Shapeshifter Class? (Ignoring Necro)

coop500

Just a curious poll for people, assuming after the Necromancer crowd have been pleased, how would you all like a shapeshifting class? (Note I am actually working on my idea of one, each skill and passive spelled out which I will post as another thread at a later date.)

VaranisArano

We've already got werewolves. I'm trying to think of other examples of shapeshifting in Elder Scrolls lore. Generally speaking, we aren't D&D druids with wild shape.

RaddlemanNumber7

That would be fun

I was thinking about this earlier today. I bumped into that guy in Coldharbour who says he can take on the form of a Scamp, and I thought that shapeshifting might be a fun and novel skill line for a new class.

As long as the Wabbajack isn't involved, of course.

rynth

No that'd be awful

I voted no because it seemed too much DnD.......but I suppose if you add druid like skill line for two of the skill line and had the third skill line be shapeshifting animal stuff yeah I guess.....hell any new type of class is nice, but if I had my choice this wouldn't be at the top of my list

Samadhi

Shapeshift into Netch --> Ultimate is Natch Potes; applies all minor buffs to allies and all minor debuffs to enemies in area of effect lasting until death
morphs to Netch Bat - also applies all major debuffs to enemies in area of effect lasting until death
and to Flavour of the Potes - also applies all major buffs to allies in area of effect lasting until death
Developer Comments:

we wanted to add choice, depth, and balance to the game.
But *** it.

gepe87

Other

New class will not happen so soon. Btw a battlemage class or a fire sorcerer (or DK with spellcraft) would be acceptable.

Skelfish

That would be fun

I vote with the caveat that there are no known examples of polymorphing spells or shapeshifting abilities other than were-animals. There are examples of illusion spells to make a person appear to be other things, however they can't emulate the abilities of whatever it is they look like.
If it's ever added in as a new class or skill line, then there will need to be new lore to support it (and why it subsequently died out).

RaddlemanNumber7

That would be fun

Skelfish wrote: »

I vote with the caveat that there are no known examples of polymorphing spells or shapeshifting abilities other than were-animals. There are examples of illusion spells to make a person appear to be other things, however they can't emulate the abilities of whatever it is they look like.
If it's ever added in as a new class or skill line, then there will need to be new lore to support it (and why it subsequently died out).

Leivitation comes to mind. I wonder what ever happened to that...

Dracane

I'm certain that when they add Necromancer, one ult of it will be Lich-Form.

AnviOfVai

That would be fun

Ehh I suspect that would be quite a lot of work to make, not only are you changing the skills but you would need to change the form of your chracter constantly, unless you had a mask appear on your face or giant paws.. ect. It would be great fun though and I would totally make one

Apherius

RaddlemanNumber7 wrote: »

I was thinking about this earlier today. I bumped into that guy in Coldharbour who says he can take on the form of a Scamp, and I thought that shapeshifting might be a fun and novel skill line for a new class.

As long as the Wabbajack isn't involved, of course.

Nha you don't want to be a scamp except if you love to be stuck in the wall or behind invisible wall or under the floor ...
Only sorc can understand ...

VaranisArano

RaddlemanNumber7 wrote: »

Skelfish wrote: »

I vote with the caveat that there are no known examples of polymorphing spells or shapeshifting abilities other than were-animals. There are examples of illusion spells to make a person appear to be other things, however they can't emulate the abilities of whatever it is they look like.
If it's ever added in as a new class or skill line, then there will need to be new lore to support it (and why it subsequently died out).

Leivitation comes to mind. I wonder what ever happened to that...

Here you go: http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Levitation_Act

"The Levitation Act is a law passed throughout the Empire in 3E 421 that banned the use of levitation magic.[1][2]

The Imperial province of Morrowind is not subject to the law because, although it is part of the Empire, the native Dunmer retained self-rule and house traditions. As such, levitation magic was prevalent in Morrowind and Vvardenfell in the late Third Era."

And that's why you can levitate in Morrowind but not Oblivion. See, the Imperials decided to build such large cities that walls were needed to enclose them (i.e. cities became fully separate zones in Oblivion) and what good are walls if mages can just float over them? (Bethesda somewhat naturally didn't want to deal with making the game and their zoned cities not completely breakable by levitation.)

Smmokkee

I think you guys are maybe getting a little out of hand with the class hype. I'd be ok with not seeing a new class for a couple years.

kringled_1

VaranisArano wrote: »

We've already got werewolves. I'm trying to think of other examples of shapeshifting in Elder Scrolls lore. Generally speaking, we aren't D&D druids with wild shape.

The Bosmer Wild Hunt, although it's not really suitable as the basis for a class.

Ermiq

No that'd be awful

OMG.
I barely got used to all these necro-suggestions, and here you are with even more mindblowing and horrifying idea.

Owls, bears, sabrecats in the group with a rotten corpse pets? Is that what you want ESO to become in the end?

RaddlemanNumber7

That would be fun

VaranisArano wrote: »

RaddlemanNumber7 wrote: »

Skelfish wrote: »

I vote with the caveat that there are no known examples of polymorphing spells or shapeshifting abilities other than were-animals. There are examples of illusion spells to make a person appear to be other things, however they can't emulate the abilities of whatever it is they look like.
If it's ever added in as a new class or skill line, then there will need to be new lore to support it (and why it subsequently died out).

Leivitation comes to mind. I wonder what ever happened to that...

Here you go: http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Levitation_Act

"The Levitation Act is a law passed throughout the Empire in 3E 421 that banned the use of levitation magic.[1][2]

The Imperial province of Morrowind is not subject to the law because, although it is part of the Empire, the native Dunmer retained self-rule and house traditions. As such, levitation magic was prevalent in Morrowind and Vvardenfell in the late Third Era."

And that's why you can levitate in Morrowind but not Oblivion. See, the Imperials decided to build such large cities that walls were needed to enclose them (i.e. cities became fully separate zones in Oblivion) and what good are walls if mages can just float over them? (Bethesda somewhat naturally didn't want to deal with making the game and their zoned cities not completely breakable by levitation.)

Yeah, I remember. As a piece of lore I found it totally unconvincing. TES without levitation feels as incomplete as an open world game set in the modern era that mysteriously has no working cars or motorcycles

ereboz

That would be fun

I think that would be great. I'm always up for new classes. And personally, I think the Necromancer should be a new skill line, not a new class.

Osteos

That would be fun

I always enjoy that quest in Bangkorai where you get transformed into a wolf to help the Wyrd defeat the Reachmen. A Wyrd skill line or a Shapeshifting class would be fun.

Also I miss being able to cast spells, present in both Oblivion and Skyrim, that calmed wild animals so you could explore peacefully.

Vanthras79

Meh, I wouldn't play it

New were forms anyone?

1. Werecroc
2. Werebear
3. Wereboar
4. Werecat

As for a shapeshifting class, It may not be real lore-friendly, but it could tie into the Valenwood Spinners somehow, it would be of similar variety to the Warden though

TheShadowScout

Shapeshifting in the elder scrolls universe is not all that established, barring werebeasts (and yes, we could some more varietee there) and the kind of change that is usually involving alchemy... monkey business like in the vile labatory or that one quest in Sentinel... or more permanent stuff like worm cultists turning themselves into soul shriven to keep fighting despite their injuries and so on.

Vanthras79 wrote: »

As for a shapeshifting class, It may not be real lore-friendly, but it could tie into the Valenwood Spinners somehow, it would be of similar variety to the Warden though

Actually this would be a green pact violation, so they don't usually do it. (Remember the quest with the three skulls in greenshade? Take the time to -listen- why they were cursed to the ooze sometime... )

More likely would be the wyress background, though with them I am never sure if the wolfy wyress we meet in bangkorai is ever gonna shift back, so... does not exactly sound like a good adventurers career move...

All said, I do not think we need more shapeshifting but the werebeast thing.

Waffennacht

So...like a relative of Selene?

Ankael07

VaranisArano wrote: »

We've already got werewolves. I'm trying to think of other examples of shapeshifting in Elder Scrolls lore. Generally speaking, we aren't D&D druids with wild shape.

Liches are known to utilize shapeshifting to lure people in their trap by assuming the form of a helpless child. But its tied to being a master illusionist and Im not sure what type of shapeshifting OP is talking about.

xenowarrior92eb17_ESO

Other

NB4LIFE yes hate mee but I still kill y'all in pvp so sit down!
now that this is out of the way...since 1st beta I wondered why the heck there isn't an actual shape shifter class? and yes they can make it lore friendly...cuz u know...the wryd? or w/e they called...still that would be challenging yes and I think ultimates might be the shapeshifting? or idk but right now I would love ZoS to focus on fixing Cyrodill lagfest... new classes can come after...

Appleblade

That would be fun

Could be a complicated class. Maybe have a switch you commit to at some level with a skill point that defines the set of forms you can shift into. You could pick daedric creatures (clanfear, flame atronach, harvester), or nature (wolf, bear, etc.), but not both. Or just have the daedric transforms use magica and nature creatures use stamina.

Reminds me of horde mode in Gears Of War. I loved being the giant centipede.

Neyane

That would be fun

I'd like it and I think it would work.

CombatPrayer

I feel like we need an ice mage class that is NOT WARDEN first. In skyrim there were solid ice magic skills. Here we just have some tank skills that can morph to ice magic but not solid ice magic. Problem is they frelled the ice staves so they would have to adjust the passives to have one passive that is for tanking/taunting. Not a hard fix really but a solid ice mage could be fun. Would be more fun if there was some even that caused snow elves to reappear, maybe a solid dwermer storyline where we get to meet both groups. Possibly something that gives more insight into what the heck happened to them and why we can or cannot help them change it. Give them a whole new realm. Perhaps maybe even part of tamriel that was mirrored into that realm but changed as a result of dwermer and snow elf magic.

Alqu

Werehoneybadger or go home

Waffennacht

I assumed the abilities would transform you briefly for an attack. Like you turn into a giant bear and do a swipe, or a spider and poison em etc

SisterGoat

That would be fun

I thought Bosmer shapeshifting was against the Green Pact.