Studio Director’s Letter: 2025 & Beyond

sarahthes

SilverBride wrote: »

I have no concept of what seasonal content even is.

In other games, it's basically is if all new content was a Golden Pursuit.

DrSlaughtr

I am all for getting Cyrodiil back to a PVP-focused zone. The only thing I will say is this: If I wanted to play a tanky tank, tanky brawl, tanky heal, or tanky ball, there are multiple other newer options out there that do this and more. The thing that has kept me focused on ESO over the last five years has been the one thing those other options don't have - stealth-based PVP. So long as NB continues to have this option (and it's competitive) then I am 100% all for this.

Sakiri

heaven13 wrote: »

Sakiri wrote: »

Not going to go out here and say I'm not good enough at the game to do harder overland content. I am.

I'm just 99% of the time lazy af and prefer my hard content in instanced, group content. If I'm in the overworld, I'm harvesting or something.

The absolute last thing I want is even more of that dude taking the node you just cleared to because you had to spend more than three seconds murdering something because "you can't do that while in combat". That kinda toxicity needs stamped out, not encouraged. And you know that once it gets more annoying to gather materials, people will start doing this in earnest.

When I think of harder overland, what I hope for is more scaled story quests. Fighting the bosses in each zone as you get to the culmination of the story is pretty dissatisfying. They've tried to do stuff about this but the extent of that has been just random invulnerability phases that are boring and annoying because they're not mechanic based, just invulnerable and spawn trash mobs. I'd like to see actual mechanics for these kinds of fights. WWB would also be nice.

What I don't want is just random beefed up trash.

I could see that.

Problem is, you'll end up with people unable to kill quest bosses. If you make them too mechanically inclined, they get harder.

Hell, I had to make a video guide on how to kill the lyris doppleganger for the one main story quest for my friend because he didn't know how to kill her and it's just a harvester fight with heavy attacks to block.

allochthons

I'm feeling mostly positive about this, depending.

1) Seasons - I think if this means that the devs won't be locked 100% into a date they can't change, and thus will have more time / space to track down issues in upcoming content and mechanics, that this is a huge improvement. Also I hope this means the PTS isn't locked into a 5 week cycle. if something huge comes up, let it be 6 or even more weeks, and not release the final content until all the bugs are worked out.
Because honestly, I've dreaded many of the recent updates because update has come to mean huge new bugs. I really hope this improves the quality of the content coming from the new updates.
I also hope it gives the devs a chance to go back and fix some longstanding bugs (Cloudrest synergies, the block bug) that still haunt the game.

If Seasons = Battlepass and the baggage around that, Oh Alessia please no!

2) Seasons & ESO Plus?
How will this interact with ESO+? I think we need to know this ASAP. Will new seasons be free to ESO+ subscribers? Will they have a smaller amount of content than a chapter or DLC but still cost the same? Be very careful here. The fact that the two new companions weren't included in the price of Gold Road was a huge PR issue. Don't repeat it. ^

3) PC UI updates - This seems particularly tone-deaf to me. PC has access to plugins with which to mitigate the many issues with the UI. Consoles don't even have a mini-map, for Alessia's sake!
IF YOU DO THIS - please, please, please take a close look at how the new UI updates / code will affect console. Many of the recent changes which are meant to improve things actually make them worse on console.

(^ I am actually glad the companions were available via crowns, so my non-ESO+/chapter buying account has access to them. But the fact that they weren't included in Gold Road and simply available later was a misstep.)

cryptiecopb14_ESO

Looking forward to the increase difficulty of overland encounters!

Avoranti

It’s so crazy to me to read players are excited for what’s to come. Gold Road felt more like the old Q4 dlc in size. This reads like it’s going to get even smaller. The game needs a full game sized expansion. It needs dungeons and trials that are fresh and rival competitor MMO’s and a story that gets players invested. Revisiting old zones and factions for new story is fine but imagine running that story in the same delves you did in base game and fighting the same boss you’ve already fought 100’s of times over. It’ll feel more like doing a zone daily and less like a fresh new story. And Cyrodiil? How many times are we going to be promised stability there? They’ll fix it in 2025, for sure this time. (I’m not a game dev so I do not understand the challenges here but they’ve said this before, more than once). Companions are in crown store now. Why? Why aren’t they part of the story? Increasing difficulty in overland is already years late but I am glad to read it’s being considered now.

As you can read, I am not enthusiastic about 2025. None of what is being proposed will bring back old players and it’s disheartening to read so many of you are excited for seasonal models. In my opinion, this will further diminish the player base in a game that already feels like it’s on life support.

Maybe the devs will prove me wrong. I hope they do. I’ve loved ESO for so many years and want the future to be a success.

Avoranti

Pepegrillos wrote: »

Sounds like a watered-down version of what New World is doing, which is already a struggling game content-wise.

To be fair, I think NW stopped to make the pc to console ports. Hopefully new content soon.

robertlabrie

We have seasons already ... in game events that drop unique items and people crowd in to play them. If a "season" is a 4 month long event that comes around every 12 - 18 months tell me why that's a bad thing?

tsaescishoeshiner

I'm assuming the "seasonal content" will be more like we'll get a 6-month "Season of the Thieves Guild" with some combination of dungeons/quests/zone/systems/Companions related to it. So like the Yearly themes (Legacy of the Bretons, etc), but not a whole year. Potentially combined with a Golden Pursuit campaign and stuff.

Seems better and more flexible, because we can get new content without dedicating a whole year to it, or without having to squeeze in some Mages Guild content into an unrelated theme.

Not really going to know how well it'll pay off until we see how it goes for a year, but it seems more flexible and organic.

For example, the Scholarium is clearly separate content that could have been part of seasonal content, being attached to Luminary-related dungeons or a Mages Guild Companion. If it were its own content update, it would have been less zone and story content than a DLC zone like Southern Elsweyr/Murkmire, but still a rich story experience attached to a new game system. So even for the people who don't like the puzzley quests in the Scholarium, the content model seems cool.

Jaraal

heaven13 wrote: »

Additionally, I am also incredibly hesitant about visual changes, particularly animations. Did you guys not learn after the backlash from jabs? This is a complete 180 from the stated "we won't change stuff" that you have been ignoring when convenient (also see grim focus change). Updating buildings/textures for overland areas, sure. Updating things that affect my actual character - nope.

Yeah, that was definitely a red flag takeaway for me. Things like the universally panned Jabs and Flurry changes, forcing people to glow red 24/7, removing the cool purple Bound Armaments effect without a reason but adding a new garish color to pets to be annoyed by at the crafting tables, etc....

No good can come from visually disrupting looks that players have grown accustomed to and/or loved for years. And the simple fact that more changes are coming despite the overwhelmingly negative feedback on the changes so far is quite telling regarding their thinking on the matter.

tsaescishoeshiner

Just to be clear, they announced "seasonal content" to replace one big Chapter per year, not "battlepasses" lol. People might be jumping to conclusions just to make themselves disappointed.

tom6143346

Well looks like it’s time to move on from eso sad news all around . Don’t really want to grind for new meta level gear every season. If so there are a lot of games out there with this system in place . Overall it sounds like maintenance mod , can’t help. Sound horrible like easy low effort content to put out for devs . Not really worth a monthly subscription any more

Bo0137

These are all great great news for me.

I'm specially pleased with the iteration to the old zones, questlines and characters. That is simply amazing. And quite smart actually.

We have this very awesome world. Right now you can walk from east to west. It only makes sense giving new life to these old contents.

I have really dreamt about what happens next with the thieves guild; with the fighter's guild. My gosh, what happened to Mannimarco? And the villains tortured and imprisoned by the end of Molag Bal's questline?

There's so much terrain to explore. And it can result in truly awesome stories and interactions.

I can already envision Necrom's great storytelling structure applied to Glenumbra or Grahtwood for an epic and creative adventure!

I truly hope this can bring us interesting features from previous Elder Scrolls titles, like allowing players to join The Morag Tong.

This is also an opportunity to unlock all those locked behind chains doors in places like Balmora and Markarth.

Blackreach feels underexplored in my opinion. It is such a great area and it could take advantage of new questlines and activities so much. So does Western Skyrim! Western Skyrim is locked in a vampire threat 100% of the time. Maybe give them some rest and populate the map with more diverse stories.

I see so much potential in this. Cannot wait!

jcaceresw

Avoranti wrote: »

It’s so crazy to me to read players are excited for what’s to come. Gold Road felt more like the old Q4 dlc in size. This reads like it’s going to get even smaller. The game needs a full game sized expansion. It needs dungeons and trials that are fresh and rival competitor MMO’s and a story that gets players invested. Revisiting old zones and factions for new story is fine but imagine running that story in the same delves you did in base game and fighting the same boss you’ve already fought 100’s of times over. It’ll feel more like doing a zone daily and less like a fresh new story. And Cyrodiil? How many times are we going to be promised stability there? They’ll fix it in 2025, for sure this time. (I’m not a game dev so I do not understand the challenges here but they’ve said this before, more than once). Companions are in crown store now. Why? Why aren’t they part of the story? Increasing difficulty in overland is already years late but I am glad to read it’s being considered now.

As you can read, I am not enthusiastic about 2025. None of what is being proposed will bring back old players and it’s disheartening to read so many of you are excited for seasonal models. In my opinion, this will further diminish the player base in a game that already feels like it’s on life support.

Maybe the devs will prove me wrong. I hope they do. I’ve loved ESO for so many years and want the future to be a success.

* Yeah, the "chapter" should have cost $20 at most, not $60 for a almost empty piece of land compared to Morrowind.
* About PVP, I remember years ago to have suggested to group Cyrodiil and Imperial City (now to include Battlegrounds) into a separate application. All related achievements were to be moved to that application. Of course, this would mean to provide similar services to PVE like the Golden (the only reason I go to Cyrodiil every weekend). Many skills I liked to use in PVE had become unusable because of the changes done in order to "balance" and "fix" exploit issues on Cyrodiil.
* Hope we can get a difficulty slider so I could be able to clear all the DLC dungeons on veteran. I don't find many players willing to do them even on normal, because the enemies in there are so powerful no matter how good min/maxed my build is.
* Regarding seasons, I have quit from other MMO because their seasons idea is to make people pay real money (by buying their currency packs) in order to access "exclusive and useful rewards" while the normal rewards were like getting crown food and potions that most people delete from their inventory.

bobsontpm

I keep fingers crossed for the changes. I am "story player", so I was always hyped for new chapter zones, but... I see how this MASSIVE game might be overwhelming now, both for new player and developers. I still have hard time catching up (I started playing in 2019, and just this year I finished all zone stories, dungeons and visited all trials... 5 years playing nothing but ESO...).

Also, what about doing basegame zones like some of the dungeons, versions I & II, the same zone, with different story? Then you could just increase difficulty for part II and put some level baricade, like finishing the base version or such . City of Ash is my favourite, becouse you have this change in location between zones I and II and I think with a little effort you can make such changes to basegame zones too, like this was destroyed during part I so now its a big hole with some reconstruction taking place. Or this castle was under construction in part I, now it is finished but we need help in cleansing it from deadra or something

Integral1900

Heard some good stuff and some bad stuff

The idea of basing new zones on Craglorn makes me nervous
I assume you remember that the entire zone was re-engineered, quite badly I might add because it was so poorly used as to be virtually deserted except for the trials. It has some of the most beautifully designed group encounters in thegame, but the open world is a mess. There’s plenty of content you could do by just walking around with holding the left button, then there is group content like Shadas Tears which gets so little attention from players you could probably chop it right out of the game and it might be years before anyone noticed it was gone. Instead of doing the sensible thing and turning the entire thing into public dungeon content we got this bizarre cut and shut with some bits needing groups, some bits solo odds and ends all over the place. It was a mess and it still is a mess. The idea of using it as a basis for future content is terrible

When you say lots of smaller pieces or breaking up a big zone in the small bits, please, please, please let these bits be fused together as they are released. There’s nothing that takes the epic out of the world like running into a loading screen every hundred feet. No matter how good the content in the thieves guild was, and it does have superb storytelling, even if the heists need to go back to the drawing board, but the zone simply does not feel epic and it never will, it’s just too SMALL.

Being able to increase the difficulty is a great idea. But you need some way of giving people control. If I wanted to play dark souls I can go and play dark souls, and I promise you, the vast majority of players in this game or not of that level and they never will be me. Personally can I play that kind of content, but I do not enjoy it.

I like the grandeur, the sweeping scenery, the epic locations. Please, from the bottom of my little old heart, don’t take away the epic! if it means we have to have stuff at a quarter of the pace then so be it! please, please, please don’t take away the epic! don’t drown us in year after year of tiny little zones. With this freer cadence let your ambition soar!

Because from that letter, the idea above everything else, sounds like mediocre. We all knew this game will be put on the back burner eventually, I guess I just hope it will be a little longer.

TaSheen

lei.aili_ESO wrote: »

If you are going to make overland content harder, PLEASE make that optional, like a setting we can toggle on/off for hard mode.

Some of us are old. Some of us have disabilities. Some of us just plain aren't as good at the game as others are. I am in all three of those categories. Overland content is easy enough for me to do right now, and that's the way I like it.

I play video games to relax. Life is stressful and difficult enough, I want my games to be easy and stress-free.

Thanks for saying it for me. I completely agree.

RomanRex

How does this indicate any improvement over 2024?

U42: A paltry new zone (West Weald) that is empty compared to previous zones. Scribing was introduced, but many felt it didn’t live up to its potential.

U43: Housing tours that most people weren’t asking for and didn’t want. Companions you buy from the crown store.

U44: Big PvP update! BG’s that are unpopular.

We have had complaints all year about bad server performance and even experienced the longest outage in ESO ever (that I am aware of). We need a letter that accurately takes into account the state of where we are and where we are going.

It has been a depressing year in ESO and nothing about this letter makes 2025 seem better.

OtarTheMad

Integral1900 wrote: »

Heard some good stuff and some bad stuff

The idea of basing new zones on Craglorn makes me nervous
I assume you remember that the entire zone was re-engineered, quite badly I might add because it was so poorly used as to be virtually deserted except for the trials. It has some of the most beautifully designed group encounters in thegame, but the open world is a mess. There’s plenty of content you could do by just walking around with holding the left button, then there is group content like Shadas Tears which gets so little attention from players you could probably chop it right out of the game and it might be years before anyone noticed it was gone. Instead of doing the sensible thing and turning the entire thing into public dungeon content we got this bizarre cut and shut with some bits needing groups, some bits solo odds and ends all over the place. It was a mess and it still is a mess. The idea of using it as a basis for future content is terrible

When you say lots of smaller pieces or breaking up a big zone in the small bits, please, please, please let these bits be fused together as they are released. There’s nothing that takes the epic out of the world like running into a loading screen every hundred feet. No matter how good the content in the thieves guild was, and it does have superb storytelling, even if the heists need to go back to the drawing board, but the zone simply does not feel epic and it never will, it’s just too SMALL.

Being able to increase the difficulty is a great idea. But you need some way of giving people control. If I wanted to play dark souls I can go and play dark souls, and I promise you, the vast majority of players in this game or not of that level and they never will be me. Personally can I play that kind of content, but I do not enjoy it.

I like the grandeur, the sweeping scenery, the epic locations. Please, from the bottom of my little old heart, don’t take away the epic! if it means we have to have stuff at a quarter of the pace then so be it! please, please, please don’t take away the epic! don’t drown us in year after year of tiny little zones. With this freer cadence let your ambition soar!

Because from that letter, the idea above everything else, sounds like mediocre. We all knew this game will be put on the back burner eventually, I guess I just hope it will be a little longer.

Yeah, I think basing the new zones off of Craglorn might be like retailers basing idea off of Sears...

Major_Mangle

We need to seriously address Cyrodiil performance. Our (ambitious) goal is to return it to the concurrency levels we supported in 2014. So, we will be experimenting with a Cyrodiil campaign where all classes will have PvP-specific (and more performant) skills that replace the standard player skills with the expectation that we can support more players per campaign

If this is "we´re adding new unique class specific skills only for pvp", then I´m all for it.

But......

If this is a way to push preset sets/skills into PvP then please don´t. If you truly wanna kill ESO PvP then go through with it sure. The PvP in this game is fun because it allows diversity and the options to truly test/combine different setups/builds in one of the best combat designs I´ve played in an MMO. Forcing people into "you can only use X, Y and Z and nothing else" will just cause whatever campaign you add it to, to become the next no-proc/Ravenwatch (aka dead).

kojou

I'm ok with everything as noted by Matt as long as we can expect that new content will include new instanced group content. I generally only play ESO with friends, so solo overland content is not nearly as interesting for me

Finedaible

I would also like to know if unfinished (ongoing?) projects such as the hybridization of alchemy are being worked on or have these been abandoned?

Has standardization been considered successful in the eyes of the balancing team or do they think there is room for improvement?

Are there any plans to address armor sets and their role in ESO? Currently many players are unhappy with the state of gear and how it has become the driving factor of every update. Even with the transmute stones and stickerbook, gear still remains incredibly cumbersome and polarizing as more and more of them get introduced and more options are taken away. There's just too many sets now, and most of them aren't even viable outside of overland.

kivrin99

I'm cautiously optimistic about the changes, and I think it's a good thing that ZOS is willing to look at the structure of the year in a different way. Could be some fun stuff coming. One question I have, since I'm big into housing, is how will new furnishing plans be released now, if there won't necessarily be a new zone with presumably new furnishing styles? I'm really hoping housing will also benefit from these changes, and we won't now see fewer furnishing plans. Would love to see some of the older styles filled in more, like Alinor, but looking forward to the new stuff is what us housing nerds live for, haha.

LesserCircle

I don't want anyone to feel insulted by this but how is it possible to struggle with overland content in the current game? Even without build or gear or even CP all it takes is a maximum of 3 to 4 skills per enemy. With a full PvE build it can be a single skill... I still want them to make it optional but it's honestly confusing to me.

ESO_player123

To me the letter is carefully worded so it leaves a lot of room for "conspiracy theories". I will wait and see, but the overall feeling is a bit depressive. I was hoping for a new zone to explore (bigger than the one we got this year).

As others already asked I'm wondering about the worth of ESO+. Will it be craft bag/item number increase + access to old dungeons or will it automatically include some of the new content?

I hope that the more difficult overland content is optional (something that we can choose to engage when the mood is right). I definitely do not want to fight a skeever for 2 minutes just to pick a flower (or if we have to, it better be a whole bouquet).

AScarlato

I'm in the negative camp and should not be surprised that so many here are "hyped" about nebulous 'seasons' that lack any real commitment to content.

I had people argue with me how hyped they were to get less content in a year and have entire quarters dedicated to "QOL" with the end result of this being large periods of stagnation and a playerbase that is the lowest it's ever been since 2018.

Now we have people excited for...probably even less content since they won't even put together a chapter.

Perhaps I'm just pessimistic but I fail to see the excitement in this announcement, let alone mentioning store products as something to look forward to in a game already heavy on overpriced microtransactions.

DemonicGoat

Another empty missive.

AlieKat

Would be nice to add a 5 star achievement costume like something nice with 5 stars on the chest

BenTSG

Hoo boy, this ones a doozy. I'm certainly curious what you guys are thinking of doing, and how you're handling it to boot. There are some things in there I certianly like the sounds of (Such as Revamping old zone assets and difficulty), and others I am skeptical about such as the Seasonal model. I've no clue how you plan on handling it which is the worrying part to me. Still, we'll wait and see

StarOfElyon

ZOS_MattFiror wrote: »

• Visually improving base game zones with updated textures and art assets, starting with the "starter islands" - these should start rolling out in March 2025 

...

Continuing to tell great stories
With the changes to our content release model, please be assured that we are not abandoning new quest content – but we will do it in different ways than we previously have. As our focus will not be on adding giant new landmasses – although we will do that from time to time – instead, we will use existing zones and areas to tell new stories. Some of these are:

• Continuing the stories in existing zones and storylines and bringing back familiar characters 
• New stories focused on hallmark Elder Scrolls organizations like Dark Brotherhood, Thieves Guild, Fighters Guild, and Mages Guild
• Splitting a large zone across multiple updates

Hey this is actually something I've thought about a lot, if not verbalized at some point. I would love to go to new zones but I would also love for the old zones to be updated and get new content. I would love for all zones to look at great as High Isle does. I don't get the complaints about that zone, I thought it was pretty good.

EDIT: OH YEAH PLEASE UPDATE THE OLD DUNGEONS AND SETS!!!! 😀

So anyway, buff Necros and Redguards.

Necros:

StarOfElyon wrote: »

This is an updated version of my Necro ideas thread from 2023 (https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/633137/suggestions-for-necromancer-changes) with adjustments accounting for the Update 43 patch notes.

Death Scythe: (both morphs)
Deals more damage based on the enemy's missing health.
- Hungry Scythe: should also apply life steal to all enemies hit, in addition to healing the caster over time.

Shocking Siphon: The AOE should remain on the ground even if the tether breaks early. (Increase the radius size too)
- Mystic Siphon: the increased Health, Magicka, and Stamina Recovery persists even if the tether breaks early.

Flame Skull:
- Riccochet Skull/Venom Skull: applies burning/poisoned status effects. (Increase travel speed)

Bone Totem: summons an effigy of bones up to 28 meters away. After 1 second, the totem begins fearing nearby enemies every 2 seconds, causing them to cower in place for 4 seconds. (Changed to allow both morphs to be targeted)

Restoring Tether: the effects persist on the player character even if the tether breaks early.

Grave Grasp:
- Empowering Grasp: Summon three patches of skeletal claws from the ground in front of you dealing 898 frost damage. Enemies in the first area are stunned for 3 seconds, immobilized in the second area for 4 seconds, and snared in the final area by 50% for 5 seconds. Each patch applies Minor Maim to enemies hit for 10 seconds, reducing their damage done by 5%. Each area applies Minor Maim to enemies, Empower to your allies, and enhances the damage and healing of your summons by 1000. Each effect lasts 10 seconds.

- Ghostly Embrace: Summon three patches of skeletal claws from the ground in front of you, dealing 1742 Frost Damage and an additional 1635 Frost Damage over 5 seconds. The initial hit applies the Chilled status effect. The final area creates a corpse if at least one enemy was hit.

Expunge: reduces the cost of all your abilities by 3% while slotted on either bar.

Bitter Harvest: when slotted on either bar, reduces your damage taken by 3%.

Boneyard increase the radius to 8 meters.

PASSIVES:
Corpse Consumption: When you consume a corpse, you generate 10 Ultimate. This effect can occur once every 16 seconds. You also gain Major Savagery and Prophecy for 20 seconds, increasing your Weapon and Spell Critical rating by 2629.

Undead Confederate: While you have a Sacrificial Bones, Skeletal Mage, or Spirit Mender active, your Health, Magicka, and Stamina Recovery is increased by 200. You also gain Major Brutality and Sorcery for 20 seconds, increasing your Weapon and Spell Damage by 20%.

ULTIMATES:
Frozen Colossus: Unleash a decayed Flesh Colossus to pulverize enemies in the area. The Colossus smashes the ground three times over 3 seconds. Dealing damage applies Major Vulnerability to any enemy hit for 12 seconds.
- Glacial Colossus: does frost damage and stuns enemies on the second hit instead of the third.
- Pestilent Colossus: smashes the ground only once and does disease damage. Afflicts enemies with a pestilence that does damage over time.

Redguards:

StarOfElyon wrote: »

These are some tweaks I would like to see made to the Redguards's passives. Hopefully, they will be seen as reasonable among the devs. They keep in mind the Redguards's reputation for endurance (stamina return) and discipline (reduced ability cost).

"The Redguards of Hammerfell are talented and athletic warriors, born to battle. A desert people, their ancestors migrated to Tamriel from the lost continent of Yokuda. Their culture is based on preserving ancient traditions and defying their harsh environment. They prize honor and dignity above all else, combining a deep reverence for the divine with a suspicion of all things magical. Their capital is the merchant port of Sentinel, but their roots are deep in the sands of the Alik'r Desert. In their youth, Redguards endure a rite of passage in the desolate wastes of Alik'r as a test of endurance and discipline. Only the strongest survive." https://elderscrollsonline.wiki.fextralife.com/Redguard

PASSIVES:

Wayfarer - Increases your experience gain with the One Hand and Shield skill line by 15%. Increases the duration of any eaten food by 15 minutes.

*Martial Training - Reduces the stamina cost of your abilities by 6%. Reduces the effectiveness of snares applied to you by 15%.

Redguards need help as a stamina sustain race. Reduced stamina cost across the board seems fitting.

Conditioning - Increases your Max Stamina by 2000.

*Adrenaline Rush - Increases your stamina recovery by 130. When you deal or take damage, you restore 248 Stamina. This effect can occur once every 3 seconds.

A big problem with the old version of this passive is that it was way too active, requiring you to spend resources to get resources back. It causes problems when you're not in a position to deal damage. No damage; no sustain. This change makes the "adrenaline rush" passive more "passive" and is still tied to being in combat. This also reinforces their reputation for endurance, "the ability to withstand hardship or adversity."