In The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO), players are met with many decisions to make with their character creations, with choosing a race being one of them. While this decision may not be the most pivotal for the player's build, as it is arguably one of the many aspects that needs attention when it comes to creating a healer, it can nonetheless make a positive difference in performance. Understanding the potential limitations and abilities each race offers will offer great value for players attempting to optimize their healer builds.

• S-Tier: The Best Races for Healers
• - High Elves (Altmer)
• - Argonians
• - Bretons
• A-Tier: Strong Choices With Slight Limitations
• - Dark Elves (Dunmer)
• - Khajiit
• B-Tier: Solid but Situational Choices
• - Imperials
• - Nords
• - Orcs
• C-Tier: Limited Healing Potential
• - Redguards
• D-Tier: Least Effective Healing Race
• - Wood Elves (Bosmer)
• Conclusion

In this article, we will focus on the effectiveness of each race for healers, specifically tailored around PvE content, ranking them out of 10. However, some notable PvP advantages will also be pointed out when necessary. It is critical to understand that race has a minor impact on your build but does offer some value. In less demanding content, such as veteran hard mode trials, your race is not going to decide whether you are successful or not. Now, let us look at what races are the most favorable for ESO healers in the tier list.

↖ S-Tier: The Best Races for Healers

↖ - High Elves (Altmer)

On the surface, High Elves might be the optimal choice for Magicka DPS builds due to their healing capabilities, but their passives are equally beneficial for healers. The passive Highborn gives proficiencies with destruction staves and advantageous experience gain, so they, along with Spell Recharge, Sustained Healing, do bolster healing resources. Furthermore, Elemental Talent provides enhanced spell and weapon damage, while Syrabane's Boon augments Magicka; thus, further enabling healing.

These passives increase healing number alongside resource management, which is why High Elves do become a top pick for healers. With their versatility—and access to almost all roles—further underscores their flexibility for hybrid builds in the dungeons. This—paired with other healing bonuses—does afford high elves their BIOS benefits, which is why they are final S tier.

↖ - Argonians

Due to their healer-centric passives, Argonians are often considered the quintessential healing race. Amphibian augments proficiency with restoration staves further bolstering swimming speed, and Life Mender, boosts healing output. Alongside this, Argonian Resistance grants additional HP—with crippling disease and poisoning—provides some extra leakage and Resourceful further enhances resource sustainability via potions.

These passives aid in reducing strain on resources when healing; in essence, they synergize perfectly with the healing and sustain strategies. But outside of healing, the resistances prove useful in PvP scenarios. In total, this does paint Argonians as the other S tier race meant for ESO healers.

↖ - Bretons

In the game, the Bretons are known for their best tradion, healing. This is due to unmatched recovery capabilities. The Opportunist passive increases proficiency with light armor and increases the number of Alliance points acquired, while Gift of Magnus increases the Max Magicka. Spell Attunement enhances spell resistance and spell Magicka recovery, especially when under elemental status effects, and Magicka Mastery increased all Magicka ability costs.

These traits mean that Bretons are able to focus on the accuracy of heals, without the need to deplete resources standby, making them ideal healers in both PvE and PvP encounters. No doubt, This puts Bretons claim to an S-Tier spot.

↖ A-Tier: Strong Choices With Slight Limitations

↖ - Dark Elves (Dunmer)

Dark Elves represent one of the most versatile races able to achieve excellence in multiple tradions, including full-fledged healing. With Ashlander, provides proficiency to Dual Wielding and reduces damage taken from lava. While Dynamic increases both the Max Magicka and Max Stamina. Resist Flame arm grants flame resistance, and Ruination increases weapon and spell enhancer deals.

Though blessing of flame resistance is conditionally useful, for vampire healers, the enhancement in resources and scaling spells strengthens them in PVE and PvP. Dunmer gets a solid upp A-Tier rank.

↖ - Khajiit

Passive skills of Khajiit are useful across the board, even for healers. Their Cutpurse skill improves a character's medium armor proficiency and pickpocketing success rate, while Robustness increases health, stamina, and Magicka regen. Lunar Blessings increases maximum health, stamina, and magicka, while Feline Ambush offers boosts to critical damage and healing received.

Because of these skills, Khajiit can recover and heal critically and effectively, which is great for healers. However, their versatility hinders them slightly when compared to more focused races, such as Bretons or Argonians. For this reason, the Khajiit misses S-Tier, making them a strong A-Tier contender.

↖ B-Tier: Solid but Situational Choices

↖ - Imperials

Unlike any other race, Imperials has the added power of sustain through their passives. Diplomat increases ESO gold gain and proficiency with one-handed weapons and shields, while Tough boosts Max Health. Imperial Mettle increases Max Stamina, and all abilities are more effective with reductions thanks to Red Diamond.

While the bonuses given by stamina and health puts them more in a tank position than healer, the cost reductions on all abilities allows some sustain for Magicka healing skills. This puts them in a practical choice as a B-Tier healer.

↖ - Nords

Nords are better suited for tanking roles but bring some useful traits to the healer table. The Reveler passive increases two-handed weapon proficiency and drink buff duration. While Stalwart gives Max Stamina and ultimate regeneration when damage is taken. Resist Frost grants the Nord additional health and frost resistance. In contrast, Rugged increases Spell and Physical resistance.

While not the most effective at healing, Nords can capitalize on their ultimate generation for defensive PvP scenarios or survivability-based builds. For these reasons, Nords receive a B-Tier ranking.

↖ - Orcs

Orcs are another race that's better off for tanking but offer some utility for a healer. The Craftsman passive increases crafting inspiration gain while Brawny boosts Stamina. Damage taken on cooldown triggers Unflinching Rage, providing healing, while Swift Warrior increases weapon/spell damage and movement speed.

Although not ideal for a traditional healer, the Orcs' spell damage coupled with their survivability bolsters hybrid or PvP-focused healer builds. They receive the same B-Tier as Nords.

↖ C-Tier: Limited Healing Potential

↖ - Redguards

While Redguards excel as stamina-based fighters, their potential as healers is almost non-existent. They passively receive Wayfarer, which inflates the duration of food buffs, Marshall Training that lessens the effect of snares and costs weapon abilities, Conditioning, which improves Max Stamina, Adrenaline Rush, which recovers stamina when dealing damage.

Most of these traits are irrelevant for Magicka-based healing builds, but having increased food buff duration and reduced weapon ability costs is somewhat helpful. This earns Redguards a C-Tier placement.

↖ D-Tier: Least Effective Healing Race

↖ - Wood Elves (Bosmer)

Wood Elves have almost nothing to offer when it comes to assisting healers. Their passives include Acrobat, which enhances proficiency in bows and reduces damage taken from falling, Hunter's Eye, which increases the speed at which one moves whilst stealth and penetration, Y'ffre's Endurance, which increases the speed of recovering stamina, Resist Affliction, which provides immunity to disease/poison and grants extra stamina.

As such, these traits are optimised for a stamina-focused role rather than a Magicka-based healing build. This effectively places Wood Elves at D-Tier as they lack support to these traits.

↖ Conclusion

As discussed previously in this post, race does not matter much when it comes to an optimal ESO healer build, but a few races have certain benefits that help with the performance both in PvE and PvP content. The S-Tier is claimed by Bretons, Argonians, and High Elves, due to their exceptional sustain and healer-related passives. Dark Elves and Khajiit offer comparatively stronger options in the A-Tier.