The new chapter Summerset for The Elder Scrolls Online has just been released on PC. It not only brings a new story but also changes to the gameplay. These affect the ESO builds, the way players allocate their skill points. This significantly alters the balance.
Summerset and the ESO Builds
What effects on the builds are there? One of the biggest changes that Summerset brings is that two-handed weapons previously did not count as two set items in contrast to two one-handed weapons – but now they do. This change now allows all ESO builds (not just those that do not use two-handed weapons) to carry 5/5/2 set combinations.
What exactly has changed here? Previously, only two one-handed weapons were counted as two set items, which made it impossible for example for Magicka users to carry 5/5/2 set combinations. To gain the bonuses from sets, you typically need five pieces of the set. In addition to the seven slots for armor pieces, there are still two slots for rings, one for necklaces, and two weapon slots. One-handed weapon fighters could thus carry, for example, a body armor, two rings, and two one-handed weapons from a set, granting them the 5-piece bonus. Two-handed weapon fighters, on the other hand, wore the body armor, two rings, and one two-handed weapon, which triggered the 4-piece bonus. This meant that anyone using a two-handed weapon could only rely on a 5/4/2 combination, losing the bonus of a set item. Since Magicka users fight with two-handed staves, this was a disadvantage for corresponding builds.
With the current change, the player who wears a body armor, two rings, and one two-handed weapon from a set also receives the 5-piece bonus, enabling the 5/5/2 combination.
The Psijic Order is also stirring things up. With the ability to join the Psijic Order and learn new abilities here, new builds are emerging, and existing ones are changing. The time magic of the Order is being integrated into the builds, opening up a ton of new possibilities.
The builds are changing. Changes to the balancing of The Elder Scrolls Online, especially those that have a significant impact on gameplay, often lead to changes in the ESO builds. Now that Summerset has just recently been released, everything is still new and in flux. There will surely be several updates, bug fixes, and balancing adjustments, which means the final builds are yet to crystallize. However, there are already some trends of builds that are changing:
In PvE:
- Dragonknight builds for “Venom”, “Valakas”, “Obsidian”, and “Catalyst”
- Nightblade builds for “Azure”, “Rampage”, “Illusion”, and “Siphoner”
- Sorcerer builds for “Summoner”, “Mystic”, “Windwalker”, “Deathstroke”, “Surge”, and “Capacitor”
- Warden builds for “Ice and Fire”, “Guardian”, “Racer”, “Blossom”, and “Frostbite”
- Templar builds for “Beamblar”, “Jabsmania”, “Reliever”, and “Paladin”
In PvP:
- Dragonknight builds for “Eruption”, “Scorch”, and “Draugr”
- Sorcerer builds for “Wrath”
Where can I find current builds for Summerset? In the official ESO forum, the user Alcast operates a popular thread with builds for ESO Summerset. A visit might be worthwhile.
The balancing will still crystallize
Changes could lead to overpowered ESO builds. Currently, the fans of ESO are still trying to figure out how the changes to the builds will affect gameplay. It will be interesting to see if there are overpowered builds – especially in PvP. This will still be revealed as fans play a bit longer. Then we will also see how Zenimax Online reacts and what further changes come to maintain the balance. But it is still a bit too early for that.
Do you want to dive into Summerset in The Elder Scrolls Online? Then you should know these things.
