Built for Every ESO Tank Role and Playstyle
Tanking in The Elder Scrolls Online isn’t one-size-fits-all. Dungeon tanks, trial main tanks, off-tanks, arena builds, and hybrid setups all require different priorities, gear choices, and skill loadouts. This page brings every Tank Club ESO tank build into one place, organised by class and role, so you can quickly find a build that fits your content, platform, and experience level.
Every build here has been used in real PvE content, from early dungeons to veteran trials and endgame challenges, and is designed to be practical, adaptable, and easy to follow. Whether you’re learning the basics, playing a less common tank class, or optimising for organised group play, you’ll find a proven starting point here.
Looking for something specific? Use the sections below to jump straight to dungeon, trial, arena, or hybrid tank builds.
Dungeon, Trial & Arena Tank Builds
ESO PvE Tank Builds
- Optimised tank builds for dungeon content, focused on survivability, crowd control, sustain, and smooth group progression across all classes.
- Endgame-focused main tank builds for trial content, prioritising durability, boss control, and consistent group buffs in organised groups.
- Flexible off tank builds designed for trial encounters, covering add control, debuff application, and support for the main tank.
- Tank builds built specifically for Dragonstar Arena and Blackrose Prison, with an emphasis on self-healing, sustain, and crowd control.
ESO Infinity Archive Tank Build
- Tank builds designed for duo progression in the Infinite Archive, focused on long-term survivability, sustain, and reliable control.
Beginner Tank Builds
ESO Beginner Tank Builds
- Beginner-friendly tank builds designed for new ESO players and first-time tanks, with simple skill setups, forgiving survivability, and smooth progression into group content.
- One-bar tank builds focused on streamlined gameplay, using Scribing skills to cover essential tank tools while keeping rotations and bar management simple.
Arcanist Tank Builds
ESO Arcanist Tank Builds
- Dedicated Arcanist tank build focused on survivability, crowd control, and group utility, built around the class’s unique Crux mechanics and modern tanking tools.
ESO Arcanist Hybrid Tank Build
- Hybrid tank/damage builds for the Arcanist, designed for solo play, normal dungeons, and flexible group content where survivability and damage both matter.
Dragonknight Tank Builds
ESO DK Tank Builds
- Proven Dragonknight tank builds built around strong self-healing, damage mitigation, and group utility, making DK one of the most reliable tank classes in ESO.
- Hybrid Dragonknight tank builds that balance survivability and damage, ideal for solo play, normal dungeons, and flexible group content.
Other Class Tank Builds
ESO Other Class Tank Builds
- Necromancer tank builds focused on strong mitigation, corpse-based sustain, and group utility, offering excellent control and survivability in organised PvE.
- Nightblade tank builds designed around mobility, ultigen, and debuff pressure, providing a more active and technical tanking playstyle.
- Sorcerer tank builds that lean into shields, sustain, and control, offering a flexible and unconventional approach to tanking in ESO.
- Templar tank builds focused on group support, mitigation, and defensive utility, making them a solid choice for structured group content.
- Warden tank builds built around strong crowd control, frost-based mitigation, and group buffs, making them one of the most versatile tank classes in ESO.
Other Tank Builds
ESO Other Tank Builds
- A niche but viable tank build for players using Werewolf, focused on durability, sustain, and aggressive frontline play in select PvE content.
- Companion tank builds designed to turn ESO companions into reliable frontline tanks, useful for solo play, questing, and flexible group setups.
ESO Tank Builds FAQ
Which ESO class is best for tanking?
With the current subclassing system, Arcanist is widely considered the strongest foundation for tank builds, thanks to its survivability, sustain, and flexible utility. Subclassing allows key tank skill lines from Dragonknight, Warden, Sorcerer, Necromancer, Templar, and Nightblade to be layered onto an Arcanist base, creating extremely strong and adaptable tank setups.
That said, subclassing aside, Arcanist and Dragonknight remain the two most powerful and reliable tank classes overall, with Sorcerer and Necromancer also performing exceptionally well in organised group content. Every class can still tank effectively, but these options currently offer the most consistent results for general PvE tanking.
Are these ESO tank builds viable on console?
Yes. All builds are designed to work on both PC and console, with simplified options available where needed.
Do these builds work for beginners?
Yes. Beginner and one-bar tank builds are included to help new tanks progress safely into group content.
Are these builds kept up to date?
All builds are reviewed and updated regularly to reflect balance changes and new systems.
