Elder Scrolls: Online’s Update 20 Brings Major Changes to Cyrodiil
Alongside the launch of the latest DLC for The Elder Scrolls: Online, Murkmire, a new update has also been released. This is the game’s 20th major update, and it brings some significant changes with it to the game’s Alliance War mode. The update is free and independent of the Murkmire DLC.
What Update 20 Means for The Elder Scrolls: Online
The Alliance War has been a major part of The Elder Scrolls: Online since the game’s launch, and one of the game’s largest PvP modes. Update 20’s changes are not only changing the mode’s mechanics, but also the layout of the game’s terrain and structures. Until now, siege engines could be used by players to destroy the walls of keeps and a few specific other sites. Now, siege engines will be able to destroy both bridges and Milegates, cutting off key points of access between areas.
“With destructible bridges,” says PvP Lead Brian Wheeler; “we wanted to give players control over something they didn’t previous have any control over. And being able to shut off whole areas physically is something that has been requested since launch.”
Players will be able to repair bridges and Milegates using in-game resources. However, there are also a number of new goat paths which form a secret network of alternate routes. These allow players to bypass the main thoroughfares of the bridges and Milegates and slip between areas unexpectedly. Update 20 also adds three new Outposts to the Alliance War; Carmala Outpost, Harlun’s Outpost, and Winter’s Reach.
“In Update 20,” continues Wheeler; “we wanted to give each of the three territories a different feel. Before this update, they were semi-mirrored in their layout, and a big part of this change was to help spice up Cyrodiil and give each territory more variety in gameplay.”
Update 20’s New Emote
In addition to changes in the Alliance War, Update 20 also adds a brand-new emote to The Elder Scrolls: Online. The “Gladiator Taunt” emote will allow players to taunt with whichever weapons they are wielding. To acquire this emote, you’ll need to collect 30 Gladiator Proofs and deliver them to the War Researcher merchant. Finally, the update changes some of the item sets which feature as rewards in the Rewards for the Worthy PvP bags. Six new sets have been added.