How Tank Gear Works in ESO
Tanking in The Elder Scrolls Online isn’t just about stacking resistances and hoping for the best, your gear choices directly affect group survivability, damage uptime, sustain, and even how smooth a dungeon or trial feels to play. The difference between an average tank and a great one often comes down to how gear is selected and why it’s being used.
This guide breaks down ESO tank gear from the ground up. We’ll cover armor weights, weapon setups, traits, enchants, and stat priorities, then move into core tank sets, monster sets, weapon sets, and mythics, explaining where each shines and when it should be swapped out. Rather than throwing a single “best in slot” setup at you, this guide focuses on helping you understand the systems behind tank gearing so you can adapt your build to dungeons, trials, and different group needs.
Whether you’re a newer tank trying to avoid common gearing mistakes or an experienced player optimising for veteran trials and organised groups, this guide is designed to help you make confident, informed gear decisions and tank more effectively in every piece of content.
What to Farm First (New & Returning Tanks)
Farming List
If you’re gearing a tank from scratch in The Elder Scrolls Online, prioritise the following before anything else:
- Void Bash (Vateshran 1H & Shield) – Best dungeon utility weapon from normal Vateshran Arena
- Archdruid Devyric (Monster Set) – Default, high-impact group DPS from veteran Earthen Root Enclave dungeon
- Turning Tide (5-piece set) – Reliable Major Vulnerability from normal Shipwright’s Regret dungeon
- Easy-to-use support sets like Saxhleel Champion, Lucent Echoes, or Pearlescent Ward (normal trials)
- Infused Frost Staff + Crusher Enchant – Core debuff setup
- 5 Heavy / 1 Medium / 1 Light armour setup – Best all-round baseline
- Tri-Stat enchants on big pieces – Immediate stat stability
Once these are covered, expand into trial-specific sets, niche monster sets, and Mythics.
ESO Tank Weapons
Tanks in The Elder Scrolls Online are built around a two-weapon setup that balances raw survivability with group utility. While many weapons exist in ESO, only One Hand and Shield and the Frost Staff consistently provide the defensive tools, debuffs, and sustain required for serious tanking.
Understanding why these weapons are used and how they interact with enchants, traits, and skills is far more important than simply copying a bar setup.
One Hand and Shield – The Foundation of Tanking
One Hand and Shield is the backbone of ESO tanking and will almost always be your primary bar. It provides strong defensive passives, reliable block mitigation, and access to important tank debuffs.
At its core, this weapon setup excels at damage control and enemy debuffing. Pierce Armor alone justifies its use, applying both Major and Minor Breach to drastically reduce enemy resistances. Combined with shield passives and class skills, this bar is where you stabilise fights, hold bosses in place, and survive heavy incoming damage.
Does the Weapon Type Matter?
No. Whether you use a sword, axe, mace, or dagger makes no meaningful difference when paired with a shield. Weapon choice here is cosmetic, the power comes from the shield, passives, traits, and enchants.
Why You Shouldn’t Run One Hand and Shield on Both Bars
Running One Hand and Shield on both bars is a common beginner mistake. You only need one taunt and one shield bar to do your job effectively. Doubling up severely limits your utility and prevents you from contributing important group debuffs.
This is where the Frost Staff comes in.
Frost Staff – The Utility Powerhouse
A Frost Staff is not a “secondary” weapon in the traditional sense. In many situations, it provides more group value than your shield bar. Its primary role is to maintain key debuffs, control enemies, and handle enchant uptime efficiently.
The most important interaction here is between an Infused Frost Staff and the Crusher enchant. When applied via Elemental Blockade, the Crusher debuff automatically refreshes itself, allowing you to maintain near-perfect uptime with minimal effort. This alone makes the Frost Staff essential for organised group content.
Beyond enchants, Frost Staff skills give tanks access to Minor Brittle, AoE crowd control, ranged taunts, interrupts, and additional damage reduction tools, all without sacrificing survivability.
Key Frost Staff Skills for Tanks
Elemental Blockade – Maintains Crusher enchant uptime, snares enemies, and provides a group projectile shield. This skill is non-negotiable.
Frost Clench – A ranged taunt that applies Major and Minor Maim alongside Minor Brittle, making it excellent for bosses and dangerous adds.
Frost Pulsar – Applies multiple AoE debuffs like Minor Mangle, causes the Chilled effect which applies Minor Brittle, Minor Maim and combined with Blockade causes Minor Breach making it great in large pulls.
Elemental Susceptibility – A free ability that applies Major Breach but also inflicts status effect Burning, Chilled and Concussion and these things cause Minor Maim, Minor Brittle, Minor Vulnerability and Off Balance.
Crushing Shock – A reliable ranged interrupt for mechanics-heavy fights.
Should You Use the Tri-Focus Passive?
Tri-Focus causes blocking with a Frost Staff to consume Magicka instead of Stamina. While this can work in Magicka-heavy or highly optimised builds, it significantly alters resource management and is not recommended for newer tanks. Most tanks should treat the Frost Staff as a utility bar, not a primary blocking bar.
What About Other Weapons?
Other weapon types are not tank weapons in any meaningful sense. While niche builds may occasionally use alternatives for very specific strategies, they offer no consistent defensive or group benefits and are not worth considering for standard tank setups.
If your goal is reliable dungeon and trial tanking, One Hand and Shield + Frost Staff is the correct and proven foundation.
Weapon Traits for ESO Tanks
Weapon traits play a major role in how effectively a tank generates Ultimate, maintains debuffs, and survives high-pressure encounters. While several traits can work situationally, only a small number are considered optimal for organised dungeon and trial tanking in The Elder Scrolls Online.
Rather than treating traits as “one size fits all,” tanks should think in terms of front bar purpose vs back bar function.
Recommended Trait Setup (Standard Tanking)
- Front Bar (One Hand and Shield): Decisive or Infused
- Back Bar (Frost Staff): Infused
This setup maximises group value by increasing Ultimate generation on your primary bar while ensuring near-perfect debuff uptime from your Frost Staff.
| Trait | Value | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Decisive | When you gain Ultimate you have a 27.5% chance to gain 1 additional Ultimate. | Best-in-slot for front bar tanking in almost all group content. Faster Ultimate generation means more Aggressive Horn uptime, which directly increases group DPS and overall run speed. |
| Infused | Increases weapon enchantment effect by 30% and reduces enchantment cooldown by 50%. | Non-negotiable on a Frost Staff. Infused dramatically increases enchant strength and reduces cooldown, allowing Crusher to refresh automatically through Elemental Blockade. Without Infused, your debuff uptime suffers. |
| Powered | Increases healing done by 4.5%. | Niche. Slightly improves self-healing and group healing contribution, but offers far less value than Ultimate generation or debuff strength. Mostly useful in solo or off-meta setups. |
| Defending | Increases Physical and Spell Resistance by 1638. | A solid survivability option when learning content or tanking especially hard-hitting encounters. Be mindful of the resistance cap, stacking this unnecessarily can waste stats. |
| Charged | Increases chance to apply status effects by 117.5%. | Once more valuable, now largely situational. With the Scribing system providing easier access to debuffs, Charged is rarely needed. It can still be used for specific status-effect-focused setups, but it is no longer a core tank trait. |
| Training | Increases experience gained from kills by 4.5%. | Only useful while levelling. Should never be used in real tank content |
| Unused Traits | Sharpened, Precise, Nirnhoned, | Damage-focused traits with no meaningful benefit to tanking. |
Weapon Enchants for ESO Tanks
Weapon enchants are one of the most impactful gearing decisions a tank can make, particularly when it comes to group damage output and debuff uptime. In The Elder Scrolls Online, the correct enchant setup allows tanks to contribute massively to group DPS without sacrificing survivability.
For most tanks, enchant choices are simple:
- Your back bar enchant matters
- Your front bar enchant is flexible
Recommended Enchant Setup (Standard Tanking)
- Back Bar (Frost Staff): Crusher Enchant
- Front Bar (One Hand and Shield): Optional / Situational
Crusher is mandatory. Everything else exists to solve specific problems.
Why Crusher Is Mandatory for Tanks
Crusher reduces an enemy’s Physical and Spell Resistance, directly increasing all damage dealt to that target. When paired with an Infused Frost Staff, Crusher gains increased strength and reduced cooldown, allowing it to be refreshed automatically through Elemental Blockade.
This interaction is one of the most important mechanics in ESO tanking:
- You maintain near-permanent resistance reduction
- You don’t need to actively reapply the enchant
- Your group gains consistent DPS increases on bosses and priority targets
If you are tanking group content without Crusher on your Frost Staff, you are actively reducing your group’s effectiveness.
| Trait | Value | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Crusher | Reduces the target’s Physical and Spell Resistance by 1622 for 5 seconds. | Itade – Deteri – Kuta Mandatory for all tanks. This enchant is the backbone of group debuffing and should always be paired with an Infused Frost Staff. There are no viable alternatives for serious dungeon or trial tanking. |
| Absorb X | Deals 2109 Magic/Physical Damage and restores 354 Magicka/Stamina. | Itade – Makko(Magicka) Deni (Stamina) Oko (Health) – Kuta A solid sustain option for front bar use. These enchants provide consistent resource returns and can be useful if you’re struggling with stamina or magicka management, particularly in longer fights. |
| Prismatic | Deals 1900 Magic Damage and restores 438 Health and 177 Magicka and Stamina. | Repora – Hakeijo – Kuta Offers tri-resource sustain in smaller amounts. While flexible, it is generally weaker than dedicated Absorb enchants and is best suited to niche sustain-heavy setups. |
| Weakening | Reduce target Weapon Damage and Spell Damage by 348 for 5 seconds. | Itade – Okori – Kuta Situationally valuable against extremely hard-hitting bosses, especially if no healer is already applying this debuff. Redundant in optimised groups where Weakening is covered elsewhere. |
| Hardening | Grants a 3290 point Damage Shield for 5 seconds. | Repora – Deteri – Kuta Provides a small damage shield. Rarely needed in group content and generally inferior to enchants that improve sustain or debuffing. Mostly useful for solo tanking or very specific encounters. |
ESO Tank Arena Weapon Sets
Most Used Sets
Void Bash (Vateshran 1H & Shield)
The current meta choice for dungeon add control.
Void Bash pulls nearby enemies to your target when using Power Bash, replacing traditional pull skills and freeing up bar space. It dramatically improves enemy stacking, cleave damage efficiency, and dungeon pacing, making it one of the strongest quality-of-life upgrades available to tanks.
Puncturing Remedy (Masters 1H & Shield)
A defensive arena weapon focused on boss survivability.
Taunting with Pierce Armor provides a self-heal and resistance bonus, smoothing incoming damage during high-pressure encounters. With the introduction of Scribing, this set is now far less common, as many tanks no longer rely on Pierce Armor for taunting and Breach application.
ESO Tank Armor Weights
Armor weight choice plays a major role in a tank’s survivability, sustain, and overall feel in The Elder Scrolls Online. While several setups are technically viable, only a few make sense in modern PvE tanking.
For most players and most content, there is a clear default.
Recommended baseline:
5 Heavy, 1 Medium, 1 Light
This provides the best balance of durability, sustain, and stat scaling.
7 Heavy Armor – Maximum Mitigation
Best for: Extremely hard-hitting encounters where survival outweighs sustain.
Running full Heavy Armour maximises raw mitigation through higher resistances, increased Max Health, and improved block effectiveness. The Constitution passive provides steady Magicka and Stamina returns, helping offset some sustain issues.
Trade-offs:
Higher block and skill costs, lower recovery, and reduced mobility compared to mixed setups.
Use when:
Learning very punishing content or tanking encounters where damage intake is consistently high and predictable.
5 Heavy, 1 Medium, 1 Light – Balanced Setup (Recommended)
Best for: The vast majority of PvE tanking, from dungeons to endgame trials.
This setup benefits fully from Undaunted Mettle, increasing Max Health, Magicka, and Stamina, while also gaining key passives from Light and Medium armour. The result is better sustain, lower skill costs, improved mobility, and smoother resource management with only a minor loss in mitigation.
Why it’s the standard:
The sustain and stat gains far outweigh the small defensive loss compared to 7 Heavy, making this the most flexible and reliable setup available.
Use when:
Almost always. This is the default recommendation for modern ESO tanking.
5 Medium, 2 Heavy – Damage-Focused (Rare)
Best for: Arenas, niche or off tank roles in easier content.
This setup heavily reduces block cost and improves Stamina sustain, allowing for more aggressive playstyles. However, the loss of Heavy Armour mitigation makes it significantly riskier in harder encounters.
Trade-offs:
Lower survivability and weaker Magicka sustain, limiting self-healing and defensive uptime.
Use when:
Older dungeons, easier trials, arena content or specialised off-tank setups where incoming damage is low.
Armor Traits for ESO Tanks
Gear traits are one of the few areas where tanks in The Elder Scrolls Online have meaningful flexibility. While sets and skills are often dictated by group requirements, traits allow you to fine-tune sustain, survivability, and movement based on the content you’re tanking.
The goal isn’t to stack a single trait everywhere, it’s to use the right traits on the right slots.
Understanding Gear Slot Value
Not all armour pieces are equal.
- Big slots: Head, Chest, Legs, Shield
These provide higher base resistances and gain the most value from defensive traits and enchants. - Small slots: Shoulders, Waist, Hands, Feet
Lower resistance values and reduced enchant effectiveness, making them better candidates for sustain or utility traits.
This distinction matters when deciding where to place Reinforced, Divines, or Sturdy.
Recommended Trait Philosophy
Rather than locking into one trait setup, most tanks should adapt based on experience level and content:
Optimising sustain:
Divines, typically paired with the Atronach Mundus for Magicka sustain.
Facing heavy unblockable damage:
Reinforced, used selectively on big armour pieces to help reach the resistance cap.
Sturdy remains a strong option as it will improve Stamina sustain in block intestive fights and is a learning-friendly option for new players who block a lot, but loses value as your blocking efficiency improves.
| Trait | Value | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Sturdy | Reduces the cost of blocking by 4%. | A common beginner trait that reduces block cost. Useful while learning content or heavy-block fights, but scales poorly due to diminishing returns and can often be replaced by jewellery enchants or better blocking discipline. |
| Divines | Increases the power of your Mundus Stone effects by 9.1% | One of the strongest overall tank traits. Increases Mundus effectiveness and is widely used for sustain in organised content. |
| Reinforced | Increases this item’s Armor value by 16%. | Purely defensive. Only worth using to reach the ~33,000 resistance cap, especially for non-Nord tanks or encounters with high unblockable damage such as DoTs. |
| Well Fitted | Reduces the cost of Roll Dodge and Sprint by 6% | Situational but powerful in movement-heavy fights. Commonly used in encounters that require frequent roll dodging or sprinting. |
| Infused | Increases your Armor enchantment by 25%. | Less impactful than it once was due to higher base stats after balance changes, but still viable when maximising max stat enchants on specific slots. |
| Unused Traits | Nirnhoned – Only useful when it mathematically outperforms Reinforced. |
Armor Enchants for ESO Tanks
Armor enchants are one of the simplest ways to stabilise a tank’s stats in The Elder Scrolls Online. Unlike traits, enchant choices are mostly straightforward, with one clear best option and a few sensible alternatives while progressing.
Best Overall Enchant: Prismatic Defence (Tri-Stat)
Prismatic Defence (Tri-Stat) is the best all-around enchant for tanks. It increases Max Health, Magicka, and Stamina, providing balanced stats that improve survivability, sustain, and overall flexibility.
Because Tri-Stat enchants scale best on high-value slots, they should be prioritised on big armour pieces: Head, Chest, Legs and Shield.
If budget allows, running Tri-Stat on all armour pieces is optimal, but it is not required early on.
Budget & Progression Enchants
Tri-Stat glyphs can be expensive, especially when gearing multiple sets. While progressing, it’s perfectly fine to use single-stat enchants based on your current weaknesses:
- Health – If survivability is an issue
- Magicka – If skill costs or sustain are limiting uptime
- Stamina – If blocking, roll dodging, or sprinting are draining resources too quickly
Single-stat enchants are commonly placed on small slots (Hands, Waist, Feet, Shoulders) to reduce gold cost while maintaining solid overall stats.
Situational Resource Adjustments
In some setups, especially when playing a Magicka-focused race, you may need additional Stamina glyphs. This helps ensure your Stamina pool remains higher than Magicka, which is important for consistent resource return from Orbs and maintaining block sustain.
These adjustments are situational, not mandatory. They exist to smooth out sustain issues rather than replace a balanced setup.
| Trait | Value |
|---|---|
| Multi-Effect Enchantment | Adds up to 434 Maximum Magicka & Stamina. Adds up to 477 Maximum Health. |
| Health Stamina Magicka | Adds up to 868 Maximum Magicka/Stamina. Adds up to 954 Maximum Health. |
ESO Tank Gear Sets
These are the most frequently used tank gear sets in The Elder Scrolls Online, chosen based on group composition, content type, and role (main tank vs off tank).
Most Used Sets
- Crimson Oath’s Rive
Strong penetration debuff for groups lacking optimisation. Very effective in dungeons, particularly for newer tanks or groups with inconsistent Crusher uptime. - Lucent Echoes
Provides group Critical Damage and healing with minimal effort while offering emergency survivability. Commonly used by trial main tanks when Elemental Catalyst is not present. - Pearlescent Ward
Provides a passive group damage buff and damage reduction when players die, helping stabilise messy runs. No micromanagement required. Excellent in trials for both main and off tanks, especially when spread from the group. - Powerful Assault
Strong group damage buff with high potential, but requires active upkeep. Most effective in dungeons, arenas, and for trial off tanks who can maintain consistent uptime. - Saxhleel Champion
Defensive-focused set that enables safe use of Barrier while also providing a group damage buff. Particularly strong for Necromancers using Colossus or any tank running Barrier-based setups. - Turning Tide
One of the strongest tank sets available. Provides reliable Major Vulnerability with excellent uptime on add pulls and solid uptime on bosses. A staple choice for main tanks in most group content. - Vestment of Olorime
Provides Major Courage to the group. Best used in dungeons and arenas when no healer is supplying the buff. - War Machine
Best in high-DPS, coordinated groups that burn bosses quickly. Primarily a boss-only set rather than a general dungeon option.
Other Useful Sets
These sets see occasional use in tanking and are typically chosen to suit a specific group composition, encounter, or strategy. They are not standard picks, but can be valuable tools in the right situation.
- Claw of Yolnahkriin
Less common now due to buffs being available from multiple skills. Still usable if those sources are missing. - Drake’s Rush
High ceiling set for organised groups. Can rival or outperform other damage buff sets, but only if ultimates are used consistently. Best suited to coordinated dungeon or arena groups. - Elf Bane
A niche Dragonknight tank set that extends Magma Shell duration. Occasionally used in Infinity Archive or specific trial bosses to bypass mechanics.
Niche Support Sets
The following sets have very limited relevance in modern tanking for The Elder Scrolls Online. You will rarely be asked to use them, but keeping access to these sets can improve versatility for niche mechanics, unconventional strategies, or future content changes.
- Roar of Alkosh – No longer a common tank set. May appear in hybrid DPS-tank setups in trials, but rarely justified over modern alternatives.
- Arkasis’s Genius – Provides burst Ultimate rather than sustained generation. Can work in niche scenarios requiring fast Ultimate gain, but suffers from high waste compared to Drake’s Rush.
- Ebon Armory – Outdated and largely unnecessary. Still easy to obtain and maintain, providing a minor Max Health buff to the group.
- Jorvuld’s Guidance – Extends buff and shield durations. Once niche-useful, now overshadowed by more impactful tank sets.
- Pillager’s Profit – Rarely used by tanks who depend on their own Ultimate. Occasionally viable for hybrid off-tank setups in organised trials.
- The Worm’s Raiment – Provides group sustain but is difficult to slot and inefficient compared to modern sustain options.
- Torug’s Pact – The strongest crafted tank set. A solid starter option if lacking dungeon or trial gear, but not a long-term choice.
- Way of Martial Knowledge – Previously used by off tanks contributing damage in trials. Difficult to maintain while actively tanking and rarely optimal.
Tank Gear Sets (Outdated / Not Recommended)
The following sets still appear in older guides or legacy builds but are generally not worth farming or investing in for modern tanking in The Elder Scrolls Online. Most are either fully replaced by skills, eclipsed by stronger sets, or actively discouraged in organised group content such as Trials.
Some may function for absolute beginners, but relying on them often slows long-term progression and can lead to bad tanking habits.
Aegis of Galenwe
Buffs Heavy Attacks, which are rarely used by damage dealers. No longer relevant.
Akaviri Dragonguard
Acceptable for beginners, but outclassed long-term by crafted sets or Drake’s Rush for Ultimate generation.
Armor of the Seducer
A beginner-only crafted set. Should be replaced very early.
Armor of the Trainee
Worth collecting. Excellent one-piece option for Mythic setups and available in all weights.
Bani’s Torment
Entirely replaced by Frost Clench and Scribing-accessible buffs. No longer worth using.
Battalion Defender
Auto-healing set with group healing, but inefficient. Healing should come from skills or healers, not a full 5-piece.
Brands of Imperium
Group shield is unreliable, affects only six players, and is difficult to control.
Crest of Cyrodiil
Decent beginner Trial main tank set, but expensive and outclassed today.
Dragon’s Defilement
Once used for AoE Minor Breach. Now obsolete due to skill-based access.
Fortified Brass
Solid resistance set for very new players lacking Champion Points. Transitional only.
Frozen Watcher
Formerly used for AoE Minor Brittle. Now completely replaced by Pulsar and other tools.
Grave Guardian
Group resistance buffs are better provided through skills and Monster Sets.
Hircine’s Veneer
No longer used after hybridisation changes.
Leeching Plate
Common in beginner builds but strongly discouraged long-term. Encourages passive play and is not accepted in organised content.
Plague Doctor
Pure health stacking. Ebon Armory does the same job with group value.
Stone-Talker’s Oath
Group sustain set, but inferior to Necrotic Orb and Symphony of Blades.
The Morag Tong
Poison/Disease damage amplification is no longer relevant.
Tormentor
Obsolete. Werewolf tanks now have built-in taunts and it no longer provides AoE taunting.
ESO Tank Jewellery
Jewellery plays a key role in shaping a tank’s sustain, durability, and group contribution in The Elder Scrolls Online. Unlike armor, jewellery choices allow for fine-tuning through traits and enchants, making them one of the most flexible parts of a tank’s setup.
This section breaks down the best jewellery traits and enchantments for tanks, explaining when to prioritise sustain, survivability, or group support based on your build, content, and group composition.
Jewellery Traits for ESO Tanks
Jewellery traits are a major part of a tank’s resource sustain strategy in The Elder Scrolls Online. Unlike armour traits, jewellery traits are highly situational and should be chosen based on synergy availability, group coordination, and encounter type.
For most tanks, the choice comes down to Harmony vs Infused, with other traits filling niche roles.
Choosing the Right Jewellery Trait
- Frequent synergies available (Trials, organised groups):
Harmony is the strongest option, providing massive resource returns when 2+ synergies are used consistently. - Limited or unreliable synergies (Dungeons, PUGs):
Infused is the safer and more consistent choice, boosting the effectiveness of sustain-focused enchants.
Jewellery traits should be adjusted to match the group not locked in permanently.
| Trait | Value | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Harmony | Activating a synergy restores 880 Health, Magicka and Stamina. | Best-in-slot when synergies are frequent. Extremely strong for newer tanks who struggle with sustain, but offers no value if synergies are missing or ignored. |
| Infused | Increases jewellery enchantment effectiveness by 60%. | The most reliable all-round option. Enhances Magicka Recovery, Bracing, or Cost Reduction glyphs and performs well in almost all content. |
| Swift | Increases movement speed by 7%. | Movement-focused trait used for add pulls, speed runs, or specific trial mechanics. Best swapped in temporarily rather than worn full-time. |
| Triune | Increases Max Magicka/Stamina by 439 and Health by 482. | Increases all max resources. Useful in niche setups where raw stats matter more than sustain. |
| Protective | Increases Spell Resistance and Physical Resistance by 1190. | Rarely needed. Resistance caps are easily reached through other gear and passives. |
| Arcane, Healthy, Robust | Increases Maximum Health by 965 Increases Maximum Stamina/Magicka by 877. | Standard drop traits. Occasionally useful for fine-tuning resource pools, but generally inferior to Harmony or Infused for sustained tanking. |
| Unused Traits | Bloodthirsty – DPS-focused Invigorating – Low-impact sustain Impenetrable – PvP-only Training – Levelling only |
Jewellery Enchants for ESO Tanks
Jewellery enchants are one of the most important levers for resource sustain and efficiency in The Elder Scrolls Online. When combined with the right jewellery traits, they allow tanks to solve Magicka, Stamina, or block sustain issues without sacrificing survivability.
For most tanks, there are only two setups worth serious consideration.
Recommended Enchant Setups
- Standard setup:
Magicka Recovery enchants, ideally paired with Haromony or Infused jewellery, provide the most reliable sustain for the vast majority of tank builds. - Stamina-heavy builds:
Prismatic Cost Reduction with Infused jewellery works best when regularly using Stamina-based skills or roll dodging frequently.
While Harmony can outperform Infused in synergy-heavy trial groups, Magicka Recovery remains the most consistent option across all content types.
| Trait | Value | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Magicka Recovery | Adds 169 Magicka Recovery. | Repora – Makkoma – Kuta The strongest and most widely used enchant for tanks. Most core tank abilities, self-heals, and debuffs rely on Magicka, making this the default choice. |
| Prismatic Cost Reduction | Reduce Health, Magicka, and Stamina cost of abilities by 133 | Itade – Indeko – Kuta Reduces the cost of all abilities and works well for tanks actively managing multiple resource pools. Avoid if your build rarely uses Stamina-based skills. |
| Reduce Spell/Feat Cost | Reduce Magicka/Stamina cost of spells/abilities by 203. | Itade – Makkoma(Spell) Denima(Feat) – Kuta Situational alternatives to recovery enchants. Useful for high APM or stamina-heavy builds, but generally less efficient than raw recovery. |
| Bracing | Reduces the cost of Block by 203 | Itade – Kaderi – Kuta Reduces block cost and can be helpful for newer tanks. Suffers from heavy diminishing returns and is usually replaced as skill improves. |
| Alchemical Acceleration | Reduce the cooldown of potions below this item’s level by 5 seconds. | Itade – Oru – Kuta Niche option for tanks who rely heavily on potions for sustain or uptime, particularly Nightblades and Argonians. |
| Alchemical Boost | Increases the durations of potions effects by 3.6 seconds. | Repora – Oru – Kuta Extends potion duration. Mostly used to maintain effects like Immovability for longer periods in specific encounters. |
ESO Tank Monster Sets
Monster sets are powerful two-piece bonuses obtained by combining a helmet from a veteran dungeon with the matching shoulder from Undaunted coffers. For tanks in The Elder Scrolls Online, these sets are primarily chosen for group utility, debuff application, or Ultimate generation, with a few options helping newer tanks stabilise sustain while learning content.
In modern tanking, monster sets are less about raw defence and more about what value they add to the group.
Most Used Sets
- Archdruid Devyric
A top-tier tank monster set used in all content. Provides Major Vulnerability, significantly increasing group DPS. Pairs exceptionally well with Turning Tide for near-permanent uptime and is easy to proc, making it one of the strongest and most reliable options available. - Nazaray
Primarily used in trials. Extends the duration of Major and Minor debuffs, greatly amplifying group damage during coordinated Ultimate windows. Best suited to organised groups. - Baron Zaudrus
A strong Ultimate generation option. Easy to proc with a single cast of Elemental Susceptibility, making it a reliable choice when rapid Ultimate gain is required. - Tremorscale
A penetration-focused monster set usable in all content. Most valuable when group penetration is lacking, but less impactful if sets like Crimson Oath’s Rive are already covering penetration needs.
Semi-Useful Monster Sets (Niche Situations)
These monster sets are worth collecting, but are a tier below the core tank options. They are occasionally useful depending on group composition, encounter mechanics, or strategy, but are not standard picks for most content.
Encratis’s Behemoth
Useful in groups with heavy Fire damage. Increases outgoing Fire damage, reduces incoming Fire damage, and improves survivability against Fire-based bosses.
Lord Warden
Boosts your resistances and creates an area that grants resistances to nearby allies. Best in stacked boss fights with high incoming damage.
Nunatak
Applies Major Brittle, helping coordinated groups reach Critical Damage caps. Works best with debuff extension (e.g. Nazaray) and can free up space for other five-piece sets.
Symphony of Blades
Rarely used by tanks, but sometimes requested in 4-player content without a healer to help damage dealers maintain resource sustain.
Beginner & Niche Monster Sets
These monster sets are situational and mainly useful for newer or learning tanks in The Elder Scrolls Online. They can help smooth out difficult mechanics or early progression, but they are not core tank sets and are rarely used in optimised group content.
They’re worth owning, but generally not worth heavily upgrading or enchanting.
Engine Guardian
A strong beginner-friendly monster set. Easy to obtain and use, providing reliable resource sustain while learning tank fundamentals.
Bloodspawn
Provides passive Ultimate generation when taking damage. The proc chance is low, making it less reliable than Baron Zaudrus, but it requires no active management and can be helpful early on.
Earthgore
A reactive self-heal that scales with Max Stamina and cleanses harmful ground effects. Useful for survivability in certain fights, but limited by scaling and cooldown.
Sentinel of Rkugamz
A beginner-friendly sustain set that procs when healing yourself, restoring resources to you and nearby allies. Often replaced later by Symphony of Blades.
Swarm Mother
Automatically pulls enemies toward you. Mostly redundant due to chain skills and Void Bash, but can be useful when easy or passive add control is needed.
The Troll King
Provides strong Health Recovery when healing low-health targets. Works best in Health Regen-focused setups using CP, food, Mundus, and Fortitude buffs.
Other Monster Sets (Outdated / Replaced)
These monster sets were once commonly used by tanks in The Elder Scrolls Online, but have since been fully replaced by skills or newer systems that provide the same effects more reliably than a two-piece monster set.
They are generally not worth farming or upgrading for modern tanking.
Lady Thorn
Previously used for Major Maim, now easily applied through Frost Clench and Scribed skills. No longer relevant.
Magma Incarnate
Provided Minor Courage and Minor Resolve, but the effects bounce between allies and are unreliable. These buffs are now applied far more consistently through Arcanist skills.
Mighty Chudan
Only provides Major Resolve, a buff readily available from multiple tank skills. Using a monster set slot for this offers no real value.
Scourge Harvester
Chance-based Major Vitality proc. Now obsolete due to guaranteed Major Vitality access via Scribing.
Stonekeeper
Poor sustain option with slow, low-value procs. Outclassed by modern sustain tools and jewellery enchants.
Thurvokun
Applied AoE Minor Maim, but this is now easily covered by Ice Staff abilities and other skills.
ESO Tank Mythic Items
Mythic items are powerful one-piece gear options that can significantly alter how a tank plays in The Elder Scrolls Online. Unlike standard gear, Mythics come with strict limitations, you can only equip one at a time, and they often replace a full monster set or a jewellery slot.
For tanks, Mythics are primarily used to provide group buffs, mobility, or raw stat increases, and are most common in trial environments.
Most Used Sets
- Spaulder of Ruin
The most widely used Mythic for tanks. Provides a powerful group aura that increases Weapon and Spell Damage for up to six nearby allies, at the cost of reduced recovery per affected player. This is most commonly worn by off tanks in trials and during dungeon add pulls, where the group benefit outweighs the sustain loss. While extremely strong, it requires careful sustain management, as the total recovery reduction can be significant. - Death Dealer’s Fete
Provides a large boost to all Max Stats while in combat. While powerful on paper, it is used less frequently due to tight gear slot competition in modern tank setups. Still viable when space allows. - Ring of the Wild Hunt
A mobility-focused Mythic that greatly increases movement speed. Primarily used for add pulls and positioning-heavy encounters, particularly in trials. It sees niche use in fights such as off-tanking in Asylum Sanctorium Hard Mode.
How to Approach Tank Gearing in ESO
Gearing a tank in The Elder Scrolls Online isn’t only about stacking defensive stats it’s about understanding how weapons, traits, enchants, and sets interact to support your group. While metas shift and systems like Scribing evolve, the core principles covered in this guide remain consistent.
Use this page as a reference, not a rigid checklist. Adapt your gear to the content, your group, and your experience level, and don’t be afraid to swap setups when needed. As long as you prioritise group value, debuff uptime, and survivability, your tank will always be effective.
ESO Tank Gear FAQ
TL;DR – ESO Tank Gear Basics
- Armor: 5 Heavy / 1 Medium / 1 Light
- Weapons: 1H & Shield (front) + Infused Frost Staff (back)
- Enchant: Crusher on Frost Staff (mandatory)
- Traits: Decisive (front), Infused (back)
- Monster Set: Archdruid Devyric (default)
- Arena Weapon: Void Bash (priority)
- Mythic: Spaulder of Ruin (trial off tank)
Do tanks still need 7 Heavy armor?
Is Crusher mandatory for tanks?
Yes. Crusher on an Infused Frost Staff is non-negotiable for group DPS.
Should tanks run damage-focused sets?
Only situationally. Most tank sets are chosen for group buffs, not personal DPS.
Do tanks still need Alkosh or Yolnahkriin?
What is the best monster set for tanks?
Are mythics required for tanking?
What are the best tank sets?
- Turning Tide
- Saxhleel Champion
- Pearlescent Ward
- Lucent Echoes
- Powerful Assault
- War Machine
