The Elder Scrolls Online Fans Are Worried That Subclassing Will Ruin The Game

by

Summary

  • The Elder Scrolls Online is implementing a new feature that will drastically impact the meta: subclasses.
  • While it addresses a long-requested feature, being able to change classes instead of having to start from scratch every time, the feature is proving divisive in the PTS so far.
  • As Zenimax nerfs abilities to prevent subclasses from being overpowered, many feel that they are being punished for not engaging with the new mechanic, and that it’s stripping the game of its class identity.
  • Others, however, say that it feels more like The Elder Scrolls than ever, as they are able to mix and match their classes to properly roleplay, rather than being boxed into a narrow playstyle.

At the inaugural Elder Scrolls Online Direct held recently, Zenimax unveiled an exciting new aspect – subclasses. This is a much-anticipated request from the gaming community for the ability to switch between character classes at their own discretion.

Players who advance to level 50 will soon have the opportunity to swap out two of their skill lines with ones from other classes, thus crafting unique character builds. While this sounds intriguing as a means to revitalize the gameplay dynamics after a decade, those currently testing the feature on the Public Test Server are expressing concerns about its execution.

Players who enjoy this game in single-player mode will find subclassing enjoyable since balance doesn’t matter in that scenario. However, if subclassing were balanced correctly, it could bring a lot of fun to everyone. Unfortunately, it is not currently.

The primary issue lies in adjusting the core powers of major classes to ensure fairness, as a single-class Dragon Knight may now lack strength, making multiclass combinations less dominant and avoid creating an overpowered scenario. This change, according to u/Versingtoraux, will essentially be mandatory for end-game players and could disrupt the balance in all end-game content. “This didn’t have to happen at all,” they stated.

Users such as u/cbareddit1998 have expressed similar discontent, garnering over 600 upvotes for their comment stating “It shouldn’t be penalized to remain a pure class”. They found the entire update to feel “unfair” towards those who prefer to stay within their designated roles. Their proposed solution was that “Class adjustments should only be enacted if you are multiclassing.” They argued that maintaining balance among all the multiclass combinations would already present a significant challenge, and adding more complications by eliminating pure class choices entirely would exacerbate this problem.

I must admit, this recent update has made me feel quite uneasy regarding the future of Elder Scrolls Online. Over the last six months, their actions have been causing me to drift further away from the game.

Feedback on this topic is frequently shared not just in the game’s Reddit community, but also on the official Elder Scrolls Online discussion boards.

Estin concurred, suggesting that the abilities and passive skills of subclasses should be less powerful. Instead of reducing the overall power of the classes, he proposed toning down additional skill sets. He foresaw a potential issue where players might be excluded from group activities if they didn’t utilize subclasses, due to their enhanced crowd control capabilities and an extra 30k+ single target damage. His question was essentially asking why one would intentionally limit themselves in such a way.

A reasonable compromise might involve creating a balance specifically for subclassing, keeping it distinct from the primary tree structures. However, given ZOS’s history, they might instead overhaul all classes in an attempt to make them suitable for subclassing, potentially at the expense of their original characteristics, and then claim their work is complete.

While it’s important to note that the update is currently available on the Preview Test Server, a platform used for bug fixing and gathering player feedback. This implies that some of these suggestions might be incorporated into the game, particularly addressing concerns about the game losing its unique class identities and penalizing players who opt out of certain features. However, not everyone views this proposed change negatively; some enthusiasts even argue that subclassing could potentially salvage the game rather than break it.

“Long Live Player Identity, ie Playing How You Want!”

In many discussions happening within the community currently, players express frustration over the perceived decline in effectiveness of subclasses since Update 35, which significantly reduced DPS and altered weaving, making it less critical. The general consensus is that the game’s combat system has been disrupted too frequently with major changes. However, recent introductions like Scribing and now subclasses have stirred up the meta in quick succession over just two years. Yet, Zenimax’s intention behind these updates has consistently been to make the game more accessible for new players, a goal that some find commendable and see subclasses as a step towards achieving it.

u/Phaoryx shared: “Class identity in games isn’t fading away; it actually perished a while back, during hybridization. The demise of class identity occurred when my mages were forced to wield greatswords. Hail to player identity, meaning playing as you prefer! If you argue ‘but the way I want to play isn’t in line with the high-performing meta that can reach 170k’, congratulations! The game is designed with monoclassing in mind, so any unique build you create will likely surpass the balancing standards. And for those who don’t wish for power levels to rise because they’re preserving veteran content, it seems that game developers like ZOS might want the power level to increase so that a larger portion of players, more than 1%, can enjoy what I consider the peak gaming experience.

In contrast to the prevalence of negative comments among players, numerous individuals in the comment section enthusiastically endorsed the concept known as subclassing. User ChiefPrimo expressed his appreciation for this idea, stating, “I appreciate the notion of utilizing any class for any character.” He believes that this allows characters to be distinct, enabling a mage who employs spells from various schools of magic, a necromancer summoning daedra, or even a warrior with a pet bear. This, according to him, makes it more akin to the single-player games.

RPGs should be fully customisable as you want so we can express ourselves — u/Loud_Appointment7020

In essence, u/Langstrat expressed that the concept of subclassing aligns better with the Elder Scrolls series. They enjoy the Elder Scrolls games because they offer more freedom and find their current class’ skill lines restrictive. They have primarily played as a paladin or thief in the Elder Scrolls games, and they are looking forward to incorporating nightblade skills into their character. In simpler terms, u/Langstrat is excited that subclassing will allow them to combine skills from different classes in the Elder Scrolls style of gameplay.

Currently, this new characteristic hasn’t been activated, making it challenging to predict its overall influence in the broader context at present. However, it’s clear that this latest update is sparking a great deal of disagreement among users.

Read More

2025-04-22 15:36