Looking to build the best Tank possible in The Elder Scrolls Online? Picking the right race is a great starting point! In this article, we will explore the best Races for Tanks in ESO.
Best Attributes For Tanking
Before we dive into discussing the best races for Tanks in The Elder Scrolls Online, let’s briefly discuss what stats tanks tend to look for. In ESO, the primary attribute tanks want to specialize in is going to be Health. This is obvious because the more damage you can take without dying the better. In addition to Health, tanks want to also focus on damage mitigation – in other words, lowering the amount of damage that they take from hard-hitting enemies. A final concern for tank builds in ESO is sustain. Both magicka and stamina sustain is extremely important and determines how often you can cast your abilities as well as how often you can maintain your Block. Reviewing the primary attributes of Health, Damage Mitigation and Sustain is what leads to the list of Best Tank Races Below.
The Best Race For Tanks In ESO
The best race currently for Tanking in The Elder Scrolls Online is Nord or Imperial. Both Races have strong tank-focused passives including increased Health, Stamina, Mitigation, Sustain, and Utility.
1. Nord
The racial skills of the Nords reflect their strong and hardy natures, giving them bonuses to two-handed weapons, duration of effects from drinks, physical, spell, and frost resistance, ultimate generation, as well as base health and stamina.
Every passive in the Nord skill set provides some bonus to tanking. Extra Health, Stamina, Physical and Spell Resistance are highly desirable for any tank build, and the extra passive Ultimate generation is a nice side bonus, completely unique to the Nords.
Nords have the following Racial Passives in The Elder Scrolls Online.
| eveler | Increases experience gain with the Two Handed skill line by 15%. Increases the duration of any consumed drink by 15 minutes. |
| Resist Frost | Increases your Maximum Health by 1000 and 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 and Spell Resistance by 2600. |
2. Imperial
The racial skills of the Imperials reflect their combat training and perseverance in battle, giving them bonuses to gold drop rate, shield proficiency, base health and stamina, and cost reduction of abilities, making them resolute fighters.
As you can see below, Imperials also have some impressive tank-focused passives including extra stamina and health and a massive 6% cost reduction to all abilities. Don’t forget, this passive also applies to ultimates!
Imperials have the following Racial Passives in The Elder Scrolls Online.
| Diplomat | Increases experience gain with the One Hand and Shield skill line by 15%. Increases your gold gained by 1%. |
| Tough | Increases your Maximum Health by 2000. |
| Imperial Mettle | Increases your Maximum Stamina by 2000. |
| Red Diamond | Decreases the cost of all your abilities by 6%. |
3. Argonian
Argonian racial skills reflect their people’s perilous swamp environment, giving bonuses to healing done, restoration staves, disease and poison resistance, resources gained from consuming potions, swimming speed, plus base health, magicka and stamina.
Argonians get a fantastic bonus to all resources in ESO now in Update 29 (stamina was just added). In addition to this, the Resourceful Passive is a great sustain option.
Argonians have the following Racial Passives in The Elder Scrolls Online.
| Amphibian | Increases 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 and your Disease and Poison Resitance by 2310. |
| Resourceful | Increases your Maximum Magicka and Maximum Stamina by 1000. When you drink a potion you restore 3125 Health, Magicka and Stamina. |
4. Breton
The racial skills of the Bretons reflect their affinity for the arcane, increasing their base magicka, magicka recovery, light armor, alliance point gain, spell resistance, and cost reduction of spells, allowing them to cast spells with little pause.
Breton may seem like an odd choice for a tank build, but the Breton passives are actually quite useful here. For example, Bretons can obtain up to 4620 additional Spell Resistance thanks to the Spell Attunement passive. The Magicka Mastery passive is also very desirable for tanks to conserve magicka while casting buffs and debuffs.
Bretons have the following Racial Passives in The Elder Scrolls Online.
| Opportunist | Increases experience gain with the light armor skill line by 15%. Increases your 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%. |
5. 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 a decent combination of both Health and Stamina for tanking. The extra heal every 4 seconds can be nice for some passive healing and the ability to Sprint faster will help when wearing Heavy Armor.
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%. |
6. Redguard
The racial skills of the Reguards reflect their ancestral legacy as sword masters, giving them bonuses to shields, base stamina, stamina recovery, movement, and duration of effects from food. Their ability to flow in martial combat is unparalleled.
Redguards are an unlikely choice for tanks but their passives can still be useful. For example, Martial Training will make all of your One Hand and Shield abilities cost less, including the ultimate! The extra stamina pool and stamina sustain from Adrenaline Rush can also be a big help.
Redguards have the following Racial Passives in The Elder Scrolls Online.
| Wayfarer | Increases experience gain with the one hand and shield skill line by 15%. Increases the duration of any eaten food by 15 minutes. |
| Martial Training | Decreases 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. |
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.
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