In the new Elsweyr addon of The Elder Scrolls Online, you can play a new class. However, the Necromancer has a bad reputation, and you will feel that harshly in the game world.
What is the problem with the Necromancer? As many players have noted beforehand, Necromancers and their dark arts are not well received in the world of The Elder Scrolls Online. Necromancy is considered evil and corrupt. No wonder that the main game’s great villain, Mannimarco, was a master of necromancy.
Now the Necromancer has been announced as a new playable class in the next ESO addon Elsweyr. One of the most controversial forms of magic is now a skillset of a “hero” class. Are we about to see Necro-Edge-Lords everywhere, flooding the idyllic locations of Tamriel with disgusting skeletons? Is the Necromancer ruining the lore and atmosphere of ESO?
“Call the guards, there is a Necromancer in the city!”
This is what threatens you if you practice too much necromancy: The developers at Zenimax have a knack for atmosphere and immersion, which is why they have declared the skills of the new class as crimes. This means that NPCs will react similarly to when you steal something in front of witnesses or commit murder against an NPC.
The non-player characters panic in the face of necromancy, call for help, and alert the guards. So a regular reaction of the justice system that ESO has had for years. Your Necromancer will then be pursued like a criminal by the guards and has a bounty placed on them. They will need to wait it out, pay it off, or get rid of it via the Thieves Guild.
If caught, they will have to pay steep fines or be hunted down by the guards and possibly beaten to death while on the run.
This is how players react to the necro penalties: As necromancy triggers a reaction in the game’s justice system, a player is essentially punished for playing a particular class. However, most ESO players appreciate this feature. They believe it fits perfectly into the game’s lore and that one must be careful where they showcase their necromantic arts. This is wonderful for immersion in the game world and for role-playing.
Consequently, many players are calling for this feature to be extended to other controversial skills and character types, including Vampires and werewolves, who should also be hunted by guards when they use their abilities in the city.
What do you think about this matter? Do you think it’s great and consistent that Zenimax lets the game world react to your heroes and their actions, or is it unacceptable that you cannot freely use your class powers?
