When it comes to the weapons of The Elder Scrolls, they typically aren't too different from each other. Most of them share the same attack patterns and abilities, with there not being much variation. But The Elder Scrolls 6 could see a change to this formula by taking inspiration from another popular open-world RPG.
Elden Ring is widely acclaimed for its huge variety of weapons, with builds often built around individual ones alone. Many of them have different attack patterns, special abilities, and secret traits that make them all unique from each other. The Elder Scrolls 6 could pick up on this formula, modeling various new weapons after this concept.
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While not completely similar, some examples of the closest The Elder Scrolls franchise has come to having Elden Ring-esque weapons include Skyrim's Dawnbreaker and Bloodskal Blade. These two weapons are known for their unique effects, with Dawnbreaker making undead enemies explode upon death, and the Bloodskal Blade being able to send out blasts of energy with heavy attacks. However, weapons like these are few and far between, with the defining trait of most weapons most often being the power of their enchantments. In that regard, The Elder Scrolls 6 could take more cues from Elden Ring to enhance this aspect of the game.
Not only do the weapons of Elden Ring come in a huge variety, but their unique abilities can often make or break builds. From turning into a throwable spear of lightning, or being able to berate the enemy with ranged magical energy slashes, just about anything can be found in the game. This variety often lent itself well to gameplay, with players being able to experiment with which flashy special ability they felt best complimented their build. Even Skyrim's most powerful weapons have a lot to learn from this kind of approach to creating unique weapons.
The Elder Scrolls 6 could model its own weapons off of that. Though it may be a bit more limited due to the fact that the games are typically meant to be played in first-person, this would not stop it from embracing it. It also has the perfect opportunity to do this through The Elder Scrolls' many Daedric artifacts. For example, Volendrung could be revamped to have the special ability to send shockwaves when using heavy attacks. Considering how powerful Volendrung and many other Daedric artifacts are described to be in the lore, this would not only be thematically fitting, but it would also be completely justified.
But most of all, this would also bring some of the thrills of exploration from Elden Ring to The Elder Scrolls 6. Throughout the player's travels in Elden Ring, they are bound to find many unique weapons along the way, slowly building up their arsenal. This hugely rewards the player for going out of their way to explore areas they would otherwise not need to. The Elder Scrolls franchise is already known for encouraging exploration, so having a feature like this would only add to the enjoyment of it. The Elder Scrolls 6 should take after Elden Ring in that regard, infusing the experiences of both to create something truly unique.
Though The Elder Scrolls 6's release date won't be anytime soon, at least it has the benefit of being able to look back on the great features of previous games and build upon them. In that regard, Elden Ring's earlier release may have provided something that could lead to The Elder Scrolls 6's success.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is in development.
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