So many choices! Looking for guidance...

alexander.malakb14_ESO · April 2014

Hello.

I bought ESO last night and intend to get started on playing it later today. I'm a huge Elder Scrolls fan, and love the fantasy genre in general so I am looking forward to starting. In particular, the class system interests me and I've been giving a lot of class to what sort of character I'll make. In past MMO's (mostly WoW) I've been an end game raider and high level PvPer so I know how that part of the game works, and I know that inevitably there are classes and skill combinations that simply work a lot better than the others so I've come here looking for advice, and hopefully I can get a few questions answered.

So to begin with, I'm interested in both sides of the spectrum - PvP to PvE. I know broadly that there are three classes and they're theoretically tailored to different archetypes - the rogue, the wizard, the aggressive warrior, and the defensive warrior. I'd like to know however, how much these roles are set and stone (I know the developers say you can do what you want, but what's the real story in terms of viability?)

What if I wanted to make a Nightblade who wears medium armor, wields a two handed sword, and uses a bow as a secondary? Is a play style like that viable Ina competitive sense, or will I be useless to groups in PvE and rolled over by most players in PvP? On the other hand, if I try this style and decide I don't like it, how hard would it be to respecialize into amore typical stealthy, dagger wielding Nightblade for a more viable option? Will I need to make a new character, or would that process be relatively straight forward?

Finally, can anyone give me some good rules of thumb so I can determined for myself (ahead of time) what play styles would be viable/useful? And also character building advice in general for me to keep in mind when I finally embark on my journey later today?

Thanks for taking the time to read, and hopefully some of you can leave me with a few pearls of wisdom.

Ri_Dariit · April 2014

Ri'Dariit gives you advice, Yes? Guidance can be found by skill calculator on ESOhead. Search engine will find for you. There you will read skills and select what you find your likings. Once it has guidance on skills to pick, play as you played your other adventures in Tamriel. This one heard you have about 300 skill points for spending, so deep customization is possible. Armed with information and guidance, go explore, have fun. Once you have matured to 10, you can also choose battles in Cyrodiil. Play as Elder Scrolls and have playing with friends in mind. Khajiit doesn't understand people play to be best, no focus on fun anymore.

RighteousDevil · April 2014

My thoughts are the same as Ri'Dariit, check out a build calculator somewhere and peruse through it all to get a jist the abilities.

As far as changing your setup later on, it doesn't seem relatively hard. And it's basically like any other ES game, pick up a weapon or try on different armor and you start leveling those skill lines. It's possible to "re-spec" your points as well.

Most of all, have fun!

Best of luck.

alexander.malakb14_ESO · April 2014

Thanks for the quick replies. Will definitely check out the skill calculator, thanks for mentioning it. To elaborate, I'm not necessarily looking for the best or optimum build, -however- I also don't want to be in a situation where groups don't want me or I feel like a liability to my team in PvP because I've picked a set of skills that just doesn't work very well at all.

Maybe that's the wrong way to look at things, but I haven't really gotten to play the game yet so I was hoping to draft off of your guy's experience.

And to just go a bit more in depth with my question about respeccing...lets say I fully level up 2 handed weapons and then realize that for whatever reason this is not a good play style for me, and I want to level up (for example) bows instead. Is there a finite level of skills or skill levels that I can acquire before I max out? Or is a character's potential basically unlimited, and I could max out every armor and every weapon and so on, as long as I invest the time?

In other words, how harshly am I penalized for experimenting and then deciding that I don't like the direction I've chosen? Particularly if I've advanced pretty far already.

Mulk · April 2014

300 skill points means you'll be able to get most of what you want, even if you change directions a couple of times.

With that said, you're going to want to level more than two weapons along the way. It gives you more options without having to start from scratch.

With respect to the playstyle you mentioned in the OP, just about anything will work, given some time to tweak it for maximum effect.

Each class skill tree has 5 skills and one ultimate, plus a bundle of passives. You'll have most all of these by the end. Each weapon tree is roughly the same way. Often, what you need to make or break a fight is simply swapping out a skill here and there.

In any case, it's too early to know what will over all be "best" and "best" is a moving target in a game where there are so many different skill, weapon, class and armor combinations available. My best suggestion is you try out just what you said and that you swap out your weapons every so often for variety until you find what you enjoy, and then hone that. As long as you aren't trying to heal as a non-templar without a resto staff (can't be done) or tank without any survivability skills (also can't be done), you'll find a niche.

outlanderbz · April 2014

Your question made me laugh, not because it is bad, it is good. Because I have played the game and am level 10 and still am asking the same question you are. I rolled a Templar because I like the whole holy knight thing, however, I have found that there is so much customization that when I come to the forums to try to answer my questions nobody can answer. This is because the game seems so customizable. It seems to me that you at least have a step up on me, you have a vision for what you want to be, now you just need to go and do it and see how it works.

When i say customizable I mean I can pick a templar but not even use one single templar class skill, I can go all weapon with fighters guild skills or world skills.