Since its initial launch in 2014, The Elder Scrolls Online has come a long way to become one of the strongest MMOs available today. With yearly new expansions to keep players invested, ESO continues to add new ways to enjoy the vast world of Tamriel and beyond.
At the MMO’s inception, you could choose between the four classes of Templar, Nightblade, Dragonknight, and Sorcerer. Two more classes have been added to the game over the years: the Warden and Necromancer, which were added with the Morrowind and Elsweyr chapters, respectively. After them came the Arcanist class, which arrived in The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom.
The Lore Of The Arcanist
Magic can take on numerous forms in the world of ESO, and it gets distilled down into the categories that make up the different classes you can choose from. There hasn’t been some sudden change in reality that made Arcanists appear, but rather they have always been there. With the Necrom chapter, it just seems that they are becoming more apparent.
The source of an Arcanist’s magic is tied to a mysterious book that came from the realm of Apocrypha, controlled by Hermaeus Mora, Daedric Prince of knowledge and secrets. Somehow the book made its way to the world of Tamriel, waiting for the right person to stumble across it. A special bond forms between the book and the person, and then the book can be used as a tool to control the magic that stems from Apocrypha.
In an ESO Loremaster’s discussion of the Arcanist, the in-game scholar Azandar al-Cybiades sheds more light on the Arcanists. The Arcanists draw on ancient forbidden knowledge and control magic through runic text, sigils, and glyphs. They can also summon tentacles and other creatures from Apocrypha to help protect themselves or aid them in battle.
After all, that is the one immutable truth I can tell you about being an arcanist: the font of my power bubbles within Hermaeus Mora’s realm.
The books that Arcanists use aren’t like the Black Books that appeared in Skyrim that would teleport you to the realm of Apocrypha, but they are inspired by the Black Books. The books are just tools that focus magic. Arcanists can be scholars, Daedra worshippers, or just normal adventurers.
The Arcanist Crux System
Another thing that makes the Arcanist special is a unique resource mechanic tied to the class. The Crux System affects many Arcanist abilities in one way or another and is visualized as glowing green runes circling your character.
Some abilities generate Crux, while others consume Crux for extra benefits. Some abilities even have extra perks if you have more active Crux around you, such as more damage done with that ability.
The Crux System can be completely ignored. ESO doesn’t force you to manage Crux or punish you for not doing so. But if you want to find the best builds and skill rotations for your Arcanist, the Crux System is a rewarding mechanic that adds more nuance to the class.
The Arcanist Skill Lines
The Arcanist class all comes together with its three distinct skill lines. Flexibility is key in ESO, and while you can mix and match abilities that you want from each skill line, each of them has a role that they focus on.
Herald of the Tome focuses on the damage role, Soldier of Apocrypha focuses on the tank role, and Curative Runeforms focuses on the healer role.
ESO has been great recently about giving you the flexibility to play how you want, which is true with how the skill lines work. The Arcanist also allows for hybridization, so you don’t have to only focus on Magicka or Stamina. Some abilities use whatever resource you have that is higher in stats.
Here is a deeper dive into all the active and passive abilities for the Arcanist class, including what rank is required in the skill line to unlock it and how the skill interacts with the Crux System.
Stat values for abilities are not included, as they can change depending on your build and could change with any game balance updates.
Herald of the Tome - Damage Skill Line
Summon creatures from Apocrypha and focus blasts of energy to deal the most damage to your enemies in the Herald of the Tome skill line.
Rank Required | Active Skill | Description | Skill Target | Crux System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Runeblades | You launch Apocryphal runes at an enemy to deal Magic Damage. | Single Enemy |
|
4 | Fatecarver | You aim and channel a beam of energy that deals Magic Damage consistently during its duration. | Area (Beam) |
|
20 | Abyssal Impact | You form tentacles to lash out at enemies in front of you to deal Physical Damage. This marks enemies with Abyssal Ink, which increases your damage against them for a short time. | Area (Cone) |
|
30 | Tome-Bearer's Inspiration | You etch runes onto your weapons that deal additional Magic Damage to enemies when you attack. If this ability is slotted on either ability bar, you gain increased Weapon and Spell Damage. | Self |
|
42 | The Imperfect Ring | You summon a rune under an enemy that deals Magic Damage over time. Allies can activate the Runebreak synergy to deal additional Frost Damage in an area. | Single Enemy |
|
10 | The Unblinking Eye (Ultimate) | You summon a scion of Hermaeus Mora that casts a beam of energy that deals Magic Damage in an area. | Area of Effect |
|
Rank Required | Passive Skill | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 | Fated Fortune | Increases your Critical Damage and Critical Healing when you generate or consume Crux. |
14 | Harnessed Quintessence | Increases your Weapon and Spell Damage when you restore Stamina or Magicka. |
22 | Psychic Lesion | You deal increased damage through Status Effects and gain increase Status Effect Chance. |
39 | Splintered Secrets | For each Herald of the Tome ability slotted, you gain increases Physical and Spell Penetration. |
Soldier of Apocrypha - Tank Skill Line
Master the runes from your book to become a well-rounded tank in the Soldier of Apocrypha skill line. You can command your enemies' focus and absorb damage that you can reflect back or even use to heal yourself.
Rank Required | Active Skill | Description | Skill Target | Crux System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Runic Jolt | You craft a rune that taunts an enemy, deals Magic Damage, and applies reductions to their damage dealt. | Single Enemy |
|
4 | Runespite Ward | You summon a rune shield that absorbs damage and reflects some of that damage back at your attacker. | Self |
|
20 | Fatewoven Armor | You create runes that increase your armor and reduce an attacker's armor when you take damage. | Self |
|
30 | Runic Defense | You cast a rune that increases your and your group's armor, reduces your damage taken and heals you if you are below half health. | Group |
|
42 | Rune of Eldritch Horror | You etch a rune in your enemy's mind, paralyzing them after a delay. This applies a debuff that increases their damage taken. | Single Enemy |
|
10 | Gibbering Shield (Ultimate) | Form protective tentacles around you to absorb damage scaling off your Max Health. At the end of the Ultimate, the tentacles lash out and deal Magic Damage to surrounding enemies. | Self |
|
Rank Required | Passive Skill | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 | Aegis of the Unseen |
|
14 | Wellspring of the Abyss |
|
22 | Circumvented Fate |
|
39 | Implacable Outcome |
|
Curative Runeforms - Healer Skill Line
Draw on the power of Apocrypha to heal your allies and protect them with shields in the Curative Runeforms skill line. Plus, you can provide some much-needed buffs and utility to yourself and your allies.
Rank Required | Active Skill | Description | Skill Target | Crux System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Runemend | Create runes that heal yourself or an ally. | Self or Ally |
|
4 | Remedy Cascade | You aim and channel a beam that heals you and allies in its path during the channel duration. | Area (Cone) |
|
20 | Chakram Shields | You summon mystical discs to surround you and allies to grant a shield. | Area (Cone) |
|
30 | Arcanist's Domain | You create a vortex of energy that increases your and your allies' Weapon and Spell Damage, Health, Magicka, and Stamina Recovery. | Area of Effect |
|
42 | Apocryphal Gate | You summon a portal at your location, with a twin portal further away. You can teleport between the two. | Ground |
|
10 | Vitalizing Glyphic (Ultimate) | You summon an Apocryphal glyph at your location that heals in an area of effect and increases Weapon and Spell Damage. You and your allies can heal the glyph to boost the healing it does. | Ground |
|
Rank Required | Passive Skill | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 | Healing Tides | Each active Crux increases your healing done. |
14 | Hideous Clarity | Each time you generate Crux, you restore Magicka or Stamina (whichever has the higher max). |
22 | Erudition | You gain increases Magicka and Stamina Recovery. |
39 | Intricate Runeforms | Your damages shields have increased strength and a reduced cost. |
All in all, the Arcanist class brings a whole new world of possibilities to The Elder Scrolls Online. It has exciting abilities, a nuanced resource system, and a unique visual and sound design. It might be the perfect time for former players to dive back into the game for a fresh start. For new players, it could be a great time to try a new adventure with all the MMO has to offer.