ESO Transmute Station Guide

Transmute Stations are a valuable tool that allows players to modify the traits on their weapons, armor, and jewelry, and rebuild sets they have already unlocked via the Collections System. This guide will delve into the mechanics of transmutation, the costs associated with using a transmute station, the locations where these stations can be found, how much they cost, acquiring transmute crystals, and the benefits of reconstruction versus transmutation.

How to transmute items in ESO

Transmutation allows players to permanently change the traits of items in The Elder Scrolls Online. To transmute an item, approach and Interact with a Transmute Station and select the item you wish to transmute. You will then need to have the required amount of Transmute Crystals and select the trait you want to change the item to. Once you have both, you can apply the transmutation and modify the item’s trait.

Keep in mind that in order to transmute an item, the desired trait must have been previously researched in the appropriate Crafting skill line. It’s also important to note that once an item has been transmuted, it becomes bound to the player and cannot be used for research or traded to other players.

Costs to use a transmute station in ESO

Using a Transmute Station comes with certain costs. Each transmutation requires Transmute Crystals, which are a valuable currency in ESO. Transmutation of any item comes at the cost of 50 Transmute Crystals.

Transmute Station locations in ESO

The primary location to find a transmute station is within the Clockwork City’s Brass Fortress. It serves as the central hub for transmutation and can be accessed by all players who have the Clockwork City DLC. Additionally, players can access a transmute station by visiting a friend’s house or a guild hall that has this furnishing present within, which is a nice cost-free alternative. Furthermore, players have the option to acquire a transmute station for their own player housing from the Master Writ merchant or the Crown Store, which will be discussed further below. 

How much does a Transmute Station cost?

This furnishing item can be purchased from the Master Writ merchant for 1,250 Writ Vouchers or from the Crown Store for 4,500 Crowns. This means that even players without access to the Clockwork City DLC can still enjoy the benefits of transmutation through their own housing.

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How to get Transmute Crystals in ESO

By now you may be wondering “How do I earn Transmute Crystals?” These crystals can be obtained through a variety of in-game activities, such as completing Trials, Group Dungeons, Battlegrounds, participating in the Alliance War, and Tales of Tribute. Additionally, you can also obtain Transmute Crystals by deconstructing Transmuted items or by purchasing them with Alliance Points from the Cyrodiil Elite Gear Vendor.

You should actively engage in these activities to accumulate Transmutation Geodes, the rarity of the Geode denotes roughly how many Transmutation Crystals lay within. Consume the Geode just as you would an event box and claim the crystals within. This will allow you to transmute items and better optimize your gear via the Transmute Station.

You can expect to gain the following amounts of Transmute Crystals per Geode Type:

• Fine/Green Transmutation Geode: 1 Crystal
• Superior/Blue Transmutation Geode: 5 Crystals
• Legendary/Gold Transmutation Geode: 50 Crystals
• Fine/Green Uncracked Transmutation Geode: 1-3 Crystals
• Superior/Blue Uncracked Transmutation Geode: 1-5 Crystals
• Epic/Purple Uncracked Transmutation Crystal: 1-10 Crystals
• Legendary/Gold Uncracked Transmutation Crystal: 4-25 Crystals

Reconstruction vs Transmutation in ESO

Transmutation stations not only allow players to change item traits but also offer the option to reconstruct set pieces from your Collections. Reconstructing gear is a useful feature for players who have previously acquired specific gear sets or pieces.

The cost of reconstructing an item depends on the number of items from the set that the player has already collected. It ranges from 25 crystals if all set items are collected to 75 crystals if only one item is collected (except for one-item sets such as Monster Sets and Mythic Items).

Players should consider the cost and benefits of reconstructing gear versus transmuting it when making decisions about trait changes. Keep in mind that Reconstruction allows you to create an item in any known Trait, while Transmutation enables you to change the traits on an existing item.

Reconstruction also has other costs associated with such as Crafting Materials, Style Materials, Particular Motifs, and Trait Materials so it’s important to consider this as well before making your final decision.

For more information on Set Collection and Reconstructing Items be sure to check out our Set Collection Guide.

Reconstruction vs Transmutation Examples

For example, if you already have a legendary weapon (Gold Quality) but you just want to change the trait from Sharpened to Precise, then it would be best to Transmute the Item. As you only want to change the trait and reconstruction would also force you to spend costly Legendary upgrade materials again.

On the other hand, Reconstructing would be the best option in a situation where you have already deconstructed a weapon in order to add it to your Set Collections and now would like to have that item and at the highest legendary level. It would be best to Reconstruct this item using the required transmute crystals and crafting materials and select the desired trait for the weapon and craft it.

It will by default be crafted at the item’s lowest obtainable rarity typically green, but some items such as Monster sets are reconstructed at purple rarity. You have the option to select the required crafting materials to upgrade the item to Legendary (Gold) rarity and the Transmute Station will then apply and craft the item for you at the desired rarity and with the desired trait using the required resources. This method would be much more time and cost-efficient than doing another Trial or Dungeon run hoping for a specific item to drop.

The Final Word

By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can make use of Transmute Stations to customize your gear and enhance your gameplay experience. Ultimately Transmutation in the Elder Scrolls Online provides players with a powerful tool to customize their gear and optimize their builds while also saving time.

Embracing transmutation empowers players to fine-tune their equipment to match their playstyle and preferences in the ever-evolving world of Tamriel. Whether you acquire a Transmute Station through DLC access, purchase, or other means, understanding the costs and methods to obtain Transmute Crystals will empower you to make informed decisions.