Noob help: Patches updates vs DLC questions

RR_Blades

Hi all,
I have just joined the game (PS5) and trying to understand the patches updates vs DLC differences.

1. The game updates that occurs every few months v34, v35, next v36 are automatic?
All the servers will be updated without any need to download anything?
2. DLC can be purchased and added to the game regardless of the version upgrade right?
I mean, I will play v35 but will not have the Lost depths new dungeons?
3. I have purchased the base game that includes only the Morrowind.
How does it works for players who do not have the same DLC's?

For example, I go with other player to a dungeon that was added in a recent patch, if he has the DLC, he will be able to see/go that dungeon whether I will see an empty place on my Map/server?
But we both has the v35 server right?

Thanks in advance.

Nestor

You will get the game patches as they come out. You wont be able log in on expired client.

DLCs are optional content. Most you get with a Subscription, the newest is purchase. You can also just purchase the older DLC.

It is kind of a moot point, but to play the latest DLC, you need the latest patch.

doesurmindglow

Yeah I guess this is a little confusing as "patch" or "update" and "DLC" are often used interchangeably. "DLC" refers specifically to the new content that comes with a major update. For the current patch, the "DLC" is the Lost Depths dungeons, Graven Deep and Earthen Root Enclave. Both will appear on your map as soon as the DLC is released, but you will not be able to travel to them or adventure through them with friends unless you have purchased the DLC through the Crown Store or have access through an ESO Plus subscription, which grants access to all of the DLCs until the subscription expires.

The "update" and "patch" includes the DLC but also usually includes changes and additions to the "base game" (and sometimes prior DLCs) and those changes or additions you'll have access to regardless of whether you've purchased any DLC or ESO Plus. Everyone shares the same megaserver for their region and platform, ie. PS-NA.

Addressing these specific questions:

1. The game updates that occurs every few months v34, v35, next v36 are automatic?
All the servers will be updated without any need to download anything?

Yes these updates are automatic and occur regularly. Your system will need to download the updated game client, but this happens automatically as well when you launch the game after a new patch. It isn't possible to access the game with an outdated (prior version) client.

2. DLC can be purchased and added to the game regardless of the version upgrade right?
I mean, I will play v35 but will not have the Lost depths new dungeons?

Yes. There's no restriction on your access to DLC based other than the purchase itself. All DLC are compatible with the ESO client on every platform where the game is supported.

3. I have purchased the base game that includes only the Morrowind.
How does it works for players who do not have the same DLC's?

You share the base game (which these days includes Morrowind and the Imperial City, possibly Orsinium too I can't remember) with all other players who have purchased the base game. You can play with players who have purchased DLCs and/or ESO Plus also, but you won't be able to access that content unless you also purchase it. Basically a DLC is "added on" to the base game.

For example, I go with other player to a dungeon that was added in a recent patch, if he has the DLC, he will be able to see/go that dungeon whether I will see an empty place on my Map/server?
But we both has the v35 server right?

You won't be able to go with a player to a dungeon that was added in a recent patch unless you both have the DLC. Some (very old) DLC are later "added" to the base game, such as Morrowind. But the newer DLC require a separate purchase or ESO Plus subscription to access and are likely to remain that way for several years. The server is the same in both cases though.

Carcamongus

You didn't ask this, but I figured I should say it, since it frequently brings up questions: there are two types of content, the DLCs and the chapters. Chapters are big zones released on the 2nd quarter which need to be bought in order to be accessed (ESO+ won't unlock them for you). Once a new chapter comes out, the previous one becomes DLC, thus included on the subscription. So, right now you need to buy High Isle to play it, but it will be part of ESO+ when next year's chapter goes online.

RR_Blades

doesurmindglow wrote: »

Yeah I guess this is a little confusing as "patch" or "update" and "DLC" are often used interchangeably. "DLC" refers specifically to the new content that comes with a major update. For the current patch, the "DLC" is the Lost Depths dungeons, Graven Deep and Earthen Root Enclave. Both will appear on your map as soon as the DLC is released, but you will not be able to travel to them or adventure through them with friends unless you have purchased the DLC through the Crown Store or have access through an ESO Plus subscription, which grants access to all of the DLCs until the subscription expires.

The "update" and "patch" includes the DLC but also usually includes changes and additions to the "base game" (and sometimes prior DLCs) and those changes or additions you'll have access to regardless of whether you've purchased any DLC or ESO Plus. Everyone shares the same megaserver for their region and platform, ie. PS-NA.

Addressing these specific questions:

1. The game updates that occurs every few months v34, v35, next v36 are automatic?
All the servers will be updated without any need to download anything?

Yes these updates are automatic and occur regularly. Your system will need to download the updated game client, but this happens automatically as well when you launch the game after a new patch. It isn't possible to access the game with an outdated (prior version) client.

2. DLC can be purchased and added to the game regardless of the version upgrade right?
I mean, I will play v35 but will not have the Lost depths new dungeons?

Yes. There's no restriction on your access to DLC based other than the purchase itself. All DLC are compatible with the ESO client on every platform where the game is supported.

3. I have purchased the base game that includes only the Morrowind.
How does it works for players who do not have the same DLC's?

You share the base game (which these days includes Morrowind and the Imperial City, possibly Orsinium too I can't remember) with all other players who have purchased the base game. You can play with players who have purchased DLCs and/or ESO Plus also, but you won't be able to access that content unless you also purchase it. Basically a DLC is "added on" to the base game.

For example, I go with other player to a dungeon that was added in a recent patch, if he has the DLC, he will be able to see/go that dungeon whether I will see an empty place on my Map/server?
But we both has the v35 server right?

You won't be able to go with a player to a dungeon that was added in a recent patch unless you both have the DLC. Some (very old) DLC are later "added" to the base game, such as Morrowind. But the newer DLC require a separate purchase or ESO Plus subscription to access and are likely to remain that way for several years. The server is the same in both cases though.

Thanks a lot for the detailed explanation!! 👏

Carcamongus wrote: »

You didn't ask this, but I figured I should say it, since it frequently brings up questions: there are two types of content, the DLCs and the chapters. Chapters are big zones released on the 2nd quarter which need to be bought in order to be accessed (ESO+ won't unlock them for you). Once a new chapter comes out, the previous one becomes DLC, thus included on the subscription. So, right now you need to buy High Isle to play it, but it will be part of ESO+ when next year's chapter goes online.

Nestor wrote: »

You will get the game patches as they come out. You wont be able log in on expired client.

DLCs are optional content. Most you get with a Subscription, the newest is purchase. You can also just purchase the older DLC.

It is kind of a moot point, but to play the latest DLC, you need the latest patch.

Good to know, thanks. 👍


So in your opinion, is there a MUST DLC that I should buy, something you would recommend on?

Or should I level up for with the base game content?

Carcamongus

RR_Blades wrote: »

Good to know, thanks. 👍


So in your opinion, is there a MUST DLC that I should buy, something you would recommend on?

Or should I level up for with the base game content?

It's hard to say, as tastes vary. Since you're new, and the base game plus Morrowind already have plenty of content, I'd suggest getting to know the game to see if you like it and to figure out how you want to play it.

doesurmindglow

RR_Blades wrote: »

Thanks a lot for the detailed explanation!! 👏

No problem. I'm actually a guildmaster of a casual trading guild on PC-NA so these are questions I run into fairly often and I'm happy to try and resolve them as best I can.

RR_Blades wrote: »

So in your opinion, is there a MUST DLC that I should buy, something you would recommend on?

Or should I level up for with the base game content?

I actually think playing through the base game content is the best "first step" as it'll provide you with the clearest idea if you like the game enough to commit to further purchases. I generally am not fully convinced buying DLCs from the Crown Store is a great way to go -- there's a lot of weird variables here, like that the DLC could eventually become part of the base game, or that the gear sets that drop there get nerfed to oblivion, or that it turns out the feature the DLC provides can be replaced or substituted elsewhere.

What I do personally is I'm subbed to ESO Plus and (sometimes) buy the chapters probably about a month or two after they release, or usually the first time they go on sale, whenever that is. But it's really kinda a value proposition that's like: if you don't see yourself playing every day, the subscription might not be the best value compared to the individual DLC that interests you most.

I guess if I were to make a recommendation for individual DLC, it'd probably be for the older chapters, as those provide access to some pretty extensive systems and skill lines. Here's the quick-and-dirty, hopefully not too overwhelming synopsis of those:

- Summerset: Provides the Psijic skill line and Cloudrest trial gear, which while not necessary to enjoy most of the game's content does make its way into various "meta" character builds. Also Jewelry Crafting which isn't a must-have but can be kind of lucrative from a gold-saving/making standpoint I guess.
- Elsweyr: Came after that, provides the Necromancer class. Also this is pure personal opinion but I think it has one of the better storylines of the chapters.
- Greymoor: This is the Western Skyrim expansion and includes the Kyne's Aegis trial but its big feature is Antiquities, a pretty rewarding minigame that can provide Mythic items which have extremely powerful set bonuses. Though many of the best-performing Mythics are themselves locked behind another DLC, and you can play 90% of the game's content without ever using a Mythic just fine.
- Blackwood: The big addition in this chapter was the companion system. I don't use them much outside of soloing dungeons to farm something past most my guild's bedtime, but I do know a lot of players really enjoy engaging with this system. But it's not something that's required to do anything in the game by any means, and I'd characterize it as a purely "nice to have" feature that's probably less valuable than those in the three earlier chapters.

Honorable mentions I'd throw out there are the Thieves Guild DLC which provides access to the trial Maw of Lorkhaj, Orsinium (which might be part of the base game now, I'm not sure) which provides access to the Maelstrom Arena, a solo challenge arena, Markarth, which provides access to the Vateshran Hollows solo arena, and Murkmire, which unlocks the Blackrose Prison, a 4-man arena that's kinda halfway between a dungeon and a trial.

A few of the currently most valuable dungeon packs are probably Flames of Ambition, Wrathstone, Horns of the Reach, Scalebreaker, and Dragon Bones. I'm brainstorming that list just based on the gear that drops there more than anything else, and probably will change in the future when gear gets adjusted/nerfed/replaced by other gear. (Though Depths of Malatar and Scalecaller Peak are among my favorite dungeon experiences.)

Anyway good questions and unfortunately there's no "here's what you should do" single correct answer, it just depends a lot on what you find yourself doing. If you play frequently, a sub is probably the best way to go about accessing DLC. If you're just looking for a particular feature and not really interested in getting wrapped up with sweaty long-term meta chasing, you might get a lot more value out of a single DLC.

ghastley

My 2 cents: ESO+ subscription is worth it just for the craft bag.

Once you have that, you’re only concerned with whether you want to buy new classes - i.e Necromancer and Warden - and how important the feature of the latest chapter is to you.

I came to the game after a couple of chapters had been released, and held off from buying one until I had played everything in the base game bundle. I think it was just after Summerset came out, so I could harvest jewelry materials, but not use them. I could still trade them for things I could use, like Heartwood for home-building. Eventually I caught up with the game’s expansion, and started buying chapters, with the first one or two being at discounted rates after they had been out for a time. The latest ones I have been ready to use right away, and bought on release.

During the time when I was not buying the chapters at release, I could not go there, and do anything in the new zones, but with ESO+, the DLC content was opened anyway. If my subscription had lapsed then the doors to the new dungeons would have been locked, and the wayshrines to the DLC zone would not work. I could see them, but not use them, because the client is the same for everyone, but it knows what not to let you use.

I bought the Imperial upgrade to play an Imperial character, but that wasn’t because Imperials had any advantage at the time, and it was well after that was released. And now I am a guildmaster, access to crafting locations in new zones adds another reason to have immediate access.

So go at your own pace, and buy what you need, when you need it.

Dagoth_Rac

In case it is not clear, your local game client includes everything. You may not have access to everything if you have not purchased latest Chapter or subscribed to ESO+, but it is all there. You don't need to download anything if you purchase or subscribe later. Everybody has the exact same local game files.