With update 29, the ESO Racial Passives get revamped for the umpteenth time, and this is what they still look like, going into 2024.
Changes to the ESO Racial Passives have changed what Race is best for which class and playstyle. You might have to Respec your characters.
Nord is no longer the only viable Tank choice, and it might surprise you that Orc could be a viable Magicka Damage Dealer.
The ESO Racial Passives are bonuses you get from leveling, the higher level the better bonus you can get.
Each passive has three stages, and you need one skill point for every stage.
Once you have them they are active all the time (hence ESO Race Passives).
In the Elder Scrolls Online, you get to choose between 10 different races divided into three different alliances called Aldmeri Dominion, Daggerfall Covenant, and Ebonheart Pact.
Aldmeri Dominion Races and land areas.
The Aldmeri Dominion hails from the southwestern corner of Tamriel, this is the home of High Elfs, Wood Elfs, and the Khajiit. While we started out with five zones for each alliance, where Queen Ayreen rules the lands of the Dominion, we got the Summerset chapter, home of the High Elf’s making it into six territories under the rule of the Queen.
Altmer (High Elf) Racial Passives.
“The racial skills of the High Elves reflect their magical affinity by increasing their weapon and spell damage, resource recovery, base Magicka, and experience gain. These innate bonuses help define the race as proud and powerful spellcasters” -Elder Scrolls Online.
- Highborn: Increases exp gain with the Destruction Staff Skill line by 15%. Increases your exp gained by 1%.
- Spell Recharge: Reduces damage taken by 5% while you are using an ability with a cast or channel time.
Restores 625 Magicka or Stamina, based on whichever is lowest, after activating a Class Ability. This effect can occur once every 6 seconds. - Syrabane’s Boon: Increases Max Magicka by 2000
- Elemental Talent: Increases your Spell Damage by 258.
Read more about the High Elf race here.
Wood Elf Racial Passives (Bosmer).
“The Wood Elves’ diversified racial skills reflect their woodland affinity. Improved archery, base stamina, stamina recovery, stealth detection, movement speed, reduced fall damage, and poison and disease resistance make them deadly foes and gifted hunters.” -Elder Scrolls Online
- Acrobat: Increases exp gain with the Bow Skill line by 15%
Decreases fall damage by 10% - Hunter’s Eye: Increases your detection radius in Stealth by 3m
- Gain 5% Movement Speed and 950 Physical and Spell Penetration.
- Y’ffre’s Endurance: Increases Stamina Recovery by 258
- Resist Affliction: Increases your Max Stamina by 2000
Poison and Disease Resistance by 2310
Want to know more about the Wood Elf Race? Click Here.
Khajiit Racial Passives.
“The racial skills of the feline Khajiit reflect their natural versatility and guile, giving them bonuses to pickpocketing, stealth, resource recovery as well as base health, Magicka, and stamina. These bonuses help them thrive in many aspects of life.” – Elder Scrolls Online
- Cutpurse: Increases the exp gain with the Medium Armor Skill line by 15%.
Increases your chance to successfully pickpocket by 5%. - Robustness: Increases your Health Recovery by 100, and your Stamina, and Magicka Recovery by 85
- Lunar Blessing: Increases your Max Health, Magicka, and Stamina by 825
- Feline Ambush: Increases your Critical Hit Damage and Healing by 12%. Reduces your detection radius by 3m.
Read more about the Khajiit Race here.
Daggerfall Covenant Races and Countries.
Ruled by High King Emeric of Cumberland, the King of Wayrest. The Daggerfall Covenant Alliance stretches out through the North East of Tamriel, with Glenumbra, Rivenspire, Alik’r Desert, Stormhaven, and Bangkorai. The Daggerfall Covenant was expanded with the Orsinium chapter, where we got Wrothgar home of the Orc.
Breton Racial Passives.
“The racial skills of the Bretons reflect their affinity for the arcane, increasing their base Magicka, Magicka Recovery, light armor, alliance point gain, spell resistance, and cost reduction of spells, allowing them to cast spells with little pause.” – Elder Scrolls Online
- Opportunist: Increases exp gain with the Light Armor Skill line by 15%.
Increases Alliance Points gained by 1%. - Gift of Magnus: Increases Max Magicka by 2000
- Spell Resistance: Increases Spell Resistance by 2310 and 100 Magicka Recovery.
The Spell Resistance granted by this effect will be doubled if you are afflicted with Burning, Chilled, or Concussed. - Magicka Mastery: Reduces the cost of all your Magicka abilities by 7%
Want to know more about the Breton Race? Click the link and bob’s your uncle.
Orc Racial Passives (Orsimer).
“The racial skills of the Orcs reflect their native harsh mountain environment, giving them bonuses to heavy armor use, sprinting, weapon and spell damage, inspiration gain, weapon proficiency, as well as base health and stamina.” – Elder Scrolls Online.
- Craftsman: Increases exp gain with the Heavy Armor Skill line by 15%. Increases crafting Inspiration gained by 10%.
- Brawny: Increases your Max Stamina by 1000.
- Unflinching Rage: Grants 1000 Max Health and heals you for up to 2210 when you deal damage, this can happen every 4 seconds.
- Swift Warrior: Increases your weapon damage by 258
Reduces the cost of Sprint by 12% and increases the Movement Speed bonus of Sprint by 10%
Read more about the Orc Race here:
Redguard Racial Passives.
“The racial skills of the Redguards reflect their ancestral legacy as swordmasters, giving them bonuses to shields, base stamina, stamina recovery, movement, and duration of effects from food. Their ability to flow in martial combat is unparalleled.” – Elder Scrolls Online
- Wayfarer: Increases exp gain with One-Handed and Shield Skill line by 15%. Increases the duration of eating food by 15 minutes.
- Martial Training: Reduces the cost of weapon abilities by 8%. Reduces the effectiveness of snares applied to you by 15%.
- Conditioning: Increases Max Stamina by 2000
- Andrenaline Rush: When you deal direct damage, you restore 950 Stamina. This effect can occur once every 5 seconds
More about the Redguard Race with this link:
Ebonheart Pact Races.
The last alliance is the Ebonheat Pact, placed in the far northeast of Tamriel.
Here Rules Jorunn the Skald-King over Dark Elf, Argonians, and Nords spread across the territories of Eastmarch, The Rift, Stonefalls, Deshaan, and Shadowfen.
The ESO Racial Passives tent to reflect the origin of the race.
Dark Elf Racial Passives (Dunmer).
“The racial skills of the Dark Elves reflect their intellect and agility, giving them bonuses in dual-wielding, flame and lava resistance, weapon and spell damage, and base Magicka and stamina. These bonuses allow them to adapt to anything.” – Elder Scrolls Online
Read more about the Dark Elf Race here.
- Ashlander: Increases the experience gained with the Dual Wield Skill line by 15%.
Reduces damage taken by environmental lava by 50%. - Dynamic: Increases Max Magicka and Max Stamina by 1875
- Resist Flame: Flame Resistance by 2310
- Ruination: Increases your Weapon and Spell Damage by 258
Argonian Racial Passives.
“Argonian racial skills reflect their people’s perilous swamp environment, giving bonuses to the healing done, restoration staves, disease and poison resistance, resources gained from consuming potions, swimming speed, plus base health, Magicka, and stamina.” – Elder Scrolls Online
- Amphibian: Increases exp gain with the Resto Staff Skill line by 15% Increases swimming speed by 50%
- Life Mender: Increases your healing done by 6%
- Argonian Resistance: Increases Max Health by 1000 and Poison and Disease Resistance by 2310.
- Resourceful: Increases your Max Magicka by 1000
Whenever you drink a potion you restore 3125 Health, Magicka, and Stamina.
Read more about the Argonian Race here.
Nord Racial Passives.
“The racial skills of the Nords reflect their strong and hardy natures, giving them bonuses to two-handed weapons, duration of effects from drinks, physical, spell and frost resistance, ultimate generation, as well as base health and stamina.” – Elder Scrolls Online
Read more about the Nords Race here.
- Reveler: Increases experience gain with the Two-Handed Skill line by 15%. Increases the duration of any consumed drink by 15 minutes.
- Resist Frost: Increases your Max Health by 1000 and Cold Resistance by 4620
- Stalwart: Increases your Max Stamina by 1500. When you take damage, you gain 5 Ultimate. This effect can occur once every 10s.
- Rugged: Increases your Physical and Spell Resistance by 2600
Imperial ESO Racial Passives.
Imperials do not belong to any of the alliances or you could say they belong to all alliances.
To play an Imperial, you need to buy the expansion pack “Any Race, Any Alliance” or the Imperial expansion.
“The ESO racial passives of the Imperials reflect their combat training and perseverance in battle, giving them bonuses to gold drop rate, shield proficiency, base health and stamina, and cost reduction of abilities, making them resolute fighters.” – Elder Scrolls Online
- Diplomat: Increases exp with the One-Handed and Shield Line by 15% Increases gold gained by 1%.
- Tough: Increases your Max Health by 2000.
- Imperial Mettle: Increases your Max Stamina by 2000.
- Red Diamond: When you deal Direct Damage, you restore 333 Health, Magicka, and Stamina. 5-second cooldown.
Reduce the cost of all abilities by 3%.
Read more about the Imperial Race here.
The ESO Racial Passives are not the most important part, the important part of playing any game is to have fun. I Play an Argonian Templar as my Main Character, and it would be perfect if I was a healer build, but usually, I am a Magicka Damage Dealer. That means I could be doing more damage if I was a High Elf, but I just love playing an Argonian even though they do not have the best ESO Racial Passives for Magicka Damage Dealers.
Best Tanking Race in ESO
Does Race really matter in ESO when it comes to Tanking? When ESO came out it was designed so any race or class could be a Tank, Healer, or Damage Dealer. It was only up to your imagination to think up some fun way to play.
But back then Dragonknights were the only real alternative to a Trial Tank, luckily that changed over the years as new skills or revamps of skills made it possible to make any class a Tank.
These days most groups prefer a Dragonknight, Necromancer, or Warden to Main-Tank, but once in a while you still see a Sorcerer try out for the job. I myself have had great fun Tanking as a Templar.
When it comes to the best ESO racial passives for Tanking, you of cause have to take into account what class you play, but Argonian almost always wins here at Flames of Ambition and Update 29, where Nords got nerfed, even though they are still in the top three. My list of best Tanking races in ESO looks like this.
- Argonian (due to insane sustain)
- Imperial (High stats and great sustain)
- Nord (Still a bit better protection)
- Orc (Health and selfheal)
- Redguard (Sustain and reduced stamina cost)
- Wood Elf (Regeneration)
- the rest of the races.
Best Healer Race in ESO.
The ESO racial passives best suited for a healer is, of cause extra healing, whether it be a flat bonus like Argonians or by higher Spell Power like the High Elf. Sustain also plays a vital role in being able to keep up the healing, and that’s why the list of the best healer race in ESO looks like this.
- Argonian (Extra healing + great sustain).
- High Elf (extra spell power and ok sustain).
- Khajit (Great sustain + extra critical healing)
- Breton (Reduced Magicka cost and good sustain)
- Dark Elf (extra Spell Power).
- Rest of the races.
Best Magicka Damage Dealer Race in ESO.
The best ESO Racial Passives for Magicka Damage Dealers right now are Crit and then spell damage.
No one had seen it coming, but with the right gear, Khajit is now the best Magicka Damage Dealer Race in ESO.
The rest is not far behind, and there is actually only around a 5% difference from the Khajit to the lowest one on the list.
We say Khajit is 100% damaged you can then see below how the rest scored against that 100%.
- Khajit
- High Elf -0,2%
- Dark Elf -1,5%
- Orc -2%
- Breton -4%
- Argonian -5%
Best Stamina Damage Dealer Race in ESO.
This is a close race, when it comes to the best ESO Racial Passives for Stamina Damage Dealers in ESO, the top three do almost the same damage. That is what you may call well-balanced!
Dark Elf, Orc, and Wood Elf are neck to neck for first place separated only but 0.1% or so. In reality, it won’t make a difference, so if you just love playing a wood elf or even a Khajiit, stick with that and let the rest of the fools minimax their characters for one purpose only, that being standing still while being healed so they can do that extra 0.1% damage.
- Dark Elf
- Orc
- Wood Elf
- Khajiit
- Redguard
- High Elf
I think that covered everything for this time on ESO Racial Passives, this will of cause be updated if or when ZOS changes everything once again.
Check out my YouTube Channel for more guides and builds. Also if you need gold I have collected more than 20 fast ways of making gold in ESO, you can read about them right here!
