Class Overview - Dragonhold Patch 5.2.6

izanagiprime

I've always wanted to see an article or guide where I can read about what each class can do, what buffs or debuffs it has access to, and what roles tend to suit it best and why, however till now, I don't think i've ever seen such a thread or guide. All of them are either too outdated, or too general.

For example; "Class xxxx does extremely high single target damage and good AOE."

Like, excuse me? Can you at least tell me how it does that and why? How high is it compared to the others?

Well, I finally got around to doing one myself.

It's certainly better than sitting around, looking at a 5 minute loading screen before i can do my writs, swap to another toon, disconnect, watch another 5 minute loading screen, and then disconnect again with today's server instability. It took me 3 f*cking hours to do my daily writs on 9 characters, and I wasn't willing to torture myself anymore than that, Witchfest be-damned. I'm on PCNA if anyone's curious.

Figured I'd post it up here for the newbies to look at. I'm no expert, not even high CP so I'm sure one of you fine gentlemen will be perfectly happy to insult my idiocy, my general lack of anything resembling L33T Gaming skeelz, my gene pool and maybe even my ancestors, but I reckon I have enough experience in the game to at least give them a good Overview of what each class can and cannot do, so let's get cracking.

General notes for the Beginners

1. Major buffs stacks with Minor buffs of the same name. Major buffs of the same name do not stack with each other. Both Major and Minor can be added together with similar, but unnamed buffs. For example, you can have Major Fracture, Minor Fracture and 5% Physical Reduction from Nightblade's Surprise Attack, all on the same target.
2. You can only pick one morph. Feel free to experiment if it suits your playstyle, as switching morphs is cheap and fast.

Glossary

S = Self
ST = Single Target
AOE = Area of Effect
HOT = Heal over Time
Group = Affects entire party
DoT = Damage over Time

NightBlade

Debuff
-Assassination: ST Minor Vulnerability (Teleport Strike and Morphs) - Changes into AOE Minor Vulnerability with Lotus Fan morph
-Assassination: ST Major Fracture & Breach (Mark Target and Morphs)
-Shadow: ST Off-Balance (Veiled Strik when attacking from sneak/Invisibility)
-Shadow: 5% Physical Resistance Reduction (Surprise Attack - Morph of Veiled Strike, when attacking from flank) [Stacks with Major/Minor Fracture
-Shadow: ST Minor Maim (Summon Shade and Morphs)
-Siphoning: Minor Magickasteal (Debilitate - Morph of Cripple)

Buffs
-Assassination: Self Major Evasion (Blur and Morphs)
-Assassination: Self Minor Resolve (Mirage - Morph of Blur)
-Assassination: Self Major Berserk (Reaper's Mark - Morph of Mark Target)
-Assassination: Group Minor Savagery on crit (Hemorrhage passive)
-Assassination: Self Empower (Ambush - Morph of Teleport Strike)
-Shadow: Group Major Protection (Consuming Darkness ultimate and Morphs)
-Shadow: Self Minor Proection (Dark Cloak - Morph of Shadow Cloak)
-Shadow: AOE Major Expedition (Path of Darkness and Morphs)
-Shadow: Self Major Resolve on use of Shadow line skills (Shadow Barrier passive)
-Siphoning: Major Vitality (Soul Siphon - Morph of Soul Shred Ultimate)
-Siphoning: Self Minor Mending (Healthy Offering - Morph of Malevolent Offering)
-Siphoning: Major Brutality and Major Sorcery (Drain Power and Morphs)

Others (Comments and my experience with the class)
-The only class with a stealth ability. Can morph to drop the invisibility and gain a strong HoT instead
-In-built Execute. can morph into ranged Magicka Execute or heal on kill within 2 seconds
-Up to 10% damage reduction with Grim Focus. Grim Focus and Moprhs also have significant damage and heal on proc.
-Heal and Resource regen or Ultimate Regen with one of the cheapest ultimate in the game, Death Stroke
-10% increase to WD and SD when attacking from invisibility or sneak
-Alot of Heals and Resource Regeneration on enemy kill - extremely good sustain when dealing with trash packs
-Can be build to have a lot of crit thanks to Assassination - Pressure Points passive that increases crit the more Assassination skills you have on your bar
-Passive 10% higher Crit Damage (Hemorrhage Passive)

Summary
1. Inherently high crit, with in built execute, the nightblade is designed to kill, and regenerates resources each time they kill.
2. If played as healer, a majority of NB's class heals are HoTs but they come with a DPS component and can be layered allowing you to keep up extremely high health sustain, while dealing decent damage at the same time. Also has access to one of the strongest burst heals at the cost of your own HP.
3. If played as tank, base health will not be as high as a natural tank class such as Dragon Knights, however this is easily solved with stat distribution and equipment. The Nightblade also has access to a lot of Evasion, HoT and Regeneration as per the above to keep them going even when facing down the strongest of bosses.

izanagiprime

Dragon Knight

Debuffs
-Ardent Flame: AOE Major Defile (Dragon Knight Standard and Morphs)
-Ardent Flame: ST Off Balance if target is already stunned/immobilized (Lava Whip and Morphs)
-Ardent Flame: AOE Major Fracture (Noxius Breath - Morph of FIery Breath
-Draconic Power: AOE Minor Main (Choking Talons - Morph of Dark Talons)
-Draconic Power: Major Endurance, Minor Vitality (Green Dragon Blood - Morph of Dragon Blood)

Buff
-Ardent Flame: Self Major Expedition (Fiery Grip and Morphs)
-Ardent Flame: Self Empower (Empowering Chain - Morph of Fiery Grip)
-Ardent Flame: Major Prophecy (Inferno and Morphs)
-Ardent Flame: Major Savagery (Flames of Oblivion - Morph of Inferno)
-Ardent Flame: Increased Fire Damage by 6% and Reduced cost of Poison skills by 25% (World of Ruin passive)
-Draconic Power: Self Major Resolve (Spiked Armor and Morphs)
-Draconic Power: Self Major Fortitude (Dragon Blood and Morphs)
-Draconic Power: Increases amount of damage blocked by 10% (Iron Skin passive)
-Draconic Power: Increased Spell Resistance by 3300 (Scaled Armor passive)
-Draconic Power: Increased Healing Received by 12% (Burning Heart)
-Draconic Power: Health Recovery increased by 5% for every Draconic Power skill on the bar (Elder Dragon passive)
-Earthen Heart: AOE Major Brutality. Major Sorcery (Molten Weapons and Morphs)
-Earthen Heart: Self Major Mending (Obsidian Shield and Morphs)
-Earthen Heart: Minor Brutality on use of any Earthen Heart skill (Mountain's Blessing passive)
-Earthen Heart: Regain 990 stamina for every cast of Earthen Heart abilities (Helping Hands passive)

Others
-Unique buff from Engulfing Flames (Morph of Fiery Breath) that lets the Dragon Knight magnify all incoming fire damage to target by up to 10%, depending on the Dragon Knight's spell power.
-Thematically, Dragon Knights can build around Poison (Stamina) or Fire (Magicka) as they have passives that increase resource regeneration for inflicting respective status effects and the corresponding damage type.
-Does not have an in-built Execute. Stamina/Health Dragon Knights have to rely on weapons (2handed - ST Execute, Dual Wield - AOE Execute, Bow - Ranged Execute DoT) if they want one.

---

Magicka Dragon Knights don't get one at all.
-Regenerates 46 Health, Magicka and Stamina for every point of Ultimate spent. Want to feel unstoppable? The Battle Roar passive is a keystone mechanic for many Dragon Knights, and the reason why a lot of people hate fighting them. Watching them practically come back from the dead every 30 seconds is a right pain in the ass.

Summary
1. Majority of the Dragon Knight's passives are all tuned to let the Dragon Knight endure massive amounts of punishment, making them a natural Tank.
2. They also have key passives and skills that encourage them to focus on either Poison or Fire type skills as well as buff their DoT durations and damage done.
3. Built properly, the Magicka Dragon Knight is not flashy and lacks burst, however their playstyle is reminiscent of a Warlock whose slow cadence and rhythm gradually crushes and grinds away their opponent's will to resist with each stacking DoT.
4. It's direct opposite, the Stamina Dragon Knight typically relies on Weapon skills and their sustain skills, pairing them with their class passives to both take and deal incredible damage at the same time.
5. If you like listening to Mily Cyrus' Wrecking Ball, this is the Class for you, because no one can say that they have properly experienced Elder Scrolls Online until they have gone into Battlegrounds and seen and dodged their first flying Dragon Knight.
6. Shortly before they get stomped into the ground by the other four flying Dragon Knights.

izanagiprime

Sorcerer

Debuffs
None

Buffs
-Dark Magic: Self Major Vitality (Restraining Prison - Morph of Encase)
-Dark Magic: Reduces cost of Health, Stamina and Magicka for skills by 6% (Unholy Knowledge passive)
-Dark Magic: Group Minor Prophecy on cast of Dark Magic (Exploitation passive)
-Daedric Summoning: ST Major Berserk on Synergy (Summon Storm Atronach Ultimate and its Morphs)
-Daedric Summoning: AOE Minor Intellect (Empowered Ward - Morph of Conjured Ward)
-Daedric Summoning: Increased Light Attack Damage by 10%. Block Mitigation increased by 36% (Bound Armor)
-Daedric Summoning: Max Stamina increased by 8%, Increased Light Attack Damage by 10% (Bound Armaments - Morph of Bound Armor)
-Daedric Summoning: Max Magicka increased by 8%, Minor Resolve, Block mitigation increased by 40% (Bound Aegis - Morph of Bound Armor)
-Daedric Summoning: Increased Health and Stamina Recovery by 20% when there is a Daedric Summoning ability slotted (Daedric Protection passive)
-Storm Calling: Major Resolve (Lightning Form and Morphs)
-Storm Calling: Minor Expedition (Hurricane - Morph of Lightning Form)
-Storm Calling: Major Expedition (Boundless Storm - Morph of Lightning Form)
-Storm Calling: Major Brutality, Major Sorcery (Surge and Morphs)
-Storm Calling: Increased Magicka recovery by 10% (Capacitor passive)
-Storm Calling: Increased Physical and Shock Damage by 5% (Energized passive)
-Storm Calling: Increases damage done against enemies by 1% for every 10% of HP the enemy currently has (Amplitude passive)
-Storm Calling: Increased WD and SD by 2% for every Sorcerer ability slotted (Expert Mage passive)

Others

-The only class with a Reverse Execute mechanic (Amplitude)
-It's in-built class Execute is Magicka only. stamina Sorcerers have to rely on weapons if they wish to use one (Mage's Fury)
-The only class with RNG skill (Crystal Frag)
-Bound Armaments was recently buffed into a more offensive skill, providing another damage source for the Stamina Sorcerer.
-Passive makes ultimates cheaper (Power Stone, from the Daedric Summoning line)
-Extremely strong damage boosting passives

Summary
1. Famously known as the most selfish class in ESO due to its lack of Group Utility - It has Minor Prophecy and Major Berserk, two very rare Group Buffs, but the first is attached to a rarely used, inefficient skill, the second is a synergy attached to an expensive ultimate that only affects 1 person and no in-class debuffs whatsoever.
2. On paper, it looks like the class shouldn't be doing very well due to its lack of buffs and debuffs. Yet the Stamina Sorcs have been known, are known, and will always be known as one of the top DPS classes, going toe to toe with Stamina Necromancers and Stamina Wardens in the current patch thanks to extremely high synergy between its passives.
3. The Magicka Sorcerer is equally famous for being able to solo practically the entire PVE portion of the game with their pets.
4. Famous for their overloaded skills that allow them to Heal, DPS and Tank, all at the same time.
5. Inherently high health, stamina and magicka regeneration as well as fire-and-forget sustain from Lightning Form + Surge boost encourages riskier play and provides natural tankiness that most classes have to specifically build for, allowing the Sorcerer to focus more on outputting more DPS.

izanagiprime

Templar

Debuffs
-Aedric Spear: ST Off-Balance on hit if they are mid-cast (Explosive Charge - Morph of Focused Charge)
-Aedric Spear: ST Off-Balance on hit (Toppling Charge - Morph of Focused Charge)
-Dawn's Wrath: AOE Major Maim (Nova and Morphs)
-Dawn's Wrath: ST Minor Breach, Minor Fracture (Power of the Light - Morph of Backlash)
-Restoring Light: AOE Minor Magickasteal (Restoring Aura and Radiant Aura morph)

Buffs
-Aedric Spear: Self Empower (Empowering Sweep Ultimate - Morph of Radial Sweep)
-Dawn's Wrath: Self Empower (Solar Flare and Morphs)
-Aedric Spear: Self Major Savagery (Biting Jabs - Morph of Puncturing Strikes)
-Aedric Spear: Increased Critical Damage by 10% if there is a Aedric Spear skill slotted (Piercing Spear passive)
-Aedric Spear: Self Minor Protection on cast of Aedric Spear skill (Spear Wall)
-Aedric Spear: Increased WD by 6% and Spell Resistance by 2640 (Balanced Warrior)
-Dawn's Wrath: Self Major Prophecy (Sun Fire and Morphs)
-Dawn's Wrath: AOE Minor Sorcery on cast of Dawn's Wrath ability (Illuminate passive)
-Dawn's Wrath: Reduces cost of Health, Magicka and Stamina cost of abilities by 5%
-Restoring Light: AOE Major Protection (Remembrance Ultimate - Morph of Rite of Passage)
-Restoring Light: AOE Minor Expedition (Hasty Prayer - Morph of Healing RItual)
-Restoring Light: Self Minor Fortitude, Minor Endurance, Minor Intellect on slot (Restoring Aura and Morphs)
-Restoring Light: AOE Major Resolve (Rune Focus and Morphs) - Standing within Rune AOE increases Physical and Magicka Resistance by another 50%
-Restoring Light: Increases Healing done by Restoring Light abilities by 12% (Mending passive)
-Restoring Light: Self Minor Mending when within RuneFocus/Cleansing Ritual/RiteofPassage (Sacred Ground passive)

Others
-In class Execute is Magicka only
-There are passives and benefits to building Stamina, however they are not as noticeable or as impactful as Sorcerer's.
-Templars prefer to be stationary and turret if possible. Many of their skills are Ground or fixed location AOEs. Even a Light Armored Templar in his Rune circle can become extremely tanky and painful if you let him set up and spank your ass.

Summary
1. Generally accepted as one of two strongest Healer classes, with the other being Warden. The difference between the two lies in Templar's stronger, burst heals and Warden's incredible utility.
2. The Magicka Templar is also one of the strongest Magicka DPSers thanks to the synergy in their passives and skills, specifically Backlash and Radiant Oppression (aka Jesus Beam). Letting them set up, turret and unload on you is one of the stupidest things people can do in PVP.
3. Templars don't carry many Debuffs, however Minor Fortitude, Endurance and Intellect is one of the rarer buffs, so typically Magicka Templars are fairly welcomed in groups because they can Heal, Buff and DPS at the same time.

izanagiprime

Warden

Debuffs
-Animal Companions: ST Off Balance if more than 7 metres away from target (Dive and Morphs)
-Animal Companions: AOE Major Fracture (Subterranean Assault - Morph of Scorch)
-Animal Companions: AOEMajor Breach (Deep Fissure - Morph of Scorch)
-Animal Companions: ST Minor Vulnerability (Swarm and Morphs)
-Green Balance: AOE Major Defile (Corrupting Pollen - Morph of Healing Seed)
-Winter's Embrace: ST Major Maim (Frozen Device - Morph of Frozen Gate)

Buffs
-Animal Companions: Self Major Brutality, Major Sorcery (Betty Netch and Morphs)
-Animal Companions: Self Major Expedition (Falcon Swiftness and Morphs)
-Animal Companions: Self Minor Evasion while slotted (Deceptive Predator - Morph of Falcon's Swiftness)
-Animal Companions: Self Minor Berserk while slotted (Bird of Prey - Morph of Falcon's Swiftness)
-Animal Companions: Increase Magicka and Stamina regeneration by 12% if an Animal Companion skill is slotted (Flourish passive)
-Animal Companions: Increase damage done by 2% for each Anmal Companion skill slotted (Advanced Species passive)
-Green Balance: AOE Minor Intellect, Minor Endurance (Enchanted Growth - Morph of Fungal Growth)
-Green Balance: AOE Minor Lifesteal (Leeching Vines - Morph of Living Vines)
-Green Balance: Self Major Savagery (Green Lotus - Morph of Lotus Flower)
-Green Balance: Self Major Prophecy (Lotus Blossom - Morph of Lotus Flower)
-Green Balance: Self Major Mending (Accelerated Growth passive)
-Green Balance: Regen 240 Magicka or Stamina every one sec when healing an ally (Nature's Gift passive - this includes the heal from LA/HA from Lotus Blossom)
-Green Balance: Increase Healing Done by 2% for each Green Balance ability slotted (Emerald Moss passive)
-Green Balance: AOE Minor Toughness on heal (Maturation passive)
-Winter's Embrace: AOE Major Protection (Sleet Storm Ultimate and Morphs)
-Winter's Embrace: Self Major Resolve (Frost Cloak and Morphs)
-Winter's Embrace: Self Minor Protection (Ice Fortress - Morph of Frost Cloak)
-Winter's Embrace: Self Major Heroism on projectile damage taken while skill is active (Shimmering Shield - Morph of Crystallized Shield)
-Winter's Embrace: Major Expedition on use (Frozen Retreat - Morph of Frozen Gate)
-Winter's Embrace: Increases Physical and Spell Resistance by 500 for each Winter's Embrace ability slotted. (Frozen Armor passive)
-Winter's Embrace: Reduce effectiveness of Snares by 15% (Icy Aura passive)
-Winter's Embrace: Increases Magic and Frost Damage by 10% (Piercing Cold passive)

Others
-Warden has alot of utility, including perma Minor Berserk and near perma Minor Vulnerability
-Laundry list of healing abilities with utility also serve to make the average Warden tankier than they would seem.
-Both Scorch and its Morphs as well as Healing Seed and its Morphs take some practice to land due to its delayed activation, however Scorch hits harder than some Executes, without the low HP condition and Healing Seed is one of the strongest burst heals in the game.
-Leeching Vines is understated in utility. It basically permanently reduces all damage taken by X amount. More if you take the Minor Lifesteal into account.
-Has no Execute except in Bear Ultimate, which can't be spammed. Stamina Wardens will have to rely on weapon skills if they wish to use one. Magicka Wardens don't get one at all.

Summary
1. Their passives that let regenerate Health and ultimate when an Animal Companion dies or is in use, applies to their spammable animal companion skills such as Dive, which means that if you are using them frequently, you are also healing and generating a lot of Ultimate frequently, making them deceptively tanky when synergizing with all their self healing and hidden damage reduction such as Leeching Vines and Lotus Blossom.
2. Like the Dragon Knight, the stamina version of this class has incredible capacity to innately heal and reduces damage taken, while dealing huge burst damage by relying on Weapon Skills.
3. Currently the Magicka version of this class is still underperforming in terms of damage because the class itself lacks burst, and magicka weapon options don't carry a lot of burst either. In return, magicka wardens tend to be extremely strong healers and buffers
4. Class can only be obtained via Crowns

izanagiprime

Necromancer - I have the least experience with this class, so forgive me if there are more misconceptions than the others.

Debuffs
-Grave Lord: AOE Major Vulnerability (Frozen Colossus and Morphs)
-Grave Lord: AOE Major Defile (Blighted Blastbones - Morph of Blastbones)
-Grave Lord: AOE Major Breach and Major Fracture (Unnerving Boneyard - Morph of Boneyard)
-Bone Tyrant: AOE Minor Vulnerability on Synergy (Agony Totem - Morph of Bone Totem)
-Bone Tyrant: AOE Minor Maim (Grave Grasp and Morphs)
-Living Death: Self Minor Defile on heal (Render Flesh and Morphs)
-Living Death: Critical Strike Chance with all Healing abilities are increased by up to 20% in proportion to severity of target's wound, while you have a Living Death ability slotted (Near-Death Experience passive0
-Living Death: When you use an ability requiring a corpse, you regenerate 10 ultimate every 16 seconds (Corpse Consumption passive)
-Living Death: While Blastbones, Spirit Mender or Skeletal Mage is active, your Magicka and Stamina recovery is increased by 200 (Undead Confederate passive)

Buffs
-Grave Lord: Increases Critical Strik Chance against enemies under 25% health by 10% for each Grave Lord ability slotted (Death Knell passive)
-Grave Lord: Increased Physical and Spell Penetration by 1500 while a Grave Lord skill is active (Dismember passive)
-Grave Lord: Increases damage done with DoTs by 15% (Rapid Rot passive)
-Bone Tyrant: Self Major Resolve (Bone Armor and Morphs)
-Bone Tyrant: Self Major Protection (Deaden Pain - Morph of Bitter Harvest)
-Bone Tyrant: AOE Minor Protection (Bone Totem and Morphs)
-Bone Tyrant: Regen 200 Magicka and Stamina each time an enemy you are in combat with, dies within 28 m of you (Death Gleaning passive)
-Bone Tyrant: Reduce damage taken from DoTs by 15% with a Bone Tyrant ability active (Disdain Harm passive)
-Bone Tyrant: Increase Healing Received by 2% for each Bone Tyrant: ability slotted (Health Avarice passive)
-Living Death: Healing Done increased by 8% while you have a negative effect (Curative Curse passive)

Others
-The only source of Major Vulnerability in the game as of Dragonhold.
-Also the only class with an ultimate that can ressurect all party members on demand.
-Does not have an in-class execute.
-Lacks in-class basic and essential buffs like Major Brutality, Sorcery, Savagery and Prophecy. Alternatives include obtaining them from weapon/guild skill lines, which limits skill bar slots, or from potions, which can be expensive.
-Extremely strong base damage from class skills and impactful passives like a large chunk of crit when target hits execute range, allows the Stamina Necromancer to be one of the strongest DPSers, on par with the Stamina Sorcerer and Stamina Warden.
-By itself, the Necromancer's more powerful healing and defensive abilities are not as convenient or accessible as the Warden's or the Sorcerer's, usually requiring a corpse to be around before it can be fully utilised, hence its capacity to solo and ease of use for beginners is significantly lower as well.

Summary

1. In the previous meta, raid grops composed practically of nothing but Necromancers to abuse Major Vulnerability was not unheard off. Currently, a cooldown of 20 seconds before Major Vulnerability can be inflicted on the same target again has been imposed, however Necromancers are still very welcomed in raid groups for this debuff.

2. Thanks to their lack of in-class buffs and sustain abilities, Necromancers seem to fall rather flat in terms of personal DPS if you discount Major Vulnerability, however thanks to taking advantage of their passives and Weapon skill burst damage, Stamina Necromancers are still one of the top 3 DPSers in the game.

3. Class is part of Elsweyr expansion