I've never come to ESO forums before, but I do really like the game. I started back in the open beta and have consistently played on-and-off since then. I enjoy 95% of ESO. I like the aspects of the game, and really love the huge change to the Champion point system. With all that said, I like the fact that a huge pillar to the foundation of Elder Scrolls as a brand was player freedom, and encouraging unique playstyles thru exploration. I believe that ESO has always missed that mark, specifically because of Player classes.

If you look at the rest of the game outside of classes, you can create truly unique builds that function however you want them to. You're free to be a medium armor assassin that uses psionic abilities and a greatsword, or a sword & board wielding vampire-hunter, or anything in between. And you can swap between the two on a whim. Hate stealth? Drop it and pick up heavy armor.

That's all great, thematic, and works within ESO. Then you jump over to player classes. You're locked into those 3 skill lines until the end of time. You don't get to specialize your character in any way when it comes to the core of who your character is.

I saw the sweeping changes that ZM made to the champion point system & armor balance, and figured now was a good time to get my idea out, although I'm sure its been suggested before.

I propose that we remove the fixed 3 skill line per class, and allow players to unlock ALL class skill lines as they play throughout the game. Instead of 3 fixed skill lines, give characters 3 skill line slots that the player can fill with whatever 3 class skill lines they want. Make them unlockable through completing world quests.

You could even keep the class choice in the beginning when you create a character. The class they choose gives the new characters their starting skills. So Nightblade would start with Shadow, Siphoning and Assassination. But say you want to be a stealth archer that uses pets. You could go to Grahtwood or Morrowind or whatever, complete a "Nature's Friend!" quest line, and at the end of it, you unlock the Animal Companion skill line.

Create a 3rd (or 4th) altar at churches that allows you to swap classes around for gold. Keeps it in line with skill points & champion points.

You could even streamline the introductory story lines. Put players back into Coldharbour on the Vestige questline. Part of becoming a Vestige makes your soul hollow and allows you to fill the void with any three "Essences" you want. Those essences being 3 skill lines. Then no matter what you add later on in the game, you don't need to worry as much about timelines because all players start in Coldharbour, get sent to their alliance, and can then choose to do whatever they want from there.

The DLC class skills could then be added to the DLC zones as well, Warden in Morrowind, Necromancer in Elsweyr, etc. Hell you could probably throw a skill line or two into the new Champion point system.

If you go with the Coldharbour start, you could make the class-swapping altar a Soul cage? I don't know.

I feel like this change is a more appropriate approach to classes in Elder Scrolls than the current one. I didn't ever have the notion to bring it up before because I felt a strong counter argument would be that the game was built around the class system. But after seeing what Zenimax was willing to shake up w/ their champion point change, I feel like there's actually a chance that it could be a possibility.

What do you guys think?

All the best,
Sandwich