I don't think so. It would feel like cheating. "Oh, I need to beef up my melee, so I'll just take some of my magic perk points out...."

I can't say that I agree with you about the tier slots. It seems to go against the design of the perk trees, which would seem to be unlocked in a very linear fashion. I just can't envision; given that we only have 50 perks to choose from a possible 280, that I would have to select the same perk point 3 times for maximium use of that perk. Of course, it is possible that that could be the case in some instances, but I find it unlikely(actually I downright hope that's not the case)

I guess what I was trying to get at in my previous post, without saying it clearly, was that if you look at those magic skill trees, you can already guess how some of them branch off. Destruction obviously splits into fire, lightning, and frost/ice.

But when you get into something like 1 handed combat, for example, there are more branches that need to be addressed in the perk tree, creating the need for more perk points to accomodate the increased depth and possible specialization that that skill encompasses.

For example I imagine 1 handed combat branching something like this for specializations sake:

-longsword
-shortsword
-mace
-waraxe
-dagger

And 2 handed combat branching something like this:

-claymore
-warhammer
-battleaxe
-halberd
-hand-to-hand

The need for more branches obviously means the need for more perk points, which is where I think the surplus of points has gone. Not to mention the fact that magic by its very nature is already powerful and extraordinary, and by the sounds of the new magic system and spell effects, it promises to be visually stunning and spectacular. So with that said I would imagine the devs are putting extra care into 'spicing' up the monotonous nature of melee combat with the perk system. Here's hoping anyway, because you and I are in agreement, that too much passive perk stacking(tiers) is a bad thing.

This was a issue in Morrowind and Oblivion as you get better in some weapons the others become pretty useless, far worse in Morrowind as you was unable to hit. People who pick up a bow at level 20 will have problem killing levelled enemies with it.

I guess the same is true in Skyrim but at a lesser degree, if you dual wield axe and dagger you would have to use both and select perks for each, however the same would be true if you used axe of shield or a destruction spell as your main equipment.

And yes melee combat will be more brutal I translate that to both parts doing more damage and perks and skills also the player skill is more important.

It'd be cool if they added an additional battle option of occasionally getting weapon's locked together (I'll call it Lock Up for now), requiring you to wrestle (by sliding your mouse left and right quickly on PC or by pushing left and right on the controller) and then pressing a "kick" button to perform a kick. Whoever had the advantage would get their kick off and be the one to do the damage but either way the Lock-Up would end and you'd return to standard combat. Lock-Ups shouldn't happen very often or they would become annoying, but once or twice a day would be interesting. And based on your weapon, the animation would be kind of different. For two swords, they could slide along each other's blade shooting sparks and then both could cut a circle through the air as they attempt to push the other's blade backwards. A person going against your dagger would grab your hand and struggle with it while you attempted to sink it into their neck. If you failed your Lock-up here, they disarm you and shoulder-bash you backwards, but if you win, you slice them on the face (severe bleeding) and break free, and you return to normal combat.

argh, double post...

Personally I never minded the combat in Oblivion, I loved the fact there where no flashy moves, no silly Diablo 2-ish leap attacks or whirlwind spins, just you, your weapon and your foe, going at it blunt and hard.

To me the new finishing moves sounds like all the spice I need to combat.

You didn't find it mindless and repetitive and the least interesting way to play? It was all grinding in combat. I mean that was a problem in other places to, but combat was just "slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash "

well that′s how combat was in the olden days. And I like the game for that.

I'm almost positive we won't be seeing the option to respec and reselect your perks in Skyrim. I think Todd's been pretty clear about how they want the perks to really help people define their characters, and being able to switch out perks whenever you want kind of kills that idea.

I do however think there will be a mod for it pretty soon after release.

205 slashes and not even 1 hack?

Now that's skill specialization and roleplaying at its extreme.

Inversely, my character in Oblivion was a master hacker and rarely went to the slash in combat, he found it to be an awkward maneuver, what with its more complicated vertical motion and all, and besides, I didn't want to flesh him out too much. I eventually retired him, to a small manor located along the gold coast, where he spent his golden years as a fisherman, honing his skills with a pole until he became a full-fledged master baiter... :blink: ...even then he was all hack and no slash. :rofl:

Wah Waah Waaaaaahhhhhh :shakehead:

*crickets chirping*

"Wow tough crowd"

Just one word: Battlemages. Fry your enemies with magic or crush their heads with a sword. Never boring

Warriors in Oblivion were really boring. I cannot play Oblivion without using Magic and warriors are not very good at using magic. So I make my own class called Magic Warrior and its much better to play as. The class is here: http://www.elderstats.com/classes/843 if you want to try it out.

From the start