The Elder Scrolls Online (PC, PS4, Xbox One) will receive some changes to the combat system in Update 17. There will be more emphasis on teamwork, synergy, and coordination. The reactions from the fans are quite positive.
In The Elder Scrolls Online, some features of the combat system have not worked as the developers would like. In PvP, players were always in a crowd, synergy effects from skills were cumbersome, blocking was only interesting for professionals, and heavy attacks on bosses were often counterproductive.
All of this is set to change with Update 17 soon! For PC, it will be next week. For PS4 and Xbox, at least still this month.
More Tactics and Teamwork
With the next Update 17 of The Elder Scrolls online, not only two new dungeons and the mount system will come. You will also experience some significant changes to the combat system in PvP and PvE:
- Synergy Effects: Often, in the chaos, players realized too late that a teammate had just used a synergy skill. The opportunity was wasted. In the new system, a synergy effect will be graphically displayed and is hard to miss. Additionally, synergy effects will trigger regardless of what you are doing.
- AoE Damage: Area damage previously had a limit on how many targets could be hit. That is removed, and AoE effects will hit every enemy in range, whether it’s 2 or 20. Thus, players should keep their distance in PvP.
- Blocking: Blocking attacks was usually only sensible for specific block builds by professionals. With Update 17, blocking costs less, and the blocking chance buffs are less effective. This makes blocking worthwhile for characters that aren’t optimized for it, and pure block builds are not as effective anymore.
- Casting in PvP: If a player executes a skill with cast time in PvP, they will be faster now. Additionally, a red marking will indicate when a skill can be interrupted. The victim cannot cast the skill again for a certain cooldown period. The second cast after interruption will then be uninterruptible.
- Heavy Attacks: When attacking bosses in PvE with a heavy attack, any existing “off-balance debuff” will no longer be removed. This allows you to safely use these attacks without stealing tactical options from the team. However, bosses will be immune to off-balance for some time afterward. Additionally, heavy attacks will grant double resources back.
The changes to the combat system are well-received by the community. Most players welcome them and look forward to Update 17.
Release in February
Update 17 with the combat changes will be released for PC on February 12, 2018. Players on Playstation 4 or Xbox One will have to wait a bit longer and will receive the Dragon Bones DLC and Update 17 only on February 27, 2018.
