How much the class matter?

Kombinator

Asking the more experienced players. It is clear, that for certain roles certain classes are simply better. But how much it truly matters? Will people get forced into roles, or out from roles on trials, because of class, or the difference is only marginal?

I so far only played Templar, and Nightblade seriously, and it feels, that the Templar is like twice better when it comes to healing. Tanking seems fairly similar. NB has more mitigation, but Templar has one more damage shield. Also NB has stronger self heal, and on certain bosses that's better, than shield.

Raisin

As far as expectations and being forced to play the class most beneficial to group composition goes, that depends completely on the group you're raiding with and the level you're raiding at.

It's also a bit different for support roles. NB itself has very high raw healing, but doesn't have many buffs/debuffs for the group in its toolkit (Lotus Fan is nice for AOE minor vulnerability, but more likely would come from a tank -- and Lotus Fan on its own is rarely enough reason to run NB tank if you're picking and choosing). Support roles in endgame are generally chosen for their group utility, as the healing threshold can be reached by any class. That's why NB wouldn't be a popular choice for a progression raid (It is however super fun and I highly recommend always having casual raids on the side where you can do stuff like that; NB heal in dungeons is also very enjoyable IMO).
For tanks, NBs recently came back into style due to how well they performed as Main Tanks in vSS. This has since fanned out a bit again and groups are switching around their composition, but it's still more common than seeing a Templar tank. I'd say for tanks there's a bit more 'this class best handles this situation', but there's few things you absolutely can't do (I'm not sure for example if all classes could MT vSS, but then again, they probably all could with lots of safety measures and selfish ults, dropping group utility) on any class. So again, focus is more on what class can provide the most bonuses for a group on tank.

So yeah, for support roles the 'better' classes are usually leaning towards being marginally better at the basics of the function. The reason they get elevated so much is because serious progress groups will look at group constellation and have a list of things they consider a must-have. This applies to DDs too, but there's more of those so often you'll have someone easily able to provide the class missing in the group. And yes, obvious thing to say, but the higher you go as far as raid niveau goes, the more DDs will be expected to run a meta class and setup.

Whether that's something a guild/group values though, will differ a lot. That's something best learnt from moving around raiding circles, seeing different kinds of guilds, seeing how social or not social they are, how chill or not chill the people are... What the focus is. But there may be tight-knit groups doing serious raiding that say we want our friends to stay on their main come hell or high-water, and they do it. So it's all about communication to figure out what kind of group you're dealing with, and figuring out for yourself what you're willing to offer to that group.
Personally, I think there's a certain level where you need to expect to be asked to provide to the group what is asked. But I also think there's a level where you can't be asked to make or learn a new char, or play something you hate, just because it's more 'meta'. Really depends on the goals and general standard set within that group.

Nordic__Knights

easy way to put it YES . can go on for hr's on how this should be that or not that but in the end of it all an GOOD group is going to have an mix of classes and SOMETIMES having an class type regardless of it role is more important so they get pulled in tho their not really the best class for role so it depends on the group your working with more then anything

Cirantille

All classes heal & support just fine
They have just different support-class passives, some more than others
And only difference I can tell is that some people will dismiss you, especially pugs
Because they prefer either Warden or Templar for healing

Kalante

Tldr

Necro, templar, or bust.

zvavi

It aint the class it's the player. I seen good players all specs, and bad players all specs.

Alienoutlaw

simple answer is yes, certain support roles have a class better suited to them for example DK have a better toolkit for tanking than a sorc, templars have better toolkit for healing, that said ALL class's can function in ALL roles just with varying degrees of success

Reverb

Class matters less with every patch.

InaMoonlight

Everything. If you don't feel at home playing it, you simply won't (You'll burn out in under half a year loosing sight of fun, and be playing another game making the same mistake)

Play what you love, try them all, and THEN make the best of it

FierceSam

It depends.

For most of the content, for most players, it really shouldn’t matter which class you choose. Or rather it makes more sense to play the class you want to play, not the supposed ‘best’ class, which you might not enjoy. Having the ‘right’ build won’t help you if you don’t know how to play it or don’t enjoy it.

I’ve seen threads on tanks where players extol the virtues of DKs, Wardens, Necros, Sorcs, Templar’s, and, yes, Nightblades as tanks. Some take more effort to work, but it’s clear that all of the classes can be very effective tanks in the right hands. The same extends to all roles, except at the very highest level (and even there a good player on a different build will still outperform an average player on the ‘right’ build).

ZOS’s notion that any race can play any class can play any role might not be perfectly implemented, but the intention is certainly there.

In terms of trials and ‘serious’ content, that depends too. If I was a useless trial lead, then I’d just go for the doofus with the ‘right’ build. If I’m competent, I’ll go for the player who knows their build, whatever that build is.

Nerouyn

Kombinator wrote: »

But how much it truly matters?

It varies.

At launch, each class was tailored to be better at one role. Over time they've generally been diversified and now all can almost perform equally in any role. Except for nightblades and thief / assassin content. Nightblades have huge advantages for that courtesy of stealth not on a cooldown (potions are) and their stealth speed bonus.

There are differences but none make any individual class a must have. They just all have different strengths / styles. Eg. for healing.....

Templars still have the faster rez other and more health for the rezzed player. Easy access to constant minor mending (+8% healing).

Necromancers are the only class with an aoe instant rez. In open world pve content that's useless, but in dungeons / trials and pvp it's a unique advantage. Their class heals are also very diverse and cover all bases, i.e. you don't need to slot any restoration staff heals. Some classes (eg. warden) can't function as a healer without non-class heals, eg. wardens don't have any instant single target heals. Resto staff regeneration and / or ward are practically essential.

Wardens have a cheap (magicka cost) ground targeted aoe heal over time, which can be consumed to insta heal. That makes them strong at group healing, especially stacked with resto aoe equivalent. And you're likely to want other resto heals too, as I mentioned.

Sorcerers are the only class with a multi-target (3) auto-targeting ranged heal. Most other classes with a long range heal need to target it somewhat (in a column) and most only hit one. One of the necromancer morphs allows theirs to hit 2 by consuming a corpse.

Dragonknights are the only class with an aoe shield ability, other than the alliance elite.

Kombinator

Raisin wrote: »

As far as expectations and being forced to play the class most beneficial to group composition goes, that depends completely on the group you're raiding with and the level you're raiding at.

So it's not really about what class what role, but more like what extra buff/debuff the group needs.

TX12001rwb17_ESO

If Class did not matter then a Nightblade would beable to tank like a DK, a DK could heal like a Templer, a Templer would raise the dead like a Necromancer and a Necromancer would beable to stealth like a Nightblade.

They matter more then anything.

Raisin

Kombinator wrote: »

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Raisin wrote: »

As far as expectations and being forced to play the class most beneficial to group composition goes, that depends completely on the group you're raiding with and the level you're raiding at.

So it's not really about what class what role, but more like what extra buff/debuff the group needs.

If you're minmaxing your group then yeah, that's what people focus on. And if possible, the answer to "what buffs/debuffs do we need" is as many as possible, so you try to get in one of each class you need. However, ideally you wanna put the support classes on the support roles, so other players don't lose out on DPS. And among the support classes there's usually gonna be classes that are better on tank than on healer in whatever trial you're running, and vice versa. How much people want to insist on these differences is up to them though, and I wanna stress that this is really minmaxing. It definitely starts coming down to details and pushing group efficiency to a degree many have no reason to care about or notice.
All of that is ignoring personal skill though. If you're better on class A than class B, even though B is more suited in theory... then that's how it is. The whole group might be influenced by this and perform better with class A.
There's definitely gonna be high tier groups that expect you to play well on any class, and thus choose the 'best' one. But my advice is don't worry about those until you're actually talking to them and considering. There will be enough guilds where you can run the class you want, and there's a lot of ways to do things. Outside of GS I'll argue that while there may be some combinations that cause you difficulties, you CAN get the vet trial triple achievements with a group of 'off meta' classes.

dazee

Kalante wrote: »

Tldr

Necro, templar, or bust.

you're missing out if you dismiss warden healers, they can easily be godlike and bring minor toughness to the whole group.