Introduced with the release of The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind, the Battlegrounds, located in the heart of Vvardenfell, offers quick, 15-minute games of Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and Domination. Three teams of four players face off at one of three battlefields: Ald Carac, the Foyada Quarry, or Ularra.
Entering a Battleground
At the Gladiator’s Quarters in Vivec City and outside each of the Battlegrounds gates, read the flyer posted on the Bulletin Board to begin a quest called “For Glory!” that leads you to Battlemaster Rivyn, who is found nearby. He rewards the player with Experience and gold after completing a Battleground.
To enter a Battleground, open the Activity Finder and navigate to Battlegrounds. Here you’ll see the option to join Battlegrounds and the current playlists available. Select the desired game to jump into the queue and continue with your game; a message notifies you when there are enough players to join the Battleground.
Select between two level ranges of 10-49 and 10-50. Characters are battle-leveled the same way as in Cyrodiil.
Gameplay
At the start of a Battleground, you’re assigned to one of three teams: Fire Drakes, Pit Daemons, or Storm Lords; there are no Alliance ties in Battlegrounds. Each team has an associated color, which corresponds to the objectives.
Battlegrounds Teams
| Team | Name | Color |
|---|---|---|
 |
Fire Drakes | Red |
 |
Pit Daemons | Green |
 |
Storm Lords | Purple |
All games in Battlegrounds last a maximum of 15 minutes, with points awarded to teams for completing the appropriate objective. Kill opposing players in Deathmatch, seize the enemy’s relic in Capture the Flag, and control Capture Points in Domination. The first team to 500 points, or the team in the lead after 15 minutes, wins the match.
Your HUD provides everything necessary to keep track of game progress:
- White chevrons on the compass keep you in contact with teammates.
- Icons for each relic and flag in the objective game modes allow you to quickly find them as they are seized and dropped.
- A scoreboard on the right side of the screen keeps track of each team’s progress. Objectives are shown above progress bars, indicating who possesses each one.
- Health bars for each teammate appear on the left for easy status updates.
Battle Roles
Tank: Absorbs damage from enemies and prevents allies from being attacked.
Healer: Heals and protects allies, keeping them alive throughout the battle.
Damage-Dealer: Focuses on dealing damage against enemies that pose a threat.
Though you don’t have much control of your team makeup, roles can be a consideration if taking a group of four players into the Battlegrounds.
Tanks are a great choice for carrying the relic or defending a Capture Point, with their uncanny ability to take punishment for lengths of time. A Healer is important in the two objective-based games, in order to keep others alive while capturing the other team’s relic or flag. DPS players are vital to racking up the kills in Team Deathmatch and grabbing an objective. Each role can be an asset no matter the mode, though it’s best to realize your strengths when entering a battle.