Why This Rework Matters
Dragonknights (and DK Tanks in particular) are getting a substantial overhaul in The Elder Scrolls Online Update 49: Season Zero – Dawn and Dusk.
Over the last couple of years, ESO has introduced Scribing and Subclassing, systems designed to give players more freedom and flexibility. While these systems succeeded in bringing weaker or underused classes up to par, they also created a major problem:
class identity slowly stopped mattering.
For tanks especially, this meant every class began to look and play the same. The same pulls, the same debuffs, the same sustain tools, often sourced from subclassing rather than the class itself.
Update 49 is the first clear sign that ZOS wants to walk this back. The Dragonknight combat refresh is not about raw buffs across the board, but about rewarding players who lean into their class kit, while quietly nerfing over-reliance on subclassed skills.
This article focuses specifically on Dragonknight Tanks, what’s improved, what’s been taken away, and whether DKs now stand on their own again without mandatory subclassing.
Ardent Flame – From DPS Line to Tank Utility
Ardent Flame has received some of the most impactful changes for tanks, shifting it from a mostly offensive skill line into something that finally offers meaningful defensive and group utility.
Key Skill Changes
Standard of Might
Now grants a unique Weapon and Spell Damage buff. When combined with sets like Saxhleel Champion and Major Force sources, this opens up a real group DPS ultimate option for tanks, not just a personal damage button.
Burning Embers
Reworked to scale with Max Health, providing both a burst heal and a heal over time. This gives DK Tanks another health-scaling self-heal that doesn’t rely on Draconic Power.
Soul of Flame (formerly Deep Breath)
Retains its AoE interrupt and control utility, but now restores 15% of missing Magicka and Stamina. In practice, this feels situational. Useful on paper, but unlikely to replace existing sustain tools for tanks, any only requires when an AoE interrupt is needed.
Hearth and Home (formerly Eruption)
One of the biggest winners of the update:
- Large AoE heal over time
- Minor Fortitude and Minor Heroism for the group
- Major Protection for yourself
- Enemy snare
This single skill now does a lot for DK Tanks and finally feels worth a bar slot.
Passive Impact
Ardent Flame passives are a mixed bag. Combustion has effectively been halved, which is a quiet but noticeable sustain nerf for tanks. Since Soul of Flame is unlikely to become a core sustain tool, this change will be felt.
The upside is A Soul Ablaze, which now provides a permanent increase to healing taken, a strong passive bonus for tanks.
Draconic Power – Still the Core Tank Line
Draconic Power remains the backbone of Dragonknight tanking, but with several refinements that reinforce class identity.
Skill Highlights
Choking Talons
Functionally unchanged, still a strong AoE immobilises. Minor Maim lasts longer, reinforcing its tank value.
Blood of the Green Dragon (formerly Green Dragon Blood)
Still your go-to burst heal, scaling with Max Health and Missing Health.
Protect the Brood (formerly Dragonfire Scale)
Now offers:
- 50% projectile reduction for yourself
- 25% projectile reduction for the group
- Minor Protection for allies
This turns it into a legitimate situational group utility skill, especially in projectile-heavy encounters.
Chains of Dominance
This is a big one. The DK pull now:
- Pulls and taunts
- Applies Burning (triggering Combustion)
- Applies Major Cowardice
- Refunds full Magicka if nothing is pulled
In many cases, this directly replaces Leashing Soul, removing the need to use Scribing for the addition of the Major Cowardice debuff.
Passive Changes – The Subclassing Check
This is where ZOS clearly targets subclassing.
The Storm Voice (formerly Battle Roar) now scales based on how many DK skills you have slotted.
To match the old Battle Roar values, you’d need seven Dragonknight skills slotted.
This is a direct nerf to heavily subclassed DK Tanks and a strong incentive to commit to the class kit.
Earthen Heart – Power Up, Sustain Down
Earthen Heart sees a mix of solid utility upgrades and one of the most controversial sustain changes.
Skill Updates
Magma Shell
Provides a larger group shield, reinforcing its role as a defensive ultimate.
Magma Fist (formerly Stone Giant)
Simplified and improved:
- No longer drops block
- Applies Heat Shock, increasing damage taken by up to 33% at three stacks
- Duration increased to 10 seconds
This makes it far more practical for tanks to maintain.
Fossilize
Gains Minor Breach and Minor Vulnerability, which suddenly makes it interesting for boss fights and organised groups.
Earthshield Mantle (formerly Hardened Armor)
Mostly a rename, but still provides Major Resolve and a health-scaling damage shield.
Passive Nerf – This One Hurts
Mountain Giant (formerly Helping Hands) is a significant change:
- You no longer gain Stamina simply by casting Earthen Heart skills.
- Instead, you must land a fully charged Heavy Attack to restore resources.
For DK Tanks, this is a real sustain hit. The old Igneous Shield → Stamina loop allowed safe sustain while holding block. The new system introduces risk, positioning issues, and potential downtime, especially in high-pressure content.
A Step in the Right Direction (With Caveats)
Overall, I’m genuinely positive about the direction of this rework.
ESO desperately needed to bring class identity back, and the Dragonknight refresh is a clear attempt to do exactly that. DK Tanks now have stronger reasons to use their own skills rather than defaulting to subclassed solutions.
That said, sustain has undeniably taken a hit. Long-standing DK mechanics that defined the class since launch have been nerfed or reworked, and the classic “block forever” DK playstyle will not function the same way going forward.
The reality is that tanks are still at the mercy of raid leaders and group composition, and subclassing will likely remain mandatory in top-end organised content to cover every buff and debuff a group expects.
However, for the first time in a long while, playing a Dragonknight Tank feels meaningfully different again — and that alone makes this rework a success in my eyes.
Useful Links
- The Tank Club ESO Hub
- ESO Dragonknight Tank Build
- ESO Dragonknight Hybrid Tank Build
- The Best ESO Tank Scribing Skills
- Top 6 Subclassing Options for ESO Tanks
- Browse more Tank Builds on The Tank Club
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