The essence of ES games and ESO, is that we can build whatever "class" or archetype we want from a template. After playing about 10 hours this weekend, I still see people in the same traditional archetypes. A tank dragonknight, a stealthy dagger wielding nightblade OR stealthy bow wielding nightblade, a healing templar, and a mage/caster sorcerer.

Do I see any greatsword wielding nightblades? Do I see any mages in full heavy armor tanking? Do I see templars using destruction staves and dpsing? I dont.

I still see the run of the mill build choices you would find in any other MMO. I think this is because deep down in the game, being a greatsword wielding nightblade just wont work.

Could someone prove to me otherwise? Are there any videos out there of someone completely breaking the mold with their class/weapon/armor choices?

Oh believe me they're out there man. Some people are stubborn though and have the same traditonal mindframe, but once they start to hit some of these group dungeons (especially the traditonal tank and healers) I think they will start to rethink their tradional way of thinking.

That being said, playing traditonally is also a choice, but yeah go to the PVP area (for example) and see things like nightblades with restoration staff and such.

Nightblades are the best tank class imo, for what they can bring to a group s well as theirbsheer survivability. Andfor the record, Templar makes one of the best ranged classe, they get a really good kiting tool at level 1. Due to design you likely won't see ranged dragon knights as their abilities seem to be ntirely melee focused, and sorcerer tanks seem to be on the bottom of the list, but trust me when I say you can play wll outside the expected norm for each class.

I was going for the Heavy Armor Sorcerer who has the resistance and Health for PBAOE fireballs and Ice Novas.

You can't do it. Your spell schools are locked by your class choice.

Because your class appears to dictate which of the weapons you pick up in the intro, almost everyone is going to default into trope characters.

I don't understand why they added classes at all, If they wanted everyone to be able to develop any skills and use any equipment why not go the whole hog. It would be more Elder Scrolls like it would at least feel a bit more innovative and make the game seem more different from the crowd.

I agree. Allow us to just put points into areas like fire magic, stealth, bow aptitude, etc similar to skyrim. That was true freedom.

To the other two that said in dungeons and pvp you see these: Maybe so. But after 10 hrs of PVE I havent seen it. Maybe I'll log in later and retool my sorc for heavy armor, grab a greatsword or sword/shield and see what comes of it.

I say get to around level 15 first and go and do some group stuff. 10 hours isn't really a lot of time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFWAm9OQ-ko

Here you are OP. As for me, I'm playing a Breton Sorcerer with Heavy Plate, One-Handed Sword, Storm Calling offensive spells, Conjuration armor buffs, and Mages guild spells. So far things are working out really well, and playing a Spellsword is really fun.

I didn't read all the replies, but I will say that two of the most popular builds in perma beta have been 2handed Sorc and Destro Staff DK. I'll also say PvE and PvP are -VERY- different. In PvE every class wears light armor to optimize really, for the magicka regen... but in PvP it's completely different.

There's alot of options between classes, but yes... in the end, more than likely Sorc will come out on top as the go-to Caster, as DK will come out on top as the go-to Tank. That doesn't mean that everyone else cant do those roles too.