Update 38, also known as the Necrom Chapter, brings several class and combat changes to The Elder Scrolls Online. In this guide, we will cover all the buffs, nerfs, and other adjustments that have been made to each class. Additionally, a new class called Arcanist has been introduced with unique abilities and effects. Let's dive into the details:

 

• Arcanist Summary
• General Combat Changes
• General Combat Changes
• Class-Specific Changes

 

 

↖ Arcanist Summary

The Arcanist is a new class introduced in Update 38. It offers flashy and visually stunning effects on the screen. This class excels in both PvE and PvP, providing tankiness and support. While the Arcanist doesn't introduce a major debuff like the Necromancer's Major Vulnerability, it does provide access to Minor Breach, Minor Heroism, and Minor Courage through its skills and passives. This makes it popular among healers in group content. As a damage dealer, the Arcanist has a lower Actions Per Minute (APM) compared to other ESO classes, relying on its beam damage skill called Fake Carver for burst damage.

 

↖ General Combat Changes

The melee attack range has been adjusted from 5 meters to a standard 7 meters. This change aims to make life easier for melee-focused characters, allowing them to have a better chance of hitting their targets in high-mobility encounters. The bonus to heavy attacks from Empower has been reduced from 80% to 70% to balance heavy attack builds, ensuring they are powerful but far from full-light attack builds. Detection potions have also been changed, reducing the bonus attachment size from 100 meters to 43.5 meters.

 

↖ General Combat Changes

Update 38 introduces some general combat changes that affect all classes. The melee attack range has been increased to a standard 7 meters, providing more flexibility and reducing the chance of missing attacks in high-mobility encounters. This change aims to enhance the melee combat experience and allow melee builds to react to incoming threats more effectively.

 

Additionally, the bonus to heavy attacks from the Empower buff has been reduced from 80% to 70%. This adjustment is made to balance heavy attack builds, which have seen a surge in usage. While the reduction slightly decreases the overall DPS of heavy attack builds, it ensures a more balanced performance when combined with other heavy attack bonuses.

 

Detection potions have also been altered, reducing the bonus attachment size from 100 meters to 43.5 meters. This change aligns with updates to invisibility mechanics and ensures a similar power experience as before.

 

↖ Class-Specific Changes

 

Dragonknight

The Dragonknight class receives a fix for an issue related to the Inferno and Flames of Oblivion abilities. The skill Burning Talons sees a 27% nerf to its damage over time (DoT), but its duration is increased from 4 to 5 seconds. This change rewards players who invest in talents and the Elder Dragon passive. Additionally, the passive that previously extended melee attack range for Dragonknights now increases health recovery by 259 per Draconic Power ability slotted on the bar instead of providing a percentage increase.

 

Necromancer

The Necromancer class receives a fix for the Blastbones ability. Additionally, the damage bonus for the third cast of Flame Skull is significantly increased from 20% to 50%, making it a noticeable buff for the class.

 

Nightblade

For Nightblades, the duration of the Death stroke ability's debuff is increased from 6 to 8 seconds. This change aims to improve the single-target damage potential and kill potential of Nightblades. The Path of Darkness effects now apply more consistently, eliminating differences in behaviour between light and heavy attacks. Furthermore, the Concealed Weapons morph of Path of Darkness grants its Damage Done bonus for 10 seconds if Major Expedition was active when it was cast, encouraging active use of the skill.

 

Sorcerer

Under the Dark Magic skill line, Dark Exchange and its morph, Dark Inversion, now grant Minor Berserk for their respective durations. This change aims to reinforce the spell-slinging nature of the class without pushing it over the top in terms of high-end damage production. The Sorcerer's Summon Storm Atronach is ultimate has been adjusted, with the Charged Lightning morph now granting Major Berserk for a longer duration and targeting more enemies. The Volatile Familiar morph no longer stuns on the final tick, but the chance to apply the Charge status effect has been increased.

 

Templar

Focused Charge and its morphs under the Aedric Spear skill line now grant Major Protection for a short duration after reaching the target. This change aims to help Templars stay in the fray longer and provide some defensive bonuses when engaging enemies. Solar Flare and Solar Barrage morphs have received adjustments, with Solar Flare now granting a damage bonus with class abilities and Solar Barrage extending the duration of Sun Sphere.

 

Warden

The Scorch ability under the Animal Companion skill line has been fixed to ensure it hits larger monsters correctly. The Arctic Blast morph under the Winter's Embrace skill line now fires a stun after a two-second delay.

 

Weapons

The Restoration Staff abilities have received visual fixes and improvements, resolving issues with visuals and crashes caused by these abilities. The One-Handed and Shield skill line's Low Slash ability and its morphs now have longer durations. The Shield Wall ultimate has had an issue with block functionality after sprinting, which has been fixed. The Dual Wield skill line's Flurry ability and its morphs have also been adjusted to ensure consistent hits.

 

Racial Passives

Various fixes have been made to racial passives, including the Argonian's Resourceful passive and the Union racial passives.

 

Vampire

A fix has been applied where feeding on hostile enemies at stage four vampirism caused their health bars to become indecent.

 

In addition to these class and skill changes, there have been numerous combat and Arcanist fixes and quality-of-life improvements. For a detailed list of these changes, it is recommended to refer to the official patch notes.