ESO RACE GUIDE
WHICH RACE IS THE BEST FOR YOUR CHARACTER?
As noted on the Starting Guide page there are 9 Base Races in ESO & if you have the Imperial Edition there are 10. Each Race has its own set of Passive Traits that will help you with everything from Levelling Skills to Sustaining Resources.
Based on the Passives for each Race, some will be more efficient with certain Classes. Even though any Race & Class can run any role, Race / Class combinations can help determine what role a Character is best suited for in group content.
The information below below provides a quick reference point for overall Race information & the best combinations based on Race & Class.
BREAKDOWN BY CLASS
DRAGON KNIGHT: Nord, Dunmer, Orsimer, Imperial.
NIGHTBLADE: Bosmer, Dunmer, Khajiit, Redguard, Imperial.
SORCERER: Altmer, Breton.
TEMPLAR: Altmer, Argonian, Redguard (Stam), Imperial.
WARDEN: Bosmer, Khajiit.
NECROMANCER: Argonian, Altmer, Breton.
ALTMER (HIGH ELF)
The High Elves or Altmer, come from the island of Summerset & are considered to be the Ancestors of most other Elvish Races in Tamriel. They are a proud people and consider themselves more civilized than other Races.
Many of the Passives for the Altmer Race focus on Magicka or Spell Damage as they are considered the best magic users in Tamriel. Classes they excel at include Templar & Sorcerer (Sorc), but they would do well as any Magicka based Class due to their Racial Passives.
High Born – This Passive will increase the Experience you gain with the Destruction Staff Skill by 15% as well as increasing your overall Experience Gain by 1%.
Spell Recharge – When you activate an Ability, you restore 625 Magicka or Stamina, based on whichever is lowest. This effect can occur once every 6 seconds. When you are using an ability with a Channel or Cast time, you take 5% less damage.
Syrabane’s Boon – Increases your Maximum Magicka by 2000.
Elemental Talent – Increases your Weapon Damage and Spell Damage by 258.
High Elves can run as any Role but are best suited as DPS or Healers.
ARGONIANS
Argonians are a Reptilian Race that live in the Black Marsh Region of Tamriel, consisting of Shadowfen and Murkmire in ESO. They are known for their Disease & Poison Resistance & are the only Race in Tamriel that did not come from Men or Mer.
Argonians Worship the Hist & believe that they all came from & will one day return to it. Many of their Passives focus on multiple Resources, making them well suited for any Class, but they are especially well suited for Magicka based Classes like Necromancer and Templar.
Amphibian – Increases your Experience Gain with the Restoration Staff Skill line by 15%. Increases your swimming speed by 50%.
Life Mender – Increases your Healing Done by 6%.
Argonian Resistance – Increases your Maximum Health by 1000 & your Disease & Poison Resistance by 2310.
Resourceful – Increases your Maximum Magicka & Maximum Stamina by 1000. When you drink a Potion, you restore 3125 Health, Magicka, & Stamina.
Because of their Passives, Argonians make excellent Healers, but can also inflict some serious DPS.
BOSMER (WOOD ELVES)
The Wood Elves, or Bosmer, live in the area of Tamriel known as Valenwood. This land includes Grahtwood, Greenshade, Malabar Tor & Reapers March. The Bosmer are known for being great Archers & for following the “Green Pact”, which was a pact made between them & Y’ffre that Prohibits Certain Activities & allows them to only consume meat. The Classes that Bosmer excel at are Warden & Nightblade, however they are well suited for any Stamina based Class.
Acrobat – Increases your Experience Gain with the Bow Skill Line by 15%. Decreases your fall damage taken by 10%.
Hunter’s Eye – Increases your Stealth Detection Radius by 3 meters. Increases your Movement Speed by 5% & your Physical & Spell Penetration by 950.
Y’ffre’s Endurance – Increases your Stamina Recovery by 258.
Resist Affliction – Increases your Maximum Stamina by 2000 & your Disease & Poison Resistance by 2310.
Bosmer are well suited for Stamina DPS, but they also make great Tanks.
BRETON
Bretons live in the High Rock region of Tamriel, & they are descendants of Elves & Nords. They are known for having an affinity for Magic & make very good Spell Casters. Because of this, Bretons make good Sorcerers and Templars, but can shine with any Magicka based Class.
Opportunist – Increases the Experience Gained with the Light Armor Skill Line by 15% & increases Alliance Points gained by 1%.
Gift of Magnus – Increases your Maximum Magicka by 2000.
Spell Attunement – Increases your Spell Resistance by 2310. This effect is doubled if you are afflicted with Burning, Chilled, or Concussed. Increases your Magicka Recovery by 130.
Magicka Mastery – Reduces the Magicka Cost of your abilities by 7%.
Due to Resistances & Magicka bonuses, Bretons are good at any role, but can really shine as Magicka DPS.
DUNMER (DARK ELVES)
Dark Elves, or Dunmer, live in the Morrowind Region of Tamriel. This area consists of Vvardenfell, Stonefalls, Bal Foyen & Deshaan in ESO. The Dunmer are known for being reclusive & see themselves as superior to other Races in Tamriel. They are very hardy and have an affinity with both Magicka & Stamina, making them well suited for any Play Style & Class. That being said, Dunmer makes very strong Nightblades & Dragon Knights due to their Passive Skills.
Ashlander – Increases the Experience Gained with the Dual Wield Skill Line by 15% and decreases damage taken by environmental lava by 50%.
Dynamic – Increases your Maximum Magicka & Maximum Stamina by 1910.
Resist Flame – Increases your Flame Resistance by 4620.
Ruination – Increases your Weapon Damage and Spell Damage by 258.
Dunmer can run as any Role, but they are best suited for DPS.
KHAJIIT
Khajiit are a beast Race that comes from Elsweyr. They are known for being Stealthy & as a result make excellent Thieves & Assassins. They are also known for using Moon Sugar to make Skooma & are distrusted by many other Races in Tamriel because of this & the perception that all Khajiit are Thieves. Racial Passives make them well suited for the Nightblade Class, but they also perform well in any Stamina based build.
Cutpurse – Increases your Experience Gain with the Medium Armor Skill Line by 15%. Increases your chance to successfully pickpocket by 5%.
Robustness – Increases your Health Recovery by 100 & your Stamina & Magicka Recovery by 85.
Lunar Blessings – Increase your Maximum Health, Magicka, & Stamina by 915.
Feline Ambush – Increases your Critical Damage & Critical Healing by 12%. Decreases your detection radius in Stealth by 3 Meters.
Khajiit make great healers & DPS, but can run successfully as any Role.
NORD
The Nord Race live mostly in the Skyrim Area of Tamriel which is made up of The Rift, East March, & Western Skyrim in ESO. They are known for being hardy & having a great resistance to the cold, as well as being some of the Toughest Warriors in all of Tamriel.
Because of their Passives, Nords make great Dragon Knights.
Reveler – Increases the experience gained in the Two Handed skill line by 15% and increases the duration of any consumed drink by 15 minutes.
Resist Frost – Increases your Maximum Health by 1000 & Frost Resistance by 4620.
Stalwart – Increases your Maximum Stamina by 1500. When you take damage, you gain 5 Ultimate. This effect can occur once every 10 seconds.
Rugged – Increases your Physical Resistance and Spell Resistance by 2600.
Because of the resistance increases & Stamina boost, Nords make great Tanks but can run as any Role if the Build is good.
ORCS (ORSIMER)
Orcs, or Orsimer, live primarily in the mountainous region of Western Tamriel with Orsinium in Wrothgar being their Central Location. They are known for being very good Craftsmen & Strong Warriors. Because their Passives focus on Stamina & Health, Orcs make great Dragon Knights.
Craftsman – Increases the Experience Gained on the Heavy Armor Skill Line by 15% & increases inspiration gained in Crafting Skill Lines by 10%.
Brawny – Increase Maximum Stamina by 1000
Unflinching Rage – Increases your Maximum Health by 1000. When you deal damage, you heal for 2125 Health. This can occur once every 4 seconds.
Swift Warrior – Increases your Weapon Damage & Spell Damage by 258. Reduces the cost of Sprint by 12% and increases the Movement Speed bonus of Sprint by 10%.
Orcs make great Tanks & Stamina DPS.
REDGUARD
Redguards live in Hammerfell, which includes the Alik’r Desert, Bangkorai, Craglorn & Hew’s Bane in ESO. They are known for their great Prowess as Warriors due to their conquest of Hammerfell. Redguards do well in any Stamina Class, but really fit well as Nightblade & Stamina Templar.
Wayfarer – Increases your Experience Gain with the One Hand & Shield Skill Line by 15%. Increases the duration of any eaten food by 15 minutes.
Martial Training – Reduces the cost of your weapon abilities by 8%. Reduces the effectiveness of snares applied to you by 15%.
Conditioning – Increases your Maximum Stamina by 2000.
Adrenaline Rush – When you deal damage, you restore 1005 Stamina. This effect can occur once every 5 seconds.
Because of their Passives & ability as fighters, Redguards make great Stamina DPS, but can run as any Role with a decent set up.
IMPERIAL
The Imperial Race is purchasable in the Crown Store & is not available by default. Imperials live in Cyrodiil & are known for their strict adherence to the Rule of Law, Discipline & Training of their Armies. Their Passives make them good at any Class, but the main focus on Stamina makes them best suited for Templar, Dragon Knight or Nightblade.
Diplomat – Increases your Experience Gain with the One Hand & Shield Skill Line by 15%. Increases your gold gained by 1%.
Tough – Increase Maximum Health by 2000.
Imperial Mettle – Increase Maximum Stamina by 2000.
Red Diamond – Decreases the cost of all your abilities by 6%.
Imperial can run as any Role, with Stamina DPS or Tank being what suits them best.
