Beginning with the Blackwood Chapter in 2021, The Elder Scrolls Online is introducing Companions to the game! Skills for Companions in ESO are similar to the skills that players have access to but have differences unique to Companions. Companion Skills are free to cast but use a Cooldown and Priority system.
ESO Companion Skills and Skill Lines
Each Companion in The Elder Scrolls Online starts with their own basic set of skills for these Skill Line types:
- DPS
- Healing
- Tanking
Companions in ESO can also use Weapon Skill Lines including
- Two Handed
- One Hand And Shield
- Dual Wield
- Bow
- Destruction Staff
- Restoration Staff
Companions also will have access to several ESO Guild Skill Lines, including:
- Figher’s Guild
- Mage’s Guild
- The Undaunted Guild
Companions have access to simple Armor Skill Lines as well. These can be unlocked by equipping at least 5 armor pieces of the same weight.
- Light Armor
- Medium Armor
- Heavy Armor
Bastian’s Companion Skills
Bastian starts out with basic skills very similar to that of the Dragonknight Class in ESO. Bastian’s Companion Skills are below. Click on a Skill Name to learn more.
Ardent Warrior (Damage)
ULT: Unleashed Rage
Bastian builds up rage, then unleashes it in a devastating explosion around them.
The Explosion deals 12051 Flame Damage to enemies and stuns them for 4 seconds, while also releasing four lines of fire in a cross formation that deal an additional 3012 Flame Damage to any enemy hit.
| Fiery Flail | Bastian lashes an enemy with flame, dealing 8034 Flame Damage and setting them Off Balance for 7 seconds. |
| Scorching Strike | Bastian slashes an enemy with flame, dealing 8034 Flame Damage and an additional 12048 Flame Damage over 8 seconds. |
| Crag Smash | Bastian hurls a chunk of rock at an enemy, dealing 8034 Physical Damage. |
Draconic Armor (Tank)
| Blazing Grasp | Bastian launches a fiery chain to grasp an pull an enemy to them. Used when the enemy can be moved and is further than 10 meters away. |
| Drake’s Blood | Bastian draws on their draconic blood, healing for 25% of their Max Health and reducing their damage taken by 20% for 8 seconds. Used when Bastian is below 75% Health. |
| Crushing Claws | Bastian calls forth talons from the ground, dealing 4017 Flame Damage to enemies nearby and immobilizng them for 4 seconds. |
Radiating Heart (Heal)
| Kindle | Bastian launches a searing fireball at themselves or an ally to cauterize their wounds, healing for 7800 Health. |
| Basalt Barrier | Bastian calls the earth to their defense, granting a damage shield for them and their nearby allies that absorbs 3900 damage. While the shield holds, healing received is increased by 20%. |
| Searing Weapons | Bastian charges their weapons and their allies’ weapons with volcanic power, increasing their damage done with Light and Heavy Attacks by 20% for 8 seconds. |
PASSIVE
Tough | Increases Max Health by 3% and Damage Done by 3%. |
Mirri’s Companion Skills
Mirri starts out with basic skills very similar to that of the Nightblade Class in ESO. Mirri’s Companion Skills are below. Click on a Skill Name to learn more.
Deadly Assassin (Damage)
Mirri marks an enemy and exposes their weakness, causing them to take 20% more damage for 3 seconds.
While the enemy is exposed they build up to a single killing shot, unleashing a massive bolt that deals 24569 Physical Damage.
| Shadow Slash | Mirri slashes an enemy, dealing 8189 Magic Damage and setting them Off Balance for 7 seconds. |
| Warp Strike | Mirri flashes through the shadows and ambushes an enemy, dealing 8189 Magic Damage. |
| Slayer’s Blade | Mirri thrusts a magic blade with lethal precision to finish off an enemy, dealing 24569 Magic Damage. Used when the enemy is below 25% Health. |
Living Shade (Tank)
| Ghostly Evasion | Mirri surrounds themselves in a phantasmic aura, dodging the next attack made against them while alos reducing their damage taken by 20% for 8 seconds. Used when Mirri is below 75% Health. |
| Masque Of Torment | Mirri terrifies nearby enemies, causing them to cower in fear for 4 seconds. |
| Twilight Mantle | Mirri shrouds themselves in refreshing shadows, healing for 25% of their Max Health and becoming invisible for 6 seconds, causing most enemies to stop attacking them. Used when Mirri is below 50% Health. |
Soul Thief (Heal)
| Life Absorption | Mirri steals an enemy’s life force, dealing 4094 Magic Damange and healing themselves or an ally around them for 8346 Health. |
| Blood Transfusion | Mirri infuses an ally with blood, healing them for 12510 Health over 8 seconds. |
| Life Siphon | Mirri siphons the vigor from the blood of enemies nearby, dealing 4094 Magic Damage and healing themselves and their allies for 4173 Health. |
PASSIVE
Dynamic | Increases damage done by 3% and healing done by 3%. |
Companion Weapon Skill Lines
Companions in The Elder Scrolls Online have access to many of the same types of Weapon Skills that players do. As you will see below, some of these skills are slightly altered in function to fit the Companion System.
Bow
| Piercing Arrow | The Companion plants a masterfully aimed arrow in an enemy’s vital spot, dealing Physical Damage. |
| Trick Shot | The Companion fires a burst of arrows in one shot, dealing Physical Damage to enemies in front of them. Enemies hit are immobilized. |
| Viper Bite | The Companion shoots an arrow covered in Baandari poison at an enemy, dealing Poison Damage and additional Poison Damage over time. |
One Hand And Shield
| Provoke | The Companion thrusts their weapon with discipline precision at an enemy, dealing Physical Damage and taunting the enemy to attack them. |
| Bashing Bulwark | The Companion rushes an enemy and rams them, stunning them. |
| On Guard | The Companion bolsters their defenses, granting a damage shield that absorbs a percentage of their Max Health. |
Two Handed
| Staggering Swing | The Companion slams an enemy with an upward swing and sends them flying, fealing Physical Damage, stunning them and knocking them back 4 meters. |
| Sunder | The Companion slices all enemies in front of them with a mighty swing, dealing Physical Damage and additional Physical Damage over time. |
| Sever | The Companion spins around and strikes an enemy down, dealing bonus Physical Damage. Used only when the enemy is below 25% Health. |
Dual Wield
| Swift Assault | The Companion floods an enemy with steel, battering them with five consecutive attakcs that each deal Physical Damage. |
| Spinning Steel | The Companion launches themselves in a lethal spin, dealing Physical Damage to nearby enemies. Deals triple damage to enemies below 25% Health. |
| Razor Cloak | The Companion envelops themselves in a ring of floating razors, dealing Physical Damage to nearby enemies every 2 seconds for 8 seconds. The razors also shield them from attacks, reducing their damage taken. |
Destruction Staff
| Destructive Blast | The Companion blasts an enemy with magic. Flame Touch knocks the enemy back and stuns them. Frost Touch taunts the enemy. Shock Touch deals additional Shock Damage to all other enemies around them. |
| Elemental Barricade | The Companion slams their staff down to create an elemental wall in front of them, dealing Magic Damage over time. |
| Arcane Nova | The Companion releases a surge of magic to enemies around them, dealing Magic Damage. |
Restoration Staff
| Rejuvenation | The Companion shares their staff’s life-giving energy, healing themseles and a nearby ally. |
| Mending Incantation | The Companion slams their staff down to activate its blessing, healing themselves and allies in front of them. The blessing also grants Spell and Physical Resistance. |
| Mystic Fortress | The Companion calls on their staff’s strength to protect themselves or the lowest health ally around them, granting a damage shield. Used when the Companion or ally is below 25% Health. |
Companion Armor Skill Lines
Companions in The Elder Scrolls Online have access to some basic Armor Skills as long as they are wearing at least 5 pieces of the associated Armor Weight (5 Light, 5 Medium or 5 Heavy). These skills are quite different from normal Player Armor Skills and can be a useful way to customize the Companion’s combat style.
The Armor Skills For Companions in ESO are found below:
| Haste (Light) | The Companion focuses their magical energies inward, resetting the cooldown of all their other abilities. |
| Vanish (Medium) | The Companion disappears in a puff of smoke, becoming invisible for 10 seconds and causing most enemies to stop attacking them. The Companion must be below 50% Health. |
| Bulwark (Heavy) | The Companion becomes an unstoppable defender, blocking and reflecting all attacks for 5 seconds. This ability is used when the Companion is below 75% Health and is fighting a difficult monster. |
Companion Guild Skill Lines
Companions in The Elder Scrolls Online can use Guild Skills from the Fighters Guild, Mages Guild and Undaunted Guild. These skills are slightly different from normal Guild Skills that players have access to in ESO and can be a useful way to customize the Companion’s combat style.
Fighters Guild
| Sniping Silver | The Companion fires a Dawnguard Vampire Hunter’s crossbow bolt at an enemy, dealing Physical Damage. Deals double damage if the enemy is an Undead, Daedra, or Werewolf. |
| Ritual Of Salvation | The Companion brands the earth underneath them with a rune of protection. Standing within the rune reduces the damage they and their allies take by 25%. If the attacker is Undead, Daedra, or Werewolf the rune reduces damage taken by an additional 25%. |
| Biting Trap | The Companion sets a sharpened blade trap in front of them, which takes 1.5 seconds to arm and lasts for 8 seconds. When an enemy triggers the trap they are immobilized for 4 seconds. If the enemy is an Undead, Daedra or Werewolf they take Physical Damage. |
Mages Guild
| Starfall | The Companion calls a comet down from the constellations to blast an enemy, dealing Flame Damage. |
| Reverse Entropy | The Companion envelops themselves and an ally with stabilizing magic, healing over time. |
| Parallel | The Companion barters with Oblivion for power, generating 50 Ultimate. |
Undaunted
| Crimson Font | The Companion conjures a fountain of blood to sustain themselves and allies around it, healing every 1 second. Allies near the found can activate the Blood Funnel synergy, healing for 50% of their Max Health. |
| Savage Instinct | The Companion ignites the fires of hate in an enemy’s heart, dealing Magic Damage and tauning the enemy to attack them. Used when an enemy is not already taunted. |
| Skeletal Aegis | The Companion surrounds themselves with a whirlwind of bones, granting a damage shield for 30% of their Max Health. While the damage shield holds an ally near them can activate the Bone Wall synergy, granting them a damage shield for 50% of their Max Health. |
Companion Rotations: Priority and Cooldown System
Companions utilize a “Priority and Cooldown” system for combat. This works by giving every companion ability a cooldown of several seconds. Companions then can cast each ability as it comes off cooldown according to the skill order assigned on the companion skill bar. The Companion will attempt to cast each skill in order from the first ability to the last, then reset once all the cooldowns have expired.
More ESO Companion Builds
Zerith-var Healer Build For ESO – MENDING SPIRIT
The MENDING SPIRIT build is an impressive option for Zerith-var as a Companion Healer in The Elder Scrolls Online.
Zerith-var Necromancer Build For ESO – DARK MOON
The DARK MOON build is an amazing option for Zerith-var as a Companion Support in The Elder Scrolls Online.
Zerith-var Tank Build For ESO – CRESCENT GUARDIAN
The CRESCENT GUARDIAN build is an amazing option for Zerith-var as a Companion Tank Build in The Elder Scrolls Online
Zerith-var DPS Build For ESO – LUNAR DISCIPLE
The LUNAR DISCIPLE build is an amazing option for Zerith-var as a Companion DPS Build in The Elder Scrolls Online.
Tanlorin Healer Build For ESO – CAUTERIZER
The CAUTERIZER build is an impressive option for Tanlorin as a Companion Healer in The Elder Scrolls Online.
Tanlorin Tank Build For ESO – CINDER KNIGHT
The CINDER KNIGHT build is an impressive option for Tanlorin as a Companion Tank in The Elder Scrolls Online.
Tanlorin DPS Build For ESO – SOUL FIGHTER
The SOUL FIGHTER build is an impressive option for Tanlorin as a Companion DPS in The Elder Scrolls Online.
Azandar Companion Support Build For ESO – BATTLE SCRIBE
The BATTLE SCRIBE build is an amazing option for Azandar as a Companion Support in ESO, focused on powerful buffs and debuffs.
Azandar Tank Companion Build For ESO – RUNE KNIGHT
The RUNE KNIGHT build is a fantastic option for Azandar as a Companion Tank in The Elder Scrolls Online, utilizing powerful defensive skills and shields.
Azandar Companion DPS Build For ESO – RUNE MAGE
The RUNE MAGE build is a great option for Azandar as a Companion DPS in The Elder Scrolls Online, offering plenty of damage and support skills.
Azandar Companion Healer Build For ESO – FATE KEEPER
The FATE KEEPER build is a fantastic option for Azandar as a Companion Healer in The Elder Scrolls Online with many powerful options for healing and support.
Mirri Elendis Companion Healer Build For ESO – INFUSOR
The INFUSOR Build is an easy Healing Set Up for Mirri Elendis focused around Blood Magic Healing.
Bastian Hallix Companion Hybrid Build – AMPLIFIER
The AMPLIFIER Build is a fantastic build for Bastian Hallix! This build utilizes multiple buffs in order to amplify your own damage and defense potential. This build has tons of utility and will help you progress through many different forms of content!
Isobel Companion Healer Build For ESO – LIGHT MENDER
The LIGHT MENDER build is an amazing option for Isobel Veloise as a Companion Healer in The Elder Scrolls Online focused on stacking heal effects.
Sharp-as-Night Companion Healer Build For ESO – VERDANT SHAMAN
The VERDANT SHAMAN build is a great support option for Sharp-as-Night as a Companion Healer in The Elder Scrolls Online utilizing powerful healing and support skills.
Sharp-as-Night Companion DPS Build For ESO – BEAST CALLER
The BEAST CALLER build is a powerful option for Sharp-as-Night as a Companion DPS in The Elder Scrolls Online focused on the bow and long range damage!
Isobel Veloise Companion Tank Build For ESO – SHIELD SAINT
The SHIELD SAINT build is a strong option for Isobel Veloise as a Tank Companion in The Elder Scrolls Online, combining HUGE damage shields and multiple heal over time effects for amazing survivability!
Bastian Hallix Companion Tank Build – GUARDIAN DRAKE
The Guardian Drake is a strong option for Bastian Hallix as a Tank focused around Self-Healing and Survival, allowing Bastian to keep himself alive against many tough opponents and even bosses.
Mirri Companion Bow DPS Build For ESO – DEADSHOT
The DEADSHOT Build is an easy Bow DPS Set Up for Mirri Elendis with powerful single target damage and an even more powerful Ultimate!
Sharp-as-Night Companion Tank Build For ESO – WINTER SOLDIER
The WINTER SOLDIER build is a powerful option for Sharp-as-Night as a Companion Tank in The Elder Scrolls Online with strong defensive and utility options.
Ember Companion Tank Build For ESO – STORM SHIELD
The STORM SHIELD build is a strong option for Ember as a Tank Companion in The Elder Scrolls Online including that includes great damage mitigation and shields.
Ember Companion DPS Build For ESO – LIGHTNING ARCHER
The LIGHTNING ARCHER build is a strong option for Ember as a DPS Companion in The Elder Scrolls Online combining bow skills and magic damage!
Ember Companion Healer Build For ESO – RESTORING WARD
The RESTORING WARD build is a strong option for Ember as a Healer Companion in The Elder Scrolls Online, focused on overlapping multiple heal over time effects and shields.
Mirri Elendis Companion Tank Build For ESO – SOUL DEFENDER
The Soul Defender is a strong option for Mirri Elendis as a Tank focused around Blood Magic, sapping the life from her enemies as well as strong defensive and dodge options.
Isobel Companion DPS Build For ESO – DIVINE WARRIOR
The DIVINE WARRIOR build is an amazing option for Isobel Veloise as a Companion DPS in The Elder Scrolls Online which tears through enemies, especially bosses!
Bastian Hallix Companion Healer Build – MENDING FLAME
The MENDING FLAME Build is an easy Healing Set Up for Bastian Hallix. This build uses multiple Restoration Staff skills in combination with Bastian’s own burst heal to create a powerful Healing Companion.
