With every mainline installment inThe Elder Scrollsfranchise, more features continue to be dropped for the sake of accessibility. While this does benefit the games in a lot of ways, it also creates a feeling of missed opportunity to expand upon what has worked in the past. WithThe Elder Scrolls 6, players should hope to see some features from older games making a return so Bethesda can take advantage of modern console power.
One of the biggest features that could make a comeback isThe Elder Scrolls 3:Morrowind’s huge arsenal of weapons. WhileThe Elder Scrolls 5:Skyrim’s arsenal was nothing to laugh at, some definitely felt that tools like spears would have been a welcome addition.The Elder Scrolls 6should aim to bring many ofMorrowind’s discarded weapons back.
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The Elder Scrolls' Potential Weapon Arsenal
One ofSkyrim’s biggest justifications for having fewer weapon classes is that each of its existing weapons were supported by the perk system. Axes and swords played differently, both in terms of functionality and what perks they would receive. Despite that, its arsenal of weapons was meager compared to a game likeMorrowind,which supplemented swords, shields, and axes with weapons like spears, halberds, throwing stars, and more.The Elder Scrolls 6has the opportunity to revamp this old systemand make it better than the original iteration.
One boon would be allowing players to access more build types. If each weapon were to have its own perks like inSkyrim, this would allow for a greater degree of freedom with something like a spear-user having a greater range than a sword-user, separating the two in terms of gameplay. A perk that would help differentiate the two would be granting the spear-user some armor piercing. This, along with something likespellcrafting inThe Elder Scrolls 6, would go a long way in terms of revitalizing combat.
It would also lend itself to one ofThe Elder Scrolls' strengths: roleplaying. When many players create a character, they tend to think about what kind of person they want their character to be, whether a sneaky rogue who deals with daggers or a master of the arcane arts. Adding more weapons toThe Elder Scrolls 6would grant more freedom over what kind of person they want their character to be, such as a ninja character who utilizes poisoned throwing stars, or a martial arts master who makes use of bo staffs to ward of their enemies. This also enhances the potential forThe Elder Scrolls 6’s endgameto create a variety of archetypes.
Most satisfying of all, the return ofMorrowind’s weapons would also be a return to form. WithThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, many of these weapons disappeared, so bringing them back would be a callback to the game that quite literally “saved the company,” according to Todd Howard. After over a decade of waiting, the return of mainlineElder Scrollsgames will have to be big - possibly even bigger thanSkyrim. While there areother great ways to lead intoThe Elder Scrolls 6, bringing back some ofMorrowind’s weapons back would be among the best directions for Bethesda.
As of this writing, little is known about what kind of directionThe Elder Scrolls 6is taking. With that said, the potential ofThe Elder Scrolls 6changing up the game’s weaponsis something that would add a lot to the next entry. Hopefully it’s something fans can look forward to.
The Elder Scrolls 6is currently in development.
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