The Best Classes For DPS In Elder Scrolls Online

The Best Classes For DPS In Elder Scrolls Online

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt, I can confidently say that The Elder Scrolls Online has come a long way since its humble beginnings. With the tenth anniversary upon us, it’s the perfect time for newcomers and veterans alike to delve into the rich world of Tamriel.


As The Elder Scrolls Online marks its tenth anniversary, it presents an ideal opportunity for both newcomers and returning players to delve into the realm of Tamriel. DPS classes offer a straightforward entry point to immerse yourself in the multitude of side-quests and PvE dungeons available, but with the addition of the seventh Arcanist class, the game has significantly expanded beyond its initial four standard RPG character types.

Since DPS is the most accessible role in the game, just about every class has viability to fill this niche, unlike the roles of tank or healer, but there are absolutely certain classes that produce higher damage output than others, which can be essential for PvP or certain group dungeons. It’s important to note that going with the class that simply appeals to players the most will be all that’s necessary to survive in overworld play, but for those looking to play DPS in Trials or PvP, here are the some of the more (and less) viable classes.

7 Necromancer

Situational Play And Muddled Abilities Make This Class Hard To Master

In the gaming world, the character known as The Necromancer, introduced via the expansion pack Elsweyr due to popular demand, has not made a significant impact in the arena of Trials and Player versus Player (PvP) combat. The core ability of this character revolves around enemy corpses, which are generated through abilities like Blightbones and Bone Armor, but unfortunately, they struggle during one-on-one battles against boss enemies.

At advanced gameplay stages, while it’s possible to optimize the Necromancer, other character classes often demonstrate superior damage-dealing capabilities.

6 Nightblade

Nightblade Lacks Utility At Higher Levels Of Play

The Nightblade is remarkably adaptable, boasting an impressive range of options in both magicka and stamina-centric playstyles. Moreover, their ability to inflict status effects on opponents frequently allows them to overcome foes that are stronger than they are.

In the game ESO, Nightblades struggle to find their place in Trials and group dungeons compared to other classes that excel in ranged attacks, area-of-effect damage, or sustained damage over time effects. While they have a variety of skills, their limited utility and lack of versatility make mastering them as a DPS class challenging.

5 Warden

Recent Nerfs Have Been Unkind To This Class

In one of the major updates to date for ESO (European Southern Observatory), the Warden class stands out as a versatile all-rounder, capable of excelling in roles such as DPS, Tank, or Healer. Their summoned creatures and Frost abilities make them formidable fighters, delivering both instant and sustained damage effects. Moreover, skills like Lotus Blossom enable the Warden to steal health, providing them with outstanding utility regardless of their role.

Lately, the Warden’s ability to deal damage, particularly with the Winter’s Embrace skill set, has been limited due to adjustments made. Skills like Arctic Blast, which were once dependable, are now dealing less damage. As a result, the Warden’s role as a primary DPS (Damage Per Second) character is being questioned and surpassed by other classes that offer more consistent damage output.

4 Templar

Good Weapon Synergy And Solid Skills

Templar characters possess a dependable array of straightforward, heavy-hitting abilities. Notably, Stamina Templars are famed for their exceptional capacity to dish out massive damage and stand their ground against formidable foes encountered in challenging game trials.

Although the straightforward nature of “One-Bar Templars” limits their effectiveness in various situations, this limited adaptability doesn’t entirely undermine their damage-per-second (DPS) performance compared to other classes, but it does place those alternative classes at an advantage.

3 Dragon Knight

Strong Abilities With An Emphasis On Survivability

In the world of Elder Scrolls Online (ESO), Dragon Knights are consistently recognized as a dependable source of damage per second (DPS). Over numerous updates and adjustments in ESO, the Dragon Knight has proven to be a highly reliable main character with a strong focus on weapon skill harmony and durability.

DPS characters in the game can adopt the Earthen Heart playstyle to maintain a balance between their strong attacks and robust defenses, bolstered by protective buffs. When it comes to close-combat DPS characters, the Dragon Knight is tough to surpass.

2 Sorcerer

Strong, Sustained Output With Summons And Ranged Attacks

As the formidable foundation of DPS, these characters are known as Sorcerers. They primarily use ancient summons and potent lightning attacks to annihilate their foes. Abilities such as Hurricane provide a strong area-of-effect attack and damage resistance boost for stamina-based sorcerers.

In the Sorcerer class, players should pay close attention to the passive abilities associated with each skill set. For instance, abilities like “Energized” and “Amplitude” significantly impact a player’s character, transforming them into a potent glass cannon. This glass cannon focus is primarily on either debilitating single enemies or area-of-effect attacks (AOEs), based on the specific build chosen by the player.

1 Arcanist

ESO’s Newest Class Has Unrivaled DPS Potential

The Arcanist offers effortless functionality and high-impact damage potential across all gameplay situations. Even when not fully optimized, an Arcanist can rival top-tier PvE combat performance due to a robust skillset focusing on debilitating enemies, offering support, and boosting ranged damage effectiveness.

In the world of ESO, the skill called Fatecarver has significantly changed the way damage is inflicted, making it a key factor in dealing maximum damage. This ability is among the numerous specialized tools for controlling the battlefield that Arcanists currently use to reach their peak DPS potential.

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2024-09-06 17:34