Advice for New Adventurers

The Elder Scrolls Online (TESO) brings the world and lore of Elder Scrolls into a persistent, massively multiplayer game. Players assume the role of the Vestige as they’re broken out of a Coldharbour prison by the Prophet. This leads players into the continent of Tamriel. Here, a long, tireless adventure offers hundreds of hours of gameplay, which ultimately leads the player back to an attack on Coldharbour.

A new chapter called Morrowind offers a new story that takes place on the island of Vvardenfell, located in the northeast corner of Tamriel. Create a character in The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind to begin a new tutorial, Broken Bonds, aboard a ship off the western coast of the zone.

Instead of a selection of servers to pick from, TESO offers one megaserver located in North America and another in Europe for each platform: PC, Xbox One, and PS4. Either megaserver can be selected, but characters cannot be transferred between them. This allows all local players to reside on the same server, which means you won’t get stuck having to select a server separate from your friends.

In order to facilitate having everyone on the megaserver, players are split into shards, or copies, of the same world. This means you may never see your buddies, but forming a group guarantees that everyone remains together. As populations increase, more copies are made; as people log off, players are migrated onto more populated worlds. Because of this migration, the world always appears populated.

Tamriel story

Next, select from three alliances: the Aldmeri Dominion, Daggerfall Covenant, and Ebonheart Pact. While the Morrowind story is unaffected by your choice, the main Tamriel story line is different for each faction. This story line is found by travelling from Vvardenfell to a distant land, which is based on alliance.

The Aldmeri Dominion play through zones in the southwest, including Auridon, Grahtwood, and Reaper’s March. The Daggerfall Covenant are found in the northwest as they work their way from Glenumbra to Bangkorai. The Ebonheart Pact are located in the northeast, questing from Stonefalls to The Rift. All three end up in Coldharbour in an attack against Molag Bal.

Morrowind

Creating a new character in the new chapter of TESO, Morrowind, starts the player out in a new tutorial at Firemoth Island. The chosen alliance has no effect on where the player begins, though, when adventuring out to the rest of Tamriel, quests must be completed in the alliance’s zones.

Race

There are nine available races, with a tenth unlocked if you own the Imperial race upgrade. The race you choose affects the way your character looks and the racial skill line you receive at Level 5. Each skill line comes with an Experience boost for using a specific weapon or armor type, enhancements to specific abilities, and stat bonuses. These bonuses work well with particular classes, so consider your choices carefully.

Choice of alliance is restricted to the following races. However, if you own the Any Race, Any Alliance upgrade, you can choose any race, regardless of alliance.

Class

Select from five classes—Dragonknight, Nightblade, Sorcerer, Templar, and Warden. Each comes with three unique skill lines, with any weapon and armor available to all. Refer to our Classes and Skills sections for details on each.

Class Skill Lines

Controls

Getting comfortable with the controls is important in Elder Scrolls Online, which gives the player the choice to play in first or third person. Simply zoom in and out to switch between the two views. If playing on the computer, you also have the choice to play with a controller or keyboard. How you play is completely dependent on your comfort level. Note that the UI changes significantly between the two devices.

Controlling your character is similar to the methods of most action-and-adventure games. Use the two analog sticks, or W/A/S/D and the mouse, for movement and looking around. Important actions and attacks are mapped around the movement keys on the keyboard, giving the player quick access to most everything they need. This is also true for the controller, where these actions are placed on easily accessible buttons.

With keyboard and mouse, a dodge roll is performed by double tapping in the desired direction. This can be changed to a single key press in the settings. On a controller, you must hold block and press the jump button.

Play around with the various options to find your comfort level.

Leveling and Attributes

Once in the game, you need to start thinking about leveling your character, which requires earning Experience (XP). There are several ways to earn XP in TESO—complete quests, defeat enemies, participate in world events, and even pick locks and discover new locations. Increasing your level allows you to use more powerful gear, consume more effective items, and unlock better skills.

At each level, Attribute Points are awarded, which can be allocated to Maximum Magicka, Health, and/or Stamina. Which stat gets the upgrade depends on the type of character you wish to build and is very dependent on the skills you select. If your skills are widely Magicka- or Stamina-based, put more points into that stat. To build the ultimate Tank, increase Maximum Health as much as possible.

Refer to our Attributes and Archetypes sections for more information.

Skills

Skill Points are rewarded at each level, for completing certain quests and events, from ranking up in the Alliance War, and by collecting skyshards. These points are used to unlock new Active, Passive, and Ultimate Abilities. There are 379 total Skill Points in the game, but it will take a long time to earn and find them all. Choosing which skills to spend your well-earned points on is a difficult decision. Examining a bookshelf has a slight chance of unlocking/upgrading a weapon, armor, or crafting skill line. Refer to our Skills section for help with understanding your options.

Unlocking and Leveling Skill Lines

Champion

Upon reaching the maximum level of 50, it’s still possible to improve your character. The Champion System takes over at this point, with points rewarded immediately and by increasing your Champion Rank, which maxes out at Rank 630. Based on the type of points, they can be assigned to constellations, each with a unique selection of stat and ability bonuses. Refer to our Champions section for details on how the system functions.

Player Versus Player

When you reach Level 10, player-versus-player (PvP) combat unlocks in two locations: Cyrodiil and the Battlegrounds of Vvardenfell. Use the Activity Finder to enter either area.

The Alliance War constantly wages in Cyrodiil, located in the center of Tamriel. Lead your alliance to victory by taking over keeps and resources, stealing the opposition’s Elder Scrolls, and, ultimately, becoming the Emperor. More PvP is found in the Imperial City at the center of Cyrodiil, though the Imperial City DLC or ESO Plus membership is required. Find quests, delves, Dark Anchors, and more of the usual activities within Cyrodiil.

Also unlocked at Level 10, the Battlegrounds in Vvardenfell offers four-on-four-on-

four gameplay in three different game modes: Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and Domination. Enter the fast-paced matches for high-intensity team play.

Explore Tamriel

There’s much to experience in Tamriel—new lands to discover, quests to complete, group bosses to take part in, and much more. NPCs provide valuable services in the cities and towns of Tamriel, so feel free to seek help from them. Join a player guild and experience TESO with a group, or remain on your own—the choice is yours.