This Is a Gear Checklist, Not a Full Guide
This page is designed as a quick-reference checklist for tanks who want to know what gear is actually worth farming first. It focuses only on proven, commonly used tank sets that provide survivability, group utility, and consistent value in modern ESO PvE content.
If you’re looking for a full breakdown of armor weights, traits, enchants, monster sets, Mythics, and gearing philosophy, see our Comprehensive ESO Tank Gear Guide. This page exists to get you geared quickly not to explain every system.
This Page Is for You If:
- You’ve just reached CP160
- You’re new to ESO tanking or returning after a break
- You want to know what gear to farm first
- You don’t want to read a full theory-heavy guide yet
If that sounds like you, this page is designed to get you tanking quickly and confidently.
Essential Tank Sets (Best 5-Piece Sets)
These are the core 5-piece tank sets most commonly used in The Elder Scrolls Online PvE content. They provide reliable group buffs, debuffs, and survivability, and form the foundation of nearly every dungeon and trial tank setup.
This page focuses only on sets worth farming early. Niche, outdated, or highly situational options are covered in the full gear guide.
These sets are quick to farm in 4-player content and are ideal early picks because they’re accessible and immediately useful in real runs.
💡 Tip: Most dungeon sets can be farmed on Normal, making them great early targets while you’re building your tank wardrobe.
| Set | Effect | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Crimson Oath’s Rive | Reduces enemy armor, increasing DPS | The Dread Cellar |
| Turning Tide | Applies Major Vulnerability for huge DPS boost | Shipwrights Regret |
| Powerful Assault | Buffs group weapon & spell damage | Guild Stores or Imperial City (PvP) Coffer Boxes |
Trial sets require 12-player trials to farm, but they aren’t “trial-only” gear. Many of the best tank buffs and support effects in the game come from trials, and they translate extremely well into dungeons and arenas, especially when your group is pushing damage or running without perfect buff coverage.
💡 Tip: Non-perfected versions are much easier to obtain and are still highly effective, don’t delay your setup waiting for perfected drops.
| Set | Effect | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Pearlescent Ward | Boosts group DPS & buffs alive allies survivability when others die | Dreadsail Reef |
| Saxhleel Champion | Grants extended Major Force to increase group crit damage when not using Aggressive Horn | Rockgrove |
| Lucent Echoes | Alternative to Elemental Catalyst, boosts team crit damage and healing | Lucent Citadel |
| Vestment of Olorime | Provides Major Courage for increased weapon & spell damage | Cloudrest |
| War Machine | Provides Major Slayer for increased damage done for your group | Halls of Fabrication |
Why These 5-Piece Sets Are Recommended
- Typically Heavy Armor
- Provide group utility over personal benefit
- Use tank-oriented procs and activations
- Improve survivability via mitigation, health, or resistances
Essential Tank Monster Sets
Monster Sets (helm + shoulder combinations) provide high-impact bonuses that enhance a tank’s group utility, debuff uptime, or situational survivability in The Elder Scrolls Online. These are the monster sets most commonly used across dungeons, trials, and arenas, and are worth prioritising early.
Monster helmets drop from the final boss of Veteran dungeons, while shoulders are obtained using keys from Undaunted Pledges.
These monster sets offer consistent value and are widely accepted in organised PvE content.
| Set | Effect | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Archdruid Devyric | Applies Major Vulnerability to enemies for massive group DPS | Earthen Root Enclave |
| Nazaray | Extends debuffs on enemies for more uptime | Shipwrights Regret |
| Baron Zaudrus | Strong Ultimate generation | The Cauldron |
| Tremorscale | AoE armor reduction debuff to enemies | Volenfell |
Why These Monster Sets Are Recommended
- High-impact group utility
- Only require two armor slots
- Apply debuffs tanks are best positioned to maintain
Essential Tank Mythics & Arena Weapon Sets
These high-impact items provide unique effects that can significantly improve tanking performance in The Elder Scrolls Online. While not mandatory, they are some of the most powerful upgrades available to tanks once core gear is in place.
These items are often farmed after securing your main 5-piece sets and monster set, as they typically replace a gear slot rather than add to one.
These are the most commonly used Mythic and Arena weapon options for tanking.
| Set | Effect | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Void Bash | Instantly pulls enemies to you (meta dungeon tanking) | Vateshran Hollows |
| Spaulder of Ruin | Increases group DPS but reduces recovery | Mythic (Leads) |
Why These Mythics & Weapons Are Recommended
- Unique effects only tanks can realistically use
- Void Bash simplifies and speeds up add pulls
- Spaulder provides a powerful group damage aura
Beginner Trait Research (Tank Priority)
If you’re new to tanking in The Elder Scrolls Online, researching the right traits early will save you a lot of time later. You don’t need everything, just focus on the traits tanks actually use.
Traits to Prioritise First
Armor Traits
- Divines – Core sustain trait used in most endgame setups
- Sturdy – Helpful while learning block management
- Reinforced – Situational, used to reach resistance caps
Weapon Traits
- Infused – Essential for Ice Staves (Crusher enchant uptime)
- Decisive – Commonly used on One Hand & Shield for Ultimate gain
- Charged – Situational, occasionally useful for status effects
Jewellery Traits
- Infused – Most consistent and beginner-friendly option
- Harmony – Extremely strong once you’re running content with frequent synergies
💡 Tip: Start researching these traits as early as possible — even if you’re not crafting yet. Trait research is time-gated and having these unlocked makes gearing much easier later on.
Beginner Tank Gear (Starter Sets at CP160)
When you first reach Level 50 and CP160 in The Elder Scrolls Online, these sets prioritise sustain and survivability to help new tanks learn mechanics comfortably before farming dungeon, trial, or arena gear. They are easy to obtain, forgiving to use, and ideal while learning mechanics and positioning.
These are starter tools, not long-term solutions.
💡 Tip: CP150 gear is perfectly fine while learning, don’t overspend upgrading gear you’ll replace quickly.
Crafted sets are the fastest way to get functional tank gear early on. Joining a guild makes this even easier.
| Set | Effect |
|---|---|
| Torug’s Pact | Increases enchantment strength (great for Crusher enchant) |
| Wretched Vitality | Huge sustain set for Stamina and Magicka recovery |
| Fortified Brass | Provides high armor for increased survivability |
| Druid’s Braid | Boosts overall stats with a flexible 12-piece set |
| Armor of the Seducer | Increases Magicka sustain |
These monster sets are easy to farm and provide reliable value while learning tank fundamentals.
| Set | Effect | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Tremorscale | Reduces enemies armor proving a group DPS boost | Volenfell |
| Bloodspawn | Generates Ultimate & increases resistances | Spindleclutch II |
| Engine Guardian | Restores resources | Darkshade Caverns II |
| Lord Warden | Increases armor for you & nearby allies | Imperial City Prison |
Why These Beginner Sets Are Recommended
- Easy to obtain and low commitment
- Cover common beginner weaknesses
- Provide simple buffs and survivability while learning
Final Tanking Tips for ESO
- Start with dungeon gear before worrying about trial farming, it’s faster to obtain and perfectly viable early on
- Group buffs and debuffs matter more than personal stats, faster kills mean fewer mechanics and less damage to tank.
- Monster Sets and Mythics are optional upgrades, not requirements, add them once your core gear is in place
- Void Bash is a priority pickup for dungeon tanking due to its unmatched add control
- Join an active guild to speed up farming, crafted gear access, and trial opportunities
Want to understand why these sets work and how to optimise traits, enchants, and armour weights?
👉 View the Full ESO Tank Gear Guide
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