So I've been thinking recently, I've seen people mention the idea of a new weapon to use in ESO. We have been using the same ones since launch and they are great, but the game has been out for a good amount of time now. I'd like to see some new weapon skill lines (1 or 2) in the next chapter update.
One I've been thinking about recently would be one hand and spell. With stamina builds being dominant in most scenarios I think a new weapon skill line for magic users would be nice. Now I have seen people say it would be kind of hard to implement with the way attacking and weaving works in this game. But really think about it for a second.. Light attack swings your one handed weapon in right hand (which would allow weaving), heavy attack does a channeled cone attack with your left hand (similar to how biting jabs works) except it's a properly damage scaled spell, ex. flames, shock, or ice for starters. (It would look kind of how these spells were cast in Skyrim, but capped to a 1.5 - 2 second channeled time in ESO.) Now for blocking, the animation for one handed blocking is already there. Just take the Psijic order concentrated barrier effect and make it look a little flashy like the healing ward from the restoration tree.
So let's take it a step further now. How were these spells learned in previous games? Spell Tomes. So this would be the new weapon itself, off hand weapons. They would have the same base damage as a one handed weapon (1335 gold w/o nirnhoned) It would be cool if they were visible on the character, a book of some sort strapped to your waist. Upgraded with enchanting materials, has weapon trait choices instead of armor traits like the shield off hand. 3 types at first, Tome of Shock, Ice, Fire
So now on to the skill tree. Every weapon skill line has 5 passives, 5 abilities and an ultimate. One hand and spell, being magic it would make sense to have passives that a magicka build would want, but also gaining some offensive passives from your sword. I'm going to post below what I think would work (feel free to add some ideas) Some of these passives are from other trees, but damage changed around a bit.
-PASSIVES
Passive 1:
Fully channeled fire attacks deal an additional 3%/6% damage.
Fully channeled ice spells grant you a damage shield that absorbs 1.5k/3k damage.
Fully channeled shock attacks continue zapping enemies effected by the initial attack for 265/530 shock damage every 1 second, for 4 seconds.)
Passive 2:
Equipping one hand and a tome increases your spell damage by 97/194
Passive 3:
Grants a bonus based on the type of main hand weapon equipped-
Each axe increased your critical damage done by 1%/2%
Each mace increases your penetration by 412/825
Each sword increases your spell damage by 57/114
Each dagger increases your spell critical by 406
Passive 4:
Your blocking ward can reflect a projectile or set an enemy off balance once every 20/10 seconds
Passive 5:
While one hand and spell equipped-
Increases your Magicka recovery by 56/112
-ABILITIES
Ability 1: Hurl a ball of magic at the enemy. (Ice throws a spike, fire throws a fireball, shock throws lightning) for 8500 magic damage (applies status effects just like elemental weapon but for the one element you are using.)
** Morph 1- This ability now also grants you Minor Force, for 7 seconds
**Morph 2- This ability now grants you Major Sorcery for 10 seconds
Ability 2: Cast alteration magic (Ironflesh for ex.) to harden your skin and grant you major resolve for 27 seconds (light character glow)
**Morph 1- This ability now also grants major expedition for 4 seconds
**Morph 2- This ability lasts twice as long, but has a 1.5 second cast time
Ability 3: Cast a restoration spell, healing you for 5500.
**Morph 1- This ability now heals you over time, but for 10500 over 3.5 seconds
**Morph 2- This ability now grants minor resolve
Ability 4: Channel your Magicka to cause an elemental explosion that expands all around you for 7250 magic damage ( Think Arcane Explosion from WoW, but with fire waves, lightning waves, or ice shards, the skill itself would work just like any other instant cast AOE such as impulse from destruction tree)
**Morph 1- This ability now does additional damage. (9500 instead of 7250)
**Morph 2- This ability now applies minor breach to targets
Ability 5: Freeze the ground around you, immobilizing enemies near you for 3 seconds.
**Morph 1- This ability now also does 1,300 damage every half second to the enemy)
**Morph 2- This ability now applies Minor Brittle
-ULTIMATE Cost 76
Channel dark mysticism magic to dispel the targeted enemy. Removing all currently active temporary buffs. (Shut down shields, major resolve, courage, all of that.)
I feel like this would kinda f*** the server though so here is an alternative.
-ULTIMATE IDEA 2 cost -240
Channel dark mysticism magic to sap essence from the enemy, restoring 8800 magicka, and stamina and 4400 health)
**Morph 1- This ability now grants more magicka and stamina. 11800
**Morph 2- This ability costs more (300), and restores 17000 health instantly, but no magicka or stamina
Not sure why I spent 3+ hours on this today, but I did. And I'm gonna leave it here.
Feel free to add your thoughts