The MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online (PC, PS4, Xbox One) offers a variety of races and classes for every taste. In your choice, you are hardly restricted. In this guide, we want to give you some recommendations on which race might suit your playstyle.
The races in the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) all come with individual strengths and weaknesses. These support the players through passive skills that you can level up during gameplay.
These are the 10 playable races in ESO:
- Bretons
- Redguards
- Orcs (Orsimer)
- High Elves (Altmer)
- Wood Elves (Bosmer)
- Khajiit
- Argonians
- Dark Elves (Dunmer)
- Nords
- Imperials (must be purchased)
In a survey, you told us which of these 10 races is your favorite. They are divided into three alliances. Thus, you are limited to your choice. The Imperials are an exception; their race is independent.
If you are a pre-order customer or have purchased the “Away from Home” item in the Crown store, you can play any race with any alliance.
Ultimately, it comes down to what appeals to you visually and personally. You can also choose your race freely. These recommendations are meant to provide some additional advantages in ESO. Additionally, we have put together suggestions for which classes might provide the right combination for your race.
The differences for DDs: If you choose to play as a damage dealer in ESO, you can choose from two different paths. Different races are recommended for a Magicka build compared to a Stamina build.
Which race is best for Magicka DDs?
If you want to deal Magicka damage, the High Elves, Dark Elves, and Bretons are a good choice. The first two races excel with their increased Magicka and Spell Power. The Bretons are just slightly behind.
The High Elves (Altmer)
The High Elf race has a high affinity for magic. As a result, you gain a bonus to your Magicka and Spell Power, positively affecting your damage as a Magicka DD. Additionally, you have higher resource regeneration. When casting spells, you regain Stamina or Magicka, with the latter being more relevant as a Magicka DD.
Here are the passive abilities in detail:
- Born to be High: Increases your experience gain; increases experience gain with Destruction Staff
- Magicka Recovery: When casting a class skill, you regain Magicka or Stamina, depending on which value is lower. This can proc every 6 seconds. Reduces the damage you take when you use a skill with casting time or a focused skill.
- Syrabann’s Blessing: Increases your maximum Magicka
- Elemental Talent: Enhances your Spell Power
Good race-class combinations: High Elves are best suited for Magicka DDs. Since you can play every class as a Magicka build, you have a great selection here. Examples of recommended classes include Sorcerer, Necromancer, or Dragonknight. The Magicka Sorcerer is also a good choice if you prefer to successfully solo through dungeons.
The Dark Elves (Dunmer)
This race possesses high intelligence and agility. As a Magicka DD, your focus is mainly on intelligence, particularly the increased Magicka resource and Spell Power.
As Dark Elves, you gain increased resistance to fire damage, which can be advantageous in a vampire playstyle. They are also well-suited for hybrid playstyles since you can increase both Spell and Weapon Power. This way, you can easily play as both a Magicka DD and Stamina DD without needing to switch races.
Here are the passive abilities in detail:
- Ashlander: Increases experience gain with dual wielding, decreases damage taken from lava
- Dynamic: Increases your maximum Magicka and Stamina
- Flame Resistance: Increases your flame resistance, grants immunity to burning
- Overwhelm: Increases your Spell and Weapon Power
Good race-class combinations: Dark Elves provide you benefits for both Magicka and Stamina DDs. A powerful class for both playstyles is the Necromancer. You can also play only Magicka and look at Templars, Sorcerers, or Dragonknights.
The Bretons
The Bretons have an innate talent for the arcane. They provide increased Magicka and Magicka regeneration, making life easier for you as a Magicka DD. More Magicka and higher regeneration automatically mean more spells and hence more damage.
Here are the passive abilities in detail:
- Opportunist: Increases experience gain with light armor, increases the Alliance points you earn
- Gift of Magnus: Increases your maximum Magicka
- Magical Affinity: Increases your magic resistance and Magicka regeneration
- Magicka Mastery: Reduces the Magicka costs of your skills
Good race-class combinations: Bretons offer great advantages for Magicka classes, while Stamina specializations do not offer any advantages. Good Magicka DDs are Sorcerers and Dragonknights. And with a Magicka Templar, you can easily solo through content as a Breton.
Which race is best for Stamina DDs?
If you prefer to deal Stamina damage, Orcs, Redguards, Khajiit, and Dark Elves are a good choice. You may also consider Wood Elves, especially if you want to play a stealth class like Nightblades.
The Orcs (Orsimer)
A people from the mountains, hardened by their harsh environment. This grants you a bonus to heavy armor and weapon use. Additionally, you can sprint better and have more Weapon Power. There are also extra health and stamina boosts. All these traits make Orcs optimal Stamina DDs.
Here are the passive abilities in detail:
- Craftsman: Increases experience gain with heavy armor, increases your inspiration gain in crafting
- Muscly: Increases your maximum Stamina
- Unyielding Rage: Increases your maximum health. When you use a weapon skill, you heal yourself, which can proc every 4 seconds.
- Rapid Warrior: Increases your Weapon Power, reduces your costs, and increases your sprinting speed
Good race-class combinations: With an Orc, you play best as a tough melee character with a Stamina build. Here you can look closely at the Dragonknight class. Also, consider Templar or Warden.
The Redguards
This people has a long tradition as sword masters. You gain a bonus in using one-handed weapons and shields, more base stamina and stamina regeneration. Together with the increased movement speed, these are good prerequisites for a Stamina DD.
Here are the passive abilities in detail:
- Traveler: Increases experience gain with one-handed weapon and shield, increases the duration of consumed foods
- Combat Training: Reduces the costs of weapon skills, decreases the effectiveness of slowdowns
- Hardening: Increases your maximum Stamina
- Adrenaline Rush: When dealing direct damage, you restore Stamina. This can happen every 5 seconds.
Good race-class combinations: The Redguards with their sword skills are especially well-suited as Nightblades or Dragonknights, both with a Stamina build. You regenerate your resources excellently, which is an advantage for fast classes like Nightblades.
The Khajiit
A feline people with natural versatility and agility. They can sneak better, which is advantageous for pickpocketing. Additionally, with this race, you gain a bonus to resource regeneration, more health, Magicka, and Stamina. They are specialized in medium armor and provide a good foundation for a Stamina DD.
Here are the passive abilities in detail:
- Pickpocket: Increases experience gain with medium armor, increases the chance of successful pickpocketing
- Robustness: Increases your health, Magicka, and Stamina regeneration
- Moon Blessing: Increases your maximum health, maximum Magicka, and maximum Stamina
- Feline Ambush: Increases the rating for critical magic and weapon hits, decreases the detection radius while sneaking
Good race-class combinations: The Khajiit are perfect for Necromancers, Nightblades, and Templars focused on Stamina. Their bonus to sneaking makes them a natural fit for the Nightblade. Their enhanced resource regeneration also helps.
The Dark Elves (Dunmer)
This race possesses high intelligence and agility. As a Stamina DD, the bonus for dual-wielding is particularly interesting. Additionally, you have an increased stamina resource and more Weapon Power.
As Dark Elves, you gain increased resistance to fire damage, which can be advantageous in a vampire playstyle. They are also well-suited for hybrid playstyles since you can increase both Spell and Weapon Power. This way, you can easily play as both a Magicka DD and Stamina DD without needing to switch races.
Here are the passive abilities in detail:
- Ashlander: Increases experience gain with dual wielding, decreases damage taken from lava
- Dynamic: Increases your maximum Magicka and Stamina
- Flame Resistance: Increases your flame resistance, grants immunity to burning
- Overwhelm: Increases your Spell and Weapon Power
Good race-class combinations: Dark Elves benefit you as both Magicka and Stamina classes. A class that does both very well is the Necromancer. However, as Sorcerer or Nightblade, you will also perform well.
The Wood Elves (Bosmer)
The Bosmer are best suited as Stamina DDs. They specialize in the use of bows. Their racial skills make them highly agile. During dodges, you gain bonuses, keeping you rolling most of the time, avoiding detection while being rewarded.
Here are the passive abilities in detail:
- Acrobat: Increases experience gain with bows, reduces your fall damage
- Hunter’s Insight: Increases your detection radius, increases your running speed, physical and spell penetration after a dodge roll
- Y’ffre’s Endurance: Increases your Stamina regeneration
- Innate Resistance: Increases your maximum Stamina and poison resistance. Grants immunity to poisoning
Good race-class combinations: The optimal choice for a Wood Elf is Nightblade. This combination is especially good because of the bonus to sneaking. Otherwise, you can also choose other Stamina classes, but should always consider the use of a bow.
Which race is best for healers?
If you want to heal in ESO, the Bretons, High Elves, and Argonians are a great choice.
The Bretons
The Bretons have an innate talent for the arcane. They provide increased Magicka and Magicka regeneration. In addition, skill costs are reduced. More Magicka and higher regeneration enable you to perform better as a healer. You can apply more skills and thus heal more.
Here are the passive abilities in detail:
- Opportunist: Increases experience gain with light armor, increases the Alliance points you earn
- Gift of Magnus: Increases your maximum Magicka
- Magical Affinity: Increases your magic resistance and Magicka regeneration
- Magicka Mastery: Reduces the Magicka costs of your skills
Good race-class combinations: As healers, you play with Magicka, which is why Bretons are a good choice. Suitable classes include Dragonknights, Necromancers, and Templars.
The High Elves (Altmer)
This race possesses a high affinity for magic. This gives you a bonus to your Magicka and Spell Power. You also have a higher resource regeneration. With these three additional skills, you are well-equipped as a healer. You can perform significant healing.
Here are the passive abilities in detail:
- Born to be High: Increases your experience gain, increases experience gain with Destruction Staff
- Magicka Recovery: When casting a class skill, you regain Magicka or Stamina, depending on which value is lower. This can proc every 6 seconds. Also reduces your received damage when using a skill with casting time or a focused skill.
- Syrabann’s Blessing: Increases your maximum Magicka
- Elemental Talent: Enhances your Spell Power
Good race-class combinations: Their power in dealing with Magicka makes High Elves very good healers. For this, you can look at the classes Templar, Necromancer, or Dragonknight. But Sorcerers are also worth a look.
The Argonians
This lizard-like race has perfectly adapted to life in the swamp. As a result, they have more base health and Magicka. They also receive more healing. Their proficiency with healing staves has improved. Due to their toughness and bonus to healing, they are optimal for this role.
Here are the passive abilities in detail:
- Amphibious: Increases experience gain with healing staves, increases your swimming speed
- Life Giver: Increases your healing done
- Argonian Resistance: Increases your maximum health and your disease resistance, grants immunity to diseases
- Resourceful: Increases your maximum Magicka. When you take a tank with you, health, Magicka, and Stamina are restored.
Good race-class combinations: Argonians benefit significantly as healers from their racial skills. Suitable classes here include Sorcerers, Necromancers, and Dragonknights. But Templars also fit well with Argonians.
Which race is best for tanks?
If you want to stand front line and tank in ESO, the Nords, Argonians, and Imperials are good races to choose from.
The Nords
The Nords are born warriors and provide a bonus to two-handed weapons. They also have a higher duration for drinks consumed. They possess increased resistances to physical and magical damage. Additionally, they have a larger pool of health and Stamina. These qualities make them suitable tanks.
Here are the passive abilities in detail:
- Drunkard: Increases experience gain with two-handed weapons, increases the duration of consumed drinks
- Frost Resistance: Increases your maximum health and cold resistance, grants immunity to freezing
- Steadfast: Increases your maximum Stamina. When you take damage, you gain ultimate power. This can occur every 10 seconds.
- Toughened: Increases your physical resistance and magical resistance
Good race-class combinations: The Nords are among the best races for tanks. Suitable classes mainly include Nightblades and Dragonknights. But the Warden is also worth considering.
The Argonians
This lizard-like race has perfectly adapted to life in the swamp. As a result, they have more base health and Magicka. They receive more healing. Their disease resistance and potion usage have also improved. Argonians are tough and restore resources when consuming potions. This makes them resilient and good tanks.
Here are the passive abilities in detail:
- Amphibious: Increases experience gain with healing staves, increases your swimming speed
- Life Giver: Increases your healing done
- Argonian Resistance: Increases your maximum health and your disease resistance, grants immunity to diseases
- Resourceful: Increases your maximum Magicka. When you take a tank with you, health, Magicka, and Stamina are restored.
Good race-class combinations: Argonians are also a good choice for tanks due to their stats, resistances, and potions. Classes like Dragonknights and Nightblades are suitable.
The Imperials
The Imperials are a race that you must acquire through the “Imperial Edition”. They are outcasts and can freely choose their allegiance to the three alliances. They specialize in health and stamina. With them, you receive a bonus to one-handed weapon and shield use, making them good for tanking.
Here are the passive abilities in detail:
- Diplomat: Increases experience gain with one-handed weapon and shield, increases earned gold
- Tough: Increases your maximum health
- Imperial Zeal: Increases your maximum Stamina
- Red Diamond: Reduces the costs of all your skills. When dealing direct damage, you heal yourself and restore Stamina and Magicka. This can happen every 5 seconds.
Good race-class combinations: You must purchase the Imperials first. However, they are a good choice for tanks. Here you can look at the classes Dragonknight and Nightblade. Both fit particularly well due to the bonus to one-handed weapon and shield.
What race performs best in PvP?
In PvP, it all depends on your playstyle. Making a recommendation on class and race is particularly difficult. It also makes a difference what you want to play. You can engage in duels, small-scale, or large group PvP.
In PvP, it is more important that you play a class that you are very proficient with. Other players are less predictable than regular enemies. Thus, you should adapt your race according to your desired class.
What classes are best for each playstyle have been compiled separately for you. There you will find suggestions for both DD types, tanks, and healers.
