ESO Templar Tank Build – Overview
Templar Tanks have always been one of the more unusual tank choices in The Elder Scrolls Online. While they are fully capable of surviving on the front line, the class has historically struggled to compete with other tank classes due to a lack of meaningful group buffs and essential tanking tools.
Unlike classes such as Dragonknight or Arcanist, the Templar’s base toolkit provides very little that a group specifically needs from its tank. Its primary group buff, Minor Sorcery from the Illuminate passive, has gradually lost importance as ESO’s hybridisation changes made the buff less vital.
However, modern systems like Scribing and Subclassing have changed the landscape for Templar tanking. Scribing fills several of the class’s traditional weaknesses by adding reliable pulls, crowd control, and utility skills that were previously missing from the toolkit. This dramatically improves dungeon and arena tanking where add control is essential.
Subclassing then opens up new ways to incorporate the Restoring Light skill line into organised trial groups. While Templar is rarely chosen as a Main Tank, it can serve as a situational Off Tank utility option, particularly in encounters where Extended Ritual and its purge synergy provide valuable support to the group.
Templar may not be the most commonly chosen tank class, but with the right build and understanding of its strengths, it can still perform effectively in both dungeon and trial environments.
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Why Play a Templar Tank in ESO?
Templar Tanks appeal most to players who enjoy a support-oriented tanking style that blends survivability with group utility.
The class excels at area healing and defensive support, with abilities like Extended Ritual providing large healing zones while also offering a powerful purge synergy for allies. In certain trial encounters where removing negative effects is important, this ability alone can make the Templar skill line valuable to a group.
Templars also have access to excellent sustain tools, particularly through abilities like Repentance, which can restore large amounts of Stamina when enemies die. Combined with strong healing-over-time effects, this allows Templar Tanks to maintain steady survivability during extended fights.
Scribing further strengthens the class by adding the control tools it previously lacked. Reliable pulls, immobilises, and compact utility skills make dungeon and arena tanking far more comfortable than in earlier versions of ESO.
Because of these factors, Templar Tanks are sometimes used as utility Off Tanks in organised trials, where their ability to provide purge support and supplemental healing can fill specific gaps in group compositions.
For players who enjoy experimenting with different tank builds and supporting their group through healing and utility rather than raw buffs, the Templar offers a unique and unconventional tanking experience.
Quick Build Snapshot
Build Focus: Trial Utility Off Tank
Difficulty: Intermediate
Playstyle: Support Tank, Healing Zones & Utility
Best Content: Veteran Trial Encounters
Patch: Update 49 (2026)
What This Templar Tank Build Covers
This guide explains how to build and play a Templar Tank effectively in modern ESO. It includes recommended gear setups, skill bars, Champion Points, Scribing tools, and Subclassing combinations designed for dungeon tanking and utility-focused trial Off Tank roles.
You’ll also learn how Templars use healing zones, sustain tools, and utility abilities to stabilise encounters and support their group during difficult mechanics.
Who This Build Is For
- Players who enjoy a support-focused tanking style
- Tanks looking for a durable dungeon tank
- Trial groups needing purge utility from Restoring Light
- Players interested in Scribing and creative subclass builds
- Tanks who enjoy blending healing and survivability
Who This Build Is Not For
- Players looking for the strongest meta tank class
- Groups prioritising tanks with powerful built-in damage buffs
- Tanks who prefer a simple or passive playstyle
Templar Tank Strengths, Weaknesses & Group Benefits
Strengths
- Reliable Sustain – Reduced ability costs and Restoring Focus provide steady Stamina recovery while blocking
- Strong Damage Shields – Access to a powerful Magicka-based shield that scales with Max Health
- Support Utility – Provides Minor Sorcery, purge synergy, and recovery support for allies
- Flexible Role – Can function as a situational Off Tank or support-focused tank
Weaknesses
- No Strong Burst Heal – Relies primarily on shields and healing over time
- Limited Unique Buffs – Most Templar buffs are easily covered by other classes
- Magicka Sustain Pressure – Several key abilities have high Magicka costs
- Lower Group Impact – Offers fewer essential buffs compared to other tank classes
- Subclass Competition – Many Templar tank skills are replaced by stronger subclass options
Group Benefits
- Extended Ritual – Purge/Synergy + AoE Heal over Time
- Light Weaver – 2 Ultimate to group members
- Radiant Aura – Minor Endurance, Minor Fortitude, and Minor Intellect
- Illuminate – Minor Sorcery
- Power of the Light – Minor Breach
- Hasty Prayer – Minor Endurance
- Repentance – 3000 group heal per corpse
- Blazing Spear – Sustain synergy + enemy Immobilise
- Luminous Shards – Alkosh/sustain synergy
- Sun Shield – AoE Minor Maim
- Nova – AoE Major Maim
Templar Tank Core Essentials
If you’re unsure, start with Nord, Atronach, Red Frothgar, Tri-Stat potions, and 64 Health, this setup works everywhere.
Attributes
- 64 Health
Mundus Stone
The Atronach Mundus Stone provides the most consistent value for Templar tanking by increasing Magicka Recovery. Strong Magicka Recovery ensures consistent access to abilities, healing tools, and control abilities during sustained boss fights.
Food Choices
Red Frothgar remains the strongest all-round Templar tank food, increasing Max Health and Magicka Recovery. This supports both survivability and reliable defensive uptime.
Smoked Bear Haunch, or the cheaper alternative Jewels of Misrule, trades some Max Health and Magicka Recovery compared to Red Frothgar, for additional Health and Stamina Recovery. These options are best suited to experienced tanks who block less frequently and are comfortable managing incoming damage.
Bewitched Sugar Skulls can be used situationally when additional Max Resources are needed, but it is generally less efficient for tanking compared to recovery-focused foods.
Potions
The standard potion choice for tanking is Essence of Health (Tri-Stat) Potions, which restore all three resources and provide increased recovery across the board. These are reliable, flexible, and work well for every class.
Minor Heroism Potions are a strong alternative for experienced tanks, providing additional Ultimate generation. These are particularly valuable in organised groups or speed-focused runs where frequent Ultimate usage improves group damage or survivability.
Race Selection
Nord remains the most consistent race for Templar tanking due to its bonus resistances, increased Max Stamina and increased Ultimate generation.
Alternatively
- Imperial provides strong Max Health and Stamina alongside reduced ability costs, improving overall durability and resource control.
- Redguard offers excellent stamina sustain through weapon cost reduction and periodic stamina return while dealing damage, making it strong in prolonged encounters.
Not sure which race is right for you? See our full ESO Tank Race guide.
Attributes
Placing 64 points into Health provides a stable survivability baseline for Templar tanking. Stamina and Magicka should be supported through gear, food, and recovery rather than attribute investment.
Stats to Aim For (Fully Buffed)
~40,000 Health
Improves survivability, strengthens shield scaling, and reduces the risk of sudden deaths during unblocked damage. Veteran DLC and Hardmode encounters benefit from higher health pools.
~20,000 Stamina
Controls blocking, dodging, and break free. Around 20k is a comfortable baseline. Slightly lower can be used in dungeon content if sustain is strong, but prolonged fights require stable stamina management.
~15,000 Magicka
Magicka fuels abilities, healing tools, and resistance buffs. Around 15k is sufficient, as sustained casting depends more on recovery than raw Max Magicka.
25k–33k Resistances
Resistances reduce incoming damage from direct hits and damage-over-time effects. The cap is 33,100, but being fully capped at all times is not required.
- Base game content: Less critical
- Veteran & DLC: Aim for 25k+
- DLC Hardmode: Aim for 30k+
Resistances matter most during unblocked damage, DoTs and sustained pressure.
~2,000 Magicka Recovery
To maintain consistent uptimes, defensive buffs, and healing support, aim for around 2,000 Magicka Recovery. Dropping too low will noticeably impact control and survivability in extended encounters.
Templar Tank Gear Setups
| Piece | Set | Weight | Trait | Enchantment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head | Archdruid / Magma Incarnate | Medium | Divines | Prismatic Defence |
| Shoulder | Archdruid / Spaulder of Ruin | Light | Divines | Prismatic Defence |
| Chest | Turning Tide | Heavy | Divines | Prismatic Defence |
| Hands | Turning Tide | Heavy | Divines | Prismatic Defence |
| Waist | Turning Tide | Heavy | Divines | Prismatic Defence |
| Legs | Turning Tide | Heavy | Divines | Prismatic Defence |
| Feet | Turning Tide | Heavy | Divines | Prismatic Defence |
| Necklace | Powerful Assault | Jewellery | Harmony/Infused | Magicka Recovery |
| Ring | Powerful Assault | Jewellery | Harmony/Infused | Magicka Recovery |
| Ring | Powerful Assault | Jewellery | Harmony/Infused | Magicka Recovery |
| Main Hand | Void Bash / Trainee | Any 1H | Decisive | Hardening |
| Off Hand | Void Bash / Druid’s Braid | Shield | Divines | Prismatic Defence |
| Main Hand Backup | Powerful Assault | Ice Staff | Infused & Charged | Crusher |
| Piece | Set | Weight | Trait | Enchantment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head | Nazaray | Medium | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Shoulder | Nazaray | Light | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Chest | Lucent Echoes | Heavy | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Hands | Lucent Echoes | Heavy | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Waist | Lucent Echoes | Heavy | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Legs | Lucent Echoes | Heavy | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Feet | Lucent Echoes | Heavy | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Necklace | Saxhleel Champion | Jewellery | Harmony/Infused | Magicka Recovery |
| Ring | Saxhleel Champion | Jewellery | Harmony/Infused | Magicka Recovery |
| Ring | Saxhleel Champion | Jewellery | Harmony/Infused | Magicka Recovery |
| Main Hand | Saxhleel Champion | Any 1H | Decisive | Hardening |
| Off Hand | Saxhleel Champion | Shield | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Main Hand Backup | Saxhleel Champion | Ice Staff | Infused | Crusher |
| Piece | Set | Weight | Trait | Enchantment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head | Baron Zaudrus / Archdruid Devyric | Medium | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Shoulder | Baron Zaudrus / Archdruid Devyric | Light | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Chest | Pearlescent Ward | Heavy | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Hands | Pearlescent Ward | Heavy | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Waist | Pearlescent Ward | Heavy | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Legs | Pearlescent Ward | Heavy | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Feet | Pearlescent Ward | Heavy | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Necklace | Powerful Assault | Jewellery | Harmony/Infused | Prismatic Cost Reduction |
| Ring | Powerful Assault | Jewellery | Harmony/Infused | Prismatic Cost Reduction |
| Ring | Powerful Assault | Jewellery | Harmony/Infused | Prismatic Cost Reduction |
| Main Hand | Trainee | Any 1H | Decisive | Hardening |
| Off Hand | Druid’s Braid | Shield | Divines/Sturdy | Prismatic Defence |
| Main Hand Backup | Powerful Assault | Ice Staff | Infused | Crusher |
Default Recommendation:
If you prefer a single, reliable setup, use the Dungeon gear configuration. It offers strong group utility, consistent survivability, and adapts well to both dungeon and trial environments.
For a full breakdown of tank gear in The Elder Scrolls Online, including traits, enchantments, and optimisation strategies, see the ESO Tank Gear Guide.
Gear Information
Armor Traits
- Divines – Default choice for improved Magicka Recovery
- Reinforced – Useful in difficult Veteran Hardmodes if resistance cap is hard to reach
- Sturdy – Viable for tanks with strong sustain or heavy block usage
Jewellery
- Harmony + Magicka Recovery – Best overall performance
- Prismatic Cost Reduction – Useful for Stamina-heavy setups
- Infused – Strong when synergies are less frequent
- Swift – Situationally valuable for add pulls when using gear-swap addons
Weapons
- One-Hand & Shield
- Decisive + Hardening – Strong all-round option
- Infused + Weakening – Ideal when running without a healer
- Absorb Stamina – Adds minor sustain when needed
- Ice Staff
- Charged – Best for add pulls, reliably applying Chilled
- Infused + Crusher – Mandatory for bosses to maintain maximum debuff uptime
Dungeon
Monster Sets
Archdruid Devyric is one of the strongest monster sets for dungeon tanking, providing excellent Major Vulnerability uptime, especially when paired with Turning Tide. This combination is particularly effective on bosses. For add pulls, Archdruid is less impactful, making Spaulder of Ruin a better option for consistent group damage. Tremorscale is another strong alternative, especially in groups that benefit from additional armor reduction.
5 Piece Sets
Turning Tide is the core set for this build, providing strong Major Vulnerability uptime and significantly increasing overall group DPS. It is typically paired with Powerful Assault, which grants a reliable Weapon and Spell Damage buff to your group. In organised groups, Powerful Assault can be swapped for Saxhleel Champion, which provides Major Force whenever you cast an Ultimate and allows tanks to align defensive or support Ultimates with group burst phases. Other situational alternatives include Olorime or War Machine depending on group composition and which buffs are already covered.
Weapon Sets
For add pulls, Void Bash (Vateshran One-Hand and Shield) is best-in-slot, allowing you to stack entire packs with a single cast. For boss fights or encounters with minimal adds, equipping 2 Pieces of the Trainee set just adds some extra Max Health and Magicka.
Trials Main Tank
Monster Set — Nazaray
Nazaray is taken for one job: extending your Major and Minor debuffs on enemies. As the Main Tank, you’re constantly applying key debuffs and standing closest to the boss. Nazaray helps keep those debuff windows active for longer, allowing the group to benefit more consistently during burn phases.
5-Piece Set — Saxhleel Champion
Saxhleel Champion is what makes this setup Main Tank-proof in real trial scenarios. It allows you to provide Major Force even when you’re not using Warhorn meaning you can run a safety Ultimate like Barrier (or other defensive Ultimates depending on class or encounter) without sacrificing a massive portion of group damage.
5-Piece Set — Lucent Echoes
Lucent Echoes adds two things that matter in trials: increased Critical Damage and Critical Healing for the group, and a very real layer of survivability for the Main Tank when pressure spikes. The below-50% health damage reduction effect is exactly the kind of “you’re about to die” buffer that saves pulls when mechanics overlap or mistakes happen.
Trials Off Tank
Monster Set — Baron Zaudrus
Baron Zaudrus provides extremely strong Ultimate generation when combined with Off Tank passives and skills. Activated by simply casting Elemental Susceptibility, this allows near-constant Ultimate usage, which is especially valuable in groups relying on frequent Major Force, Charged Atronach, or Colossus rotations.
In organised trial environments, the ability to generate Ultimates consistently can significantly increase overall group damage.
Monster Set — Archdruid Devyric
Archdruid Devyric offers Major Vulnerability, making it a strong option when the group lacks consistent Colossus uptime. The Off Tank is often well-positioned to apply this debuff during add waves or boss phases.
It requires a fully charged Heavy Attack to activate, which can be situationally risky, but when executed reliably it provides strong group damage amplification.
5-Piece Set — Pearlescent Ward
Pearlescent Ward provides a unique Weapon and Spell Damage buff to the group while also acting as a progression stabiliser. As group members fall, surviving players gain increasing damage reduction, helping prevent full wipes during recovery phases.
This makes it one of the strongest Off Tank sets for both damage amplification and run-saving survivability, particularly in progression or hardmode trials.
5-Piece Set — Powerful Assault
Powerful Assault provides another unique Weapon and Spell Damage group buff. However, it has limited range and requires consistent micromanagement to maintain uptime.
Off Tanks running Powerful Assault must reposition into the group regularly to refresh the buff, making it more demanding but highly rewarding in coordinated trial groups.
Subclassing for Templar Tanks
Subclassing is where the Templar becomes far more practical as a tank. While the base class can survive on the front line, it lacks several key tank utilities and offers very few group buffs that are difficult to replace. The Restoring Light skill line, however, provides valuable support tools such as Extended Ritual, which offers group healing, a purge synergy, and minor Ultimate generation when healing allies on low health.
Because of this, Templar is usually combined with stronger defensive skill lines from other classes to create a more complete tank build.
Dungeons & Arenas
In dungeon content, Templar performs best when paired with strong defensive subclass lines. A typical setup combines:
- Restoring Light (utility healing and purge support)
- Soldier of Apocrypha (mitigation and sustain tools)
- Winter’s Embrace (group Major Resolve and defensive layering)
This combination greatly improves survivability while giving Templar the defensive coverage and utility it normally lacks.
Trial Main Tank
Templar can function as a Main Tank, but it is rarely chosen for this role in organised groups due to its limited native group buffs. When used in this role, the same Restoring Light + Soldier of Apocrypha + Winter’s Embrace setup provides the most stable combination of survivability and defensive support.
Trial Off Tank
Templar becomes most useful in utility Off Tank roles, where it can provide situational group support. A common setup combines:
- Restoring Light (Extended Ritual purge and healing support)
- Bone Tyrant (defensive passives and corpse utility)
- Daedric Summoning (15% reduced Ultimate cost and Storm Atronach synergy)
This combination allows the Off Tank to provide purge utility, sustain support, and strong Ultimate cycling, making the Templar a situational but valuable addition to certain trial compositions.
In modern ESO, Templar tanks are rarely chosen for raw buffs, but they can provide useful support in encounters where purge mechanics and utility healing are needed.
For a full breakdown of subclass combinations, read our ESO Tank Subclassing Guide.
Skills for Templar Tanks
Templar Skills
Templar Passives
- Aedric Spear: Spear Wall, Balanced Warrior.
- Dawn’s Wrath: Enduring Rays, Prism, Illuminate, Restoring Spirit.
- Restoring Light: Mending, Sacred Ground, Light Weaver.
- One Hand and Shield: Fortress, Sword and Board, Deadly Bash, Deflect Bolts, Battlefield Mobility
- Destruction Staff: Elemental Force, Ancient Knowledge, Destruction Expert
- Light Armor: Light Armor Bonuses, Light Armor Penalties
Grace, Evocation, Spell Warding - Medium Armor: Medium Armor Bonuses
Dexterity, Wind Walker, Athletics - Heavy Armor: Heavy Armor Bonuses, Heavy Armor Penalties
Resolve, Constitution, Juggernaut, Revitalize, Rapid Mending - Fighters Guild: Intimidating Presence
- Mages Guild: Mage Adept, Everlasting Magic, Magicka Controller
- Undaunted: Banish the Wicked, Undaunted Mettle
- Support: Magicka Aid
- Racial: All
- Alchemy: Medicinal Use
Subclassing
- Arcanist Solider of Apocrypha: Aegis of the Unseen, Wellspring of the Abyss, Circumvented Fate, Implacable Outcome
- Dragonknight Ardent Flame: Combustion, Traumatic Burns, Fan the Flames, A Soul Ablaze
- Dragonknight Earthen Heart: Heart of Stone, Blessing at the Peak, Mountain Giant
- Warden Winter’s Embrace: Glacial Presence, Frozen Armor, Icy Aura, Piercing Cold
- Necromancer Grave Lord: Reusable Parts
- Necromancer Bone Tyrant: Death Gleaning, Disdain Harm, Health Avarice, Last Grasp
- Nightblade Siphoning: Catalyst, Magicka Flood, Soul Siphoner, Transfer
- Sorcerer Daedric Summoning: Rebate, Power Stone, Daedric Protection, Expert Summoner
Skill Information
Below is a reference breakdown of commonly used Templar tank skills. You don’t need every skill listed here on your bar at once, use this section to understand what each option provides and when it becomes useful.
- Goading Throw – Ranged taunt that also heals you and applies Major Maim, reducing enemy damage.
- Extended Ritual – Heals you and allies over time, cleanses negative effects, and provides a Purify synergy for the group, grants Minor Mending through passives, and triggers a passive that generates Ultimate for group members.
- Warding Burst – Group damage shield that also grants Minor Courage and contributes to ultimate generation.
- Polar Wind – Strong burst heal with a self HoT that also heals an ally.
- Trample – Grants Major Heroism and applies multiple damage status effects, turning the Dragonknight into an ultimate engine when paired with Saxhleel Champion.
- Gibbering Shelter – Emergency defensive ultimate that provides strong mitigation, group shielding, and passive resource recovery.
- Leashing Soul – Pulls enemies together, restores Magicka and Stamina, and applies Major Cowardice to reduce incoming damage.
- Elemental Susceptibility – Free Major Breach with constant Burning, Chilled, and Concussion procs, enabling Minor Maim, Minor Brittle, Minor Vulnerability, Off Balance, and Minor Breach (with Blockade), while triggering Dragonknight sustain through Burning.
- Elemental Blockade – Maintains continuous infused Crusher enchant uptime, applies Minor Breach to Chilled enemies, and provides a projectile damage shield for the group.
- Expansive Frost Cloak – Grants Major Resolve to the entire group.
- Runeguard of Still Waters – Passive safety tool that grants Minor Resolve and Minor Protection, immobilises nearby enemies, and triggers a heal when under 50% Health.
- Replenishing Barrier – Provides a large group and self damage shield, restores Magicka, triggers Major Force when paired with Saxhleel Champion, and grants 10% increased Magicka Recovery from the Magicka Aid passive.
Add Pull Skills
- Inner Rage – Ranged taunt that provides a strong group synergy, dealing Flame damage over time to the taunted enemy and additional AoE Flame damage to nearby enemies.
- Razor Caltrops – Applies AoE Major Breach to all enemies in large pulls and snares them.
- Power Slam – Used to proc Void Bash, pulling all enemies together in one cast while applying Major Maim to reduce incoming damage.
- Pulsar – Applies AoE Minor Mangle and, when used with a Charged Ice Staff, guarantees AoE Chilled, enabling Minor Maim, Minor Brittle, Minor Breach (with Blockade), and granting Minor Protection to the group.
Templar Skills (No Subclassing)
- Temporal Guard – Slotted on the front bar to gain Minor Protection, reducing damage taken, and provides a damage shield through passives.
- Living Dark – Applies to self that heals you whenever you take direct damage and snares the attacking enemy. Also triggers passives that generate Ultimate and grant Minor Sorcery to the group.
- Repentance – Consumes nearby corpses to heal you and allies, restores Stamina to you, and grants Minor Fortitude, Minor Endurance, and Minor Intellect to the group.
- Restoring Focus – Grants Major Resolve, provides healing that is increased while standing in the rune and restores Stamina
Key Scribed Skills for ESO Templar Tanks
Scribing greatly improves Templar tanking by adding tools the base class lacks, particularly reliable pulls and immobilises for controlling add waves in dungeons and arenas. It also allows multiple effects to be combined into compact skills, providing additional damage shields, Ultimate generation, and group utility.
Below are the most effective scribed options for dungeon and trial tanking.
- Wield Soul
- Pull
- Druid’s Resurgence
- Cowardice
A highly efficient multi-purpose skill. Primarily used to chain in smaller adds while applying a taunt, it also functions as a strong sustain tool by restoring both Magicka and Stamina when cast. When used on bosses, it applies Major Cowardice, reducing enemy damage output.
- Shield Throw
- Taunt
- Sage’s Remedy
- Maim
A compact ranged taunt that scales with Max Health to provide a self-heal. It also applies Major Maim, reducing boss damage dealt. With Major and Minor Breach typically covered elsewhere, this skill allows you to replace traditional options like Pierce Armor or Frost Clench with a more efficient multi-use alternative.
- Trample
- Frost Damage
- Assassin’s Misery
- Heroism
Primarily used for Major Heroism, significantly increasing Ultimate generation. The added Frost Damage helps maintain Chilled on enemies, contributing to Minor Brittle and related debuffs, while Assassin’s Misery increases status effect application.
- Soul Burst
- Damage Shield
- Anchorite’s Potency
- Courage
Provides a Max Health-scaling group damage shield while granting Minor Courage, increasing group Weapon and Spell Damage. It also consumes a Soul Gem every five seconds to generate additional Ultimate, making it an extremely strong option in Ultimate-driven trial compositions.
- Ulfsild’s Contingency
- Immobilize
- Growing Impact
- Vulnerability
Provides reliable crowd control through immobilisation while applying an AoE Vulnerability debuff to increase group damage during add pulls.
- Ulfsild’s Contingency
- Damage Shield
- Gladiator’s Tenacity
- Intellect and Endurance
Provides a Max Health-scaling group damage shield while granting Minor Intellect and Minor Endurance for improved sustain. For the Main Tank, it also grants an additional 8% damage reduction, making it both a group utility tool and a personal survivability boost.
ESO Templar Tank Other Skills & Passives
Aedric Spear
Radial Sweep
(Not Needed)
Puncturing Strikes
(Unnecessary)
Piercing Javelin
(Not Needed)
Focused Charge
(Unnecessary)
A gap closer that interrupts enemies and grants Major Protection. However, gap closers are not essential for PvE tanking, and Major Protection can be obtained more effectively by slotting Revealing Flare.
Luminous Shards → Morph of Spear Shards
(Situational)
This damage skill provides a synergy that restores Magicka and Stamina to one group member, making it a good sustain tool for them. It’s often not needed by the tank but can be used to place Vestment of Olorime on your group from range.
Blazing Spear → Morph of Spear Shards
(Vital)
This morph offers AoE immobilization for crowd control and grants a synergy to one group member, allowing them to restore either Magicka or Stamina.
Radiant Ward → Morph of Sun Shield
(Vital)
This ability provides a large damage shield that scales with Max Health and costs Magicka and applies Minor Maim to enemies who hit you. Templars lack health-scaling burst heals but have multiple healing over time skills. Using Radiant Ward in combination with these healing over time abilities allows you to absorb damage with the shield while simultaneously healing missing health. This makes it a good survival tool that you can frequently use due to its Magicka cost. Additionally, activating this skill procs the Spear Wall passive, granting you extra mitigation with Minor Protection.
Piercing Spear
(Unnecessary)
This passive increases your damage, which isn’t crucial for Tanks. However, it can be used to improve your DPS once you have all the other important passives.
Spear Wall
(Vital)
Using an Aedric Spear ability grants Minor Protection, which reduces your incoming damage. This works well alongside Radiant Ward to enhance your damage mitigation.
Burning Light
(Unnecessary)
This passive deals extra damage when you use Shards or Ward. If you want to do some additional free damage, this passive will help, but it’s not essential for tanking.
Balanced Warrior
(Vital)
This passive provides extra resistances, which are always beneficial for a Tank.
Dawn's Wrath
Nova
(Unnecessary)
This Ultimate causes Major Maim to enemies, but this can be achieved more easily with Frost Clench or Scribing skills, making it less essential for tanking.
Vampire’s Bane → Morph of Sun Fire
(Situational)
You might use this skill if you are tanking with Encratis’s Behemoth, as it provides a reliable way to apply flame damage over time to proc the set on cooldown.
Solar Flare
(Not Needed)
Power of the Light → Morph of Backlash
(Optional)
This skill is less essential now since Minor Breach can be obtained from Pierce Armor and AoE Minor Breach from Elemental Blockade. However, it is still useful in situations where you are at range or using a taunt skill that doesn’t include this debuff. It also procs the Illuminate passive if needed. If you don’t need Minor Breach, consider using the other morph.
Purifying Light → Morph of Backlash
(Optional)
This skill can be used when Power of the Light is not needed. It’s beneficial to have at least one Dawn’s Wrath skill slotted for passives. This morph provides a small heal and costs Magicka, making it a better option for sustain if you don’t require the Minor Breach from Power of the Light.
Living Dark → Morph of Eclipse
(Situational)
This skill is very effective when dealing with multiple enemies as it provides a heal every half second for 3 seconds. During add pulls, it offers significant healing by potentially ticking 6 times in 3 seconds, making it ideal for situations where you are taking damage while moving. It also snares enemies, although the primary use is for the healing.
Radiant Destruction
(Not Needed)
Enduring Rays
(Optional)
This passive is only worth using if you have Living Dark, as it increases the duration of this skill. If you don’t use Living Dark, this passive is not necessary.
Prism
(Vital)
A valuable passive for increasing Ultimate gain.
Illuminate
(Vital)
The only unique group buff provided by the Templar, adding around 2k DPS to each Spell Damage-focused damage dealer in your group. This buff does not benefit Weapon Damage users. It’s easily maintained by keeping up Living Dark, Backlash, or any Dawn’s Wrath skills.
Restoring Spirit
(Vital)
This sustain passive reduces the cost of all your abilities, including Ultimates, making it easier to manage your resources, provides a benefit to your overall sustain.
Restoring Light
Rite of Passage
(Unnecessary)
Rushed Ceremony
(Unnecessary)
A burst heal that scales with Spell Damage and Max Magicka, resulting in low healing output for a Tank with high cost but also one of the only burst heal options. It can also target others, making it unreliable for self-healing. Rely on Radiant Ward and healing-over-time abilities that scale with Max Health instead.
Hasty Prayer → Morph of Healing Ritual
(Unnecessary)
A guaranteed AoE heal but with a very high Magicka cost. Can also provide Minor Expedition to your group, but its utility is limited compared to other more cost-effective and targeted healing options.
Radiant Aura → Morph of Restoring Aura
(Vital)
Provides Minor Fortitude, Minor Endurance, and Minor Intellect to your group, boosting health, stamina, and magicka recovery, making it a valuable sustain buff.
Repentance → Morph of Restoring Aura
(Optional)
Provides the same recovery passives as Radiant Aura but only to yourself. It allows you to repent nearby corpses, giving you 3000 Stamina each and healing you and group members for 3000 health per corpse. Great for healing and sustaining in 4-player content, but less effective in boss fights due to the lack of corpses.
Extended Ritual → Morph of Cleansing Ritual
(Vital)
A primary skill for a Templar Tank. Provides a strong group synergy to purge and cleanse negative effects. This skill can also proc gear sets like Symphony of Blades due to its large area and long duration. The heal over time is small but effective when combined with other healing over time abilities. Its large area ensures full coverage, so you don’t need to keep replacing it, making it excellent for sustained healing in most combat scenarios.
Restoring Focus → Morph of Rune Focus
(Vital)
This is your primary tool for Stamina sustain and healing. It’s very cost-effective and provides Stamina even while blocking. You don’t need to remain inside the rune to benefit. It grants Major Resolve and a heal over time that scales with Max Health. This heal is especially effective when combined with other healing sources and is significantly buffed when standing in the rune, which is feasible during many boss fights.
Mending
(Vital)
This passive is crucial as it boosts the healing from your over-time abilities. Restoring Focus and Extended Ritual heals are increased by up to 12%, depending on your health, providing essential support during tough encounters.
Sacred Ground
(Vital)
A key passive for Tanks, it increases the amount of damage you can block and boosts healing from all abilities. Standing inside your Restoring Light abilities, such as Ritual and Rune, enhances your healing and resource management.
Light Weaver
(Vital)
This passive grants Ultimate to all allies, a small but useful boost that will likely proc from your Extended Ritual.
Master Ritualist
(Optional)
Speeds up resurrection and revives allies with full health. While useful, as a Tank, you should rarely need to resurrect others, so this passive is less critical.
Champion Points for ESO Templar Tanks
- Ironclad
- Duelist’s Rebuff
- Bulwark
- Enduring Resolve (DoT damage fights)
- Unassailable (AoE damage fights)
You’ll typically flex between Enduring Resolve and Unassailable depending on the encounter.
- Boundless Vitality
- Fortified
- Rejuvenation
- Bracing Anchor (Boss Fights)
- Celerity (Add Pulls)
- Shield Master (Reduced cost of Barrier Ultimate)
Playing as a Templar Tank in ESO
The Templar Tank has always been one of the more unconventional tank choices in The Elder Scrolls Online. While it may not provide the same level of built-in group buffs as some other classes, it can still perform effectively when built around its strengths.
Modern systems like Scribing and Subclassing have helped the class significantly. Scribing fills several gaps in the Templar toolkit by adding reliable pulls, crowd control, and compact utility skills, making dungeon and arena tanking far more comfortable than it once was.
Subclassing then allows the Templar to contribute in more specialised ways. While it is rarely chosen as a primary tank in organised trials, the Restoring Light skill line can provide valuable utility through Extended Ritual, offering purge support, healing, and small bursts of Ultimate generation for the group.
For tanks who enjoy experimenting with different builds and supporting their group through healing and utility rather than raw buffs, the Templar offers a unique and situational playstyle that can still find its place in modern ESO content.
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