Elder Scrolls Online Mega Guide: Skills, Crafting, Gold, Vampire, Werewolf & Emperor

The Elder Scrolls Online is finally here – or rather, it’s been here for roughly a week. Given the massive size of ZeniMax Online Studios’ MMO though, it’ll take a lot longer to discover everything that the game has to offer. Quest, loot, skill trees, areas, allegiances and that’s really only scratching the surface when it comes to any Elder Scrolls game. What’re you gonna do?

Using this guide you will know all about earning finesse points, synergy, skill points, crafting across alchemist, clothier, enchanter, blacksmith, woodworker and provisioning professions, strategies to farm gold faster, world skills, weapon and armor skills, race and class skills, learn how to become a vampire and a werewolf, sky shards locations and the different guilds with their respective skills.

Furthermore, you can also learn how you can fish and increase storage/inventory space. The article below also consists guides for mounts, lockpicking, Mundus stones locations and how to become an Emperor. We have also covered basic stuff like how to use soul gems and how to fast travel. Finally, following everything in the guide will make you level up faster.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a guide of everything you need to know about the game. Whether you’re wondering which is the best class for you or curious about the game and what it has to offer in general, check it out below.

Earning Finesse Points:

Remember the old MMOs? If you have a party of say 5 people and among those one is not at all talented and does not react during a fight, that member will still get bonuses/unlocks. The system is unfair. Bethesda have changed that in The Elder Scrolls Online by introducing Finesse points. Depending on how you perform in a battle, against different enemies, with the right use of block/attack, the game will award you Finesse points. Note that Finesse points will help you recharge your Ultimate Skills which is something we have talked about in detail below.

Synergy:

Synergy requires multiple skills to be combined together to have desired effects. There are potential bonuses that you can earn by using Synergy. Using Synergy will unlock special rewards, Finesse points. Furthermore your team will be able to taken down enemies faster and gain more experience points.

Earning Skill Points:

The Elder Scrolls Online allows a vast amount of customization in terms of classes. Depending on what class and race you choose, there are a lot of different combinations and it really just boils down to what you prefer. You can acquire skills three different ways. Number one is through leveling up and every time you hit a new level you get a new skill point. Second way to get skill points is by collecting sky shards scattered throughout the world. Whenever you get three sky shards you are awarded with a new skill point.

Crafting Guide [alchemist, clothier, enchanter, blacksmith, woodworker and provisioning profession guide]:

The Elder Scrolls Online, just like any other MMO provides a lot of opportunities for loot. But it’s best to get started with crafting as soon as possible. The process might be a bit tough to learn initially but you will get the hang of it once you put your time into it. At the end of the day you will only need the recipes and the ingredients. Bellow you will find an in-depth guide for all the crafting profession. [Courtesy Reddit User Beldorr]. The guide below applies to all the professions in the game including alchemist, clothier, enchanter, blacksmith, woodworker and provisioning.

Please open the images in a new tab/window to see it in full screen.

Furthermore, you can check out the video guide below to get a more detailed understanding on how crafting works in the game:

Farming/Earning Gold Fast:

Loot everything and hunt down enemies. Loot can be sold to vendors for gold.
Invest in trading and start trading rare items with other items for gold. Sell it at a price that is attractive to other players.
You can sell crafted items using one of the professions mentioned in the crafting guide.
Complete quests and dungeons.

Find out more on the subsequent page.

World Skills:

As the name suggests, these skills are unlocked when you invest your time into exploring the world. There are three types of World Skills that you can acquire and each of them are further divided into passive and active abilities.

Soul Magic: You can capture other souls so that you can further improve yours.

Ultimate:

Soul Strike

Active:

Soul Trap

Passive:

Soul Summons
Soul Shatter
Soul Lock

Vampire: You need to find this while exploring and relies heavily on Magicka.

Ultimate:

Bat Swarm

Active:

Drain Essence
Mist Form

Passive:

Savage Feeding
Supernatural Recovery
Blood Ritual
Undeath
Unnatural Resistance
Dark Stalker

Lycanthropy: This is the Werewolf skill line and is easily one of the most difficult skill lines to unlock.

Ultimate:

Werewolf Transformation

Active:

Pounce Active Roar

Passive:

Pursuit
Blood Rage
Devour
Bloodmoon
Savage Strength
Call of the Pack

Class skills and Weapon Skills:

Each class has 3 skills along with 10 abilities. Please note you can only master skills for the class you chose [this is obvious!]. Passive abilities remain static and their effects remain with the player, for example health upgrade. Active abilities on the other hand require the player to place it in the hot bar and as such depends on player input and is dynamic. The player is allowed to reset their skill set but note that it will cost you and as such is not recommendable.

One you reach level 4 for a particular weapon or class skill, you will be able to morph it. Morphing allows to add new abilities into an already existing skill and will cost you skill points.

Class Skills:

Dragonknight:

Skill Line Variations:

Ardent Flame:

Ultimate Abilities:

Dragonknight Standard

Active Abilities:

Fiery Grip
Searing Strike Fiery Breath
Lava Whip
Inferno Ardent Flame

Passive Abilities:

Kindling Warmth
Searing Heat
World in Flames

Draconic Power:

Ultimate Abilities:

Dragon Leap

Active Abilities:

Spiked Armor
Dark Talons
Dragon Blood
Reflective Scales
Inhale

Passive Abilities:

Iron Skin
Burning Heart
Elder Dragon
Scaled Armor

Earthen Heart:

Ultimate Abilities:

Magma Armor

Active Abilities:

Petrify
Stonefist
Molten Weapons
Obsidian Shield
Ash Cloud

Passive Abilities:

Eternal Mountain
Battle Roar
Mountain’s Blessing
Helping Hands

Nightblade:

Skill Line Variations:

Assassination:

Ultimate Abilities:

Death Stroke

Active Abilities:

Assassin’s Blade
Haste
Teleport Strike
Blur
Mark Target

Passive Abilities:

Executioner
Master Assassin
Hemorrhage
Pressure Points

Shadow:

Ultimate Abilities:

Consuming Darkness

Active Abilities:

Shadow Cloak
Veiled Strike
Summon Shade
Path of Darkness
Aspect of Terror

Passive Abilities:

Refreshing
Shadow Barrier
Fortitude
Dark Veil

Siphoning:

Ultimate Abilities:

Soul Shred

Active Abilities:

Strife
Agony
Cripple
Siphoning Strikes
Drain Power

Passive Abilities:

Catalyst
Magicka Flood
Soul Siphoner
Transfer

Sorcerer:

Skill Line Variations:

Daedric Summon:

Ultimate Abilities:

Summon Storm Atronach

Active Abilities:

Unstable Familiar
Daedric Curse
Summon Winged Twilight
Bound Armor
Conjured Ward

Passive Abilities:

Rebate
Power Stone
Daedric Protection
Expert Summoner

Storm Calling:

Ultimate Abilities:

Overload

Active Abilities:

Lighting Splash
Lightning Form
Mage’s Fury
Surge
Bolt Escape

Passive Abilities:

Capacitator
Energized
Disintegrate
Expert Mage

Dark Magic:

Ultimate Abilities:

Negate Magic

Active Abilities:

Daedric Mines
Rune Prison
Encase
Dark Exchange
Repulse

Passive Abilities:

Blood Magic
Persistence
Exploitation

Weapon Skills:

There are six weapon skills in The Elder Scrolls Online. Let us take a look:

Bow Skills:

Passive:

Hawk Eye
Hasty Retreat
Long Shots
Accuracy Ranger

Active:

Poison Arrow
Volley
Scatter Shot
Arrow Spray
Snipe

One Handed and Shield Skills:

Passive:

Sword and Board
Deadly Bash
Fortress
Deflect Bolts
Battlefield Mobility

Active:

Puncture
Low Slash
Defensive Posture
Shield Charge
Power Bash

Dual Wield Skills:

Passive:

Slaughter
Dual Wield Expert
Controlled Fury
Ruffian
Twin Blade and Blunt

Active:

Twin Slashes
Flurry
Whirlwind
Sparks
Hidden Blade

Two Handed Skills:

Passive:
Heavy Weapons
Balance
Forceful Impact
Arcane Fighter
Battle Rush

Active:

Cleave
Critical Charge
Uppercut
Reverse Slash
Momentum

Restoration Staff Skills:

Passive:

Essence Drain
Restoration Expert
Cycle of Life
Absorb
Restoration Master

Active:

Steadfast
Ward Force
Siphon Regeneration
Grand Healing
Blessing of Protection

Destruction Staff Skills:

Passive:

Tri Focus
Penetrating Magic
Elemental Force
Ancient Knowledge
Destruction Expert

Active:

Destructive Touch
Wall of Elements
Force Shock
Weakness to Elements
Impulse

Armor Skills:

Skills under this category are divided into three types: Light Armour Skills. Medium Armor Skills and Heavy Armor Skills. These are again further divided into passive and active skills. It’s important to note that each of these skills have respective perks and it all depends on what kind of armor you chose. The game does not force you with a single armor skill but if you wish to level up in a particular armor skill, it’s best to collect skills for that category only.

Light Armour Skills:

Active:

Annulment

Passive:

Evocation
Recovery
Spell Warding
Concentration
Prodigy

Medium Armor Skills:

Active:

Evasion

Passive:

Improved Sneak
Wind Walker
Athletics
Dexterity
Agility

Heavy Armor Skills:

Active:

Immovable

Passive:

Juggernaut
Rapid Mending
Resolve
Constitution
Bracing

Racial Skills:

There are a total of 32 skills divided between the 10 races. Let us take a look at them one by one:

Altmer:

Spellcharge
Destruction Talent
Elemental Talent

Bosmer:

Vigor
Stealthy
Archery Expertise
Resist Affliction

Khajiit:

Robust
Medium Armor Expertise
Carnage
Stealthy

Orc:

Swift
Brawny
Heavy Armor Expertise
Robust

Breton:

Light Armor Affinity
Spell Resistance
Magicka Mastery

Redguard:

Shield Affinity
Conditioning
Adrenaline Rush
Vigor

Dunmer:

Ambidexterity
Dynamic
Resist Flame
Flame Talent

Nord:

Robust
Two-Handed Weapon
Expertise Resist Frost
Rugged

Argonian:

Restoration Expertise
Amphibious
Argonian Resistance
Quick to Mend

Imperial:

Shield Affinity
Conditioning
Red Diamond
Tough

Guilds Guide: [this will be updated further after post-launch content is released]

Just like in any Elder Scrolls title, The Elder Scrolls Online too has a number of guilds that the player can join. There are also guild specific skills that the player can unlock.

Let us take a look at them one by one:

Mages Guild Skills: You need to find books located across the world in order to become a member. You may received more quests and extra skills tree.

Ultimate:

Meteor

Active:

Magelight
Soultrap
Equilibrium
Fire Rune
Steadfast Ward

Passive:

Persuasive Will
Potency
Greater Ward
Stability

Fighters Guild: You need to search and destroy several Dark Anchors in order to join this guild. They have an overwhelming advantage over Werewolfs and Vampires.

Ultimate:

Dawnbreaker

Active:

Silver Bolts
Circle of Protection
Expert Hunter
Trap Beast

Passive:

Intimidating Presence
Slayer
Banish the Wicked
Skilled Tracker
Bounty Hunter

Dark Brotherhood: To be added post launch.

Thieves Guild: To be added post launch.

Mounts Guide: [this will be updated further after post-launch content is released]

Just like in previous Elder Scrolls games, Online sees the player start off the game with no mounts. As you playthrough the game there will come a time where you can’t actually go ahead without a mount. Right now, the only option is a horse. You can obviously buy a Horse in a stable with a bit of the gold. The Elder Scrolls Online had added a bit of dynamism here, the player needs to feed its mount. You can give your horse hay or oats and this will cost gold. This adds a bit uniqueness in the gameplay. Right now there are five types of horses, Normal, Imperial, Light, Gaited and Draft which require 17 200, 1, 42 700, 42 700, 42 700 gold respectively.

Lockpicking Guide:

It won’t be a Elder Scrolls game if it does not have lock picking. It’s a bit different this time around as the developers have added more dynamism by including a cool down period. The video guide below will make you aware of all things lockpicking in the game.

How to become a Vampire? [Vampire Quest Line]

Ideally you would need to be bitten by a vampire but that is not how it works in the game. You need to find Bloodfiends that appear in certain locations which will make sure you get infected by vampirism. You can find them in level 37-44 which is Bangkorai, the Rift and Reaper’s March during night.

Once you get this disease, you need to start the Scion of the Blood Matron. This will kick off the Vampire Quest Line and will unlock the skill line as stated above.

How to cure Vampirism?

Simple, go back to the NPC that was present when you started Scion of the Blood Matron quest.

How To Become a Werewolf?

Just like the vampire guide above, you would need to be infected by Sanies Lupinus disease. You would need to encounter a Werewolf NPC [rumors are that some can be found in Cyrodiiil and Grahtwood] so that it can bite you or ask a fellow party member to bite you [provided it is infected by the disease.] This will kick start the Hircine’s Gift quest. This is the same quest that can cure you of this disease as well.

Mundus Stones Locations:

Mundus Stones are like bonus items that enhances certain attributes. The full list is as below:

The Lover: Reduces damage taken from spells
The Thief: Increases critical chance
The Mage: Increases maximum magicka
The Warrior: Increases power
The Serpent: Increases non-combat health regeneration
The Apprentice: Increases spell penetration
The Atronach: Increases magicka regeneration
The Lady: Increases armor
The Shadow: Increases critical strike damage
The Steed: Increases run speed
The Tower: Increases maximum stamina

Locations:

Increasing Inventory Space:

You will be picking up a lot of items in your quest and it’s obvious that you will be running out of space pretty soon. You would need to find one of the many Bag Merchants so that you can buy upgrades. This will cost you gold. The video guide below explains it all.

How To Become an Emperor:

Once you become an emperor, you will unlock the following passive skills:

Domination
Authority
Monarch
Tactician
Emperor

But the question is how you become one? It’s hard but doable. You need to play the game in a way it’s meant to be played. Be a part of as many as guilds as possible and better create your own guild, play in as many PvP groups as possible, keep capturing territories and gains skills/abilities as described above.

We have a complete video guide below that will help you become an Emperor in the game.

Miscellaneous Guides:

How to use Soul Gems:

How To Fast Travel:

How To Fish:

All Skyshards Locations:

Levelling up faster:

Whatever we have discussed in this guide will eventually level up the player much faster. There is a level cap of 50 in the game and you reach that by following the guide. Basically your entire journey to level 50 is divided between completing quests, crafting, earning gold, skills, abilities and engaging in combat. There are no short cuts in The Elder Scrolls Online but if you follow things in the right order, it definitely becomes easier.

Note: This guide will updated once we have more information about the game.