The Elder Scrolls Online begins the next great chapter, high island, in June, but there is also Update 34 in the works. There’s a brand new devblog on combat tweaks and changes heading to the base game in Update 34.
Because high island is the big chapter release of the year, the combat team is going to focus on small changes as well as bug fixes and balancing instead of making large scale combat changes and brand new systems . There will be changes to come though, and many of them tie into changes that have already happened, including in Update 33. The game has taken a hybrid approach and a hybridization of almost everything from combat stats to ability scaling and gear sets. The stated intent was flexibility, and as players continue to adapt, expect tweaks based on balance, needs, and any meta changes, but not an overhaul.
Related to the Update 33 hybridization is the idea that these changes highlighted instances where binary morph options were revealing what they called “power deltas”, where people were making choices based on the additional effects of the morph rather than the stats used. The objective of this update is therefore to bring the morphing options closer to each other. They also intended to boost less used morphs instead of just nerfing the ones people used the most. More will be clear when the PTS opens, but several examples of what they’re looking at are in the blog, like:
Teleport Strike
Ambush: Increased the duration of buff granted from this morph to 10 seconds, up from 3 seconds. This morph will also grant Minor Berserk for its duration.
They are also looking at Champion Point’s Warfare Constellations and adjusting this system, with some additional slot stars on the sub-constellation and, as with morphs, strengthening some less used ones and adjusting some of the values.
