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How do you play ESO?

Brundhila
Brundhila
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Hello, I am a returnee to ESO and am currently going through the content, specifically, Caldwell's Gold. I have played theme park MMOs like WOW as well as sandbox (Eve Online) but ESO seems to be somewhere in the middle. My question is, how do you play? Do you go through ALL content (story, delves, lore books, dungeons etc) when you go through a zone, or do you just do story and then go back later and complete the zones? Please share your playstyles. Thanks!
  • xv1_me
    xv1_me
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    Long story short this game has lots of fun aspects from trading and combat all the way to housing and farming. You can just do anything that makes you happy. Pvp kinda bad performance but it’s still fun. Sorry if I didn’t help there is just so much to do and not enough gold or time to do it all :)
    Edited by xv1_me on June 2, 2021 2:33PM
  • Oryctolagus
    Oryctolagus
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    I'm a.. solo completionist? I go through a zone and try to do everything solo. Anything I can't do I skip, but that seems to be rare.

    I definitely can't leave a zone without getting all lore books, delves, quests, dolmens at the very least. I also only like going in faction/story order.

    On the side, I disassemble everything and research traits on the off-chance I have been cured of my altitis and my current character is "the one".
  • JKorr
    JKorr
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    If you want coherent [mostly] story, go through the faction lines and general npc-needs-help stories in each zone. Most of the time doing one quest will have another 1 or 2 [dozen] show up along the way. My opinion only; its nicer to encounter story npcs again in additional content when they know who you are. Running into Darien again is interesting, if you met him in DC, completed the planemeld, found his note in Wrothgar, and completed Summerset. Running into him out of order would be confusing at the best of times.

    I do the original main quest(s) first on all my characters. Long about the 12th alt though I picked a direction and ran to see what I could find after the main quests ended. Since they added the zone guide its easier to tell if I missed things. :)
  • oddbasket
    oddbasket
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    Yes, I tend to go through everything in a zone on my main character for completion's sake. Of course I would initially skip world bosses and dolmens and it's equivalents but characters are so much more powerful now that it barely takes any time to clear them when I'm passing through.
  • Odovacar
    Odovacar
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    ** Link up with some likeminded folks and explore together aka join a guild and be social. There are so many helpful players out there. Outside of that do some research online too. There is so much content to consume on whatever journey you decide to pick.
    Edited by Odovacar on June 2, 2021 2:47PM
  • Starlight_Whisper
    Starlight_Whisper
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    Wherever my heart takes me
  • UnseenCat
    UnseenCat
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    I try to focus on a questline, pickup up related side-quests as needed, generally try to complete and clear an area and then... SQUIRREL!!
  • Malpheus_Prime
    Malpheus_Prime
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    UnseenCat wrote: »
    I try to focus on a questline, pickup up related side-quests as needed, generally try to complete and clear an area and then... SQUIRREL!!

    Literally trying to break that with myself at times.

    Right now I try to maximize my enlightment by doing quests and collecting skillpoints, then use the dailies for additional xp before logging off on weekdays. Weekends I play as much as my wife lets me, usually have a goal of the weekend. Like 20 more cp points or golding gear.

    When I get my toon back up to proper level, I plan on underbidding folks selling runs at skyreach, always 1k less than whatever that *** asks for.
  • Hysorn
    Hysorn
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    Sometimes I go for a simple Elder Scrolls experience, just questing through zones, sometimes I enjoy the MMORPG aspect with mostly PvE though I do intend to get more into PvP as well. Crafting, Farming and Housing I haven't really checked it out though.
  • Majkiy
    Majkiy
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    I turn on ESO, do the trial, turn off ESO. Basically I am at the point of just doing trial progress, got pretty much everything PvE related done. I despise PvP so not doing that. Currently am doing story line in Blackwood with my girlfriend but when that is done, back to doing just and only trials.
  • Mesite
    Mesite
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    I like to open up the list of guild members that are playing when I log on and travel to them one by one to see if its an area I have explored before. If I haven't been there before then I'll explore a while. Maybe do a quest. It's surprising how much of the various areas I am still finding. I recently started to complete a couple of zones for a change.

    I try to remember to upgrade my horse. I know I should do writs too but life's too short. Occasionally Bogrul gives me something to do if I'm passing.
  • aaisoaho
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    Chaotically. I just do the stuff I feel like doing. At one point I might get an idea of doing every questing achievement and on the other occasion I might feel like just grinding.

    When new content drops, I often start doing the main quest line there. When I encounter a side quest (or multiple side quests), I'll do it instead and return to the main quest after the side quest.

    I may join normal trials or random normals every now and then if someone asks. Normals only though, since nowadays I can't commit myself to the game for long periods of time.
  • Folkb
    Folkb
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    Brundhila wrote: »
    Hello, I am a returnee to ESO and am currently going through the content, specifically, Caldwell's Gold. I have played theme park MMOs like WOW as well as sandbox (Eve Online) but ESO seems to be somewhere in the middle. My question is, how do you play? Do you go through ALL content (story, delves, lore books, dungeons etc) when you go through a zone, or do you just do story and then go back later and complete the zones? Please share your playstyles. Thanks!

    I recently returned as well. I made a new character and finish each zone in order. Right now I'm on Cadwell silver.

    The only time I did a zone out of order was when I decided to change things up a bit and do wrothgar dlc and also I jumped over to a EP zone for some overland gear once I hit CP 150+.
  • amm7sb14_ESO
    amm7sb14_ESO
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    Group content. Dungeons, trials, etc.
  • Aertew
    Aertew
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    Zones aren't leveled like WoW but it's reccomended to go in order. For example you want to start in your Alliance islands. For Daggerfall covenant it's stros m'kai. For ebonheart pact it's bleak rock isle. For Aldermeri dominion i dont know actually. However assuming your doing Cadwell's gold then your already finishing it. For order of release DLC was Orsinium, thieves guild and dark brotherhood. Then Clockwork city. Then Morrowind, then Summerset, then Elswheyr, Southern Elswheyr, Greymoor, Markarth and now Blackwood.
  • whitecrow
    whitecrow
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    I try to complete each zone before moving on.
  • Gythral
    Gythral
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    Laggily :smiley:
    “Be as a tower, that, firmly set,
    Shakes not its top for any blast that blows!”
    Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy
  • Brundhila
    Brundhila
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    Great responses, thanks all! Im a bit of a completionist myself so at least on my Main character, I will try and complete as much of a zone as I can before going forward.
  • gariondavey
    gariondavey
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    Aertew wrote: »
    Zones aren't leveled like WoW but it's reccomended to go in order. For example you want to start in your Alliance islands. For Daggerfall covenant it's stros m'kai. For ebonheart pact it's bleak rock isle. For Aldermeri dominion i dont know actually. However assuming your doing Cadwell's gold then your already finishing it. For order of release DLC was Orsinium, thieves guild and dark brotherhood. Then Clockwork city. Then Morrowind, then Summerset, then Elswheyr, Southern Elswheyr, Greymoor, Markarth and now Blackwood.

    Khenarthi's roost
    Edit: you forgot murkmire :P
    Edited by gariondavey on June 2, 2021 7:14PM
    PC NA @gariondavey, BG, IC & Cyrodiil Focused Since October 2017 Stamplar (main), Magplar, Magsorc, Stamsorc, StamDK, MagDK, Stamblade, Magblade, Magden, Stamden
  • SirAndy
    SirAndy
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    One of my 6 mains is the dedicated achievement hunter, so that char tries to do everything possible.
    One hasn't done a single quest since i leveled her from 1-50 inside the intro prison area.
    The other 4 have done everything in each zone that gives skillpoints, like the main quests, silver + gold, skyshards, group events etc.

    All 6 have also done all dolmens, world bosses and dungeons for each zone.
    shades.gif

  • Nightowl_74
    Nightowl_74
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    aaisoaho wrote: »
    Chaotically. I just do the stuff I feel like doing. At one point I might get an idea of doing every questing achievement and on the other occasion I might feel like just grinding.

    When new content drops, I often start doing the main quest line there. When I encounter a side quest (or multiple side quests), I'll do it instead and return to the main quest after the side quest.

    This is exactly how I play, too!

  • Klad
    Klad
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    How do I play?

    Well first off, I Put on My Robe and Wizard Hat
  • JoDiMageio
    JoDiMageio
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    Linear completionist here, but only on my main. Made sure I knew the order of the content to be played, came up with a backstory for my toon that allows her to be a completionist, and then completed zones one by one.

    For my alts, I will only do content that fits with their stories, too. My AD Eye of the Queen for example has not ventured out much in the other alliance territories. My DC orc crafter was a member of Gaspard's Stalkers with Bazrag and Kurog, so she's been out a bit more, and has also fought in the Three Banners war.

    I try to stay true to who each character is.
  • Athan1
    Athan1
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    I log in with the intention to continue the questline I'm currently on (I try to clear a content chunk e.g. a zone 100% before moving on). But I realise I need to do my daily crafting and dungeon so I do those first to get them out of the way. I spend lots of time deconstructing what I picked the previous day and getting rid of clutter such as trash consumables.

    Then I'm free to do the actual quest. Along the way, I make frequent stops to collect materials. I may also pickpocket a bit, so I may need to visit the thieves den. After that, I go back to questing again.

    Then I pause to screenshot a beautiful scenery or a funny-looking player that just passed by. I continue with the quest but then walk into a new quest, so I start doing that side-quest first just to get it out of the way.

    I continue with the original quest I wanted to do. While collecting more materials (I need to gather and loot *everything* I see) I eventually get a full inventory so I need to find a town and deconstruct again. Then I realise it's good time to check if my daily undaunted/mages/fighters guild dailies are in a convenient location. At some point my friends will be online as well, so we'll talk or do a couple dungeons. After this process I need to deconstruct/sell again.

    After finishing all these activities I'm far too tired to actually continue the questline I wanted to do, so I do bit more looting and gathering and go to bed. o:)
    Athan Atticus Imperial Templar of Shezarr
  • Viewsfrom6ix
    Viewsfrom6ix
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    Finished AD and vestige storyline.
    Finished most normal trials.
    Finished most vet dungeons.
    Got bored of PvE, now all I do is trade and PvP.
  • ArchMikem
    ArchMikem
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    My list of priorities;

    1. Outfit (the true Endgame)
    2. Story Quests (in chronological order of release/in-game lore)
    3. Exploration
    4. Side Quests
    5. Dungeons
    6. PvP

    I play ESO as an RPG first, MMO second.
    CP2,000 Master Explorer - AvA One Star General - Console Peasant - The Clan
    Quest Objective: OMG Go Talk To That Kitty!
  • Thoragaal
    Thoragaal
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    Brundhila wrote: »
    Hello, I am a returnee to ESO and am currently going through the content, specifically, Caldwell's Gold. I have played theme park MMOs like WOW as well as sandbox (Eve Online) but ESO seems to be somewhere in the middle. My question is, how do you play? Do you go through ALL content (story, delves, lore books, dungeons etc) when you go through a zone, or do you just do story and then go back later and complete the zones? Please share your playstyles. Thanks!

    The first time I make a complete play through of a zone I try to get as immersed as possible; I listen to all the conversations, I look in every nook and cranny and explore as much I possibly can.
    Once that's been done I start looking for things I've missed in the zone and If I need it/want it I go do it before making my way to the next zone.
    The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
    "I've always wanted to kick a duck up the arse" -Karl Pilkington, on the question what he'd do if it was the last day on earth.
  • DreamyLu
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    I play "pick here and there". I just wander in explorable, here and there, lazily, farming chests, nodes, trees and plants. If a quest or a delve is on my way and I feel for it, I do it. I don't respect any order. I force myself to certain quests only if they bring something or/and unlock something I need. B)
    I'm out of my mind, feel free to leave a message... PC/NA
  • Narvuntien
    Narvuntien
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    I have run all the zones multiple times now so I tend to focus on doing the main quest and then any sidequests in locations with skyshards including delves and public dungeons.

    I still follow the basic direction you are lead through a zone by the story though, I don't jump around a bunch.

    Some side quests are not really worth the effort
  • HalfRain216
    HalfRain216
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    Been playing for a year or so on and off. Only completed 3 zone story quest lines and the main quest no cadwells. Mostly just craft, farm, dungeons, pvp and hang around also done certain quest lines for the skills.
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