The Dragonknight Class in The Elder Scrolls Online calls upon the spirit of powerful dragons, summoning powerful Flame and Poison magic to sear and claw their foes, but which race is best for your Dragonknight build? We’ll explore the best possible options in this detailed Dragonknight race guide!

ESO Best Race for Dragonknight
The Dragonknight is a powerful melee-focused magical Bruiser class in The Elder Scrolls Online that has plenty of strengths for all types of playstyles. Thematically the class centers its combat around, you guessed it, playing like a Dragon. All the Dragonknight class abilities fit into this theme in some way, whether it’s summoning wings, talons or spikes and doing either Flame or poison damage.
Their abilities span three skill lines: Ardent Flame, Draconic Power and Earthen Heart. Choosing the right race for your Dragonknight is key since various races provide unique bonuses that can improve your Dragonknight build.
The best race for Dragonknights in ESO is the Dark Elf for damage dealers, Nord for tanks, and High Elf for healers. We will further analyze the benefits of selecting these races, plus more possible options, helping you make the best choice when crafting your Dragonknight character.
1. Dark Elf

The best race for a Dragonknight Damage Dealer Build, commonly called a “DPS” is the Dark Elf. Dark Elves in ESO have some of the best racial passives in the game when it comes to dealing damage, plus these passives will work regardless of whether you decide to focus on Stamina or Magicka as your primary resource for damage.
Dark Elves benefit from an additional 1950 Stamina and Magicka added to your total resource pools, along with 258 Weapon and Spell damage. This combination allows you to deal consistent damage with powerful Dragonknight skills like Molten Whip and Burning Embers from the Ardent Flame skill line.
The Dark Elf race is a top-performing damage race for ESO Dragonknights, letting your DPS build excel in combat. The fact that this race has bonuses for both Magicka and Stamina means you can easily change the focus of your build should you choose to do so. Dragonknight DPS builds specialize in fire-based and poison-based damage skills such as Engulfing Flames, Noxious Breath, and the powerful ultimate ability Standard Of Might.
2. High Elf

High Elves, or Altmer, possess a natural affinity for magic, making them the perfect choice for Dragonknight healers and even magicka-based DPS. High Elf racial passives grant a larger Magicka pool, increased spell and weapon damage, and improved Magicka and Stamina sustain.
For Magicka-based Dragonknight DPS, the High Elf racial passives boost your Maximum Magicka and Spell Damage, letting your magic-based skills like Flames Of Oblivion and Deep Breath do more damage while also improving the strength of your Magicka heals.
Their arcane prowess allows High Elf Dragonknights to manage their Magicka resources effectively and cast powerful healing or damage spells while staying alive in the heat of battle.
3. Nord
Nords, with their innate resistance to the elements and bonuses to resources, make a great choice for Dragonknight tanks in ESO. The Nord race is extremely hearty when absorbing damage, as their racial passives provide both bonus Health for taking damage and bonus Stamina for blocking enemy attacks.
Just as important is the Nord’s unique damage resistance passive called Rugged which increases their base level Physical and Spell resistance. This passive allows Nord tanks to use a wider variety of armor, including Medium and even Light armor sets such as Powerful Assault, to take advantage of more unique bonuses without suffering the penalty of having lower defenses.
Finally, Nords are the only race in ESO to gain additional Ultimate during combat while taking damage, helping them provide even more protection and utility for themselves and their groups. This synergizes extremely well with the Dragonknight passive called Battle Roar which restores resources to the player based on the cost of their ultimate cast and makes Dragonknights one of the best Tank Classes in ESO.
As a Nord Dragonknight, you can effectively use defensive skills like Hardened Armor to grant yourself bonus armor and Choking Talons to immobilize surrounding enemies or the extremely powerful defensive Ultimate Corrosive Armor to make yourself nearly invincible.
4. Breton

Breton is another strong choice for Magicka-focused Dragonknight builds such as DPS builds, solo builds, and healers due to their racial passives. Bretons provide increased Max Magicka, Magicka recovery, and bonus resistances.
The choice between Breton and High Elf, which we mentioned above, ultimately depends on your personal preferences and playstyle in the Elder Scrolls Online. Bretons are a great choice for players who want to prioritize resource management and sustain, while High Elves excel in spellcasting and healing potency. Either way, both races provide a strong foundation for a Magicka-focused Dragonknight build in ESO.
Dragonknight healers can take advantage of powerful passive and AOE healing skills such as Cauterize and Cinder Storm to heal themselves and their allies.
5. Khajiit

Khajiit’s critical edge makes them another excellent choice for a Dragonknight DPS build. Their racial passives grant a 10% increase in critical damage done, resulting in a higher overall DPS. Additional bonuses for the Khajiit Dragonknight include increased resource recovery and higher resource pools, further enhancing the performance of Stamina DK’s.
With the Khajiit’s enhanced stamina recovery, Stamina Dragonknights can maintain a relentless assault on their enemies with skills like Venomous Claw and Stone Giant, leaving them no opportunity to recover or regroup. This stamina-focused prowess makes the Khajiit race a formidable choice for those looking to conquer the battlefield with relentless stamina-based attacks and max stamina.
6. Imperial
Imperials excel at tanking with their high health and stamina, making them another great choice for Dragonknight tanks in ESO. Their racial passives greatly boost both Max Health and Max Stamina, allowing them to absorb more damage and utilize tanking abilities more effectively. The Red Diamond passive is also one of the best sustain-focused passives in the game, helping you save on resources and cast abilities more frequently.
Utilizing defensive skills like Igneous Shield, Imperial Dragonknight tanks can shield themselves and their allies while also increasing their healing done. With their impressive health and stamina, Imperials can withstand even the most brutal onslaughts and emerge victorious in the heat of battle.
ESO Dragonknight Class Builds

Your race choice in ESO Dragonknight builds not only impacts your character’s performance but also defines your playstyle. Whether you prefer to stand on the front lines as a resilient tank, unleash devastating damage from afar, or support your team with powerful healing spells, your chosen race will play a significant role in shaping your Dragonknight’s skill loadout and their overall effectiveness in combat.
We will examine how the choice of race shapes playstyles in Dragonknight ESO builds, including solo DK builds, group builds, and PvP considerations. With this understanding, you can adjust your Dragonknight build to suit your unique playstyle and preferences, ensuring you get the most out of your gaming experience.
Solo Magicka Dragonknight
Selecting the best race for a solo Magicka Dragonknight build is vital for self-sufficiency in ESO. The most suitable races for a solo Magicka Dragonknight are:
- High Elf: Offers bonuses to Magicka and Magicka/Stamina sustain, as well as a Weapon and Spell Damage.
- Dark Elf: Provides bonuses to Magicka and Stamina to help with combat skills like blocking and roll dodging.
- Khajiit: Offers bonuses to Magicka recovery, critical damage, and critical healing.
Solo Stamina Dragonknight
The best race options for a solo Stamina Dragonknight are:
- Orc: Provides damage similar to High Elf and Dark Elf, but with additional speed bonuses and Max Health
- Dark Elf: The bonus Magicka here gives you room to cast more healing and utility skills
- Nord: Extra defense and ultimate generation synergize well with this already tanky class.
Each race brings its own unique bonuses and abilities to enhance your character’s self-sufficiency, making it a challenge to determine the best race.
By selecting a race that provides the necessary resources and abilities for solo play, you’ll be better equipped to tackle solo dungeons and other challenges in Elder Scrolls Online. This ensures your solo DK can not only survive but thrive in the face of adversity.
Dragonknight Group Builds

Choosing a race that makes sense with your team composition is important for group dynamics for ESO Dragonknight builds. Different races have varying passive abilities that can boost specific aspects of gameplay, such as damage output, resource management, or survivability. Selecting a race with passives that enhance the desired playstyle of the group can lead to improved overall performance and cohesion within the team.
Dragonknight PVP Builds
PvP considerations encompass survivability and damage output, both of which are affected by the choice of race in ESO Dragonknight builds. Some examples include:
- Orcs: Known for their impressive stamina, high damage, and speed, making them a viable choice for PvP-focused builds.
- Bretons: Excel in Magicka conservation, recovery, and defense, offering unique benefits for PvP scenarios.
- High Elves: Excel in spellcasting, offering unique benefits for PvP scenarios.
When creating your Dragonknight build for PvP, selecting a race that enhances your survivability and damage output can significantly impact your performance in the heat of battle. By considering the specific advantages and challenges of each race, you can create a PvP-centric build that ensures you’re a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
The Final Word
In conclusion, your race choice in ESO Dragonknight builds plays a pivotal role in determining your character’s performance, playstyle, and overall effectiveness on the battlefield. By understanding the unique strengths and synergies of each race, you can create a Dragonknight build that not only excels in your chosen role but also complements the abilities and playstyles of your teammates. So, choose wisely, and conquer the world of Tamriel with runic power!
Frequently Asked Questions
What race is good for Dragonknight?
The best races for Dragonknights in ESO are the Dark Elf for damage dealers, Nord for tanks, and High Elf or Breton for healers.
What is the best class for a Dragonknight in eso?
The best class for a Dragonknight in ESO is the Stamina Dragonknight, which can take advantage of powerful Stamina-based weapons like Dual Wield daggers while also casting a few magicka-based utility and heal skills, providing a more balanced use of resources.
What is the best race for a Dragonknight healer in eso?
High Elf is the best race for a Dragonknight healer, offering higher spell damage and max magicka, as well as making stamina management easier. Breton is the next best choice for players who want to focus on sustain.
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