XomRhoK wrote: »

About stage 4 vampirism. It intentionally have more weaknesses, no strengths and almost no passives, it supposed to be the stage where the player would not want to be. It stimulates to always feed, and to avoid situations where you can easily stay at certain stage of vampirism and never feed at all. Currently in Live and PTS servers some roles or playstyles have most benefits at most starved stage of vampirism, and they have no reason to feed. In this version vampires at most starved stage of vampirism are intentionally weak, and even if you find most benefits at stage 3 you will don't want to starve to stage 4 and will feed. In general player can starved to stage 4 if he used ultimate to long or if enemy player in PvP prevent his attempts to feed.

XomRhoK wrote: »

I started posted feedback when pre PTS youtube videos came out, half of this ideas i posted at feedback thread at the second day of PTS. They were not 100% thought out, there were no such a goal for me. But at the end of PTS i don't wanted to all my ideas and all ideas that players, including you posted on PTS forum just gone, so i decided to put part of them in one concept of gameplay that i want to see, maybe someone will find it usefull or at least fun to read and discuss

XomRhoK wrote: »

Hello!
Soon Greymoor chapter will be released and PTS cycle goes to its end, we already saw direction of vampire changes and i don’t like them in terms of skills and visual effects. So i wrote my point of view on all aspects of vampirism, inspired by all feedback on this forum. This changes are more of an overhaul of vampire skills, mechanics and stages of vampirism, more for my fun and with sliver hope, that this can be implemented as another vampire blood line in 4th quater DLC. It will be a long read, but it's structured and with pictures Hope you will like it, and if so, then click "agree" or "awesome", spread the word and summon ZOS devs in this thread.
Enjoy reading!

Overview
This version of vampirism allows to play with minor usage of vampire skills and feed once every 4 hours or play with full kit of thematic vampire skills (AoE, DoT, gap closer, dash) with active feeding in combat, in which vampire skills will help you to get behind the enemy. Stages of vampirism are not linear increased in strength, but shifted from magically powerful fully sated vampires with more human appearance and bodies full of blood to feral and physically powerful hungry vampires with more undeath appearance and bodies, the last 4th stage is starved vampires, alive, but weak, which encourages players to feed. One morph of the ultimate allows to transform in a different form, other morph allows to remain in regular vampire appearance but with increased power. Skills and passive, in my opinion, will suit all classes and roles(tank, healer, DD), magicka or stamina. All numbers can be tweaked and balanced, the main purpose is to give unique, thematic playstyle and feel for vampires.

Stages of vampirism

Stage 1: Vampires at this stage are fully sated, have more human appearance and bodies full of blood. At this stage their magical powers are at full potential.
Weaknesses:
- Flame damage taken +10%
- Health recovery -25%
- Healing taken from non vampire skills -10%
Strengths:
- Spell damage increased by 300 for vampire skills
Passives:
- Decrease the time it takes to enter Sneak by 50%
- No speed penalty while channeling
- Increase range of Vampiric Drain by 10 meters

Stage 2: At this stage vampires start to lose their humanity and part of magical bonuses, their appearance and body become more undeath, but more physically stronger.
Weaknesses:
- Flame damage taken +20%
- Health recovery -50%
- Healing taken from non vampire skills -20%
Strengths:
- Spell and weapon damage increased by 150 for vampire skills
Passives:
- Decrease the time it takes to enter Sneak by 50%
- No speed penalty while channeling
- No speed penalty while blocking
- Reduce your damage taken by up to 15% based on your missing Health (from 100%)
- Decrease your fall damage taken by 25%
Lost passives compared to the previous stage:

- Increase range of Vampiric Drain by 10 meters

Stage 3: Vampires at this stage are hungry, they lose their magical bonuses, appearance and body become more undeath, but hunger make them feral, their hunting instincts are growing, they gain more physical power and speed.
Weaknesses:
- Flame damage taken +30%
- Health recovery -80%
- Healing taken from non vampire skills -30%
Strengths:
- Weapon damage increased by 300 for vampire skills
Passives:
- Decrease the time it takes to enter Sneak by 50%
- No speed penalty while blocking
- Reduce your damage taken by up to 25% based on your missing Health (from 100%)
- Decrease your fall damage taken by 25%
- Increase your movement speed by 10%
- Sneak don't cost resources. Allows you to sprint in Sneak
Lost passives compared to the previous stage:

- No speed penalty while channeling

Stage 4: Vampires at this stage are starved, their appearance and body become more undeath, all their magical and physical bonuses are outweighed by weak state of this stage, except their unstoppable hunger and ability to sense their preys.
Weaknesses:
- Flame damage taken +40%
- Health recovery -100%
- Healing taken from non vampire skills -40%
Strengths:
- None
Passives:
- Detect creatures. Can sense(see) sneaking, invisible creatures and creatures behind obstacles. (Maybe except creatures without blood: dwarven automatons, skeletons etc. Not very big radius, to prevent abusing in PvP, checking number of enemies in keeps)
- Can't be interrupted while Feeding or using Vampire Drain
Lost passives compared to the previous stage:

- Decrease the time it takes to enter Sneak by 50%
- No speed penalty while blocking
- Reduce your damage taken by up to 25% based on your missing Health (from 100%)
- Decrease your fall damage taken by 25%
- Increase your movement speed by 10%
- Sneak don't cost resources. Allows you to sprint in Sneak

Table for stages of vampirism, for easier comparison.

Health recovery weakness can be lower in shadows and inside buildings, for example by 20%, for additional roleplay element and vampiric gameplay. Don't know if this possible to achieve at ESO engine and at what cost.
Regarding appearance. There always will be players with different preferences of which vampire stage they want to play and how their vampire must look, more human or more undeath. The only good option, in my opinion, is to release more appropriate skins and polymorphs for vampires, human-like, undeath-like, with bat faces, as some vampires in Volkihar clan and so on. There is no point in strict restrictions, because if you want to hide your vampiric appearance you already can, by using skin or closed helmet.

Feeding
Feeding out of combat.
If you feed on NPC out of combat and from behind you will kill him, as it will be on Live servers, but with longer bite animation, to emphasize that you dried him for the last drop. Player can choose not to kill NPC, you can use Mesmorize skill on NPC and this will allows you to feed on him in front, with shorter bite animation and keep him alive, it will also help in small rooms with small space behind NPC. If you kill NPC by drying him out you will restore all Health, if you keep him alive you will restore some portion of Health. Player also can feed on another player, but it will not kill him, it will start fight and activate Feeding in combat mechanics.

Feeding in combat
This is crucial mechanics, which will add a lot of fun and vampiric feel to the combat, in my opinion. While in combat, you also can feed, to do so enemy must be stunned or player must be behind enemy(at melee range, no need to sneak). If at least one of the conditions fulfilled player can press "X" button and feed, animation must be very fast and precise, for example, vampire turn into the mist and instantly is behind enemy already in appropriate pose to execute the bite, all animations no longer than one second. To prevent collisions with animations of another player who can use Break Free or Dodge Roll both players, vampire and victim, can become stunned and invulnerable(covered with cloud of mist or bats) for that one second, this also will prevent setting up of burst combos, or killing victim by another players while he get bitten.

Skills

New crucial mechanics of vampire gameplay. Vampires will have Satiety bar under Magicka bar, similar to werewolves. This bar will be divided at four parts, four stages.
Satiety will be slowly drained and will deplete one stage at 4 hours, but usage of vampire skills will deplete Satiety bar much faster, around 10-20 skills per stage. You can replenish Satiety for a little amount by using Vampire Drain skill, but this skill can't lower vampire stage. To lower vampire stage and replenish bar for one full stage you must bite enemy in combat, feed outside of combat or use Bloody Mara(to prevent abusing of Bloody Maras it could have 3-5 minutes timer).

*) Bite. Don't need to be slotted, ability out of skill line. While in combat, if enemy is stunned or you are behind him in melee range you can Bite him, dealing X damage and heal for Y health, scales from highest stat or have fixed values, maybe in percentages. Also lowers stage of vampirism by one and replenish Satiety bar by full stage.
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Clarification: Core and very thematic element of gameplay. Allows you to heal and fuel the use of vampire skills. Animation must be fast, around 1 second.

1) First morph: Poison Talons. Toggle skill. Replaces your regular Light and Heavy attacks with melee attacks with the talons, each attack with talons stacks Corpse Poison, after 5 stacks slows enemy by 90% for 1 second. This slow can help you get behind enemy for Bite. Cost Stamina to activate, slightly decreases Satiety on each attack, Physical damage, restore Stamina on Heavy attacks. Attacks looks like those Bloodfiend NPC have, Heavy attack looks like series of 3-4 attacks.
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Second morph: Concentrated blood Toggle skill. Replaces your regular Light and Heavy attacks with ranged magical Light and Heavy attacks, each attack restore Health a little and increase Healing done by 1% for 8 seconds, maximum 8 stacks. Cost Magicka to activate, slightly decreases Satiety on each attack, Magical damage, restore Magicka on Heavy attacks. Heavy attack is AoE, with a short charging time.
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Additional features while in Transformed form: No cost to toggle on and don't decreases Satiety on each attack.

Clarification: Thematic vampire attacks. Replaces regular LA and HA, because of that weapon enchantments stop working while this skill is toggle on, but your LA and HA gets another properties: powerful slow or increased Healing done. Also with this toggle you can choose what type of recources you want to restore on HA, you can restore Stamina with your sword and Magicka with this toggle. At the moment of the attack, weapon disappears from the player’s hands, similar to psijic Mend Wounds skill. If you prefer vampire aesthetic in spammable attacks you can go HA build and attack primarily with claws and red magic spheres, while keeping the opportunity to use regular spammable skills.

2) First morph: Bat Swarm Dash. Dash, no target needed. Turns into swarm of bats and fly forward dealing X Magical damage to all enemies in the way, small group of bats stick to each enemy, continues to distract them and deal additional Y Magical damage every 1 second for 10 seconds and apply Minor Maim. Range 15 meters, cost Magicka, moderately decreases Satiety on each use. Looks more like Vampire NPCs dash with some magic ball inside of swarm, but bats must stick to the central ball all the way.
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Second morph: Hunger Swarm. Gap closer, needs target. Turns into swarm of bats and fly to the enemy dealing X Physical damage to all enemies in the way and heal you for part of the damage done, small group of bats stick to each enemy, keep dealing additional Y Physical damage every 1 second for 10 seconds and heal you for part of the damage done. You materialize behind the enemy, for easier Bite. Range 22 meters, cost Stamina, moderately decreases Satiety on each use. Visuals without magical element.
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Additional features while in Transformed form: Swarm of the bats constantly fly around player in a small radius and deal damage to nearby enemies. Damage type and additional properties depends on morph of appropriate skill.
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Clarification: Canonic vampire power, have Magicka and Stamina morphs. Can be used as dash or gap closer or as a DoT ability.

3) First morph: Vampiric Drain. Ranged, channeling ability. Draws a stream of blood from enemy dealing X Magic damage, healing you for Y Health and generating 5 Ultimate every 1 second for 3 seconds. Range 12 meters, cost Magicka, don't decreases Satiety, on the contrary moderately replenish Satiety bar. Visuals looks like the flow of blood. Old Invigorating Drain skill had very good visuals and sound, perhaps, flow could be a little wider.
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Second morph: Relentless Drain. Ranged, channeling ability. Draws a stream of blood from enemy decreasing his Health for X% of his maximum Health and healing you for Y% of your missing Health every 1 second for 3 seconds. Range 12 meters, cost Magicka, have damage cap, don't decreases Satiety, on the contrary moderately replenish Satiety bar. This morph also looks like the flow of blood, difference in visuals can be achieved by slightly different color, speed of flow, particles near hand.
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Additional features while in Transformed form: Can lower stage of vampirism, additionally restores small portions of Magicka and Stamina

Clarification: Important spell in vampire kit. This ability allows you to deal average damage, restore Health and Satiety. Its range increases to 22 meters on the first stage of vampirism due to passive skill. It can't lower stage of vampirism, so if you use vampire skills a lot and don't use Bite for some reason, you must use Vampiric Drain more often to fuel your vampiric power.

4) Unmorphed: Mesmerize. Single target stun. Mesmerizes target for 4 seconds by putting hypnotic effect around his head. Don't needs eye contact, can't be blocked. Range 10 meters, cost Magicka, moderately decreases Satiety on each use.
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First morph: Nightmare. Single target stun. Creates a hypnotic effect around the head of the enemy, fearing him for 4 seonds. The enemy begins to see nightmare visions, which afflicting him with Minor Vulnerability and dealing X Magic damage each 1 second for 10 seconds. Don't needs eye contact, can't be blocked. Range 10 meters, cost Magicka, moderately decreases Satiety on each use.
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Second morph: Dizziness. Single target stun. Quickly turns the opponent with his back to himself by putting hypnotic effect around his head, stuns him for 4 seconds and set Off Balance. This make him easy target to Bite. Don't needs eye contact, can't be blocked. Range 10 meters, cost Magicka, moderately decreases Satiety on each use.
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Additional features while in Transformed form: Increases range to 22 meters. Pulls an enemy to you, deals X Physical damage, based on your highest offensive stat and and after use on of the skill morphs. Works similar to Fiery Grip skills. Overall animation and visuals similar to Vampiric Grip from TES: Skyrim.
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Clarification: When used against peaceful NPCs always works unmorphed Mesmerize skill.

5) First morph: Poison mist. Invisability + Mist form + Ground AoE DoT ability. Dissolve into a mist form for 4 seconds and create cloud of poison mist around you in a large area which deals X Poison damage to all enemies in the area every 1 second for 10 seconds. Entering this form grants you invisibility, Major Expedition, reducing your damage taken by 75%, removes and grants immunity to all disabling and immobilization effects, but you cannot be healed. If you leave area of the mist cloud you will become visible. Invisibility and increased movement speed allows you to avoid damage and get behind enemy to Bite him. Radius 8 meters, cost Stamina, moderately decreases Satiety on each use.
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First morph: Blood mist. Ranged ground AoE ability. Launch mist projectile on the groud to the targeted location which deals damage to all enemies in the way for X Magic damage and heals you for part of the damage dealt. When projectile hit targeted location it creates cloud of blood mist which deals damage to all enemies in the area for Y Magic damage and heals you for part of the damage dealt. While you stays inside the mist heal from this ability is doubled. Range 22 meters, radius 6 meters, cost Magicka, moderately decreases Satiety on each use. Heal from the mist cloud looks like small parts of the Blood mist returns to the player.
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Additional features while in Transformed form: While you stays inside the mist damage of this ability is doubled.

Clarification: Melee and ranged options for ground AoE. First morph looks like you instantly disappear in the mist cloud and can be used to avoid, mitigate damage or get behind enemy to Bite him.

6) Ultimate. First morph: Transformed form. Transforms into more powerful form. All vampire skills receive additional features (described above). In this form you attack with your claws and can't use weapon skills, but can alter your Light and Heavy attacks to ranged by Concentrated blood toggle skill. After the first 15 seconds in this form, your Satiety begins to decrease, you can replenish Satiety by Vampiric Drain skill or by Bite. Ultimate ends when player wants or when Satiety decrease to zero. Transformed form, first of all, looks like vampire, without horns, not very tall, have more predator stance, movements agile, have sharp claws. Not very important with or without wing stumps if the final look is good.
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Ultimate. First morph: Ancient blood. While use this ability you combine strengths of all stages of vampirism and keep the minimum weaknesses of stage 1(see the table above). This ultimate keeps your regular appearance, you can use all skills. After the first 15 seconds of using this ultimate, your Satiety begins to decrease, you can replenish Satiety by Vampiric Drain skill or by Bite. Ultimate ends when player wants or when Satiety decrease to zero. To highlight that the player activated this Ultimate visual effects should be added to his model. Not very bright, maybe some smoke or mist coming from the surface of the body and falls to the ground, when player moves, mist can leave a small trail.
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Clarification: Both morphs can be tweaked, more buffs can be added according to balance. In fact, both ultimate morphs can be without transformation, if there will be enough options to customise your vampire character with appropriate skins and polymorphs.

Thank you for reading!

EDITS:

- Forgot to mention in original post, that Mesmerize and it morphs are Single target stun.

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