Class Identity: 5 Points

Tivnael · May 2020

well written

MindOfTheSwarm · May 2020

Necromancers right now have the best class identity since there into skill line revolves around corpses. This is a very unique mechanic and allows them to stand out on their own. This is something I feel other classes lack to a degree. I know that Necromancers are new and that explains a lot but I would hope that ZOS can incorporate unique mechanics into the other classes too. Some ideas:

Templars could have some kind of 'Light' mechanic, not sure what that could be but it could be as simple as enemies/allies take more damage/healing while illuminated by your abilities or something.

DK's are pretty good with the whole 'more damage to burning and poisoned targets' but it could be weaved into their skills a bit more instead of just being a flat passive.

Sorcerer's could have some kind of 'power surge' thing, where they gain 'stacks' from activating class abilities then after a certain number of stacks their 'frags' or another ability could deal bonus damage.

Not certain on Warden's, maybe some kind of 'call of the wild' mechanic that causes your abilities to deal more damage/healing while your ultimate is up.

Nightblades are the tricky one. They do not really have much identity anymore and are in desperate need of a class identity look at.

newtinmpls · May 2020

Chevaliemew wrote: »

The actual changes that attracted playerbase:
- Dark Brotherhood (removing veteran ranks),
- One Tamriel (providing ability to interact with friends from other alliances),
- Morrowind (nostalgia for Elder Scrolls die hard fans).

Greymoor will work only because it's all about Skyrim and people love Skyrim.

I was thinking about this.

Recently I started playing the "Thieves Guild" and "Dark Brotherhood" skill quests. I never had much use for NB's before, tried to play them and ended up using minimal from their skills and mostly from world or other options.

These two lines/adventures open up a whole (sometimes really creepy) world and playstyle. It's a way for NB to really shine, but it also graphically demonstrates that the whole rest of Tamriel really sucks for this class.

-no XP for stealing or sneaking or "accomplishing anything" without huge DPS
-minimal "hiding places" or traps to figure out
-If you aren't a NP/Khajiit AND don't have legerdemain maxed out, stealing/pickpocketing is really not a workable thing - this is kind of sad from a RP and just general options point of view

I'm also in the process of leveling up a Breton Necromancer through these skill lines/adventures and it's shocking how very (comparatively) difficult it is.

Most of Tamriel is kind of generally focused on generic "DPS" play, and I don't think I really realized how much we are missing out till I started this aspect of the game.

Deathlord92 · May 2020

Very well written personally I’m really missing stamblade before our nerfs in elsweyr. Really happy getting our stun back on incap but we still need something else be it minor beserk back on relentless focus or major fracture back on surprise attack either way no one can deny we got over nerfed.

MalakithAlamahdi · June 2021

I agree with everything you said @Joy_Division. I played a templar as a main for many years and it got made worse with every update. The whole game feels so stale to me compared to the early days. I really wish we could get that version of the game back.

Arcanasx · June 2021

MalakithAlamahdi wrote: »

I agree with everything you said @Joy_Division. I played a templar as a main for many years and it got made worse with every update. The whole game feels so stale to me compared to the early days. I really wish we could get that version of the game back.

You should try maining a necromancer.

Vevvev · June 2021

A little old but I agree with OP up until the point he blamed this on PVPers.... As I PVPer I hate these changes to man, I really do.

MalakithAlamahdi · June 2021

Vevvev wrote: »

A little old but I agree with OP up until the point he blamed this on PVPers.... As I PVPer I hate these changes to man, I really do.

Didn't notice it was a little old, but I think the post is still as relevant as when it was first posted. I agree that PVPrs aren't to blame (I'm a PVPer as well).

Any experienced MMO player i've played and spoke to says that removing class identity and streamlining everything for the sake of balance is bad, I really wish Zeni didn't go this route, it removed so much character from the game.

Joy_Division · June 2021

Vevvev wrote: »

A little old but I agree with OP up until the point he blamed this on PVPers.... As I PVPer I hate these changes to man, I really do.

I should note I 90% PvP. The devs have also specifically identified PvP as the basis of many of the changes. Here is three and the reasons they gave:

1) Blinding Flashes: removed because the devs felt the game did not communicate the blind status effect well enough to opposing players.
2) Breath of Life: heal removed, reduced, and added a line of sight check because of complaints in Cyrodiil about "breath of life spamming templars"
3) The Eclipse spell has been changed about ten times, it is almost exclusively a PvP spell.

The list goes on: cast times on ultimates, the elimination of multi-functional skills and numerous stuns, many of the Morrowind changes, et al., have their origins in PvP.

MalakithAlamahdi · June 2021

Joy_Division wrote: »

Vevvev wrote: »

A little old but I agree with OP up until the point he blamed this on PVPers.... As I PVPer I hate these changes to man, I really do.

I should note I 90% PvP. The devs have also specifically identified PvP as the basis of many of the changes. Here is three and the reasons they gave:

1) Blinding Flashes: removed because the devs felt the game did not communicate the blind status effect well enough to opposing players.
2) Breath of Life: heal removed, reduced, and added a line of sight check because of complaints in Cyrodiil about "breath of life spamming templars"
3) The Eclipse spell has been changed about ten times, it is almost exclusively a PvP spell.

The list goes on: cast times on ultimates, the elimination of multi-functional skills and numerous stuns, many of the Morrowind changes, et al., have their origins in PvP.

I still dissagree with the the route the devs have chosen to take, I don't think the changes have been good for pvp as a whole. They should have had a team that could balance pvp seperately to pve, that way they could've made it both balanced without making all skills just the same with different animations.

XomRhoK · June 2021

ZOS wrote:
Power fantasy refers to the fictional justification of your character's power and how it’s expressed through the look and feel of abilities. Necromancers draw their strength from death magic as they manipulate souls, flesh, and bone. Templars call upon the power of light and the burning sun. Every class should have a clearly defined source of power, and class abilities should reinforce that fantasy through their descriptions, animations, visual effects, and audio.

I dislike boring not imactful skills and small amount of interesting mechanics and interactions.
But also i dislike another aspect of ZOS approach. They think that making all skills in one color set is one of definitions of "Power fantasy". For example, before rework all vampire skills had different colors icons and all skills looked different, in different color palette and everyone could easily identify that this is vampire skill. After rework every vampire skill have icon in same colors and every skill now have purple-pink colors in visuals, absolutely out of place, in my opinion. They think players are dumb or blind and can't understand skill of what skill line they see? If skill not impactful no matter how you will color it, no one will remember it. Coloring all skills in skill line at exact same colors is so dumb and "childish" approach, in my opinion, which ruins immersiveness of this game.

Vevvev · June 2021

Joy_Division wrote: »

Vevvev wrote: »

A little old but I agree with OP up until the point he blamed this on PVPers.... As I PVPer I hate these changes to man, I really do.

I should note I 90% PvP. The devs have also specifically identified PvP as the basis of many of the changes. Here is three and the reasons they gave:

1) Blinding Flashes: removed because the devs felt the game did not communicate the blind status effect well enough to opposing players.
2) Breath of Life: heal removed, reduced, and added a line of sight check because of complaints in Cyrodiil about "breath of life spamming templars"
3) The Eclipse spell has been changed about ten times, it is almost exclusively a PvP spell.

The list goes on: cast times on ultimates, the elimination of multi-functional skills and numerous stuns, many of the Morrowind changes, et al., have their origins in PvP.

Can't argue with that, but some of it isn't fully 100% PVP's fault. (For example the nerf to New Moon Acolyte due to how easily trial guilds bypassed the cost increase)

But I will agree that the PVP focused changes to the longer range stuns have left a sour taste in my mouth. I lost old Stone Fist and the stun from Vampiric Drain, which eventually led to Vampiric Drain becoming one of the most worthless abilities in both PVE and PVP.