The Elder Scrolls Online operates in an odd sphere. The user interface and skill usage are stripped back compared to other MMOs to accommodate its playability on consoles, but this means that selecting a suitable class and build is all the more pertinent. More akin to Guild Wars 2 than games like World of Warcraft which allow numerous bars and hotkeys to access any ability available to a particular class and spec, ESO players have to deal with no more than half a dozen at a time.
Most classes in the game offer something of a melee option based around Stamina DPS builds, but some are considerably more effective than others. While the decision of which to select can be affected by a new player’s intended focus, be it PvE or PvP, there are stand-out choices that work in all regards and offer the ability to pivot at any time if a chosen path does not play out as desired.
The Elder Scrolls Online’s Templar Is A Satisfying, If Simple, Powerhouse
Templars are a uniquely friendly class for beginners regardless of which specific build players choose to focus on. They have several abilities deal pretty inordinate amounts of damage and restore health during combat. This utility means that, from an early level, Templars can take on difficult foes due to their high levels of sustainability. Regarding where the class ranks overall, they are at or near the top of the tree for healers, great straight damage dealers, and good (if not exceptional) quality tanks.
Stamina Templar builds specifically are focused on two areas, with dual-wield the better option for PvE and two-handed weapons the stand-out choice for PvP. A bow can able be used to initiate damage early before moving on to signature high-damage abilities like Biting Jabs (which, like other stamina abilities, scales with stamina level and weapon damage). Based on the use of the light, Templars have multiple DPS abilities that rank at the very top of the tree, with skills like deadly cloak offering great area-of-effect and Ultimate abilities like Flawless Dawnbreaker dealing massive damage in challenging fights.
Templars also have many gear options throughout, all of which work to make the class more potent. Many of these are lootable from some of ESO’s more memorable encounters, a happy coincidence that makes grinding for the best gear feel more worthwhile. Equally, some very viable beginner pieces are craftable, including Night Mother’s gaze. There are also a number of good skills which can be gained from the game’s various guilds, to add some variation to the experience.
ESO’s Warden Offers A Great Alternative For More Damage And Less Sustain
On the face of it, Stamina Wardens are very similar to Templars, as both use dual-wield with medium armor and a bow for secondary hotbar skills. In this case, though, where AoE damage and sustain are lost, single-target DPS benefits from a boost. Many sensible gear choices also remain the same, with elements like Night Mother’s Gaze and Hunding’s Rage weapons sound options for newer players earlier in the game.
Wardens are centered around maximizing damage in any scenario, and many of their abilities damage multiple enemies by the endgame (offering good clearance for PvE encounters). Growing Swarm and Shrouded Daggers initially hit one target before moving to nearby characters and causing further chaos. At the same time, Subterranean Assault deals massive damage to enemies in front of the caster. Lastly, the Wild Guardian ultimate summons a vast and intensely powerful grizzly bear which is always fun in any scenario.
Whichever class players choose, the great advantage of The Elder Scrolls Online is that most classes can be played in most ways and all feel very reminiscent of playing through the single-player titles. As with any MMO, questions of viability are key. However, with the right gear and intimate knowledge of a build perfected throughout leveling to 50 and then subsequently through the Champion Points system, questioning which will be helpful way down the line is not particularly helpful. New players starting out in the world of Tamriel for the first time, should start by playing how they wish to before calculating whether they fit into the game’s meta in the most efficient sense.
About The Author
