It is safe to say that most tier lists for The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) usually put together the highest possible configurations — mythic accessories such as Oakensoul Ring and Trial gear of high levels. But what would happen if we removed all of that? What would happen if every class was evaluated without imposed configurations?

• Tier List Rules
• Magicka Arcanist (C)
• Magicka Warden (C+)
• Stamina Warden (B-)
• Magicka Necromancer (B)
• Stamina Necromancer (B+)
• Stamina Arcanist (A-)
• Stamina Dragonknight (A)
• Stamina Templar (A)
• Stamina Nightblade (A)
• Stamina Sorcerer (A+)
• Magicka Dragonknight (A+)
• Magicka Nightblade (A+)
• Magicka Templar (S)
• Magicka Sorcerer (S)

This is the goal which this 2025 Solo Tier List for ESO intends to achieve. With the use of an identical crafted gear set and strict limitations on external buffs, we have developed a baseline that showcases the different aspects of every class.

↖ Tier List Rules

We ensured fairness and balance in our testing by following specific protocols formulating a set ranking system.

Why This Approach Matters?

Many tier lists are based off of top-tier gear such as mythics, for example, Ring of the Pale Order, Oakensoul Ring or Trials sets. This often blurs the line between the differences of classes, straying too far from the core fundamentals that define them.

Furthermore, builds that focus on lightning staff heavy attacks were omitted because they have a high AOE damage output. Although they do work, these builds oversimplify the evaluation of a class's solo prowess.

↖ Magicka Arcanist (C)

The Arcanist in Magicka is a rather unique class and one with a simply incredible arsenal of skills. In theory it posses offers powerful buffs, heals and damage shielding spells which makes it appear that it can undoubtedly perform well in a solo scenario. But in reality, this specific class is very fragile and does not heal well without Mythic items.

Strengths:

• Versatile Skills: Many skills have multiple functions.  (For example:  Major Brutality and Sorcery as well as some Stamina and Magicka is gained together with damage dealt in Recuperative Treatises. Damage shield grant and AOE damage easy cast taregting skill – Fate Carver Beam.)
• Strong Passives: Up to 4,000 penetration is provided with abilities slotted due to them by Splintered Secrets passive.   Increase Magicka and Stamina regeneration by 18% with passively Auditioning. Healing with AOE damage amplification along with debuffs to enemies represents some of the most powerful abilities gained in Spall Arch's Flail (Stamina Morph).

Weaknesses:

• Fragility: While Medium armor provides some survivability, it comes at the cost of passive healing. Light armor remains a squishy option.
• Limited Healing Options: Slow and weak healing every 2 seconds is provided by Reconstructive Domain.  Stamina morphs like Spall Arch's Flail do provide stronger healing but it isn't as effective for pure Magicka builds making them limited.
• Dependency on Mythic Items: Keeping health sustained without Mythics like the Ring of the Pale Order becomes overwhelmingly challenging.

Magicka Arcanist is enjoyable and rewarding to play, but managing healing and sustain requires a lot of attention. It performs best with Mythic gear, but feels underwhelming without it; this earns it a C Tier ranking for solo content.

↖ Magicka Warden (C+)

Compared to the Arcanist, the Magicka Warden stands out because of its self-heal and defensive abilities. That said, having lower damage output and sustain issues without gear makes this build struggle.

Strengths:

• Self-Healing: With sustained damage, Ability: Bond With Nature will automatically restore health.
  • Lotus Blossom: Provides heals on light and heavy hits while granting of Major Prophecy.
  • Living Trellis: Gives burst healing in critical moments.
• Defensive Skills:
  • Ice Fortress: Provides Minor Protection.
  • Northern Storm Ultimate: Grants Major Protection.
  • Healing Thicket Ultimate: Creates healing areas to outlast challenging fights.
• Durability: Through the passive, Maturation, the Warden now gains durability with a 10% increase to health after healing.

Weaknesses:

• Low Damage Output:  Main spammable, Screaming Cliff Racer, is limited to only single target damage. There is not enough bar space for additional DOTs like Swarm or Winter's Revenge.
• Sustainability Issues: Dependence on heavy attacks to return Magicka. Compared to other classes like the Arcanist, class sustain passives are lackluster.

Because of its defensive toolkit and healing, Magicka Warden is one of the easiest classes to play for surviving intense fights. Its rather low damage output makes it farm ineffective for solo players without intricate gear. Furthermore, the bulky rotation doesn't help either.

↖ Stamina Warden (B-)

We've allocated a B- ranking to the Stamina Warden due to its defensive capabilities, improved sustain, and forgiving rotation. With its limited weaknesses, the Warden is a reliable pick for solo players.

Stamina Wardens are ideal for solo players who wish to prioritize sustain over damage output. The Warden feels great for players who wish to have a balanced and steady approach to combat.

↖ Magicka Necromancer (B)

The Magicka Necromancer comes in B-tier due to limited sustainability, but rewards the player with thematic gameplay. The new class also sacrifices some DPS for increased durability.

The Magicka Necromancer is perfect for players who prefer a more methodical, slower-paced gameplay. The necromancer’s theme of summoner and his tanky nature makes him a fun and interesting choice for solo adventuring. The magicka necromancer immerses the player deeper into the world of tamriel while expertly wielding the forces of death.

↖ Stamina Necromancer (B+)

The Stamina Necromancer works best as a solo player build since it offers great sustain and self-healing abilities. While the unique buffs offered by the build make it interesting, the complexity prevents it from ever achieving a higher tier.

The Stamina Necromancer is great for advanced users, since understanding the build and learning its mechanics will be more beneficial than focusing on resource management Mystic Siphon boost your buffs, synergize them with expenditure of self-siphoning, ensure your buffs stay active and rhythmically use Blast Bones for maximum efficiency.

↖ Stamina Arcanist (A-)

The Stamina Arcanist earns its A- ranking by combining high damage, strong sustain, and versatile skills. It is an overly impressive option for solo players who want a fun and reliable build.

The Stamina Arcanist is a balanced class that shines in DPS and sustain but lacks healing without certain mythics. To achieve the highest damage, stack Crux then use Spalcrux Flail to beam attack. Take Brawler for better shields and reliability than Impervious Rune War. Hold ultimate abilities until reserved for boss encounters or high damage phases.

↖ Stamina Dragonknight (A)

The Stamina Dragonknight or simply Dragonknight gives you a vantage of a tank and a healer all in one due to its staggering sustain, defenses, and incredible damage-over-time (DoT) abilities.

Durability alongside high damage potential makes stamina DKs stand out. With passive healing, resource sustain, and maneuvering mid-fight focus, players can concentrate on executing mechanics instead ofHealth expenditure risk. Templars are the best soloing class because of their simplicity and effectiveness when dealing with difficult solo content.

↖ Stamina Templar (A)

Offering great sustain and healing options, the Stamina Templar provides good flexibility in terms of playstyle. For solo players, this is an ideal option, balancing offense alongside health management.

Key Strengths:

• Powerful Spammable Skill: "Biting Jabs" is a powerful AOE damaging skill that grants you Major Sorcery and Prophecy (+20% damage) buffs. Vampire's Bane and other class skills that provide critical chance buffs freed up your potion choices.
• Magicka-Based Dots & Heals: Healing Over Time effects are available thanks to skills like Restoring Focus and Extended Ritual. Though requiring positioning, these are reliable when utilized optimally and provide strong sustain.
• Unique Sustain Ability: Repentance heals for 3,000 Health and Stamina per corpse consumed on the casting. Great in situations where there are multiple mobs to kill or bosses that spawn additional enemies. Mindlessly grants minor recovery from the skill itself with no cost.

Stamina Templar are strong in healing and sustaining during combat. Repentance provides interesting gameplay strategies by saving corpses which can be used to burst heal and resource during crucial moments. In grounded-healing scenarios, poor positioning can lead to failure, but when played with precision, survivability and efficiency is unmatched.

↖ Stamina Nightblade (A)

If you love the playstyle of an assassin and enjoy single-target burst damage, then the Stamina Nightblade is a perfect fit for you. The Stamina Nightblade is a great option for solo players as its toolkit can quickly and efficiently take down bosses and deadly enemies.

Always have Siphoning Attacks as part of your skill bar. It's one of the best sustain skills in the game.

↖ Stamina Sorcerer (A+)

The effectiveness of the Stamina Sorcerer, or StamSorc, can be observed in its ease of level progression and solo play. Its self-healing mechanisms streamline the overall leveling experience. Regardless of your experience with the game, the StamSorc remains a powerful option. 

Replace Crystal Weapon with Silver Shards from Fighters Guild skill line. It is more entertaining, clears content faster, and is more efficient.

↖ Magicka Dragonknight (A+)

The Magicka Dragonknight is a powerhouse for solo play, thanks to its incredible healing potential and tanky playstyle. 

Key Features:

• Flame Lash (Flame Whip Morph): Main spammable skill with bonus healing when enemies are off-balance. Heals up to 10K health per hit on a basic build—no trials gear or mythics needed! Use a Lightning Staff on your back bar and a Shock Glyph on your front bar to easily proc off-balance effects.
• Burning Embers: Offers both an upfront heal and a heal-over-time effect. Can be recast instantly for a quick burst heal.
• Sustain and Survivability: Massive healing potential makes damage shields almost unnecessary. Strong passives like Battle Roar provide excellent sustain.

The Magicka Dragonknight is an unkillable force once you've mastered its mechanics, making it one of the top choices for solo players.

↖ Magicka Nightblade (A+)

The Magicka Nightblade excels as a versatile ranged solo build, offering both high mobility and exceptional healing. 

Key Features:

• Swallow Soul: Main ranged DPS skill that provides constant self-healing.
• Sap Essence: Short-range AoE skill with healing effects, perfect for taking on groups of enemies.
• Merciless Resolve: Grants a burst heal and additional burst damage when stacked with light or heavy attacks.
• Soul Tether Ultimate: AoE damage, stuns enemies, and heals based on the number of targets hit.
•  Defense and Mobility: Magicka Nightblade lacks a dedicated armor buff skill but compensates with mobility and ranged combat. Use Twisting Path to proc your armor buff passives while maintaining crowd control.

The Magicka Nightblade is perfect for players who prefer a hit-and-run playstyle, making it a strong contender for solo content.

↖ Magicka Templar (S)

The Magicka Templar remains a powerhouse in 2025, thanks to its incredible healing potential and versatile damage-dealing abilities.

Key Skills

• Puncturing Sweeps: Main spammable DPS skill, Heals you for a percentage of the damage dealt, Offers strong AOE cleave damage and passive healing.
• Radiant Glory: Execute skill that heals you as you deal damage, Perfect for finishing off enemies while staying alive.
• Sun Shield: Defensive skill with a damage shield that scales based on enemies hit, Functions like a magical version of Brawler, adding survivability.

Additional Tools

• Extended Ritual: Provides area healing and removes negative effects.
• Channeled Focus: Restores 242 Magicka per second, even if you step out of the rune.
• Elemental Drain: Reduces enemy armor and grants Minor Magickasteal for sustain.

The Magicka Templar is highly recommended for both beginners and experienced players. Its healing potential, AOE damage, and execute skills make it an exceptional choice for solo content in ESO.

↖ Magicka Sorcerer (S)

The Magicka Sorcerer, or "MagSorc," is another top-tier choice for solo players in 2025. With its mix of powerful shields, healing, and explosive damage, this build is both versatile and beginner-friendly.

Key Skills

• Hardened Ward: One of the strongest damage shields, Provides a mini burst heal alongside its defensive benefits.
• Critical Surge: Passive healing skill that triggers from critical hits, Keeps you alive during tough fights.
• Mage's Wrath: AOE execute skill that deals bonus damage to enemies below 20% health, Spreads damage to nearby targets, making it perfect for clearing groups.

Additional Tools

• Boundless Storm: Boosts mobility, adds armor, and deals AOE damage.
• Dark Conversion: Converts stamina into Magicka while providing a quick heal.
• Crystal Fragments: High burst damage option for single-target encounters.

The Magicka Sorcerer shines as a solo class due to its balance of offense and defense. Whether you prefer a pet-focused build or a high-damage spellcaster setup, the MagSorc has you covered.

Stay tuned for the full breakdown of class rankings in this updated Solo Tier List for ESO in 2025! If you'd like to see a separate tier list for heavy attack builds, let us know in the comments below!