Update 49 is now available for testing on the PTS! You can read the latest patch notes here: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/categories/pts

Best meta?

JacobWasTaken
JacobWasTaken
Soul Shriven
My favourite meta was probably the arcanist beam meta followed closely by the sorc meta (rapid strikes is my favourite spammable and the crystal frags were so much fun :smile: )

Any other metas you guys and girls enjoyed? :smile:
pve enjoyer
  • BardokRedSnow
    BardokRedSnow
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    When plaguebreak, Hrothgars n Chill, and Dark Convergence was introduced.

    I think dark convergence was a mistake lol and rush of agony also, but plaguebreak n Hrothgars was awesome. I made so much gold selling all of these sets, plaguebreak let bum solo/duo players like me counter ballgroups, and hrothgars....

    Oh man what hrothgars did for the dk toolkit was amazing lol so many multikills. I really wish they'd reverse the nerf, all they had to do was fix the bugs that let me proc it with siege xD That was a chaotic and legendary midyear mayhem, amazing time.
    Zos then: Vengeance is just a test bro

    Zos now: Do you want Vengeance permanent or permanent...
  • Coopersnow
    Coopersnow
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    My favourite meta was probably the arcanist beam meta followed closely by the sorc meta (rapid strikes is my favourite spammable and the crystal frags were so much fun :smile: )

    Any other metas you guys and girls enjoyed? :smile:

    Beam can still be so meta. So many records avaliable with it.
  • JacobWasTaken
    JacobWasTaken
    Soul Shriven
    Coopersnow wrote: »
    My favourite meta was probably the arcanist beam meta followed closely by the sorc meta (rapid strikes is my favourite spammable and the crystal frags were so much fun :smile: )

    Any other metas you guys and girls enjoyed? :smile:

    Beam can still be so meta. So many records avaliable with it.

    Yeah I think it is still really good but it was better back in the blue beam days like u45 I think. Could still be really good
    pve enjoyer
  • Coopersnow
    Coopersnow
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    Coopersnow wrote: »
    My favourite meta was probably the arcanist beam meta followed closely by the sorc meta (rapid strikes is my favourite spammable and the crystal frags were so much fun :smile: )

    Any other metas you guys and girls enjoyed? :smile:

    Beam can still be so meta. So many records avaliable with it.

    Yeah I think it is still really good but it was better back in the blue beam days like u45 I think. Could still be really good

    Og green team here.
  • Rkindaleft
    Rkindaleft
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    Are we talking PvE only?

    Honestly the Magicka/Stamina Nightblade meta from early 2018 -> Elsweyr was the best, when it was replaced by stacking Necromancers. It was the class with the hardest rotation to do well at the time, but in return for being more difficult to play it rewarded you with the best DPS out of all the classes, I.E mastery of something challenging was rewarding.
    Runeblades enjoyer https://youtube.com/@rkindaleft
    I only DD in wizard elf game cuz I like seeing big number
    Tick Tock Tormentor | Saintly Savior | Gryphon Heart | Godslayer | Kyne's Wrath | Planesbreaker | Swashbuckler Supreme | Mindmender | Unstoppable
  • Orbital78
    Orbital78
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    Pre passives nerf heavy attacks was the most fun for me. Other metas still existed for those that enjoyed old metas.

    I don't mind beam meta, but I would like the option to do others as well. At least the arcanist is accessible for all. Imo even with 1.5-2 bars it is still pretty easy to get decent at or master.
    Edited by Orbital78 on January 17, 2026 7:44AM
  • Soarora
    Soarora
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    Arcanist, to be honest. I didn’t like the other metas I was there for (oakensorc and magDK, funnily, for opposite reasons).
    [PC/NA] Dungeoneer (Tank/DPS), Retired Trialist, and amateur Battlegrounder (DPS) with a passion for The Elder Scrolls lore.
    • Current GM of Hard Dungeoneers
    • Tanks: Sorcerer - Necromancer - Templar
    • DPS: Frost Warden - Stamarc
    • Ex-healer
    • Dungeons: 32/32 HMs - 26/26 Tris

      View my builds!
  • robwolf666
    robwolf666
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    My favourite meta was probably the arcanist beam meta followed closely by the sorc meta (rapid strikes is my favourite spammable and the crystal frags were so much fun :smile: )

    Any other metas you guys and girls enjoyed? :smile:

    Why chase a meta when you can be creative and make your own? Be a little different, rather than the same as everyone else?
    Only helps Classes be individual in the end. (Unless of course these are pure class builds rather than using subclassing etc)
  • JacobWasTaken
    JacobWasTaken
    Soul Shriven
    robwolf666 wrote: »

    Why chase a meta when you can be creative and make your own? Be a little different, rather than the same as everyone else?
    Only helps Classes be individual in the end. (Unless of course these are pure class builds rather than using subclassing etc)

    I like getting good score in trials and also doing big number damage, so following the meta is okay for my circumstances I think :smiley:

    It was just for people to say what their favourite meta was!

    pve enjoyer
  • SneaK
    SneaK
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    Proxy Det Magplar way way back
    And
    Pure damage Magblade ganks w Soul Assault
    "IMO"
    Aldmeri Dominion
    1 Nightblade - 1 Templar - 7 Hybrid Mutt Abominations
  • xylena
    xylena
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    Patch 1.4 in 2014, the last one to have ground oils in PvP.
    Edited by xylena on January 21, 2026 2:10PM
    PC/NA || Cyro/BGs || solo/smallscale || retired until Dagon brings a new dawn of PvP
  • Major_Mangle
    Major_Mangle
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    PvP = Blackwood
    PvE = Anything before arcanist was added to the game
    Ps4 EU 2016-2020
    PC/EU: 2020 -
  • Lord_Hev
    Lord_Hev
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    2014 meta where pve dps were expected to have to provide and be conscious of their own survivability, and in pvp every whacky off-meta build could still kill a meta build if the player followed the basics to a tee.
    Qaevir/Qaevira Av Morilye/Molag
    Tri-Faction @Lord_Hevnoraak ingame
    PC NA
  • irstarkey57
    irstarkey57
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    The old school velidreth and viper days.
  • katanagirl1
    katanagirl1
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    I still have the pre-hybridization bow/dw weapon skill stamblade build on my main character, it’s the way I like to play so I stick with it. I think I still have velidreth on her. I don’t think it ever procs anymore, for some reason, maybe it’s broken. I should test it out sometime.
    Khajiit Stamblade main
    Dark Elf Magsorc
    Redguard Stamina Dragonknight
    Orc Stamplar PVP
    Breton Magsorc PVP
    Dark Elf Necromancer
    Dark Elf Magden
    Khajiit Stamblade
    Khajiit Stamina Arcanist

    PS5 NA
  • Hapexamendios
    Hapexamendios
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    My meta is whatever is whatever my current favorite build is.
  • Personofsecrets
    Personofsecrets
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    Patch 1.3
    Rest in Peace:
    The Dragonknight
    2014-2025

    This commemoration is for the class that has constantly been plundered and dismantled by designers for no obvious reason while other classes continue to have coherent skill lines and feel both powerful and cool.
  • Desiato
    Desiato
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    My favorite period in eso by far was 1.6 through around 3.0 (Morrowind). 1.6 completely overhauled the combat systems and introduced the original CP system which was very different than the one of today.

    The best time I've ever had in ESO was when Imperial City launched with ESO 2.1. This was effectively 1.8 as 2.0 followed 1.6 with the introduction of the Crown Store, ESO+ and the B2P model. So 2.1 was basically a more refined version of 1.6 with most of the major gameplay issues addressed.

    The only problem was that CP -- a completely different system than today -- was uncapped, making a few players who nolifed the previous two months demigods. This was corrected in 2.2 (Orsinium) which I also loved at a gameplay level, but unfortunately it introduced a lot of major long-term bugs that took years to fix.

    This PVP was fast and fluid with a high skill cap. The time to kill was very low, making gameplay thrilling. It was also more tactical IMO. Sets were very balanced compared to today. There were no carry sets. I don't recall any troll tanks. I occasionally played one of the (sap) tankier builds on PC/NA, but I only had 25-30k health!

    However after around 2.3 (TG), ZOS started a long term effort to make PVP more accessible to casual pve players by increasing survivability, which gradually ruined pvp until recently when subclassing ruined it more.

    3.1 was when Earthgore was introduced, drastically increasing ball group survivability. The original Earthgore was crazy! After that, I became more and more disappointed before finally quitting in 2019. I returned a couple of years ago, but only as a casual pve player for the most part. This isn't a good game to take seriously.

    Edited by Desiato on January 22, 2026 7:21AM
    spending a year dead for tax reasons
  • MXVIIDREAM
    MXVIIDREAM
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    Imperial city patch was so sick
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