The Elder Scrolls 6 Shouldn’t Let a Big ESO Change Go to Waste

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The Elder Scrolls 6 Shouldn't Let a Big ESO Change Go to Waste

As a devoted Elder Scrolls fan with over two decades of Tamriel exploration under my belt, I can’t help but feel excited about the prospect of The Elder Scrolls 6 incorporating a playable necromancer class. The Necromancer class in Elder Scrolls Online has shown us that there’s more to death magic than just raising minions and draining health, and it would be a shame not to explore this rich lore further.

With the upcoming arrival of “The Elder Scrolls 6” after over a decade since the end of “Skyrim”, significant shifts are anticipated in the Bethesda RPG landscape. Instead of simply replicating Tamriel’s next province with improved graphics and streamlined gameplay like previous mainline entries, it seems reasonable to expect influence from more recent popular games as well.

The concept of a necromancer in the world of Tamriel is nothing new, but this has never truly been a designated option for the player to build into. Historically, what might be considered necromancy spells have been split across the likes of the Conjuration, Restoration, and Mysticism schools of magic in The Elder Scrolls, leaving it a disjointed build without much complementary synergy. After being given an entire class of its own in ESO, however, there is now a proper precedent for the strengths and weaknesses of introducing a playable necromancer into the series.

The Elder Scrolls Online’s Necromancer Class Stands as a Bold Proof of Concept

How the Dynamic of a Minion-Based Playstyle Has Panned Out in ESO

In practice, the Necromancer class in “The Elder Scrolls Online” has not lived up to expectations when portraying the summoner archetype, as the lifespan of minions is limited and falls short of the typical charm of raising an army of the dead from afar. However, it maintains a unique identity by offering versatility rather than raw power.

The Potential for Nuanced Subclasses

In the game ESO, the standout feature of the class design is its versatility, enabling diverse builds, largely excluding summoning. For instance, the Bone Tyrant skill line buckles conventional expectations by emphasizing tanking with defensive charms and health restoration. On the other hand, Living Death centers around supportive healing magic. The Grave Lord Necromancer in ESO comes closest to a standard minion emphasis, but even here, the focus is on damage-over-time, demonstrating that there’s still plenty of scope for evolving and enhancing the Necromancer’s role within the game.

Introducing Necromancy to The Elder Scrolls 6 Would Require Careful Execution

Defining a Niche Among TES’ Schools of Magic

In order to be a welcome addition to the next mainline title, a Necromancer build would need to be handled with care in order to not contradict the existing classifications of magic in the series. The Mysticism school used to be related to spells like Soul Trap and Detect Life until it was eliminated and split among the other magic schools in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, leaving Conjuration as the closest label for death-related techniques as it stands. To avoid redundancy with these, necromancy spells like greater reanimation or health-draining could be used to enrich schools rather than forming a new one.

Commitment to Lore Requires Player Sacrifice

A significant issue within the ESO community, one that is hard to ignore, revolves around the stigma surrounding necromancy. Many fundamental spells in the school are considered illegal if performed publicly, and this isn’t surprising given the gruesome actions often associated with powerful necromancers in The Elder Scrolls series. It’s uncertain whether Bethesda intends to incorporate a gameplay style that could potentially alienate players from NPC acceptance in TES6. However, the consequences of a player’s magical choices on their reputation within TES6 are yet to be seen and will likely decide this matter.

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2024-11-28 22:05