Alternative methods of character advancement - the ESO pacifist's dilemma

Parrotbrain · June 2015

Like many MMOs, ESO uses an experience-point based method of character advancement

These experience points are basically earned through four means:

1. Killing mobs and other players
2. Exploration
3. Completing story quests
4. Completing Daily quests

Other than exploration, most of the other means involve the act of killing sometime or another. Exploration and story quests can only be completed once and at some stage during a character's development they are therefore also exhausted as a means to advancing one's character.

The only two options left then are daily quests and killing mobs/other players. Daily quests consist of the Cyrodill, Craglorn, Undaunted and Crafting writ dailies, of which the crafting writ quests give a meagre amount of experience points (and of course can only be completed once per day!).

This leaves the hypothetical ESO pacifist in a dilemma: the only way to advance one's character is to take part in violence. Who would have thought the denizens of Tamriel are without exception so violent?

Therefore my suggestion is to take an unutilised aspect of the game and make it a viable method of character advancement:

Characters who have maxed out their crafting skill lines earn inspiration, but these points basically go into Sithis' void and are never seen again. Why not give characters who have maxed out their crafting skill lines the means to convert the inspiration they have earned into experience points as an alternative to mob grinding or doing dailies? It would also stimulate crafting and boost the economy, as the demand for crafting materials would increase.

Perhaps crafting dailies can be expanded by taking more exotic requests from the experienced, maxed out, crafter and granting more inspiration (and by implication experience points) as a result? These requests could span the whole spectrum, with sets, traits, racial style, temper and material all being specified and adding to the flavour of the request, and of course the more exotic the item, the more inspiration it grants which can then be converted to experience by the artisan in question. The artisan, through their hard work, can also now advance their character without resorting to goblin-hunting or other violent forms of character advancement.

Any thoughts? Any takers? Yay or nay?

Bookwyrm · June 2015

I don't mean to be rude, and I'm not knocking the play-style, because options are a good thing...

But I don't understand how this would work at all, or what the point of it would be. The main quest, the main storyline, requires battle--and it wouldn't make sense (with the way it's written) for it not to. Molag Bal would not stop invading Tamriel even if the most ingenious, silver-tongued rogue attempted to convince him it could be a bad idea. He's a creature of violence, and will continue his violence if met with no opposition.

Even if you choose not to take part in the main storyline most of the skills in the game are combat skills. Now, sure, they could add some new skill lines or new skills pertaining to non-violent activities, but I doubt they'd add enough to make it worth-while to level up your character. And why level up your character if you're not going to use the attribute points and skillpoints?

Again, I'm not opposed to it, it just...doesn't make sense to me.

Edited to add that if you're not actually talking about an entirely pacifist play-style (has been brought up in the forums before), then I can better understand where you're coming from, and putting inspiration to use SOMEWHERE would be nice, after crafters have maxed out their skills.

Parrotbrain · June 2015

Lol I could rephrase it in a more matter of fact way:

Grinding mobs is hideously boring and monotonous! And no, I do not want to spy on that orc lady in cropsford for the nth-factorial time! No!

I like crafting...yes........crafting...

But, but crafting past 50 gives no nice advancement benefits!

Therefore, turn my Inspiration into XP!!!!! Yes!! XP!!!

and also, on a more serious note, other games like WoW and archeage you advance your combat skills by gaining XP through harvesting and crafting etc. It is basically just another game mechanic I would like to see. The whole pacifist thing I just put in so my post isn't such a boring read, I do not feel that "harcore lore" considerations should exclude beneficial game mechanics from the game.

Bookwyrm · June 2015

Ah! That makes far more sense, yes.

I think one reason that harvesting, at least, is not something with which one can gain EXP is somewhat due to how beneficial it could be for gold-farmers and bots.

As for crafting, I agree with you. Once you've leveled up the craft to its maximum, it would be nice to see that inspiration turn into experience--or at least serve a purpose, since you can still technically get it (crafting writs!) but it serves absolutely no purpose. The only other purpose I can personally think of is to have it turn into some sort of currency for purchasing unique items for use in crafting (or perhaps non-unique items)--although inspiration gains would have to be adjusted or (more likely) prices for such items would require large amounts of inspiration. They would also need to be bound upon purchase to avoid being sold in the market, but since they would be items that could be used in crafting (unique motifs or materials or something) the crafted items could be sold (these unique items would be removed from deconstruction loot tables...increase rarity and whatnot).

Admittedly, inspiration-to-experience would probably be easier. :P I'm just tired and rambling.

NotSo · June 2015

This is an RPG, if you want to fight Molag Bal by supplying other players with the provisions to do so, you should be able to.

Leijona · June 2015

Well, as ZOS can't imagine, we want under water content without fighting, I don't think they will prioritize non-combat content high enough. This doesn't mean, I don't agree with you, because I do. There is not enough non-combat content in the game.

RobDaCool · June 2015

I've not played an MMO with non combat classes in 10 years.

smokes · June 2015

NotSo wrote: »

This is an RPG, if you want to fight Molag Bal by supplying other players with the provisions to do so, you should be able to.

you can't really kill molag'bal by throwing sweetrolls at him though

i'm all for supporting the idea of making "wasted" inspiration gains past level 50 grant a modicum of XP instead, but to ever finish this game, you'll have to do more than just craft, at some point you will have to pick up a weapon and beat something to death.

pacifism and ESO don't really jam.

Junkogen · June 2015

This might be possible if they allowed an NPC companion. Then you could play a healer and have your companion fight.

Also, there's always stealing you get xp from cracking safes.

Merlin13KAGL · June 2015

NotSo wrote: »

This is an RPG, if you want to fight Molag Bal by supplying other players with the provisions to do so, you should be able to.

Which you can, and it never requires you to be max level to do so...

OP, the converted IP's would still be pretty meager, as you can only do six writs a day. Many of the repeatables, at least those in Cyrodiil (the PVE one's not the kill X players, etc) involve non violent alternatives:

You have to disable, though not kill a group of enemies by contaminating their food, for instance.
You save lives by eliminating threats (Goblin warlord, is another)
You deliver supplies, you drop off books...
Scouting quests can be done over and over to the daily limit - you can even scout your own keeps and get credit.

Arguably, there are many quests you can do that you could use stealth to minimize bloodshed, etc. The tether/reset aspect of most enemies in this game allow you the opportunity to simply heal through your damage and get far enough away.

I understand your want to be non-violent, and there should be more options to charm/fear/immobilize your way through things. However, Tamriel is arguably a harsh and violent place, currently at war, and consistently filled with things that take no issue with aggression against you.

You could have a healing role only, allowing those around you to do the dirty work. However, if you intend to draw as little blood as possible, expect leveling to take much longer, albeit, almost not required for the role you seek.

A level 10 character can be a master craftsman and no amount of passive questing will ever yield the kind of loot and experience that eliminating the immediate threat will, grinding or not.

Not downplaying your intended playstyle, but certain words ring in my head regarding this:

"Look at that poor Netch..."