Why no wands?

temjiu · May 2018

For me it's not so much the wand as it is the need for more magicka weapon options. I'd be perfectly happy with a sword and shield magicka based line. or a dual dagger magicka line.

An easier solution would probably be to add more morph options. I've seen people discuss concepts of a third tier of morphs, and this would fit very well into that. they could make multiple weapon skills start with a stamina morph and a magicka morph on their first tier, and then the second tier branches out from that.

Or they just add more magicka options in weapons. I mean, we already have magicka and stamina options in class skills, why not the same for weapon skills? why do staves have to be limited to magika only morphs, while swords limited to stamina only morphs? give Staves some stamina morphs, and suddenly, you have a monk style of play. give swords some magika morphs, and suddenly you have a battlemage.

Personally, the weapon skill lines have always felt very lopsided and one dimensional...there is rarely a situation where both morphs are used frequently. It's usually one is king, and the other simply collects dust. They could take allot of those underperforming morphs and give us some interesting magicka option instead.

The only limitation I see with this is the resource generation model they currently use (which, IMO, was a Band-Aid setup to begin with). But this could be solved by using a system that splits resource generation from HA based on morphs and using 100% a a standard. If you have 1 skill in the line, and its morph is Magicka, then your HA returns 100% Magicka. If you have two morphs, one stamina and one Magicka, then your HA returns 50% Magicka and 50% stamina. Each skill line has 5 max skills, so the most the game would have to calculate is fractions ot 20%. If I have 2 Magicka morphs and 3 stamina morphs, then my HA returns 40% Magicka and 60% Stamina

Bobby_V_Rockit · May 2018

What about twirly magical batons and tin foil hats too?! Get outta here!

SilverIce58 · May 2018

josiahva wrote: »

gnarlyvandal wrote: »

SoftcoverGore47 wrote: »

Gandalf used a staff. End of discussion.

Staff and a sword, dual wielded.
https://goo.gl/images/57eubv

Due to a UI glitch the other day in vet scalecaller my tank got his weapon skins reversed somehow so I was puncturing with an ice staff and shooting balls of ice out of the tip of my sword, does that count?

That happens to me sometimes. I have pics too
In the first, I'm holding my greatsword like a staff, and in the second, I'm holding my staff like a greatsword. I wasn't a fan of how the staff was being held, but the GS one was super fun. It shot fireballs as a light attack, and just looked super cool.

Madrax573 · May 2018

For everyone asking to cast spells with their bare hands you do realise that class abilities that use magicka are your spells don't you? You don't need weapons to be able to 'cast' them.

The staves are there only to give everyone some ability to cast 'spells'.

Once 2 handed weapons become classed as 2 items for bonuses etc I think it will make it easier to them to add wands/foci whatever later on.

Savos_Saren · May 2018

Instead of "wands"...

...why not scepters?

Although, I also prefer a good swagger stick.

dwelling_playb16_ESO · May 2018

SilverIce58 wrote: »

Why do people even want wands? There could be so many better types of magicka foci. Runes, Grimoires, your hands. I've never understood the fascination with casting spells with a stick, when you could cast just as well with your hands. It's because of Harry Potter isn't it?

Oh man, don't get me started on the possibilities! I would love to see blue flames being cast from the open mouth of a daedric skull (basically a one hand cast animation) or characters holding a book open while casting with their free hand. The more options the merrier. Wands would at least be a step in the direction of getting some more choices. And hey, if it makes Harry Potter fans happy, so much the better.

Sekero · May 2018

As I recall, Dragon Age had special swords and shields for mages, non-mages couldn't use them, so perhaps something like that? Sorc only weapons that scale damage with Magicka? Or rather, weapons that only magicka characters can use.

Edited to clarify not just sorcs

Soris · May 2018

Pls no Harry Potter.

BaneOfBattler · May 2018

skiddle skoodle wands are for kidies

dazee · May 2018

Allanm wrote: »

dazee wrote: »

Bare handed magic please.

lol you have to be a Sith Sorc for that. My Sith Sorc in SWTOR never equipped his lightsaber.

I have a friend who had a sith in tabletop SW games and in SWTOR who also never did. People would ask him "wheres you're Lightsaber" and he'd say "who needs one"

Marginis · May 2018

dazee wrote: »

Allanm wrote: »

dazee wrote: »

Bare handed magic please.

lol you have to be a Sith Sorc for that. My Sith Sorc in SWTOR never equipped his lightsaber.

I have a friend who had a sith in tabletop SW games and in SWTOR who also never did. People would ask him "wheres you're Lightsaber" and he'd say "who needs one"

Love those moments. Like when I'm playing Gears of War and someone only a little familiar with the game asks me where my chainsaw gun is, or someone way too familiar with the game asks me where my gnasher is. Why don't you ask my grenade tripmine you just activated?

Or like when my friends asked me why I let my character get away with super low charisma in D&D... until they were unable to stop my character from massacring the king guards (and the king) and assuming the throne against their wishes because of his god-like lighting powers. And for the record, he did not even need a staff.

MalsvirIxen · May 2018

if you want a veriety of Magical items to wield as a weapon, you might wanna try Final Fantasy 14. There you have wands, orbs, spellbooks, a deck of cards.

Minno · May 2018

VaranisArano wrote: »

Because Elder Scrolls mages use staffs.

Daggerfall you could get wands . But they phased them out for staff in later games.

Though, I don't see why we can't have staffs being used on one hand though (thanks Skyrim lol).

SilverIce58 · May 2018

dwelling_playb16_ESO wrote: »

SilverIce58 wrote: »

Why do people even want wands? There could be so many better types of magicka foci. Runes, Grimoires, your hands. I've never understood the fascination with casting spells with a stick, when you could cast just as well with your hands. It's because of Harry Potter isn't it?

Oh man, don't get me started on the possibilities! I would love to see blue flames being cast from the open mouth of a daedric skull (basically a one hand cast animation) or characters holding a book open while casting with their free hand. The more options the merrier. Wands would at least be a step in the direction of getting some more choices. And hey, if it makes Harry Potter fans happy, so much the better.

Who cares about making Harry Potter fans happy? This isnt Harry Potter online.

SmellyUnlimited · May 2018

Wands....

Smaller versions of staves, the least intimidating weapon type I can imagine, and wands are not an Elder Scrollls mainstay.

Magicka users don’t need additional weapons. You’re already gifted with the most class skill morphs. That’s why stam has a few more options; many are beholden to those weapon skills almost completely. If stam gets more value added morphs, I could understand a change, but considering stam is becoming RIP next patch, you probably DONT want Magicka to be more like stam lol.

dwelling_playb16_ESO · May 2018

SilverIce58 wrote: »

dwelling_playb16_ESO wrote: »

SilverIce58 wrote: »

Why do people even want wands? There could be so many better types of magicka foci. Runes, Grimoires, your hands. I've never understood the fascination with casting spells with a stick, when you could cast just as well with your hands. It's because of Harry Potter isn't it?

Oh man, don't get me started on the possibilities! I would love to see blue flames being cast from the open mouth of a daedric skull (basically a one hand cast animation) or characters holding a book open while casting with their free hand. The more options the merrier. Wands would at least be a step in the direction of getting some more choices. And hey, if it makes Harry Potter fans happy, so much the better.

Who cares about making Harry Potter fans happy? This isnt Harry Potter online.

I never advocated the change purely to make Harry Potter fans happy, I agreed with the idea of variety and added the idea of Harry Potter fans being happy as an aside. To reiterate, I'd welcome more player choice, and if bringing wands back into the series is also something Harry Potter fans would love to see, that's a bonus.

Think of it like adding crossbows to Skyrim; that wasn't done to turn the game into a Val Helsing simulator, but if it entertains the fans of said character then cool.

IZZEFlameLash · May 2018

Gandalf did not use wand. That is why. And yes, I hate the concept of wands because the short, glorified pencil stick has nothing on my long thick shaft staff.

I'd love magicka version of 1h sword skill line though. Barefist skill line for mages also.

Brutusmax1mus · May 2018

MrGarlic wrote: »

Elder Scrolls is for adults.

There are, thankfully, no children in this game so no need for children's toys.

imho.

Wtf, the AREN'T!!!! Never noticed that.

gnarlyvandal · May 2018

IZZEFlameLash wrote: »

Gandalf did not use wand. That is why. And yes, I hate the concept of wands because the short, glorified pencil stick has nothing on my long thick shaft staff. I'd love magicka version of 1h sword skill line though. Barefist skill line for mages also.

This isn’t LOTRO, think you have the wrong forum.
1) When did Gandalf become the standard for mages in TES?
2) Gandalf dual wields staff and sword.
3) look over this thread, ZOS responded saying they don’t think wands are lame..

But yeah, magicka swords / unarmed would at least be a nice option, give those magicka users that want to go melee (and not roll a dk) incentive to do so

Marginis · May 2018

IZZEFlameLash wrote: »

Gandalf did not use wand. That is why. And yes, I hate the concept of wands because the short, glorified pencil stick has nothing on my long thick shaft staff. I'd love magicka version of 1h sword skill line though. Barefist skill line for mages also.

This is one of those times I wish I could hit the agree button more than once. +5 points for "long thick shaft".

Sekero · May 2018

Marginis wrote: »

IZZEFlameLash wrote: »

Gandalf did not use wand. That is why. And yes, I hate the concept of wands because the short, glorified pencil stick has nothing on my long thick shaft staff. I'd love magicka version of 1h sword skill line though. Barefist skill line for mages also.

This is one of those times I wish I could hit the agree button more than once. +5 points for "long thick shaft".

Truth!

Although tbh I'm a bit surprised (and pleased) that he didn't get a slap on the wrist from a mod.

DaveMoeDee · May 2018

Isojukka wrote: »

VaranisArano wrote: »

Because Elder Scrolls mages use staffs.

And we dont play harry potter game

This is exactly what I was thinking. Harry Potter made wands seem too silly and childish.

Banana · May 2018

Hermione with a staff would have been much better. Say NO to twigs.

SmellyUnlimited · May 2018

Banana wrote: »

Hermione with a staff would have been much better. Say NO to twigs.

Hermione has had plenty of staffs gripped with magical intensity in her honor.

Tasear · May 2018

staves seem like a better medium to focus power, but there's no harm in more variety right?