Warden Tanks have always been a popular choice in The Elder Scrolls Online, but they have slipped down the list of best Tank classes. This is largely due to their overlap with Warden Healers, who are one of the best healing classes, making Warden Tanks less necessary in organized group content where their benefits are already provided.

Wardens offer decent group utility, enhancing survival with unique buffs that increase group members’ Max Health by 10%, spread Major Resolve, and apply Minor Cowardice to enemies, reducing their damage. While they have some minor group DPS buffs, Wardens excel in specific niche situations. They have a strong self-healing skill that also heals another player, which is particularly useful in certain scenarios. Their ability to shield against projectile damage is also a significant benefit, but this is limited to specific bosses that deal heavy projectile damage, such as Rakkhat and Z’Maja.

One of the main drawbacks of Warden Tanks is their relatively weak passives. Compared to other classes, Wardens lack strong passives that significantly benefit Tank players, making them weaker in general. Additionally, playing a Warden is not as straightforward as other classes since you need to manage both Tanking and group healing to fully utilize their passives and benefits.

Warden Tanks shine in very specific situations where they are the best choice against certain bosses. However, they are not always wanted or needed due to the prevalence of Warden Healers in ESO and their limited ability to offer unique benefits compared to other Tank classes.

• Strong group survival buffs and utility.
• Capable of completely absorbing projectiles with their shield.
• Excellent self-healing abilities.
• Accessible class crowd control abilities.
• Great sustain, especially when using the scribing system.

• No need for more than one Warden per group, and Warden Healers are very common.
• Poor quality passives compared to other classes.
• Very few damage buffs, with most easily replaced or overlapping with other methods.
• Need to heal your group to fully benefit from their abilities.

• Swarm – Minor Vulnerability
• Expansive Frost Cloak – Group Major Resolve
• Maturation – Group Minor Toughness
• Enchanted Growth – Group Minor Intellect & Minor Endurance
• Corrupting Pollen – Major Defile & Minor Cowardice
• Dive – Off Balance
• Deep Fissure – AoE Major Breach & Minor Breach
• Leeching Vines – Minor Lifesteal
• Frozen Device – Major Maim

Nord

The Atronach

64 Health

Orzorga’s Smoked Bear Haunch

Tri-Stat Potions
Minor Heroism Potions

Bosses

Adds

• • Animal Companion: Bond With Nature, Savage Beast, Flourish.
  • Green Balance: Maturation.
  • Winter’s Embrace: Glacial Presence, Frozen Armor, Icy Aura.
  • 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
  • Undaunted: Banish the Wicked, Undaunted Mettle
  • Support: Magicka Aid
  • Racial: All
  • Alchemy: Medicinal Use

Wardens can benefit from the Scribing system, although they typically have all the basic necessities for tanking already available. The main advantages of using scribing come from scripts that improve sustain and provide access to a faster, more responsive Magicka chain skill. Additionally, stronger buffs and debuffs enhance their tanking capabilities.

The Warden’s class script is among the most tank-focused of all classes. Charming enemies is an excellent way to control them, preventing damage or interference with group members. This can be particularly useful in specific dungeon or arena fights, though it won’t always be necessary. Another aspect of the class script is the resource return. By setting this up in a Grimoire for boss fights, you can consistently gain 1000 Magicka and Stamina, as bosses cannot be charmed. This manipulation ensures a steady resource supply, making the script highly valuable in sustained encounters.

Even though Wardens have Frozen Device for pulling enemies, it can sometimes be slow and challenging to target effectively. Therefore, Wardens often use Silver Leash in Dungeons and Trials. However, with the introduction of the scribing system, they can now use Wield Soul, a Magicka-costing chain ability that eliminates the need for Silver Leash for fast chaining. This skill allows a Warden to gain 1000 Magicka and Stamina, effectively regaining Stamina while blocking, similar to how Dragonknights use Igneous Shield to proc the Helping Hands passive. Additionally, a major buff or debuff can be added to enhance its effectiveness, making Wield Soul a versatile and powerful tool for Warden tanks.

Signature Script: Class Mastery
Create an 8 meter area for 2 seconds under your target once every 8 seconds that snares enemies by 70%, and charms them for 3 seconds when it expires. If no enemies are charmed, you restore 1000 Magicka and Stamina.

Focus Script: Pull
Deals ? Magic Damage to an enemy, pulls them to you, and taunts them for 15 seconds if they are not already taunted.

Signature Script: Druid’s Resurgence
Restores 1000 Magicka and 1000 Stamina.

Affix Script: Vitality
Grants Major Vitality for 10 seconds, increasing healing received and damage shield strength by 12%.

• Ironclad
• Duelist’s Rebuff
• Bulwark 
• Enduring Resolve (DoT damage fights)
• Unassailable (AoE damage fights)

• Boundless Vitality 
  
• Fortified
• Rejuvenation
• Bracing Anchor (Bosses)
• Celerity (Adds)

This build is straightforward to play, focusing on maintaining all your buffs and debuffs on cooldown.

1. Pre-buff: Cast Expansive Frost Cloak and Bull Netch.
2. Instigate Combat: Start with a Light Attack followed by Frost Clench, then apply Elemental Susceptibility.
3. Positioning: Position the enemy and place Elemental Blockade, Corrupting Pollen, and Gripping Shards. Apply Fetcher Infection to the enemy.
4. Add Control: Pull in any ranged adds with Frozen Device and then recast Gripping Shards to immobilize them.