Wands

Strykerous · May 2022

This is a response to a discussion that was closed about why there are no wands In ESO. Wands do not have to be a balancing nightmare, give them the same traits and abilities as a staff. The idea of magic in general is not bound by an item or a thing, it is the skill. That is why wands would work if they make it the same as staves. New item, no rework, and no extra work on devs ends. Also it would make sneaking look less rediculous. Also, wand would make a really good first one handed line along with just a one handed sword without needing a shield.

dms89 · May 2022

If we look at this purely from a lore perspective:

Pretty sure wands aren't lore friendly. This isn't Harry Potter after all.

Sneaking with a staff can look immersion breaking, but again from a lore perspective a true assassin/thieve would use daggers. Mages don't usually sneak around, same as characters with 2h swords or shields on their back.

NotaDaedraWorshipper · May 2022

...Wands? This is not Harry Potter. Wands are not used in Elder Scrolls.

If any new magicka "weapon" should be added it's something that just gives us some empty glowy hands or somesuch.

Strykerous · May 2022

I was only using Harry Potter as an example. Not sure where you thought I was saying ESO was Harry Potter. The Harry Potter reference was in reference to animation and movements of character using a wand. As for the lore, wands are mentioned in a few quests and they are also emotes. Why can't we use them for combat as well?

Strykerous · May 2022

Also I like the empty glowy hands idea.

EozZoe1989 · May 2022

be nice to have witch build and skilline.. with wand.. also class lol -- dark blood witch.. be nice. or warlock

Wolfpaw · May 2022

Strykerous wrote: »

Also I like the empty glowy hands idea.

Going to agree with this. Necro has hand cast animations I enjoy a lot.

Monte_Cristo · May 2022

Wand and shield combo would be nice. Could include a skill that makes your shield give resistance to whichever element type your wand is.

Lephrel · May 2022

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Magical_Items

Contrary to what most people are saying, wands have actually already been introduced to the TES lore.
And why does everyone think that wands are exclusive to Harry Potter.

Strykerous wrote: »

Also I like the empty glowy hands idea.

I would love either one, some variety for magic users would really be awesome.

SilverBride · May 2022

Having a staff stuck to my back with nothing holding it there is way more immersion breaking a wand would be. Although I really prefer the empty glowy hands idea.

NotaDaedraWorshipper · May 2022

Lephrel wrote: »

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Magical_Items

Contrary to what most people are saying, wands have actually already been introduced to the TES lore.
And why does everyone think that wands are exclusive to Harry Potter.

They have rarely seen though, and almost never used as a weapon. Getting some bare hands thing, or 1 handed+ spell in hand or somesuch would be much more preferable and fit better. We see npcs use it all the time and have been using it in the singleplayer games.

SilverIce58 · May 2022

Lephrel wrote: »

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Magical_Items

Contrary to what most people are saying, wands have actually already been introduced to the TES lore.
And why does everyone think that wands are exclusive to Harry Potter.

Strykerous wrote: »

Also I like the empty glowy hands idea.

I would love either one, some variety for magic users would really be awesome.

So you didn't read the excerpt in Notes? The one that says "Since wands can not be held, such a magical item is useless, other than to sell." They weren't weapons then, and couldn't be weapons now.

Bare-handed spells or having some new weapon that doesn't require a weapon model and instead just has fire, frost, shock, or magic effects shown would be way better.

Browiseth · May 2022

i'm not keen on the visual aesthetic idea of a wand since afaik it's never really been a thing in the elder scrolls (for all you smarty pants out there who wanna lecture me on THE LORE i am referring to wands having never been a thing the player could equip.) i would re-imagine it as a "magic catalyst" of some kind, maybe in the physical form of a charm but it takes the form of an elemental orb of energy in your character's hand when equipped (if anyone's played elden ring just imagine the aesthetic of the incantation seals in that game) and it's essentially a one-handed destruction staff you could dual wield alongside another "catalyst" or a one handed melee weapon or even a shield.

so you'd have an inferno, frost and shock catalyst. the abilities in the tree might behave differently depending on whether or not you're dual wielding with another catalyst or with a melee weapon, and there'd be a similar balancing approach that destruction staves currently have: so inferno catalyst would be single target focused, shock would be aoe focused, frost would be tanking/cc/support focused.

it sorta means we can "equip" a spell without having a complicated and difficult to implement spellcrafting system. it also harkens back to how spells are implemented in skyrim and how different that game handles magic compared to oblivion or morrowind in that you "equip" a spell in one of your hands like a sword or a staff. also, it seems pretty appropriate with the hybridisation changes we've been seeing to add a new weapon type that offers the opportunity to literally combine a magicka and stamina weapon type on one bar.

Lephrel · May 2022

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

Lephrel wrote: »

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Magical_Items

Contrary to what most people are saying, wands have actually already been introduced to the TES lore.
And why does everyone think that wands are exclusive to Harry Potter.

They have rarely seen though, and almost never used as a weapon. Getting some bare hands thing, or 1 handed+ spell in hand or somesuch would be much more preferable and fit better. We see npcs use it all the time and have been using it in the singleplayer games.

You're right, of course. I would probably also prefer casting magical light attacks from your bare hands. However, I'll take anything that will finally give me an alternative to the inferno staff.

ArchMikem · May 2022

I'd rather have bare handed Magic. Elder Scrolls doesn't need an object to channel Magicka through.

ZOS_Hadeostry · May 2022

Greetings,

This thread has been moved to the Combat & Character Mechanics section, as it is better suited there.

Thanks

Mr_Stach · May 2022

So Wands did appear in Daggerfall but they were essentially the same as Scrolls, storing a magical spell.

From a gameplay stance, wands aren't really needed unless they were for something very specific but I would make them not for combat more like the Grappling Crossbow. Maybe unlock special doors or reveal hidden passages.

ESO_Nightingale · May 2022

if it was a rune that appeared as a spherical magic effect in your hand it's more accurate for the lore while also meaning no new outfit styles have to be made.

Malyore · May 2022

I don't get why people hate the idea of a wand so much. A staff is a piece of wood that shoots magic. This is also a piece of wood that shoots magic. Just goes from two handed to one handed, as one does with a greatsword to a dagger. It doesn't even have to be a pointy little stick like all the people are freaking out about with harry potter. It can just be a cut down staff that's still held like a big microphone.

And just because something hasn't been done before doesn't mean it's inherently a bad idea. The series wouldn't be what it is now if people were afraid of change all through the evolution of Arena to ESO. Eso wouldn't even exist if people cried out "No, TES has never been an MMORPG before! This isn't ____!" What matters is if it's handled well. And I think there is potential for wands to be handled well, definitely. And for the lore perspective, as others have said there are emotes and mentions of characters using wands.

As for the "empty handed" idea I think that's also pretty suitable. Tbh just any one handed magic weapon I would adore. If it's a rune orb or something as some have suggested, where would it be made? If it's added to an enchantment table that means guildhalls now have to attune like what, close to 80 more crafting tables? But if it's a single item like a mythic, I feel like people would complain too heavily on there being a singular truly unique item.

ESO_Nightingale · May 2022

Malyore wrote: »

I don't get why people hate the idea of a wand so much. A staff is a piece of wood that shoots magic. This is also a piece of wood that shoots magic. Just goes from two handed to one handed, as one does with a greatsword to a dagger. It doesn't even have to be a pointy little stick like all the people are freaking out about with harry potter. It can just be a cut down staff that's still held like a big microphone.

And just because something hasn't been done before doesn't mean it's inherently a bad idea. The series wouldn't be what it is now if people were afraid of change all through the evolution of Arena to ESO. Eso wouldn't even exist if people cried out "No, TES has never been an MMORPG before! This isn't ____!" What matters is if it's handled well. And I think there is potential for wands to be handled well, definitely. And for the lore perspective, as others have said there are emotes and mentions of characters using wands.

As for the "empty handed" idea I think that's also pretty suitable. Tbh just any one handed magic weapon I would adore. If it's a rune orb or something as some have suggested, where would it be made? If it's added to an enchantment table that means guildhalls now have to attune like what, close to 80 more crafting tables? But if it's a single item like a mythic, I feel like people would complain too heavily on there being a singular truly unique item.

i don't personally care but i just want a 1h+magic weapon line and i think that rune is more likely because it's easier for zenimax to make rather than to just make several hundred stick meshes.

SilverBride · May 2022

I just want to get this stick off my back.

Malyore · May 2022

SilverBride wrote: »

I just want to get this stick off my back.

There is a weapon style that emulates "bound" weapons, so they're invisible when sheathed and become a summoned ghostly weapon when held. I think it's a passed crown store item though

SilverBride · May 2022

Malyore wrote: »

SilverBride wrote: »

I just want to get this stick off my back.

There is a weapon style that emulates "bound" weapons, so they're invisible when sheathed and become a summoned ghostly weapon when held. I think it's a passed crown store item though

I've heard about something like that but I don't want a ghostly weapon, especially if it glows.

Amottica · May 2022

dms89 wrote: »

If we look at this purely from a lore perspective:

Pretty sure wands aren't lore friendly. This isn't Harry Potter after all.

Sneaking with a staff can look immersion breaking, but again from a lore perspective a true assassin/thieve would use daggers. Mages don't usually sneak around, same as characters with 2h swords or shields on their back.

I agree with the first sentence as I do not recall wands in TES, and somewhat with the second sentence.

I think Zenimax, like any game developers, need to stay true to the vision for the IP that is TES. Granted, Zenimax owns the lore for this IP and MMORPG and are free to alter it as they see fit, but as a certain point of bending that lore it becomes something different. As such they need to be careful how far they venture from the path.

BretonMage · May 2022

Adding my vote to the idea of unarmed magic casting. My character sometimes has lightning arcs around her hands, and I really adore the visual. Plus it's very lore-friendly as it is the original TES way of spellcasting.

Malyore wrote: »

I don't get why people hate the idea of a wand so much. A staff is a piece of wood that shoots magic. This is also a piece of wood that shoots magic. Just goes from two handed to one handed, as one does with a greatsword to a dagger. It doesn't even have to be a pointy little stick like all the people are freaking out about with harry potter. It can just be a cut down staff that's still held like a big microphone.

But wands *are* pointy little sticks. All definitions of wands emphasise that they are thin and slender. So they tend on the dainty side, which is not my idea of a satisfying weapon, and is also not thematically consistent with the weaponry of Tamriel.

In TES Morrowind, we had short swords, so I guess I can, reluctantly, see an argument for shorter staves, maybe. Let's... just not call them wands.

SilverBride wrote: »

I just want to get this stick off my back.

I actually love having it on my back. Maybe they could give us an option to hide it when out of combat?

Grianasteri · May 2022

This idea and many similar on the same theme have been around for quite a while. There are some great ideas and thoughts on the subject.

Magica would benefit highly from an additional weapon with an associated new skill line. At present it has only one dedicated weapon (staff) and only two skill lines (resto & destro).

Comparing that to Stamina, its night and day. Stamina has 2h, dw, s+b, and bow skill lines and umpteen weapon types for melee, each with different properties.

There are other skill lines like mages and fighters guild, which favour magica and stamina respectively, but these are not weapon skill lines. Likewise psijic isnt a weapon skill line either nor is it exclusively magica.

It really is high time magica got a new weapon(s) and skill line. Wands would work fine. More than this it could simply be a magica dw line, and an introduction of various single handed magica weapons to be used for it, with some variance in properties - wands, tomes/books, scrolls, charms/scepters, runes, open handed (conjuration) etc, its not like fantasy lore and even ESO lore itself doesnt have multiple examples to draw upon for new magica "weapon" types.

lonnml · May 2022

I like the idea of a new magicka restoring weapon but i do NOT like the idea of wands. So aesthetically unpleasing for TES universe

Neoauspex · May 2022

Wands are just tiny staves. Maybe there should just be a style page for a tiny staff.

Mr_Stach · May 2022

I mean, ESO is pretty Action Oriented, You Block and Roll Around. Even Staves have some physical aspect in Smashing them into the Ground for Wall of Elements.

Wands Though? I just can't see it fitting very well

Malyore · May 2022

Mr_Stach wrote: »

I mean, ESO is pretty Action Oriented, You Block and Roll Around. Even Staves have some physical aspect in Smashing them into the Ground for Wall of Elements.

Wands Though? I just can't see it fitting very well

What are you talking about? Eso is ALL just standing stationary and casting stuff, especially as a magic damage dealer in pve. Sure there's forced dungeon and trial mechanics that try to add variety, but the fundamental combat of the game really is not built on it being action oriented. It's an MMO, you just stand stacked on top of other players and spam everything. You even get punished for moving around too much in a group because it strains the rest of the group. And I can't even remember the last time in solo content I felt I needed to block an enemy or roll out of the way. The game just isn't threatening enough.

Tbh the stealth missions with those enemies that magically see behind their heads with their anti-stealth lanterns are more menacing than the rest of solo content imo because it at least forces you to time your mobility and stillness, calculate, and cut things a little close, or else you begin to lose the bonus objectives.