The MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online will receive Update 33 with the DLC Ascending Tide on March 15, 2022. This update will bring several combat changes to the game. MeinMMO author MiezeMelli is critical of the changes. You can find out why in this article.
The new DLC Ascending Tide (Update 33) will be available to play on PC/Mac and Stadia starting March 14, and on Xbox and PlayStation starting March 29.
With the next update, all abilities using the higher offensive resources, both Magicka and Spell Power, as well as Stamina and Weapon Power, will scale. You can learn more about the planned changes in our article about the combat changes in ESO Update 33 Ascending Tide.
The developers’ main argument for these changes is to support various playstyles. They hope this will provide players with more options in build choices.
However, I see it sadly moving in another direction, as the attributes of Magicka and Stamina seem to be losing significance more and more.
Hybridization of item sets reduces set diversity
Already with the Update 32 Deadlands, the developers began the hybridization of item sets. Here, they started to break the specialization of the attributes of Magicka and Stamina. Extensive changes were made to the sets.
The change is supposed to provide players with more freedom of choice. However, this alteration also diminishes the unique characteristics of many sets and makes individual sets almost identical. In that sense, the number of possibilities is not increased but simply generalized.
The developers want to ensure that each set becomes interesting for different playstyles, thus promoting diversity. But in my gameplay experience, I have unfortunately seen the opposite.
Moreover, the item sets are also an important part of ESO’s content. With this adjustment, content that has been added to the MMORPG over the years is essentially being taken out of the game. This does not align with my view of diversity or freedom.
Fighting in ESO is gradually being completely overhauled
With the Update 29 Flames of Ambition, ESO underwent a significant change: the revision of the Champion Point system. Since then, the lines between Magicka classes and Stamina classes have blurred more and more. With the new Champion Points, you play as a Magicka DD with daggers in the ESO meta, instead of a flame staff on the front bar.
This already felt odd for many endgame players and for me as well, since previously, daggers, or generally the two-weapon skill line, were used by Stamina DDs to deal physical damage. However, there has been a phase in the past where Magicka DDs played with two swords on the front bar.
Nevertheless, the dagger meta changes an important detail in combat, as a Magicka DD is forced into melee. This is not necessary with a destruction staff, as you can hit from a higher distance with light attacks.
With the upcoming update, all abilities and thereby their strength should scale simply with the highest offensive value, whether that is Magicka or Stamina.
This is how a developer explains this change of course:
This means that every ability that previously scaled exclusively with Spell Power and maximum Magicka will now dynamically scale with Weapon Power and maximum Stamina, and vice versa. Thus, we want to maintain the identity of many playstyles by strengthening ability costs as a limiting factor in terms of how regularly you can use your abilities. However, you should worry less about how powerful this ability is depending on which attribute path you have chosen.
Gilliam (ZOS Combat Team) via ESO Forum
I unfortunately have to disagree, because if the attributes of Magicka and Stamina no longer matter, then there will be no Stamina characters and Magicka characters. These identities are essentially halved.
The combat system loses interesting complexity
For me, the complex combat system and specialization with corresponding set and skill choices have always been very appealing. The merging of the different buffs for Magicka classes and Stamina classes will likely make it relatively simple to coordinate groups.
To me, ESO thus loses an interesting challenge for the player. I think it’s great when the challenging content challenges me as a player. Additionally, a group is also encouraged to truly engage with its members and their characters.
Besides the social aspect that brings a group closer together, I find it fantastic when a group is faced with a tricky task. Through joint considerations (I like to call it “theory crafting”), on how to set up the group and what tasks each individual takes on, a stronger cohesion is automatically generated.
Of course, this will not completely disappear with the upcoming change. However, it will also no longer be necessary to engage with the playstyle of one’s group members in the previous way. Ultimately, this is only beneficial in casual random groups.
But especially in such a family-oriented game with strong community cohesion, I find it regrettable that with this step, communication within a group becomes less relevant. After all, ESO is an MMORPG, and for me, it is all about playing together.
I also fear that this will not be the last step in this direction.
Changes once again primarily affect endgame
The developers argue that with the adjustment, they want to offer players more freedom in the selection of item sets and abilities. However, the problem with this idea is that, in principle, there has never been any restriction on the selection since release.
Restrictions only exist to some extent due to the prevailing ESO meta. And only in the endgame does this truly become relevant. Generally, you can choose a race, class, and skills independently of one another. For solo content, this is sufficient in any case.
The strength of abilities only becomes really relevant in group content. Even if you want to complete veteran dungeons with hard mode, you do not have to strictly adhere to the meta. Highly optimized characters or groups usually only exist in truly challenging end content.
By that, I mean the ESO raids or trials. And actually only when it comes to the most challenging raid achievements: the triples or trifectas. For these achievements, the raid group must complete a veteran raid with hard mode within a given time frame without a group member dying.
These achievements include:
- Like Clockwork (Title: Tick-Tock Tormentor)
- Perfect Purification (Holy Redeemer)
- The Path to Alaxon (Title: Griffon’s Heart)
- God Slayers of Sunspire (Title: God Slayers)
- Flawless Siege Breaker (Title: Kynes Wrath)
- Soul Savior (Title: Realm Breaker)
However, you should know that only a tiny portion of the community ever engages in this area of ESO content. The achievement “God Slayers of Sunspire” has only been completed by 0.09 % of ESO players.
You can see what it looks like when you complete such achievements here:
The restrictions due to the differing strength of abilities truly only affect a very small portion of the community. And this restriction on the selection of item sets and abilities will never be able to be lifted.
There will always be certain combinations that are stronger than others. And exactly this trial and optimization is a motivation to tackle the end content and compete with other players.
The majority of the community is therefore not really affected by the differing strength of various playstyles. The solo content has often become far too easy for experienced players since the scaling with One Tamriel has been implemented with the open world.
Some players even forgo their Champion Points and armor while questing to make it a bit more challenging.
ESO is changing the combat system too massively
The combat system of ESO has always been a significant plus for many players and was decisive for some in choosing this MMORPG. For me personally, it has always been an important foundation in ESO.
The adjustments of the last year are increasingly leading to the abolition of the attributes of Magicka and Stamina and their associated characteristics. For me, ESO is changing exactly what I have loved about the MMORPG for years.
Particularly with the intention to no longer scale the strength of abilities with either of the two attributes, Magicka or Stamina, this already clearly shows the intention to gradually unify the two attributes.
Therefore, I fear that I might eventually stop enjoying the game if this development continues. Having passionately played ESO for such a long time, this is somewhat disheartening.
What are your thoughts on the hybridization and the planned combat changes? Have you been playing ESO for a long time, or did you just start and haven’t noticed the changes much? One feature that every type of player can look forward to is the upcoming card game in ESO.
