What are the best classes in Elder Scrolls Online (ESO)?

Elder Scrolls Online lets players explore the legendary land of Tamriel, from Skyrim to Shadowfen and from Morrowind to Summerset. There are seven classes available in the game and each comes with its own abilities and theme. From the holy healing of the Templar to the dark magic of the Necromancer, ESO has a class for every player.

To add another layer of possibility and buildcrafting, ESO also offers a slew of different weapon abilities, which go hand-in-hand with class abilities to make for a diverse selection. The Restoration Staff, for instance, lets every class heal—though some will have an easier time, especially in endgame content.

What are the best classes in Elder Scrolls Online (ESO)?

Balancing in ESO isn’t particularly skewed toward any class and players can clear all sorts of content in the game with whatever race/class combination they want to. If you don’t have an idea of what role you want to take and are looking to play casually, pick whichever class feels more appealing, particularly if this is your first character. Having a class you enjoy playing is worth more than being stuck with a class you dislike.

Generally, though, some classes are better than others at specific roles. This doesn’t mean you can’t clear the Hard Mode on Veteran Dread Cellar with a Templar Tank, as content creator Deltia showed, but some classes will have an easier time.

If you’ve decided you want to specialize, though, these classes are a bit ahead of the alternatives in their roles.

• Best classes for healing: Templar, Warden, Necromancer
• Best classes for tanking: Dragonknight, Warden, Arcanist
• Best classes for damage: Really, pick whichever feels more appealing to you if you’re starting out. The scales don’t really tip in any class’s favor here. Warden, Dragonknight, and Sorcerer seem to get better results, but DPS calculations in ESO are convoluted since they rely heavily on build and rotations.