Category: Best ESO Builds, Best Arcanist Builds, Best Dragonknight Builds, Best Nightblade Builds, Tank Builds, Best Subclassing Builds
Welcome to my Ultimate Subclassing Tank build for The Elder Scrolls Online! With access to many powerful buffs and debuffs this build will be an outstanding addition to any dungeon or trials group in ESO!
Best Subclassing Tank Sets
Our main 5 piece set on this build is Saxhleel Champion, which provides an extremely option for Major Force, greatly increasing our group’s Critical Damage output. This procs off Ultimate casts, which we do quite frequently now thanks to subclassing.
The second set on this build, Powerful Assault is a simple option for buffing your group’s damage that is easily maintained on the backbar.
One of the best options for a Tank Monster Set is Archdruid Devyric as this gives us on demand access to AOE Major Vulnerability.
Finally, you may choose any front bar weapon you want but a an easy option here is simply running two pieces of Armor Of The Trainee for the bonus Health and Magicka.
Saxhleel Champion
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(2 items) Adds 1096 Maximum Magicka
(3 items) Gain Minor Aegis at all times, reducing your damage taken from Dungeon, Trial, and Arena Monsters by 5%.
(4 items) Adds 1096 Maximum Stamina
(5 items) Adds 1096 Maximum Stamina, When you use an Ultimate ability while in combat, you and up to 11 group members within 28 meters of you gain Major Force for 1 second per 15 Ultimate spent, increasing your Critical Damage done by 20%.
Powerful Assault
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(2 items) Adds 1206 Maximum Health
(3 items) Adds 1096 Maximum Stamina
(4 items) Adds 129 Weapon and Spell Damage
(5 items) When you cast an Assault ability while in combat, you and up to 5 group members within 12 meters gain 307 Weapon and Spell Damage for 15 seconds.
Archdruid Devyric
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(1 item) Adds 1487 Offensive Penetration
(2 items) When you deal damage with a Heavy Attack, after 1.2 seconds deal 650 Shock damage to up to 6 enemies within a 7 by 5 meter line on your target, applying Major Vulnerability to them for 7 seconds, increasing the damage enemies take by 10%. This effect can occur once every 15 seconds and scales off the higher of your Weapon or Spell Damage.
Armor Of The Trainee
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(1 item) Adds 1454 Maximum Health
(2 items) Adds 1454 Maximum Magicka
(3 items) Adds 1454 Maximum Stamina
Subclassing Tank Alternative Sets
For alternatives, there are many beginner sets that can also work that are easier to obtain, including the Ebon Armory set which buffs your entire group’s maximum Health. Also a great, easy-to-obtain Monster Set for beginners is the Bloodspawn set.
Ebon Armory
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(2 items) Adds 1206 Maximum Health
(3 items) Adds 1206 Maximum Health
(4 items) Adds 4% Healing Taken
(5 items) Increases your Maximum Health by 1000 for you and up to 11 other group members within 28 meters of you.
Bloodspawn
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(1 item) Adds 129 Stamina Recovery
(2 items) When you take damage, you have a 6% chance to generate 13 Ultimate and increase your Physical Resistance and Spell Resistance by 3731 for 5 seconds. This effect can occur once every 5 seconds.
Best Subclassing Tank Load Out
| Weapons & Armor | Set | Trait | Weight | Glyph |
| Main Hand | Armor Of The Trainee 1h & Shield | Decisive / Sturdy | NA | Absorb Stamina / Prismatic |
| Backup | Powerful Assault Ice Staff | Infused | NA | Crusher Enchant |
| Head | Archdruid Devyric | Divines | Medium | Prismatic |
| Shoulder | Archdruid Devyric | Sturdy | Light | Prismatic |
| Chest | Saxhleel Champion | Divines | Heavy | Prismatic |
| Waist | Saxhleel Champion | Sturdy | Heavy | Prismatic |
| Gloves | Saxhleel Champion | Sturdy | Heavy | Prismatic |
| Legs | Saxhleel Champion | Divines | Heavy | Prismatic |
| Feet | Saxhleel Champion | Sturdy | Heavy | Prismatic |
| Necklace | Powerful Assault | Infused | NA | Magic Recovery |
| Ring 1 | Powerful Assault | Infused | NA | Reduce Block Cost |
| Ring 2 | Powerful Assault | Infused | NA | Prismatic Reduce Cost |
Subclassing Tank Attributes
As a Tank build, you will need to prioritize your Health pool. Anything in the range of 35,000 to 40,000 Health should be more than enough for most content. Depending on your Race passives you may need to put all Attribute points into Health to achieve this value. If you have extra Attribute Points to spare you may distribute them to Magicka and Stamina.
0 Magicka
64 Health
0 Stamina
Consumables, Race, Mundus
Race
For this build I recommend being a Nord for the increased Health, Stamina, Resistances and Ultimate generation. For more details on all ESO Races and passive bonuses be sure to check out our Full ESO Race Guide.
Subclassing Tank Mundus
The Atronach
Food/Drink Buff
Orzorga’s Smoked Bear Haunch
Orzorga’s Smoked Bear Haunch
Increase Max Health by 4312, Health Recovery by 406 and Stamina and Magicka Recovery by 369 for 2 hours. (6 second cooldown)
Wrothgar’s hearth-wives agree — the bear’s haunch is just as tasty as its stuffed head.
Potions
Tri-Stat Potions
Best Subclassing Tank Skill Lines
This build uses Subclassing for maximum effectiveness. The recommended skill lines for this build are:
Best Subclassing Tank Skills
Main Weapon: ONE HAND AND SHIELD – Click on a Skill Name to learn more
- Power Extraction
- Runeguard Of Still Waters
- Spiteward Of The Lucid Mind or Heroic Slash
- Magma Fist
- Runic Sunder
- ULT: Gibbering Shelter
Backup Weapon: ICE STAFF – Click on a Skill Name to learn more
Subclassing Tank Rotation
Buffs: Make sure to keep up Cruxweaver Armor as this also generates Crux. Any Crux you build up can be spent on Spiteward Of The Lucid Mind for a free damage shield. Runeguard of Still Waters should also be maintained to provide Minor Resolve and Minor Protection as well as to root enemies in place.
Debuffs: Start by casting Elemental Blockade to maintain the Crusher enchant, then cast Razor Caltrops to proc the Powerful Assault set while also debuffing nearby enemies with Major Breach. Enemies that hit you while Cruxweaver Armor is active will also be debuffed with Minor Breach.
On the front bar cast Power Extraction to debuff enemy damage, followed by Runic Sunder to Taunt as needed. Stacking Magma Fist also helps your group do more damage.
Subclassing Tank Passive Skills
Class Passives
- Heart Of Stone
- Landslide
- Blessing At The Peak
- Mountain Giant
- Aegis Of The Unseen
- Wellspring Of The Abyss
- Circumvented Fate
- Implacable Outcome
- Catalyst
- Magicka Flood
- Soul Siphoner
- Transfer
Weapon Passives
- Fortress
- Sword And Board
- Deadly Bash
- Deflect Bolts
- Battlefield Mobility
- Penetrating Magic
- Elemental Force
- Ancient Knowledge
- Destruction Expert
Armor Passives
Guild Passives
Racial
Other
Subclassing Tank Champion Points
Below you will find the recommended Active and Passive Champion Point Stars for this build, broken down into 300, 600, 900, and 1200 CP ranges.
For more information on Champion Points click on a Star name below or browse our detailed Champion Points Guides.
Constellation Descriptions:
Craft
The Green Craft Constellation is focused on crafting and utility-centered upgrades.
Warfare
The Blue Warfare Constellation focuses primarily on increasing player damage, healing and defenses
Fitness
The Red Fitness Constellation is focused on character survival and sustain.
– 300 Champion Points –
GREEN
BLUE
RED
– 600 Champion Points –
GREEN
- 50 Steed’s Blessing (Slot)
- 50 Gilded Fingers
- 10 Fortune’s Favor
- 10 Wanderer
- 50 Steadfast Enchantment
- 30 Rationer
BLUE
- 20 Tireless Discipline
- 20 Quick Recovery
- 20 Preparation
- 20 Hardy
- 20 Elemental Aegis
- 50 Duelist’s Rebuff (Slot)
- 50 Unassailable (Slot)
RED
- 50 Boundless Vitality (Slot)
- 20 Tireless Guardian
- 30 Fortification
- 16 Hasty
- 20 Sprinter
- 20 Hero’s Vigor
- 50 Fortified (Slot)
– 900 Champion Points –
GREEN
- 50 Steed’s Blessing (Slot)
- 50 Gilded Fingers
- 10 Fortune’s Favor
- 10 Wanderer
- 50 Steadfast Enchantment
- 30 Rationer
- 50 Treasure Hunter
- 30 Master Gatherer (Slot)
- 20 Gifted Rider (Slot)
BLUE
- 20 Tireless Discipline
- 20 Quick Recovery
- 20 Preparation
- 20 Hardy
- 20 Elemental Aegis
- 50 Duelist’s Rebuff (Slot)
- 50 Unassailable (Slot)
- 50 Enduring Resolve (Slot)
- 50 Bulwark (Slot)
RED
- 50 Boundless Vitality (Slot)
- 20 Tireless Guardian
- 30 Fortification
- 16 Hasty
- 20 Sprinter
- 20 Hero’s Vigor
- 50 Fortified (Slot)
- 30 Tumbling
- 20 Defiance
- 50 Juggernaut (Slot)
– 1200 Champion Points –
GREEN
- 50 Steed’s Blessing (Slot)
- 50 Gilded Fingers
- 10 Fortune’s Favor
- 10 Wanderer
- 50 Steadfast Enchantment
- 30 Rationer
- 50 Treasure Hunter
- 30 Master Gatherer (Slot)
- 50 Gifted Rider (Slot)
- 75 War Mount (Slot)
BLUE
- 20 Tireless Discipline
- 20 Quick Recovery
- 20 Preparation
- 20 Hardy
- 20 Elemental Aegis
- 50 Duelist’s Rebuff (Slot)
- 50 Unassailable (Slot)
- 50 Enduring Resolve (Slot)
- 50 Bulwark (Slot)
- 20 Eldritch Insight
- 20 Blessed
- 20 Flawless Ritual
- 20 Battle Mastery
- 20 Precision
RED
- 50 Boundless Vitality (Slot)
- 20 Tireless Guardian
- 30 Fortification
- 16 Hasty
- 20 Sprinter
- 20 Hero’s Vigor
- 50 Fortified (Slot)
- 30 Tumbling
- 20 Defiance
- 50 Juggernaut (Slot)
- 6 Nimble Protector
- 50 Bracing Anchor (Slot)
Update Log
- May 6, 2026 – Updated Green Champion Points
How To Create Powerful ESO Builds
Crafting the Perfect Build for you in The Elder Scrolls Online can be frustrating. Which skills are best for each class? What about passives? The best race? The best armor type and weapons? The best trait and glyphs? There are literally THOUSANDS of different options!
This is why we created the ESO Zero To Hero Build Academy – A Simple, yet Powerful build system that teaches the fundamentals of ESO Theorycrafting, step-by-step.
Build your character exactly how YOU want by following this simple process from start to finish and FINALLY start enjoying ESO the way you want to play it!
Our Guides are designed with New and Intermediate players in mind! Stop wasting hours searching the internet for the best ESO build information – get what you need NOW to succeed!
More Tank Builds For ESO
Want more Tank Builds? Check out our dedicated Group Builds page for even more great options!
