ESO features six core classes, each with three unique skill lines that define their playstyle. Understanding these classes is fundamental to building an effective character. Each class can theoretically fulfill any role (DPS, Tank, Healer), but some excel more naturally in certain areas due to their inherent abilities and passives. Experimentation is encouraged, but these guides will give you a strong starting point.
Dragonknight:
Dragonknights are masters of fire and earth magic, often excelling as durable tanks or fiery damage dealers. Their Earthen Heart skill line provides powerful defensive buffs and resource management, making them excellent tanks. Ardent Flame focuses on damage-over-time abilities and direct fire damage, ideal for Magicka DPS. Draconic Power offers a mix of defensive and offensive abilities, including strong shields and crowd control. Stamina Dragonknights often use two-handed weapons or dual wield, focusing on poison and bleed effects, while Magicka Dragonknights wield staves and unleash devastating fire spells. They are known for their strong sustain and survivability.
Sorcerer:
Sorcerers harness the power of lightning, dark magic, and Daedric summoning. They are typically potent Magicka DPS, but can also function as off-healers or even unique tanks. Daedric Summoning allows them to conjure powerful pets that fight alongside them, providing extra damage or utility. Dark Magic offers strong crowd control, shields, and resource recovery. Storm Calling focuses on burst lightning damage and area-of-effect spells. Stamina Sorcerers, often called 'Stamsorcs,' utilize weapon skills combined with Hurricane and Critical Surge for strong self-healing and damage. Magicka Sorcerers are renowned for their high burst damage and pet-based playstyles.
Nightblade:
Nightblades are masters of stealth, shadows, and assassination. They excel as burst damage dealers, both Magicka and Stamina, and can be effective off-tanks or healers in specific builds. Assassination provides powerful single-target damage and execute abilities. Shadow offers stealth, defensive buffs, and crowd control. Siphoning focuses on self-healing, debuffs, and damage-over-time. Stamina Nightblades are often dual-wielding or bow users, relying on stealth and critical strikes. Magicka Nightblades use staves and focus on siphoning health from enemies while dealing significant spell damage. They are known for their high mobility and ability to disappear from combat.
Templar:
Templars are divine warriors who channel the power of the Aedric gods, making them exceptional healers and strong damage dealers. Aedric Spear offers powerful offensive abilities, including a strong execute and area-of-effect damage. Dawn's Wrath focuses on radiant damage, debuffs, and powerful ultimate generation. Restoring Light is their dedicated healing skill line, providing strong single-target and area-of-effect heals, as well as crucial defensive buffs. Stamina Templars often use two-handed weapons or dual wield, focusing on Jabs (Puncturing Sweeps morph) for both damage and healing. Magicka Templars are the quintessential healers in ESO, but can also be formidable Magicka DPS with their radiant damage and powerful ultimates.
Warden:
Wardens are nature's guardians, drawing power from the wilds and ice magic. They are incredibly versatile, capable of excelling as tanks, healers, or damage dealers. Animal Companions allows them to summon animal allies and deal nature damage. Green Balance is their dedicated healing skill line, offering strong HoTs (Heals over Time) and defensive buffs. Winter's Embrace provides powerful ice shields, crowd control, and defensive passives, making them excellent tanks. Stamina Wardens often use bows or two-handed weapons, focusing on animal companions and weapon skills. Magicka Wardens can be strong healers or Magicka DPS, utilizing ice and nature magic. They are known for their strong utility and survivability.
Necromancer:
Necromancers manipulate the dead and dark arts, making them unique and powerful damage dealers, tanks, and healers. Grave Lord focuses on summoning undead minions and dealing powerful frost, flame, and disease damage. Bone Tyrant provides strong defensive abilities, shields, and resource management, making them exceptional tanks. Living Death is their dedicated healing skill line, offering unique corpse-consuming mechanics for powerful heals and buffs. Stamina Necromancers often use two-handed weapons or dual wield, focusing on disease damage and powerful ultimate generation. Magicka Necromancers excel as damage dealers or healers, utilizing their undead minions and powerful area-of-effect spells. They are known for their unique resource management and powerful ultimate abilities.