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There are many things in The Elder Scrolls Online that can affect your build. Gear, stat allocation, and Mundus Stones are all relevant when building a character in this MMO video game, but one of the most important things that you'll need to choose immediately when creating a new character is your race.
If you want to create the best character possible, then you need to know which race to choose for each build. Below you can find an in-depth explanation of every race, including their passive bonuses and which faction they belong to.
What Does Each Race Grant You In The Elder Scrolls Online?
The primary difference between races in The Elder Scrolls Online are the unique passive bonuses you can unlock in their skill trees. Each Race offers a few bonuses that come unlocked by default, along with three extra perks that you can unlock using skill points.
Additionally, each race offers a unique appearance, including the occasional racially unique cosmetic item. These cosmetics usually come in the form of hairstyles. Although every race in The Elder Scrolls Online is humanoid in appearance, some of them resemble animals instead of humans, such as Argonians and Khajiits.
How To Change Your Race
Although the racial bonuses are useful if you want to create the strongest build possible, they're by no means necessary to create an effective character. However, it's worth picking the best race possible since the only way to change your race in the future is by buying a Race Chance Token from the Crown Store for 3,000 Crowns.
Which Race Should You Choose?
Below you can find every passive ability for each of the ten races in the regions of Tamriel, including all three stages of each ability. Each race belongs to a specific faction, which means that you can only play as that race in one of the three factions. However, you can buy the Imperial Edition Upgrade from the Crown Store for 2,100 Crowns to gain access to the Imperial race, along with the ability to play as any race with any faction.
Breton
- Increases Light Armor XP gain by 15 percent and increases Alliance Points gained by one percent
- Increases your Magicka By 600/1,200/2,000
- Increases your Magicka Recovery By 33/66/100 and Spell Resistance by 660/1,320/2,310, this effect doubles if you have Burning, Chilled, Or Concussed
- Reduces the Magicka cost of all abilities by Two/Four/Seven percent
Bretons are a fantastic choice for magicka builds of every variety for the Daggerfall Covenant faction. They're particularly good at sustaining their magicka pools, so it's ideal to use them for healers in both PVE and PVP.
Nord
- Increases Two-Handed XP gain by 15 Percent, and increases the duration of drinks by 15 minutes
- Increases your Stamina by 500/1,000/1,500, and you gain One/Two/Five Ultimate when you take any damage once every ten seconds
- Increases your Health By 333/666/1,000 and Frost Resistance by 1,540/3,080/4,620
- Increases Physical and Spell Resistance by 866/1,732/2,600
Nords are a fantastic option for tank builds in the Ebonheart Pact because of their extra resistances and stat bonuses. You can also use them for stamina DPS builds, but there are better options, even within their faction.
Redguard
- Increases One Hand And Shield XP gain by 15 percent, and increases your food's duration by 15 minutes
- Reduces the cost of your weapon abilities by Two/Four/Eight percent, and reduces the effectiveness of snares that apply to you by Five/Ten/Fifteen percent
- Increases your Stamina by 600/1,200/2,000
- You restore 333/666/1,005 Stamina whenever you deal direct damage, once every five seconds
Redguards work best for stamina DPS builds in the Daggerfall Covenant, either in PVE or PVP environments. However, there are a few better options if you want to maximize your damage.
Imperial
- Increases One Hand And Shield XP gain by 15 percent, and increases Gold gain by one percent
- Increases your Health by 600/1,200/2,000
- Increases your Stamina by 600/1,200/2,000
- Reduces the cost of all of your abilities by Two/Four/Six percent
Imperials can make for effective stamina DPS, but they're particularly useful tanks due to their bonus health and stamina. You can only play as an Imperial if you have the Imperial Edition Upgrade, and they can fight for any of the three factions.
Dark Elf
- Increases Dual Wield XP gain by 15 percent, and reduces lava damage by 50 percent
- Increases your Stamina and Magicka by 600/1,200/1,910
- Increases Flame Resistance by 1,540/3,080/4,620
- Increases Weapon Damage and Spell Damage by 86/127/258
Dark Elves offer the best passives for a hybrid-stat DPS build. They're great for both magicka and stamina DPS builds individually too. If you want to create two builds using the Armory System, one for each stat, then you should play as a Dark Elf. Dark Elves belong to the Ebonheart Pact faction.
High Elf
- Increases XP gain with Destruction Staves by 15 percent, and increases XP gain by one percent
- Reduces your damage taken by One/Two/Five percent when you're using an ability with a cast time, and restores 200/400/625 Stamina or Magicka, the lowest of the two, when you activate a class ability once per six seconds
- Increases your Magicka by 600/1,200/2,000
- Increases your Spell Damage by 86/172/258
High Elves offer the best damage potential for a magicka DPS build for PVE in the Aldmeri Dominion. Your magicka sustain won't be as good as a Breton's, but choosing a High Elf will maximize your damage.
Wood Elf
- Increases XP gain with Bows by 15 percent and decreases your fall damage by ten percent
- Increases your Stamina Recovery by 86/127/258
- Increases your Stamina by 600/1,200/2,000, and your Poison Resistance and Disease Resistance by 660/1,320/2,310
- Increases your stealth detection range by One/Two/Three meters increases your Penetration by 300/600/950, and increase your movement speed by One/Three/Five percent
Wood Elves offer a great option if you want to create a stealth build for PVP. Pairing a Wood Elf with a Nightblade is an ideal option, and it's worthwhile if you want to maximize your stealth potential. You can choose a Wood Elf if you want to fight for the Aldmeri Dominion.
Argonian
- Increases XP gain with Restoration Staves by 15 percent and increases your swimming speed by 50 percent
- Increases your Magicka by 333/666/1,000, and you restore 1,000/2,000/3,000 Health, Stamina, and Magicka whenever you drink a potion
- Gain immunity to the Diseased effect, increases your Health by 333/666/1,000, and gain 660/1,320/2,310
- Increases healing done by One/Three/Six percent
Argonians are effective tanks and healers for the Ebonheart Pact, which is rare of a race in The Elder Scrolls Online. Due to their unique resistances and bonus towards healing, you can easily use an Argonian as both your tank and healer, especially if you pair the race with the Warden or Necromancer class.
Khajiit
- Increases XP gain with Medium Armor by 15 percent and increases your chance to pickpocket NPCs by five percent
- Increases Health Recovery by 33/66/100, and increases Stamina Recovery and Magicka Recovery by 25/50/85
- Increases your Health, Stamina, and Magicka by 305/610/915
- Reduces your stealth detection range by One/Two/Three meters, and increases your Critical Damage and Critical Healing by Four/Eight/Twelve percent
Khajiit are another great option for stealth builds in the Aldmeri Dominion. Due to their tri-stat bonuses, Khajiits make for effective hybrid characters.
Orc
- Increases XP gain with Heavy Armor by 15 percent and increases your crafting inspiration gain by ten percent
- Increases your Stamina by 333/666/1,000
- Increases your Health by 300/600/1,000, and you heal for 7000/1,400/2,125 Health when you deal damage every four seconds
- Increases your Weapon Damage by 86/127/258, reduces the cost of sprinting by four/eight/twelve percent, and increases sprinting movement speed by three/six/ten percent
Orcs are the backbone of the Daggerfall Covenant. This powerful race works well as a stamina DPS for PVE and PVP, as well as a tank due to its resource bonuses.