Templar Identity

Jabbs_Giggity

This is an open letter to ZOS regarding the Templar class and its loss of unique identity. Requesting communication and feedback from both, the community and ZOS Dev team.
@ZOS_Gilliam. @ZOS_Kevin, @ZOS_GinaBruno

The original identity of the Templar class, as outlined by the original ZOS team, was intended to be a healing-based Godly warrior that utilized brute power to return healing and mend its group, based on a "This is my House" design. This concept has been watered down and diminished over the years due to the following:

1.) Introduction of the Warden class - many of the Templar healing spells were nerfed, changed or reworked to reallocate specific skill attributes of the Templar identity into promoting the Warden class as the "new" healing by nature identity.

2.) Class homogenization - reworks to Class abilities and outside-of-class skill lines were simply homogenized to allow a more global class achievement of an "can-do-all" approach. This further gutted the Templar class tool-kit.

3.) Introduction of the Necromancer class - to better identify the class as the "restore resources and power from the dead" identity, resurrections bonuses and resource restoration were copied/pasted from the Templar tool-kit.

As the ESO game moved toward a more fast-paced movement approach, the Templar "House" design simply became obsolete and the class's identity was never properly updated to reflect, as other classes were. With in-class tool-kits to better healing options, faster movement options, better lock-down options and more in-line burst options the Templar has lacked with it's class tool-kit outside of out-of-the-box build designs around Pidgeon-holed Sets and non-class abilities.

As the recent U35 Patch Notes went live, nearly every single damage skill within the Templar tool-kit was nerfed at a minimum of 25%. An across the board 25% nerf to damage is simply over the top. Templar has already lost access to Major Mending, limited access to burst damage and no in-class snare removal, escape mechanism or boost to mobility.

Below is a conceptual proposal to changes of the Templar class skill lines intended to bring the class more in-line with the current gameplay ideology. Not all skills listed. Any unlisted skills are meant to be unchanged

Aedric Spear skill line

1. Ultimate-Morph-Empowering Sweep
   In PVP zones, Empower reverts to increases damage of your next attack
2. Active-Puncturing Strikes
   *Remove skill from being affected by Evasion.*
   This is not an AOE skill, it's single-target with splash damage
3. Active-Morph-Biting Jabs
   *Remove Major Brutality/Sorcery (See Rune Focus)
   Add Ignores target resistance by 3/6/9% for each strike
4. Active-Morph-Luminous Shards
   Add Health to synergy, caster can activate synergy
5. Active-Morph-Blazing Spear
   Remove Synergy
   Snares enemies in area 60%
6. Active-Morph-Sun Shield
   Granting a damage shield that absorbs up to 4800 damage for 6 seconds.
   Gain Major Resolve for 20 seconds, increasing your Physical Resistance and Spell Resistance by 5948.
7. Active-Morph-Radiant Ward
   Increases resources restored by Light and Heavy attacks, scales with higher stat.
8. Active-Morph-Blazing Shield
   Gain Major Expedition for 4 seconds
9. Passive-Burning Light
   When you deal damage you generate a stack of Burning Light for 3 seconds. After reaching 4 stacks, you Minor Berserk for 10 seconds.
   *Stacks can be consumed See Power of the Light
   Give Templars identity back. Nightblades have Cloak, Sorcerers have Lightning Form, Dragonknights have Spiked Armor, Wardens have Frost Cloak and Necromancers have Bone Armor. Give Templars the GLOW.

Dawn's Wrath skill line

1. Ultimate-Nova
   *Remove Major Maim
   *Remove Synergy and make base damage synergy damage.
2. Ultimate-Morph-Solar Prison
   *Remove Stun
   Pulls all enemies in area to center of Prison and Immobilizes for 1 second
3. Ultimate-Morph-Solar Disturbance
   Applies Major Maim for 10 seconds and Stuns for 3 seconds.
4. Active-Sun Fire
   Change damage type to Magic
5. Active-Morph-Vampire's Bane
   Heals for 10% of initial damage done and 5% of damage done over time.
6. Active-Morph-Reflective Light
   Changes to AOE around caster takes place of Solar Barrage and scales on highest offensive stat.
7. Active-Solar Flare
   In PVP zones, Empower reverts to increases damage of your next attack
8. Active-Morph-Solar Barrage
   Conjure 3 successive balls of solar energy to heave at a target area, dealing 600 Magic Damage per ball. *AOE radius 3 meters. Each ball can be changed in direction while channeling.
9. Active-Backlash
   Summon an expanding beam of pure sunlight to doom an enemy, dealing 2980 Magic Damage over 20 seconds and marking them for 6 seconds.
   You can have only one Backlash active at a time.
10. Active-Morph-Purifying Light
    Increasing the damage dealt over time
    Also heals you and nearby allies in the area for 599 Health every 2 seconds, over 20 seconds.
11. Active-Morph-Power of the Light
    Applies Minor Breach for 10 seconds.
    Upon reaching 4 stacks of Burning Light, Minor Berserk and Damage over Time can be traded to immediately deal 4321 physical damage. *Skill Icon would change like Grim Focus upon reaching 4 stacks.
12. Passive-Illuminate
    Add Minor Brutality

Restoring Light skill line

1. Ultimate-Morph-Practiced Incantation
   Can move while channeling at 50% movement speed.
2. Active-Rushed Ceremony
   Healing anyone who is above 75% Health restores 18% of the ability's cost every 2 seconds over 6 seconds as Magicka.
3. Active-Morph-Honor the Dead
   Heal yourself for 3485 Health. Also heals one other injured target for 1199 Health.
   Healing anyone who is above 75% Health restores 18% of the ability's cost every 2 seconds over 6 seconds as Magicka.
4. Active-Morph-Breath of Life
   Heals two allies for 3485, and heals caster for 1199.
   Healing anyone who is above 75% Health restores 18% of the ability's cost every 2 seconds over 6 seconds as Magicka.
5. Active-Healing Ritual *Reduce cost 15%
   Focus your spiritual devotion, healing you and nearby allies for 3480 Health over 16 seconds.
6. Active-Morph-Hasty Prayer
   Focus your spiritual devotion, healing you and nearby allies for 2614 Health.
   Radius increased 5 meters
7. Active-Morph-Radiant Aura
   Consecrate the souls of the fallen, healing you and your allies for 3000 Health and restoring 3000 Magicka to you and your allies for each corpse nearby.
   While slotted, you gain Minor Fortitude, Minor Endurance, and Minor Intellect, increasing your Health, Stamina, and Magicka Recovery by 15%.
8. Active-Morph-Repentance
   Consecrate the souls of the fallen, healing you and your allies for 3000 Health and restoring 3000 Stamina to you and your allies for each corpse nearby.
   While slotted, you gain Minor Fortitude, Minor Endurance, and Minor Intellect, increasing your Health, Stamina, and Magicka Recovery by 15%.
9. Active-Rune Focus
   Add Major Brutality/Sorcery for 20 seconds.
10. Active-Morph-Channeled Focus
    Add Major Brutality/Sorcery for 20 seconds.
    You also recover 242 Magicka every 1 second over the duration. Standing within the rune heals you for 743 Health every 1 second, which scales off your Max Health.
11. Active-Morph-Restoring Focus
    Add Major Brutality/Sorcery for 20 seconds.
    You also recover 242 Stamina every 1 second over the duration. Standing within the rune heals you for 743 Health every 1 second, which scales off your Max Health.
12. Passive-Master Ritualist
    Increases resurrection speed by 20%.
    Resurrected allies return with 100% more Health and Resources.

As noted in changes above, Empower should revert in all PVP zones only affected by Battle Spirit to increases damage of your next attack.

gariondavey

Like I said in your other thread in pvp sub forum
I agree with your points but not with your changes.

And then I said:
Honestly I think just a few changes would be enough to bring us back.

1) backlash becoming a 6 second delayed damage ability like curse (same tooltip as haunting curse). Magicka morph can heal still. Stam morph minor breach still.

2) jabs reverted in animation and hits (4 hits). The reduction in damage per tick can be kept from U35 if necessary

3) beam reduced to 380/400 percent max scaling

4) dawn's wrath passives combined of minor sorcery + ult generation (like dks ones are). New passive added: dealing damage with a dawn's wrath ability applies a 30 percent snare for 3 seconds to affected targets

5) brutality / sorcery duration from jabs moved to base morph, extended in duration to 15 seconds. Mag morph heals, stam morph can have increased aoe damage (like now, just bumped up a bit)

I mean there are tons of other tweaks I could think of, but these 5 changes are pretty minor yet would bring back the class identity.

The first 2 changes would go miles for making the templar spammable decent again in pvp, relevant in pve, and make templar a viable dps again in pvp.

Syiccal

Change 5..Is the one that should 100%go through, why only put sorcery on the stam morph, it makes no sense

Jabbs_Giggity

gariondavey wrote: »

Like I said in your other thread in pvp sub forum
I agree with your points but not with your changes.

And then I said:
Honestly I think just a few changes would be enough to bring us back.

1) backlash becoming a 6 second delayed damage ability like curse (same tooltip as haunting curse). Magicka morph can heal still. Stam morph minor breach still.

2) jabs reverted in animation and hits (4 hits). The reduction in damage per tick can be kept from U35 if necessary

3) beam reduced to 380/400 percent max scaling

4) dawn's wrath passives combined of minor sorcery + ult generation (like dks ones are). New passive added: dealing damage with a dawn's wrath ability applies a 30 percent snare for 3 seconds to affected targets

5) brutality / sorcery duration from jabs moved to base morph, extended in duration to 15 seconds. Mag morph heals, stam morph can have increased aoe damage (like now, just bumped up a bit)

I mean there are tons of other tweaks I could think of, but these 5 changes are pretty minor yet would bring back the class identity.

The first 2 changes would go miles for making the templar spammable decent again in pvp, relevant in pve, and make templar a viable dps again in pvp.

These are all great ideas. I actually prefer the 3 jabs over 4 jabs. Templars have been asking for this for a while (technically to reduce the channel from 1s to .8s) The issue with this skill is that it double dips into Evasion, which is easily accessible from multiple class skills and non-class skills. If Puncturing Strikes was added to the exception list for Evasion, tool-tips wouldn't even need to be adjusted.

Beam is a bit OP, but is also a channel that can be blocked. So there is counterplay. Especially with the self healing all classes have access to now.

Great idea for Backlash, similar to my idea above just in a different way. The idea I wrote out would allow the player to have to consciously choose if they want extra burst damage based on timing abilities or just hover a DoT while not having to waste the skill. Because you would have to trade the BL stacks for burst, this opens up precise opportunity for calculated gameplay.

Personally, my logic for switching Rune Focus to Sun Shield is because right now the skill is useless. Could be functional again as a stable on Templars and who doesn't want an aura around them at all times! Rune Focus could fit the identity as an offensive buff, rather than defensive. IMO

Templar doesn't have to necessarily be "buffed", just tweaked to allow more options in skill combinations. As Stamina Templar always sat, you had only one burst potential -- PotL, Jabs (spammed), DB/Crescent, possibly an execute. It is very predictable and now completely useless, as both PL and PS are both double nerfed.