ESO Leveling Guide 2025: From Level 1 to 300+
Welcome to the sprawling world of Elder Scrolls Online (ESO), where Tamriel's adventures await! Whether you're a fresh adventurer or a seasoned player crafting a new character, leveling efficiently sets the stage for epic battles and rich storytelling. This guide provides a step-by-step roadmap from level 1 to Champion Point (CP) 300+, covering essential systems, quests, and gear to ensure smooth progression. Found this helpful? Please bookmark our site for more ESO insights, and swing by our ESO Gold store to explore gaming gear that enhances your journey!
Levels 1–10: Building a Strong Foundation
Starting Your Journey
Upon creating your character, you'll face the option to skip the tutorial. New players should play through it to learn combat basics—movement, attacks, and abilities. It's a quick introduction, dropping you into your faction's starter zone (Stros M'Kai for Daggerfall Covenant, Khenarthi's Roost for Aldmeri Dominion, or Bleakrock Isle for Ebonheart Pact). These zones feature a zone story quest, accessible via the compass or by opening the Zone Guide (press J on PC or the equivalent on console). The Zone Guide directs you to the nearest story NPC, making diving into ESO's immersive lore easy.
Unlocking Passive Progression Systems
To maximize efficiency, prioritize systems that level passively as you play:
Class Skill Lines: Each class has three skill lines (e.g., Nightblade: Assassination, Shadow, Siphoning). Place one skill from each line on your front bar (unlocked at creation) and keep them there until each line reaches level 50. This levels the lines as you gain XP, unlocking powerful passives that boost your character's strength. For example, Nightblade passives enhance critical damage and resource recovery.
Weapon Skill Lines: Choose a weapon suited to your build (e.g., destruction staff for magicka, two-handed for stamina) and kill an enemy to unlock its skill line. Equip the weapon and slot its abilities to level it faster. Wearing more pieces of an armor type (e.g., three medium armor pieces) also unlocks and levels that armor skill line.
Companions: Unlock a companion early for a leveling partner. Ember, found in Tor Draioch (High Isle), is a fan favorite for her upbeat personality and forgiving rapport system—she doesn't mind if you commit crimes! Other options include Mirri or Bastian in Blackwood, Sharp-as-Night in Telvanni Peninsula, or Azandar in Apocrypha. Summon your companion via the Collections menu (Allies > Companions) to ensure they gain XP and gear from chests. Complete guild dailies (Fighters, Mages, Undaunted) with your companion summoned to level their guild skills.
Antiquities System: Travel to Solitude in Western Skyrim to join the Antiquarian Circle. Speak to Verita Numida to unlock scrying and excavating, which let you hunt treasures, mythic items, and housing furniture. Complete the tutorial quest to learn the Antiquarian's Eye, then slot it on your quickslot wheel (Q on PC) to locate dig sites. Excavation involves a hot-and-cold minigame—use the Eye to narrow down the treasure's location and brush away dirt to uncover it. Bonus treasures in the dig site add extra gold, so dig thoroughly.
Guilds: Visit a base game zone like Daggerfall to join the Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, and Undaunted Guild. The Fighters Guild levels by killing Daedra or undead, the Mages Guild by collecting lorebooks, and the Undaunted Guild through dungeon quests. Unlock passives like Intimidating Presence (Fighters Guild) and Persuasive Will (Mages Guild) to access unique dialogue options, bypassing tedious NPC fetch quests. In Summerset, start the main story to reach Artaeum and unlock the Psijic Guild, which offers Psijic Troves (lucrative loot nodes) at level 1 and powerful skills for magicka builds.
Tales of Tribute: If you enjoy card games, head to Gonfalon Bay in High Isle to learn Tales of Tribute, ESO's deck-building game. Challenge NPCs across Tamriel to earn rewards and collect cards while questing. It's optional but adds fun and unique loot.
Add-ons (PC): Install Minion to manage add-ons like Map Pins, which mark skyshards, lorebooks, and other collectibles on your map. These save time by ensuring you don't miss skill points (three skyshards = one skill point) or Mages Guild XP. Check our linked add-on guide for installation steps and recommendations.
Main Story Quest: In a base game zone, find the Hooded Figure to start the main story quest. This awards 10–12 skill points over its duration, making it a priority for skill-hungry early levels.
Zone Stories and Exploration
ESO's open-ended nature lets you tackle zones in any order, but following the release order (linked in our resources) enhances story continuity. Characters from starter zones reappear in faction zones and DLC, offering nostalgic dialogue and rapport-based interactions. Start with your faction's zone story for a cohesive narrative, but feel free to explore Skyrim or elsewhere for variety. Use the Zone Guide to locate story quests and grab skyshards while questing.
Levels 10–45: Expanding Your Toolkit
At level 10
new systems unlock to accelerate your progress and prepare for the endgame:
Random Dungeons: Open the Group menu (P on PC) and queue for a random normal dungeon. This grants a massive XP boost (enough to jump from level 10 to 13 in one run), transmute crystals (used for gear crafting), and gear. Each dungeon has a unique quest that awards a skill point and extra XP—prioritize new dungeons to collect these. Deconstruct unwanted gear at crafting stations (blacksmithing, clothing, woodworking) to level your crafting skills and gather materials for later use.
Mount Upgrades: At level 10, you receive a free Sorrel Horse mount (Collections > Mounts). Visit a stablemaster daily (marked by a horse icon) to upgrade speed (priority), then carrying capacity, and finally stamina (useful in PvP zones like Cyrodiil). Each upgrade costs gold and takes 20 hours to refresh, so do this daily.
Bag Upgrades: Visit a pack merchant (e.g., Yaki Tul in Blackwood) to increase your inventory from 60 to 140 slots, 10 slots at a time. This is crucial as loot from dungeons and quests fills your bag quickly. Optionally, buy Crown Store pets like the Bristleneck Warboar or Mournhold Packrat for an extra 10 slots account-wide.
Cyrodiil for Alliance Passives: Travel to Cyrodiil and complete the PvE-focused zone story to reach Alliance Rank 3. Open the Alliance menu (L on PC), choose a low-population campaign to avoid queues, and follow the Zone Guide to start the story. This quest teaches you to use siege weapons (e.g., ballista, catapult) and takes 5–10 minutes. It unlocks the Continuous Attack passive (15% mount speed at rank 3, 30% at rank 9) and, for stamina builds, Vigor, a top-tier self-heal. Avoid skipping training dialogue to ensure you reach rank 3.
Quest Navigation: To streamline questing, open your Journal (J), click a quest, and press M to zoom to its location on the map. This works in Cyrodiil and other zones, guiding you to the next objective. In Cyrodiil, use wayshrines to teleport between faction bases (green lines indicate valid teleport paths).
Level 15: Back Bar Unlock
At level 15, you unlock a back bar, allowing you to equip a second weapon. Use the same set as your front bar (e.g., Medusa or Julianos) until you acquire arena weapons (e.g., Maelstrom staff) at higher levels. Keep one skill from each class line on both bars to continue leveling them to 50.
Ongoing Tasks
Daily Dungeons: Queue for a random normal dungeon daily for XP and transmute crystals. Run specific dungeons afterwards for skill points if desired, but only the random queue grants the bonus.
Guild Leveling: Collect lorebooks (Mages Guild), destroy dark anchors (Fighters Guild), and run dungeons (Undaunted Guild). Check the guild progress bar (hover over it) for leveling tips.
Skyshards: Grab skyshards while exploring to earn skill points. Add-ons make this easier.
Companion: Keep your companion summoned to level them and collect gear. Do guild dailies with them for extra progression.
Main Story and Zone Quests: Continue these for skill points and XP. The main story is especially rewarding.
Levels 45–50: Mastering Pledges and Preparations
At level 45, you're on the cusp of endgame content. The focus shifts to unlocking daily pledges and refining your setup for Champion Points. Here's a detailed breakdown to ensure you're ready:
Unlocking Pledges
Complete the Undaunted quest you picked up at level 10 (e.g., Spindleclutch I, Fungal Grotto I, or Banished Cells I, depending on your zone). This quest, assigned when you joined the Undaunted Guild, sends you to a specific dungeon to learn group mechanics. For example, in Spindleclutch I, you'll face spider-themed bosses and earn a skill point upon completion. Turning in this quest unlocks daily pledges critical for endgame progression.
Visit one of the three faction cities—Stormhaven (Wayrest), Grahtwood (Elden Root), or Deshaan (Mournhold)—to pick up pledges from Undaunted NPCs (Maj al-Ragath, Glirion the Redbeard, Urgarlag Chief-bane). You don't need to return to the same city where you picked up the initial quest, as pledges are now region-unlocked. Speak to each NPC to accept their daily pledge, which assigns a specific dungeon (e.g., Fungal Grotto I, Selen's Web, Moon Hunter Keep). Pledges rotate daily but are identical for all players, so you can group with friends to tackle them together. If you miss a day, you can complete yesterday's pledges, but abandoning and re-picking them aligns with the current day's list.
Pledge Mechanics and Rewards
Each pledge rewards:
25 Undaunted XP: Levels your Undaunted Guild, unlocking passives like Undaunted Mettle (increased stats for wearing multiple armor types).
One Undaunted Key (Normal): Earned by completing the pledge on normal difficulty. Use keys at pledge NPCs to buy monster set shoulders (e.g., Slimecraw shoulders for crit chance).
Two Undaunted Keys (Veteran Hard Mode): Activate hard mode on the final boss in veteran difficulty for double keys. Hard mode increases boss difficulty (e.g., extra mechanics in Fungal Grotto I's Kra'gh fight).
Transmute Crystals: Used at transmute stations to craft or re-trait gear.
Monster sets are two-piece gear sets with powerful bonuses. Helmets drop from the final boss of veteran dungeons (e.g., Slimecraw helmet from Wayrest Sewers I), while shoulders are purchased with keys. For example, Slimecraw's one-piece bonus adds 771 critical chance, and its two-piece grants Minor Berserk (5% damage boost). These sets are essential for most builds, so prioritize pledges to stockpile keys.
Pledge Strategy
Stick to normal pledges at this stage, as veteran dungeons are challenging without CP 160 gear. Base game dungeons like Fungal Grotto I or Selen's Web are manageable, but DLC dungeons (e.g., Moon Hunter Keep) are more challenging, with complex mechanics like werewolf transformations. To maximize keys:
- Do base game pledges on veteran for two keys each (if feasible).
- Do DLC pledges typically go for one key.
- Aim for five keys daily (two veteran base game pledges + one normal DLC pledge).
If a veteran DLC dungeon feels impossible, don't stress—normal mode still progresses your Undaunted Guild. Use add-ons (if on PC) to track daily pledges, as they may display checkmarks or blue text for active quests.
Ongoing Tasks
Continue your daily routine to prepare for level 50:
Random Dungeons: Queue daily for XP, transmute crystals, and gear. Deconstruct gear to level crafting skills. For example, a dungeon drop like a Precise dagger can be equipped or deconstructed for blacksmithing XP.
Mount Upgrades: Visit the stablemaster daily to boost speed or carrying capacity. A faster mount cuts travel time, while extra slots handle loot overflow.
Bag Upgrades: Spend gold at pack merchants to expand your inventory. At 80–100 slots, you'll notice a huge difference in managing dungeon hauls.
Guild Leveling: Keep collecting lorebooks (Mages Guild), killing Daedra at Dark Anchors (Fighters Guild), and running dungeons (Undaunted Guild). Ensure all class and weapon skill lines are leveling toward 50.
Skyshards and Main Story: Grab skyshards and progress the main story for skill points. Skyshards are scattered across zones (e.g., three in Stros M'Kai), and the main story's next chapter might take you to Coldharbour for more points.
Companion: Keep your companion summoned to level their skills and collect gear. For example, Ember might equip a rare bow from a chest, boosting her damage.
Avoiding Pitfalls
Gear Management: Don't hoard low-level gear—it's obsolete by CP 160. Equip what's useful now and deconstruct the rest.
Alliance Rank: If you didn't hit Alliance Rank 3 in Cyrodiil, finish the zone story now to unlock Continuous Attack and Vigor—alternatively, queue for a few Battlegrounds (PvP) to earn Alliance Points.
Quest Tracking: Use the Journal (J) and map (M) to avoid getting lost. For example, if a pledge sends you to Selen's Web, click the quest to zoom to Deshaan's exact location.
By level 50, your class skill lines should be near 50, your companion should be leveling steadily, and you'll have a stockpile of transmute crystals and Undaunted keys.
Level 50 and CP 1–160: Entering the CP Era
Hitting level 50 introduces the Champion Point (CP) system, a progression layer that enhances your character's power up to a cap of 3,600 points. The first 50 CP levels come fast—a single random dungeon can grant 10–15 points. The CP menu, with its Warfare, Fitness, and Craft constellations, can overwhelm new players with choices like “increase critical damage” or “boost damage from behind.” To avoid guesswork, follow a build guide (linked in our resources) for optimal node allocation. Most builds share similar CP setups, so a guide ensures your points enhance your playstyle (e.g., magicka DPS prioritizes Thaumaturge for DoT damage).
Key Focus: Reaching CP 160
Your primary goal is CP 160, the max gear level. Gear obtained before this becomes obsolete, so focus on efficient leveling and system mastery:
Champion Point Allocation:
Warfare: Boost damage (e.g., Precision for critical chance) or survivability (e.g., Boundless Vitality for health).
Fitness: Increase stamina/magicka recovery (e.g., Rejuvenation) or mitigation (e.g., Ironclad for reduced damage).
Craft: Enhance utility (e.g., Treasure Hunter for better loot drops).
Follow a guide to prioritize nodes. For example, a stamina DPS might invest in Deadly Aim (single-target damage) before Backstabber (positional damage). You can respec later at a shrine (e.g., in Wayrest) for gold if you experiment and want to adjust.
Gear Setup:
At CP 160, equip two five-piece sets, a monster set, and optionally a mythic item. For example:
Five-Piece Sets: Julianos (crafted, magicka boost) for jewelry/front bar and Medusa (dungeon, crit chance) for body pieces.
Monster Set: Slimecraw (Wayrest Sewers I helmet, Undaunted key shoulders) for crit and Minor Berserk.
Mythic Item: Dig up something like the Ring of the Pale Order (antiquities) for solo survivability, but only equip one mythic at a time.
Deconstruct dungeon and quest gear to add it to your collections menu (U on PC). This lets you recreate sets at a transmute station later (e.g., in Clockwork City). For example, deconstructing a Medusa staff at level 30 lets you craft a CP 160 version at 160.
Save transmute crystals from random dungeons and pledges for crafting CP 160 gear.
Crafting Leveling:
Continue deconstructing gear at crafting stations to level blacksmithing, clothing, and woodworking—for example, a dungeon drop like a maple bow levels woodworking when deconstructed. Save materials (e.g., rubedite ingots) for crafting CP 160 sets.
Visit crafting stations in major cities (e.g., Wayrest's blacksmithing station) or use a player house with stations if you own one.
Guild Leveling:
Mages Guild: Collect lorebooks while questing. Add-ons like LoreBooks mark their locations (e.g., a book in Glenumbra's ruins). Maxing this unlocks Meteor for magicka builds.
Fighters Guild: Kill Daedra/undead at Dark Anchors or delves (e.g., Bad Man's Hallows in Glenumbra). Maxing this unlocks Dawnbreaker for stamina builds.
Undaunted Guild: Run pledges and dungeons to level this. Passives like Undaunted Command (resource restore on synergies) are vital for all builds.
Psijic Guild: If unlocked, complete Psijic quests in Artaeum to level this for skills like Mend Wounds.
Skill Points:
Collect skyshards (e.g., three in Rivenspire for one point).
Complete main story quests (e.g., Coldharbour chapters) for 10–12 points.
Finish dungeon quests for one point each (e.g., Banished Cells I).
Scrying and excavating also consume skill points, so stockpile them.
Companion Progression:
Keep your companion summoned to level their skills and collect gear. For example, Ember might equip a rare chestpiece from a delve chest, boosting her tankiness. Do guild dailies (e.g., Mages Guild in Elden Root) with them to level their guild lines, unlocking abilities like companion-specific ultimates.
Daily Tasks:
Random Dungeons: Queue daily for XP (10–15 CP per run) and transmute crystals. Run specific dungeons for skill points if needed.
Pledges: Continue normal pledges for keys and Undaunted XP. Stockpile keys for CP 160 monster shoulders.
Mount Upgrades: Boost speed or carrying capacity daily at a stablemaster.
Bag Upgrades: Max out your inventory to 140 slots at a pack merchant.
Veteran Content at CP 160
Once you hit CP 160, you're ready for veteran dungeons and trials:
Veteran Dungeons: Queue for base game dungeons (e.g., Wayrest Sewers I) to farm monster helmets like Slimecraw. These drop from the final boss on veteran difficulty. Combine with shoulders from Undaunted keys for full sets. Veteran dungeons also grant achievements (e.g., “No Death” in Fungal Grotto I).
Trials: Join group content like Aetherian Archive or Hel Ra Citadel for best-in-slot gear (e.g., Infallible Aether for magicka DPS). Trials require 12 players, so join a guild or use our linked trial guide for tips on finding groups.
Gear Strategy: Equip two five-piece sets (e.g., Julianos front bar, Medusa body), a monster set, and an optional mythic. For example, a magicka Nightblade might use:
Julianos (crafted): +1096 magicka, +833 spell critical.
Medusa (dungeon): +833 spell critical, +2% critical damage.
Slimecraw (monster set): +771 critical chance, +5% damage (Minor Berserk).
Ring of the Pale Order (mythic): Heals for 20% of damage dealt (solo only).
Transmute Station: Use crystals to craft or re-trait gear at a transmute station (e.g., in Clockwork City). For example, change a Medusa staff from Infused to Precise for better damage.
Avoiding Pitfalls
Don't Rush Veteran: Veteran dungeons are tough without CP 160 gear and passives. Stick to normal until you're equipped.
Gear Obsolescence: Don't save gear below CP 160—it's useless after you hit max gear level.
Skill Point Starvation: Scrying, crafting, and class skills compete for points. Prioritize class passives and grab skyshards to stay ahead.
By CP 160, your character should have maxed class skill lines, a leveled companion, and a solid gear foundation, making you a force in Tamriel.
CP 160–300: Conquering Endgame Content
At CP 160, ESO's endgame opens up with veteran dungeons, trials, and arenas. By CP 300, you unlock veteran DLC dungeons, which offer unique rewards like skins and personalities. Here's a detailed roadmap to dominate this phase:
Veteran Dungeons and Pledges
Base Game Veteran Dungeons: Queue for dungeons like Banished Cells I or Selen's Web on veteran to farm monster helmets. Each final boss drops a specific helmet (e.g., Ilambris in Crypt of Hearts I for magicka AoE builds). These are guaranteed drops on veteran, unlike normal mode. Combine with shoulders from Undaunted keys for full sets. For example:
Ilambris: +1096 magicka, +8% flame/lightning damage on AoE.
Velidreth: +833 weapon critical, +spore orb proc for stamina DPS.
Pledge Strategy: Do veteran base game pledges for two keys each (with hard mode) and normal DLC pledges for one key. For example, on a day with Fungal Grotto I, Selen's Web, and Moon Hunter Keep:
Run Fungal Grotto I and Selen's Web on veteran (hard mode) for four keys.
Run Moon Hunter Keep on normal for one key.
Total: Five keys daily, plus transmute crystals and 75 Undaunted XP.
Achievements: Veteran dungeons offer achievements like “No Death,” “Speed Run,” or “Hard Mode.” For example, completing Fungal Grotto I without dying unlocks a title, while hard mode grants extra keys.
Veteran DLC Dungeons (CP 300)
At CP 300, veteran DLC dungeons unlock (e.g., Black Drake Villa, Moon Hunter Keep). These are tougher, with mechanics like flame traps or group-wipe AoEs, but reward:
Skins: Clear a dungeon on veteran (e.g., Scalecaller Peak for the Zaan skin).
Personalities: Achieve no-death, speed run, or hard mode (e.g., March of Sacrifices for the Werewolf Behemoth personality).
Dyes: Cosmetic colors for armor (e.g., a red dye from Fang Lair's hard mode).
Check our linked guide for the easiest skins and personalities (e.g., teleporting to certain zones unlocks some cosmetics instantly).
Trials
Join 12-player trials like:
Aetherian Archive: Drops Infallible Aether (magicka DPS, Minor Slayer buff).
Hel Ra Citadel: Drops Berserking Warrior (stamina DPS, +weapon damage).
Cloudrest: Drops Siroria (magicka DPS, +spell damage stacks).
Trials require coordination, so join a guild or use our trial guide for group-finding tips. Gear from trials is often best-in-slot, and deconstructing it adds to your collections for later crafting.
Veteran Arenas
Try solo or group arenas like Maelstrom Arena (normal at CP 160, veteran at CP 300) for weapons like the Maelstrom Bow (+DoT damage for stamina builds). These are challenging but reward unique gear and achievements.
Ongoing Tasks
Pledges: Continue daily pledges to max the Undaunted Guild (level 10) and stockpile keys. For example, 15 pledges (five days) grant 75+ Undaunted XP and 15–25 keys.
Random Dungeons/Battlegrounds: Queue daily for XP (10–15 CP per run) and transmute crystals. Battlegrounds (PvP) offer similar XP and Alliance Points for rank 9 (full Continuous Attack).
Guild Leveling: Max Fighters (stamina), Mages (magicka), and Undaunted Guilds for passives. For example, Undaunted's Bone Shield synergy boosts group survivability.
Skyshards and Skill Points: Collect skyshards in DLC zones (e.g., Summerset) and complete main story or zone quests for points. Public dungeons (e.g., Forgotten Wastes in Vvardenfell) also grant one point each.
Companion: Max your companion's level and gear. For example, Ember at level 20 with full gear becomes a reliable tank or healer. Do guild dailies to unlock their ultimates.
Antiquities: Scry and excavate for mythic items (e.g., Oakensoul Ring for solo builds) or gold. Higher-level scries (e.g., purple leads) yield better rewards but require more skill points.
Mount and Bag Upgrades: Max out your mount (60 speed, 60 capacity) and bag (140 slots) for optimal mobility and storage.
Play Your Way
ESO's flexibility lets you focus on what you love—questing, PvP, dungeons, or trials. Early systems like companions, guilds, and antiquities level passively, ensuring you're endgame-ready. If you missed early guild pickups, Mages and Undaunted XP from lorebooks/achievements applies retroactively, but Fighters Guild XP does not, so grab it early. For example, killing a Daedra in a delve at level 10 counts only if you've joined the guild.
Avoiding Pitfalls
Veteran DLC Difficulty: Don't attempt veteran DLC dungeons before CP 300 unless with a skilled group—they're brutal without gear and experience.
Gear Collections: Deconstruct all dungeon/trial gear to fill your collections. For example, a Siroria staff from Cloudrest can be recreated at CP 160 if deconstructed earlier.
Efficiency vs. Fun: Don't let optimization kill enjoyment. If you love questing, explore zones like Elsweyr for story, not just XP—balance dailies with fun activities.
By CP 300, you'll have maxed guilds, a geared companion, and a robust gear set, ready for any challenge in Tamriel.
FAQs About ESO Leveling
Should I play the tutorial as a new player?
Yes, it teaches combat basics. Veterans can skip it to start in their faction's zone.
Which companion is best for beginners?
Ember (High Isle) is ideal for her fun personality and easy rapport. However, if summoned early, any companion works.
How do add-ons help leveling?
Add-ons like Map Pins mark skyshards and lorebooks, saving time and ensuring you collect skill points and guild XP.
When should I start veteran dungeons?
Wait until CP 160 with two five-piece sets and a monster set. Veteran content is tough without proper gear.
How can I earn skill points quickly?
Collect skyshards (three per point), complete dungeon quests, and progress the main story for 10–12 points.
Thanks for Reading
This guide equips you to conquer Tamriel from level 1 to CP 300+, unlocking every key system and building a formidable character. Keep exploring with MMOJUGG for more tips to fuel your ESO adventures!
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