The combat roles are probably the easiest to explain. Let's start there.

It's the tank's job to taunt bosses and absorb their big hits. A tank typically needs to use 1 hand + shield and be invested into block cost reduction. Blocking is the single most effective thing in game to stand your ground and absorb damage. Tanks use taunt skills, such as Pierce Armor or Inner Rage to aggro bosses, e.g. to make those bosses focus the tank. In the boss phase, it's desirable the tank stands it's ground and doesn't move much, so the damage dealers (DDs) can lay down area of effect (AOE) skills on the ground and the boss does not move out of them. The tank should also debuff the boss' resistances, which typically happens by using Pierce Armor. In a coordinated group they typically also provide group buffs, notably Minor Courage, by wearing an armor set such as Yolnahkriin. In trash fights, a good tank will use a pull skill to rope archers towards where the tank is standing at the centre of the fights, so the mobs can be killed more efficiently. DK is the original tank class, but others are viable. For example I run a very strong sorc tank.

The healer's job is to keep everyone alive. The most suited classes that spring to mind are templars and wardens. Healers typically use resto staves and a combination of area of effect (ground effect) skills, general healing over time skills (Radiating Regeneration, Echoing Vigor) and direct heals. They may contribute some damage, if they have nothing else to do. In coordinated groups, they also frequently provide the most group support, for example by running the Spell Power Cure set to provide Major Courage, and by providing sustain / healing synergies from templar spear shards and/or the Undaunted Necrotic Orb skill.

Damage dealers (DDs) do the damage. Every class can be a DD. There are typically 2 damage dealers, 1 healer and 1 tank in a 4-man group. I suppose the main thing to not embarass yourself as a DD is to do good damage. That means you should know how to weave light attacks inbetween your skills. You should very likely run an Infused back bar weapon with a weapon damage enchant and lay down a weapon damage AOE skill with your back bar weapon. The backbar skills in question are Endless Hail, Unstable Wall or Stampede. The more you get into damage dealing, the larger skill rotations you'll run to eek out maximum damage, although there are ways to produce a lot of damage with simple builds too.

Ainaril7 wrote: »

Hey there!

So, I've been playing for a while, but I'll admit I'm kinda shy so I've mostly focused on story content and stuff I can solo while actively avoiding groups/interactions with other players. Now I'm trying to get into some more group play, but I don't want to hold the group back or make a fool of myself because I don't know how things are done. Any advice for a noob on group etiquette and mechanics? For example, how in the holy h*ck do y'all chat and fight at the same time?!! My best guess is either everyone uses Discord, which I'm also not very familiar with, or there's an add-on that gives you a second set of hands and an extra keyboard with which one can type in the chat while your main hands control your character. Also, if someone could explain the combat roles and what's expected of each within a group, I would be most grateful!

Thank you all in advance! Oh, and I play on a PC if that makes a difference.

I would do yourself a favor and check out some of the ESO content creators on Youtube for an idea of how to build your class and what sets are currently popular to use.

Another great resource is Dottz Gaming's Beginner's Guide which he releases every year. It's a long video, but most people will simply use the timestamps for aspects of the game where they are looking for additional info. If there is a more comprehensive guide to the game, I have not found one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgcWP_O5L8Q

If you're a new person looking to get into group content, there are many guilds that advertise their willingness to help new players. It may be a little intimidating at first, but the skill cap for just about every 'Normal' version of dungeon or trial is very low and most of them are pretty forgiving in terms of being able to recover from a mistake. Thus, the expectations from your peers in Normal content are also relatively low.

"For example, how in the holy h*ck do y'all chat and fight at the same time?!!"

Many organized trial groups use discord, but most people you see using the in-game chat function are actively having to stop playing to type. You're not going to run into many dungeon groups using discord unless it's a guild group.

Compared to many other MMO's, ESO's community is actually really welcoming and willing to help, for the most part. Obviously, you're going to run into the occasional jerk, but this is not a toxic community. I hope you choose to jump in. Group content in ESO is the best part of the game, in my opinion.

i play a lot of tanky toons some of which can practically afk in a mob, which helps being able to type and fight lol

usually try to type between mobs like before combat if someone has a question

i usually only use discord with friends i play with a lot, or trial groups

Thanks for all your responses. The message I'm getting is that I just need to suck up my social anxiety and jump in. In a good way, of course! I think I'd blown it all out of proportion in my head and made it into a bigger deal than it really is. From what you all have said, nobody is going to care if I blunder through the social interactions a bit until I find my stride. To that end, I've joined a casual guild! And I'm working up the courage to sign up for one of their weekly trial group runs, so wish me luck! Thanks again for the advice and encouragement!

Ainaril7 wrote: »

Thanks for all your responses. The message I'm getting is that I just need to suck up my social anxiety and jump in. In a good way, of course! I think I'd blown it all out of proportion in my head and made it into a bigger deal than it really is. From what you all have said, nobody is going to care if I blunder through the social interactions a bit until I find my stride. To that end, I've joined a casual guild! And I'm working up the courage to sign up for one of their weekly trial group runs, so wish me luck! Thanks again for the advice and encouragement!

I'm also socially anxious but I found that every time I joined the group and chatted it was a) helpful, b) fun, c) not the end of the world (like it felt ), so I definitely recommend trying it if you're comfortable. Especially with some mechanics that need coordination, or if they happen fast, or if you're supposed to do something but you can't, there's not time to type it, so voice comms help a great deal. Also, for harder content it's a good idea to ask if there is a need to know mechanic before-hand, or if there is something your role should particularly be doing, a skill you should slot, an addon you should have (since you're on PC), and so on. This is the best way to learn I find, because written guides are great and all, but doing content live with a group that can hopefully tell you what works and what doesn't, it's the best teacher. For this reason, I also highly recommend joining a training guild to new players interested in group content, because players in those runs are usually more patient and willing to explain, since the run is centered on training.