Zenimax has been extremely receptive to its community's feedback thus far, but there is one issue left unchanged that stands to deter many players from the playing the way that they want to play. And this issue is that magicka is the resource for; and governs the power of ALL class skills. But why is this an issue? Let's find out...

Why is this a problem?

• Class skills aren't consistent with the rest of the skill tree - Weapon, Guild, Alliance War, and Armor skills all cost; and scale off of magicka OR stamina depending on the skill line. Some Weapon skills (like the two handed line) use stamina while others (like the destruction staff line) use magicka. Skills in the Fighters Guild are governed by stamina, while the Mage's Guild falls under the jurisdiction of magicka. In the Alliance War, magicka for support and stamina for assault. And finally heavy and medium Armor skills use stamina while light uses magicka. But this is not the case for Class skill lines: Ardent Flame=magicka, Draconic Power=magicka, Earthern Heart=magicka, Deadric Summoning=magicka, Dark Magic=magicka, Storm Calling=magicka, Assassination=magicka, Shadow=magicka, Siphoning=magicka, Aedric Spear=magicka, Dawn's Wrath=magicka, Restoring Light=magicka. And this brings use to issue #2.

• Caster and Healers can be pure, Fighters and Rogues must be hybrid - It's perhaps unfair of me to narrow the scope of ESO's free-form class building down to four classic archetypes, many players will undoubtedly combine two or even three to create something unique. But for those players who prefer a more focused approach some archetypes will be simply off limits. For instance casters and healers as magicka users can choose between 86 spells and 15 ultimates that scale with their primary attribute. On the other hand, melee and bow users who rely on stamina have access to only 31 spells and 2 ultimates that scale with their chosen stat. As a result these fighters and rogues will absolutely need magicka spells on their hotbar, while casters and healers can completely overlook stamina and even use weapon skills that scale with magicka.

• Imagine if every ability in LoL scaled with ability power - A crude comparison perhaps, but one that is more relevant than you might think. This change would mainly affect ADCs and melee bruisers. ADCs would continue to build pure attack damage but their abilities would become superfluous, while bruisers would have a choice between building tanky or building ap hybrid. Believe it or not it wouldn't be the end of the game, affected champions would simply be buffed to compensate. But would it be fun? Absolutely not. Having to forgo a Black Cleaver for an Archangel's Staff on Darius would completely compromise the champion's thematic identity. Kind of like stacking magicka on a dual wielding Nightblade. Not to mention having to chose between being good at auto attacks or being good at melee abilities.

How can it be fixed?

• The only solution is to evaluate EACH and EVERY class skill within the context of the class and the skill's potential synergies and chose whether it should scale off of magicka, stamina, health, or even armor. This would not enforce a meta, and Zenimax would not be choosing the viable builds. This would mean that people would have to rethink their builds, but the long term benefits would significantly outweigh the short term QQ.
• EDIT: Other suggestions= add weapon ultimates, add passive that benefit hybrid builds.

TL;DR

• Class skills being completely governed by magicka undermines the thematic identity, core concept and accessibility of many archetypes within ESO. Melee or ranged stamina users' builds by default need to be an order of magnitude more complicated than casters' or healers' since magicka spells must (with extreme exceptions) be used.

I personally don't see a problem with the way things are. I understand the need to "rock the boat." Hell, I do it sometimes just because I believe that things, as they are, are flawed. Other times I do it because it is fun to remind those that hold no true power of that fact.

Still, I don't see the flaw in this system.

Read the post. I outline the problem.

No, you really didn't. You see a problem that I don't see as existing. Opinions differ. We'll both live through it. No worries.

Abilities in an MMORPG need to be governed on the basis of practical and objective considerations such as balance, not abstract and subjective ones as 'thematic identity'.

Good point. +(over)9000

This problem would be mostly solved by making defensive maneuvers like dodge rolls and such cost a flat amount rather than percentage based. It would mean investing in Stamina would let you do a lot more dodging and blocking than someone who is focused entirely on magicka.

I spent two hours outlining the problems. I even provided a TLDR, i did outline the problem. If you disagree tell me why, this isn't a poll, it's a discussion.

Balance and thematic identity aren't mutually exclusive. I'm not suggesting that balance be compromised to improve narrative, in fact the change I'm suggesting doesn't even affect balance.

Personally, I feel that:

1.) balance comes first.

2.) the system works, don't fix something that isn't broken.

I don't really see the issue myself. It makes sense to me - conceptually - that class skills, being ALL magic, be based on magicka.

Again, no balance regression here. It's easy to bring up a word that everyone can vibe with and say its more important, but it's not relevant to the conversation. Balance is numbers, if the health contribution of a health attribute point is too high it get's nerfed. I'm not saying that magicka needs to get nerfed, I'm saying that class skills need to be brought in line with the rest of the skill tree as far as resources.

In the end, every build is better served utilizing both pools. Some can pull it off sooner than others. A character build utilizing only Magicka has wasted potential.

It is a very annoying problem. last beta made a nightblade and it keep getting annoying ,that half of my skills were making magic blades come out of thin air when i already have 2 weapons equipied. What is the differents when stabbing someone with magic blades to normal blades.

And ive done some testing with last beta with the amount of times you can use a ability at lvl 1 your first ability can be cast 4-5 times same as at lvl 10 and 17 (thats how far i made it in levels)

i used light armour will most passives and max magicka to see what the differents is and i was able to cast 5-6 times before i was out.

No, your proposed change doesn't even address balance, which it assuredly WOULD affect. You cant just hand-wave the problem because it doesn't suit your argument.

It's a clearly written and nicely formatted post.

But I don't see a problem either.

I think the fact that archetypes are undermined is great. Undermining archetypes is very TES. Challenging tired RPG cliches is a positive, not a negative.

As for "thematic identity", I don't know what that is, unless it's another word for those same tired cliches.

As for the "pure/hybrid" argument... nobody is pure, since everybody uses stamina for blocking, dodging and interrupting, and everybody uses magicka for class skills.

As for class skills being "consistent" with other ability trees: why should they be?

All your arguments are, at their base, aesthetic rather than practical. You don't demonstrate that there is an actual issue in terms of end game balance, which is the only factor that would provide a real argument for changing the system.

So... the problem is that your expectations were challenged? Good

Because I don't feel like arguing.

Also going to point to the argument above mine, because, well...it works.

Excellent response, you bring up a lot of good points. I think my issue lies with the fact that as a melee character I am forced to invest points into both stamina and magicka and health. I feel stretched pretty thin.

The crux of my argument is how would you feel if Destruction staff skills or Restoration staff skills costed and scaled off of stamina? It is a weapon after all, if casters had to invest point in their gear/attributes/racial skills would that bother you? If not then you truly have a different view on this kind of stuff than me, which I can totally respect.

What?

Could you clarify? I can't understand what you are trying to convey.

For what the magic blades or the amount of times you can cast your magic

I'm sorry, I do not understand.

Could you clarify. I can not understand what you are trying to convey.

Ithica buon martun dou e conro.

BTW, that was poor gibberish, but at least I tried to speak your language.

If TESO is shaking it up to undermine archetypes than why does the fighter's guild scale off of stamina? And the mages off of magicka? 2handers= stam destro staff=magicka.

The rest of the skill tree is VERY textbook archetype stuff. The class skills are all magicka though... cuz u know... reasons.