Major Guilds

Not to be confused with player-created guilds, there are five major NPC guilds in Elder Scrolls Online: Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, Dark Brotherhood, Thieves Guild, and the Undaunted. Joining each one unlocks a new quest line with unique rewards and skills.

Joining them all is not a bad idea, as each offers great quests, skills, and gear. But it’s best to primarily focus on the one that matches your playstyle. If melee is your thing, follow the Fighters Guild quest line. If casting spells is more your speed, find the Mages Guild. The Thieves Guild concentrates on thievery, while the Dark Brotherhood is all about assassinations. The Undaunted offers group abilities that are beneficial in dungeons.

Fighters Guild

• Availability: Base Game
• Headquarters: Major Cities
• Rank Up By: Kill Undead and Daedra, Destroy Dark Anchors
• Ultimate Ability: Dawnbreaker
• Initial Quest Giver: Talk to the Hall Steward at the Fighters Guildhall in First Major City

Quest Giver

Examine the Fighters Guild Handbill that hangs in the first city of each starting zone. It directs you to talk to the quest giver inside the local Fighters Guildhall. By simply talking to a Hall Steward, you become a member of the guild and gain access to the Fighters Guild skills.

The Fighters Guild, including Guildmaster Sees-All-Colors, can be found at the guildhall in most major cities. Their primary purpose is to hunt down Daedra and their Dark Anchors. These enormous chains are attached to a Dolmen, as Daedra pour out of the portal.

The guild’s first Passive Ability, Intimidating Presence, gives you the ability to intimidate NPCs in conversation, with a possibility of reducing the required legwork during certain quests. Earn reputation by completing daily quests offered by Cardea Gallus at Fighters Guild Halls in Elden Root, Mournhold, and Wayrest. Unlock the Bounty Hunter passive skill to unlock Bounty Quests in Cyrodiil, available at your Border Keeps.

Mages Guild

Availability: Base Game

Headquarters: Major Cities

Rank Up By: Find Lorebooks

Ultimate Ability: Meteor

Initial Quest Giver: Talk to the Magister at the Mages Guildhall in First Major City

Quest Giver

Members seek out books, tomes, and ancient scrolls across Tamriel. At your alliance’s first major city, enter the Mages Guildhall. Talking to the Magister begins their quest line and gives you access to the Mages Guild skills. The guild is joined once you speak with a Magister at any Mages Guild.

Collecting Lorebooks increases your rank in the guild. Look for the blue glow from the reading material that signifies it is a Lorebook. Even if you have not talked to the Magister, collecting one of these books places you in the Mages Guild with immediate access to the skills. Pick up the Mages Guild’s first Passive Ability, Persuasive Will, for the ability to persuade NPCs during certain conversations. Doing so may reduce the legwork of a quest. Alvur Baren, found at the Mages Guild Halls in Elden Root, Mournhold, and Wayrest, offers daily quests for the guild—a great way to earn reputation.

Dark Brotherhood

Availability: Dark Brotherhood DLC Game Pack

Headquarters: Anvil, Gold Coast

Rank Up By: Complete Quests, Contracts, and Sacraments

Initial Quest Giver: Talk to Amelie Crowe in any Outlaws Refuge, or Accept Quest on Collections Tab.

Accept the Dark Brotherhood quest line from the Collections tab, or find Amelie Crowe in any Outlaws Refuge. This sends you to Anvil on the Gold Coast, where additional quests, Litany of Blood assassinations, and Sacraments—daily repeatable quests—become available.

You must receive the Blade of Woe Passive Ability by completing Quest: Voices in the Dark before gaining access to Dark Brotherhood skills.

Interact with the Bounty Board in Anvil or Kvatch for daily quests, though reputation is not earned toward the Dark Brotherhood. The Anvil board provides delve quests, while Kvatch offers a group boss quest, with XP earned for completion.

Thieves Guild

Availability: Thieves Guild DLC Game Pack

Headquarters: Abah’s Landing, Hew’s Bane

Rank Up By: Complete Quests and Jobs

Initial Quest Giver: Talk to Quen in any Outlaws Refuge, or Accept Quest on Collections Tab.

The Thieves Guild DLC Game Pack is required to participate in the following additions. A quest line can be started directly from your Collections UI or by visiting any Outlaws Refuge and talking to Quen. Either way, the first quest, Partners in Crime, begins and access is granted to the Thieves Guild skills.

A new zone called Hew’s Bane becomes available in southern Hammerfell. It is here, within the bustling city of Abah’s Landing, where the Thieves Guild headquarters is located. Hone your pickpocketing and burglary skills with the justice system and the Thieves Guild Passive Abilities.

By joining the Thieves Guild, the player gains access to Thieves Troves, located throughout Tamriel. The valuables inside these small chests are the property of Tamriel citizens. Therefore, a petty crime is committed if a witness is present, and the items must be fenced or laundered.

Note that even if you have not started the first quest, simply picking up a Thieves Trove causes you to join the Thieves Guild, and the skill line instantly becomes available. Earn reputation towards the guild by completing larceny quests, available in the Thieves Den. Heists, guild jobs, and Rye’s Reacquisitions are repeatable quests available to members of the guild.

The Undaunted

Availability: Base Game

Headquarters: Major Cities

Rank Up By: Explore Dungeons, Complete Pledges

Initial Quest Giver: Dependent on Alliance, Found in Local Tavern

Though not one of the four major guilds, the Undaunted do offer quests and a skill line. After you talk to the initial quest giver, the next quest is One of the Undaunted, which challenges you to enter a nearby Group Instance. After discovering the dungeon, return to the quest giver to gain access to the Undaunted skills. This quest is also available outside the first dungeons. Reach Level 45 to unlock Undaunted daily quests with Veteran level dungeons introduced at Level 50.

Earn the “This One’s On Me” Achievement by buying drinks for your Undaunted companions at each location.

Talk to Bolgrul at the Undaunted Enclave in Elden Root, Mournhold, or Wayrest for Undaunted daily quests.