Character progression is a core part of the player experience in mostElder Scrollsgames.Skyrimsaw this come in the form of perk trees, which while an effective system, could be argued as a downgrade from previous iterations. In that regard,The Elder Scrolls 6could make a return to a certain abandoned tradition.
BeforeSkyrim, players had access to character stats, which would allow players to allocate stats however they pleased. This would allow them to build specific areas of a character’s playstyle, while going at it aimlessly or indulging players who prefer planning it out.The Elder Scrolls 6could bring this feature back, revitalizing character progression in the process.
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How Character Stats Would Benefit The Elder Scrolls 6
WhileSkyrim’s perk tree system was satisfactory, it felt like it missed out on many aspects of character progression. For example, there was a notable lack of balance between certain perk trees, as melee perk trees like one-handed and two-handed provided more power with fewer perks than the destruction perk tree.Leveling up inSkyrimwas a straightforward but unbalanced experience. Not only that, but with the player being able to essentially specialize in any perk tree, diversity in builds slowly melted away. But by returning to genuine stats inThe Elder Scrolls 6, some of these issues could be amended.
To clarify, character stats were a much more limiting experience than that of the perk trees inSkyrim. Its perk trees were incredibly conducive to approachability, no doubt playing some role in its popularity, but stats provide a limited experience that ultimately has the player thinking more about their decisions. As the player levels up over time, they have to think more about what stats they want to specialize in. This leads to characters who fully embody the mage or warrior archetypes, as they share both the strengths and the weaknesses of those builds. This was aprominent feature inThe Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowindas well asThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion.
Ironically enough, these limitations would also increase build diversity in multiple ways. For example, the mage archetype inMorrowindandOblivionwas exceptionally powerful in spellcasting, but this came with the caveat of a limited magicka pool. Due to a lower strength stat, they also wouldn’t be able to effectively rely on physical weapons if they ran out of magicka. These weaknesses made playing different builds a much more immersive experience overall. But most of all, a return to stat sheets would also be the return ofa feature prominent in bothOblivionandMorrowind.
One of the main inspirations behindThe Elder Scrollsfranchise isDungeons & Dragons. As many may know, the most iconic experience to be had in anyDungeons & Dragons session is the creation of a character through a stat sheet. These influences are more noticeable in the earliest installments ofThe Elder Scrolls, and it has come to shape the franchise into what it is today. By making a return to stat sheets, it would make a great callback to the earlier days ofThe Elder Scrollsfranchise. It would also be a powerful way ofimmersing a player into the nextThe Elder Scrollsgameoverall.
LikeSkyrim, players likely won’t know what’s in store for them untilaroundThe Elder Scrolls 6’s release date. But in that regard, players hopefully have a lot to look forward to when it comes to how Bethesda will reinvent what it means to create a character inThe Elder Scrollsfranchise.
The Elder Scrolls 6is in development.
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