The Elder Scrolls Online: The Best Builds for Every Class

The Ultimate Guide to the Best Builds for Every Class in Elder Scrolls Online

Venturing into the vast world of Tamriel in "The Elder Scrolls Online" (ESO) is thrilling, but the journey can be daunting without the right build. Choosing and refining the best build for your class is crucial, whether you prefer solo adventures, group dungeons, PvP, or even becoming a formidable force in the Alliance War. This guide dives deep into the top builds for each class, offering detailed insights to both new adventurers and seasoned veterans looking to fine-tune their characters.

Dragonknight: The Unyielding Flame

Build Overview

Dragon knights are renowned for their resilience and fiery prowess on the battlefield, making them exceptional tanks and fearsome damage dealers. The "Unyielding Flame" build focuses on maximizing the Dragonknight’s potential for both solo and group play, utilizing the Ardent Flame skill line to incinerate enemies and the Draconic Power abilities to bolster their survivability.

Key Skills and Attributes

- Molten Whip (Ardent Flame): Increases your spell damage each time you activate it, stacking up to three times.

- Dragon Blood (Draconic Power): A powerful self-heal that also increases the healing you receive.

- Unrelenting Grip (Ardent Flame): Pulls enemies toward you, essential for managing aggro in dungeons.

- Balance (Mages Guild): Provides much-needed sustain by exchanging health for Magicka.

- Volatile Armor (Draconic Power): Increases your armor and damages enemies close to you.

Gear Choices

- Burning Spellweave: Increases your Spell Damage significantly, which is ideal for this build’s focus on fire damage.

- Zaan (Monster Set): Deals devastating flame damage with its proc, which synergizes perfectly with this build.

- Elf Bane: Increases the duration of your fire abilities, further enhancing your damage output.

Sorcerer: The Storm Fury

Build Overview

Sorcerers harness the elements to unleash devastating magic upon their foes. The "Storm Fury" build maximizes the Sorcerer's potential to dish out high amounts of shock damage while also incorporating utility and sustainability through the Dark Magic and Daedric Summoning skill lines.

Key Skills and Attributes

- Crystal Fragments (Dark Magic): A high-damage skill that occasionally requires no cast time and reduces its Magicka cost.

- Bound Aegis (Daedric Summoning): Provides a significant boost to Magicka and resistance.

- Thundering Presence (Storm Calling): Surrounds you with a field of lightning, damaging nearby enemies.

- Elemental Blockade (Destruction Staff): Creates a barrier of elements that damage enemies over time.

- Summon Twilight Matriarch (Daedric Summoning): Offers a powerful offensive ally and a reliable self-heal.

Gear Choices

- Necropotence: Increases your Max Magicka, greatly benefiting pets and your overall damage.

- Stormfist (Monster Set): Complements your shock damage abilities with its AoE shock damage.

- Law of Julianos: Provides a solid increase in Spell Damage, further boosting your damage output.

Nightblade: The Shadow Reaper

Build Overview

Nightblades are masters of stealth and assassination, making them natural choices for those who prefer a stealthy approach. The "Shadow Reaper" build focuses on dealing high burst damage while maintaining the ability to escape unscathed.

Key Skills and Attributes

- Surprise Attack (Shadow): Lowers the armor of your target and deals substantial damage from stealth.

- Killer's Blade (Assassination): A finisher that deals increased damage to low-health enemies and heals you if the target is defeated.

- Shadowy Disguise (Shadow): Grants invisibility, allowing for critical strikes or a quick retreat.

- Relentless Focus (Assassination): Buffs damage and ultimately unleashes a high-damage ranged attack.

- Dark Shade (Shadow): Summons a shade to attack enemies and reduce their damage done to you.

Gear Choices

- Velidreth (Monster Set): Offers a chance to shoot spores that deal with disease damage, which is great for burst scenarios.

- Hunding's Rage: Increases overall weapon damage, enhancing this build’s lethal potential.

- Night Mother's Gaze: Reduces the enemy’s Physical Resistance, allowing for even greater damage output.

Templar: The Radiant Crusader

Build Overview

Templars are warriors of light, capable of dealing damage, healing allies, and smiting foes. The "Radiant Crusader" build focuses on dealing damage while providing ample group support through healing and debuffs.

Key Skills and Attributes

- Puncturing Sweeps (Aedric Spear): Deals damage to enemies in front of you, healing you for a portion of the damage dealt.

- Radiant Glory (Dawn's Wrath): A powerful execute that heals you based on the damage it inflicts.

- Channeled Focus (Restoring Light): Grants resistance and Magicka recovery within its area.

- Elemental Rage (Destruction Staff, Ult): Unleashes a devastating elemental storm, ideal for AoE damage.

- Breath of Life (Restoring Light): Provides instant, powerful healing to you and nearby allies.

Gear Choices

- Spell Power Cure: Increases the Spell Damage of allies healed under the effect, making it perfect for group play.

- Vanus: Offers a healthy mix of Magicka recovery and Spell Penetration.

- Skoria (Monster Set): Deals additional damage through its proc based on your damage over time effects.

Warden: The Guardian of the Wild

Build Overview

Wardens draw their power from nature, excelling in versatility with the ability to deal damage, heal, and tank. The "Guardian of the Wild" build emphasizes a balance between offensive prowess and self-sustain to excel in solo content and be a valuable asset in group situations.

Key Skills and Attributes

- Subterranean Assault (Animal Companions): Unleashed beetles that deal massive AoE damage and reduce enemy Physical and Spell Resistance.

- Blue Betty (Animal Companions): Grants Magicka recovery and removes one negative effect when summoned.

- Ice Fortress (Winter’s Embrace): Provides major buffs to your resistance and reduces damage taken.

- Green Lotus (Green Balance): Heals you with every Light or Heavy Attack, increasing your survivability.

- Bear Ultimate (Animal Companions): Bring a bear to fight alongside you, dealing significant damage.

Gear Choices

- Iceheart (Monster Set): Offers damage and a shield, enhancing both offense and defense.

- Aegis Caller: Great for adding AoE damage in combat through its summoned spirit.

- Briarheart: Increases Weapon and Spell Damage, with heals on critical hits.

Final Thoughts

The "Elder Scrolls Online" is a game that celebrates diversity and experimentation in playstyles. The builds outlined above serve as starting points to explore the potential of each class. Remember, the cornerstone of any great build is not just the abilities or gear but how you adapt it to your play style. Whether you choose to wreak havoc among your enemies, support your allies with life-saving heals, or stand unbroken in the face of adversity, know that your journey through Tamriel is truly your own. Each class harbors a multitude of possibilities; it's up to you to unlock them. Embrace the adventure, champion. Tamriel awaits.