People Seem to Not Understand What update 33 IS.

francesinhalover

- I see lots of comments overreacting and it really gives me the vibe people didn't bother reading.

- Amost all Skills work with Highest resource. This means Stam/mag classes can use SOME mag/stam skills, not all of them.

- This already exists in the game. Nightblades can use Consuming trap and path of darkness... but CAN'T spam them.
Your average endgame stam player can use at max 3 mag skills in a row without completely running out of mag. only 3.

- What this means for endgame players is mag classes can for example use DW skills like Deadly cloak or fighters guild lightweight trap for crit damage , but that's It THEY CAN'T spam skills because they lack resources for it.
And mag classes have been using dw since vmol , it just became more popular now.

I see people talking about healers and vigor. Is VIGOR is even going to work with mag?

In Update 33, the changes are focused on making almost every player ability in the game scale

- Oh but hybrid builds exist! oh yeah and they do half the damage a full stam or mag build would do if they are trully hybrid.

- Crit / spell crit or major sorcery/ brutality becoming one, is to make the game more simple to understand for everyone and new players. Because ya know, mmos are being created and gaining popularity and keeping new players on eso is a good idea.

- This update by itself is almost the same has giving every class a new skill line they can use to make their builds more diverse. Not everyone enjoys and will ever touch stam/mag classes but now they have access to more skills that's it.

- Some skills will also be reworked to make them more usable. And again not EVERY skill will be able to work with highest resources.

---

And people that say...oh everything will be the same! IT ALREADY IS.
Everyone is using two handed atm on stam.

Stam sorce, Stam templar, barely have skills to use, now they do. It's a dream come true for them.
I for one am happy i will be able to use another conjured pet and not this

Cadbury

My future Orc Fire/Bow Templar can't wait

IronWooshu

I hope this also means Stamina Weapons will scale off Magicka as well if we are Mag characters.

Stx

Just because someone has a different opinion than you, doesn't mean they don't understand.

This is just one more step in the same direction they have been going, homogenizing everything in the game, dumbing it down, under the illusion of build diversity.

Might as well cut to the chase and combine all buffs in the game into one buff right? Might as well merge all stats in the game into one while we're at it. I mean, it would make things easier and simpler to understand right? If that's what we're going for.

These changes kill the RPG aspect of the game. They actually remove choice.

If Zos truly wanted to increase build diversity, they would ADD more skills to the game, not homogenize what we have. This game has an abysmally small amount of skills to choose from.

francesinhalover

IronWooshu wrote: »

I hope this also means Stamina Weapons will scale off Magicka as well if we are Mag characters.

It has been asked for heavys to restore resources to both, hopefully they find a way.

francesinhalover

Stx wrote: »

Just because someone has a different opinion than you, doesn't mean they don't understand.

This is just one more step in the same direction they have been going, homogenizing everything in the game, dumbing it down, under the illusion of build diversity.

Might as well cut to the chase and combine all buffs in the game into one buff right? Might as well merge all stats in the game into one while we're at it. I mean, it would make things easier and simpler to understand right? If that's what we're going for.

These changes kill the RPG aspect of the game. They actually remove choice.

If Zos truly wanted to increase build diversity, they would ADD more skills to the game, not homogenize what we have. This game has an abysmally small amount of skills to choose from.

You for real? I read a insane ammount of comments and several people legit don't understand what z is doing. They were legit saying mag players could spam vigor. There was even users explaining on the system works.

What rpg? every player is limited on what they can chose, always has, now they can also use stam and mag choices. i really don't see the issue?
Have you tried playing stam classes? especialy on 2016? they all felt the same, and many still feel the same. now there will be insane potential. I can finaly use a staff, mags can finaly use two handed. I really don't see the issue. Especialy when z is reworking skills that aren't used.

Oh but ah hmmm The whole this is the first step in this bad thing ( is it really bad?) and that!!!!!.
Well this and that hasn't happened yet and there is zero confirmation it will happen ( it will probably never happen because there would be no point in weapon variety than). It's no use going crazy about a future that doesn't exist. And if it does happen then it's probably for the best, because eso has millions of players. and giving them access to all the skills would in no way be bad.

It really seems to me like the most people that cry over this are mag players that already have access to a bigger ammount of morphs than stam. and pvp players that don't understand they TOO can use all the new skills available.

For YEARS now people have complained about eso class identity, gameplay, all classes feeling the same. Z will finaly change that.

Hell With how skills work, making new skill lines and classes will probably be easier and faster.
And if a future were there is a future were only mag exists for dmg and stam is just for dodging or blocking. Than i can garantee you the game would be INSANELY easier to balance and make content for.

francesinhalover

Cadbury wrote: »

My future Orc Fire/Bow Templar can't wait

It will be awesome man! Zenimax keeps doing amazing things for the game and i fully trust them.

Ragnaroek93

francesinhalover wrote: »

Stx wrote: »

Just because someone has a different opinion than you, doesn't mean they don't understand.

This is just one more step in the same direction they have been going, homogenizing everything in the game, dumbing it down, under the illusion of build diversity.

Might as well cut to the chase and combine all buffs in the game into one buff right? Might as well merge all stats in the game into one while we're at it. I mean, it would make things easier and simpler to understand right? If that's what we're going for.

These changes kill the RPG aspect of the game. They actually remove choice.

If Zos truly wanted to increase build diversity, they would ADD more skills to the game, not homogenize what we have. This game has an abysmally small amount of skills to choose from.

You for real? I read a insane ammount of comments and several people legit don't understand what z is doing. They were legit saying mag players could spam vigor. There was even users explaining on the system works.

What rpg? every player is limited on what they can chose, always has, now they can also use stam and mag choices. i really don't see the issue?
Have you tried playing stam classes? especialy on 2016? they all felt the same, and many still feel the same. now there will be insane potential. I can finaly use a staff, mags can finaly use two handed. I really don't see the issue. Especialy when z is reworking skills that aren't used.

Oh but ah hmmm The whole this is the first step in this bad thing ( is it really bad?) and that!!!!!.
Well this and that hasn't happened yet and there is zero confirmation it will happen ( it will probably never happen because there would be no point in weapon variety than). It's no use going crazy about a future that doesn't exist. And if it does happen then it's probably for the best, because eso has millions of players. and giving them access to all the skills would in no way be bad.

It really seems to me like the most people that cry over this are mag players that already have access to a bigger ammount of morphs than stam. and pvp players that don't understand they TOO can use all the new skills available.

For YEARS now people have complained about eso class identity, gameplay, all classes feeling the same. Z will finaly change that.

A PvE endgame magicka dps build can't spam vigor. But there's more than PvE endgame builds (in fact PvE endgame is a very bad example because you stack dmg by almost all costs and ignore everything else). A proper PvP build can use vigor very well, you can use bi rec buff food, CP, mix med and light armor pieces, use Wretched Vitality backbar etc.

Mag can already use twohanded, dw etc, in fact I already do that on my Dk. Stam chars having few choices is indeed an issue but equalizing everything is for sure not the solution. Stam Dks requested a stam whip for years for example. What did they get? Some stupid stone throwing ability which is bad, feels clunky to play with and which nobody on the live server is using. Stam weapon skill line spammables being all cast times or simply not good doesn't help much either. There are also a lot of requests for more interesting spammables or stuff like stam frags. Does ZOS care? Nope, they don't. I'm all for more stam morphs but they should be designed with a plan in mind and not just randomly make everything scale with everything.

I'm a pvp player and I understand very well that we can use new skills as well and I see the problems which come with this. There are good reasons for mag Dk not having an execute, stamina Necro not reaching same healing numbers on intesive Mender as magcro does, magicka not having vigor etc. The list is endless. Next issue are racials. Currently your racials work as some kind of sub class which allows 12 classes instead of 6 but not anymore after update 33. Already see how people are forced to buy racechanges in order to be optimized.
Not even gonna start about class fantasy, just imagine a hybrid build who stacks spelldmg, uses med armor and invests into stamrec with a resto staff becoming meta for certain types of content for example. That's not play how you want, that's just comedy and completely ruins archtypes of classes. (Not saying that this will happen for sure but it might happen very well for some classes).

And the most important part is: People don't want to regrind stuff with every patch. This patch will require people to completely change their loadouts, relearn parts of the game, pay a lot of money and invest a lot of time. And after that patch they'll have to do that again because ZOS will come up with other major gameplay changes in order to balance the mess which update 33 is. Respect peoples time and effort instead of letting us beta test for a year.

francesinhalover wrote: »

And if a future were there is a future were only mag exists for dmg and stam is just for dodging or blocking. Than i can garantee you the game would be INSANELY easier to balance and make content for.

I mean that's pretty much where we are heading too and I hate it. Everything will be like mag builds are right now, how's this diversity.

francesinhalover wrote: »

Cadbury wrote: »

My future Orc Fire/Bow Templar can't wait

It will be awesome man! Zenimax keeps doing amazing things for the game and i fully trust them.

Yeah I totally trust a company which introduces a faction lock in PvP and forces me to buy several faction changes so that I can play my freaking characters.

Jaimeh

francesinhalover wrote: »

And people that say...oh everything will be the same! IT ALREADY IS.
Everyone is using two handed atm on stam.

And with the new update for end-game everyone will use 2h, because it will be the most dps--that's where you are wrong: for endgame the 12 specs will be down to 6, variety will be less. ZOS didnt have to do this change in order to reinforce their 'play what you like' motto, because for overland you culd already play however you wanted and still be effective: you could be a nord magicka sorcerer with a hammer and a resto, with whatever sets on, and still be able to kill things.

NerfSeige

Ragnaroek93 wrote: »

stamina Necro not reaching same healing numbers on intesive Mender as magcro does

Nerf healing please, it’s already busted right now what more when stamina can fully utilize mag based heals!

francesinhalover

Jaimeh wrote: »

francesinhalover wrote: »

And people that say...oh everything will be the same! IT ALREADY IS.
Everyone is using two handed atm on stam.

And with the new update for end-game everyone will use 2h, because it will be the most dps--that's where you are wrong: for endgame the 12 specs will be down to 6, variety will be less. ZOS didnt have to do this change in order to reinforce their 'play what you like' motto, because for overland you culd already play however you wanted and still be effective: you could be a nord magicka sorcerer with a hammer and a resto, with whatever sets on, and still be able to kill things.

Eso is more than overland...
Damn the 2 handed comment, ofcourse nerfs exist... But that scared me...

BronzeCaiman

Jaimeh wrote: »

francesinhalover wrote: »

And people that say...oh everything will be the same! IT ALREADY IS.
Everyone is using two handed atm on stam.

And with the new update for end-game everyone will use 2h, because it will be the most dps--that's where you are wrong: for endgame the 12 specs will be down to 6, variety will be less. ZOS didnt have to do this change in order to reinforce their 'play what you like' motto, because for overland you culd already play however you wanted and still be effective: you could be a nord magicka sorcerer with a hammer and a resto, with whatever sets on, and still be able to kill things.

This is even better for people who want to preform at the best and for people who want actual freedom in their build. Now you will have a general clear BiS. When you want to play meta you are already conforming to someone else's design, just because it's more limited doesn't make it different. The Meta is the most efficient way of doing something. Never taking a vacation is a "meta" way to make money.

Mark my words, in this new update skills like Caltops will shine on mages, Entropy and Mystic orb will be loved by stamina characters, and it will be beautiful, and little more true to The Elder Scrolls.

VaranisArano

Ragnaroek93 wrote: »

And the most important part is: People don't want to regrind stuff with every patch. This patch will require people to completely change their loadouts, relearn parts of the game, pay a lot of money and invest a lot of time. And after that patch they'll have to do that again because ZOS will come up with other major gameplay changes in order to balance the mess which update 33 is. Respect peoples time and effort instead of letting us beta test for a year.

I wish, but it's not likely to happen.

With the "king of the hill" approach that end-game players take to the meta, ZOS can't afford to leave certain classes/builds as top dog for too long and other classes underused. Something always has to change.

The only real way to avoid it is to not follow the meta, but I understand that's not a satisfactory answer for progressing endgame PVEers or competitive PVPers.

Everest_Lionheart

BlackArgonian wrote: »

Jaimeh wrote: »

francesinhalover wrote: »

And people that say...oh everything will be the same! IT ALREADY IS.
Everyone is using two handed atm on stam.

And with the new update for end-game everyone will use 2h, because it will be the most dps--that's where you are wrong: for endgame the 12 specs will be down to 6, variety will be less. ZOS didnt have to do this change in order to reinforce their 'play what you like' motto, because for overland you culd already play however you wanted and still be effective: you could be a nord magicka sorcerer with a hammer and a resto, with whatever sets on, and still be able to kill things.

This is even better for people who want to preform at the best and for people who want actual freedom in their build. Now you will have a general clear BiS. When you want to play meta you are already conforming to someone else's design, just because it's more limited doesn't make it different. The Meta is the most efficient way of doing something. Never taking a vacation is a "meta" way to make money.

Mark my words, in this new update skills like Caltops will shine on mages, Entropy and Mystic orb will be loved by stamina characters, and it will be beautiful, and little more true to The Elder Scrolls.

Was already running a vMA inferno backbar and orbs on my Stamden before the changes. It already works and now it’s going to work even better? Sign me the hell up!

Castagere

ZOS I think is looking ahead here. You people crying for new weapon lines and skills will probably get them at some point. Because this change will make it easier for them to do what you want. This change will make it easier to add more weapons and skills. How can you not see that? I would love to see my magic templar have a spear weapon on my back bar.

francesinhalover

Castagere wrote: »

ZOS I think is looking ahead here. You people crying for new weapon lines and skills will probably get them at some point. Because this change will make it easier for them to do what you want. This change will make it easier to add more weapons and skills. How can you not see that? I would love to see my magic templar have a spear weapon on my back bar.

You are 1000% right!

MashmalloMan

Castagere wrote: »

ZOS I think is looking ahead here. You people crying for new weapon lines and skills will probably get them at some point. Because this change will make it easier for them to do what you want. This change will make it easier to add more weapons and skills. How can you not see that? I would love to see my magic templar have a spear weapon on my back bar.

Sure.. but 3 years of mini games you can find on free to play phone applications, degrading performance and not adding anything new combat wise to the game has an effect on the playerbase and moral. So what, now it will be 4 years before there's any hope of that.. What if they decide to make a farming simulator next year. Are you still going to be hopeful about spears in the 5th year? I mean come on.. why are these the priority for new game mechanics.

These hybrid changes will peak my interest as we'll be able to use whatever we want to some degree, so yeah, that effects combat.. but idk. Doesn't leave me very hopeful to see something new in the future, seems like that ship has sailed and I'm not sure I really want to wait and anticipate inovation again next year, just to be disapointed again for 4 years in a row.

Spellcrafting was announced in like 2015.. that was 7 years ago and people are still asking for them to revist that because it's a fricken awesome idea for a game like this. Can you remember a single person who asked for digging, companions or card games? It baffles me, but I think they're focussing on those things while they fix the core of combat, it's just too fricken slow.

vesselwiththepestle

I am really looking forward to account-wide achievements. Do you know why? My main is Stamina DK. Often I get asked to either switch to Magicka or another class (like Magcro etc.) for certain raids. This usually is better for the raid, but I lose motivation because I don't care about achievements on my alts. So from now on I can be happy to switch to another class as needed, because I'll still get the achievement on my main.

francesinhalover

vesselwiththepestle wrote: »

I am really looking forward to account-wide achievements. Do you know why? My main is Stamina DK. Often I get asked to either switch to Magicka or another class (like Magcro etc.) for certain raids. This usually is better for the raid, but I lose motivation because I don't care about achievements on my alts. So from now on I can be happy to switch to another class as needed, because I'll still get the achievement on my main.

Also helps when they ask you to show achivs to prove stuff.

it just sucks that even if i fully complete a zone on my main, if i go to a alt i have to redo the quest again.. i wish there was a "this zone has been completed already do you wish to have it finished" like it hapens when you create a new char with the tuturial

James-Wayne

Stx wrote: »

These changes kill the RPG aspect of the game. They actually remove choice.

If Zos truly wanted to increase build diversity, they would ADD more skills to the game, not homogenize what we have. This game has an abysmally small amount of skills to choose from.

You must be new to playing Elder Scrolls games, they have always been about play how you want... you start as a nobody and through experience build your character how you want it, you dont have classes because you pick the class as you level.

Remove choice? Your funny and dont get it, the change to skills will greatly increase the amount of options players have because the skill scales with their highest stat... like Radiant Oppression on Stamplar, Stamplar never had a execute skill and now they do.

I love your last line '"If Zos truly wanted to increase build diversity, they would ADD more skills to the game'' you know this change is exactly what that does, it creates new skills for people that have specc'd a certain way. The skill options with CP options is insane.

Stx

James-Wayne wrote: »

Stx wrote: »

These changes kill the RPG aspect of the game. They actually remove choice.

If Zos truly wanted to increase build diversity, they would ADD more skills to the game, not homogenize what we have. This game has an abysmally small amount of skills to choose from.

You must be new to playing Elder Scrolls games, they have always been about play how you want... you start as a nobody and through experience build your character how you want it, you dont have classes because you pick the class as you level.

Remove choice? Your funny and dont get it, the change to skills will greatly increase the amount of options players have because the skill scales with their highest stat... like Radiant Oppression on Stamplar, Stamplar never had a execute skill and now they do.

I love your last line '"If Zos truly wanted to increase build diversity, they would ADD more skills to the game'' you know this change is exactly what that does, it creates new skills for people that have specc'd a certain way. The skill options with CP options is insane.

Sorry, been playing elder scrolls games going back to TES 3, and you're wrong. These changes are taking this system farther away from the original games. In the single player games, every skill you have scales from a specific stat, and fighters guild abilities don't boost your spell damage lol.

francesinhalover

Stx wrote: »

James-Wayne wrote: »

Stx wrote: »

These changes kill the RPG aspect of the game. They actually remove choice.

If Zos truly wanted to increase build diversity, they would ADD more skills to the game, not homogenize what we have. This game has an abysmally small amount of skills to choose from.

You must be new to playing Elder Scrolls games, they have always been about play how you want... you start as a nobody and through experience build your character how you want it, you dont have classes because you pick the class as you level.

Remove choice? Your funny and dont get it, the change to skills will greatly increase the amount of options players have because the skill scales with their highest stat... like Radiant Oppression on Stamplar, Stamplar never had a execute skill and now they do.

I love your last line '"If Zos truly wanted to increase build diversity, they would ADD more skills to the game'' you know this change is exactly what that does, it creates new skills for people that have specc'd a certain way. The skill options with CP options is insane.

Sorry, been playing elder scrolls games going back to TES 3, and you're wrong. These changes are taking this system farther away from the original games. In the single player games, every skill you have scales from a specific stat, and fighters guild abilities don't boost your spell damage lol.

You mean the same fighters that have a ultimate that is magical? A skill that shows invis enemies and makes weapons glow purple. Like a big glow.

Other es became more and more simple each game , skyrim rpg doesnt even touch morrowinds feet.
But theres a reason the so called rpg got more and more simple.

Amottica

I think actual testing will shed real light on how this will play out and if it will be beneficial or problematic. Until tomorrow we are just guessing.

Faulgor

Stx wrote: »

James-Wayne wrote: »

Stx wrote: »

These changes kill the RPG aspect of the game. They actually remove choice.

If Zos truly wanted to increase build diversity, they would ADD more skills to the game, not homogenize what we have. This game has an abysmally small amount of skills to choose from.

You must be new to playing Elder Scrolls games, they have always been about play how you want... you start as a nobody and through experience build your character how you want it, you dont have classes because you pick the class as you level.

Remove choice? Your funny and dont get it, the change to skills will greatly increase the amount of options players have because the skill scales with their highest stat... like Radiant Oppression on Stamplar, Stamplar never had a execute skill and now they do.

I love your last line '"If Zos truly wanted to increase build diversity, they would ADD more skills to the game'' you know this change is exactly what that does, it creates new skills for people that have specc'd a certain way. The skill options with CP options is insane.

Sorry, been playing elder scrolls games going back to TES 3, and you're wrong. These changes are taking this system farther away from the original games. In the single player games, every skill you have scales from a specific stat, and fighters guild abilities don't boost your spell damage lol.

You mean the attributes that were removed in Skyrim? And due to its popularity were cut from ESO as well?
The only residue of that system in ESO is "spell power", which in the beginning IIRC simply increased with your base level? Never made much sense to me. All these stats are accumulative gear numbers and have little to do with our character like attributes used to, so they are closer to the damage of weapons in TES3 than attributes to begin with imo.

Outside of attributes, spells and weapon damage scaled with the corresponding skill (Destruction, Two-Handed, etc), and we still retain that in ESO by leveling our spells and abilities directly (actually I'm unsure if the skill level has any influence, I think it's just a gatekeeper to unlock abilities?). Not to mention in Skyrim, spells didn't scale at all lol. So the single player series isn't exactly consistent either.

Honghua

Having all skills scale with the highest stat will make a lot of skills available for both stam and magicka builds, which is one of the best decisions they honestly going to make right now.

With skills and upgrades being changed by the effect and not divided into stamin/magicka we are going to have a lot more freedom in the choice of skills we want to use.

ESO combat suffered for many years from the overwhelming complexity and limitations being put in place according to the stats, making it unfriendly for anyone who is not following meta bis builds. If it end up with us being closer to the top and being able to play whatever skill we want it will be an absolute win for us and for the game.

I like it.

Onyx_Werewolf_Gnome

People disagree with you is not them lacking understanding

francesinhalover

HedgehogFeet wrote: »

People disagree with you is not them lacking understanding

Read the comments from update 33

the1andonlyskwex

francesinhalover wrote: »

- I see lots of comments overreacting and it really gives me the vibe people didn't bother reading.

- Amost all Skills work with Highest resource. This means Stam/mag classes can use SOME mag/stam skills, not all of them.

- This already exists in the game. Nightblades can use Consuming trap and path of darkness... but CAN'T spam them.
Your average endgame stam player can use at max 3 mag skills in a row without completely running out of mag. only 3.

- What this means for endgame players is mag classes can for example use DW skills like Deadly cloak or fighters guild lightweight trap for crit damage , but that's It THEY CAN'T spam skills because they lack resources for it.
And mag classes have been using dw since vmol , it just became more popular now.

I see people talking about healers and vigor. Is VIGOR is even going to work with mag?

In Update 33, the changes are focused on making almost every player ability in the game scale

- Oh but hybrid builds exist! oh yeah and they do half the damage a full stam or mag build would do if they are trully hybrid.

- Crit / spell crit or major sorcery/ brutality becoming one, is to make the game more simple to understand for everyone and new players. Because ya know, mmos are being created and gaining popularity and keeping new players on eso is a good idea.

- This update by itself is almost the same has giving every class a new skill line they can use to make their builds more diverse. Not everyone enjoys and will ever touch stam/mag classes but now they have access to more skills that's it.

- Some skills will also be reworked to make them more usable. And again not EVERY skill will be able to work with highest resources.

---

And people that say...oh everything will be the same! IT ALREADY IS.
Everyone is using two handed atm on stam.

Stam sorce, Stam templar, barely have skills to use, now they do. It's a dream come true for them.
I for one am happy i will be able to use another conjured pet and not this

Two sentences after the bit you quoted from the update they say this:

This means any ability that used to scale exclusively with Spell Damage and Max Magicka will now dynamically scale with Weapon Damage and Max Stamina, and vice versa.

The only skills that aren't going to have hybrid scaling are the ones that either don't scale at all or that scale with health (and possibly shields that only scale with max mag).

Vigor WILL have hybrid scaling. Caltrops WILL have hybrid scaling. Executioner WILL have hybrid scaling. Etc.

OffCentred

Seriously, this is such correct move for style of play. Min/max players will always go with the strongest build so this doesn't overly affect them, it's business as usual when metas change. What this does though is open up so many more options for those who don't have that mindset. Certain stam classes won't have to spam the same pitiful class abilities and mag specced players have more freedom when it comes to weapons (I miss my Oblivion Breton witchhunter with a bow) If they could just allow us to choose with resource we recover with our heavy attacks and brought back unarmed combat(not ninja style but honest to God fisticuffs from Morrowind/Oblivion) I'd go back to giving my monies to Zenimax.

francesinhalover

the1andonlyskwex wrote: »

francesinhalover wrote: »

- I see lots of comments overreacting and it really gives me the vibe people didn't bother reading.

Vigor WILL have hybrid scaling. Caltrops WILL have hybrid scaling. Executioner WILL have hybrid scaling. Etc.

- Alright , We shall see when the update drops in to main game if those skill will or not have it
if you are right i'll get you a beer

ealdwin

Faulgor wrote: »

Stx wrote: »

James-Wayne wrote: »

Stx wrote: »

These changes kill the RPG aspect of the game. They actually remove choice.

If Zos truly wanted to increase build diversity, they would ADD more skills to the game, not homogenize what we have. This game has an abysmally small amount of skills to choose from.

You must be new to playing Elder Scrolls games, they have always been about play how you want... you start as a nobody and through experience build your character how you want it, you dont have classes because you pick the class as you level.

Remove choice? Your funny and dont get it, the change to skills will greatly increase the amount of options players have because the skill scales with their highest stat... like Radiant Oppression on Stamplar, Stamplar never had a execute skill and now they do.

I love your last line '"If Zos truly wanted to increase build diversity, they would ADD more skills to the game'' you know this change is exactly what that does, it creates new skills for people that have specc'd a certain way. The skill options with CP options is insane.

Sorry, been playing elder scrolls games going back to TES 3, and you're wrong. These changes are taking this system farther away from the original games. In the single player games, every skill you have scales from a specific stat, and fighters guild abilities don't boost your spell damage lol.

You mean the attributes that were removed in Skyrim? And due to its popularity were cut from ESO as well?
The only residue of that system in ESO is "spell power", which in the beginning IIRC simply increased with your base level? Never made much sense to me. All these stats are accumulative gear numbers and have little to do with our character like attributes used to, so they are closer to the damage of weapons in TES3 than attributes to begin with imo.

Outside of attributes, spells and weapon damage scaled with the corresponding skill (Destruction, Two-Handed, etc), and we still retain that in ESO by leveling our spells and abilities directly (actually I'm unsure if the skill level has any influence, I think it's just a gatekeeper to unlock abilities?). Not to mention in Skyrim, spells didn't scale at all lol. So the single player series isn't exactly consistent either.

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:The_Complete_Damage_Formula

Yeah, the single player games function fairly differently than ESO. Even in Oblivion spells had no scaling in regards to their damage. The more damage a spell did then the higher cost it had. This meant that the name of the game for Mages (in the pure all-Magic skills sense) was high Magicka pools, cutting spell cost down, and maintaining enough Magicka to cast the desired spells. Warriors (again, in the pure all-Combat skills sense) focused on putting as much damage as they could behind every swing of their weapon. All those in-between classes more-or-less sacrificed Magicka sustain for Weapon power and vice versa in order to enable different forms of combat. Compare that with ESO, where the two stats essentially play the same game.

ESO could be like that, but I'm not too certain that people would like those changes. They'd entail going back to the original lore of the classes being precursors to the schools of magic, and all class skills being Magicka cost once again though with a set damage attached to them. That damage could increase with each rank to represent unlocking more powerful versions of those spells, but they'd still have a set-in-stone damage attached to them, Spell Damage would be gone entirely. Weapon abilities would then have cheaper costs overall, but significantly less damage. Pure Mag-builds would have to hyper focus on sustain and pure Stam-builds would have to hyper focus on Weapon damage. Hybrids would exist in the in-between sacrificing WD for Magicka sustain based on how many class abilities they wanted to use and how frequently.

I'm not particularly advocating for that system, just throwing out what a system closer to Oblivion's would look like.