Elder Scrolls Online outlines werewolf rework, class mastery changes, and overland difficulty for Update 50

ZeniMax Online Studios used its latest Elder Scrolls Online developer stream to go over a few of the bigger gameplay changes planned for Update 50. The main items were a werewolf refresh, new class mastery passive options, and the previously announced overland challenge difficulty system.

The werewolf update looks like the most visible of the bunch. Update 50 will add a refreshed character model, including a female werewolf model, along with combat changes to the skill line. Piercing Howl is being replaced with a bite attack, the ultimate cost is being reduced, and the team is planning further tweaks to the cost of staying transformed. ZeniMax also said werewolf stats are being adjusted so magicka and stamina builds can use the form more evenly.

Class mastery passives are also on the way in Update 50. The stated goal is to narrow the gap between subclassed characters and single-class builds while serving as a stopgap before broader class reworks. Players will be able to pick two passives per class from a pool of five choices, and these won’t require skill points.

The stream also confirmed that overland challenge difficulty is still on track for Update 50 after being introduced earlier this year. The system lets players make open-world content harder, but it won’t apply everywhere. Tutorials and dungeons are excluded, and the developers said traps will scale with the difficulty setting as well.

ESO has been spending a lot of time lately on combat tuning and character-building changes, so Update 50 is shaping up as another systems-heavy patch rather than one centered on a single new zone or story beat. If you want to hear the details straight from the studio, the full rundown was shared in the recent developer stream on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=prCx9jBg7Tw%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26enablejsapi%3D1