I've searched high and low and haven't seen anyone mention this before, which means it's either a very original idea or so outlandish no one but myself could be so silly.

In every other MMO I've played, AOE attacks are something amazing. Typically earned midway through levelling, they're a unique kind of attack meant to burn down large groups of trash mobs in PvE. In PvP, they tend to direct the flow of battle by sealing choke points, cutting off escape routes, and directing enemy movements from afar - thus making it easier for melee classes to keep their enemies in close proximity. For healers, it means creating a safe haven, a sort of field aid for players to retreat and heal up before jumping back into the fray.

In ESO, AOE attacks are the exact opposite. They're easily spammable, and are the go-to skills of choice for group PvP. With AOE heals atop damaging skills, ESO's PvP game largely becomes a matter of numbers, relying on sheer quantity of AOE placement to override (arbitrary?) AOE caps and burn down the opposition at close ranges. This is insane, as it not only nerfs the usefulness of single-target attacks, but it also produces a PvP environment that goes against all the marketing material and the general appeal the game is trying to sell.

Remember how epic this trailer looked?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-3GAT0UWzc

Instead, we have what we have now.

I read your title, get to it already

Right.

My idea is to make all AOE skills "channeled" in order to slow the flow of battle, increase the viability of single-target attacks in large-scale PvP, and establish a more immersive and realistic battlefield environment. When channeling AOE abilities, you'll have mobility reduced in the same way that Crystal Shard (Fragments, let's be honest Blast is in the past) reduces mobility during its cast time. Limited to a walking pace, players will have to choose between maintaining mobility on the battlefield and attacking multiple targets at once, a fair compromise that rewards clever decision making in the heat of battle.

For persistent ground-targeted AOE attacks, such as Lightning Splash, Volley, and Grand Healing, the channel should last as long as the skill is applied to the ground, meaning players will have to wait out the AOE or cancel it to resume their movement. For self-target AOE attacks and buffs, such as Whirlwind, Vigor, or various shields, the player should have their movement reduced for 1 second, which would make diving into an enemy group a tactical decision and one that cannot be immediately reversed.

What will this do to zergs? The whole meta should be upheaved, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Large groups will no longer be able to burn through another group through sheer numbers alone, and will need to pick their targets and coordinate effectively to burn through another group at a good pace. Zerg v zerg battles would no longer rely on which side has more people, but on which side has more skilled people, as battles would become a much more intimate affair. Abilities like Steel Tornado would also retain their usefulness in a zerg v zerg setting, but would significantly slow down the speed at which the zerg can move, making it easier for players to organize counter-attacks and could potentially reduce lagging in some situations (the only thing worse than a lot of people in one space is a lot of people moving very fast through many spaces). Zergs would also, in theory, spread out more as players try and flank their targets and engage individual opponents.

What about PvE? Admittedly, I am not the most knowledgeable when it comes to PvE, being more of a casual dungeon-raider, so my changes don't particularly touch on the subject. If someone more versed in the PvE scene would like to discuss the impact such a system would have, it would be welcomed. However, from my general experience with PvE, players do not need to rely on as much mobility when they are casting AOE spells, mainly burning adds stacked on a tank or healing a group. If such mobility were needed, cancelling channels and repositioning would become required. Again, I'm barely a casual as it is, so I'd prefer not to dig to deep into it.

Are you done yet?

Yes. Feel free to tell me why I'm wrong and, more appropriately, educate me and help build off the idea in case changes to the meta are something you would like to see.

Faulgor wrote: »

Personally I prefer cast times over channels. Would also add another layer to group PvP where you have to take out the caster in the back before he finishes his devastating AoE spell. Also makes more sense to me for ground-based AoEs like Fire Rune/Arrow Barrage/Liquid Lightning/etc.

But the analysis is absolutely correct. AoEs and single target skills are totally mismatched in ESO.

-When you say it like that, I'm actually inclined to agree with you regarding the cast times vs channeling. Cast times are already implemented in the game and would fit with the general theme and design we have going over introducing a channeling mechanic to targeted spells, and would probably be easier when calculating damage ticks.