[Suggestion] Werewolf Transformation: Toggle & Resource Overhaul

SlugWolf · March 20

I’ve seen many werewolf players suggest that transformation should work like a toggle, and I completely agree.

In combat, werewolves naturally want to stay in beast form at all times. But the current system feels contradictory: we have to build Ultimate just to transform, and even if the cost was lowered, it still feels clunky and restrictive.

In classic werewolf lore and with the Ring of Hircine, shifting is sudden and instant—not like vampires, who need to build up power through feeding.

Here’s my idea to make werewolves feel more satisfying:

• No Ultimate cost to transform

• Upon shifting, you instantly gain full 500 Ultimate, which drains slowly to maintain the form

• Reverting to human form triggers a short cooldown to prevent free mode-switching and keep balance

• Optional: a minor debuff during cooldown (though I know most players wouldn’t like it)

This fixes the clunky Ultimate grind, honors the werewolf fantasy, and keeps the class fair.

Would love to hear what the community thinks!

JimT722 · March 20

I think werewolf in skyrim is a fun character gimmick that makes you weaker and isn't very useful in gameplay. it's something that's fun to play around with but you wouldn't want to use it all the time because it just doesn't work well for most content. at least you can eventually get unlimited transformations so you can use werewolf whenever you want.

Eso werewolf is very similar. I love playing with werewolf. it just is annoying to play in nearly all content in the game. I like to play one for a while, but end up shelving my werewolf. In eso you also can't transform whenever you want so it's worse than skyrim.

Bloodmoon werewolf was great but there is no way that would work in eso. I think just make werewolf a toggle and balance it around that. You can use it whenever. wether in a group with other werewolves or just questing. Waiting on a boss, need to go into town to turn in a quest, or go through a door? no problem anymore. Just toggle it on or off as desired.

SlugWolf · March 20

JimT722 wrote: »

I think werewolf in skyrim is a fun character gimmick that makes you weaker and isn't very useful in gameplay. it's something that's fun to play around with but you wouldn't want to use it all the time because it just doesn't work well for most content. at least you can eventually get unlimited transformations so you can use werewolf whenever you want.

Eso werewolf is very similar. I love playing with werewolf. it just is annoying to play in nearly all content in the game. I like to play one for a while, but end up shelving my werewolf. In eso you also can't transform whenever you want so it's worse than skyrim.

Bloodmoon werewolf was great but there is no way that would work in eso. I think just make werewolf a toggle and balance it around that. You can use it whenever. wether in a group with other werewolves or just questing. Waiting on a boss, need to go into town to turn in a quest, or go through a door? no problem anymore. Just toggle it on or off as desired.

I get where you're coming from. A totally free, no-cost toggle for werewolf might make it unbalanced though. It could easily become a get-out-of-jail-free ability for squishy builds or just be overused as a fast travel/roaming tool, lol.
So having some kind of cooldown or a sustain mechanic like a wisdom form does make sense for balance.

Silvains_Demon · March 20

Huh, reminds me of something I pushed quite some time ago:

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/667710/werewolf-rework-idea-10-23-2024#latest

dark_hunterxmg · March 24

SlugWolf wrote: »

I get where you're coming from. A totally free, no-cost toggle for werewolf might make it unbalanced though. It could easily become a get-out-of-jail-free ability for squishy builds or just be overused as a fast travel/roaming tool, lol.
So having some kind of cooldown or a sustain mechanic like a wisdom form does make sense for balance.

I think some people might use it as a roaming tool. I don't think that players will give up vampire in order to be able to roam a little faster. Werewolf won't make up for being a squishy build either.

Silvains_Demon · March 26

dark_hunterxmg wrote: »

SlugWolf wrote: »

I get where you're coming from. A totally free, no-cost toggle for werewolf might make it unbalanced though. It could easily become a get-out-of-jail-free ability for squishy builds or just be overused as a fast travel/roaming tool, lol.
So having some kind of cooldown or a sustain mechanic like a wisdom form does make sense for balance.

I think some people might use it as a roaming tool. I don't think that players will give up vampire in order to be able to roam a little faster. Werewolf won't make up for being a squishy build either.

Huh... well, if you rework the timer and link it to a buff instead of the form, I think that would fix the issue (I made a link the idea I had for it. I think just the mechanic of making the Ult buff a separate thing you can hold the Ult buttons to activate while in form while tapping goes in/out of the form or in reverse by an option in the settings. Still linked to the timer though with the corpse mechanic).