Creating a new character in The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) can be both exciting and overwhelming. Whether you’re brand new to the game or just rolling another toon for a fresh experience, setting yourself up properly from the start can make a massive difference. This guide walks through ten critical steps to help you start strong and level smarter.
1. Start Working on Your Mount Training Immediately
Mount training should be your top priority because it’s the only time-gated system in the game. You can only train one mount stat per day unless you use a special scroll. To begin, visit a Stablemaster in any city and spend a small amount of gold to increase your mount’s stats. You can boost speed, carrying capacity, or stamina—but speed is by far the most valuable, especially early on. The sooner you start, the faster you’ll get where you need to go.
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2. Join the Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, and Undaunted
Right after creating your character, head to any major city—Daggerfall, Davon’s Watch, or Vulkhel Guard—and join the Fighters and Mages Guilds. These guilds unlock unique skill lines with some powerful abilities. Whether it’s raining down a meteor or wielding the radiant power of Dawnbreaker, these skill lines have strong utility in both PvE and PvP.
To join the Undaunted, travel to the Undaunted Enclave and accept the initiation quest. Complete the listed dungeon (just enter and exit), turn in the quest, and you’re in. These skill lines not only offer powerful passives but also tie into dungeon progression and reward systems later on.
3. Unlock Armor Skill Lines
Many new players miss this step. To activate the skill lines for each armor type, you must equip at least three pieces of it. Light armor focuses on magicka and mobility, medium armor boosts stamina and damage, and heavy armor provides health and resistance benefits. Equip each type early on to unlock all three lines—even if you don’t plan to use them right away, you’ll want access later when experimenting with builds.
4. Unlock Weapon Skill Lines
Similar to armor, weapon skill lines aren’t available until you actively use the weapon. Equip the weapon you want to unlock, go out, and kill something with it. Once unlocked, you can begin leveling the skill line and accessing its abilities. This is key if you’re planning to swap roles later (e.g., from DPS to healer or tank) or just want versatility.
5. Join Player Guilds for Trading and Teamplay
Outside of NPC guilds, player-run guilds offer vital resources. These communities often provide access to guild traders where you can buy and sell gear, materials, and more. Whether you’re interested in PvE, PvP, crafting, or social play, guilds offer guidance, group content, and economic opportunities. Don’t hesitate to join more than one.
6. Collect Skyshards and Skill Points
As you unlock more skill lines, you’ll need additional skill points. Skyshards—scattered across the world—grant one point for every three collected. Begin by combing through starter areas like Khenarthi’s Roost, Stros M’Kai, Bleakrock Isle, and Hew’s Bane. These smaller zones are manageable and densely packed with Skyshards.
Don’t skip public dungeons either. Each features a Skyshard and a group event that rewards a full skill point. Completing these is a quick and efficient way to stack points. If you joined the Mages Guild, picking up lorebooks along the way will also progress that skill line.
7. Get Your Crafting Certifications
Once you’ve got a few skill points, head to any major crafting hub (e.g., Solitude) and find the certification boards. These let you begin crafting writs, which are daily quests that level your crafting skills and provide materials and rewards. As your proficiency grows, you can invest points to improve yield, create stronger gear, and optimize deconstruction returns. Early certification sets the stage for later economic and gear crafting advantages.
8. Enter Your First Dungeon at Level 10
Hitting level 10 unlocks the Group Finder. This is your gateway to random dungeons, which grant a big experience boost and serve as your entry point into group-based PvE content. These dungeons also start rewarding Undaunted Keys and reputation, vital for unlocking powerful armor sets and passives later in the game. It’s a great time to begin learning team roles and strategies.
9. Unlock PvP and Cyrodiil Skill Lines
Even if you’re not a fan of PvP, unlocking these skill lines is worthwhile. Go to the Alliance War menu, accept the introduction quest to Cyrodiil, and complete the tutorial. That’s it—you’ll gain access to the Assault and Support lines. Rapid Maneuvers alone is worth the effort, giving you increased movement speed across all content. Battlegrounds, also available at level 10, offer quick PvP matches and are another solid option for competitive play.
10. Begin Planning Your Champion Points
You won’t earn Champion Points (CP) until level 50, but it’s smart to look ahead. Take a look at guides or builds that align with your playstyle to understand which CP trees you’ll want to invest in. Planning now will make that milestone more meaningful, and prevent wasted time re-assigning points later. The CP system is complex, so early familiarity gives you an edge.
Final Words: Build Your Foundation Early
These ten steps form a rock-solid foundation for any new ESO character. From combat to crafting, and dungeons to PvP, each step builds your toolkit and broadens your play options. More importantly, they help you make informed decisions, save time, and boost your character’s potential from the ground up.
So whether you’re eyeing your first dungeon clear, dreaming of trial raids, or just roaming the vast world of Tamriel, these early actions will set you on the right path.
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