Ommamar wrote: »

One thing this might do is make the non vet campaign a more popular choice to play. That skill is awesome but not necessarily an essential for a stamina healing build. As for diversity I don't see how having the ability to utilize two different paths to be a healer is limiting it. As for every game is designed this way so this one should be too argument. Is not only false but a very silly way to look at things.

sabresandiego_ESO wrote: »

More on Alliance War Rank and Vigor:

One of the goals of 1.6 is to rebalance the game. This means magicka, stamina, health, and hybrid builds should all be "relatively" balanced so that there is a bunch of different and diverse builds you can create. There will always be "optimal" builds, and that is very difficult to prevent. 1.6 is the most balanced the game has ever been, you guys have done a great job. But one thing that is sticking out is Vigor being at rank 10 alliance war.

Alliance war is one of the worst grinds in the game. Its worse than vet levels. It simply takes too long and putting an ability that is absolutely "essential" for making many stamina builds competitive with magicka builds is a mistake. This forces players to either play as magicka, or a suboptimal stamina build until they unlock the ability by grinding it out.

Vigor is an extremely powerful ability. It is really good, and actually does deserve being at the end of alliance war in terms of pure power. That does not however bode well for people who want to play as a stamina build enjoyably before aquiring it.

Possible Suggestions:

1. I think vigor and magicka detonation should switch places in alliance war ranking. They are both extremely powerful abilities, but vigor is more "essential" to stamina builds than magicka detonation is to magicka builds. Most magicka builds will be playable competitively without magicka detonation, but very many stamina builds are not competitive (in pvp) without vigor because stamina builds tend to have poor survivability compared to magicka builds which have heals and damage shields.

2. Alliance war rank should be easier to level. Right now the grind is borderline unreasonable. Its more difficult than veteran ranks. I understand the desire to keep people playing, earning things, chasing that carrot on a stick, but its just too much of a grind.

3. Consider making Alliance war rank account wide, to encourage more people to make alts and experience the game. Right now, the alliance war rank grind is so painful, it heavily discourages making and leveling new characters.

More Thoughts On Alliance War Skills:

Vigor is an extremely good ability
Magicka Detonation is a fantastic ability

Guard I have not been able to test extensively, but seems very situational. Potential to be useful, but I doubt its a great ability. More testing needed.

Flare is a horrible ability from my limited testing in small scale pvp. In larger scale pvp, perhaps one guy can be throwing out flares to find enemy armies that are stealthed. Stealth mechanics in this game are overpowered, providing people with complete invisibility in open fields. There can be a 100 man army completely invisible in an open field and there is no way of knowing it. Flare helps somewhat but not really. I don't think there are any plans on changing stealth, but from my testing against stealth players, the flare ability is a complete waste. The effect is too slow, the area revealed is too small, and once discovered stealth players can rapidly escape with rolls and other maneuvers, and then restealth again 8 seconds later. The only use Im seeing for flare is in large group pvp to find other large groups who are stealthed. Perhaps the ability is not intended to be good in smaller scale engagements, but thats my review of the ability.

Hopefully Vigor is made easier for stamina builds to aquire and/or Alliance War made to be less of an unreasonable grind. Keep up the good work and I look forward to more great balance changes and seeing the coolest patch ever go live.