During last week's visit to Elder Scrolls Online in Maryland, we got to try two classes: The Templar and the Dragonknight. Here then are Garrett Fuller's impressions of time spent with the former.

For the Templar you get a group of attacks which all are sun or light-based. The first was a simple Sun Strike which looked like a staff of light that I smacked into the wolves I was fighting. This was a basic damage attack and took Magicka energy to use. You have three bars like in all Elder Scrolls games and can choose to build up each one of them with level progression. Magic, Stamina, and Health all allow you to play the character you want.  If you’re going to use a lot of magic-based skills, you should probably focus on Magic, people who use a lot of weapon-based attacks want to focus on stamina, and everyone should spend a little in health too… to stay alive and all.

Read the rest of Garrett's The Elder Scrolls Online: The Templar Experience.

Originally posted by BillMurphy
The combat was a KEY change from what we were shown at E3.  Really makes it feel more like TES.  I wonder if the first-person view will make it in eventually.  

I would die of happiness if it did!

Originally posted by Kuppa
Pretty happy to hear some of the changes they are making to make the game more like TESO.

What changes?

There is nothing really new from what they've told us before.

Or do you really think they changed the combat to look like TES?

It will probably have more in common with TERA, which is not bad in itself, but the First Person View has been there since TES: Arena in 1999, it is the IP Trademark................that's all I am saying

Originally posted by ste2000

Originally posted by Kuppa
Pretty happy to hear some of the changes they are making to make the game more like TESO.

What changes?

There is nothing really new from what they've told us before.

Or do you really think they changed the combat to look like TES?

It will probably have more in common with TERA, which is not bad in itself, but the First Person View has been there since TES: Arena in 1999, it is the IP Trademark................that's all I am saying

Previously the game was tab targeting game and right now the only thing they have to add to be like other TES game's is first person view. Their first impressions also seemed very much like a quest grinder with not much focus on exploration, Im happy to see that focus change as well.

Originally posted by ste2000

Originally posted by Kuppa
Pretty happy to hear some of the changes they are making to make the game more like TESO.

What changes?

There is nothing really new from what they've told us before.

Or do you really think they changed the combat to look like TES?

It will probably have more in common with TERA, which is not bad in itself, but the First Person View has been there since TES: Arena in 1999, it is the IP Trademark................that's all I am saying

And is arguably the worst feature of TES games.  I have never ever read a detailed article on how great Skyrim's, Oblivian's or Morrowind's combat was.  It is basic generic old school RPG feel that never progressed.  I hated the combat, and it was the ONLY reason why I never beat any of the RPG's, no matter how good the rest of the game was.  Because arguably killing/combat takes 75% of my time.

How does the combat "feel" in comparison to other top MMOs like WoW, GW2, Lotro, TSW ,Tera and EQ2?  Does it feel like any of those, all of those, none of those?  How fast do normal mobs die or is it a slow fight like TSW mobs? 

How about moving around and jumping?  Does it feel fluid or sluggish?  I would say WoW and GW2 are where I would want character feedback or "feel" to sit in this game, so does it at least hit any similarities there?

Originally posted by elocke

How does the combat "feel" in comparison to other top MMOs like WoW, GW2, Lotro, TSW ,Tera and EQ2?  Does it feel like any of those, all of those, none of those?  How fast do normal mobs die or is it a slow fight like TSW mobs? 

How about moving around and jumping?  Does it feel fluid or sluggish?  I would say WoW and GW2 are where I would want character feedback or "feel" to sit in this game, so does it at least hit any similarities there?

Hey Elocke,

I'd say it's close right now, but not quite.  For instance, right now in the current build if your crosshairs aren't on the enemy, you can't even swing and miss.  This is something admitted to fixing, but it still was annoying and is mentioned in my full preview.  Additionally, slower weapons feel slow and weighty, and that's good.  Since you are the one who makes them swing each time.  But something light like dual-wielded daggers still feels "slow".  Apparently they're working on the speed of each weapon (and the damage differences between them), but I hope this helps.

As for running and jumping, that is all fantastic.  It's akin more to a third-person shooter, so you move/turn where your mouse is pointing.  But you can run backwards with S, strafe with A&D, etc.

And for how quickly mobs die? It's pretty spot on.  I'd say, at level and with non-special mobs, things died in a few solid hits.  Fights lasted around 10 seconds per mob.  And with proper blocking and dodging (game needs an active dodge button I'd say), you can withstand multiple enemies pretty well.  Patience is a virtue in combat, and knowing when to strike in melee is key.

Originally posted by BillMurphy

Originally posted by elocke

How does the combat "feel" in comparison to other top MMOs like WoW, GW2, Lotro, TSW ,Tera and EQ2?  Does it feel like any of those, all of those, none of those?  How fast do normal mobs die or is it a slow fight like TSW mobs? 

How about moving around and jumping?  Does it feel fluid or sluggish?  I would say WoW and GW2 are where I would want character feedback or "feel" to sit in this game, so does it at least hit any similarities there?

Hey Elocke,

I'd say it's close right now, but not quite.  For instance, right now in the current build if your crosshairs aren't on the enemy, you can't even swing and miss.  This is something admitted to fixing, but it still was annoying and is mentioned in my full preview.  Additionally, slower weapons feel slow and weighty, and that's good.  Since you are the one who makes them swing each time.  But something light like dual-wielded daggers still feels "slow".  Apparently they're working on the speed of each weapon (and the damage differences between them), but I hope this helps.

As for running and jumping, that is all fantastic.  It's akin more to a third-person shooter, so you move/turn where your mouse is pointing.  But you can run backwards with S, strafe with A&D, etc.

And for how quickly mobs die? It's pretty spot on.  I'd say, at level and with non-special mobs, things died in a few solid hits.  Fights lasted around 10 seconds per mob.  And with proper blocking and dodging (game needs an active dodge button I'd say), you can withstand multiple enemies pretty well.  Patience is a virtue in combat, and knowing when to strike in melee is key.

Awesome, thanks for the answers.  For me, it always seems to come down to character feedback that will initially keep me in a game or not.  I also realize it's beta and things will change, but knowing they are developing in the right direction will really help sway me to keep tabs on this one in hopes that it's a great MMORPG.