The Elder Scrolls Online lets you wander all of Tamriel with thousands of other players, from Morrowind's ashlands to the cliffs of Summerset. Combat rewards skill expression through weaving and resource management rather than gear score alone. You can level by questing, crafting, or grinding group content, and the whole map scales to you.
If you're just starting, check our beginner's guide first.
Essential Tips
1. Learn light-attack weaving in a target dummy session before you worry
About gear, it is your biggest damage source.
2. Run normal versions of dungeons first to learn mechanics
Then step up to veteran for better gear.
3. Pick a Mundus Stone that matches your build
The Thief for crit damage or The Atronach for sustain.
4. Do daily crafting writs across characters for a steady gold and material income
5. Slot only the Champion stars you can actually use
The slottable ones carry the real power.
6. Buy a cheap pre-made set from guild traders to start
Then chase trial sets later.
7. Keep a backbar weapon for damage-over-time abilities and swap to maximize uptime
8. Use the Undaunted pledges daily for monster shoulder keys and dungeon gear
9. Grind a public dungeon group spot for fast leveling when you want quick Champion Points
10. Stack your buffs and debuffs before your burst window so the big hits
Land into weakened targets.
Advanced Strategies
Build Optimization
The difference between an average build and an optimized one is massive. See our builds guide for full breakdowns.
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Focus on Champion Points combinations for maximum output.
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Core gear: Two-Handed Greatsword
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Stat priority: Offensive stats first
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Versatile approach that handles any situation.
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Core gear: Dual Wield Daggers
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Stat priority: Balanced stats
Mechanic Interactions
Understanding how The Elder Scrolls Online's systems interact is where the real optimization lives. Our combat guide covers this in detail.
Champion Points + weaving light and heavy attacks: Past level 50 you earn Champion Points that fill three constellation trees for combat, crafting, and survival. Combined with weaving light and heavy attacks, inserting a light attack between every ability, then cancelling its recovery into the next cast, raises your damage substantially.
set bonuses + Mundus Stones: Gear comes in sets that grant escalating bonuses at two, three, four, and five pieces. When paired with Mundus Stones, standing at a mundus stone grants a permanent passive like extra weapon damage or critical chance.
veteran trials scaling: Twelve-player veteran trials are the hardest PvE content, with score timers, hard-mode toggles, and unique gear. They demand coordinated weaving, mechanics handling, and a balanced group composition.
Equipment Efficiency
| Equipment | Best Use Case | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Two-Handed Greatsword | Stamina damage dealers wanting Berserker Strike | A stamina staple with a strong execute and an ultimate that buffs the whole group. |
| Dual Wield Daggers | Nightblades and stamina parsers | The highest damage stamina setup thanks to off-hand crit and fast attacks. |
| Lightning Staff | Magicka damage dealers in group content | The default magicka weapon, its heavy attack hits in an area and restores Magicka. |
| Restoration Staff | Healers in dungeons and trials | The healing weapon with ground heals, shields, and resource support for the group. |
| Bow | Stamina builds layering ranged dots | A ranged stamina backbar for damage-over-time and the Endless Hail area pressure. |
Location Efficiency
Vvardenfell (Any): The Morrowind chapter zone around Vivec City, a great place to start with strong quests and the Halls of Fabrication trial.
Summerset (Any): The high elf homeland with jewelry crafting, the Cloudrest trial, and a memorable Psijic Order questline.
Western Skyrim (Any): The Greymoor zone of vampires and harrowstorms, home to the Kyne's Aegis trial.
Elsweyr (Any): The Khajiit homeland overrun by dragons, with world-boss dragon hunts and the Sunspire trial.
Cyrodiil (Any): The massive three-faction PvP zone with keep sieges, scrolls, and open-world battles.
Pro Quick Tips
- Learn light-attack weaving in a target dummy session before you worry about gear, it is your biggest damage source.
- Run normal versions of dungeons first to learn mechanics, then step up to veteran for better gear.
- Pick a Mundus Stone that matches your build, The Thief for crit damage or The Atronach for sustain.
- Start with Sorcerer, switch to Templar when ready
- Invest in Two-Handed Greatsword above everything else
- Clear areas in order: Vvardenfell → Summerset → Western Skyrim → Elsweyr → Cyrodiil. See our maps guide
- Champion Points + weaving light and heavy attacks together are stronger than either alone
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