Official Discussion Thread, "Unveiling The New Arcanist Class"

MEBengalsFan2001 · January 2023

I could care less about character slots. I don't have the time to play various characters. I rather the devs release a class respect token for 5,000 crowns.

I don't want to lose all of the effort I put into my main.

robpr · January 2023

I just wonder how stamina Arcanist skills will look like

jowv · January 2023

Really excited to see more on this new classes skill line. However in putting this behind a new class will mean we will all be running around dolmens chugging Exp Scrolls to level the character to something ‘usable’ - which is a grind no one wants.

I’m also concerned that we will all end up doing rubbish tasks like running around picking water plants to look for a spell tablet lead etc. I really hope not - but I do suspect that finding these Arcane tablets will be another grind.

Not sure about the endless dungeon. Can’t see any appeal in that (just run vSCP HM if you want an eternal dungeon😁) - I personally prefer to run a dungeon in 20-40 minutes collect my ‘shinies’ and move on. Why would anyone want to run one all night and still not finish? Sure, I’d be up for creating a dungeon with a randomly generated set of bosses with a random selection of mechanics applied to them -that will challenge top end players and force them to think on their feet and co-ordinate. But and endless dungeon. 🤯

Alinhbo_Tyaka · January 2023

From what little bit I've seen the Arcanist is a meh version of my FF XIV Summoner. I would have rather seen a new skill line so I could take my sorcerer off in a different direction.

harvey07 · January 2023

first thing i thought of when i saw the reveal.

agelonestar · January 2023

Looks pretty cool to me.

I was never much of a fan of Necromancer - just not really my thing - but I loved Warden. I'm excited to try Arcanist. A new class adds loads of playability.

Upgrade purchased

Elsonso · January 2023

agelonestar wrote: »

Looks pretty cool to me.

I was never much of a fan of Necromancer - just not really my thing - but I loved Warden. I'm excited to try Arcanist. A new class adds loads of playability.

Necromancer includes a lot of micromanagement. I like the class, but it is just tiring to play. The Arcanist, while hopefully not as bad, sounds like it will be more micromanagement.

Saucy_Jack · January 2023

Pie King is still waiting for a pie-mancer class. And a reuseable throwing pie so his inventory isn't clogged with consumables!

HUZZAH!

shadyjane62 · January 2023

fxeconomisteb17_ESO wrote: »

Yes, the reveal felt extremely underwhelming. I remember the previous things said by Zenimax. That the game is already too big, "the size of several MMOs", that there is enough zone and questing content, and that these zones have to be re-valued by new Systems. So yes, I expected Spellcrafting too. It would be interesting to see if the Arcanist would be the only class able to Spellcraft. I mean, going to Apocrypha, books and secrets... logic says you find some occult information to use. Sure, that would make the Arcanist the only one able to do that, leaving in the dust the other classes. As well as the idea to give more value to the existing zones. I felt very dissapointed. At least we'll see if the sets have any value though. Hope this time we avoid the High Isle deception, Major Heroism left on the Oakensoul ring, it passes thru PTS, it passes thru release, and then removed....

Abandon all hope that anything they use to lure you into buying the expansion will be nerfed as soon as they possibly can.

If past is prologue...

Elsonso · January 2023

shadyjane62 wrote: »

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fxeconomisteb17_ESO wrote: »

Yes, the reveal felt extremely underwhelming. I remember the previous things said by Zenimax. That the game is already too big, "the size of several MMOs", that there is enough zone and questing content, and that these zones have to be re-valued by new Systems. So yes, I expected Spellcrafting too. It would be interesting to see if the Arcanist would be the only class able to Spellcraft. I mean, going to Apocrypha, books and secrets... logic says you find some occult information to use. Sure, that would make the Arcanist the only one able to do that, leaving in the dust the other classes. As well as the idea to give more value to the existing zones. I felt very dissapointed. At least we'll see if the sets have any value though. Hope this time we avoid the High Isle deception, Major Heroism left on the Oakensoul ring, it passes thru PTS, it passes thru release, and then removed....

Abandon all hope that anything they use to lure you into buying the expansion will be nerfed as soon as they possibly can.

The people who get the class at launch will get the best version of the class. By the time people like me get it on sale, it will have already been reverted back to what they originally intended it to be.

Foxtrot39 · January 2023

ForumBully wrote: »

It was mentioned that this "combo" system was something that everyone would get to experience...I'm assuming that this is the tentpole system then and that all classes are getting a slight revamp or in another way going under the same combo system.
Visually, my first though was that it looked like stacking charges via the psijic line but I'm curious to see more

Combo was said to be for the arcanist only, "everyone" is just everyone that will be using the class

Vulkunne · January 2023

Sounds interesting. Can we also have a Class Change Token?

jlmurra2 · January 2023

The Arcanist Class is interesting to me. I have enjoyed the Hermaeus Mora character since I first encountered him in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver.

The Arcanist character I would create would be Raziel themed, but of the Elder Scrolls universe. It would be a Dunmer Male of course. The Herma Mora/Apocrypha themed abilities would be fitting for a servant of the Gardener of Men, willing or not.

I'll also need to figure out which of the voices in the character creator best matches Michael Bell's performance.

Seraphayel · January 2023

ForumBully wrote: »

It was mentioned that this "combo" system was something that everyone would get to experience...I'm assuming that this is the tentpole system then and that all classes are getting a slight revamp or in another way going under the same combo system.
Visually, my first though was that it looked like stacking charges via the psijic line but I'm curious to see more

That’s not true. Combo points (called Crux) are just for Arcanist. And it’s not really a combo point system when you read the class announcement, it’s more like you can enhance your skills with combo points (maximum amount for combo points is 3).

Grandsheba · January 2023

I LOATHE new classes, the one of BIGGEST issues in this game is constant restarting on progress. This game has no real evolution just a constant cycle of resets. A new class is not bringing something new its something that we are familiar with, tutorials play and another hard grind back to the 3k cp system..

Herma mora is dope but the way you implemented the deadric prince of fate and knowledge is horrible. No black books? There are an infinite number of black books and they were one of the most Ineresting things in the dragonborn dlc so how did you miss this opportunity.

Lastly stop making new classes and make new skill lines, I feel this new update will be better received if you offered 3 new skill lines that revolves around finding black books and earning the black books through the storyline and other side quest. Allowing both new and vet players to expand in both lore and their builds. This saves spaces and resources as well for not needed a new character slot or the wasted time of logging out to switch gear and ect.

STOP MAKING NEW CLASSES AND MAKE NEW SKILL LINES!! Balance wise this opens up many opportunities to allow for other classes to catch up if they feel under performing as well instead of making yet another class you have to Balance with the previous poorly balanced ones.

You still have time to fix this:
1. Change from new class to 3 new deadirc skill lines.
2. Add black books to the quest that unlock the new skills and morphs making the storyline worth playing.
3. Bring some level of difficulty or vet play for the questline to feel like an immersive threat to be played solo or with guild mates/friends.
4. Pay attention to this thread and your long playing fan base, we don't like to restart over and over so stop doing that and just evolve the game by adding new skill lines and counters to what ever seems over powered, no more nerfs. We want to achive CHIM.

Stefirex · January 2023

acastanza_ESO wrote: »

Look, I'm as excited for this class as anyone, it looks AWESOME!
But calling it a "feature" was pretty misleading. A feature is something that existing characters can participate in. This isn't.

Also, any chance you can finally give us class change tokens?!
I desperately want my main to be an Arcanist (from what we've seen, it's everything I always wanted out of Sorcerer but didn't get), but the thought of having to start over makes me want to give up.

When you can get from 1 to 50 in a day and collect all the skyshards in a week and Champion points are shared. Making a new character isn't as rough as it used to be. You're getting a new character slot too, so Bob's your uncle!

TaSheen · January 2023

Love having a new class that I want to play (nope, not ever touching necros), and leveling new alts. So I'm happy, sorry others aren't.

Artim_X · January 2023

Peeps asking for more than two character slots specifically to have a version of the new class that fulfills each of the three roles clearly don't utilize the armory system to its full potential...

Alliance change tokens exist, which is nice for the traitors in our midst, and now as so many have already mentioned the next logical token to include is a class change one. I only have two characters that I commit to playing with, not everyone wants to be an altoholic.

If ZOS really wanted to compete with Final Fantasy, they could add a new in-game shrine that let's you change your class for like 100k gold, and just like werewolf and vampirism you can save your class change in the armory system.

In Skyrim I loved role-playing as a follower of Mora so this class definitely fulfills that niche desire, but as others have mentioned it is just so specific in its aesthetics (green for everything, mora esque book, and tentacles). Ex: the warden's animal skills are inherently associated with morrowind esque critters.

If spellcrafting is dead in the water, I would love for ability reskins to be a thing at some point (ex: different animals for wardens, purple recolor for arcanist skills, blue recolor for inferno destruction staff skills, etc.). Currently only reskin available is for warden bear, reskin for harvesting nodes, and reskin for wayshrine porting.

Araneae6537 · January 2023

The new class looks super cool and I’m looking forward to playing it, but I do wish that new classes would have THEME oriented skill lines like the original four rather than utility based. It feels less interesting, even dumbed down, to not select from morphs of skills on different lines. I like it when one morph is more damage oriented, another more support or survival oriented, etc. This is one of the reasons I haven’t liked warden as much as it feels like three unrelated things with mostly just magic vs stamina options lumped together, rather than enabling a true cryomancer DD or a tank that snares with vines, etc. Necromancer suffered less from this in my opinion since it’s pretty much all one theme anyway. This class looks pretty specific and cohesive so I probably won’t have a problem with it but still, I like way the original classes were designed with multi-utility thematic skill lines.

Elvenheart · January 2023

I find it exciting to be creating a new character after so long. That being said, I’m having a hard time coming up with a good concept. I guess the problem is we just don’t know enough yet. Like, are we supposed to think of Arcanists as something never before seen in Tamriel, or have they been there for a long time just lurking in the shadows, never to have crossed our paths before? One of the new companions is an Arcanist and an older gentleman, implying he has been an Arcanist for a long time (that’s not definite; we’ll know more about that after we get to meet him I hope!). I wonder what calls someone to that career? Could it be that some are called/chosen by Hermaeus Mora, or spend years of study, or just born with an innate talent, or any of the above?

daemondamian · January 2023

LittlePinkDot wrote: »

Why do you think you have to do everything all over again on a new character.
I have many characters. Most of which haven't done most of everything.
You know champion points are account wide right?
When you start a new character you can immediately select all their CP perks.
All you do is power level a character to level 50 and they will be as capable as your first character.

Riding skills (capacity, stamina, speed), psijic skill line, mages guild skill line, fighters guild skill line, undaunted skill line, scrying skill line for glowing treasure chests, skyshards/skill points (and necessary questlines) if you want to do more than one thing (ie swap between roles or PVP/PVE as well as have max crafting skills to do daily writs), unlocking areas (especially like northern Coldharbour), companions, and there's more than that, that I can't think of right now, that all add up to having a character as capable as your first (assuming you've done all the levelling/unlocking on your first or pre-existing character/s) - it's not simply just power levelling to 50.

Sealish · January 2023

LittlePinkDot wrote: »

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Sealish wrote: »

Finally... something I am hyped about in ESO after years of 'Meh'.

I am a huge fan of the Arcanist aesthetic and would love to play it. It is an addition that would make me pre-buy the expansion, re-subscribe, and pay an additional $20-$30 for a class change token.

Templar is fun and all, but it gets stale given that it has been my class since launch. In fact, the combat having gotten stale (the last actual thing added to 'mix it up a bit' was the Psijic skill line YEARS ago) is the main reason I left. The zone and chapter stories and such still interest me, but playing with the same skillset for a decade just got boring.

At the same time, I have put hundreds of hours into this character. I have 100% completed all the vanilla zones, about half the chapter and DLC zones, and many of the dungeons. My adventure through Tamriel is my character's adventure through Tamriel. If I come back... I want to continue that adventure, not start a new one.

I am tempted by mysterious and alien magick, I want to lay down my aetherial spear and dive into forbidden knowledge... something SO in line with the theme of this new chapter that it feels borderline immersion breaking NOT to introduce a class change token. I mean really... could you imagine someone going up to Hermaeus Mora and being all "Hey so I, an exceptionally powerful and influential mortal who has been known to change the fate of the entire world like every year or two, would like to learn your arcane secrets. I am willing to trade my holy templar magic for it." And him going "Nope, I don't want to gain influence over someone who is one of the most powerful mortals of this age and who is obviously a nexus point for fate. I don't want the knowledge of their experience with Aedric magick, and I don't want to offer them access to secrets that may bind them to my service forever."

And I'm sure I'm not alone in this.

Class change tokens are now Lore Friendly (hell, you literally got the ability to respec in Skyrim FROM Hermaeus Mora), they wouldn't hurt the game in ANY way (FOTM Chasers can easily just make one character of every class. Lvling to 50 is quick and easy if you don't care about the RP journey that the character is on and you don't use the character as your self representation in the game world), they would be exceptionally profitable for ZOS, and they would bring back players like me to the game who don't find making an alt and abandoning your avatar within the game world a reasonable solution to class fatigue in a primarily story driven game.

Why do you think you have to do everything all over again on a new character.
I have many characters. Most of which haven't done most of everything.
You know champion points are account wide right?
When you start a new character you can immediately select all their CP perks.
All you do is power level a character to level 50 and they will be as capable as your first character.

Because if I walk through a zone on a new character, everyone will be asking for help again. All the problems in the world that I spent a decade solving come back. All the things I found (skyshards, books, etc.) get lost again. Characters that I teamed up with in the past which should remember me don't anymore.

Yeah, power lvling to 50 is easy. Yes the new character will be as mechanically capable as the old one... but mechanical strength isn't the issue. Some of us play this game as an RPG and not as a combat simulator. For those of us, our characters' in-game accomplishments and the reflection of those in the game world is important. Making a new character throws all of that away and isn't something we are willing to give up.

amonengelb16_ESO · January 2023

Grandsheba wrote: »

[...]
1. Change from new class to 3 new deadirc skill lines.
[...]

I also don't get why some people want ESO to be so much like sort of occupational therapy, where you have to do everything all over again on a toon/alt.

Elder Scrolls Unique Selling Point always was how freely you can play and adjust your character.

But you would rather get another option to click and skip through all dialogues you already heard and read. You also will very likely not have any "I'm a Cultist of Hermaeus Mora, listen to me!"–option in quest dialogues with this class. And you might be playing a book-reading acolyte-class apparently because ESO-players love to gather all Shalidor books again … and again … and again, right?

This game could deliver the option to play as a daedric worshipper archetype with your existing character. This game literally cries for this: "Choose one unique daedra or aedra skillline for your character." It would make every character so distinct and enhance the roleplay-feeling since such things could have come with down- and pro-sides. But no. You will never be "Nocturnal-cool" in this game. You "could" roleplay as one. You can pretend to be one.

OtarTheMad · January 2023

Stefirex wrote: »

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acastanza_ESO wrote: »

Look, I'm as excited for this class as anyone, it looks AWESOME!
But calling it a "feature" was pretty misleading. A feature is something that existing characters can participate in. This isn't.

Also, any chance you can finally give us class change tokens?!
I desperately want my main to be an Arcanist (from what we've seen, it's everything I always wanted out of Sorcerer but didn't get), but the thought of having to start over makes me want to give up.

When you can get from 1 to 50 in a day and collect all the skyshards in a week and Champion points are shared. Making a new character isn't as rough as it used to be. You're getting a new character slot too, so Bob's your uncle!

Not everyone can do that. Sure, when I had time it was pretty easy but now? I have maybe 2 days a week I can sit down and play. So this new class, while highly interesting, does not appeal to me because it would take me so long to level it and forget putting it as my main… no way.

Cheveyo · January 2023

Alinhbo_Tyaka wrote: »

From what little bit I've seen the Arcanist is a meh version of my FF XIV Summoner. I would have rather seen a new skill line so I could take my sorcerer off in a different direction.

Can you link where you saw a list of their skills and morphs?

mdb800 · January 2023

Seraphayel wrote: »

Uhm, some people here are reading way too much into using tomes. You remember that we still use weapons like Destruction Staff or Bow and the tome will at best be part of one or two skill animations and that’s it?

We’ve seen one skill in the cinematic where the character used a tome for some kind of laser spell - just Jesus Beam from a book. Which class used such specific things akin to tomes for their skills? Right, none does.

Look at the video where they showed off Arcanist. Zero tomes have been seen right there.

I saw a few animations using tomes in the video. Like the teleport. Honestly, I am fine with the animations if they change the tomes in those animations to something else. To devs looking for feedback: This is elder scrolls; not EverQuest nor guild wars, many like myself , stick with ESO to avoid those comedic tropes. It is kind of disrespectful to the lore of elder scrolls and it is very important to the lore, setting and what elder scrolls is, to not bring books or musical instruments into battle. The devs seemed to have a good grap of the lore of nature magic with warden in respect to elder scrolls, but here; it seems that lore is not considered. Unless the time itself is an elder scrolls, it simply cannot be used as an, in battle, weapon.

That said, the idea of the class deriving it's abilities from said knowledge of tome is awesome, but they must remove the actual book itself as weapons. I am not going to remain on ESO if the game starts doing stuff like this; bring books, musical instruments, cuos into battle, going tie to tie with destro staffs , swords, axes, bows , maces, daggers. Can't stomach and not going to and many fans of elder scrolls won't either. Not that there is anything wrong with those things in other mmo's. It's just not elder scrolls traditionally is.

I am really saddened by this. I truly believe the implications of this is not understood.

NotaDaedraWorshipper · January 2023

emilyhyoyeon wrote: »

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Syldras wrote: »

The_Titan_Tim wrote: »

Tentacles have no place on the fantasy archetype of an Arcanist.

Rename him to "Acolyte of Hermaeus Mora". Done. I agree though that this class is strangely specific. Same goes for the druidlike Warden which doesn't really have a reason to be related to Vvardenfell.

The name Acolyte instead of Arcanist for the class is a lot more fitting. Kind of cool actually.

Fundamentally I still have an issue with a class--something inherently restrictive--being centered around something super specific, making it even more restrictive without some serious headcanoning going on.

I know a new class was a super requested feature. And think I can pretty safely assume a new class would attract more attention marketing-wise than a new skill line. But the Arcanist class IMO would have made a much better skill line.

The visuals look beautiful from what I've seen. I don't have any issue with how the class has been done, except for the fact that it is a class.

The concept of going to a new land, getting acquainted with a daedric prince and learning their secrets slowly, getting a glimpse into their powers, etc, and having that manifest as unlocking a skill line for that character is just perfect (for what I'm understanding that is to come).

To me, what the Arcanist is doesn't make sense as a class. Its concept is just perfect for a skill line.

And actually, the more I think about it, they could've even done two skill lines: one Mora focused, and one more generic that could be a one hand rune weapon skill line, since it looks like a lot of the animations could work for something like that especially with some color changes.

Wish I could agree more to this. I made a short comment somewhere how this "class" feels like it should've been skillines and would be better as it. This very specifically themed class is a very odd choice and don't fit well.

ArchMikem · January 2023

Lumenn wrote: »

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Jammy420 wrote: »

Lumenn wrote: »

So dmg shields, blasts, projectiles, gates, buffs, runes, and a magic book. It SOUNDS interesting, and I'll end up trying it out(I've only got 14 characters) but what about melee? This game is SO heavy on Magicka until recently we were BEGGING for stamina morphs. I'll of course have to wait until pts to make up my mind if it's for me, but disappointed 3 times over now you passed over Monk.

You have 2 handed, 1 handed and shield, dual wielding, and bow. Nearly all the most effective skills are the stamina based ones, give magicka users more weapons and we can talk about more morphs for stam.

Nah don't even go there. I was reading these same arguments 7 years ago, and I play Magicka (my main is still a mostly Magicka sorcerer) frost, lightning, fire and healing, and don't even try to say they don't play differently depending on which staff you're using. As for more effective that is subjective and you know it. Pvp? Burst? Solo? I'm not rehashing 7 years of ascetics, you can go back and read those tired old arguments if you want.

Stamina:
Two Handed;
Sword
Axe
Maul

1 Hand & Shield;
Sword
Axe
Maul
Dagger

Dual Wield;
Sword
Axe
Maul
Dagger

Bow

Magicka:
Staff;
Flame
Frost
Shock
Resto

I think Stamina wins, concerning available variation. I know your point was abilities, not weapons but every class has Stamina and Magicka morphs of their abilities, and even though they showcased the Arcanist as a Magicka character I'm positive it will also have the capability for Stam builds.

Lumenn · January 2023

ArchMikem wrote: »

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Lumenn wrote: »

Jammy420 wrote: »

Lumenn wrote: »

So dmg shields, blasts, projectiles, gates, buffs, runes, and a magic book. It SOUNDS interesting, and I'll end up trying it out(I've only got 14 characters) but what about melee? This game is SO heavy on Magicka until recently we were BEGGING for stamina morphs. I'll of course have to wait until pts to make up my mind if it's for me, but disappointed 3 times over now you passed over Monk.

You have 2 handed, 1 handed and shield, dual wielding, and bow. Nearly all the most effective skills are the stamina based ones, give magicka users more weapons and we can talk about more morphs for stam.

Nah don't even go there. I was reading these same arguments 7 years ago, and I play Magicka (my main is still a mostly Magicka sorcerer) frost, lightning, fire and healing, and don't even try to say they don't play differently depending on which staff you're using. As for more effective that is subjective and you know it. Pvp? Burst? Solo? I'm not rehashing 7 years of ascetics, you can go back and read those tired old arguments if you want.

Stamina:
Two Handed;
Sword
Axe
Maul

1 Hand & Shield;
Sword
Axe
Maul
Dagger

Dual Wield;
Sword
Axe
Maul
Dagger

Bow

Magicka:
Staff;
Flame
Frost
Shock
Resto

I think Stamina wins, concerning available variation. I know your point was abilities, not weapons but every class has Stamina and Magicka morphs of their abilities, and even though they showcased the Arcanist as a Magicka character I'm positive it will also have the capability for Stam builds.

By your own admission comments regarding weapon animations had nothing to do with my original answer to OP, and me explaining that weapons had nothing to do with my original post where I was quoted and they tried to turn my wish for a monk into a weapons vs staff debate. I'm not debating that. There are years of it and in my opinion they're both limited. Swords, axe, mace dagger. Frost, lightening, fire, healing. Still too narrow all around.
My ORIGINAL post before it was derailed into some weird "UH, YoU CaNt HaVe a StAmInA cLaSs CaUsE wE HaVe FoUr StAvEs" comment was that EVERY class starts at Magicka with (subjective) one class that does a decent job on stamina morphs. It would have been nice to have a stamina class starting off. Bo, throwing stars, speed etc. Not tomes, Magicka blasts, and magic shields.

Edit:fat fingers and I can't read

Yamenstein · January 2023

The footage on the new class made the graphics look somewhat different.

If the class is a couple of steps forward in regards to animation; is there plans to bring the older classes forward more as well? Re-work some of the animations, etc, to come in line with the new one?

Either that or something was up with the footage in the showcase - it looked shiny and nothing like what my game does, even when i play on max settings.