations for these weapons would involve more stabbing or sweeping attacks, that should go without saying.


Crossbows Are another option that has been long left out of the game. Currently there is only one weapon type available for ranged stamina builds: the ever reliable bow. As much as I enjoy the bow line, I feel (and I'm sure others will agree here) that a more powerful-feeling ranged weapon would be suitable for heavier, warrior-style characters.

Obviously there should be no problem incorporating the crossbow into the bow skill line. However, once again, animations need to be adjusted. Obviously crossbows are going to animate differently than bows, and some of the abilities (as well as the light and heavy attacks) will need to be reworked for crossbow compatibility.


Lastly, an option I've always wanted to see is an addition to the shield line. Currently, shields have no true offensive potential: I'd like to see an additional shield type added (call them 'bucklers' or whathaveyou) that provide less armor than a full sized shield, but provide additional weapon/spell damage as well as increased bash damage, allowing for more offensive-oriented shield builds to come into play.

Volkodav

We actually do have crossbows ingame currently,though they are only a skill animation.Silver Bolts,in the Fighter's Guild skill lines.
I would like there to be three bow types.The long bow,short bow,and the Crossbow,..as weapons.Not skill anims.

Eirikir

I wanna brawl! Drop my sword and board and put'em up. Traits that pay respect to traits from other games, different armor types on your hands adds effects as in 2handed. I wanna have a takedown, my favorite Warrior from BDO. I wanna fight!

Volkodav

Eirikir wrote: »

I wanna brawl! Drop my sword and board and put'em up. Traits that pay respect to traits from other games, different armor types on your hands adds effects as in 2handed. I wanna have a takedown, my favorite Warrior from BDO. I wanna fight!

Oh,I know! Sometimes on a new toon,I'll go around the beaches at Khenarthi's Roost knocking the tar outta everything,bare handed.It's so much fun! XD

khele23eb17_ESO

Those are solid suggestions but probably not very cost effective. I see how they could monetize new skill lines but new animations for already existing skills would be hard to charge crowns for.

Grayphilosophy

I absolutely 100% agree with this.

Spears/polearms would make me so happy!

And the animations, good gracious I've shaken my head so many times at how silly it looks. Ever tried a Nightblade using 2-handed weapons? oh dear.

To add to the suggestions. I'd love to see a single-handed skill line, for using a single 1-handed weapon. A duelist/grapple/half-swording type skill line. That'd be swell

Eiagra

What I personally would like to see...

Spear/Polearm weapons -- Mainly for variety in style and form.

Brawler/Claw weapons -- Again, mainly for variety in style and form.

Rod/Wand/Orb weapons (for dual-wielding magic-users) -- Because I always found it silly how two swords offers more potent magical attacks than a staff. Alternatively, give staves a 20% boost to magicka attacks and melee/bow a 20% boost to stamina attacks. ;P Adjust defense/health accordingly to re-balance if necessary.

Lynx7386

khele23eb17_ESO wrote: »

Those are solid suggestions but probably not very cost effective. I see how they could monetize new skill lines but new animations for already existing skills would be hard to charge crowns for.

This is the problem, these changes were "planned" before f2p ever happened.

Now the only changes that get made are those that bring in more cash. I'm sure they're holding off on fixing all the bugs and server stability issues until they find a way to make us pay for it.

Greed had overwhelmed this game.