The Elder Scrolls Online currently has seven classes: Dragonknight, Sorcerer, Nightblade, Templar, Warden, Necromancer and Arcanist. Each class has three unique skill lines containing active, passive and ultimate abilities. Classes establish a theme and a set of tools, but they do not permanently lock you into damage, healing or tanking.
ESO classes at a glance
| Class | Signature skill lines | Core fantasy and mechanics | Typical combat feel | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragonknight | Ardent Flame; Draconic Power; Earthen Heart | Fire and poison damage over time, durable defenses and earth-based support | Close-range pressure, toughness and strong area effects | Base game |
| Sorcerer | Daedric Summoning; Dark Magic; Storm Calling | Daedric companions, shields, control and lightning damage | Ranged spellcasting, pets or a weapon-focused hybrid | Base game |
| Nightblade | Assassination; Shadow; Siphoning | Stealth, burst attacks, fear, mobility and life-draining abilities | Positioning, ambushes and resource sustain | Base game |
| Templar | Aedric Spear; Dawn’s Wrath; Restoring Light | Radiant attacks, cleansing, protection and restoration | Direct, forgiving damage and dependable support | Base game |
| Warden | Animal Companions; Green Balance; Winter’s Embrace | Beasts, nature healing and frost defenses | Flexible combat with companions, healing and control | Base game |
| Necromancer | Grave Lord; Bone Tyrant; Living Death | Corpse-based attacks, bone defenses, healing and resurrection | Preparation, corpse management and durable utility | Additional class associated with Elsweyr or a class upgrade |
| Arcanist | Herald of the Tome; Curative Runeforms; Soldier of Apocrypha | Apocryphal offense, healing and defense built around Crux | Ability sequencing: generate Crux, then spend it for improved effects | Additional class added with Necrom or a class upgrade |
Are ESO classes locked to one role?
No. Every class can be developed as a damage dealer, healer or tank, although individual classes make some play patterns feel more natural than others. Bethesda’s new-player guidance specifically describes Dragonknights as capable of healing, harming or protecting, and notes that Sorcerers can become steel-focused fighters or tanks as well as magicka characters. Your weapons, armor, skill morphs, attributes, gear and champion progression matter alongside the class.
Choose a class primarily for its abilities and theme rather than a promise that it is universally best. Balance and preferred builds can change with patches, while the underlying class identities remain useful starting points.
Which ESO class is best for a beginner?
There is no single best beginner class. A practical choice depends on what you want to do most:
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- The Fight for Tamriel Begins: Three alliances vie for control of the Empire. As these powers battle for supremacy, darker forces move to destroy the world.
- Play the Way You Like: Battle, craft, fish, steal, siege, or explore. The choice is yours to make in a persistent Elder Scrolls world.
- A Multiplayer RPG: Adventure alone, quest with friends, or join an army of hundreds in epic PVP battles.
- Tell Your Own Story: Discover the secrets of Tamriel as you quest to regain your lost soul and save the world from Oblivion.
- Templar: a straightforward option if you want obvious radiant attacks and accessible healing.
- Warden: a flexible choice for players who like nature magic, animal companions, healing and frost defenses.
- Sorcerer: a good fit for players who enjoy lightning, shields or summoned Daedric allies.
- Dragonknight: suits players who prefer durable close-range combat, fire and poison.
- Nightblade: rewards stealth, mobility, burst damage and active resource management.
- Necromancer: fits players who enjoy corpses, bone defenses and a more deliberate setup-and-payoff rhythm.
- Arcanist: is distinctive for Crux sequencing and suits players who enjoy planning ability order.
Because roles are not hard-coded, a class that matches your preferred fantasy is usually a better first choice than chasing a temporary tier list.
Dragonknight
Dragonknights combine martial techniques with draconic and earth magic through Ardent Flame, Draconic Power and Earthen Heart. Their toolkit emphasizes fire and poison damage over time, durable defenses, crowd control and group support built around earth and molten abilities.
The class is comfortable in close combat but can be configured for any role. Its identity is especially clear when you want to stand in danger, layer damage-over-time effects and protect allies with sturdy defensive tools.
Sorcerer
Sorcerers use Daedric Summoning, Dark Magic and Storm Calling. They can call Daedric followers, create protective shields, immobilize or dispel enemies and deal shock damage with lightning.
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Summons are optional rather than a requirement. A Sorcerer can be built around pets, direct spell damage, defensive shields or even weapon-based combat, making the class broader than its lightning-and-pets stereotype.
Nightblade
Nightblades draw on Assassination, Shadow and Siphoning. Their hallmark tools include stealth, burst damage, fear effects, mobility and abilities that drain enemy life to heal the Nightblade or allies.
This class rewards positioning and timing. It is an attractive choice for players who want to approach unseen, exploit an opening and convert offensive pressure into survival.
Templar
Templars wield Aedric Spear, Dawn’s Wrath and Restoring Light. Their abilities form hard-light weapons, call down sun-based attacks, cleanse harmful effects and restore health, magicka and stamina.
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- Unlimited Adventures, No Subscription Required
- The Fight for Tamriel Begins: Three alliances vie for control of the Empire. As these powers battle for supremacy, darker forces move to destroy the world.
- Play the Way You Like: Battle, craft, fish, steal, siege, or explore. The choice is yours to make in a persistent Elder Scrolls world.
- A Multiplayer RPG: Adventure alone, quest with friends, or join an army of hundreds in epic PVP battles.
- Tell Your Own Story: Discover the secrets of Tamriel as you quest to regain your lost soul and save the world from Oblivion.
Templar is the clearest match for a radiant warrior or dedicated support fantasy, but its three lines also support damage-focused and tank-oriented builds.
Warden
Wardens use Animal Companions, Green Balance and Winter’s Embrace. They summon beasts, heal through nature magic and use frost to strengthen defenses and hinder enemies.
The class works well for players who want a versatile nature theme. Its identity can shift between animal-assisted offense, restorative healing and frost-based control without abandoning the core class fantasy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Necromancer
Necromancers specialize in Grave Lord, Bone Tyrant and Living Death. They raise and exploit corpses for offensive elemental effects, create protective bone barriers, improve survivability, heal and even bring allies back from the brink.
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Necromancer is an additional class associated with Elsweyr or a separate class upgrade rather than the original base-game roster. Its abilities can also carry legal or criminal consequences in some in-game contexts, so it has a more involved identity than a conventional spellcaster.
Arcanist
Arcanists draw on Apocryphal knowledge through Herald of the Tome, Curative Runeforms and Soldier of Apocrypha. These lines cover offense, healing and defense.
Its defining mechanic is Crux: some abilities generate Crux, while others consume it for benefits such as lower costs or increased damage. Effective play therefore involves sequencing abilities rather than treating every skill as an isolated button. Arcanist was added with The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom and is an additional class.
Which classes are included in the base game?
The base-game roster contains Dragonknight, Nightblade, Sorcerer, Templar and Warden. Necromancer and Arcanist are additional classes tied to later content or class upgrades. Edition and chapter bundles differ by platform and sale, so check the specific product description to confirm that it grants the class you want.
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Eligible characters can use ESO’s subclassing system to access skill lines from other classes. The support rules require a level-50 character and the relevant achievement requirements; progression is account-wide, and a character can have up to three subclassed skill lines active at a time.
Subclassing expands a character’s options, but it does not erase the original class. Your starting class still supplies its own identity and available lines, while subclassed lines let you combine tools from different class frameworks. Requirements and implementation can change, so verify the current support documentation in-game or through Bethesda before planning a character around a specific combination.
Quick Recap
How to choose your class
- Start with the fantasy. Pick fire and earth, lightning and Daedra, stealth, radiant light, nature and frost, necromancy or Apocryphal magic.
- Decide how you like to fight. Consider close-range durability, ranged casting, stealth and burst, healing, companions or ability sequencing.
- Check ownership. Confirm whether your edition includes only the five base-game classes or also grants Necromancer and Arcanist.
- Plan for flexibility. Since every class can support multiple roles and eligible characters can subclass, do not treat your first choice as an irreversible role decision.
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