I really would like a spam-able stamina ability in the Dual Wield tree

I wish there was at least one class who had skills lines that scaled with stamina instead of magic. I want an all out melee brawling physical damage two handed nord. But, I don't want to level magica.

SirTinbox wrote: »

Stamina based class abilities is what´s missing imo.

The decision to make all class abilities magicka based was a mistake imo. If you go for a mage like char with staff you can basically put all your attribute points into magicka, gear towards full magicka + regen and not look back.
All your abilities work towards maximum efficiency.
Pure stamina has not enough options and with stamina/magicka mix, you gotta balance your attributes and won´t have everything optimally scaled.

You're correct that pure stamina builds don't have the natural skill versatility of magicka builds, but that doesn't really make them weaker in my opinion. Scaling stamina also increases defense, as you can block, interrupt, and dodge more as well.

Hybrid builds with a stamina focus are great for drawing from 2 resource pools, yeah they don't have the specialization of pure builds, but that's the point isn't it?

If pure stamina builds had the versatility of pure magic builds, why would you ever go magic if stamina is versatile, damaging, and improves your defense?

SirTinbox wrote: »

bantad87 wrote: »

If pure stamina builds had the versatility of pure magic builds, why would you ever go magic if stamina is versatile, damaging, and improves your defense?

Pure magic builds can use their stamina bar purely for defense without having to cut back on their offense. There´s plenty of stamina available to block, dodge, interrupt, etc if you don´t have to use it to fuel your active abilities.

There is a reason why a light armoured full magicka DK is good tank if he specs into 1h+shield.

I appreciate the idea you're conveying, and it does work; but focusing on stamina builds, from a realistic standpoint, means that a players stamina will likely be as high, or higher, than his actual health bar. Builds that focus on magicka damage and stamina defense generally have low stamina in comparison; for example, my GFs caster has 1200 stamina, whereas my stamina build has over 2300 - and all of that stamina contributes to my weapon damage, ability damage, and I can block and interrupt a LOT more then her. Her stamina has no effect on anything but her defense, and the only magicka I use is surge, and bolt escape in a pinch. That said, stamina based builds need to stack a LOT of stamina attribute points, and max stamina on their armor - as stamina = mitigation, and is IMO, better than health stacking.


Stamina builds generally use medium armor as well, which not only conveys critical strike on active abilities (like light armor does for spells), but also gives critical strike on light/heavy attacks (something that light armor does not do). That makes a big difference in your physical damage from a bow or melee weapon.

If you look at it purely from your perspective, stamina builds seem weaker because you have two pools w/ magicka builds. One for attack, the other for defense; my opinion is that a purely focused stamina build is far stronger defensively, and doesn't really sacrifice offense (you can also use magicka for defensive or cc abilities, which helps to make you even stronger).

All that said, stam builds could use some more diversity - but I don't think they need a revamp or overhaul like many claim.

I think conceptionally we might be disagreeing on what a stamina vs magical build is; when I think "build" I think of the way a character builds their stats. I will almost always have both stamina and magicka abilities on my bar, for example I may often have both bolt escape and invasion on my bar - because I can use one when the other resource is down.

When I think "building" for a stamina build, I think of trying to maximize my usage of stamina abilities for debuffing and damaging, and I use utility spells like surge and bolt escape to augment; the opposite is true of building for magicka. Heavy investment into magic bases abilities, but I'd probably still carry a bow so that I have snipe as a damage ability and the capability to perform sneak attacks.

If what you think of as a "hybrid" build is simply mixing skills on your bar, then I would argue that magicka builds can absolutely be made stronger by carrying a bow w/ snipe slotted. Having the ability to cause stamina damage when you are OOM, or getting a snipe stealtg crit opener are huge advantages. Arguably, this is well represented in the veteran ranks as well, because many vets run magicka builds with stamina weapons.