What is the best class and Race to stay alive in ESO?

Jigger_allard · September 2017

I just came back to ESO after beta testing it in 2014. Now, after coming back I realize one of the reasons why I left. It was just because of the cost of the game and the monthly subscription fees. It was also because I got tired of dying so much. Here I am now playing a Breton Sorceress at level 11 and I cannot even defeat the "Warclaws," let alone survive "Entering the Skar." It absolutely destroys the immersion of the game for me. So, what I want to know is what the heck is the "very best" Class and Race to stay alive in this game? Admittingly, I am not at all capable of Shucking and jiving like someone on speed...buzzing around like a bee.....trying to avoid being hit while attacking. I have watched plenty of videos on Sorcerer builds and plenty of people here have given me a lot of pointers.

(Currently, my Breton Sorceress is being setup up for Magicka.)

I don't really want to leave again. I just want to stay alive and enjoy what the game has to offer: The open world, the exploration, and the gathering; and, even the role playing. But without the constant dying. When you are first starting out you have no money, crappy armor, and no repair kits. Not a whole for me. Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. Any worthwhile suggestions would be much appreciated. Thank you for listening!

Wrecking_Blow_Spam · September 2017

Magic Templar, using puncturing sweeps. Game complete

Race - ideally high elf but not really matter if just questing.

CMFan1966 · September 2017

I have to agree.....Templar is the best way to stay alive. You get a healing spell right off the bat. I don't kite around very easily either, but I usually manage to stay alive when playing a Templar.

Jigger_allard · September 2017

Wrecking_Blow_Spam wrote: »

Magic Templar, using puncturing sweeps. Game complete

Race - ideally high elf but not really matter if just questing.

Yes, thanks! I am not good at PvP and don't really like it. The this to is if you are out in the middle of know where getting into fights with everything that you run into your armor gets damaged on the first hit and if you don't have any repair kits or soul gems you are in deep crap.

Nemesis7884 · September 2017

yeah i think mag templar or mag nightblade probably.... and a magica race - breton or highelf...

you could for example combine seducer with baharahs curse and just sweep forever - these sets are also easy to get

Chronicburn · September 2017

CMFan1966 wrote: »

I have to agree.....Templar is the best way to stay alive. You get a healing spell right off the bat. I don't kite around very easily either, but I usually manage to stay alive when playing a Templar.

Puncturing sweeps FTW ! ( pew pew pew) ... it's also great if you are leveling a crafter toon because you don't have to burn a lot of skill points to level through content

firedrgn · September 2017

Sorc is pretty survivable. Stack shields and crit surge. And dark deal.

bmannb16_ESO · September 2017

firedrgn wrote: »

Sorc is pretty survivable. Stack shields and crit surge. And dark deal.

shield stacking can be a challenge, Templar or DK is easy sauce.

Dantaria · September 2017

bmannb16_ESO wrote: »

firedrgn wrote: »

Sorc is pretty survivable. Stack shields and crit surge. And dark deal.

shield stacking can be a challenge, Templar or DK is easy sauce.

Why would you need to shield-stack in overworld PvE? o_O

I would argue about magDK. He actually doesn't have any good self-heal. But sorc? Unlock Surge => Morph to Power Surge => Take Mundus Stone => You are an immortal god.

Surge easily carries you through pretty much everything in overworld PvE. Heck, normal dungeons are rekt with Surge. Unlock Hardened Ward and you can solo vet.

OP, just use Clanfear at first (1st skill in Daedric Summoning). He will keep things away from you. The moment you'll be able to unlock Surge - unlock it and take Thief Mundus. All possible problems in overworld PvE will be pretty much solved.

buttaface · September 2017

You asked to stay alive. Magicka Templar, yes, magicka race? NO. Argonian. With argonian passives, every potion you drink is a health, stam and magicka potion. Powerful stuff. +the healing done and received passives and + health.

To stay alive? Argonian, no question.

But really, staying alive is mostly a matter of understanding how whatever class you are playing heals itself while killing mobs. Once you know the basics of that, every class and every stat focus is easily kept alive through all overland content.

Jigger_allard · September 2017

Dantaria wrote: »

bmannb16_ESO wrote: »

firedrgn wrote: »

Sorc is pretty survivable. Stack shields and crit surge. And dark deal.

shield stacking can be a challenge, Templar or DK is easy sauce.

Why would you need to shield-stack in overworld PvE? o_O

I would argue about magDK. He actually doesn't have any good self-heal. But sorc? Unlock Surge => Morph to Power Surge => Take Mundus Stone => You are an immortal god.

Surge easily carries you through pretty much everything in overworld PvE. Heck, normal dungeons are rekt with Surge. Unlock Hardened Ward and you can solo vet.

OP, just use Clanfear at first (1st skill in Daedric Summoning). He will keep things away from you. The moment you'll be able to unlock Surge - unlock it and take Thief Mundus. All possible problems in overworld PvE will be pretty much solved.

Nice, but at level 11 I haven't been able to get surge or power surge let alone the ward spell. You don't get a second bar until level 15, right? In the meantime, I am stuck trying to complete two different quests. When I was trying to fight the Warclaws one of them hit me once with a broad sword and knocked me down and my health nearly disappeared. I was down to a dot.

Inkfingerps4 · September 2017

Another vote for Magic Templar here! Very beginner friendly, with skills unlocked early on that will probably carry you right through the game if needs be.

Morgul667 · September 2017

Magicka Templar

Jigger_allard · September 2017

Dantaria wrote: »

bmannb16_ESO wrote: »

firedrgn wrote: »

Sorc is pretty survivable. Stack shields and crit surge. And dark deal.

shield stacking can be a challenge, Templar or DK is easy sauce.

Why would you need to shield-stack in overworld PvE? o_O

I would argue about magDK. He actually doesn't have any good self-heal. But sorc? Unlock Surge => Morph to Power Surge => Take Mundus Stone => You are an immortal god.

Surge easily carries you through pretty much everything in overworld PvE. Heck, normal dungeons are rekt with Surge. Unlock Hardened Ward and you can solo vet.

OP, just use Clanfear at first (1st skill in Daedric Summoning). He will keep things away from you. The moment you'll be able to unlock Surge - unlock it and take Thief Mundus. All possible problems in overworld PvE will be pretty much solved.

This what I have on my one and only one bar right now:

Ultimate: Negate Magic, level 1 (hate it!)

Crystal Blast, level 1

Summon Volatile Familiar, level 1

Endless Fury, level 1

PlagueSD · September 2017

Argonian Magica Templar. My very first character. Defeated Molag Bal back in the VR1-VR16 days with ease. Now he's a joke.

zaria · September 2017

***_Cara_Sterling wrote: »

Dantaria wrote: »

bmannb16_ESO wrote: »

firedrgn wrote: »

Sorc is pretty survivable. Stack shields and crit surge. And dark deal.

shield stacking can be a challenge, Templar or DK is easy sauce.

Why would you need to shield-stack in overworld PvE? o_O

I would argue about magDK. He actually doesn't have any good self-heal. But sorc? Unlock Surge => Morph to Power Surge => Take Mundus Stone => You are an immortal god.

Surge easily carries you through pretty much everything in overworld PvE. Heck, normal dungeons are rekt with Surge. Unlock Hardened Ward and you can solo vet.

OP, just use Clanfear at first (1st skill in Daedric Summoning). He will keep things away from you. The moment you'll be able to unlock Surge - unlock it and take Thief Mundus. All possible problems in overworld PvE will be pretty much solved.

Nice, but at level 11 I haven't been able to get surge or power surge let alone the ward spell. You don't get a second bar until level 15, right? In the meantime, I am stuck trying to complete two different quests. When I was trying to fight the Warclaws one of them hit me once with a broad sword and knocked me down and my health nearly disappeared. I was down to a dot.

Do you use food? it give an huge health bonus, blue food give health+ magic.
What skills are you using?
Your main problem is not killing enemies fast enough so they get time to kill you, you want the clanfear as it will hold at lest one of the enemies. use area effect spells like the wall of elements too.

You might want some crafted leveling gear too.
I had problems with the warclaws back on the test server using just dropped gear and food, with blue food and crafted gear it was no issue, as in was not killed overland anymore except from world bosses and fall damage

sevomd69 · September 2017

Magplar... and looks like you don't wanna kite... so its perfect since magplars have no mobility... so you can't... kite that is...

Jigger_allard · September 2017

zaria wrote: »

***_Cara_Sterling wrote: »

Dantaria wrote: »

bmannb16_ESO wrote: »

firedrgn wrote: »

Sorc is pretty survivable. Stack shields and crit surge. And dark deal.

shield stacking can be a challenge, Templar or DK is easy sauce.

Why would you need to shield-stack in overworld PvE? o_O

I would argue about magDK. He actually doesn't have any good self-heal. But sorc? Unlock Surge => Morph to Power Surge => Take Mundus Stone => You are an immortal god.

Surge easily carries you through pretty much everything in overworld PvE. Heck, normal dungeons are rekt with Surge. Unlock Hardened Ward and you can solo vet.

OP, just use Clanfear at first (1st skill in Daedric Summoning). He will keep things away from you. The moment you'll be able to unlock Surge - unlock it and take Thief Mundus. All possible problems in overworld PvE will be pretty much solved.

Nice, but at level 11 I haven't been able to get surge or power surge let alone the ward spell. You don't get a second bar until level 15, right? In the meantime, I am stuck trying to complete two different quests. When I was trying to fight the Warclaws one of them hit me once with a broad sword and knocked me down and my health nearly disappeared. I was down to a dot.

Do you use food? it give an huge health bonus, blue food give health+ magic.
What skills are you using?
Your main problem is not killing enemies fast enough so they get time to kill you, you want the clanfear as it will hold at lest one of the enemies. use area effect spells like the wall of elements too.

You might want some crafted leveling gear too.
I had problems with the warclaws back on the test server using just dropped gear and food, with blue food and crafted gear it was no issue, as in was not killed overland anymore except from world bosses and fall damage

Yes, you are right about the killing time. Yes, I use food. I don't have any AOE spells. See my previous reply that lists the spells that I do have. The other thing is that I cannot craft anything because I don't have any traits. I can't purchase anything because I have no money. I got to tell you the cost of things in stores and in guilds are like the price gouging going on in Florida right now. And, for the length of time that it takes to learn to craft, I cannot blame them. But then, that is ESO's hook, isn't it?

And, as I have stated before, I am terrible when it comes to mashing keyboard buttons: As I generally hit the wrong buttons because I am trying to watch the action on the monitor too. It seems I can't do both simultaneously. Perhaps I don't belong here. I am strictly an old single-player gamer.

Niobium · September 2017

My vote goes to magicka Templar as well. You don't have to run around and kite, you can just stand there and jabby jab jab til the mob is dead.

If you're struggling for gear, even farming some jute plants up and offering the materials to crafters can be enough to get them to make you some gear to stay alive in.

In addition, just running around exploring and picking up skyshards will give you a good chunk of xp and skill points to use to get some more workable skills for you, even if you choose to stay with your sorc.

SydneyGrey · September 2017

For a magicka sorceror, I recommend Unstable Familiar morphed to Volatile Familiar, and Daedric Curse morphed to Daedric Prey.
First summon the Familiar. When in combat, you hit the button for Daedric Prey first, then hit the button for your Familiar (even though he's already been summoned). Daedric Prey dramatically increases the damage your summoned pets can do, and when you hit the button for the Volatile Familiar again, it triggers extra pulse damage from him. The result is a hard-hitting walking bomb, pretty much.
I don't even use the twilight. I found her annoying, and I do more damage without her.

Not sure why some people are trying to steer you away from playing a sorc. They're the best damage-dealers in the game. There are a million different ways to play a sorc, though, which is why it's so fun. Some other people might have different ideas, but you might want to try my idea for a while to see how you like it. I wouldn't give up on your sorceress. I actually have three sorcerors: one Breton, one High Elf, and one Redguard (stamina sorc).

sevomd69 · September 2017

SydneyGrey wrote: »

For a sorceror, I recommend Unstable Familiar morphed to Volatile Familiar, and Daedric Curse morphed to Daedric Prey.
First summon the Familiar. When in combat, you hit the button for Daedric Prey first, then hit the button for your Familiar (even though he's already been summoned). Daedric Prey dramatically increases the damage your summoned pets can do, and when you hit the button for the Volatile Familiar again, it triggers extra pulse damage from him. The result is a hard-hitting walking bomb, pretty much.
I don't even use the twilight. I found her annoying, and I do more damage without her.

Not sure why some people are trying to steer you away from playing a sorc. They're the best damage-dealers concussers in the game. There are a million different ways to play a sorc, though, which is why it's so fun. Some other people might have different ideas, but you might want to try my idea for a while to see how you like it. I wouldn't give up on your sorceress. I actually have three sorcerors: one Breton, one High Elf, and one Redguard (stamina sorc).

I corrected that for ya...

letsdothedungeonslow · September 2017

OrcSorc.
Racial bonuses to survival
Brawler for shield, Surge and Vigor and Dark Deal for heals

Malmai · September 2017

Magicka Templar or Stamina Sorcerer

FrancisCrawford · September 2017

My answer would quite possibly be "Breton Sorcerer".

That said, at low levels the choice of race is almost immaterial (race doesn't matter until you invest skill points in racial passive skills), and at high levels Altmer is a little better than Breton.

The key to playing a magicka sorcerer at early levels is to take the Unstable Clannfear morph of the melee pet. That gives you both a tank and a heal.

Well, the other key is to eat food.

And since it's now easy to get set jewelry and set armor, by all means wear them as they become available.

http://tamrielfoundry.com/topic/general-tips-for-new-or-returning-players/ is one general guide to leveling. http://tamrielfoundry.com/topic/one-approach-to-leveling-a-magicka-based-sorcerer/ is a guide specifically to leveling with a magicka sorcerer.

Both were started years ago, and have not been wholly updated as the game changed, but even so they might give you some ideas.

I'd now say:

As soon as you have Force Shock (either morph), Crystal Fragments, and Elemental Blockade, you're very strong at doing damage.
As soon as you have the Unstable Clannfear, it's pretty easy to survive.

All that said, magicka templar may be even better, for reasons other people have already given above.

LadyNalcarya · September 2017

Magicka sorcerer is a great combo of damage and survivablity.
I see many people recommending magplar... Theyre good indeed (my favourite char is a magplar), but soloing everything is harder on a magplar. I noticed that when soloing Craglorn, many objectives that I remember as "tricky" were super easy on sorc.
On a sorc, you might feel a bit underpowered before you unlock your tankiest skills - surge and ward (storm calling and daedric summoning, respectively), and magplar has great self-heals early on, but at champion levels sorc makes a much better soloer.
You will just need a lightning staff (because it does splash damage, and heavy lightning attack build has good dps and great sustain). Use elemental wall (morphed to ele blockade) in a combination with lightning splash (from storm calling skill line, morph it into liquid lightning). Your pet isnt very strong early on, but when you morph it into volatile familiar and activate his special ability, he does great aoe damage. Another pet, twilight matriarch, can heal you, and both of your pets (and you) will be protected with your conjured ward. Surge makes your critical hits heal you, so you can easily keep yourself at 100% health. Just use lightning wall, lightning splash, activate the scamp and heavy attack, shield and heal when needed. It will melt pretty much any quest mobs and you'll even be able to solo group content later on.
Try to wear 5 pieces of light armor and 2 heavy. 5 light is needed for the passives (every passive that requires "full set" actually works with 5 pieces), and 2 heavy will give you some extra hp and defense. Later on, if you decide to do undaunted content, 5 light, 1 medium, 1 heavy could be better but at the start 5/2 would give you better stats.
Also, dont forget food/drink buff. There is a purple drink called "Witchmother's potent brew" (do not confuse it with Witchmothers party punch, thats a different one), it boosts your hp, magicka pool and magicka recovery. It costs around ~90 gold per piece at guild traders, and lasts for 2 hours.
And the most important thing: dont give up.

The game might seem overwhelming at first, but it wont be always like this. I'd recommend to stick to one character to at least level 50 so that you'll see its full potential. Some classes have easier start, but are tricky later on, with some classes its other way around.

mocap · September 2017

I think stamina Sorc is better for solo exploring. Surge + Blood craze + Vigor = almost invincible.
Templar needs to smear with self-heals in order to beat that combination (Puncturing sweep on single target isnt' that much powerful in terms of healing).

Yesterday i play on PTS with stamina Sorc (my first time i play as stamina character) and i killed two worldbosses stupidly easy. I just recast Surge, Hurricane, Endless hail and Poision injection. And i literally stand still, no dodges, no blocks.

It's all about Surge healing. Being able to heal 4600 hp per second (for 33 seconds, lol) is kinda not fair, especially when you don't need Resto for this.

TeIvanni · September 2017

What content is this for?

Solo questing?
Solo Mob Grinding?
Normal Dungeons?
Veteran Dungeons?
Normal Trials?
Veteran Trials?
Cyrodil PvP?
Imperial City PvP?
Battle Grounds PvP?
Dueling PvP?
Role playing inside a player owned house yelling "Hoiiiii" for hours on end?

The last category is a joke obviously.
But seriously content matters.

LordSkyKnight · September 2017

You are probably dying because you are eating heavy attacks and standing in giant reticles of red death. Learn to block telegraphed heavy attacks and move out of red reticles of death. If you don't get out of the red areas fast enough, block those as well.

Enslaved · September 2017

Best race for staying alive is probably Saxhleel atm. You have some bonus to magicka, crazy sustain via pots, bonus to health that is really nice and healing done/taken increased. And about class - Any class can be built in a way to be able to withstand nuclear blast. Some have it easier since their healing abilities are not requiring an active target, but all classes can be very hard to kill. For example, DK with leeching plate is a monster, Warden with frost staff on back bar as well, saptanks can live forever, and templars are cancer since day one. Sorcerer? Cast one of 2 aoe damaging skills, use crit surge and you are cancer as well.

ItsMeToo · September 2017

A traveling Merchant... they can't be killed and everyone loves them.

WaltherCarraway · September 2017

Argonian magPlar