The Best Archer Races in ESO

Looking to create the best possible Archer Build in The Elder Scrolls Online? Picking the best race will help you maximize the damage of those powerful bow attacks as well as sustain your skills through difficult encounters!

Best Attributes For Archer Builds

Before we dive into discussing the best races for Archer Builds in The Elder Scrolls Online, let’s briefly discuss what stats tend to work best. The best stats available for Archers in ESO include Weapon/Spell Damage, Critical Damage, Critical Chance, Maximum Stamina and Stamina Recovery. No one single race has access to all of these stats through their Racial Passives alone, but you can always improve your stats further with gear sets and buffs.

The Best Race For Archer Builds In ESO

The best race currently for Archer Builds in The Elder Scrolls Online is Khajiit. The bonus Critical Damage that the Khajiit race provides will help you maximize the damage output of your skills, helping you do big bursts of damage when needed.

Khajiits also have increased Maximum Stamina, Magicka and Health as well as bonus Stamina, Magicka and Health recovery – talk about a great combination!

1. Khajiit

The racial skills of the feline Khajiit reflect their natural versatility and guile, giving them bonuses to pickpocketing, stealth, resource recovery as well as base health, magicka and stamina. These bonuses help them thrive in many aspects of life.

Khajiits have the following Racial Passives in The Elder Scrolls Online.

• Cutpurse: Increases 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 and your Stamina and Magicka Recovery by 85.
• Lunar Blessings: Increases your Maximum Health, Magicka and Stamina by 915.
• Feline Ambush: Increases your Critical Damage and Critical Healing by 12%. Decreases your detection radius in Stealth by 3 meters.

Honorable Mentions For Archer Builds In ESO

Races such as Dark Elf, Orc, Wood Elf in The Elder Scrolls Online also have strong passives related to Stamina, Damage, and Sustain, so they will also make for a powerful Archer Build with the right gear sets and buffs.

2. Dark Elf

The racial skills of the Dark Elves reflect their intellect and agility, giving them bonuses in dual wielding, flame and lava resistance, weapon and spell damage, and base magicka and stamina. These bonuses allow them to adapt to anything.

Dark Elves have the following Racial Passives in The Elder Scrolls Online.

• Ashlander: Increases experience gain with the Dual Wield skill line by 15%. Reduces the damage taken from environmental lava by 50%.
• Dynamic: Increases your Maximum Magicka and Maximum Stamina by 1910.
• Resist Flame: Increases your Flame Resistance by 4620.
• Ruination: Increases your Weapon and Spell Damage by 258.

3. Orc

The racial skills of the Orcs reflect their native harsh mountain environment, giving them bonuses to heavy armor use, sprinting, weapon and spell damage, inspiration gain, weapon proficiency, as well as base health and stamina.

Orcs have the following Racial Passives in The Elder Scrolls Online.

• Craftsman: Increases experience gain with the heavy armor skill line by 15%. Increases your crafting inspiration skill gain by 10%.
• Brawny: Increases your 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 and Spell Damage by 258. Reduces the cost of Sprint by 12% and increases the Movement Speed Bonus of Sprint by 10%.

4. Wood Elf

The Wood Elves’ diversified racial skills reflect their woodland affinity. Improved archery, base stamina, stamina recovery, stealth detection, movement speed, reduced fall damage, and poison and disease resistance make them deadly foes and gifted hunters.

Wood Elves have the following Racial Passives in The Elder Scrolls Online.

• 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% and your Physical and Spell Penetration by 950.
• Yffre’s Endurance: Increases your Stamina Recovery by 258.
• Resist Affliction: Increases your Max Stamina by 2000 and your Disease and Poison Resistance by 2310.

The Final Word

Keep in mind that Racial Passives account for a fairly small percentage of overall efficiency in The Elder Scrolls Online. If you want to completely min/max your character then the above recommendations will help, but remember that this is a GAME, and ultimately you need to play how you want in order to enjoy it.

More Race Guides For The Elder Scrolls Online