A CLEAR STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO PLAYING ESO IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

Vvephriel

I picked up the game in March of this year, and as a new player I immediately got lost trying to follow my quests because I had all of the DLC stuff popping up and I kept getting turned around. Your guide is one of the first resources I found and I still come back to it frequently, it's the first bookmark in my ESO folder!

Now that I figured out how to make a forum account I wanted to stop by and just say thank you so much for your work on maintaining this. The layout, the images, it's all organized in such a user friendly way. I really appreciate how much you've enhanced my questing experience!

MidgardWarrior

@NeoGriz Thank you for this guide. I've been using it for a while and it is immensely useful.

I just have a correction that I would like to make on the Elsweyr section:

When the prologue is completed I could not find Anais Davaux in Vulkhel Guard. I'm not sure if she is there if one does not complete the prologue, but she is definitely not there after the prologue.

I went through the Northern Elsweyr gate by Zahari (where the prologue ends), and Anais was standing on the bridge by the Valenwood Gate as I entered.

I also saw a marker for the quest next to the Riverhold Wayshrine. I don't know who the quest giver is there though, but I assume it is for when you travel to the wayshrine directly.

I hope this helps.

NeoGriz

MidgardWarrior wrote: »

@NeoGriz Thank you for this guide. I've been using it for a while and it is immensely useful.

I just have a correction that I would like to make on the Elsweyr section:

When the prologue is completed I could not find Anais Davaux in Vulkhel Guard. I'm not sure if she is there if one does not complete the prologue, but she is definitely not there after the prologue.

I went through the Northern Elsweyr gate by Zahari (where the prologue ends), and Anais was standing on the bridge by the Valenwood Gate as I entered.

I also saw a marker for the quest next to the Riverhold Wayshrine. I don't know who the quest giver is there though, but I assume it is for when you travel to the wayshrine directly.

I hope this helps.

Thanks for pointing this out!
I've corrected the mistake and also added some more details concerning the prologue part.
The marker you encountered at the Riverhold Wayshrine, probably is Abnur Tharn. After accepting 'A Rage of Dragons' you're told to find him there.

Deemerundso

Nice one!

Thank you for all the work you put in there.
As someone who is right now playing ESO as ongoing character story, this guide helps alot to not confuse my followers.

Good job!

Vladiator

Thank you for updating this guide!

theelderbruhs

This might be a stupid question, but what does intercut mean in this guide? Does it mean to skip those quests (mentioned as "intercut these quests") and do everything else or do those quests only and skip everything else?
I've been trying to translate the word to my native language but nothing really comes up and I just can't figure it out

NeoGriz

theelderbruhs wrote: »

This might be a stupid question, but what does intercut mean in this guide? Does it mean to skip those quests (mentioned as "intercut these quests") and do everything else or do those quests only and skip everything else?
I've been trying to translate the word to my native language but nothing really comes up and I just can't figure it out

It means to mix up the quests with the storyline quests.
Just make sure you finish them before moving on to the next area.

theelderbruhs

NeoGriz wrote: »

theelderbruhs wrote: »

This might be a stupid question, but what does intercut mean in this guide? Does it mean to skip those quests (mentioned as "intercut these quests") and do everything else or do those quests only and skip everything else?
I've been trying to translate the word to my native language but nothing really comes up and I just can't figure it out

It means to mix up the quests with the storyline quests.
Just make sure you finish them before moving on to the next area.

Thank you very much!

feklar42

Thank you so much for this guide. Newbie question: does it matter how long I take to complete a quest? I mean I have some I have accepted, but I would rather follow the order and do them when they would have come up chronologically.

NeeScrolls

feklar42 wrote: »

Newbie question: does it matter how long I take to complete a quest?.

Other than seasonal EVENT quests or maybe certain 'dailys' ( like the Undaunted 3 dungeons, for example ) nope it doesn't matter at all. Heck, i still have quests in my Journal from like 2016 lol
.

Marginis

This is amazing. And well formatted too! Just one ask - do you think you could spoiler each section so we can quick scroll to the section we need, and then expand that section?

lexo1000

Really nice guide! Please could update it with Waking Falme & The Deadlands DLCs?

Wendigo_Astur

lexo1000 wrote: »

Really nice guide! Please could update it with Waking Falme & The Deadlands DLCs?

+10000000

pipart

I cannot thank you enough for for your post. It will make a massive improvement to my enjoyment of the game.

NeoGriz

I've updated the guide with

• Waking Flame
• Deadlands
• Ascending Tide
• High Isle
• companion guides for Isobel Veloise and Ember

I'm sorry for taking so long to update! (it's been over a year... ouch)

itslenh

Thank you so much man!

Deshi2904

This is probably the most valuable guide for ESO.
Please keep up the good work!
Would be amazing if we could put all this information in an Add-on or ZOS would integrate it in the game.

BencePentek

Amazing guide, starting with this right now!

Kendah

I followed this nice guide and all were going fine until I reached Reaper's March, where I simultaneously picked up the main story quest "Council Of The Five Companion" as per the guide, once finished with it I automatically picked up the next main quest "Messages Across Tamriel" at the wayshrin, and couldn't abandon it.

Because of "Messages Across Tamriel", I started seeing different dialogues by Ayrenn and Raz while doing the zone story, not sure who else is affected, instead of the usual dialogue of the quest, each kept asking me to see Galerion at Skywatch, which is very irritating, my choices to reply, of course, did not make any sense, since its meant to answer the zone quest and not the main, I noticed this starting the quest "To Dune" onward during which I picked up "Messages Across Tamriel".

To avoid this, I believe it's best to not complete the main quest "Council Of The Five Companion" until you are through with Reaper's March main quests.

I'd say, ESO has the most messed up quest order in any MMO I've played, they are just presented to a new player in a very horrible way, not sure why can't they unlock quest according to character progression, the way it's going now greatly ruins/breaks immersion and role play, at least make it possible to reset map story & abandon the main quest.

keto3000

Kendah wrote: »

I followed this nice guide and all were going fine until I reached Reaper's March, where I simultaneously picked up the main story quest "Council Of The Five Companion" as per the guide, once finished with it I automatically picked up the next main quest "Messages Across Tamriel" at the wayshrin, and couldn't abandon it.

Because of "Messages Across Tamriel", I started seeing different dialogues by Ayrenn and Raz while doing the zone story, not sure who else is affected, instead of the usual dialogue of the quest, each kept asking me to see Galerion at Skywatch, which is very irritating, my choices to reply, of course, did not make any sense, since its meant to answer the zone quest and not the main, I noticed this starting the quest "To Dune" onward during which I picked up "Messages Across Tamriel".

To avoid this, I believe it's best to not complete the main quest "Council Of The Five Companion" until you are through with Reaper's March main quests.

I'd say, ESO has the most messed up quest order in any MMO I've played, they are just presented to a new player in a very horrible way, not sure why can't they unlock quest according to character progression, the way it's going now greatly ruins/breaks immersion and role play, at least make it possible to reset map story & abandon the main quest.

Yes, this is the way the original game was set up prior to the release of One Tamriel-- 'go anywhere at any time.'

There is another thread that compliments this one nicely by @VaranisArano:

What Order Should I Do ESO's Story Arcs? - A Guide

[Excerpted from that thread, post #1:

"SO WHAT IF I REALLY MISS OR WANT TO HAVE THE PRE-ONE TAMRIEL QUESTING EXPERIENCE?

1. Start a new character and wayshrine to your Alliance's Starter City

2. Accept the Main Quest from the Hooded Figure

3. Complete your Alliance's Main quest in order alongside the Fighters and Mages guild quests for that zone, and the Harborage quests for the Main Questline. Originally the Main Quest progressed at every 5 levels, but now its not necessary to wait.

4. Coldharbor Questline is the prerequisite for completing the Main Questline.

5. Having completed the Main Questline, accept Cadwell's Silver and Gold to experience the other Alliance questlines.

6. Experience the Thieves Guild, Dark Brotherhood, Imperial City, Orsinium, and Murkmire DLCs and Craglorn, in whatever order you want.

7. Begin the Daedric Wars plotline with Morrowind -> Clockwork City-> Summerset.

8. Do the two Wrathstone dungeons, the Elsweyr Prologue quest, Elsweyr, the two Scalebreaker dungeons, Dragonhold Prologue, and then Dragonhold.

9. Do the two Harrowstorm dungeons, the Greymoor Prologue quest, Greymoor, the two Stonethorn dungeons, the Markarth Prologue, and then Markarth.

10. Do the two Flames of Ambition dungeons and the Blackwood Prologue. Chapter: Blackwood in Q2, the two Waking Flames dungeons, and the Deadlands prologue/ DLC.

11. Do the two Ascending Tide Dungeons, High Isle Prologues, Chapter: High Isle, the two Lost Depths dungeons, and the Firesong Prologue/DLC (Firesong will launch in Q4).

Its entirely possible to have a great and fullfilling questing experience running around doing everything in whatever order you want. Its an Elder Scrolls game in that regard. If, on the other hand, you want to experience the coherent, cohesive, immersive storyline of the Elder Scrolls Online that spans the entire continent for the first time since TES: Arena, following the chronology of the original pre-One Tamriel ESO through the threat of the Planemeld, into the rising threat of the Daedric Wars, facing the rage of dragons, exploring the dark heart of Skyrim, and now returning to Cyrodiil to deal with Oblivion Gates (again, for you TES IV Oblivion fans) is one of the best ways to do so.

I hope you have fun questing through ESO's story arcs!"

:end excerpt]

NeoGriz

test test

Kendah wrote: »

I followed this nice guide and all were going fine until I reached Reaper's March, where I simultaneously picked up the main story quest "Council Of The Five Companion" as per the guide, once finished with it I automatically picked up the next main quest "Messages Across Tamriel" at the wayshrin, and couldn't abandon it.

Because of "Messages Across Tamriel", I started seeing different dialogues by Ayrenn and Raz while doing the zone story, not sure who else is affected, instead of the usual dialogue of the quest, each kept asking me to see Galerion at Skywatch, which is very irritating, my choices to reply, of course, did not make any sense, since its meant to answer the zone quest and not the main, I noticed this starting the quest "To Dune" onward during which I picked up "Messages Across Tamriel".

To avoid this, I believe it's best to not complete the main quest "Council Of The Five Companion" until you are through with Reaper's March main quests.

I'd say, ESO has the most messed up quest order in any MMO I've played, they are just presented to a new player in a very horrible way, not sure why can't they unlock quest according to character progression, the way it's going now greatly ruins/breaks immersion and role play, at least make it possible to reset map story & abandon the main quest.

Thanks for pointing this out.
I've edited the guide and rearranged the quests that are part of the main quest line to be finished after you complete the zone story in Reaper's March/Bankorai/The Rift.

Kendah

NeoGriz wrote: »

test test

Kendah wrote: »

I followed this nice guide and all were going fine until I reached Reaper's March, where I simultaneously picked up the main story quest "Council Of The Five Companion" as per the guide, once finished with it I automatically picked up the next main quest "Messages Across Tamriel" at the wayshrin, and couldn't abandon it.

Because of "Messages Across Tamriel", I started seeing different dialogues by Ayrenn and Raz while doing the zone story, not sure who else is affected, instead of the usual dialogue of the quest, each kept asking me to see Galerion at Skywatch, which is very irritating, my choices to reply, of course, did not make any sense, since its meant to answer the zone quest and not the main, I noticed this starting the quest "To Dune" onward during which I picked up "Messages Across Tamriel".

To avoid this, I believe it's best to not complete the main quest "Council Of The Five Companion" until you are through with Reaper's March main quests.

I'd say, ESO has the most messed up quest order in any MMO I've played, they are just presented to a new player in a very horrible way, not sure why can't they unlock quest according to character progression, the way it's going now greatly ruins/breaks immersion and role play, at least make it possible to reset map story & abandon the main quest.

Thanks for pointing this out.
I've edited the guide and rearranged the quests that are part of the main quest line to be finished after you complete the zone story in Reaper's March/Bankorai/The Rift.

Am glad I could assist in any way, and thank you for all the efforts in creating this very helpful guide.

Iselin

This is a great guide. I appreciate all the work you put into it.

I only want to comment although it's slightly off-topic, on a couple of things I go out of my way to do early and one I deliberately do out of order for the sake of efficiency.

When I visit the starter city for the first time I make sure I do the very first part of the Fighters, Mages and Undaunted (just join) in order to start getting credit for fighters' guild advancement even while doing Soul Shriven in Coldharbour, start getting credit for lore books I read, and to be ready to start doing dungeons at level 10 wherever I happen to be then.

The one I do deliberately out of order is to jump to Summerset, Arteum, and then do the leads in Summerset to get Psijiic level 1. I just hate not being able to see the Psijiic portals and loot them as I go about my business

At level 10 I immediately go to Cyrodiil and do the tutorial there that ranks the alliance lines to level 3 and is just enough to get the passive for +30% mount speed (also the Stamina based heal if you need it.) I think many skip this part because they think they will need to PvP but most of this happens in the almost always PvP-free area of Cyrodiil between the absolutely no PvP safe area and the Elder Scroll Temple. In theory, there can be PvP in that area but only when there is a push to steal that Elder Scroll. I've leveled many, many alts and that area has always been free of PvP to me. Regardless, that 30% mounted speed boost is worth it.

As I said, this post is off-topic but I wanted to add it here as tips for efficiency for anyone starting fresh and looking at your great thread.

Cheers!

Seperatist

Thanks for the updates on the guide, a question tho is there a way to make a character start in a fashionable old way in base zones and not dlcs locations (high isle/vvardenfell etc)?

kadar

Seperatist wrote: »

Thanks for the updates on the guide, a question tho is there a way to make a character start in a fashionable old way in base zones and not dlcs locations (high isle/vvardenfell etc)?

It's in the very first part of the guide.

MorteTorment

First of all, great guide, thanks so much for making it.

I'm curious what isn't in it. How up to date is it at the moment?

vsrs_au

The alliance that gives you Cadwell's Gold (and perhaps Silver?) varies depending on how you started the game. I started it a few years ago, and back then players automatically started in the latest released zone, which for me was Western Skyrim. I think because of this odd starting point, my Cadwell's Gold achievement was met by me doing the Covenant main quests, not the Dominion ones.

NeoGriz

vsrs_au wrote: »

The alliance that gives you Cadwell's Gold (and perhaps Silver?) varies depending on how you started the game. I started it a few years ago, and back then players automatically started in the latest released zone, which for me was Western Skyrim. I think because of this odd starting point, my Cadwell's Gold achievement was met by me doing the Covenant main quests, not the Dominion ones.

Since the point of the guide is completing everything in chronological order, I haven't (and will not) take every single different starting point in consideration.

NeoGriz

MorteTorment wrote: »

First of all, great guide, thanks so much for making it.

I'm curious what isn't in it. How up to date is it at the moment?

Lost Depths and Firesong (released on August 22nd and November 1st 2022 respectively) still need to be added, but since I haven't played ESO in a long time, I still need to get into that content.

G0K4R

Just wanna leave a thanks here. This is rly some amazing work