Facebook
Reddit
Email
The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) Solo PvE Tier List 2024 ranks the best and worst solo PvE classes and summarizes their pros and cons.
This build has been updated for the Updated 42, the Gold Road Chapter of the Elder Scrolls Online (ESO).
What’s the Best ESO Solo PvE Class in 2024?
The Arcanist is S+ tier and the best all-around solo PvE class in the ESO Update 42 because of high damage, survivability, and resource sustain.
The Arcanist has received multiple nerfs via Patch 42 and 41 but still does incredible damage with easy resource sustain. While the Gold Road Chapter introduced the Scribing System, the Arcanist kit was so powerful that most of this wasn’t required in the class. However, the Scribing System can fill in weaknesses with other classes, though it is locked behind the Gold Road Chapter paywall. Moreover, no new gear set emerged as the new meta set. Therefore, almost all the same builds are being used, plus or minus a new grimoire and scripts.
While these are how our builds compare, you can play whichever class you like. Some classes feel stronger than others, but every build is competent in content.
ESO Solo PvE Class Tier List 2024:
- S Tier: Arcanist, Dragonknight
- A Tier: Sorcerer, Warden, Templar
- B Tier: Nightblade
- C Tier: Necromancer
The Table below ranks and lists all classes in our ESO Solo PvE Tier List 2024 from the best to the worst:
| ESO Solo PvE Rank | Class | Tier Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arcanist | S+ |
| 2 | Dragonknight | S |
| 3 | Sorcerer | A+ |
| 4 | Warden | A |
| 5 | Templar | A- |
| 6 | Nightblade | B |
| 7 | Necromancer | C |
Related Video:
Necromancer (C Tier)
While the Necromancer did receive a strong buff through the Signature Script Warrior’s Opportunity, there weren’t too many changes for combat to offset the weaker solo position Necro occupied in Update 41. Update 41 reworked Blastbones, making Blighted Blastbones the way to go for Necro damage, and the boost to martial damage through Warrior’s Opportunity is a solid buff.
However, we rank the Necromancer C tier as the worst class in ESO solo PvE on our list. While Necromancer is still a strong tank and supports DPS, its lack of raw damage is shown in its solo content. It will be hard to die, but you won’t be clearing through packs like any other class on this list. While most players still aren’t sure how to best play the Necromancer, the power is not there in this patch.
Necromancer Class Pros
- Unkillable: The Necromancer has always been very difficult to kill, and that’s still true.
- Incredible Sustain: With the proper buffs, you shouldn’t have any trouble sustaining resources.
- Great Skill Animations: While the damage is lacking, the Cro has some of the best animations in the game, and it feels cool to play.
Necromancer Class Cons
- Limited Bar Space: You’ll feel like you need an extra ability slot on the Necro, and you just have to make some sacrifices based on the solo content you’re completing.
- No Major damage buffs: The Necromancer can’t naturally source Major Brutality, Savagery, Prophecy, or Sorcery in their kit as other classes can.
- Weaker Ultimate Options: The Necromancer’s ultimate abilities are great for utility but lose their usefulness in solo content.
Necromancers will always have group content play, but like the PvP Tier list, it just lacks overall. It’s long overdue for a Necromancer damage buff, and hopefully, that’s coming in the next patch.
Magicka Necromancer
The Magcro is significantly weaker than Stamina in this patch. The Magicka Necromancer suffers from even less AoE than the stamina version. You can always slot Blighted Blastbones, but this morph has always been lower damage. Instead, we’re running two AoE proc sets to give you enormous AoE damage. It’s just not big enough in comparison to other classes. Scythe will always keep you alive, but you won’t do much else.
With the introduction of the Scribing system, you can gain the new Signature Script, Warrior’s Opportunity. This script will boost your martial damage, which is nice for your AOE damage. It doesn’t necessarily matter, but with both builds running Blighted Blastbones, you might appreciate the additional stamina to sustain your martial skills.
The playstyle offers nothing noteworthy in the current solo PvE meta, thus ranking it as the worst in ESO in our tier list.
Stamina Necromancer
The Stamcro can reliably run Runecarver, a fun set after the set damage was reclassified in this patch. Now, Runecarver properly deals direct damage, increasing your burning damage. Stamcro is stronger than the Magcro, and this is the build to run if you’re adamant about playing a Necro.
Since you’ll want to source the Warrior’s Opportunity script through Traveling Knife, stamina is probably the better option for Necromancers in this patch. Still, Necro needs extra time to make it through solo content versus other classes.
Nightblade (B Tier)
The Nightblade Class ranks B Tier in our ESO Solo PvE Tier List because it suffers from problems similar to the Necromancers. Nightblade feels pretty similar to the last patch, landing it in the same tier as this patch. Scribing skills ultimately didn’t bring much hope regarding strong AOE damage for Nightblades, and it feels far behind other classes. Still, you get the option in some solo content to use invisibility to sneak past enemies, which could be helpful if you want to skip enemies.
It still feels like the Nightblade class identity revolves around PvP versus PvE content. Something feels lacking without Shadowcloak being viable. Still, any Major or Minor buffs you may have had trouble sourcing in the last patch are much easier to get through scribing with Gold Road.
Nightblade Class Pros
- Passive Healing: the Siphoning Strikes changes are incredible for resource management and constant passive healing.
- Class Execute: Assassin’s Blade will shred a target once you get to execute.
- AOE Minor Cowardice: Power Extraction is one of the game’s only sources of Minor Cowardice. It also provides Major Brutality, sorcery, and Minor Courage.
Nightblade Class Cons
- Major Resolve Uptime: The Nightblade has to cast a Shadow ability to proc Major Resolve and weak spammable for magicka.
- Flank Damage Conditionals: Surprise Attack is a great stamina spammable, but it requires attacking from the flank to proc Off-Balance.
- Lower AOE Damage: This is always the Nightblade’s pitfall; their AOE damage just doesn’t compare to that of other classes in PvE content.
While the Nightblade feels stronger than the Necro, that isn’t saying much. Trash packs will take longer, but soloing bosses should feel smooth on the Nightblade as long as you play the Stamina version. A Nightblade buff would be incredible for PvE content, but it’s tricky with how strong they are in PvP.
Magicka Nightblade
The biggest issue with the Magicka Nightblade last patch was the lack of an excellent Magicka-based spammable. While there still aren’t many great options, scribing does give a few more options through Traveling Knife. However, it’s still pretty weak for solo content overall. The major upside is a range of spammable swallow souls that can help heal when you don’t have the Pale Order mythic. This class is weak when considering options outside of good ultimate generation and passive healing.
Stamina Nightblade
The Stamblade still feels weaker than other classes, but that gap closes considerably in solo play. Nightblades are one of the most natural sources of Minor Cowardice, which is especially strong in the Infinite Archive. Stamina Nightblade is better than the last patch, with the buffs available through scribing, but most other classes are better. The Nightblade just hasn’t gotten enough to elevate its rank in the tier in the last couple of patches.
Templar (A- Tier)
Magplar, while being slightly weaker in group content, still feels incredible in solo content, coming in at A- Tier on our Solo PvE List. Templars are probably the best class to start with if you are new to solo content. The ease of play, strong class heals, and buffs make this class feel amazing in content right now. This was true in the last patch, and it’s even more true in this patch with the status effect buffs.
Templar is in a very similar spot to the last patch, as not much has changed for the class. The Plar is still incredibly strong in solo content, but it is getting edged out by a few better options. Its healing is incredible, its sustain feels good, and it has godly single-target damage.
Templar Class Pros
- Beam to Win: Radiant Destruction is the strongest execute in the game. Opting for Glory to heal you will make you practically unkillable once the boss is under 40% health.
- High-Class Healing: Puncturing Sweeps main spammable pumps out a ton of healing.
- Simple Playstyle: the Templar’s kit and rotation are relatively easy to play.
Templar Class Cons
- Weak Class Ultimates: The Templar ults need some love; they don’t do as much damage as we’d like.
- Shorter AOE Damage: The Plar’s AOE, while strong when it hits, doesn’t extend as far as other classes.
- Tight Bar Space: The Plar needs an extra bar slot to fit in all of the great skills it has access to.
Overall, Templars feel very strong in solo content this patch. With the strongest execute in the game that also heals you, it’s much more difficult to die on a Templar than other classes. Our build focuses on sustainability, allowing you to spam Puncturing Sweeps to your heart’s content endlessly.
Magicka Templar
Magplar feels better in solo content, using Puncturing Sweeps. Its healing is incredible, its sustain feels good, and it has godly single-target damage. There’s not much to complain about with the Plar, except maybe it’s just slightly weaker than the better options on this list.
Stamina Templar
The Stamplar is a little more tricky to play in solo content without the heal from Puncturing Sweeps, but that difference is mitigated by running Ring of the Pale Order. It isn’t as healing, but it still feels tanky and powerful. If you decide to run Velothi instead of Pale Order Mythic, you’ll do more damage, but healing gets a lot sweatier.
Warden (A Tier)
Nothing has changed for the Warden in Patch 42, the Gold Road. Therefore, we keep the Warden at A Tier. This class is all-around powerful, with great utility, defensives, healing, and good damage. Building in some more bleed or chilled damage through scribing is an overall win for the class this patch, making it a great all-around solo option that can do it all.
The primary hurdle you must understand is how to sustain Warden. Whether you’re playing mag or stam, the best Wardens are very good at actively managing sustain, and that’s truer than ever for solo play.
Warden Class Pros
- Great Class Buffs: Wardens have always been great at solo mechanics in group content because they source most of their buffs through their kit.
- Minor Brittle: Minor Brittle hits hard and provides extra critical damage, which many other classes find difficult to access.
- AOE Major and Minor Breach: Penetration is very easy to source on the Warden due to Deep Fissure.
Warden Class Cons
- Lower Raw Damage: The Warden’s damage is mainly caused by DoTs and status effects, which can sometimes feel like less damage.
- Sustain Difficulties: The Warden has great buffs and damage, but sustain takes more active management than other classes.
- Double Slotted Ultimate: Wild Guardian is still the best ultimate choice for damage, but it doesn’t allow you to slot a utility ultimate because it requires a double bar.
The Warden feels very strong in solo content, but as mentioned, this rank is slightly influenced by its dominance in Infinite Archive. If you master the sustain game on the Warden, you’ll feel incredibly powerful from all the buffs you get through your skills. It can still feel like you have a group around you.
Magicka Warden
The Magicka Warden is probably the stronger build in this patch due to the chilled emphasis. Our solo build is enjoyable to play and can be brought straight into IA without missing a beat. You’ll want to run Corrupting Pollen and slightly different gear sets, but that build can push pretty far with minimal changes.
Stacking into Chilled damage through ice staves, specifically, the Master’s Ice Staff makes up much of your damage as a Magden. The huge weapon and spell damage boost gives you much flexibility regarding what other sets you can run. It’s a little weaker in AOE, but it rips in single target, which is really what you want more of.
Stamina Warden
The Stamina Warden solo build is the “Bloody Warden” version, which focuses on stacking bleed damage to pump the Hemorrhage status effect. This version is much stronger with a two-handed maelstrom greatsword on your back bar, but it can easily be tweaked to a more traditional stamina build and potentially feel even stronger.
Sorcerer (A+ Tier)
We rank the Sorcerer as A+ Tier because of its survivability, damage, and sustain. The major issue you have with the Sorcerer is bar space and the requirement to double bar pets. We hoped that Pets only had to be single-barred on this patch, but that didn’t happen. With no natural Major weapon damage or crit buffs in their kit, you must also run Spell Power Potions on either version of the Sorcerer if you take advantage of the Minor Prophecy, making sustain tricky on the Stamina Sorcerer.
The big buff for Sorcerer is through the Class Mastery script, giving a solid no-pet option paired with Storm-Cursed’s Revenge. This is one of the best AOE builds for the Sorc and is excellent for solo AOE damage.
Sorcerer Class Pros
- Boss Shredder: Sorc has the highest single-target DPS in the game right now.
- Simple Playstyle: Double barring pets, while overall a con, does simplify the skill rotation.
- Unreal Healing: Critical Surge, with the option to run Ring of the Pale Order, feels unkillable.
Sorcerer Class Cons
- Bar Space: Pets must be double-barred, leaving the Sorc feeling like it needs an extra skill slot.
- No Critical Buff: Major Savagery and Prophecy are missing from Sorc’s kit.
- Minor Prophecy Passive: Sorcs naturally gain spell crit, which forces you to need Major Prophecy to maximize this class passive.
Sorc is right on the edge of being incredible in content, but it isn’t quite there yet. It does lack AoE damage as a class, but it makes up for this shortcoming with unreal single-target DPS. The Stamsorc has better AoE, but needing to run Spell Power Potions makes sustain feel clunky.
Magicka Sorcerer
The Magsorc lacks AoE damage, but the single target rips through bosses. The Magsorc falls slightly short of the Stamsorc for solo content, primarily due to its lower AOE damage. However, one way you can make up for it is to run no-pet, freeing up bar space to build in more single and AOE damage instead of feeling like you need to pick one or the other for solo content.
This class and build are still among the simplest and beginner-friendly. Moreover, they don’t rely on trial gear for survival and healing. This is a great place to start if you want to learn ESO and feel powerful early. It has been ranked one of the best playstyles for ESO solo PvE players on our Tier list in 2024.
Stamina Sorcerer
The strength of the Stamina Sorcerer is multiple spammable options and more built-in AOE. Moreover, you won’t need to run double pets if you prefer, giving you many more build options and variety. However, you need to run Spell Power Pots to maximize damage, which forces you to run Dark Deal to sustain the skill. You could always run Weapon Power Potions instead. Changing Whirling Blades out for Rapid Strikes when you get to a boss will shred a boss if you can stand swapping skills.
Consider StamSorc, the AoE melee damage dealer with pros similar to Magicka Sorc.
Dragonknight (S Tier)
The Dragonknight is even stronger in solo PvE content in the ESO 2024, earning S tier on our list. Even if you’re not pushing Veteran Hard Mode content with Magma Shell, the raw damage output and incredible survivability make the DK easily rival the Arcanist in this patch.
The only problem is that you need a higher Action Per Minute (APM) to utilize the DK fully. You also need to change skills rapidly based on the situation, making the DK feel more difficult if you’re used to slower-paced classes. If you want the challenge, however, it feels terrific to master. You can almost infinitely spam Talons and Deep Breath on the MagDk with the False Gods trial set. Adding in the incredible class buffs and damage, the DK should be the strongest class in the game.
Dragonknight Class Pros
- High AOE Damage: The DK hits like an absolute truck, putting that damage out in all directions.
- Unkillable: The DK always feels unkillable, but with Magma, you can become unkillable in the Infinite Archive.
- Great Class Buffs: The DK naturally sources all their critical buffs through their kit.
Dragonknight Class Cons
- Healing: The DK does heal a lot, but there are gaps in the burst healing from Deep Breath, which makes Ring of the Pale Order feel more necessary in this class.
- Higher Difficulty: DK feels very simple and powerful but has a high ceiling if you push Infinite Archive with Magma.
- Sustain: Despite the sustain buffs, it’s still difficult to sustain Talons and Deep Breath spamming.
The DK is in a great spot, as you can be in for solo content right now. Though it falls just slightly behind the Arc due to the Arc’s versatility, the DK does the things it does well better than any other class right now.
Magicka Dragonknight
The Magicka DK feels incredible in solo play right now. It has insanely high AOE damage, an AOE interrupt for Infinite Archive, and tons of burning damage. The Mag DK has always felt like its damage was capped by resources in AOE situations, but it can sustain Talons and Deep Breath better than it has ever been able to this patch.
Magicka Dragonknight’s major shortcoming is the constant need for massive magicka sustain, which isn’t required of the Stamina Dragonknight. You need that extra Magicka to keep your healing and AOE damage up. Without that magicka and magicka sustained through your food, you’ll be bottoming out if you fully utilize deep breath and burning talons.
Stamina Dragonknight
Stamina DK falls behind the Mag DK when it comes to AOE damage. You can’t afford to spam Deep Breath or Talons when you stack Stamina, making Stamina builds significantly weaker in solo content. You can still make it work, but it tangibly feels weaker.
Arcanist (S+ Tier)
Like the last update, the Arcanist is still the best solo PvE class on our tier list in ESO 2024. The Arcanist already had such a stacked kit that scribing didn’t introduce much for the class. While you can make some optimizations to switch gear and skills for solo content, you can rock the same build as the last patch.
There weren’t many changes in this patch, but Arcanist saw one of the few nerfs. Cephaliarch’s Flail got a cost increase, making sustaining a little more complicated. You shouldn’t feel the difference, you may just want to run food with sustain instead of bi-stat food.
Arcanist Class Pros
- Class Buffs: Sources all crucial buffs for solo content naturally through the kit.
- Beam to Win: Fatecarver melts enemies.
- Passive Penetration: The Arcanist’s abilities provide huge passive penetration, which makes the penetration cap much easier to reach in solo content.
Arcanist Class Cons
- Damage Nerfs: If you played the Arcanist last patch, you will feel the damage nerfs.
- Long Channels: Your Fatecarver is a long channel, meaning you can be interrupted, ending your channel.
- Limited Bar Space: “Too many good skills” is real on the Arcanist.
The Arcanist is still the Swiss Army knife of the ESO for Solo PvE content in 2024. You can’t go wrong with this build’s stamina or magicka versions, but both are almost identical anyway. We include the Ring of the Pale order in solo content not because it deals the highest damage but because it is the most set-and-forget solo mythic. You could turn off your health bar and never worry about your health.
Magicka Arcanist
You usually see Arcanists run stamina, but magicka is completely viable. Magicka Arcanist suffers the same weaknesses as always. It just can’t run Coral Riptide very efficiently. If you’re not running that set, though, Magicka is technically just as viable, though you’ll feel the sustain nerfs more with Cephaliarch’s Flail costing stamina. Most Arcanist abilities change resource cost depending on your highest resource, so sustain feels strong on either version of the build. The Arcanist might be the most hybridized class in the game.
Stamina Arcanist
The Stamina Arcanist is the way to go if you’re not committed to running magicka. You won’t feel the sustain nerfs much, and they may even make Coral Riptide a better option than Ansuul for you, depending on what percentage your stamina hovers.
You have some of the best single-target and area damage while being one of the simplest builds. The StamArc blends the holy trinity of a perfect solo build: survivability, resource sustain, and big damage. Thus, we ranked it the best solo class in ESO for our tier list ranking.
ESO Solo PvE Leaderboards
The Elder Scrolls Online has solo PvE leaderboards, found in your journal. There are currently three ranked solve PvE events: Veteran Maelstrom Arena, Vateshran Hollows, and the new Endless Archive. While researching this solo PvE tier list, we compiled the rankings of all the classes based on their score (November 2023 has not been updated to 42 yet). Below are the best scores for each class in solo PvE for ESO:
| VMA Score | Vateshran Score | Endless Archive Score |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Arcanist: 607,331 | #1 Arcanist: 314,816 | #1 Nightblade: 337,000 |
| #2 Templar: 601,104 | #2 Templar: 313,354 | #2 Warden: 336,000 |
| #3 Nightblade: 599,132 | #3 Dragonknight: 303,111 | #3 Arcanist: 302,000 |
| #4 Sorcerer: 597,771 | #4 Nightblade: 302,333 | #4 Dragonknight: 264,000 |
| #5 Warden: 584,479 | #5 Necromancer: 301,580 | #5 Sorcerer: 229,000 |
| #6 Necromancer: 583,592 | #6 Warden: 301,113 | #6 Templar: 206,000 |
| #7 Dragonknight: 582,969 | #7 Sorcerer: 299,268 | #7 Necromancer: 200,000 |
Changes in Update 42 Gold Road Chapter DLC
Patch 10.0.5 brought ten new item sets, three new mythics, and the Scribing feature. There were minor balance changes due to introducing 11 new skills via Scribing called Grimoires. With new skills that can be changed via Scripts, the possibilities for Solo PvE are nearly endless. The Scribing system allows you to gain buffs, healing, shields, and so forth that help fill the weakness in your builds. However, the passive and active skills still determine the overall strength of the class and why you should use them in PvP.
Here is a brief summary of the biggest changes from Update 42:
- Scribing – the new system gives you access to 11 new, unique, customizable skills you can use!
- Grimoires – 11 new skills that can be changed via Scripts with stuns, immobilization, pulls, and knockbacks.
- Class Balance – the main changes are to the Templar blazing spear with minor changes.
- Skill Styling – select new color variations on popular existing skills from the Weapon, Guild, and World Skill Lines.
- New Zone West Weald – Located just west of Cyrodiil and east of the Gold Coast, West Weald remains a stronghold of Imperial prosperity.
- Lucent Citadel New Trial – 12-player trial with the portal located in northern West Weald, with new gear and achievements.
- New Gear Sets – overland, crafting, trials, and mythics.
- HDR Support – Windows HDR Color Settings adjust various brightness settings.
- Mail Improvements – many changes to player, system, and system alert mail functions.
- New Achievements – many new achievements were added to the chapter and base game Update 42.
Looking For More About ESO?
Thank you for reading the Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) Solo PvE Tier List 2024 Guide. We provide the latest news and create guides for ESO. Also, watch me play games on Twitch or visit my YouTube channel!
