In The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO), your class selection is a foundational choice that significantly shapes your gameplay experience. With currently seven distinct classes, each boasting three unique skill lines, thematic identities, and playstyles, understanding your options is paramount. This guide is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of each ESO class, empowering you to make an informed decision and choose the class that best resonates with your personal playstyle and preferences in the vast world of Tamriel.
Currently, the seven available classes in Elder Scrolls Online are:
- Arcanist
- Necromancer
- Warden
- Dragonknight
- Nightblade
- Sorcerer
- Templar
While every class in ESO is viable and offers unique strengths, certain classes may naturally align better with your preferred way of playing, whether you enjoy dealing massive damage, supporting allies, or tanking through hordes of enemies. Let’s delve into each class to uncover their potential.
Arcanist: Master of Forbidden Knowledge
The Arcanist, ESO’s latest class addition, draws upon the enigmatic powers of Apocrypha and the forbidden knowledge of Hermaeus Mora. This class excels in destructive, restorative, and defensive magic, channeling arcane energies, ancient runes, and potent tomes. The Arcanist stands out as an incredibly versatile class, often considered top-tier due to its exceptional capabilities across all roles.
Currently lauded as one of the best ESO classes, the Arcanist boasts a diverse toolkit suitable for both solo and group content, in both Player versus Environment (PVE) and Player versus Player (PVP) scenarios. Arcanists offer impressive damage output, robust self-healing, strong damage shields, and significant group utility. Whether you envision yourself as a tank, healer, damage dealer (DPS), or a hybrid build, the Arcanist provides the tools to excel in virtually any role within Elder Scrolls Online.
A defining feature of the Arcanist is the innovative Crux mechanic. This system involves certain abilities generating Crux upon casting, while others consume Crux, resulting in enhanced bonuses and augmentations to specific class skills. While introducing a layer of strategic depth, the Arcanist remains accessible for new players, offering a rewarding learning curve and extensive theory-crafting possibilities for veteran ESO players. For a deeper dive, explore our comprehensive ESO Arcanist Class Guide here.
Arcanist Skill Lines: Harnessing Arcane Power
As an Arcanist, you will master forbidden knowledge and manipulate arcane energies, ancient runes, and lost tomes. Wielding power not meant for mortal hands, you can weave destructive, restorative, or defensive magics amplified by the unique Crux system. This class became available with the Necrom Chapter, expanding the horizons of ESO combat.
The Arcanist features three distinct skill lines: Herald Of The Tome, focusing on damage dealing; Soldier Of Apocrypha, specializing in tanking and defense; and Curative Runeforms, designed for healing and support.
Arcanist: Strengths and Weaknesses
Pros:
- Unmatched Versatility: Excels in all roles (DPS, Tank, Healer) and content types (Solo, Group, PVE, PVP).
- High Damage Potential: Capable of significant damage output with various builds.
- Excellent Self-Sustain: Possesses strong self-healing and damage mitigation capabilities.
- Unique Crux Mechanic: Adds depth and strategic complexity to gameplay.
- Easy to Learn, Hard to Master: Accessible for beginners while offering depth for experienced players.
Cons:
- Different Playstyle: Feels significantly different from other ESO classes, which may not appeal to all players.
- Crux Management: Requires understanding and managing the Crux system to maximize effectiveness.
Necromancer: Master of the Undead
The Necromancer class in The Elder Scrolls Online embodies the dark arts, commanding the undead and manipulating life force. Necromancers are masters of summoning, raising corpses and spectral entities to serve their will. This class offers a unique and thematic gameplay experience centered around controlling minions and manipulating the battlefield with dark magic.
The Necromancer is a strong choice for a variety of content and is highly sought after in group play, particularly for its potent debuffs and crowd control abilities. True to its thematic essence, the Necromancer class allows you to summon skeletal minions and other dark creatures to fight alongside you. The combination of short-duration pets, tethering abilities, and corpse management mechanics makes the Necromancer one of the most strategically nuanced and engaging classes in ESO, although it can present a steeper learning curve, especially for newer players.
Necromancers excel in both PVE and PVP environments, proving valuable assets in both. Their exceptional single-target damage makes them formidable in various combat scenarios. Necromancer Ultimates can be game-changing, capable of turning the tide in Cyrodiil keep battles or enabling rapid boss takedowns in PVE trials. In PVP, the Necromancer’s impressive passive skills enhance survivability, and their capacity to synchronize damage-dealing abilities for burst damage creates significant offensive pressure. If you’re drawn to a summoner-style playstyle with robust healing, defense, and offensive capabilities that are effective across nearly all aspects of ESO, the Necromancer class is definitely worth exploring.
Necromancer Skill Lines: Commanding the Dark Arts
For Necromancers, all of Tamriel’s deceased become resources to manipulate and exploit. No practice is forbidden in the pursuit of mastering the dark arts. The Necromancer class introduces a distinctive playstyle to The Elder Scrolls Online, empowering you to summon undead legions and utilize corpses to overwhelm enemies and amplify your attacks. This class became available with the Elsweyr Chapter and can also be acquired as a Necromancer Class upgrade in the Crown Store.
The Necromancer’s skill lines are: Grave Lord, focusing on damage and summoning; Bone Tyrant, specializing in tanking and defense; and Living Death, dedicated to healing and support.
Necromancer: Strengths and Weaknesses
Pros:
- Powerful in Solo and Group Play: Effective across various content types.
- High Single-Target Damage: Excels at focusing down individual enemies.
- Strong Debuffs and Crowd Control: Provides valuable utility in group content.
- Unique Summoner Playstyle: Offers a distinct and thematic experience.
- Excellent Survivability: Passives enhance resilience, especially in PVP.
Cons:
- Complex Skill Management: Requires proficient buff and skill timing for optimal performance.
- Short Duration Skills: Many skills have limited durations, necessitating careful management.
- Illegal Skills: Some Necromancer abilities are considered illegal in towns, leading to bounty increases if used in public areas.
Warden: Guardian of Nature
The Warden class in ESO channels the primordial power of nature and forges bonds with animal companions to overcome adversaries and mend allies. Wardens are the quintessential defenders of the natural world within Elder Scrolls Online, capable of summoning animal allies and wielding frost-based magic to weaken enemies or bolster themselves and their group with potent healing spells. The Warden’s robust healing and burst damage potential makes it a compelling class choice for PVP engagements and even solo PVE content.
The Warden stands out by offering a dedicated skill line for each of the traditional MMO roles: Tanking, Healing, and DPS. This balanced design allows Wardens to seamlessly fill any role within an ESO group. However, this “Jack of All Trades” nature also implies that Wardens might not always be the absolute best in any single specialized role compared to classes focused solely on that area.
Warden Skill Lines: Embracing the Wild
Manipulate the untamed wilds and command powerful beasts as a Warden, a versatile class drawing strength directly from nature. When playing a Warden, you can unleash the fury of the wilderness upon unsuspecting foes, envelop allies in the restorative embrace of nature’s healing, and encase yourself in impenetrable, protective frost. As a Warden, Tamriel’s creatures and wild landscapes are yours to command. This class was introduced with the Morrowind Chapter, bringing a nature-centric playstyle to ESO.
The Warden’s three skill lines are: Animal Companions, focused on summoning and damage; Green Balance, specializing in healing and support; and Winter’s Embrace, designed for tanking and defense.
Warden: Strengths and Weaknesses
Pros:
- Versatile Roles: Can effectively fulfill Tank, Healer, and DPS roles.
- Strong Healing and Support: Excels at providing healing and buffs to allies.
- Beginner-Friendly: Relatively easy to learn and play, suitable for new players.
- Animal Companion Theme: Offers a unique and engaging thematic experience.
- Good Burst Damage Potential: Capable of delivering significant burst damage.
Cons:
- Not Specialized: May not be the absolute best in any single role compared to more specialized classes.
- Solo Sustain Issues: Can struggle with sustain in solo content, potentially requiring reliance on external resources.
- Support-Oriented: Often functions best in a support role within group content.
Dragonknight: Wielder of Dragonfire
The Dragonknight class in Elder Scrolls Online embodies the spirit of formidable dragons, wielding potent flame and poison magic to incinerate and claw at their enemies. Dragonknight builds are remarkably versatile, performing well in beginner content, solo play, group activities, PVE, and PVP engagements. This class is designed as a melee-focused magical bruiser, excelling in close-quarters combat and offering robust capabilities across various playstyles.
Thematically, the Dragonknight centers around embodying the essence of a dragon. Most Dragonknight abilities reflect this theme, manifesting as wings, talons, spikes, and dealing either fire or poison damage. Dragonknights are potent in both solo and group content. For solo builds, they can specialize in both Magicka and Stamina Damage Over Time (DOT) effects, proving exceptionally effective. Their Ultimates and resource generation contribute to strong passive sustain when utilizing these powerful abilities. In group settings, Dragonknights have been a staple Tank class in ESO since launch, renowned for their robust healing and defensive passives. They can also be effective DPS builds or even unique flame-based healers if you desire. While the Dragonknight might not be the simplest class to master initially, once you become proficient, it can be incredibly powerful in diverse situations.
Dragonknight Skill Lines: Unleashing Draconic Power
Dragonknights draw upon the ancient Akaviri martial tradition of Battle-Spirit and wield formidable magic. Incinerate your foes with cleansing flames and endure almost any assault as a Dragonknight, a fierce and relentless class thriving in the thick of battle. The Dragonknight class allows you to dominate attrition warfare with abilities fueled by both the earth and mythical beasts, overwhelming enemies with ferocious fire spells. With the Dragonknight, you bring devastation in the form of molten metal and fire.
The Dragonknight’s three skill lines are: Ardent Flame, focusing on fire damage; Draconic Power, specializing in tanking and defense; and Earthen Heart, providing support and utility.
Dragonknight: Strengths and Weaknesses
Pros:
- Excellent Tank: Top-tier Tank class for PVE and PVP content.
- Strong Damage Over Time (DOT): Effective at dealing sustained damage.
- Good Sustain: Resource generation and passives provide solid sustain.
- Melee Focus: Excels in close-quarters combat.
- Versatile Builds: Capable of Tank, DPS, and even Healer roles.
Cons:
- Weak Healing Power (DPS/Tank): Generally has weaker dedicated healing compared to other classes (excluding specific healer builds).
- Can be Complex to Master: Requires practice and understanding to fully utilize its potential.
- Lower Mobility: Less inherently mobile than some other classes.
Nightblade: Master of Shadows
The Nightblade class thrives on stealth, speed, and the precision of a sharp blade to survive and dominate in combat. The Nightblade has remained one of ESO’s most popular classes since its launch, largely due to its appealing theme of a stealthy rogue or assassin. Nightblades specialize in direct damage abilities and escape mechanisms like invisibility and teleportation. However, their diverse skill set also allows them to excel in a wide variety of content and roles.
In solo gameplay, the Nightblade’s ability to cloak in invisibility and teleport across the battlefield to evade combat or surprise enemies makes it a superior class for survival and tactical advantage in PVP. In PVE dungeons, invisibility can be used to bypass enemies, explore efficiently, and locate hidden treasures. In group settings, Nightblades can create potent and unique builds for any role, including DPS, Tank, and Healer. They also enhance their damage output through increased critical damage, making them a formidable choice for both PVE and PVP scenarios. Tank and Healer Nightblades are particularly favored by many players due to their unconventional and engaging playstyles.
For a more in-depth exploration, refer to our Full Nightblade Class Guide.
Nightblade Skill Lines: Embracing the Shadows
The Nightblade class is aptly described as a “Knife In The Dark.” Strike from the shadows, drain the life force of your enemies, and vanish into the void. Shadows are your greatest weapon as you command abilities that inflict devastating damage at any range and siphon your victim’s lifeblood to empower your allies. As a Nightblade, all of Tamriel will fear your lethal, unseen strikes.
The Nightblade’s three skill lines are: Assassination, focused on direct damage; Shadow, specializing in stealth and utility; and Siphoning, designed for healing and sustain.
Nightblade: Strengths and Weaknesses
Pros:
- High Burst Damage: Excels at delivering rapid, high-damage bursts.
- Stealth and Mobility: Invisibility and teleportation provide exceptional mobility and tactical options.
- Versatile Roles: Can be built for DPS, Tank, and Healer roles effectively.
- Strong Solo Class: Excellent for solo PVE and PVP due to survivability and stealth.
- Unique Playstyles: Offers distinctive and engaging gameplay, especially for Tank and Healer builds.
Cons:
- Light Attack Dependency: Many skills rely on light attacks to maximize damage and resource regeneration.
- Can be Squishy: Without proper build and playstyle, can be less durable than some other classes.
- Skill Management: Requires effective skill management to optimize damage and sustain.
Sorcerer: Master of Storms and Daedric Magic
The Sorcerer class in The Elder Scrolls Online commands the forces of Conjuration and Destruction, wielding lightning bolts, dark magic, and summoning Daedric pets to inflict damage and heal allies. Sorcerers are an excellent class choice in ESO, representing the archetypal caster or mage but with a unique Elder Scrolls twist. Sorcerers in ESO are intrinsically linked to elemental damage, particularly lightning, but also harness darker magical energies, including Daedric summoning.
Sorcerers are known for their battlefield agility, multiple damage sources, and ease of self-healing. Like every class in ESO, Sorcerer skills have Stamina-based variants, enabling you to create a Stamina Sorcerer Tank wielding a sword and shield or a Stamina Sorcerer Damage Dealer with a two-handed sword. Stamina Sorcerer builds are highly effective in both organized trials and less coordinated dungeon runs, providing substantial group buffs and high damage output.
Sorcerer Skill Lines: Commanding Elemental and Daedric Forces
The horrors of Oblivion and the raw power of lightning are yours to command with the Sorcerer class. As a Sorcerer, limitless power is at your fingertips, allowing you to summon devastating lightning strikes from the heavens, support your allies, suppress your enemies, or unleash Daedric monsters to overwhelm your foes. When wielding the full might of the Sorcerer class, all will tremble before your power.
The Sorcerer’s three skill lines are: Daedric Summoning, focused on pet summoning; Dark Magic, specializing in crowd control and utility; and Storm Calling, dedicated to lightning damage and mobility.
Sorcerer: Strengths and Weaknesses
Pros:
- High Shock Damage: Excels at dealing massive lightning-based damage.
- Daedric Pets: Summons Daedric companions to aid in combat, enhancing DPS.
- Easy Self-Healing and Survival: Possesses strong self-healing through Critical Surge and robust damage shields.
- Strong Solo Builds: Particularly effective for solo PVE content.
- Mobile Class: Known for battlefield speed and agility.
Cons:
- Limited Group Utility: Offers less group utility compared to some other classes, primarily a Damage Synergy through the Atronach ultimate.
- Pet Dependency (Summoner Builds): Some builds heavily rely on pets, which can be vulnerable or require specific management.
- Less Tanky (Without Specific Builds): Base class is less inherently tanky compared to classes like Dragonknight or Warden without specific tank builds.
Templar: Champion of the Light
The Templar class in The Elder Scrolls Online channels the radiant power of light and the burning sun to inflict massive damage upon enemies and bolster allies. Templars are a consistently powerful and popular class in ESO across all playstyles. The thematic core of the Templar revolves around bringing the might of the Sun to the battlefield. Think of the Templar class as ESO’s version of a Paladin, a holy warrior.
Templars excel at self-healing and group healing, remaining one of the strongest classes in the game since its launch due to their robust defenses and inherent healing capabilities. The Templar’s consistency and ease of play, especially when utilizing skills like Puncturing Sweep, make it an excellent class for newcomers to ESO. Stamina Templar builds effectively blend holy magic and martial prowess, making them valuable assets in high-level content such as trials and dungeons.
Templar Skill Lines: Wielding the Power of the Sun
Seeking out darkness wherever it may lurk, the Templar serves as a beacon for allies and a blinding threat to foes. As a Templar, your duty is to bring justice to Tamriel through cleansing light. Summon the boundless power of the sun to obliterate your enemies and restore yourself and your allies with radiant light.
The Templar’s three class skill lines are: Aedric Spear, focused on melee damage and utility; Dawn’s Wrath, specializing in magic damage and crowd control; and Restoring Light, dedicated to healing and support.
Templar: Strengths and Weaknesses
Pros:
- Excellent Healer: Top-tier healing capabilities for both self and group.
- Strong Defenses: Robust defensive passives and skills enhance survivability.
- Good Area of Effect (AOE) Damage: Excels at clearing groups of enemies quickly.
- Beginner-Friendly: Easy to learn and play, especially for new ESO players.
- Consistent Performance: Reliable and consistent across various content types.
Cons:
- Magicka Focus for Healing: Healing is primarily Magicka-based, which can be a limitation for Stamina builds without specific setup.
- Less Mobile: Generally less mobile compared to classes like Nightblade or Sorcerer.
- Predictable Playstyle: Can be perceived as having a less complex or dynamic playstyle compared to some other classes.
Final Thoughts on ESO Classes
As you’ve seen, each ESO class presents a distinct style, theme, and a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. Importantly, the classes in Elder Scrolls Online are generally well-balanced, ensuring that all are viable and capable of participating in all forms of content. For players primarily focused on damage output, selecting a top-tier DPS class is critical for excelling in challenging group content like endgame trials and dungeons. However, ultimately, the best class for you is the one you find most enjoyable to play. We highly encourage you to experiment with different classes, try them all out, and discover which one best suits your personal preferences and playstyle in the ever-evolving world of The Elder Scrolls Online.
Continue Your ESO Journey
Ready to further your exploration of The Elder Scrolls Online? We highly recommend visiting our comprehensive Class Builds page for detailed build guides and inspiration! You can also explore these additional helpful guides and resources to deepen your ESO knowledge.
