The Elder Scrolls Online has seen a whirlwind of changes this year, and the latest announcement from ZeniMax Online Studios (ZOS) promises to be one of the most impactful yet. The developers have unveiled their plans for a comprehensive class identity refresh, aiming to redefine the way players experience their chosen classes. This initiative will span several updates and seeks to address long-standing feedback from the community while modernizing the game's class system. Youtuber Nessaeria's video provides details on this exciting development and explains what it means for ESO players.
Tips from MmoGah: As the meta evolves, underutilized skills and builds may gain strength, while others could be fine-tuned for better balance. Preparing in advance will enable you to adapt swiftly to these changes and prevent last-minute scrambles to level up your skills after the update. With the New Life Festival commencing on December 18th, seize the opportunity to benefit from double XP bonuses to enhance your skills and prepare your characters for potential shifts. Additionally, having a substantial amount of Elder Scrolls Online gold on hand will significantly aid in leveling up your skills effectively.
What Is the Class Identity Refresh?
Class identities
Class identity in ESO refers to what makes each class unique and distinct. This includes everything from their abilities, combat styles, and visual effects to the lore behind their powers. Unlike single-player Elder Scrolls games such as Skyrim or Oblivion, where players can mix and match skills freely, ESO adheres to the traditional MMO framework, where each class has a defined set of skills and roles.
ZOS has identified two core pillars that shape class identity in ESO:
1. Source of Power – The lore-based origin of a class's abilities, setting them apart from ordinary citizens of Tamriel.
2. Power Fantasy – How a character channels their power into gameplay, whether through area-of-effect abilities, damage over time, or direct attacks. This provides players with a sense of what it feels like to embody a specific class.
By focusing on these pillars, ZOS aims to enhance the uniqueness of each class while ensuring that players can enjoy distinct playstyles.
Why Is This Refresh Happening?
The introduction of subclassing in ESO brought a new level of customization to the game, allowing players to mix abilities from different classes. While this system offers creative freedom, it has also created balance issues. Subclassing often outperforms pure class builds due to disparities in skill line design—a problem that stems from ESO's original design not accounting for subclassing.
ZOS has openly acknowledged this imbalance and is taking steps to address it. Their goal is to ensure that both pure class builds and subclassing remain viable options, with neither dominating the meta. This refresh is part of a broader effort to modernize ESO's classes, improve balance, and strengthen the overall gameplay experience.
Key Design Philosophy Updates
The class identity refresh will follow several guiding principles to ensure meaningful and impactful changes:
1. Viability Across Roles
Every class should be capable of fulfilling any role—DPS, tank, or healer—while maintaining unique strengths and weaknesses. This doesn't mean all classes will be equally optimal in every situation, but rather that players will have multiple viable options for achieving their goals.
2. Cohesive Power Fantasy
Each class will receive updates to its abilities, animations, and audio effects to reinforce its core identity. For example, newer classes like the Arcanist feature visually stunning abilities and immersive sound effects. Older classes such as the Dragonnight and Nightblade will be brought up to this standard.
3. Player Feedback Integration
ZOS plans to use player feedback and in-game data to guide updates. By addressing balance concerns and refining class mechanics, they aim to ensure all classes feel satisfying to play while retaining their unique flavor.
Planned Changes and Rollout
The refresh will be rolled out in phases, starting with classes that require the most modernization. Each class will undergo mechanical adjustments, balance improvements, and visual/audio updates as needed. The rollout order is as follows:
1. Dragonknight
2. Warden
3. Sorcerer
4. Templar
5. Nightblade
6. Necromancer
7. Arcanist
The Dragonknight will serve as the starting point due to its foundational role in ESO and the extent of changes required. For some classes, this process will involve minor refinements; for others, it may mean significant reconfigurations.
Example: Dragonknight Updates
To give players an idea of what to expect, ZOS shared examples of planned changes for the Dragonknight class:
- Refinement: Dragonknights are designed as attrition warriors who excel in damage over time (DoT). Updates will introduce shorter durations but higher damage per tick, allowing them to ramp up power during fights.
- Reconfiguration: The class's resource management will also be improved. For instance, the Inhale ability will be reworked to restore a percentage of missing resources over time before unleashing its explosion effect.
These changes aim to reinforce the Dragonknight's identity while addressing gameplay concerns like resource management and balance.
Balancing Pure Classing and Subclassing
One of the most significant goals of the refresh is to create parity between pure class builds and subclassing. ZOS recognizes that many players value the traditional MMO experience of playing a single class with a strong identity. To support this, they plan to:
- Reorganize class skill lines to make them more distinct and rewarding.
- Decentralize overpowered skills to ensure no single ability line dominates.
- Introduce more nuanced abilities that maintain balance without sacrificing creativity.
Players who prefer pure class builds should find them just as viable as subclassing options after these changes are implemented.
Long-Term Vision
ZOS has outlined a holistic long-term vision for ESO's class system, which includes:
1. Ensuring every class remains viable across all roles.
2. Modernizing abilities, animations, and audio effects for older classes.
3. Using player feedback and data to continuously refine class mechanics.
This vision extends beyond addressing immediate balance issues; it seeks to create a cohesive and engaging experience for both new and veteran players.
Community Involvement
Transparency has been a key theme throughout this process. ZOS has conducted surveys to gather player feedback on class identity, pain points, and preferences. This open dialogue reflects ZOS's commitment to listening to players and ensuring that updates align with their expectations.
What's Next?
The class identity refresh is an ambitious project that will unfold over multiple updates. While timelines may shift as needed, ZOS has assured players that they will continue regular bug fixes and performance updates alongside these changes.
For those eager to see how these updates will impact their gameplay, keeping an eye on the Public Test Server (PTS) will be crucial. ZOS plans to test changes extensively before rolling them out to live servers.
Final Thoughts
The ESO class identity refresh represents a significant step forward for the game. By addressing long-standing issues with balance and modernization, ZOS is setting the stage for a more engaging and rewarding experience for all players. The emphasis on transparency, player feedback, and thoughtful design is a promising sign of what's to come.
Whether you're excited about playing a pure Dragonknight or experimenting with subclassing options, there's plenty to look forward to in the coming months.
What do you think about these upcoming changes? Are you excited for the refresh or concerned about how it might impact your favorite class? Please leave your thoughts in the video's comments section. For more news and guides related to The Elder Scrolls Online, please subscribe to Nessaeria's channel.
